Software to Digitally Sign PDF Documents

Award-winning eSignature solution

What software to digitally sign PDF documents does

Software to digitally sign PDF documents lets users apply an electronic signature to a PDF and record the signing event in a secure workflow. In practice, the sender uploads a PDF, adds signer fields, sets the signing order, and sends the file by email or link. The signer reviews the document, confirms intent, and signs from a browser or mobile device. The system then stores the completed PDF, signature data, and an audit trail that shows who signed, when, and from where.

Why digital PDF signing matters

It reduces paper handling, speeds approvals, and creates a record that supports enforceability under ESIGN and UETA when the signer’s intent and consent are captured.

Why teams look for DocuSign alternatives

Common PDF signing challenges

Signers may hesitate if the workflow does not clearly show intent, consent, and document scope before signing.
Poor authentication can weaken attribution, especially when teams rely on shared inboxes or low-assurance access methods.
Missing retention rules can leave completed PDFs scattered across email, drives, and local folders without a reliable record.
Inconsistent templates and field placement can cause signing errors, incomplete forms, and avoidable back-and-forth.

Who uses it

Real estate teams, healthcare offices, finance groups, legal departments, and education staff use signed PDFs for approvals and records.

What gets signed

Lease agreements, patient forms, tax documents, contracts, permission slips, and policy acknowledgments are frequent PDF signing use cases.

Typical users and personas

A director of NetSuite operations at Xerox uses signNow to route the right signatures on the right documents in the right formats. That matters when approvals depend on structured workflows, ERP data, and consistent document handling across teams and systems.
A founder at Martin Properties uses signNow to process leases and related forms online with compliance and built-in security. That fits real estate teams that need mobile signing, faster turnaround, and a reliable record for transactions handled outside the office.

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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.

Reusable workflows

Create reusable signing flows for recurring PDFs, so teams spend less time rebuilding the same steps for every agreement or form.

Mobile signing

Collect signatures from desktop and mobile devices, which helps signers complete documents without printing, scanning, or mailing paper.

Audit trail

Track every action in a detailed audit trail, giving teams a record of delivery, viewing, signing, and completion events.

Templates

Use templates to standardize forms and reduce field placement errors across contracts, approvals, and intake documents.

Signing order

Route documents in order when multiple people must sign, review, or approve the same PDF.

Completed records

Store completed files with signature data attached, so teams can retrieve signed PDFs and supporting evidence later.

Integrations that connect PDF signing

Connected systems move documents, contacts, and approvals into signNow, so signing fits existing sales, finance, operations, and storage workflows.

How PDF signing works

The signing flow moves from document preparation to signer action, then ends with a completed PDF and a verifiable record.

Prepare: Upload the PDF and prepare fields.
Send: Send the document to each signer.
Review: Signer reviews and confirms intent.
Complete: System stores the signed PDF and audit trail.

Quick setup steps

Use a short setup sequence to prepare, route, and store signed PDFs without adding unnecessary steps.

Upload:
Upload the PDF and add required fields.
Assign:
Assign signers and set the signing order.
Send:
Send the document by email or link.
Review:
Review the completed PDF and store it securely.

Setting	Recommendation
Authentication method	SMS OTP
Signature type	SES with audit trail
Audit trail	UTC timestamps and IP logs
Document retention	6 years for HIPAA records
Encryption	TLS 1.2/1.3 and AES-256

Platform and device requirements

signNow works in modern browsers on desktop and mobile devices, with secure transport over TLS and support for browser-based signing across major operating systems.

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

For managed deployments, teams often pair browser access with mobile apps, SSO, and API-based provisioning. Regulated workflows may also require retention controls, audit exports, and certificate or authentication settings that match internal policy, HIPAA, or 21 CFR Part 11 requirements.

Security and compliance

Encryption in transit:

TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

Encryption at rest:

AES-256 at rest

SOC 2 Type II:

SOC 2 Type II available

ISO 27001:

ISO 27001 certified

HIPAA support:

HIPAA support with BAA

GDPR and eIDAS:

GDPR and eIDAS aligned

Enterprise operations

Xerox needed flexible routing for the right signatures on the right documents.

NetSuite-based workflows
Role-specific document routing

The team used signNow to match signatures to document type and workflow, which supported faster processing and more consistent internal handling across integrated systems.

Real estate

Martin Properties needed online execution for leases and related forms with compliance in mind.

Mobile signing on site
Built-in security controls

signNow helped the team complete documents online and keep a clear record for transactions, reducing paper handling and supporting remote execution.

Best practices for PDF signing

A disciplined signing process reduces errors, supports compliance, and makes completed PDFs easier to defend later.

Standardize recurring forms

Use a template for recurring PDFs, then lock field placement so each signer sees the same structure every time.

Align authentication to risk

Match authentication strength to document risk, using stronger verification for financial, healthcare, or real estate records.

Set retention by rule

Keep retention and export rules tied to the governing standard, such as HIPAA or 21 CFR Part 11.

Check the audit record

Review completed files for audit completeness, including signer identity, timestamps, and document history before archiving.

FAQ and troubleshooting

These answers cover plan limits, compliance requirements, and audit evidence for teams using signNow to sign PDFs.

signNow Business includes legally binding eSignatures, audit trails, templates, and mobile apps. If you need bulk send or quick invite links, Business Premium adds those features. All paid plans include unlimited users, and HIPAA use requires a BAA.

signNow supports ESIGN and UETA-compliant signing with audit trails and signer authentication. For healthcare workflows, HIPAA requires a BAA, unique user identification, integrity controls, and audit controls under 45 CFR 164.312.

The Business plan is $8/user/mo billed annually. If you need advanced signer authentication, formula fields, or conditional fields, Enterprise adds those controls. Site License is usage-based and can add SSO and full API access.

signNow records timestamps, document history, and signer actions in the audit trail. For FDA-regulated records, 21 CFR Part 11 also expects secure, time-stamped audit trails, validation, and unique signer identification.

signNow supports ESIGN and UETA for U.S. transactions, and its audit trail helps show intent and attribution. If a document needs stronger evidence, use more robust authentication and keep the completed PDF with its history.

signNow has no envelope cap on the Business plan, while DocuSign limits some tiers to 100 envelopes per user per year. If you need high-volume sending, compare plan limits before rollout.

signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc
ESIGN and UETA	Yes	Yes	Yes
Audit trail	Yes	Yes	Yes
Starting price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo
Envelope cap	No cap	100/year	Not verified
HIPAA support	Yes	Yes	Yes

Day 1:

Set up the workspace and document templates.

Day 2:

Send the first PDF for signature.

Week 1:

Onboard the team and confirm routing rules.

7-day trial:

signNow offers a 7-day free trial.

HIPAA retention:

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

21 CFR Part 11:

Maintain secure audit trails and validation for regulated records.

ESIGN and UETA:

Electronic signatures remain legally valid when intent and attribution are documented.

Annual billing:

Business pricing is $8/user/mo billed annually.

Risks of improper signing

Weak attribution

Document dispute

Missing logs

Audit gap

No BAA

Compliance failure

Poor retention

Evidence challenge

Authenticate:

Verify the signer before the session starts.

Timestamp:

Capture the signing time in UTC.

Hash:

Hash the PDF before and after signing.

Seal:

Apply a tamper-evident seal to the record.

Log:

Log IP address and signer actions.

Export:

Export the audit trail with the completed PDF.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting price	$8/user/mo, annual	$15/user/mo, annual	$14/user/mo, annual	$19/user/mo, annual	$15/user/mo, annual
Free trial	7-day trial	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified
Bulk send	Business Premium	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Audit trail	Included	Included	Included	Included	Included
Envelope cap	No cap	100/user/year	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified

28M+Documents signed

13+Years in business

4.6/5Average G2 rating