Digital Signature Is Used For Secure Signing

Award-winning eSignature solution

What a digital signature is used for

A digital signature is used for verifying who signed a document and protecting the document from changes after signing. In practice, the signer applies a cryptographic signature to the file, and the system records identity details, timestamps, and an audit trail. The recipient can then confirm the signature’s validity and see whether the document was altered. In the U.S., this supports secure electronic agreements, approvals, and records across business, legal, and regulated workflows.

Why digital signatures matter in the U.S.

Digital signatures reduce paper handling, speed approvals, and create stronger evidence of intent and integrity. Under ESIGN and UETA, they can be legally enforceable when attribution, consent, and record retention requirements are met.

Why teams look for DocuSign alternatives

Frequent issues with digital signatures

Signer identity can be disputed if authentication is weak or the audit trail is incomplete.
Documents may lose evidentiary value when timestamps, IP data, or action history are missing.
Regulated teams can fail compliance if retention, access control, or BAA requirements are overlooked.
Users may confuse a drawn signature with a cryptographic digital signature and choose the wrong workflow.

Industries

Real estate, healthcare, finance, legal, education, insurance, construction, and government teams use digital signatures for signed records.

Documents

Lease agreements, patient forms, tax documents, contracts, permission slips, bids, and approvals are signed electronically.

People who benefit most

Coordinates lease packets, rental applications, and closing documents for property teams that need fast turnaround and clear signature records.
Manages patient forms, consent documents, and internal approvals while keeping HIPAA workflows organized and traceable.

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Best ROI. Our customers achieve an average 7x ROI within the first six months.
Scales with your use cases. From SMBs to mid-market, airSlate SignNow delivers results for businesses of all sizes.
Intuitive UI and API. Sign and send documents from your apps in minutes.

Integrity

Creates a tamper-evident record that helps prove the document stayed unchanged after signing.

Audit trail

Captures signer identity, timestamps, and action history for stronger evidence and internal review.

Mobile access

Supports mobile signing on desktop and phone workflows without changing the signed record.

Routing

Helps teams route documents in order, so approvals move through the right people.

Secure storage

Stores signed files with encryption and access controls for sensitive business records.

Reusable workflows

Works across templates and repeat workflows, which reduces manual re-entry and missed steps.

Connected systems for signing workflows

Connected systems move documents, contacts, and records into signing workflows without manual copying or repeated uploads.

How the signing flow works

The signing process follows a simple sequence from document preparation to final storage and verification.

Prepare: Upload the document and prepare the fields.
Route: Send it to the signer.
Sign: Signer reviews and applies the signature.
Complete: Store the completed file with its audit trail.

Quick steps to start signing

Use a short setup process to prepare, route, and finish a document with clear signing instructions.

Add fields:
Upload the file and add signature, date, and initial fields.
Set routing:
Set signer order and required approvals before sending.
Send:
Send the document by email or signing link.
Review:
Review the completed record and download the signed copy.

Setting	Recommendation
Authentication method	SMS OTP for higher-risk approvals
Signature type	Cryptographic digital signature
Audit trail	Enable full timestamp logging
Document retention	6 years for HIPAA records
Encryption	TLS 1.2/1.3 and AES-256

Platform requirements for signing

signNow works in modern browsers and mobile apps, with secure connections over TLS 1.2 or TLS 1.3.

Desktop browsers Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.
Operating systems Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.
Mobile apps signNow mobile apps on iOS and Android.

For managed deployments, teams often pair browser access with SSO, API access, and device controls. Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android support flexible signing across office and field use.

Security and compliance safeguards

Encryption:

TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

Data protection:

AES-256 at rest

Controls:

SOC 2 Type II available

Certification:

ISO 27001 certified

Healthcare:

HIPAA support with BAA

Privacy:

GDPR compliant data handling

Enterprise operations

A Xerox operations leader needed flexible NetSuite-connected signing for the right documents in the right formats.

Director of NetSuite Operations, Xerox
NetSuite integration shaped document routing

The workflow reduced format mismatches and supported faster document handling across connected business systems.

Real estate

A property founder needed online execution for leases and related forms with compliance and mobile access.

Founder, Martin Properties
Mobile and offline signing support

The process kept lease documents moving without in-person meetings and preserved a clear record for review.

Best practices for digital signatures

A careful setup helps teams keep records defensible, organized, and easier to review later.

Match authentication to document risk

Use stronger authentication for contracts, healthcare forms, and financial approvals, especially when the record may be reviewed later.

Define signer order early

Keep signer order clear so approvals move in the intended sequence and no one signs out of turn.

Set retention by record type

Store completed files with retention rules that match HIPAA, finance, or internal records policies.

Check the audit trail

Review audit trails before archiving so timestamps, signer identity, and actions are complete.

FAQ and troubleshooting

These answers focus on plan limits, compliance needs, and signature validation issues that affect U.S. business workflows.

signNow Business includes legally binding eSignatures, audit trails, templates, mobile apps, ISO 27001, SOC 2, and GDPR support. Use the plan that matches your record needs.

signNow supports HIPAA workflows when a BAA is in place. HIPAA retention for signed PHI records is 6 years under 45 CFR 164.530(j)(2).

If a signer cannot verify identity, use stronger authentication such as SMS OTP or ID verification, depending on the workflow and risk level.

ESIGN and UETA support enforceability when intent, consent, and attribution are documented. signNow audit trails help show who signed, when, and from where.

For regulated records, use the Enterprise or Site License options when you need advanced controls, SSO, API access, or add-ons tied to HIPAA or 21 CFR Part 11.

If a document changed after signing, the tamper-evident seal should fail validation. Download the completed file and review the audit trail for the recorded actions.

signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc
ESIGN and UETA	Yes	Yes	Yes
Starting price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo
Free trial	7-day trial	Trial available	Trial available
Audit trail	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA support	Yes, BAA	Yes, BAA	Yes, BAA

Day 0:

Set up the workspace and prepare the first document.

Day 1:

Send the first signature request to one signer group.

Week 1:

Onboard the full team and confirm routing rules.

7-day trial:

signNow offers a 7-day free trial with no credit card required.

HIPAA retention:

Keep signed PHI records for 6 years under 45 CFR 164.530(j)(2).

21 CFR Part 11:

Use secure audit trails and access controls for FDA-regulated records.

ESIGN and UETA:

Electronic signatures remain enforceable when intent and attribution are documented.

Enterprise rollout:

Add SSO, API access, and advanced controls for larger teams.

Risks of improper signing

Weak attribution

The record may be harder to enforce.

Missing evidence

The audit trail may be challenged.

Retention gap

HIPAA records may fail retention rules.

Part 11 failure

FDA records may be rejected.

Signer authentication:

Verifies the signer before the record is accepted.

Timestamp capture:

Records UTC time for each signing event.

Document hashing:

Computes a hash for the signed file.

Tamper-evident sealing:

Locks the record with a tamper-evident seal.

Audit log storage:

Stores the event history with the completed document.

Retrieval and export:

Exports the trail for review or legal use.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free trial	7 days	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified
Bulk send	Yes, Business Premium	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified
Audit trail	Included	Included	Included	Included	Included
HIPAA compliance	BAA available	BAA available	BAA available	Not verified	Not verified

28M+Documents signed

13+Years in business

4.6/5Average G2 rating