DocuSign is the category leader. SignNow is the value-driven alternative. The right pick depends on three variables — integration depth, API needs, and how strictly procurement enforces brand-name vendors.
Side-by-side specs
DocuSign DocuSign, Inc. 
SignNow airSlate Summary
DocuSign and SignNow target overlapping mid-market and enterprise use cases with very different go-to-market strategies. DocuSign is the premium category leader: the deepest integration ecosystem in the category (Salesforce especially), the longest compliance track record, remote online notarization, eIDAS Qualified Electronic Signatures, 21 CFR Part 11 for life sciences, and AI agreement management via Navigator on the newer Professional tier. Six published eSignature plans plus a separately-priced Docusign IAM platform.
SignNow, owned by airSlate, is the value challenger. Four published plans — Business, Business Premium, Enterprise, and Site License — with Business starting at roughly $8 per user per month on annual billing, the lowest entry price in the mainstream eSignature category. API access on standard paid plans rather than enterprise-gated. Solid template and bulk-send tooling, mature web forms, and tight integration with the broader airSlate automation stack.
Worth noting upfront: most readers comparing these two should also evaluate PandaDoc (our overall editor’s #1) if their workflow needs document automation, pricing tables, or deep CRM. For pure signing, Sign.Plus (our #2) covers the same mid-market territory as SignNow at a similar price point with a cleaner UI and a permanent free tier that neither SignNow nor DocuSign publishes.
Feature comparison
| Feature | DocuSign | SignNow |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent free plan | No (trial only) | No (trial only) |
| Published plans | 6 (Personal → Enhanced) | 4 (Business → Site License) |
| Templates and bulk send | ||
| Conditional fields and routing | Yes (advanced) | Yes (Premium/Enterprise) |
| REST API on standard plans | No (typically enterprise) | |
| Salesforce-native integration | Mature (Docusign Gen) | Available |
| Microsoft 365 integration | Mature | Available |
| HubSpot / NetSuite native | Available | Available |
| Identity verification | Yes (KBA, ID verification) | Limited (2FA) |
| Remote online notarization | Yes (eligible U.S. regions) | |
| AI agreement management | Yes (Navigator on Professional) | |
| CLM (Contract Lifecycle Management) | Yes (Docusign IAM, separate) | Via airSlate Business Cloud |
| eIDAS QES (EU) | Yes (eligible plans) | Limited |
| 21 CFR Part 11 | Yes (vendor-stated) | Limited (vendor-stated) |
| Per-invite billing option | Yes (Site License) |
Where DocuSign wins: remote online notarization, eIDAS QES, 21 CFR Part 11, mature Salesforce Gen integration, AI agreement management via Docusign Navigator, and identity verification options (knowledge-based auth, ID verification). Where SignNow wins: API access on standard paid plans, the per-invite Site License pricing model for high-volume teams, and a materially lower entry price ($8 vs DocuSign Standard) at comparable feature levels.
Pricing comparison
Pricing shape matters more than the exact monthly numbers (which change without notice — always verify on each vendor’s site). SignNow’s verified entry points, sourced from the vendor’s own plans and sales documentation:
| Plan tier | DocuSign | SignNow |
|---|---|---|
| Solo / individual | Personal (~5 envelopes/mo) | Business (~$8/user/mo annual) |
| Small team | Standard (per-user annual allowance) | Business / Business Premium |
| Growing team | Business Pro / Pro Unlimited | Business Premium (~$15/user/mo) |
| Higher tier | Professional (+ AI Navigator) | Enterprise (~$30/user/mo) |
| Enterprise / custom | Enhanced plans (quoted) | Site License (~$1.50/invite) |
| API access threshold | Typically enterprise | Standard paid plans |
For a 10-seat team at comparable mid-market feature levels — templates, bulk send, conditional routing, API — SignNow Business Premium at roughly $15 per user per month annually works out to about $150 per month, versus DocuSign Business Pro typically landing several multiples higher. The cost gap widens further at enterprise scale if DocuSign routes you into Enhanced plans. The counterargument is that DocuSign often closes faster internally because procurement already has the vendor approved — a genuine but non-obvious cost.
Security & compliance
| Standard / framework | DocuSign | SignNow |
|---|---|---|
| ESIGN / UETA | ||
| eIDAS (EU) | Yes (incl. QES) | |
| HIPAA on eligible plans | Yes (vendor-stated) | Yes (vendor-stated) |
| SOC 2 Type II | Yes (vendor-stated) | Yes (vendor-stated) |
| ISO 27001 | Yes (vendor-stated) | Yes (vendor-stated) |
| PCI DSS | Yes (vendor-stated) | Yes (vendor-stated) |
| 21 CFR Part 11 | Yes (vendor-stated) | Limited (vendor-stated) |
For most SMB and mid-market compliance needs, both vendors are more than adequate. The decision usually tips to DocuSign only when you specifically need 21 CFR Part 11 or eIDAS Qualified Electronic Signatures — otherwise SignNow’s SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and HIPAA coverage is sufficient.
Final recommendation
- Choose DocuSign if procurement specifically requires it, you need 21 CFR Part 11 for life sciences, you live inside Salesforce, you need remote online notarization, or you need Docusign IAM for full CLM.
- Choose SignNow if you are a cost-sensitive mid-market sales or ops team replacing DocuSign, a SaaS team needing API access without enterprise quoting, or a high-volume operation that benefits from Site License per-invite pricing rather than per-seat.
- Choose PandaDoc (our #1) if your workflow needs more than just signing — proposals with pricing tables, internal approvals, deep CRM sync — see our PandaDoc review.
- Choose Sign.Plus (our #2) if you want the same mid-market signing capability at a similar price point to SignNow plus a permanent free tier — see our Sign.Plus review.
For the full vendor-level picture, see our DocuSign review and SignNow review. Also related: DocuSign alternatives and SignNow alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
Why is SignNow generally cheaper than DocuSign?
SignNow positions itself as the value alternative in the category. SignNow Business starts at roughly $8 per user per month billed annually — the lowest entry price in the mainstream eSignature market. DocuSign Standard is meaningfully more expensive at comparable feature levels. DocuSign’s premium reflects integration depth (especially Salesforce), brand recognition with external signers, remote notarization, and the longest enterprise compliance track record. If none of those are decisive for your workflow, SignNow is almost always the better buy on cost.
Which is better for embedded signing in a SaaS product?
SignNow, in most cases. Its REST API is included on standard paid plans — credit-card accessible with SDKs, webhooks, and an embedded signing component. SaaS teams can prototype, ship, and scale without an enterprise contract. DocuSign API access typically requires a business plan minimum plus envelope allowance negotiation and frequently triggers an enterprise sales cycle. For developer velocity, SignNow (or Dropbox Sign, or Sign.Plus) is a better on-ramp.
What is SignNow Site License?
Site License is SignNow’s per-invite plan: rather than paying per seat, you pay roughly $1.50 per signature invite with unlimited users on the account. It is intended for very high-volume teams where seat count would otherwise be enormous (HR rollouts, real estate brokerages, high-volume transactional businesses). DocuSign has no direct equivalent — its unlimited-volume answer is Business Pro Unlimited or Professional, which are priced per user.
Does SignNow have remote notarization like DocuSign?
No. Remote online notarization (RON) is a DocuSign differentiator in the U.S. — it lets a notary public witness and seal an electronic signing session in eligible jurisdictions. SignNow does not currently publish an RON feature. If your workflow requires notary services, DocuSign is the pick.
Should we still consider Sign.Plus?
Yes. PandaDoc is our overall editor’s #1 if your workflow involves more than just signing — proposals, pricing tables, internal approvals, CRM sync. For pure signing, Sign.Plus is our #2 and delivers the same outcome at a similar price point to SignNow, plus a permanent free plan that neither SignNow nor DocuSign offers. For most mid-market teams, one of these two is the better evaluation starting point before looking at SignNow or DocuSign.
How do they compare for healthcare?
Both advertise HIPAA support with BAA on eligible plans (vendor-stated). DocuSign has the longer track record and adds 21 CFR Part 11 support for life sciences — the safer choice for hospitals and clinical research. SignNow is adequate for independent clinics and small practices at a materially lower price. Confirm BAA on your specific plan before sending PHI.
Quick winner by use case
| Best for | Our verdict |
|---|---|
| Lowest total cost | SignNow SignNow generally lands lower than DocuSign at comparable feature levels. |
| Salesforce-native teams | DocuSign DocuSign has the most mature Salesforce integration and is better supported by Salesforce-native admins. |
| Embedded signing in your own SaaS product | SignNow SignNow includes API access on most paid plans, which is the practical entry point for embedded signing. |
| Regulated enterprise | DocuSign DocuSign has the longer compliance track record and more attestations on file (vendor-stated). |
| Mid-market sales ops | SignNow For 25–250 person sales teams, SignNow tends to deliver the same outcome at a lower cost. |