E Signature and Digital Signature Guide for SignNow

Award-winning eSignature solution

What eSignature and digital signature mean

An eSignature is an electronic mark, symbol, or process used to show intent to sign a record, while a digital signature uses cryptography to protect identity and document integrity. In practice, both support paperless signing for U.S. businesses, but they work differently. signNow captures the signer’s action, records the event, and stores the document history. A digital signature adds certificate-based verification, hashing, and tamper evidence so changes after signing are detectable.

Why eSignature and digital signature matter

They reduce paper handling, speed approvals, and create records that can be enforced under ESIGN and UETA when consent, intent, and attribution are documented. For U.S. businesses, that means faster turnaround with legally defensible workflows and clearer evidence if a signed record is later disputed.

Why teams look for DocuSign alternatives

Common eSignature pain points

Signer consent is missing, so the record may not satisfy ESIGN notice and consent requirements.
Weak authentication makes it harder to attribute the signature to the right person.
Incomplete audit trails leave gaps in timestamps, IP data, or signing actions.
Retention rules are unclear, which can create problems in HIPAA, FERPA, or litigation holds.

Real estate

Real estate teams use lease agreements, disclosures, and rental applications with mobile signing.

Healthcare

Healthcare organizations collect patient forms, consent records, and HIPAA-covered documents with BAA-backed workflows.

People who benefit most

Teams in property operations use signNow to send leases, renewals, and disclosures without in-person meetings. The workflow fits fast-moving rental and sales cycles, where mobile access and clear audit trails matter for both staff and clients.
Operations leaders in healthcare and finance use signNow for patient intake, consent forms, tax documents, and approvals. They benefit from compliance-focused controls, integration with existing systems, and faster document turnaround across distributed teams.

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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.

Simple signing

Capture signatures on desktop or mobile with a simple signing flow that reduces friction for senders and recipients.

Audit trail

Track every action with timestamps, signer details, and document history for stronger evidence and easier review.

Templates

Use templates to standardize repeat documents and cut setup time across recurring workflows.

Signing order

Route documents in order so each signer receives the file at the right step.

Mobile access

Collect signatures on phones and tablets without changing the core workflow or record history.

Form control

Keep documents organized with reusable forms, field controls, and consistent signing instructions.

Integrations that fit existing systems

Connected systems move documents, signer data, and completed records between signNow and the tools teams already use.

How the signing flow works

The signing process follows a clear sequence from document preparation to final storage and review.

Prepare file: Upload the document and add required fields.
Route document: Assign signers and set the signing order.
Sign online: Signer reviews and completes the required fields.
Finish and store: signNow stores the completed record and history.

Quick steps to get started

Use a short setup process to prepare, send, and store signed documents without extra manual steps.

Upload:
Upload the document you want signed.
Add fields:
Place signature, date, and text fields.
Set order:
Choose who signs first and next.
Send:
Send the document for signature.
Save record:
Download or store the completed file.

Setting	Recommendation
Authentication method	SMS OTP for higher-risk transactions
Signature type	SES for routine agreements
Audit trail	Enable full event logging
Document retention	6 years for HIPAA records
Encryption	TLS 1.2/1.3 and AES-256

Platform and device requirements

signNow works in modern desktop browsers and on iOS and Android devices, with secure connections over TLS 1.2 or TLS 1.3.

Desktop browsers Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge on Windows and macOS.
Mobile devices iOS and Android mobile apps support signing on phones and tablets.
Connection security TLS 1.2 or TLS 1.3 required for secure access.

For regulated teams, managed devices, browser updates, and controlled access policies help keep signing consistent across departments. Mobile access is useful for field work, while desktop browsers remain the best fit for document preparation and review.

Security and compliance safeguards

Transport security:

Encrypts data in transit with TLS 1.2/1.3

Data at rest:

Encrypts stored data with AES-256

HIPAA support:

Supports HIPAA workflows with BAA

SOC 2 Type II:

Certified SOC 2 Type II controls

ISO 27001:

Certified ISO 27001 information security

Legal framework:

Supports ESIGN and UETA compliance

NetSuite operations

A NetSuite operations leader needed flexible routing for the right documents in the right format.

Kodi-Marie Evans, Director of NetSuite Operations at Xerox

signNow helped Xerox align document routing with NetSuite-based workflows, which improved control over signing formats and reduced manual handling across teams.

Real estate founder

A property founder needed online execution for lease and related documents with compliance and mobile access.

Tim Martin, Founder at Martin Properties

signNow supported mobile and offline signing, plus built-in security, so documents could move faster while still preserving compliance-focused records.

Best practices for reliable signing

A few setup choices can improve attribution, record quality, and long-term usability without adding unnecessary complexity.

Route by role

Use role-based routing so each signer receives only the documents they need, in the right order. This reduces confusion, limits unnecessary access, and makes the signing path easier to review later.

Capture consent early

Collect signer consent before sending records electronically, and keep the consent record with the signed file. That helps support ESIGN and UETA enforceability when the transaction later needs to be reviewed.

Match authentication to risk

Require stronger authentication for higher-risk documents, such as SMS OTP or ID verification. Match the method to the transaction value, the sensitivity of the record, and your internal policy.

Align retention and access

Keep retention and access rules aligned with HIPAA, FERPA, or internal record policies. Store completed documents, audit trails, and related approvals together so the record stays usable over time.

FAQ and troubleshooting

These answers focus on plan limits, compliance needs, and record evidence so teams can choose the right signing setup.

signNow Business includes legally binding eSignatures, templates, mobile apps, and audit trails. If you need HIPAA support, use a BAA and confirm the workflow matches your record-retention policy.

signNow supports ESIGN and UETA compliance when consent, intent, and attribution are captured. For healthcare records, HIPAA requires a BAA, access controls, and retention of signed documents for 6 years.

The Business Premium plan adds bulk send. If your team needs higher-volume routing, compare that plan with Enterprise or Site License based on document volume, API access, and authentication needs.

signNow includes a 7-day free trial with no credit card required. Trial access is useful for testing templates, signing order, and audit trail output before choosing a paid plan.

If a signed file is disputed, the audit trail helps show who signed, when they signed, and what actions occurred. That record supports evidentiary review under ESIGN, UETA, and FRE Rule 901.

For EU transactions, signNow supports SES on all plans, while QES and AES are available on the Site License. Match the signature level to the legal requirement before sending.

signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Acrobat Sign	PandaDoc
ESIGN and UETA	Yes	Yes	Yes
Audit trail	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA support	Yes	Yes	Yes
Starting price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Envelope cap	No cap	100 envelopes/year	Not verified

Day 0:

Set up templates, roles, and retention rules.

Day 1:

Send the first document for signature.

Week 1:

Onboard the first team and review audit trails.

7-day trial:

signNow trial runs 7 days, no credit card required.

HIPAA retention:

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

ESIGN consent:

Capture electronic consent before the first send.

UETA recordkeeping:

Store the completed record and audit trail together.

Enterprise rollout:

Expand users after policy review and access testing.

Risks of poor signing controls

Weak attribution

Document may be challenged in court.

Missing audit trail

Audit evidence may be excluded.

Retention failure

HIPAA records may be noncompliant.

Missing consent

ESIGN enforceability may be disputed.

Signer authentication:

Verifies the signer before the record is accepted.

Timestamp capture:

Records UTC time for each signing event.

Document hashing:

Creates a hash for the signed document.

Tamper-evident sealing:

Seals the file so later edits are detectable.

Audit trail storage:

Stores the event history with the completed file.

Retrieval and export:

Exports the record for review or litigation.

	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	Yes	Not verified	Yes	Not verified
Audit trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA compliance	BAA required	BAA available	BAA available	Not verified	Not verified

28M+Documents signed

13+Years in business

4.6/5Average G2 rating