Introduction:
Lately, electronic signature software tools have risen in trend with the efforts of business organizations to cut down costs on paper. Since then, even small and medium business organizations have been compelled to seek an e-signature solution. We have thoroughly compared Adobe Sign vs DocuSign before you get confused in the bid to find the best electronic signature software.

Adobe Sign and DocuSign are two electronic signature tools that have facilitated business organizations to create, automate, and sign digital documents. This blog post will educate you with comprehensive insights based on several key criteria of the two solutions to help you learn Adobe Sign vs DocuSign. This way you shall be easily able to choose one between the two. Let's gain the deeper details of the two solutions. 

What Is Adobe Sign

Adobe Sign (formerly EchoSign) is part of the Adobe Document Cloud and the Adobe family of apps. Adobe's standalone e-signature solution lets you create, manage, and track signature requests entirely online without needing Acrobat installed. It has more advanced features than Acrobat e-signatures. As a digital signature software, Adobe Sign offers a web-based platform and mobile apps to scan, sign, and send your documents from anywhere.

What Is DocuSign

DocuSign is one of the famous names in the electronic signature industry, with a large customer base and all of the core functionality required to sign contracts online. DocuSign can be integrated with various platforms and accessed on almost every device. The platform is widely considered a fast and reliable way to sign agreements electronically. In addition, its strong safety and security measures help you manage all kinds of electronic documents, including but not limited to contracts.

Adobe Sign VS DocuSign: Compare Based on Multiple Criteria

Here is a detailed comparison of DocuSign VS Adobe Sign in pricing, compatibility, capabilities, market share, and security. You will learn the differences between DocuSign and Adobe Sign with these bases.

1. Operating System

DocuSign and Adobe Sign allow users to digitally sign documents using their smartphones and other devices, like tablets, desktops, and laptops. So, documents can be signed quickly and conveniently anywhere in the world. 

However, compared to Adobe Sign, DocuSign has a more advanced mobile platform. DocuSign's mobile app is seamlessly compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows devices, while Adobe Sign still needs an app for Windows devices. 

Undoubtedly, DocuSign will likely be slightly better than Adobe. 

2. Pricing

Adobe Sign pricing is different for single users and business teams.

Price Plans 

Single User

Business

Acrobat Standard

USD 12.99/month

USD 14.99/license/month

Acrobat Pro 

USD 19.99/month

USD 23.99/license/month

Enterprise level Plans

N/A

Custom Price 

DocuSign pricing offers diverse pricing plans for individuals, real estate, and developer API. 

Pricing Plans

Prices

Personal

£8/month

Standard 

£20/user/month

Business Pro

£33/user/month

Enhanced Plans

Custom quotes

Real Estate Starter

£8/month

Real Estate

£20/user/month

Starter 

£41/month

Intermediate 

£244/month

Advanced 

£390/month

The cost of DocuSign is slightly higher than Adobe. Still, it offers most of its electronic signature functionality at a lower price point, and its Standard plan provides a fully compliant eSignature. So DocuSign is a clear winner.

3. Features

These standard features will help you better with DocuSign versus Adobe Sign.

Features 

Adobe Sign

DocuSign

Integrations and API

Yes 

Provides wider integrations

Prebuilt integrations 

~100

400+

Responsive signing 

No 

Yes 

Customization 

Yes 

Yes 

AI-based agreement summarization

No 

Yes 

Information and document security 

Yes 

Yes 

Task process tracking 

Yes 

Yes 

Electronic notarization 

No 

Yes 

Analytics 

Yes 

More powerful 

Ultimately, Adobe Sign is a clear winner in terms of customization, and DocuSign has better, cheaper integrations and is more transparent, especially for larger business organizations. So it highly depends on your needs and usage. 

4. Market Share

According to Statista, the market share of leading digital signature companies globally in 2023 is 67.62% for DocuSign and 5.16% for Adobe Sign. 

Today, the market is heavily dominated by DocuSign, with an estimated ~70% market share. Established in the early 2000s, DocuSign was among the first companies to specialize in electronic signature solutions. DocuSign was able to capitalize on its established brand to capture the acceleration of demand in the last five years, achieving revenue growth of over 30% annually.

When we compare Adobe Acrobat Sign vs DocuSign, DocuSign has a far greater domination over Adobe Sign and other players. 

5. Security

DocuSign and Adobe Sign are fully compliant with all of the industry-standard security practices. They are known to keep their users' information and other details safe and secure. 

Adobe Sign and DocuSign offer two-step authentication with a reliable audit trail, making digital signatures traceable. They also comply with several government regulations, so their eSignatures have the same legal validity as wet signatures in most jurisdictions. Both tools also offer additional security-focused features.

However, DocuSign is better than Adobe Sign as it's transparent about its procedures and protocols for security. 

Which Is Better, DocuSign VS Adobe Sign?

If you still need clarification about Adobe Sign vs DocuSign, this section will help you choose the best one, considering the pros and cons of the two electronic software.

Adobe E-sign: 

 Pros
  • Lower price point
  • Integration with Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Extensive resource library
  • Partnered with Microsoft
 Cons
  • Limited features
  • Fewer integrations
  • Supports only recent versions of MacOS

DocuSign: 

 Pros
  • The free version is available
  • Over 400 integrations
  • Advanced electronic signature features
  • Optimized for use on multiple devices
 Cons
  • Complex usage intended for large business organizations
  • Higher price point

Alternative E-signature Tool to Adobe Sign and DocuSign

After learning about Adobe Sign E-signature service vs. DocuSign, you must have a clear idea of the two electronic signature solutions. However, before deciding between them, you can also consider using SwifDoo PDF. SwifDoo PDF's signing features enable users to sign electronically with text, handwritten, and signature images. In addition, it is a complete solution for managing and handling all your PDF files. Here are more features that add grace to the efficient software. 

  1. Cost-effective solution to cater to all PDF needs
  2. Small installation size does not take much storage space 
  3. Quick program performance with no lags 
  4. Creates a legally binding e-signature by handwriting, inputting text, and adding images 
  5. Quickly add text boxes to a PDF and types on the pages.  

SwifDoo PDF helps replace traditional signatures in almost all situations. It enables you to create one using an image or type your name as an electronic signature. SwifDoo PDF also helps edit, compress, merge, annotate, and protect a PDF with passwords besides creating one. You can add digital signatures and extra protection layers to PDFs for ultimate protection. 

To Sum Up

We have covered all the significant details surrounding Adobe Sign versus DocuSign. Now, choosing one between the two highly depends on individual preferences. While Adobe Sign caters more to individual needs and small business requirements, DocuSign is more concerned with medium-sized and large business organizations, enhancing their productivity with its powerful analytics features. Both tools offer adequate electronic signature solutions; considering the price and need, you can settle with any or give the SwifDoo PDF a try to manage all your PDF documents without hassle. 

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FAQs

Is DocuSign part of Adobe?

No. DocuSign is not the same as Adobe Sign.DocuSign works with Adobe PDF and also has Adobe integrations, but the former is not part of Adobe. 

Charlotte

Columnist