Bulk Send
Send the same document to many recipients with individualized tracking and consolidated reporting for large-scale distribution needs
Both signNow and Apptivo support eSignature use consistent with U.S. laws such as ESIGN and UETA; organizations should confirm provider options for HIPAA or FERPA support and for data processing agreements when handling protected records.
Administrators manage account settings, user provisioning, templates, and security policies. They configure SSO or API keys, assign roles, and review audit logs to ensure compliance with internal controls and regulatory obligations.
Regular users create and send documents for signature, use shared templates, and access signed records according to permissions. They are typically restricted from changing global settings or viewing other users' private documents without explicit access.
Send the same document to many recipients with individualized tracking and consolidated reporting for large-scale distribution needs
Shared, versioned templates that teams can manage to standardize documents and reduce repeated setup work
Options for SMS one-time passwords, knowledge-based authentication, and SSO to meet enhanced signer verification requirements
Tamper-evident logs recording every action, IP address, and timestamp for legal defensibility and compliance reporting
RESTful API endpoints to embed signing flows and automate document exchanges within internal systems
Policies and export options to manage long-term storage and compliance-based retention schedules
signNow offers a direct add-on to prepare and send documents from Google Docs with prebuilt fields and templates; Apptivo requires export/import or third-party connectors to achieve similar automation.
signNow provides ready connectors and API examples for linking signed documents to CRM records; Apptivo includes built-in CRM workflows with simpler linking but fewer advanced eSignature features.
Both products support storage syncing to Dropbox and other cloud services, but signNow emphasizes direct document lifecycle and archival controls for signed assets.
signNow includes shared templates, team templates, and Bulk Send for repetitive workflows; Apptivo supports templates within its CRM but may lack some bulk-sending controls.
| Setting Name | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Reminder Frequency | 48 hours |
| Signer Order | Sequential or parallel |
| Authentication Method | Email, SMS, SSO |
| Retention Policy | Custom retention |
| Callback / Webhook | Enabled |
signNow and Apptivo both support modern web browsers, native mobile apps, and responsive interfaces suitable for desktop, tablet, and smartphone usage.
Confirm browser versions and mobile OS requirements for secure features such as in-app camera capture, SMS authentication, or enterprise SSO; enterprise deployments should validate SSO, SCIM provisioning, and firewall allowlists before rollout.
A brokerage needs fast, secure contract signing with reusable templates and bulk distribution.
Leading to faster closings and clearer audit records for compliance and accounting.
A mid-size sales team wants CRM records tied to signed agreements and opportunity stages.
Resulting in simpler CRM-document linkage but potentially fewer advanced eSignature automation features than a dedicated eSignature service.
| Feature / Criteria | signNow (Recommended) | Apptivo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated eSignature platform | Uses CRM-integrated signing | ||
| Bulk Send capability | Limited | For mass distribution use signNow | |
| Advanced authentication options | Basic | SMS/SSO more mature in signNow | |
| Prebuilt CRM connector | Built-in CRM | Apptivo ties to its CRM natively |
Define retention periods by document type and regulatory requirement
Daily or weekly backups to secondary storage
PDF/A for archival and CSV for metadata exports
Provide sanitized deletion workflows for expired records
Schedule periodic reviews of retained documents
| Plan / Tier | signNow (Recommended) | signNow Pricing (public) | Apptivo | Apptivo Pricing (public) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level offering | Individual eSignature plan | Starts around $8 per user per month | Free and Starter CRM tiers | Starter plans begin near $8 per user per month | Public pricing may require annual billing for listed rates |
| Business tier | Business plan for teams | Mid-tier per-user pricing | CRM Professional tier | Mid-tier per-user pricing | Feature sets differ; compare included eSignature limits |
| Advanced/Enterprise | Enterprise plans with SSO and advanced security | Custom pricing on request | Ultimate CRM with integrations | Enterprise quotes available by sales | Contact both vendors for volume discounts |
| Trials and demos | Free trial available | Trial durations vary by promotion | Free trial and freemium options | Freemium available with limited features | Trials useful to validate integration and workflow fit |
| Billing model | Per-user subscription, add-ons | Monthly and annual billing options | Per-user subscription for CRM | Monthly and annual billing options | Additional API usage or storage may incur fees |