Ready to implement e-signatures at your organization, but unsure whether to choose industry leader DocuSign or Adobe Sign, Adobe‘s robust native tool? Let‘s compare the two top options to determine the right fit.
Overview
Transitioning from ink signatures to secure digital workflows is a gamechanger for transaction efficiency and speed. That‘s why e-signatures have quickly become a must-have business technology.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll compare every capability of the two predominant e-signature solutions:
DocuSign – Founded in 2003, the world‘s first and leading e-signature provider, serving over a million global customers across practically every industry. Offers the Agreement Cloud for complete contract lifecycle management.
Adobe Sign – Released in 2015 as Adobe’s native e-signature tool and a key component of Adobe’s Document Cloud ecosystem. Seamlessly integrates with other popular Adobe apps.
We‘ll contrast functionality, security, integrations, customization, compliance adherence, pricing, and more. By the end, you‘ll have the knowledge to select the best choice depending on your individual requirements.
Detailed Feature Comparison
While both platforms enable legally valid digital signatures, they have notable differences across capabilities:
Authentication Methods
Managing user identities and access is imperative for security and compliance.
DocuSign supplies extensive authentication controls: password complexity rules, multifactor authentication (email, SMS, phone), single sign-on, and credentialing signers before sending documents.
Adobe Sign also provides password policies, single sign-on, two-factor authentication, and identity verification when routing documents to signers. Unique is integration with Microsoft 365‘s biometric authentication.
Dashboards and Analytics
Analytics help administrators monitor activity and extract insights.
DocuSign delivers robust analytics on turnaround times, envelope status, sender/signer behaviors, and API usage data with intuitive dashboards.
Adobe Sign offers basic document and signature analytics and summaries but lags DocuSign in providing actionable admin visibility.
Mobile Access
Supporting signatures on-the-go is table stakes.
DocuSign enables complete mobility with dedicated iOS and Android apps. Users can send, sign, and manage envelopes on any device, with offline mode support.
Adobe Sign also supplies full mobile capabilities through its app with a stellar 4.8 App Store rating.
Advanced Fields
Collecting additional form data simplifies workflows.
DocuSign allows users to easily add checkboxes, dropdowns, payment fields and more without any coding. This streamlines aggregating supplemental signer inputs.
Adobe Sign lacks the same breadth of advanced field options as DocuSign without manual development effort.
Document Support
The ability to handle multiple file types is vital for usability.
DocuSign supports PDFs, Word, PowerPoint and over 50 other common business document formats. Bulk sending options available as well.
Adobe Sign specializes in PDFs but enables adding signatures to Word and PowerPoint documents. Lacks the extensive format capabilities of DocuSign.
Let‘s compare some additional capabilities around security, compliance, and customization:
| Category | DocuSign | Adobe Sign |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption Standards | AES-256, RSA 2048 | AES-256 |
| Compliance Certifications | SOC 1 Type 2, SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, FedRAMP, HIPAA | SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001 |
| Contract Lifecycle Management | DocuSign CLM Included | Additional AEM Document Services Required |
| Brand Customization | Logos, Colors, Emails, Signing Screens | Logos, Colors, Emails |
| Template Libraries | Extensive Internal Library | Some Starter Templates |
| Mobile App Reviews | 4.2 iOS Rating | 4.8 iOS Rating |
Admin and Security Controls
We can‘t overlook security protections and access policies that enterprises require.
For granular admin controls, both provide extensive options like:
- Permission presets (user roles)
- Centralized identity management
- Remote account access termination
- Session timeouts
- Domain restrictions
- API controls
Regarding overall security posture:
- DocuSign supplies robust encryption, world-class certifications, and data centers with SSDs and biometric access restrictions.
- Adobe Sign meets similar top compliance standards and leverages AES 256-bit encryption with stringent access controls.
In large deployments, DocuSign tends to edge out Adobe Sign with more mature, enterprise-grade tools for managing users, permissions, and system access.
Real-World Use Cases
Understanding how organizations deploy these platforms proves useful:
- Johnson & Johnson – Uses DocuSign across business units to accelerate clinical trials and shorten supply chain contracting cycles from months to days.
- Salesforce – Relies on Adobe Sign for internal staff and customer-facing documents given tight integration with Adobe tools Salesforce already leverages.
- Twitter – Handles sensitive employee paperwork like offer letters and NDAs via Adobe Sign‘s workflow flexibility and security.
- World Bank – Utilizes DocuSign to securely route complex multi-stakeholder finance agreements to borrowers in remote regions across the globe.
While both enjoy vast adoption, DocuSign dominates most industry use cases due to extensive third-party app ecosystem support. But Adobe Sign shines for existing Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft 365 customers.
Pricing Comparison
Next, let‘s break down what each solution costs:
In summary:
- DocuSign Starts cheaper at $10/month for basic individuals needs
- Adobe Sign‘s team plans are more affordable for smaller workgroups
- Both offer enterprise quotes for large-scale deployments
- Volume discounts available as well
Keep in mind Adobe Sign requires an underlying Acrobat subscription for full PDF editing features. So total costs run higher than the base e-signature pricing.
The Pros and Cons
Before deciding, let‘s summarize the main advantages and limitations:
DocuSign Pros
- Greatest breadth of integrations
- Leading brand recognition and market share
- Stronger analytics and enterprise management tools
- Highly customizable workflows and forms
DocuSign Cons
- Mobile app rating slightly lower than Adobe Sign
- Potential learning curve with extensive configuration options
Adobe Sign Pros
- Tight integration with Adobe Document Cloud
- Easy PDF editing from native Acrobat tools
- Affordable team pricing tiers
- Sleek interface and stellar mobile experience
Adobe Sign Cons
- Less third-party integrations
- Must purchase Acrobat for full PDF capabiltiies
- Limited analytics and custom form options
The choice aligns closely with your existing software stack and tools.
Which Is Better for You?
Both deliver legal e-signatures leveraging similar technology – so which makes more sense for your needs?
For practice areas like law, financial services, or healthcare, DocuSign may be preferable given greater customization to mimic paper processes.
For organizations deeply bought into Adobe apps, Adobe Sign naturally completes the suite.
Similarly, companies working heavily in Microsoft products may gain advantages integrating Sign with Office 365 biometrics and flows.
For most flexible integrations and contract lifecycle management, consider market leader DocuSign.
Think critically about your budget, integration requirements, and use cases. Select the vendor aligning closest with your priorities – you can‘t go wrong with either award-winning solution.
Ready to Implement E-Signatures?
Well there you have it – a comprehensive comparison detailing how DocuSign and Adobe Sign stack up across considerations like security, support, integrations, and ease of use.
Still unsure exactly what‘s best for your organization and use case? Reach out for a quick personalized consultation.
Otherwise, you‘re equipped to confidently choose and hit the ground running modernizing digital transactions. Try out each extensive free trial offer to experience the platforms firsthand.
Let me know if you have any other questions as you transition from ink signatures to automated digital workflows!
