Best Electronic Signature Software 2021

DocuSign vs. PandaDoc

Is DocuSign or PandaDoc the better solution for you? This in-depth, feature-by-feature breakdown will help you select the best electronic signature tool to help grow your business.

Individuals and organizations use electronic signature software tools to build and manage their legal documents online. With so many electronic signature solutions available, it can be difficult to choose the best one for your business.

We’ve created this guide to help you understand the differences between DocuSign and PandaDoc, and simplify your purchase decision. Below, we share the types of customers each solution was built for, and analyze their pricing and key features.

All of our recommendations are based upon extensive research, discussions with electronic signature software users, and dozens of hours spent hand-testing the leading website builder software platforms. The details of our research process can be found on our Electronic Signature category page.

Comparison Summary

DocuSign and PandaDoc are two industry leading, popular electronic signature software used by tens of thousands of customers each. We rated DocuSign 92 out of 100 and PandaDoc 90 out of 100, respectively.

DocuSign was rated higher than PandaDoc because DocuSign is more robust in features, has the capability to support enterprises, and offers more security features. PandaDoc was rated lower because it is a solution built specifically for sales teams and is not as feature-rich as DocuSign.


This breakdown shows our review criteria and the ratings that DocuSign and PandaDoc received for each category.

CriteriaAnalyst RatingFeaturesUsabilityPricingCustomer Support
DocuSign9210989
PandaDoc9091089

In our research, we found DocuSign and PandaDoc to both be intuitive and easy-to-use applications. Both solutions include the core features found in electronic signature solutions: legally binding signatures, templates, a document editor, audit reports, flexible signing, and document storage. In addition, the most popular subscriptions cost less than $60 per month for both DocuSign and PandaDoc.

The biggest difference between DocuSign and PandaDoc is that PandaDoc is specialized for sales teams, and DocuSign is not. As a result, PandaDoc includes features such as a content library, interactive quoting, and recipient analytics that help sales teams close more deals more quickly. In addition, PandaDoc offers a basic, free e-signature plan that can be used to send an unlimited number of documents.

However, we did find DocuSign’s platform to be more robust. As a result, non-sales teams that do not need the features above are likely to have a slight preference for DocuSign.

When comparing both solutions, we recommend focusing on each of their unique features and their pricing. Here’s a quick rundown to determine which solution is best for you:

You'll prefer DocuSign if:

  • You want extra security features like two-factor authentication
  • You want to be able to upload and edit documents on mobile
  • You want an editor with more field and field property options

Try DocuSign Today

You'll prefer PandaDoc if:

  • You want a free plan that lets you send an unlimited number of documents for signing
  • You need a solution built specifically for sales teams
  • You want features like standardized proposal templates and advanced recipient analytics

Try PandaDoc Today


Table of Contents

DocuSign & PandaDoc Price Comparison

DocuSign and PandaDoc are both priced as monthly subscriptions. In general, PandaDoc is slightly more affordable than DocuSign. Both solutions offer a 15-35% discount for the upfront purchase of an annual plan.

A key pricing-related difference is that PandaDoc offers a free plan, and DocuSign does not. PandaDoc’s free plan is basic, but can be used for unlimited legally binding documents.

DocuSign Pricing Details

DocuSign pricing ranges from $15 to $60 per user per month. You can save ~35% if you choose to pay the annual subscription upfront. Here’s an overview of DocuSign’s pricing plans:

Personal plan
  • $15 per user per month
  • $10 per month under annual subscription
  • 1 user
Standard plan
  • $40 per user per month
  • $25 per month under annual subscription
  • Up to 5 users
Business Pro plan
  • $60 per user per month
  • $40 per month under annual subscription
  • Up to 5 users
Advanced Solutions plan
  • Contact vendor
  • Unlimited (minimum of 5 users)

PandaDoc Pricing Details

PandaDoc pricing ranges from free to $60 per user per month. You can save 24% if you choose to pay the annual subscription upfront. Here’s an overview of PandaDoc’s pricing plans:

Free eSign plan
  • Free
Essentials plan
  • $25 per user per month
  • $19 per month under annual subscription
Business plan
  • $59 per user per month
  • $49 per month under annual subscription
Enterprise plan
  • Contact PandaDoc

DocuSign & PandaDoc Feature Comparison

DocuSign and PandaDoc are two advanced solutions that offer many similar core features. Both platforms include legally binding signatures, templates, a document editor, audit reports and flexible signing. However, as shown in the table below, each platform also includes features not found in its competitor.

For a full analysis of each solution’s features, read our DocuSign and PandaDoc reviews.

FeatureDocuSignPandaDoc
Legally Binding SignaturesYesYes
TemplatesYesYes
Auto-fill DataYesYes
Content LibraryNoYes
Custom BrandingYesYes
Text-editing for Uploaded DocumentsNoYes
Multiple LanguagesYesYes
Robust IntegrationsYesYes (not including Netsuite)
Real-time NotificationsYesYes
In person SigningYesYes
Multi-party SigningYesYes
Mass SignaturesYesYes
Auto-remindersYesYes
Two factor authenticationYesNo
Audit ReportsYesYes
Proposal Template LibraryNoYes
Payments through a Legal DocumentYesYes
Interactive QuotingNoYes
APIYesYes
Mobile ApplicationYesYes

DocuSign's Unique Features

DocuSign offers a few features not found in PandaDoc. Understanding the features below will help you determine if DocuSign is ideal for you and your business.

Document Editor Features

Both DocuSign and PandaDoc have advanced document editors. However, DocuSign offers more features and capabilities that make the document editing process easier and more efficient.

DocuSign Document Editor

As seen above, some of these include:

  • More field options to place in a document
  • More field properties to set
  • Navigating a document by page
  • Zooming in and out of a document
  • Key shortcuts for editing documents

Mobile

We found that DocuSign is more powerful than PandaDoc when it comes to its mobile app. This is because unlike PandaDoc, DocuSign allows you to upload files and add fields to documents. These capabilities increase efficiency because they allow you to maintain your document workflow without having to switch to DocuSign’s web application.

DocuSign Mobile

PandaDoc's Unique Features

As mentioned above, the PandaDoc platform is specialized for sales teams. As a result, PandaDoc offers a few features specifically designed for sales teams that are not found in DocuSign. If these features are appealing to you, PandaDoc is likely the better solution for you.

Standardized Templates

PandaDoc offers a library of its own standardized templates that you can customize. These save you time and keep your content consistent. Below is an example of a template with editable elements that PandaDoc offers users.

PandaDoc Template

Editing Documents

PandaDoc lets you directly edit the text of your uploaded Docx files inside of the PandaDoc application. This is useful when you need to make minor edits to a document.

PandaDoc Document Editor

Content Library

PandaDoc includes a content library that allows you to store all of the content you frequently use in your documents. Examples of content that you can store in the content library includes legal statements and custom branding elements. Adding these stored elements will save you time during your document creation process, and ensure consistency across your documents

Recipient Analytics

PandaDoc includes analytics that let you track your recipient’s behavior when interacting with your documents. This information can help you understand how your documents are performing and which parts your clients engage with the most. Sales teams use this information to understand customer behavior and close more deals.

Bottom Line

DocuSign and PandaDoc are two popular electronic signature solutions that help individuals and businesses automate their advanced document workflows. Both include core electronic signature software features like legally binding signatures, templates, a document editor, audit reports, flexible signing and document storage.

When deciding between these two solutions, a key difference to consider if that PandaDoc is specifically made to benefit sales teams. If you need electronic signature software for proposals and contracts, then PandaDoc is an ideal solution. If you have a slightly larger budget, and want a more robust solution, then you’ll likely prefer DocuSign.

If you’re interested, visit DocuSign or PandaDoc today to get started.

Amy Yang

Amy Yang is a Junior Research Analyst at SoftwarePundit, where she conducts in-depth analyses on software markets and products. Amy has expertise in content production and managing digital and social platforms. She has a Bachelor of Science in Communication & Media, and a Minor in Web Programming and Applications from NYU. You can connect with Amy on LinkedIn.

Amy is an expert in several software categories including:

  • Course creation software
  • Electronic signature software
  • Social media software
  • Website builder software

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