DocuSign or Adobe Sign? A 2600+ Word Guide Comparing the Top E-Signature Platforms

Hey there!

Choosing the right e-signature solution for your business isn‘t always straightforward with overlapping features across providers.

As two undeniable leaders in the space, DocuSign and Adobe Sign both enable fast, legal and secure digital document signing. But which one fits your specific needs the best?

In this detailed 2600+ word guide, I’ll compare every crucial capability across DocuSign and Adobe Sign to help you decide.

Here’s what I’ll cover:

• Overview of E-Signatures
• Diving Deep on Features
• Use Cases and Integrations
• Pricing Breakdown
• Final Recommendations

So if you’re looking to determine whether DocuSign or Adobe Sign (or neither!) is a better match, read on…

Why Do E-Signatures Matter?

Before we contrast the two platforms, let’s quickly discuss why e-signatures have become a must-have business tool:

They’re legally valid – Electronic signatures provide the same legal standing as wet signatures when implemented using proper cryptographic technology. This avoids slow paper-based signing.

They’re more convenient – Instead of printing, signing, scanning and faxing, you can get documents signed in just a few clicks through email and text reminders.

They enable oversight – With document tracking and analytics, you gain visibility into who’s viewed, signed, or is still pending on agreements.

They’re secure – Multifactor authentication, access controls and encryption keep all data safe from internal and external threats.

They drive efficiency – By cutting signature cycles down from weeks to hours, your teams save time and close deals faster.

With the benefits clear, let‘s now see how the two leading solutions, DocuSign and Adobe Sign, compare across several key categories.

Comparing Core Features

Both platforms cover the critical e-signature capabilities like legality, security and document tracking. But on categories like integrations and customizations, there are clear differences in their strengths.

Here’s an in-depth feature-by-feature comparison:

1. Ease of Use

For any software tool, user experience matters. Complex and confusing UIs lead to low adoption even when value exists underneath.

DocuSign and Adobe Sign focus intently on usability across 3 core areas:

Both ensure a frictionless user experience with guided onboarding, customizable document sending and clear status tracking.

Adobe Sign offers a bit more automation while DocuSign provides more configurable signing. But for most use cases, either platform enables easy end-user adoption.

Winner: Tie

2. Integrations

The value of any software multiplies when it seamlessly works with your existing tool stack.

As category leaders, both DocuSign and Adobe Sign integrate well across productivity suites, clouds storage platforms and even custom apps.

But there are clear differences in breadth of supported services:

Where Adobe Sign shines is tight integrations with Microsoft productivity tools and CRMs fitting larger enterprises relying heavily on Dynamics, Sharepoint etc.

But DocuSign outpaces on the rest – connecting seamlessly across 350+ apps. This flexibility suits rapidly evolving software stacks that mid-sized companies often have.

Winner: DocuSign

3. Customization

White labeling agreements with your brand promotes consistency and adoption. Both enable core customizations but DocuSign provides more controls:

Where Adobe Sign shines more is on consistent branding color profiles thanks to integration with Adobe‘s creative tools.

But DocuSign’s embeddable widgets and templates make it easier to keep agreements on-brand whether on your website or portals.

Winner: DocuSign

4. Security

With legally binding agreements holding sensitive data, rock-solid security is non-negotiable.

Both platforms check the boxes on core aspects like encryption, access controls and activity audits:

Adobe Sign’s native security analysis provides added oversight on potential insider threats. But for most standard use cases, DocuSign meets rigorous encryption and access control requirements.

Winner: Tie

5. Other Features

Beyond the core focus areas above, useful secondary capabilities also tilt evaluations:

• Adobe Sign connects natively with Adobe Acrobat allowing advanced PDF editing of agreements before signatures.

• DocuSign enables much more flexibility for adding custom fields and questionnaires during the signing process.

• Both provide mobile apps to manage and complete signatures on-the-go. But Adobe Sign’s ties with Adobe XD grant better design consistency for touch experiences.

• When it comes to analytics, DocuSign’s pre-built dashboards and custom reporting capabilities trump Adobe Sign.

The wrap – if you anticipate heavy document editing needs before signing, Adobe Sign plays nicer with Acrobat. And for teams wanting to add custom forms/questions during signing without coding, DocuSign enables more flexibility.

For non-design use cases, secondary features are at parity.

Winner: Tie

6. International Support

For multinational organizations, localized language and compliance support is crucial in rolling out a global system for signatures.

Here’s how the two stack up:

With 43 languages supported and auto-localization features, DocuSign better caters to global organizations. Expanding teams get more flexibility without additional compliance hurdles.

Winner: DocuSign

7. Scalability

As your business grows to thousands of users with complex workflows, you need assurance that the underlying systems scale smoothly without interruptions.

Both Adobe Sign and DocuSign leverage cloud infrastructure that allows near infinite linear scaling in a compliant and managed way across these metrics:

• Number of Users
• Number of Transactions
• Storage Needs
• Geographic Needs

Independent tests by third-parties like GigaOm also rate both platforms equally highly for enterprise scale and performance.

So whether you’re a small business aiming for fast growth or a Fortune 500 undertaking digital transformation, either solution provides long-term comfort.

Winner: Tie

Real World Use Cases and Integrations

While features provide one view, how customers specifically leverage strengths paints a clearer picture.

Here are some real world examples of DocuSign and Adobe Sign excelling for targeted needs:

Use Case 1: Highly Configurable Workflows

Packlane, an ecommerce firm using Shopify Plus for custom packaging, leverages DocuSign’s flexible API and no-code tools like PowerForms to build multi-step signature flows for purchase approvals.

Key details the team custom automated:

• Exact purchasing threshold limits before manager sign-off
• System triggers to seek signatures only from assigned managers
• Follow-up reminders if delays occur
• Final warehousing notification post approval

This level of workflow configurability suits rapidly evolving ecommerce operations.

Use Case 2: Deep Creative Tool Integrations

design.org is a digital transformation consultancy using Adobe Creative Cloud apps for collateral design. By integrating Adobe Sign with tools like Photoshop and InDesign, the firm keeps branding perfectly consistent while collecting signatures.

The key Adobe Sign capabilities the team relies on are:

• Using brand color profiles from Creative Cloud
• Single click sending from right within design apps
• Auto placement of stylized signatures
• Tracking views and completion from one Adobe dashboard

For design teams heavily bought into Adobe ecosystem, this delivers exponential value.

Key Takeaways

The use cases highlight tangibly how optimized integration with surrounding tools amplifies value:

• For configurable workflows beyond off-the-shelf templates, DocuSign delivers through API flexibility.

• With deep creative tool ties, Adobe Sign streamlines designer collaboration.

So clarify your integration needs before picking!

Pricing Breakdown

Of course, budget plays a key role too. How do DocuSign and Adobe Sign fare on pricing?

Both provide tiered plans based on:

• Number of users
• Features needed (compliance, APIs etc.)
• Customer support needs

Here’s how they compare dependent on your size and needs:

Solopreneurs

If you just need to send the occasional NDA, contractor agreement or invoice for signature, pricing starts at:

• DocuSign Personal: $10/month
• Adobe Acrobat Standard: $12.99/month

So sole proprietors get a bit more value from DocuSign.

Small Businesses

For teams of up to 20 employees who collaborate heavily using e-sigs for faster internal processes, popular packages are:

• DocuSign Standard: $25/user per month
• Adobe Sign Standard: $25.49/user per month

Pricing is closely aligned for key compliance, storage and support capabilities.

Medium Businesses

At 50-200 employees with customized workflows, more advanced use cases emerge needing APIs, analytics and reporting:

• DocuSign Business Pro: $40/user per month
• Adobe Sign Premium: $32.29/user per month

Volume discounts also kick in for both solutions at this range.

Large Enterprises

For 500+ employee deals with complex privacy, data oversight and scalability needs, both provide fully customized pricing unique to each organization.

So volume discounts grow more aggressive as do SLAs and premium support.

Winner: Tie

Ultimately both solutions ensure value targeting differently sized customers. Identify which plan best supports your workforce.

Final Recommendations

We’ve covered a lot of ground comparing DocuSign and Adobe Sign!

To wrap up, here are tailor-made recommendations based on your key priorities:

If you want deeper creative tool integration, pick Adobe Sign.

With native ties to Photoshop, Illustrator and XD, Adobe Sign empowers design teams through consistency and simplicity.

If you need workflow flexibility beyond basic templates, choose DocuSign.

DocuSign’s APIs and developer-friendly approach enable custom e-signature flows matching your operational maturity.

If most of your agreements require legal compliance assurance, either works.

Both satisfy the most stringent regional and industry regulations around enforceability and security.

If you have wide-ranging integration needs, like ERPs beyond just CRMs, go DocuSign.

With 350+ platform connectors, niche app needs get seamless coverage too with DocuSign.

If you want greater consistency managing global subsidiaries, pick DocuSign.

Wider language support and auto-localization smooths out regional expansion for multinationals.

If you‘re an early-stage solopreneur with minimal needs, start with DocuSign‘s cheaper plan.

The extra features in Adobe Sign‘s comparably priced package won‘t yet be that relevant.

Next Steps

Still unsure on the better platform for your exact circumstances?

I suggest signing up for a free trial with both solutions for real hands-on experience.

Send a couple of test agreements internally and externally to gauge capabilities versus your workflows.

Based on ease of use, specific integration needs and advanced features relevant to your documents, the right choice becomes clear.

You have the key data points for an informed decision! Let me know if any other questions come up.