Digital Signatures
Are Electronic Signatures Legally Binding?
E-Signatures are only going to become more popular. Ensure you understand how to securely send, and sign forms that require them.
The adoption of digital signatures has benefits beyond accommodating remote work trends. Here are five of the most popular tools for signing forms online.
With a quarter of white collar jobs in the U.S. projected to be permanently remote by Q4 of 2022, it has become clear that the distributed workforce is here to stay. While the topic remains controversial in certain circles and industries, businesses are changing practices to adapt to this new environment.
In particular, digital or electronic signatures have ballooned in the last two years, with 95% of businesses reporting that they are either already using digital signatures or have a plan to adopt them soon. Of these, two-thirds incorporated the technology in just the last two years.
The widespread adoption of digital signatures has proved to have significant benefits beyond accommodating remote work trends.
- Digital signature use cuts document processing times by 45%.
- Digital signature users report 54% faster deal cycles.
- Across industries, most respondents – 69% – have come to prefer digital signings and have more confidence in their security.
Companies should take time to apprise themselves of the best online form signature tools on the market to take advantage of these potential benefits.
Popular Digital Signature Apps
Here are some of the more popular tools for creating digital signatures online.
1. DocuSign
DocuSign offers a subscription-based digital signature service that has become common in finance, healthcare, education, the public sector, and insurance.
DocuSign accounts are available at three subscription levels – Personal, Standard, and Business Pro – for $10, $25, and $40 a month per user, respectively.
Potential considerations for businesses considering DocuSign involve non-adjustable account limitations. DocuSign’s subscription service – at all three levels – sets a cap on signature files – called envelopes – and users report being unable to purchase more as needed.
2. HelloSign
Acquired by DropBox in 2019, HelloSign is another subscription-based, tiered service. They offer Essentials, DropBox Pro, and Standard for $15, $24.99, and $25 per user per month. HelloSign’s more attractive features include custom templates, two-factor authentication, SOC 2 Type 2 compliance, and multiple signature lines – up to 20 – per document.
In online reviews, users frequently report that HelloSign lacks native integrations and that the free trial converts to paid subscription without notification.
3. PandaDoc
PandaDoc is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) sales processing platform. Among its workflow automation and CPQ (configure, price, quote) features, PandaDoc provides a digital signature functionality.
PandaDoc offers a limited feature free account service, an Essentials account for $19 per month with access to templates and live support and a Business level account with access to PandaDoc’s content library and integration connectors.
Depending on your business needs, PandaDoc’s limitations regarding changes or redactions to existing documents before signing may affect its overall performance value.
4. Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat is a popular PDF management tool. Its free version – Acrobat Reader – allows users to view, print, and annotate PDFs in a desktop browser or mobile device. Adobe’s subscription service offers full PDF editing functionality, including the ability to digitally sign PDFs.
Adobe pricing starts at $22.19 per month per user.
Acrobat sends and receives signature requests via embedded email links. Consequently, documents exchanged through Acrobat are subject to the same inefficiencies and security challenges as any other email attachment. Requests may end up in a recipient’s spam folder and go unnoticed. Additionally, users should only send requests to email addresses known to be secure.
5. FileInvite
Listed as an emerging favorite for 2022 by software review platform Capterra, FileInvite is a secure file sharing and client portal SaaS platform. With broad applications in lending and other financial services, FileInvite allows users to sign documents with authenticated digital signatures and upload them through a 256-bit encryption-secured client portal.
FileInvite’s cloud storage services are SOC 2 Type compliant and include several process automation features such as due dates and automated reminders for clients. Users can create templates, forms, and master files that integrate seamlessly with other cloud services, such as Google Drive.
Pricing for FileInvite comes in at $24 per month in LITE, $43 per month in PRO, and $87 per month in MULTI. For users who want a thorough test drive before making a purchase, FileInvite offers a fully featured 14-day free trial with no obligation to buy.
Secure File Sharing with FileInvite
FileInvite delivers clients far more than just a digital signature service. Having a secure online repository for sensitive documents and individual client portals allows organizations to clear the bottlenecks associated with document collection and attachments lost in sprawling email threads.
To learn more and request a demo, visit FileInvite today.
