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Home / Notary & legal / E-signature

Best E-Signature Services of 2026

We compared e-signature services on price per document, sending limits, identity checks and ease of use, so you can pick the right one before you pay. Need the document notarized too? See our online notary ranking.

Updated Nov 11, 2026By Tyler D., Notary & legal deskPrices checked against each provider’s pricing page

Our picks at a glance

1
Proof★ Our #1 pick · Best for signing + notary + ID checks
$0/month + $4 per e-sign transaction (Pro)
4.8/5
2
DocuSignBest-known name
From $11/month (Personal, annual, 5 envelopes/month)
4.6/5
3
Dropbox SignBest free plan
Free for 3 documents/month; Essentials $15/month (annual)
4.4/5
4
Adobe Acrobat SignBest if you already use Acrobat
Included with Acrobat Standard, $14.99/month (annual)
4.3/5
★ EDITOR’S CHOICE · OUR #1 PICK
1. Proof
4.8/5 Hero Score

Proof (proof.com) is the company behind Notarize. Its Sign product lets you send documents for signature with no monthly fee on the Pro plan, paying $4 per transaction. The standout: if a document also needs a notary or a verified ID, you add it to the same transaction instead of switching tools, with on-demand notaries available 24/7.

WHY WE LIKE IT
  • No monthly fee on Pro; you pay only when you send
  • Add a 24/7 online notary ($25) or ID verification ($4) to the same document
  • Audit log on every transaction and reusable templates
WATCH OUT FOR
  • Per-transaction fees add up if you send in high volume
  • Custom branding, API access and signing rules need Pro+ at $199/month
Pro: $0/month + $4 per e-sign transaction
Pro+: $199/month + transaction fees
Premium & Enterprise: custom pricing
Visit Proof →
On proof.com’s secure site
2. DocuSign
4.6/5

The name most people recognize when a contract lands in their inbox, with a large library of integrations. Plans are priced per user with a cap on how many documents (envelopes) you can send.

  • Familiar to almost every signer
  • Templates, reminders and integrations on paid plans
  • Envelope caps: 5 a month on Personal, 100 per user per year on Standard
  • Listed prices require an annual commitment
Personal: $11/month
Standard: $30/user/month
Business Pro: $45/user/month
Annual plans, billed monthly
Visit DocuSign
3. Dropbox Sign
4.4/5

Formerly HelloSign. Simple to use, with a free plan for occasional signing and a low-cost individual plan.

  • Free plan covers 3 documents a month
  • Clean, simple signing experience; works with Dropbox
  • Team features require the Standard plan
  • No built-in notary option
Free: 3 documents/month
Essentials: $15/month (annual)
Standard: per user, for teams
Visit Dropbox Sign
4. Adobe Acrobat Sign
4.3/5

E-signatures bundled into Adobe Acrobat subscriptions. Good value if you already pay for Acrobat to edit PDFs.

  • PDF editing and e-signing in one subscription
  • Individual plans include e-signing
  • Listed prices need a 12-month commitment
  • Team plans limit transactions per user
Acrobat Standard: $14.99/month
Acrobat Pro: $19.99/month
Individual, annual plans
Visit Adobe
The free routeSigning just one or two documents? Dropbox Sign’s free plan (3 documents a month) or the fill-and-sign tool in a free PDF reader may be all you need. If the document must be notarized, an e-signature alone isn’t enough: use an online notary.

How we rank e-signature services

30%Speed: how fast you can send and get a signed copy
25%Total cost: monthly fees, per-document fees and caps
20%Coverage: notary, ID checks, templates, integrations
25%Trust & support: audit trails, security, help
Legal information, not legal advice. Most U.S. contracts can be signed electronically, but some documents have special rules. Check with the person or agency receiving your document, or an attorney, if you’re unsure.

E-signature FAQs

Are electronic signatures legally binding?

In the U.S., the federal ESIGN Act and state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act make electronic signatures valid for most contracts and business documents. Some documents, such as wills and certain court or real estate filings, can have extra requirements like witnesses or notarization.

What’s the difference between e-signing and online notarization?

An e-signature records that you agreed to a document. Notarization adds a commissioned notary who verifies your identity and watches you sign. Proof can do both in one transaction; DocuSign, Dropbox Sign and Adobe Acrobat Sign focus on signing.

What’s the cheapest way to e-sign occasionally?

For a few documents a month, Dropbox Sign’s free plan (3 a month) costs nothing, and Proof’s Pro plan has no monthly fee, so you pay $4 only when you send.

Do I need to pay to sign a document someone sent me?

No. Signing a document sent to you through any of these services is free. The sender pays for the plan.

Paperwork Hero is an independent review site. We don’t sell e-signature services. We may earn a commission if you sign up through our links, which never changes our rankings. Prices checked November 2026 on each provider’s pricing page; confirm current pricing before you buy. How we make money