How to Put a Signature Online with SignNow
Award-winning eSignature solution
What online signing means
How to put a signature online means signing a document electronically instead of on paper. In signNow, a sender uploads or creates a document, adds signature fields, and sends it to one or more signers by email, link, or workflow route. The signer reviews the file, completes the required fields, and applies an electronic signature from a browser or mobile device. signNow then records the signing activity, supports audit trails, and stores the completed document for later retrieval and compliance review.
Why online signatures matter
How to put a signature online reduces paper handling, speeds approvals, and creates an electronic record that can be enforced under ESIGN and UETA when the signer’s intent, attribution, and record integrity are preserved.
How the signing flow works
The signing process follows a short sequence from document setup to storage, with signNow recording the events that support later verification.
Prepare: Upload or create the document in signNow. Route: Add signature fields and recipient order. Sign: Signer reviews and signs from web or mobile. Store: Completed file and audit trail are stored for review.
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Quick steps to get started
A simple signing workflow starts with a document, adds fields, and ends with a completed record that can be stored or shared.
Prepare:
Upload the file and place signature fields. Route:
Add recipients and set signing order. Send:
Send the document for signing. Finish:
Download the completed copy after all signatures.
FAQs and fixes for online signatures
Answer these questions before rollout so the signature workflow lines up with signNow features, plan limits, and applicable U.S. compliance rules.
signNow supports legally binding eSignatures with audit trails on Business, Business Premium, Enterprise, and Site License plans. If a document needs stronger identity checks, use SMS OTP or ID verification, and align the workflow with ESIGN, UETA, or HIPAA requirements as needed.
Free trial accounts last 7 days and do not require a credit card. If a feature appears unavailable, confirm whether it belongs to Business Premium, Enterprise, or Site License, because bulk send, kiosk mode, SSO, API, and HIPAA add-ons are plan-specific.
signNow records timestamps, signer activity, and document history to support audit evidence. If a recipient says a signature is invalid, verify that the signer intended to sign, the record stayed unchanged, and the document was completed through a tracked workflow.
For HIPAA workflows, signNow supports compliance when you have a BAA in place. HIPAA also requires unique user identification, access controls, audit controls, and document retention for 6 years under 45 CFR 164.530(j)(2).
If a signer cannot open the document, check the delivery method, browser, and device. signNow supports web, iOS, and Android use, and mobile signing works with modern browsers and the app workflow on managed devices.
If you need long-term admissibility, export the completed document and audit trail, then store them in a controlled archive. For finance, healthcare, and regulated records, keep the signed file with its evidence package under your retention policy and applicable rule set.
Identity and certificate checks
PKI:
X.509:
2FA:
SMS OTP:
ID verification:
Revocation status:
Pricing and core features
Pricing below reflects verified annual-billing entry data available in the current ground truth set.
| Features | 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-day trial | 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 compliant | BAA required | BAA available | BAA available | Not verified | Not verified |
Retention periods to plan for
Use the retention rule that matches the record class, since signed documents can be governed by industry, tax, or privacy requirements.
6 years for HIPAA records
As required for tax records
Six years for broker-dealer records
As required for securities records
As required for student records
Practical record-keeping habits
Good record handling makes signed files easier to defend, archive, and retrieve, especially when the workflow spans regulated documents or multiple teams.
Choose the right authentication
Standardize recurring documents
Keep evidence with the file
Apply the correct retention rule
Browser and device support
How to put a signature online needs a modern browser, a current operating system, and TLS 1.2/1.3 support for secure transmission.
Browsers Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. Desktop OS Windows and macOS desktops. Mobile OS iOS and Android mobile devices.
At the deployment level, organizations may also need browser controls, managed devices, API access, SSO, and archive policies. signNow fits mixed desktop and mobile use while supporting controlled workflows for business, healthcare, and finance teams.
Business types that benefit most
Different organizations use online signatures for different reasons, from faster turnaround to tighter controls and simpler document handling.
Solo real estate offices use online signatures to send leases, disclosures, and addenda without scheduling in-person meetings, which helps move listings through review and signing faster while keeping a clear record of consent and completion. Healthcare practices use online signatures for intake forms, consent documents, and HIPAA workflows, with BAA-backed handling and audit trails that support secure collection of patient approvals on desktop or mobile devices. Enterprise operations teams use online signatures to route contract approvals through templates, delegated sending, and role-based access, which standardizes signature collection across departments and reduces delays in high-volume document workflows.
These tasks are executed by both individual contributors and centralized administrators depending on organizational policy and required controls.
What the audit trail records
A signNow audit trail captures the evidence behind each signature event, which helps support attribution, integrity, and later review.
Signer authentication:
Timestamp capture:
Document hashing:
Tamper-evident sealing:
Event history:
Audit export:
Key performance indicators that demonstrate SignNow's proven track record.