Mobile Signing
Support for smartphone and tablet signing with responsive interfaces and offline signing where applicable for field operations.
Understanding differences helps nonprofits choose a solution that balances secure eSigning, CRM data workflows, budget, and compliance requirements such as ESIGN, UETA, and HIPAA when applicable.
A Program Director manages participant enrollments and consent forms, needing a reliable eSignature workflow that maps signed documents to contact records in a CRM. They prioritize auditability, simple templates, and integration to avoid rekeying participant data while ensuring records meet organizational retention policies.
A Donor Coordinator processes donation agreements and stewardship documentation, valuing an eSignature tool that preserves compliance evidence and syncs donor signatures into the fundraising CRM. They require searchability, template reuse, and secure storage consistent with donor privacy requirements.
Nonprofit teams commonly include program staff, development officers, volunteer coordinators, and administrators who need secure signatures and consolidated constituent records.
Decision-makers should assess daily workflows, volume of signed documents, integration needs, and compliance obligations before selecting a combined CRM and eSignature approach.
Support for smartphone and tablet signing with responsive interfaces and offline signing where applicable for field operations.
Ability to send the same document to many recipients efficiently and track individual signature status for mass outreach or acknowledgements.
Developer APIs to embed signing flows, automate document creation, and connect custom fundraising or case management systems.
Form logic to show or hide fields based on prior responses, simplifying forms and guiding signers accurately.
Comprehensive logs capturing signer actions, timestamps, IP addresses, and document versions for legal defensibility.
Connectors to Google Workspace, Dropbox, payment gateways, and common CRMs for end-to-end automation.
Secure electronic signatures with configurable signer authentication options, timestamped audit trails, and certificate storage to support legal validity under ESIGN and UETA.
Reusable templates and prefilled fields reduce repetitive data entry for agreements, waivers, and donor forms, improving consistency and reducing errors.
Native or connector-based integrations map signed documents and field data into contact records to maintain a single source of truth for constituents.
Feature sets that support HIPAA or FERPA workflows, detailed audit logs, and configurable retention policies suitable for nonprofit recordkeeping.
| Feature | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Reminder Frequency | 48 hours |
| Signer Authentication Method | Email and SMS |
| Document Retention Period | 7 years |
| Template Versioning | Enabled |
| CRM Field Mapping | Key contact fields |
Confirm platform compatibility to ensure staff and volunteers can sign and access documents on their preferred devices before committing to a vendor.
Both signNow and Apptivo provide web and mobile access, but confirm specific browser versions, offline signing needs, and any required integrations with organization-managed devices or single sign-on systems.
A regional nonprofit needed a fast, auditable way to collect thousands of volunteer waivers online and attach them to volunteer records in their CRM
Resulting in faster onboarding, clearer audit trails for compliance audits, and time reallocated from paperwork to volunteer coordination and outreach activities.
A social services nonprofit wanted a unified CRM for case tracking and donor relations while handling occasional signed agreements
Leading to streamlined case notes and contact records, but requiring additional configuration or third-party eSignature tools to match signNow's dedicated signing workflows.
| Criteria / Feature | signNow (Featured) | Apptivo | DocuSign |
|---|---|---|---|
| eSignature Functionality | |||
| Bulk Send | Limited | ||
| Native CRM Tools | |||
| HIPAA Support Options |
Define scope, compliance needs, and users
Choose signNow or Apptivo based on needs
Create templates and map fields
Set up CRM connectors or API flows
Train staff and publish procedures
Run a pilot with real workflows
Deploy to all users and monitor
Update templates and retention rules
7 years recommended for tax audit support
Keep for program duration plus several years
7 years after termination typical
Follow HIPAA minimum retention rules
Annual review for access and compliance
| Plan Tier | signNow (Featured) | Apptivo | DocuSign | PandaDoc | Adobe Sign |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free/Entry | Limited free trial available | Free tier with basic CRM | Free trial only | Free trial available | Free trial available |
| Individual/Standard Plan | From around $8 per user per month billed annually | From around $8 per user per month | From $10 per user per month | From $19 per user per month | From $14.99 per user per month |
| Business/Team Plan | Team pricing with shared templates and Bulk Send | Team plans with CRM modules | Business plans with advanced workflows | Business plans with templates and analytics | Business plans with enterprise features |
| Enterprise/Advanced Plan | Custom pricing for enterprise features and SSO | Custom enterprise pricing | Enterprise pricing with advanced admin controls | Enterprise with API and SSO | Enterprise with advanced admin and compliance |
| Nonprofit Discounts | Available for eligible organizations | May offer nonprofit pricing | Possible nonprofit programs | Contact sales for discounts | Academic and nonprofit pricing available |