As the world goes in the digital direction, with our screens getting smaller and our attention span following suit, it is safe to say that the analogue era (paper being one of its components) is gradually being phased out. I can’t remember the last time I purchased a hard-copy book. I can easily buy or access e-books online, sometimes for a fraction of the cost and I also get to save valuable space on my bookshelf.
What Are E-signature Tools?
Electronic signatures are just one example of the increased digital approach to business we now see in action. As defined by Adobe, an e-signature (electronic signature) is a legal way to get consent or approval on electronic documents or forms and can replace a handwritten signature in any process.
At the start of the pandemic, e-signatures played a key role in allowing organisations to ensure business continuity. You can’t rely on wet ink signatures for employment contracts, supplier, vendor agreements, and other work-related documents for working remotely.
E-signature Application
A fast forward to the present, many businesses have calculated the benefits of using e-signatures in terms of cost, sustainability and time. E-signatures help reduce spending on paper, ink, and postage, meaning big cost savings. Businesses now view the adoption of e-signature technology as a no-brainer. Move over physical signatures, e-signatures are in.
E-signature companies have been in existence for decades, although the pandemic brought a spotlight on them as remote workspaces created an increased demand for their services.
We will be looking at two key players in the e-signature space – HelloSign and DocuSign.
HelloSign vs DocuSign: An Overview
DocuSign is an e-signature app that collects signatures and manages documents from any device and any location. DocuSign’s services are tailored to a wide range of businesses, sectors, industries including highly regulated areas like healthcare and banking.
READ MORE: PandaDoc vs DocuSign: Sign On The Dotted Line
HelloSign is an e-signature and digital transaction management (DTM) app that offers document signing, signature history/tracking, and regulatory compliance.
Both companies have millions of users all over the world and each boasts of being the “number one e-signature company”.
HelloSign and DocuSign offer the same service: they help you approve documents and sign them electronically. It helps close your deals faster and documents signed with these tools are legally binding. The similarities in the service they provide might be a source of confusion so we will be taking a closer look at their features. It’s a simpler way of identifying the better fit for your individual or business needs.
HelloSign Vs DocuSign: Ease of Navigation
Both tools are accessible on all devices and have free to download apps available for Android and iOS devices. The process of signing documents on both platforms are similar, as after logging in, both tools will prompt you to upload the document(s) for signing. There are instructions on the screen to select the number of people signing the document. You will be redirected to an editor, you can place signature fields in the document with this tool.
HelloSign and DocuSign document signing processes are so easy to navigate when compared to other e-signature service providers.
One difference though is that HelloSign’s process takes the user from document upload to sending the document to the intended recipient in two screens. However, this same process takes four or five screens on DocuSign. This puts HelloSign slightly ahead when it comes to ease of use.
Plan Features and Pricing:
HelloSign and DocuSign offer different packages on their platforms tailored to varying business needs. HelloSign features the Basic Plan, Essential Plan, Standard and Premium Plans. While DocuSign offers payment plans for Individual, Standard, Business Pro and Advanced Option plan.
The pricing for plans on the two services is different with HelloSign’s pricing for the Essential Plan pegged at $15 per month, and Standard for $25 per month. The Premium Plan attracts Custom pricing according to specific business needs and requests. The Essential Plan is for a single user with an unlimited number of signature requests per month, 5 templates, audit trails, reminders, notifications and lots more.
HelloSign Basic Plans Vs Premium Plan
HelloSign’s Standard Plan is for 2 to 4 users with Essential Plan features alongside branding, bulk sending, team reports and Salesforce integration. In case you were wondering, Salesforce is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) software. It helps businesses connect with and get more information about their customer base.
On the other hand, DocuSign charges $10 for individual users, $25 for Standard, $40 for Business Pro and Custom pricing for the Advanced Option plan. The Individual Plan (1 user) offers basic fields, reports, workflows and a real-time audit trail. The Standard package which allows for 5 users with a $25 fee charged per user, comes with all the features of the Individual Plan and also provides automated reminders and notifications, personalized branding, team reports and comments.
The Business Pro package allows for 5 users at $40 per user monthly with a directive to contact their Sales agents if you desire to add more users to the package. It also offers collect payments, advanced fields, signer attachments, bulk sending, power forms (which allow you to send your client a link to a document), collaborative fields, in-person signatures (allowing your clients to sign documents on your devices) and advanced authentication.
Both e-signature companies offer a 30-day free trial of their products, however, HelloSign offers a limited free version ( the Basic Plan). It’s great for individuals and freelancers who might need to capture occasional signatures without committing to a paid business plan. So at a glance, HelloSign seems like a more favourable option for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Integration:
DocuSign website boasts over 350 integrations. HelloSign also currently features integrations with known brands like Microsoft Office, Google, Dropbox, Slack, Evernote etc.
Standout Features:
No Need For Unnecessary Installs
An advantage of DocuSign is the possibility for recipients not having to install the app to sign documents. When sending a contract to a customer for a signature, he receives a security code in his mailbox. According to the help section on the DocuSign website, all the recipient has to do is go to the DocuSign site, click on the “Access to documents” tab and enter this code.
When sending the documents, the sender also has the option of sending the recipient a notification by SMS. In this case, the process remains the same, the message, which DocuSign calls “the envelope” contains a link allowing the recipient to view and sign the documents.
Plan Features
HelloSign’s free plan is a huge attraction for small business owners and entrepreneurs. They enjoy integration with Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote and other document storage solutions. It is a credit to DocuSign though that every paid plan offers more than what HelloSign offers at the same level (including unlimited document upload, bulk send options, and more).
While HelloSign Essential Plan allows users to create 5 templates, DocuSign doesn’t limit the number of templates you can create. It’s a huge advantage as it offers flexibility as a business grows.
A major advantage of HelloSign though, is that it grants unlimited signatures in the lowest-priced tier above the free version; the Essential Plan. DocuSign’s Personal Plan only allows for 5 signatures per month with an unlimited number of documents and recipients.
Branding and White-Labeling
DocuSign offers branding options that allow users to customize colours, buttons and banners in their sent documents. DocuSign logo is always attached to documents in some way, the good part is that you can limit its visibility through the set colour scheme.
On HelloSign, users don’t have much flexibility in designing the look and feel of their document design. Although HelloSign offers a unique white labelling option so brands can remove any HelloSign logo and documentation from their content. For brands who want to remove any kind of affiliation with their digital signing partner, HelloSign is the way to go as it is the only option on the market that allows this feature.
“White label” refers to a fully supported product or service that is made by one company but sold by another. It means that one company makes products or services that are then sold under another company’s brand. That way, the reseller can customize the product with their own brand, logo and identity.
HelloSign vs DocuSign: Customer Support
Both tools don’t offer much in the way of efficient customer support. HelloSign users can only contact support through email or via a web form if anything goes wrong. There are no phone support options and no estimated timeline on when a technician or customer care representative might get back to you with a solution if you have a complaint.
The experience is the same with DocuSign. The plans don’t feature an extensive customer support system. However, with DocuSign, there is a marked difference – the possibility of additional support options which users can pay for. This is an out-of-pocket expense that allows users to purchase added benefits like faster response times, live agent support etc.
Languages Available:
With DocuSign, you can send and manage documents in 14 languages while your recipients can sign in 44 languages. HelloSign offers a more robust option as you can send and manage documents in 21 languages making it even easier to use for document creators and recipients around the globe.
AI Insights:
DocuSign Analyzer
It’s an artificial intelligence service designed to analyse documents before signing to spot errors and anomalies that might tamper with the legal integrity of the agreement. DocuSign Analyzer works with AI-based insights to find, search and understand agreements already in place at a company. It gives both parties a better understanding of what they are being asked to agree to, it helps them efficiently negotiate better agreements. It also helps to save on valuable time that might have otherwise been spent negotiating the contract.
HelloSign vs Docusign: Which is better?
Although HelloSign and Docusign have similar features, their target market is different.
HelloSign is the cheaper option of both. It’s perfectly suited for you if you’re a freelancer or a small business owner interested in being professional, ensuring your contracts and documents are secure and legally binding.
With its wider array of integrations, ability to create and save more templates, the promise of a better workflow; DocuSign is a better choice for larger and rapidly growing business concerns.
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