Electronic Signature Or Symbol for SignNow

Award-winning eSignature solution

What an electronic signature or symbol is

An electronic signature or symbol is any electronic sound, mark, or process that a person uses to sign a record with intent. In U.S. transactions, it can be a typed name, a drawn signature, a clicked consent box, or a secure signing process tied to a document. The key mechanics are consent, attribution, and record integrity. signNow captures the signing event, stores an audit trail, and preserves the signed file so the record can be reviewed later if needed.

Why electronic signatures matter

Electronic signatures reduce paper handling, speed approvals, and support enforceable records when ESIGN and UETA requirements are met. They help businesses close documents faster while keeping a defensible record of consent, identity, and signing activity.

Why teams look for DocuSign alternatives

Common electronic signature pitfalls

Signer consent is unclear when the workflow does not explain electronic delivery or signing intent.
Weak authentication can make it harder to attribute the signature to the right person.
Missing audit details can leave gaps in timestamp, IP address, or document history evidence.
Poor retention practices can make signed records difficult to retrieve during disputes or reviews.

Businesses

Businesses use electronic signatures for contracts, approvals, disclosures, and consent forms across remote and in-person workflows.

Documents

Teams use them for lease agreements, patient forms, tax documents, onboarding packets, and policy acknowledgments.

Real users and roles

A director of NetSuite operations at Xerox uses signNow to route the right signatures to the right documents in the right formats. The workflow matters when approvals depend on system data, role-based routing, and controlled document versions across finance and operations teams.
A founder at Martin Properties uses signNow to execute documents online with compliance and built-in security, including mobile and offline access. That setup fits real estate teams that need fast turnaround on leases, rental applications, and closing paperwork without in-person meetings.

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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.

Consent capture

Capture consent, identity, and signing intent in one workflow so records stay organized and easier to verify later.

Audit trail

Store a time-stamped history of document actions, signer events, and delivery details for review and dispute support.

Mobile signing

Support mobile signing on phones and tablets so approvals can happen away from a desktop.

Faster turnaround

Reduce paper handling and manual follow-up, which shortens turnaround time for approvals and acknowledgments.

Record integrity

Keep signed files tied to the original record so changes are easier to detect and explain.

Legal support

Work across business processes that need legally binding signatures under ESIGN and UETA when consent is captured.

Connected workflows and integrations

Connected systems move documents, contacts, and approvals into signNow so signatures happen inside existing business workflows.

How the signing flow works

The signing process follows a simple sequence from document delivery to final record storage.

Send: The signer receives a document and reviews the request.
Sign: The signer authenticates and applies an electronic signature.
Log: signNow records timestamps, identity details, and document history.
Store: The completed file is stored and shared for later use.

Quick setup steps

A short setup keeps the workflow clear for senders and signers.

Upload:
Upload the document you want signed.
Assign:
Add signers and assign signing order.
Prepare:
Place signature fields and required inputs.
Send:
Send the document for signature.
Review:
Track completion and download the final file.

Setting	Recommendation
Authentication method	SMS OTP for higher assurance
Signature type	SES for routine U.S. contracts
Audit trail	Enable full time-stamped history
Document retention	6 years for HIPAA records
Encryption	TLS 1.2/1.3 and AES-256

Platform and device support

signNow works across major browsers and mobile operating systems, with secure access over modern TLS connections.

Desktop browsers Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge
Operating systems Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android
Mobile devices iPhone, iPad, and Android phones

For enterprise use, managed Windows and macOS devices, mobile apps on iOS and Android, and browser-based access in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge keep signing available across office and field workflows. Administrators can pair these environments with SSO, API access, and controlled user provisioning when policy requires tighter governance.

Security and compliance

Encryption:

TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

Data protection:

AES-256 at rest

Security report:

SOC 2 Type II available

Management system:

ISO 27001 certified

Healthcare compliance:

HIPAA support with BAA

Regulated records:

21 CFR Part 11 support

Operations workflow

A Xerox operations leader needed flexible routing for the right signatures on the right documents.

NetSuite integration kept document formats aligned.
Role-based routing reduced manual follow-up.

The workflow supported controlled approvals across connected systems, which helped the team manage document formats and signature order without relying on paper-based handoffs.

Real estate execution

A real estate founder needed online execution for property documents with security and mobile access.

Mobile signing supported field work.
Offline access helped when connectivity was limited.

The process fit property workflows that depend on fast turnaround, remote signing, and a clear record of completion for leases and related forms.

Best practices for signing workflows

A disciplined workflow reduces disputes and keeps records easier to defend, retrieve, and review.

Capture clear consent

Use a clear consent notice before the signer starts. Make the signing intent obvious, identify the record being signed, and keep the disclosure with the document so attribution is easier to defend later.

Right-size authentication

Match authentication strength to document risk. Use SMS OTP or ID verification for higher-stakes transactions, and reserve lighter methods for low-risk acknowledgments where ESIGN and UETA still allow electronic execution.

Set retention by record type

Keep retention rules tied to the document type. For HIPAA records, retain signed documents for 6 years under 45 CFR 164.530(j)(2), and make sure retrieval is possible during audits or disputes.

Verify the audit trail

Review audit trails before final storage. Confirm timestamps, signer identity, and document history are complete, then export or archive the signed file in a controlled location with access limits.

Day 0:

Set up the workspace, templates, and user access.

Day 1:

Send the first document for signature.

Week 1:

Onboard the team and review audit trail output.

7-day trial:

Test signNow before a paid plan starts.

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 coverage:

Use state law support for most U.S. transactions.

Archive review:

Confirm retrieval rules before long-term storage.

Risks of improper use

Consent gap

A missing consent record can weaken enforceability.

Attribution dispute

Weak attribution can trigger a signature dispute.

Audit gap

Incomplete logs can reduce evidentiary weight.

Retention failure

Short retention can fail HIPAA recordkeeping.

Signer authentication:

Verify the signer through the configured method.

Timestamp capture:

Record the exact UTC signing time.

Document hashing:

Hash the document before and after signing.

Tamper-evident sealing:

Seal the file with tamper-evident metadata.

Event logging:

Store signer events in the audit log.

Retrieval and export:

Export the audit trail for review.

Recommended	DocuSign	Adobe Acrobat Sign	Criteria
ESIGN and UETA	Yes	Yes	Yes
Starting price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo
Envelope cap	No cap	100/user/year	Not verified
Audit trail	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA support	Yes, BAA required	Yes, BAA available	Yes, BAA available

	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	Business Premium	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified
Audit trail	Included	Included	Included	Included	Included
HIPAA compliance	BAA required	Available	Available	Not verified	Available

FAQ and troubleshooting

These answers focus on plan limits, compliance needs, and workflow details that affect real signing operations.

signNow Business starts at $8/user/month billed annually. The plan includes legally binding eSignatures, audit trails, templates, mobile apps, ISO 27001, SOC 2, and GDPR support.

The 7-day free trial requires no credit card. It lets you test signing workflows before choosing a paid plan.

For HIPAA workflows, signNow supports compliance with a BAA. Signed records containing PHI should be retained for 6 years under 45 CFR 164.530(j)(2).

signNow supports ESIGN and UETA compliance, and its audit trail helps show signer identity, timestamps, and document history. That evidence matters when you need to defend attribution in a dispute.

Bulk send is included in Business Premium. If you need mass distribution, that plan adds bulk send, while Enterprise adds advanced signer authentication and formula fields.

signNow has no envelope cap on the Business plan, while DocuSign limits some plans to 100 envelopes per user per year. For high-volume workflows, that difference can matter.

28M+Documents signed

13+Years in business

4.6/5Average G2 rating