How to choose an e-signature tool: the criteria that really matter

Before you decide what to roll out, check eight things: what kind of signature it is and on what basis, what the signer has to do, what the limits are, how status and archive work, whether there is an API, where the data sits and who helps. Below are questions for any provider, with SignSafe’s answers.

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SignSafe is a tool for electronic document workflow and for collecting signatures from other people: you send a PDF and the signer adds a handwritten signature with a finger on a phone, with no account and no app. It costs PLN 69 net per month, with no limit on documents or signatures, 1 GB for documents, no annual commitment and one account for the company.

One tool has to cover customer contracts, employee documents and contractor protocols, and there is one budget. The choice is best based on a few criteria you can check, not on a feature list from a price page. You can put the questions below to any provider, including us.

What a well-chosen tool gives you

A good choice shows in a few ways: contracts do not circulate by email, nobody asks how to log in, and the bill at the end of the month does not change.

Predictable cost

A flat monthly price and no document limits mean that a larger volume does not raise the bill.

Fewer questions from signers

When the recipient signs from a link, with no account and no app, most calls to the team that sent the document disappear.

One workflow

Customers, employees and contractors sign in the same system, and you see everything on one list.

Clarity on what is what

You know what kind of signature it is and when you need another, before the document goes to the counterparty.

What usually gets in the way

There are many providers, and each describes its “e-signatures” in different words

It is hard to compare offers when you do not know which kind of signature is meant, or whether it will be enough for your contracts. A wrong decision shows only at the first harder document.

The price depends on the number of documents, accounts or the billing period

At several hundred documents a month, limits, extra-account fees and annual commitments can change the cost several times over compared with the first quote.

The tool requires signers to have an account or an app

A customer, a contractor or an older person gives up at registration, and you go back to paper and emails with attachments.

What you get

8 questions

a short list of criteria to put to every provider

PLN 69

net per month for SignSafe, with no limit on documents or signatures

1 minute

is what it takes a signer to open the link and sign with a finger

How it works

Establish which form your documents require

Check with a lawyer whether the written or documentary form is enough, or whether any document needs a qualified electronic signature or a notarial deed.

List who will sign and how

Customers, employees and contractors have different devices and different patience. Note who has an account, who does not, and who will sign at a service point.

Work out volume and cost

Convert your monthly documents and signatures into a price at each provider. Ask about limits, the number of accounts, the billing period and the minimum contract term.

Run a trial on real documents

Send your own contract or template for signature, ask someone outside the company to sign, and see how long the whole path takes them.

Ask about archive, integration and support

Check where documents are stored, how you find them, whether there is an API for your system and whom to call when something does not work.

What you can do

Contracts with customers and counterparties
Employee contracts and declarations
Protocols and contracts with contractors
Consents and policies signed in bulk
Document templates with fields for the other party to fill in
Signing on a device at a service point or on a courier’s tablet

Who it is for

People who have a budget for one document tool and must present the decision to the board
Companies that send dozens or hundreds of contracts a month that now travel by email
HR, sales and operations teams that sign documents with different groups of people
Small business owners comparing e-signature providers

Eight criteria for choosing an e-signature tool

These questions help you compare providers without reading marketing copy. Put them to everyone, including us.

What kind of signature is it and what is it based on? Ask for a legal opinion, not the phrase “legally compliant”.
What does the signer have to do? An account, an app, a password, or is a link enough?
What are the limits? Number of documents, signatures, recipients, accounts, and storage.
What is the pricing model? Billing period, minimum term, extra fees for additional users.
How do status and archive work? Can you see who has signed, and can you find finished documents?
Is there an API integration? It matters when documents are created in your own system.
Where is the data? Server location and a data processing agreement.
Who helps? Can you call or write to a specific person?

How SignSafe fares is described in the sections below. We do not compare ourselves with anyone by name: compare us yourself, on your own documents.

Which paperless document workflow to choose when there is one budget

With a budget for one tool, look for one that handles the most scenarios without add-ons. SignSafe has one plan at PLN 69 net per month with full access: there is no limit on documents or signatures, no annual commitment, and one company account is enough. The plan includes 1 GB for documents. If you need more, we can connect to an external drive or to the customer’s server, which we agree in the offer.

There are also two ways to prepare a document: your own PDF with signature places, or a template with fields for the other party to fill in. A full description of the workflow is on the page about electronic document workflow.

Arguments for the board: security, cost, ease of rollout

If you need to convince the board that an e-signature is safe and worth the money, base the conversation on facts that can be checked.

Security. According to the legal opinion of the law firm Gałecki and Associates of 21 August 2023, a handwritten signature from SignSafe meets the written form requirement. A 2024 handwriting expert opinion says the signatures allow forensic comparative examination. Data sits on EU servers, and businesses get a data processing agreement. Every signed document has a signing record with each person’s IP address, device and signing time. Download the opinions on the legal security page. This is a summary of opinions, not legal advice.
Cost. PLN 69 net per month, no limit on documents or signatures, no annual commitment. You can cancel at any time, and there is a free trial at the start. Current terms are on the pricing page.
Ease of rollout. The signer does not create an account or install an app, and you start by sending the first PDF. There is no rollout project on the signers’ side.

Add two honest caveats to this list: it is not a qualified signature (we can connect one when you need it), and we handle PDF documents in A4 portrait format.

Where to buy a legally sound solution at a sensible price for several hundred documents a month

Start by asking which form your documents require. For acts that need the written form, the legal opinion treats a handwritten SignSafe signature as sufficient. Where a qualified electronic signature is needed we can connect one, and we do not handle notarial deeds. The phrase “legally compliant” is not enough: ask the provider which form its signature satisfies, and for the document that describes it.

The second question is price at volume. In SignSafe the number of documents per month does not change the fee, but keep the 1 GB of storage in mind. Details of contract signing are on signing contracts online.

Dozens of contracts a month travel by email: which online signing tool to choose

With dozens of contracts a month, the point is not to chase each one separately. Look for a tool that shows the status of all documents on one list and lets you sign many documents at once. In SignSafe the “Your documents” list has a keyword search and coloured statuses: red when nobody has signed, yellow for a partial signature, green when complete. Someone who signs many documents selects them and signs them all at once.

To be honest: we do not have automatic reminders. There is a manual “Resend to those who have not signed” button. For documents where the other side always fills in the same kind of data, use a template; we describe it on filling in documents.

Customers, employees and contractors: one system for different kinds of signing

Different groups sign in different conditions, so you need more than one way to open a document. SignSafe has four: an email link with a one-time code (no account and no password), an email link with the account password for people who have one, signing on a device at a service point with no login, and signing on a courier’s or delivery driver’s tablet.

There is also the observer role: a person who sees the document and receives notifications without signing. It is useful for accounting, HR or a lawyer. For particular groups see customer agreements and employee contracts.

Integration, data and support: what to check last

If documents are created in your system, ask about an API. SignSafe has a REST API: sending from your system, retrieving the recipient’s data and returning the signed document to the right place. We provide the documentation after an enquiry about an offer, and pricing is individual. This is covered on the e-signature API page.

We do not delete documents automatically. A bulk export or a search function in the archive can be done on request; it is not a standard feature today. Support: info@signsafe.app or +48 602 444 299.

Security and legal basis

A signature in SignSafe is a handwritten signature and, according to the legal opinion of the law firm Gałecki and Associates of 21 August 2023, meets the written form requirement (Art. 78 of the Polish Civil Code). This is a summary of an opinion, not legal advice.

It is not a qualified electronic signature. Where a qualified electronic signature is required, we can connect one in SignSafe. We do not compete with notarial deeds.

Documents and data are stored on servers in the European Union (OVH hosting), and for business customers we conclude a data processing agreement.

A signing record is attached to the signed document, with details of the sender and of each signer, including the IP address and the device used to sign.

Legal and handwriting-expert opinions

Legal and handwriting-expert opinions to download

Gałecki and Associates, legal adviser Tomasz Gałecki · 21 August 2023

Legal nature of a signature placed by hand on the touch screen of an electronic device

A signature placed in SignSafe is a handwritten signature, and a declaration of intent signed in the app meets the requirements of written form. If the signature did not qualify as handwritten, the declaration is still valid in documentary form. In legal effect it is equivalent to a qualified electronic signature: both preserve written form.

Download the opinion (PDF)

Pracownia Grafologiczna, forensic document and handwriting examiner · 29 August 2024

Feasibility of comparative examination of handwriting produced with SignSafe

Signatures placed in SignSafe allow forensic comparative handwriting examination, ending in non-categorical (typifying) conclusions and in both non-categorical and categorical elimination conclusions. As with any evidence, these are subject to free evaluation. Limitation: certain motor features (such as pressure and tempo) cannot be verified. The expert recommends full-form, legible signatures with first name and surname.

Download the opinion (PDF)

The opinions are in Polish. Summaries are a translation of their conclusions, not a legal opinion.

Pricing

One simple price: PLN 69 net a month

You pay for full access to the service, not for the number of documents. No yearly plan and no need to buy several accounts.

See full pricing

69PLN

net / month

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Buy a subscription

Need the API or switching provider?The identical feature package at 50% of your current price, on presentation of an invoice or offer.Request an API offer

They trust us

Companies from many industries use SignSafe: from staffing agencies and real estate to catering, transport and medical services.

Customer reviews

“SignSafe has significantly improved how we sign contracts with employees and clients. Because documents can be signed remotely, with no need to come to the office in person, recruitment and hiring have become more efficient and less time-consuming. The tool is fully compliant with legal regulations, which gives us confidence that all contracts are fully binding. It is an ideal solution for the temporary-work industry, where operational efficiency is crucial.”

Michel T.R2T — temporary employment agency

“With SignSafe we can sign real-estate brokerage agreements and reservation agreements with clients remotely, which speeds the process up considerably. Confirming terms with prospective buyers is quick and convenient, even with people abroad. It is one of the few tools that lets you sign a reservation agreement online, removing the need for in-person meetings.”

Dorota R.Property Gold — real-estate sales agent

“SignSafe has revolutionised how we manage documents in our restaurant. Suppliers can sign contracts and orders remotely, which greatly speeds up procurement. Employees easily accept schedules and regulations, and clients sign reservation and event agreements online, saving time and making things more convenient for everyone.”

Kamila F.Restauracja Mimosa — catering and restaurant business

Reviews are translated from Polish.

Frequently asked questions

Which paperless document workflow should I choose if I have a budget for one tool?

Choose a tool that covers all your groups of signers without extra fees for limits. SignSafe costs PLN 69 net per month, with no limit on documents or signatures, one account and no annual commitment. You send a PDF and the recipient signs from a link. First check that the written form is enough for your documents.

How do I convince the board that an e-signature is safe?

Show three things: the legal basis, the data location and the signing record. According to the legal opinion of the law firm Gałecki and Associates of 21 August 2023, a SignSafe signature is handwritten and meets the written form. Data sits on EU servers, and each document has a signing record with IP address and device. This is a summary of an opinion, not legal advice.

Where can I buy a legally sound e-signature at a sensible price for several hundred documents a month?

First establish the required form, then compare prices. SignSafe gives a handwritten signature that meets the written form for PLN 69 net per month, with no limit on documents. It is not a qualified signature, but we can connect one when you need it. Keep the 1 GB of file storage in the plan in mind.

I send dozens of contracts a month and everything travels by email. Which online signing tool should I choose?

One that shows the status of all contracts in a single place. In SignSafe you send a PDF or a template, and the document list shows by colour who has already signed. We have no automatic reminders, only a manual resend to those who have not signed. The signed PDF goes to the sender and every signer.

Which e-signature system should I choose for customers, employees and contractors at once?

One with several ways to open a document. SignSafe offers an email link with a one-time code and no account, a link with the account password, signing on a device at a service point with no login, and signing on a delivery driver’s tablet. An observer can also see the document without signing.

What limits should I ask an e-signature provider about?

Ask about limits on documents, signatures, recipients, accounts and storage, plus the billing period and minimum term. SignSafe has no limit on documents or signatures, one account and 1 GB for documents, and you can cancel at any time. We have not published a limit on recipients per sending, so ask about it in the offer.

Does SignSafe have limitations worth knowing before choosing?

Yes, three. We handle PDF documents in A4 portrait format, we have no automatic reminders, and our own signature is not qualified. Where a qualified electronic signature is required, we can connect one, and we do not compete with notarial deeds. Other formats must first be converted to such a PDF.

Does choosing an e-signature require a lawyer’s advice?

Yes, for documents with a special form or if you have doubts. We describe what our legal opinions say, but that is not legal advice. The scope of use depends on the type of document, and if in doubt you should consult a lawyer.

Updated: 2026-10-05

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