How much do you save by switching to electronic signatures?
Step by step, sector by sector: the ROI benchmarks for electronic signatures in 2026.
99%
time saved across the full signature cycle
10x
cheaper per signature than paper
1 month
average payback on the Standard plan
The full signature cycle, step by step
For the same contract, here is the average time spent at each step depending on the signature mode (measurements from Certyneo customer data).
| Step | Paper | Electronic | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prepare the document Drafting, proofreading, final layout | 25 min | 3 min | −88% |
| Print the document Print, check, staple / envelope | 8 min | Eliminated | −100% |
| Send to the signer Address, postage, mailbox drop / email link | 30 min | 1 min | −97% |
| Wait for the signed return Average delay between send and signed return | 3 d | 24 min | −99% |
| Receive the signed document Reception, opening, verification | 30 min | Eliminated | −100% |
| Scan / digitise Scanning, OCR, digital filing | 15 min | Eliminated | −100% |
| Archive Physical filing / probative archive | 10 min | 1 min | −90% |
| Cycle total | 3 d | 29 min | −99% |
Annual savings by sector
Estimated annual savings for a team using Certyneo (Standard plan €19/month) based on a typical monthly volume for each sector.
Human resources
35 docs/month
Monthly savings609 €Annual savings7,308 €Payback: 1 month
Real estate
60 docs/month
Monthly savings1,284 €Annual savings15,408 €Payback: 1 month
Law firm
25 docs/month
Monthly savings610 €Annual savings7,320 €Payback: 1 month
Healthcare / medical
80 docs/month
Monthly savings912 €Annual savings10,944 €Payback: 1 month
Banking & insurance
120 docs/month
Monthly savings3,288 €Annual savings39,456 €Payback: 1 month
Construction
45 docs/month
Monthly savings873 €Annual savings10,476 €Payback: 1 month
Methodology
Paper timings are orders of magnitude observed with our customers, weighted by company size. Electronic timings are measured directly by our own analytics.
Sector estimates use an average paper cost including: print, ink, paper, postage, admin time, 10-year physical archive. The electronic cost is the Standard plan €19/month divided by the 30 included envelopes, i.e. €0.60 per signature.
Real ROI depends on monthly volume, internal hourly cost, and existing processes. Our ROI calculator personalises the estimate.
Go further
Calculate your personalised ROI
In 2 minutes, get the savings estimate for your volume and sector.