signNow

Overview

signNow is budget e-signature software for legally binding electronic signatures with lowest price point ($8/user) but restrictive 100 signature/year quota on entry tier.

Core capabilities:

• E-Signature: Legally binding electronic signatures (ESIGN Act, UETA compliant) → Recipients sign with mouse/trackpad or upload signature image → Audit trails tracking signatures, IP addresses, timestamps
• Document Templates: Create reusable templates for recurring documents (standard NDA, MSA, offer letter) → Auto-populate fields → Send within quota limits
• Mobile App: iOS/Android app for sending/signing documents on-the-go (subject to 100 signature/year quota on Business tier)
• CRM Integrations: Basic Salesforce, HubSpot integrations at Business $8/user tier (within quota limits)
• In-Person Signing: Tablet/iPad signature capture at Business Premium $15/user tier (not available on $8/user Business tier)

Typical workflow: Solo freelancer (sends 5-8 client contracts/month, <96 signatures/year) → Uploads contract PDF to signNow Business ($8/user) → Drags signature field, date field → Adds client email → Sends request → Client signs → Freelancer receives signed contract. Annual usage: 5 contracts/month × 12 months = 60 signatures/year (safely under 100-signature quota) → signNow $8/user = $96/year vs HelloSign $15/user = $180/year ($84/year savings justifies quota management for low-volume needs).

vs HelloSign: signNow Business $8/user 100 signature/year limit (8.3/month average) vs HelloSign Essentials $15/user unlimited signatures. signNow wins for <5-8 signatures/month predictable low-volume where quota won't be exceeded. HelloSign wins for 10-50+ signatures/month moderate-volume where unlimited signatures eliminate mid-year upgrade friction.

signNow offers 3 pricing tiers starting at $8/user/month (Business) up to $20/user/month (Enterprise).

Business Tier: $8/user/month

What you get:

• ✅ 100 signature requests/year (8.3 signatures/month average quota)
• ✅ Unlimited templates (create reusable document templates)
• ✅ Mobile app (iOS/Android - send/sign docs on-the-go within quota)
• ✅ Basic integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot, Google Drive within quota)
• ✅ Audit trails (tamper-proof certificate tracking signatures, IP addresses, timestamps)
• ✅ Sequential signing (route documents through signing order: A → B → C)

Limitations:

• ❌ 100 signature limit/year (8.3/month) forces frequent upgrades for moderate-volume
• ❌ No in-person signing (Business Premium tier required)
• ❌ No bulk send (Business Premium tier required)
• ❌ No custom branding (signNow logo appears on documents)
• ❌ No advanced authentication (no SMS verification, no KBA at any tier)

Best for: Very low-volume senders (<5-8 signatures/month) where $8/user is cheapest option and quota won't be exceeded.

Quota reality check:

• 5 signatures/month = 60/year (40% of quota, safe buffer)
• 8 signatures/month = 96/year (96% of quota, cutting it close)
• 10 signatures/month = 120/year (20% over quota, forced upgrade)

Cost comparison:

• signNow Business: $8/user = $480/year for 5-user team (100 signatures/year per user)
• HelloSign Essentials: $15/user = $900/year for 5-user team (unlimited signatures)
• Savings: signNow 47% cheaper ($420/year saved) BUT quota limits create upgrade friction

Business Premium Tier: $15/user/month

What you get (everything in Business +):

• ✅ Unlimited signature requests (no quota limits)
• ✅ Team management (add users, set permissions)
• ✅ In-person signing (use tablet/iPad for face-to-face signature capture)
• ✅ Bulk send (send same document to 50 recipients at once)
• ✅ Custom branding (remove signNow logo, add company logo/colors)
• ✅ Advanced fields (conditional logic, calculated fields, field validation)

Cost comparison:

• signNow Business Premium: $15/user = $900/year for 5-user team (unlimited)
• HelloSign Essentials: $15/user = $900/year for 5-user team (unlimited)
• Pricing parity but HelloSign offers simpler interface (complexity 1/5 vs signNow 2/5) and Dropbox acquisition backing

Decision point: At $15/user pricing parity, HelloSign Essentials is better choice due to: (1) Simpler interface (complexity 1/5 vs signNow 2/5, 10-min setup vs 15-20 min), (2) Dropbox acquisition backing (enterprise stability vs signNow independence), (3) Better brand recognition (HelloSign/Dropbox vs lesser-known signNow).

Enterprise Tier: $20/user/month (estimated)

What you get (everything in Business Premium +):

• ✅ SSO (Single Sign-On) - SAML 2.0 for enterprise security
• ✅ Advanced API (higher API call limits for custom integrations)
• ✅ Dedicated support (priority customer service, phone support)
• ✅ Advanced integrations (custom connectors, advanced Salesforce features)

Limitations:

• ❌ No HIPAA compliance (vs DocuSign Business Pro $40/user)
• ❌ No notarization (vs DocuSign Premium $45/user)
• ❌ No advanced authentication (no SMS/KBA vs DocuSign Standard $25/user)

Best for: Small to mid-sized teams (20-50 users) needing SSO and advanced integrations but not requiring compliance features (HIPAA, notarization) available only in DocuSign higher tiers.

Real-World Quota Friction Example

Scenario: Freelance marketing consultant signs 5 new clients/month on average but with seasonal variation.

Month-by-Month Usage:

• Jan-Mar (Q1 busy season): 10 contracts/month = 30 signatures (30% of annual quota burned in 3 months)
• Apr-Jun (Q2 moderate): 5 contracts/month = 15 signatures (cumulative: 45/100 quota)
• Jul-Sep (Q3 moderate): 7 contracts/month = 21 signatures (cumulative: 66/100 quota)
• Oct (Q4 starts busy): 10 contracts = 10 signatures → Hits 76/100 quota
• Nov: 15 contracts (holiday rush) → Exceeds 100-signature limit in month 11

Forced upgrade: Mid-year upgrade to Business Premium $15/user (87% price increase from $8/user) losing entire year's budget savings vs HelloSign $15/user unlimited from start.

HelloSign alternative: HelloSign Essentials $15/user from day one → No quota anxiety → No mid-year upgrade friction → $7/user premium ($84/year per user) buys peace of mind for unpredictable volume.

When signNow Business $8/user Makes Sense

✅ Use signNow Business $8/user if:

• You're very low-volume (<5-8 signatures/month consistently, <96/year safely)
• You have predictable volume (seasonal business knowing annual usage won't exceed 100 signatures)
• You're extremely budget-constrained ($84/year savings vs HelloSign matters more than quota management)
• You're solo freelancer (not team) where 100 signatures/year per user = 100 signatures total (not shared pool)

Example: Solo graphic designer sends 4 client contracts/month (48/year) + 3 NDAs/month (36/year) = 84 signatures/year total → 16-signature buffer under 100-quota → signNow Business $8/user = $96/year vs HelloSign $15/user = $180/year ($84/year savings justifies quota management).

When HelloSign $15/user is Better Value

✅ Use HelloSign Essentials $15/user if:

• You send 10-50+ signatures/month (moderate-volume exceeds signNow quota)
• You have unpredictable volume (busy months burn through quota creating mid-year upgrade friction)
• You value simplicity (HelloSign complexity 1/5 vs signNow 2/5, 10-min setup vs 15-20 min)
• You want Dropbox acquisition backing (enterprise stability vs signNow independence)

Example: Marketing agency sends 15 client proposals/month (180/year) → signNow Business $8/user quota exhausted in 6.7 months forcing mid-year upgrade to Business Premium $15/user (same price as HelloSign from start but with 6.7 months of quota anxiety).

signNow is a budget e-signature software at $8/user/month (47% cheaper than HelloSign $15/user) but limited to 100 signature requests/year on Business tier forcing frequent upgrades for moderate-volume senders. Founded 2011, serving price-sensitive freelancers and small SMBs.

Use signNow when:

• You're very low-volume (<5-8 signatures/month consistently, <96/year safely under quota)
• You're extremely budget-constrained ($84/year savings vs HelloSign matters more than quota limits)
• You have predictable low volume (seasonal business knowing annual usage won't exceed 100 signatures)
• You're solo freelancer (100 signatures/year per user = 100 total, not shared pool)

Use alternatives when:

• HelloSign ($15-25/user): Moderate-volume needs (10-50+ signatures/month) with unlimited signatures, simpler interface (complexity 1/5 vs signNow 2/5), Dropbox acquisition backing (enterprise stability)
• PandaDoc ($19-49/user): All-in-one document automation (proposals + e-signatures + payment collection) vs signNow pure e-signature focus
• DocuSign ($25-45/user): Regulated industries requiring compliance (HIPAA, 21 CFR Part 11, notarization) or high-volume bulk send (1,000+ docs)

Pricing decision points:

• Business $8/user: For very low-volume (<8 signatures/month) where quota won't be exceeded
• Business Premium $15/user: Unlimited signatures but at HelloSign pricing parity (HelloSign better choice at same price)
• Enterprise $20/user: SSO + advanced integrations but still lacks compliance features available in DocuSign higher tiers

Quota friction reality: Freelancer sends 10 contracts in busy month → Burns 10% of annual quota → Hits 100-signature limit by month 10 → Forced mid-year upgrade to Business Premium $15/user (87% price increase) losing budget advantage vs HelloSign $15/user unlimited from start.

Better value for moderate-volume: HelloSign Essentials $15/user provides unlimited signatures from day one at $7/user premium ($84/year per user) eliminating quota anxiety and mid-year upgrade friction.

Rating: 🥈 Silver - Budget e-signature at $8/user (47% cheaper than HelloSign $15/user) appealing to price-sensitive freelancers/small SMBs. Not Gold due to critical 100 signature/year quota on Business $8/user tier forcing frequent mid-year upgrades for moderate-volume senders (10-50 signatures/month). Quota friction: Freelancer sends 10 contracts/month → Hits 100-signature limit by October → Forced upgrade to Business Premium $15/user (87% price increase) losing budget advantage vs HelloSign $15/user unlimited from start. signNow best for VERY low-volume needs (<5-8 signatures/month consistently, <96/year) where extreme budget constraint justifies $84/year savings vs HelloSign and quota limit won't be reached. Business Premium $15/user offers unlimited signatures but at pricing parity with HelloSign Essentials $15/user (HelloSign better choice due to simpler interface complexity 1/5 vs signNow 2/5, Dropbox acquisition backing, better brand recognition). Honest limitations: HelloSign ($15-25/user) better value for moderate-volume with unlimited signatures and superior simplicity, PandaDoc ($19-49/user) better for all-in-one document automation, DocuSign ($25-45/user) better for compliance/high-volume. Use signNow ONLY if extreme budget constraint (<$10/user/month) AND very low predictable volume (<8 signatures/month). Target ICP: solo freelancers, very small consultancies with <5-8 signatures/month needing maximum affordability.