Customer-managed keys
Allows organizations to control encryption keys used for data at rest, offering higher assurance for key lifecycle and separation of duties when required for strict compliance regimes.
Security teams compare signNow and Creatio to decide whether a specialized eSignature provider or a CRM-centric platform better meets authentication, auditability, and regulatory requirements while minimizing integration risk and operational overhead.
Responsible for platform risk assessments, the IT Security Lead evaluates encryption standards, SSO and MFA support, and API security. They need clear, documented controls for audit purposes and prefer vendors that maintain SOC reports and provide configuration guidance for secure deployments.
Focused on regulatory proof points and retention, the Compliance Officer requires tamper-evident audit trails, legally admissible signing records, and documented policies that align with ESIGN, UETA, and applicable healthcare or education rules such as HIPAA or FERPA.
Security, compliance, and operations teams assess platform capabilities to manage risk across signing workflows and document storage.
Procurement and line-of-business owners then weigh integration complexity, total cost, and control surface to select either a dedicated eSignature provider or a CRM-native approach.
Allows organizations to control encryption keys used for data at rest, offering higher assurance for key lifecycle and separation of duties when required for strict compliance regimes.
Document hashing and tamper-evident seals detect post-signature changes, preserving evidentiary integrity and simplifying verification during audits or legal review.
Fine-grained policy controls restrict document access by role, department, or external party, enabling least-privilege sharing and reducing accidental exposure of sensitive records.
Built-in or integrable hold functionality preserves documents and logs for litigation or regulatory inquiries, preventing routine deletion while the hold is active.
Options for regional data storage and processing help meet data residency and regulatory demands across U.S. federal and state jurisdictions.
Availability of SOC 2 reports and third-party assessments provides evidence of operational controls, useful for vendor risk and procurement reviews.
Comprehensive event logs capture signer IPs, timestamps, and action history; look for immutable records and exportable reports to support legal admissibility and internal compliance reviews.
Multiple signer verification options, including SSO/SAML, OAuth, SMS one-time passcodes, and knowledge-based authentication, allow organizations to select an assurance level appropriate for transaction risk and regulatory needs.
Role-based permissions, document-level access restrictions, and configurable sharing policies help prevent unauthorized viewing or alteration of sensitive documents within signing workflows.
End-to-end transport encryption and robust encryption at rest with vendor-managed or customer-managed keys reduce data exposure; review key lifecycle policies for compliance requirements.
| Setting Name | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Authentication Method | SAML SSO |
| Default Retention Period | 7 years |
| Reminder Frequency | 48 hours |
| Document Expiration | 30 days |
| Audit Log Export | Daily export |
Ensure client devices and browsers meet minimum security expectations to preserve signing session integrity and protect credentials during eSignature transactions.
Keep devices patched, require up-to-date browsers and OS versions, and apply endpoint protections; enforce SSO/MFA and restrict use on unmanaged devices for high-risk document types.
A hospital needs patient consent forms with HIPAA-aligned handling and auditable signatures
Resulting in verifiable consent records and reduced exposure during audits.
A university processes student records and FERPA-protected documents
Ensures protected data access is logged and demonstrably restricted.
| Security Criteria | signNow (Recommended) | Creatio |
|---|---|---|
| Native eSignature | Limited | |
| HIPAA-ready features | Configurable | Requires add-on |
| Detailed audit trails | Integration required | |
| SAML SSO support |
| Plan / Vendor | signNow (Recommended) | Creatio | DocuSign | Adobe Sign |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Price (per user/month) | $8–$15 | $25–$45 | $20–$40 | $24–$40 |
| API access included | Yes (with plan) | Paid module | Paid tier | Paid tier |
| Enterprise SLA option | Available | Available | Available | Available |
| Native eSignature focus | Yes | No (CRM-first) | Yes | Yes |
| Dedicated compliance support | HIPAA guidance | Professional services | HIPAA support | HIPAA support |