Top eSignature Tools
Delivered January 25, 2020. Contributor: Amy R.
Goals
To construct a competitive analysis of e-signature tools for Germany, France, and the UK that includes each country’s top tools, a pricing analysis, and most used verticals.
Early Findings
- Financial institutions are one of the verticals that rely on e-signature tools. In fact, 92% find that one of the benefits of these tools involves cuts to scanning errors; 80% feel they achieve audit efficiency, and 66% feel there is a noted reduction in missing files.
- Some of the most popular e-signature tools software include PandaDoc, ZohoSign, SignRequest, SignNow, and DocuSign.
- However, TechTimes lists the top tools as eversign, OneSpan, Efax, SutiSoft, and SignNow.
- The United Nations, US governments, the EU, and most other countries have legally recognized/adopted e-signature protocols.
- One study found that 75% of respondents felt that when governments used e-signature tool it cut their contract approval times.
- DocuSign notes that it “supports international and regional eSignature standards, including multiple digital signature (PKI) and EU technical standards.”
- “In the EU, electronic IDentification, Authentication and Trust Services (eIDAS) was established in 2014. This comprehensive law sets the standards for e-Signatures, digital identification, user security, and other related electronic transactions.”
Spreadsheet
The project spreadsheet can be found here.
Proposed next steps:
You need to be the project owner to select a next step.
We can start by conducting competitive analyses for the UK and Germany. However, the research team would like to note that our initial research showed limited data regarding distinct differences in the e-sign market per country (this is largely because the EU has adopted certain standards that member countries must abide by and e-signature software companies like DocuSign have followed suit; i.e., the top 5 tools might be the same for each country). This project proposal, however, recognizes that a deeper level of understanding about each country may be desired. To accomplish this deeper level, the team will seek to identify the top 5 tools in each country (using non-sponsored/objective resources), their prices, and the verticals most likely to use the products (per country). Please also note that since a competitive analysis is often best demonstrated through viewable comparisons, the team suggests using a spreadsheet to capture the data. If a standard document is preferred, please let us know below.
The team is also able to assist the analysis by conducting an overview of the eIDAS (the EU’s electronic IDentification, Authentication and Trust Services) policy by noting what it is, how it is used, if Germany, the UK, or France operate differently, and any other pertinent details regarding this protocol as they relate to e-sign software companies and/or verticals most likely to use these tools.