By now, many people have heard of electronic signature software. However, few realize how convenient and easy-to-use they are. People still love interest in whatever it was they were trying to do when they come face to face with electronically signing documents.
… enroll in a fun new course at your community college? Well, not that important…
… rent that stunning-looking, close-to-work apartment? A better place will come along…
… open an account at a bank with great sign-up bonuses? Who needs money anyways…
For some reason, people get mental alarm bells going off when they hear the phrase ‘electronic signature’. They think it’s complicated. Takes a lot of time. Or technical skills.
None of that is true, though.
Plopping a digital signature on a document takes a couple of seconds these days, tops. But… you need to have the right electronic signature tools to do it. That’s why, in this post, we’re talking about 5 best electronic signature software that will have you (and your clients) signing like pros.
Signing a document electronically takes seconds with the right tool, yet many people still print, sign, and scan because they assume e-signatures are complicated or technical. Neither is true.
The harder question is which tool to use. We looked at the electronic signature platforms teams actually reach for and narrowed the field to five options that cover the full range, from a free handwritten signature image to certified digital signatures built into a full client workflow. You will see the category labeled esign software, esignature software, or e-signature software depending on the vendor, but these electronic signature tools all solve the same problem: getting a legally valid signature on a document without paper.
Here is how the five document signing software options compare at a glance:
| Tool | Best for | Free option | Legally binding | Certified digital signature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clustdoc | Teams collecting signatures inside client onboarding | No (paid product) | Yes | Yes, with SMS authentication (paid) |
| WiseStamp | Creating a handwritten signature image for personal use | Yes, 100% free | No | No |
| DigiSigner | Fast personal signing of PDFs, Word files, and images | Yes, personal signatures free | Basic e-signature only | No unique key assigned |
| CocoSign | Free PDF signing, multi-sign contracts on paid plans | Yes, PDF only | Yes | Yes (paid) |
| Eversign | Occasional signing with multi-party support | Yes, 5 documents/month on Lite | Yes | Yes (paid) |
One note before the details: the free plans of these tools cover basic electronic signatures. Certified digital eSignatures, which verify the signer’s identity, are paid features where offered (Clustdoc, CocoSign, and Eversign).
Clustdoc comes first on this list because it treats signing as one step in a bigger job. Clustdoc is customer onboarding infrastructure: an onboarding portal where document collection, approvals, and signatures happen in one tracked process instead of scattered email threads.
That changes what the signature is worth. Clustdoc offers both electronic signatures and digital signatures with SMS authentication, and all signing happens in a password-protected interface. That way you know two things with certainty:
Here is how Clustdoc’s signature workflow speeds up your business:
Where most e-signature software handles the signature itself and nothing else, Clustdoc also acts as digital signature software when identity matters, using SMS authentication to verify who is signing. The platform is GDPR compliant and hosted on AWS.
Here’s how Clustdoc’s e-signature feature speeds up your business:
1- import and electronically sign standalone documents using our desktop interface or an app — easy to import, easy to sign, and even easier to forward to the right people;
2- create an e-signature field in the process workflow so your collaborators can quickly sign business contracts and NDAs without wasting time on downloading, printing, and scanning documentation; add e-signature fields to your existing documents and workflows wherever and whenever they are required, without uploading or creating new files.
Watch the video below to see just how easy is to add an online signature to documents using Clustdoc:
Clustdoc is customer onboarding software built for teams whose signatures sit inside a client process. If you are a lender, bookkeeper, lawyer, marketer, or administrator, Clustdoc replaces manual paperwork and chasing with one tracked flow: document collection, review, approval, and signature, saving you hours each week and making sure contracts actually get signed.
Clustdoc is available on desktop and as a mobile app for Android and iOS. It is a paid product, and deliberately so: you are buying the whole client onboarding layer, not a single-purpose signing utility. The fastest way to see whether it fits your process is a walkthrough with the team. Book a demo and bring a real onboarding case to test against.
WiseStamp is an app that makes your email signatures look on point – professional, detailed, and pretty.
It’s not all it does, though.
The busy beavers behind the WiseStamp app also put together an online signature maker for handwriting your signature. Here’s what it looks like:
True… there are prettier signatures out there. But this one does the trick.
If you need a quick-and-dirty handwritten signature, just follow these steps:
1- Click here —> (WiseStamp Signature Generator) to be whisked away to their website;
2- Choose the color of your signature (as well as white or transparent background);
3- Use your mouse, touchpad, or touchscreen to create your handwritten signature;
4- Download it as a PNG file to your computer (change the extension if needed);
5- Add it to your documents by importing it as an image and scaling it to size.
If you’re not into technology or don’t use e-signatures very often, this is a good workaround that will allow you to sign your documents electronically.
The biggest issue here is that WiseStamp is for your personal use only. You can suggest it to your clients and coworkers, but it’s not a solution they can use out of the box. Also, these signatures are not legally binding. You can use them to e-sign contracts… but it’s not something that would hold up in a court of law.
On the upside, WiseStamp’s Signature Generator is 100% free… perfect for when you need a free online e-signature tool to sign your lease once every few years.
Let’s talk about DigiSigner…
A free electronic signature software built for one purpose, and one purpose alone — to help you sign your PDF documents, Word files, and images in a flash.
DigiSigner doesn’t pretend to do it all…
… you can’t collect or organize your business documents with it…
… you can’t create and share workflows for easier client onboarding…
… you can’t share files through other business apps that you’re using.
But… you can add an e-signature to your document in less than 30 seconds. And, you can share documents with other people, who can then sign on the dotted line with ease. For many, DigiSigner is a perfectly viable option to pick among the many electronic signature tools.
To use DigiSigner, here’s what you need to do:
– Click here —> (DigiSigner’s Free Online Document Signing Software);
– In the left-side panel, click on ‘Choose File’ and add your document;
– A new window will open where you can write or draw your signature;
– Once it’s signed, you can download your document in the same format.
With DigiSigner, personal signatures are completely free. But, if you sign up for the trial version (and later for the paid version), you can also invite others to sign your documents, or embed forms on your website.
That said, DocuSigner is not a true digital signature solution as it doesn’t assign a unique key to signed documents. This can be a problem if you’re required to collect legally binding signatures. But, other than that, it’s an awesome online signature tool that does what it says on the label.
CocoSign is yet another solid option among electronic signature tools designed for complicated eSignature workflows — such as multi-sign contracts, contracts that need to be legally binding, and similar.
However, they also offer a format-specific e-signature tool that isn’t going to cost you anything. And the format that they’re practically giving away is (drumroll)… the PDF.
Most PDFs are annoyingly difficult to sign because rarely anyone has the right tool on their device that would allow them to unlock it and plop their signature. Well, CocoSign eliminates the need for such a tool, allowing you to create a PDF electronic signature online (for free).
Here’s how you can quickly put CocoSign to work:
1- Click here —> (CocoSign’s Online Electronic Signature Tool);
2- Tap the ‘Choose File’ button to select a PDF from your device;
You can also import files from Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, or Box.
3- Once your document is uploaded, add your signature by typing or drawing it;
4- You can also send the document to others to sign (and follow up to see who’s signed it);
5- Download your now-signed PDF to your device through a secure SSL connection.
Unfortunately, CocoSign only makes PDFs easy to sign. To sign other document formats, you’ll need to upgrade to their paid version.
We’ll cap the list off with Eversign — an online electronic signature platform that lets you upload whatever document format, as well as send it to others to sign.
But…
Eversign doesn’t make it easy, unfortunately.
It made it on to the list because of its notable features (document type support, multi-party signing, contact & team management)… not because it’s a straightforward tool.
Follow these steps to use Eversign:
6- Click here —> (Eversign Online E-Signature Tool);
7- Create an account (for some reason, Eversign wants to know your full name & address);
8- Access the e-signature dashboard (it take a bit of time to figure it out);
9- Select a file from your computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, or other service & import it;
10- Add your e-signature (either type it or draw it) — share with others if needed;
11- Download your signed document.
The upside of using Eversign is that the Lite plan is completely free. You get five documents to sign every month with no restrictions (you can share them, add a digital signature, and similar). The downside is that it takes a good 10 minutes to set up… and it’s not the most intuitive tool out there. Of course, once you use up your five free documents, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid version (their Basic Plan is $9.99/mo, and it includes unlimited document signing).
Creating an electronic signature online is not difficult. In most cases it takes a couple of clicks, whichever tool you choose.
The right choice depends on the job. If you only need simple software for signing documents a few times a year, a free tool covers it: WiseStamp for a handwritten signature image, DigiSigner or CocoSign for quick personal signing. The best esignature service for a one-off lease is not the same as the best pick for a team that collects signed contracts every week.
If signatures are part of how you take on clients, you need more than a signing widget. You need to:
That is the job Clustdoc is built for. Book a demo to see the signature workflow running inside a real onboarding process.
Still stitching emails, files, and approvals together?
Clustdoc gives teams one place to run client-facing work, boost customer engagement and increase compliance.
The best e signature software depends on how often you sign and whether the signature is part of a larger client process. For occasional personal signatures, free tools like DigiSigner or CocoSign cover the basics. For teams that collect signatures during client onboarding, Clustdoc combines electronic and digital signatures with document collection and workflow tracking in one platform.
The best free online signature solutions in 2026 are WiseStamp's signature generator for a handwritten signature image, DigiSigner for free personal signing of PDFs, Word files, and images, CocoSign for free PDF signing, and Eversign's Lite plan with five signed documents per month. Free tiers generally cover personal signatures only. Sending documents to others at volume or adding certified digital signatures typically requires a paid plan.
Electronic signature software is a digital tool that lets individuals and businesses sign, send, and manage documents online. Instead of printing a document and signing it with a pen, you type your name, draw your signature, or upload an image of it. Most platforms add security features such as encryption and audit trails to prove a document's authenticity.
An electronic signature is any electronic mark that shows intent to sign, such as a typed name. A digital signature is a more secure, encrypted type of electronic signature that uses PKI technology to verify the signer's identity and confirm the document was not altered after signing. Clustdoc supports both, with SMS authentication available for digital signatures.
Yes, electronically signed documents are often more secure than paper. Leading platforms record audit trails with IP addresses and timestamps, protect data with SSL encryption, and seal signed documents so any later change voids the signature. Look for providers that are GDPR, eIDAS, or SOC 2 compliant; Clustdoc, for example, is GDPR compliant and hosted on AWS.
Yes. Most top-tier platforms offer native integrations with tools like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack, and CRMs such as Salesforce and HubSpot. This lets you send documents for signature directly from your existing workflow and cuts manual data entry.
Sampada is a content marketer at Clustdoc, writing about marketing, business, and technology that helps teams work more efficiently.
