Encryption
Verify encryption standards for both transit and storage, confirm support for AES-256 or equivalent, and evaluate options for customer-managed keys when required by policy or regulation to retain control over encryption lifecycle.
Comparing signNow and Salesforce on security helps teams choose between a focused eSignature solution with built-in compliance controls and a full CRM platform that requires integration and configuration to reach equivalent signature security levels.
An IT Manager evaluating solutions focuses on integration complexity, API capabilities, encryption configuration, and the ability to centralize access controls. They assess how signNow or Salesforce fits existing identity providers, whether single sign-on is supported, and how audit logs surface security events for incident response and monitoring.
A Compliance Officer prioritizes legally admissible audit trails, signer authentication methods, and contractual assurances such as BAAs. They review signNow and Salesforce integrations for policy enforcement, retention controls, and whether system features map to regulatory requirements like HIPAA, FERPA, ESIGN, and UETA.
IT, compliance, and procurement teams evaluating signature workflows often weigh signNow against Salesforce for security and compliance needs.
Decision-makers balance ease of achieving signature-specific compliance in signNow against CRM-wide governance and ecosystem considerations in Salesforce.
Verify encryption standards for both transit and storage, confirm support for AES-256 or equivalent, and evaluate options for customer-managed keys when required by policy or regulation to retain control over encryption lifecycle.
Confirm support for multiple signer authentication methods, integration with corporate identity providers for SSO and MFA, and the ability to enforce authentication levels per document or workflow based on transaction risk.
Ensure the platform provides tamper-evident audit trails that record signer actions, document versions, timestamps, and IP addresses, and that logs can be exported or integrated into centralized monitoring systems.
Review available CRM connectors, API maturity, and webhook/event support to ensure secure, reliable data exchange and consistent enforcement of access controls across systems.
Evaluate role-based administration, provisioning workflows, activity monitoring, and the ability to restrict administrative privileges to reduce risk of unauthorized configuration changes.
Confirm hosting locations and data residency options that align with organizational policies and contractual obligations, especially for regulated sectors that require U.S.-based storage or specific regional controls.
Flexible authentication methods are essential for meeting legal and internal security requirements; evaluate options such as email verification, access codes, SMS, knowledge-based checks where permitted, and integration with enterprise identity providers for single sign-on and MFA enforcement.
A detailed, tamper-evident audit trail should record every event in the signature lifecycle, including timestamps, IP addresses, document versions, and signer actions, to support legal defensibility and compliance audits without manual correlation across systems.
End-to-end protection includes strong encryption for data at rest and in transit, options for customer-managed keys if required, and clear documentation on key management and cryptographic standards to satisfy security reviews.
Granular role-based permissions, administrative controls, and the ability to map CRM roles to signature permissions help reduce exposure and ensure only authorized users can view, send, or manage sensitive documents.
| Feature Configuration and Default Values | Default configuration values for common workflow settings to promote secure, auditable transactions |
|---|---|
| Reminder Frequency for Pending Signatures | 48 hours after initial send, then daily reminders for three occurrences |
| Access Control and Role Mapping | Map CRM roles to signature permissions and limit administrative access |
| Signature Authentication Level | Require at least one strong authentication method for regulated documents |
| Audit Trail Retention Policy | Retain audit logs for minimum seven years or per regulation |
| Template Assignment and Locking | Lock fields on templates to prevent unauthorized edits |
Basic platform compatibility and recommended technical settings for secure eSignature use with CRM integrations.
Ensure clients and internal users use updated browsers and mobile OS versions, maintain TLS 1.2+ across integrations, and provision API keys with least privilege to reduce attack surface when connecting signNow and CRM systems.
A clinic digitizes patient intake to reduce paper handling and streamline consent capture
Resulting in faster enrollments while maintaining HIPAA-ready controls and a signed audit trail for compliance reviews.
A school district moves permission slips online to improve parent response rates and reduce lost forms
Leading to documented consent records with access controls that align with FERPA requirements and district retention policies.
| Security and Compliance Feature Comparison Table | signNow (Recommended) | Salesforce | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Encryption at rest and key management | AES-256, customer key options | Platform encryption available | signNow focuses on eSignature key options |
| Granular role-based access controls | Yes, configurable per account | Yes, CRM-wide roles | Salesforce offers broader role models |
| Audit trail completeness for signatures | Comprehensive, signature-focused logs | Comprehensive, CRM activity logs | signNow provides signature-centric detail |
| HIPAA and regulated-data support | BAA available on request | Possible with configuration and agreements | Both require contractual steps |
| Pricing and Plan Features | signNow (Recommended) | Salesforce | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price and positioning | Lower-cost eSignature plans | CRM subscription required for full use | Consumer and business tiers | Included with Acrobat subscriptions | Mid-market document workflow pricing |
| Advanced security add-ons | Customer-managed keys available | Shield and add-ons possible | Advanced options available | Enterprise security add-ons | Enterprise controls on higher tiers |
| Bulk send and limits | Bulk Send supported on business plans | Bulk operations via add-ons | Bulk send available on paid tiers | Bulk workflows available | Bulk send on higher plans |
| API access and developer tools | API included with paid plans | API with paid CRM editions | Robust APIs on business tiers | API available for enterprise | API on paid tiers |
| HIPAA / regulated data support | BAA available and documented | Possible with BAA and configuration | BAAs available | BAAs available for enterprise | BAAs available on request |