How to Choose an Electronic Signature Software

A Structuring Decision

Choosing an electronic signature software means choosing a tool that your teams will use several times a day, for several years. Mistakes are paid for in migration costs and daily friction.

The 10 Selection Criteria

1. eIDAS Compliance

Non-negotiable. Without eIDAS compliance, your signatures will not have the same legal value. See eIDAS regulation.

2. Signature Levels

Minimum: SES + AES. QES if your sector requires it.

3. Hosting and Sovereignty

EU to preserve sovereignty, avoid the American Cloud Act.

4. Transparent Pricing

Monthly flat fee with quota, no billing per OTP/signatory.

5. Native Integrations

CRM (HubSpot, Pipedrive), HRIS (PayFit, Lucca), ERP (Sage), Zapier, API.

6. Templates

To industrialise recurring documents.

7. Advanced Workflow

Parallel/sequential order, reminders, CC, approvers.

8. Signatory UX

Mobile-first, no account required, journey < 3 minutes.

9. Archiving

10 years minimum, PAdES format, exportable.

10. Support

In English, responsive, clear documentation.

Pitfalls to Avoid

• Too low entry price: often offset by OTP billing

• Phantom features: listed but rarely reliable in production

• Non-existent support: endless chatbot without real human contact

• US Cloud without clear Cloud Act mention

• Long commitment contracts without exit clause

Selection Method

• List your requirements: volume, level, integrations

• Pre-select 3-5 solutions

• Test for free in real conditions (10-20 sends)

• Question support with complex cases

• Simulate over 12 months the real cost

Summary Table

Profile | Typical Solution

Freelancer / Micro-business | Free plan, budget < £20/month

SME 20-250 employees | European pro plan, £50-200/month

Mid-market 250-5000 employees | Business plan, SSO, custom API

Regulated sector | EU hosting + advanced KYC

Real-Life Case: SME 60 Employees

An SME in construction evaluated 4 solutions over 6 weeks:

• demo + hands-on for each

• test of 15 representative sends

• 12-month cost simulation

• support interview

Final choice: European solution at £79/month vs US solution at £250/month. Native HubSpot integration. Clear ROI.

How Certyneo Helps You

Certyneo ticks all 10 criteria: eIDAS, SES/AES, EU hosting, transparent pricing, native integrations, templates, advanced workflows, modern UX, 10-year archiving, English support. Free plan to test before committing.

Discover Certyneo's electronic signature solution

FAQ

How long does the selection take?

4-8 weeks with a proper evaluation.

Should IT be involved?

For an SME: an external consultant is enough. For a mid-market firm: yes.

Can you switch if you're not satisfied?

Yes, migration is a managed project. Avoid commitments > 12 months.

Is the cheapest the best?

No. Look at the total cost (flat fee + OTP + signatories + integrations).

Is English enough for support?

No if your teams are English-speaking and need support in another language.

Conclusion

Choosing an electronic signature software is a structuring project. Invest the necessary evaluation time — it will save you a costly migration in 2 years.

Try Certyneo to send, sign and track your documents online simply, quickly and securely.