What should you look for in e-signing?
With e-signing, what counts most is how sure you are of who signed. Choose the level that suits your documents, and check how signers can identify themselves.
The eIDAS level
The EU has three levels of electronic signatures: simple, advanced and qualified. According to the European Commission, a qualified signature has the same legal status as a signature on paper.
Ask the vendor
Which eIDAS levels do you offer, and what does a signature cost at each level?
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Identification with iDIN or itsme
With a simple signature you often only know that someone opened a link. With identification through the bank, such as iDIN or itsme, you know more surely who signed.
Ask the vendor
Can signers identify themselves with iDIN or itsme, and does that cost extra per signature?
We do not have a filter for this yet. Ask the vendor.
Price per month or per document
Some tools charge per user per month, others per document sent. If you only sign now and then, paying per document is often cheaper.
Ask the vendor
Do you charge per user or per document, and how many documents are included in the plan?
Sort by lowest price14 of 14 tools have a public price
Trying it free with a real contract
You only see what signing looks like for your customer when you send a document yourself. Many tools let you send a few documents for free.
Ask the vendor
How many documents can I have signed for free, and are they just as legally valid as on a paid plan?
Show tools with a free trial9 of 14 tools meet this
Evidence and audit trail
If a signature is ever disputed, you want to show who signed when. An audit trail with the document records that.
Ask the vendor
Do I get an audit trail with every signed document, and how long do you keep it?
We do not have a filter for this yet. Ask the vendor.
Integration with your CRM or storage
You often create quotes and contracts in your CRM or keep them in your cloud storage. An integration puts the signed document in the right place automatically.
Ask the vendor
Is there an integration with my CRM, accounting or cloud storage?
Sort by most integrations10 of 14 tools list integrations
Signing in Dutch
Your customer sees the invitation, the signing page and the confirmation. If they are in Dutch, they sign faster and there are fewer questions.
Ask the vendor
Are the invitation email, the signing page and the confirmation for the signer in Dutch?
Show tools with an app in Dutch9 of 14 tools meet this
Data in the EU
Contracts contain names, signatures and sometimes sensitive agreements. If they are stored outside the EEA, the transfer must rest on a valid basis.
Ask the vendor
In which country are the documents and the signers' data stored?
Show tools with data in the EU11 of 14 tools meet thisMore about data in the EU
Frequently asked questions about choosing e-signature tools
What should you look for in e-signing?
Look mainly at the eIDAS level, identification with iDIN or itsme, price per month or per document, trying it free with a real contract, evidence and audit trail, integration with your CRM or storage, signing in Dutch and data in the EU. For each point we explain why it matters and which question to ask the vendor.
Which questions should you ask a vendor of e-signature tools?
Which eIDAS levels do you offer, and what does a signature cost at each level? Can signers identify themselves with iDIN or itsme, and does that cost extra per signature? Do you charge per user or per document, and how many documents are included in the plan? How many documents can I have signed for free, and are they just as legally valid as on a paid plan?
Is a digital signature as valid as a signature on paper?
According to the European Commission, a qualified electronic signature has the same legal status as a handwritten signature. The EU also has simple and advanced signatures, with a lower level of certainty.
How many e-signature tools in the guide can you use or try for free?
Of the 14 e-signature tools in our guide, 8 have a free plan and 9 can be tried for free, according to the vendor's site.
Sources
- European Commission: eSignature, get started
- Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens: Transferring personal data outside the EEA (in Dutch)
Texts and sources checked on . The counts follow from the facts in the guide. Rules can change; the source prevails. This is an explanation, not legal or tax advice.
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