DocuSign Review & Alternative: The Good And The Bad

E-signature tools have reshaped the way businesses operate. By allowing users to digitally sign documents, these platforms have made it possible for organizations to streamline their workflows and get things done faster.

DocuSign is one of the most popular e-signature tools on the market. And while it’s a great option for some businesses, it’s not the best choice for everyone.

In a DocuSign alternative review, we’ll take a close look at the features and pricing of this popular e-signature platform.

We’ll also compare it to SignHouse — specifically looking into why SignHouse is the better eSignature solution for realtors.

Let’s get started!

DocuSign vs. SignHouse: Key Differences

1. Price

DocuSign is a paid tool with a range of ricing tiers designed to meet the needs of different businesses.

SignHouse, on the other hand, has one pricing tier… free! As we shape the future of SignHouse through user feedback and testing, we're giving it away for free—no credit card required.

2. Mobile-First

SignHouse is a mobile-first tool designed to mesh with the modern, on-the-go lifestyles of your signees. It’s easy for anyone to open and sign documents from their phone or tablet.

No need for special apps or software—SignHouse works right in your browser.

DocuSign also has a mobile app—but the tool wasn't designed from the ground up with mobile users in mind.

3. Usability

Both DocuSign and SignHouse are designed with usability in mind, but SignHouse goes a step further to make the experience as simple and smooth as possible.

We've made it a priority to cut back on feature bloat while making sure the core features that are present work perfectly.

What Is DocuSign?

DocuSign is the largest player in the e-signature space. The company has been around for over a decade and has developed a fairly comprehensive set of tools for managing electronic signatures and related workflows.

DocuSign is used by millions of users around the globe, as well as some pretty major companies, including:

• Unilever
• T-Mobile
• Santander

But what makes this tool so popular? And does it live up to the hype? Let's find out.

DocuSign Key Features

Document Setup

Document setup is a core feature of any s-signature tool worth its salt—and DocuSign makes the process of converting normal PDF into fillable digital documents a breeze.

The process starts when you upload a form, contract/agreement, or document to DocuSign. You then define key areas where the signee needs to take action using a set of drag-and-drop tags, including:

• Signature
• Checkbox
• Initial
• Date
• Payment Information

If the document is being sent out to multiple signees, you can color code your tags to keep things organized.

And if you're looking for an added layer of security, DocuSign allows you to password protect your forms.

Templates

Templates are a major time-saver—especially in the real estate industry, where paperwork is often repetitive.

DocuSign allows you to create custom templates to cut down on the amount of time you spend setting up documents.

You can either create a template directly by visiting the “Templates” tab, or mark an existing document as a template when sending it out.

All of your templates are stored in a searchable template library, and can be shared with team members as needed.

Integrations

Collecting e-signatures is a process that usually goes hand-in-hand with other key business processes — from customer relationship management to human resources.

DocuSign clearly recognizes this, as they've worked hard to integrate the tool with 400 of the most popular business applications on the market. A few notable integrations include:

• Salesforce
• SAP
• Google Workspace
• Workday

These integrations help you create complex workflows that save time, minimize errors, and keep your business running like a well-oiled machine.

Tracking & Analytics

If you're not tracking who's signing your documents and when, you're missing out on valuable insights that could help you streamline your business.

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DocuSign provides detailed tracking and analytics features that give you a complete picture of your document-signing process. For each document, you can see:

• The date it was sent
• The date it was completed
• Which signees have viewed or signed the document
• Whether any signees are yet to take action

From the “Reports” tab, you can also view running estimates of the amount of wood, water, CO2, and waste DocuSign has saved by digitizing your documents. 

Is this a necessary addition? That's for you to decide.

DocuSign Pricing

DocuSign has an entire set of plans that are specifically designed for realtors—and luckily, it's cheaper than DocuSign's standard plans.

The Real Estate Starter plan is the cheapest, coming in at $10/month. With it, one user can create personal templates, integrate with other apps, and send up to 5 documents per month out for signature.

If you need to send more than that, you can sign up for the DocuSign for REALTORS® plan for $20/month. This plan is exclusive to members of NAR—so if you're not a member, you'll have to sign up for the identical Real Estate plan for $25/month.

Both of these advanced plans come with all of DocuSign's core features, including reports, comments, shared templates, signee attachments, and more.

DocuSign Pros & Cons

Pros

• Comprehensive Tool: DocuSign is a feature-rich platform that covers all the bases, from creating forms to tracking analytics.
• Easy To Use: The platform is intuitive and easy to use, even for those with limited technical skills.
• Great Integrations: DocuSign integrates with over 400 popular business tools.

Cons

• Limited Real Estate Starter Plan: DocuSign's Real Estate Starter plan is cheap, but very limited. Most users will need to upgrade.
• Relatively Expensive: DocuSign is a pricey tool—especially when compared to free alternatives like SignHouse.
• Bloated Features: DocuSign wasn't designed for realtors. That means it's full of features and extras that most realtors will never use.

DocuSign Alternative: SignHouse

SignHouse is an e-signature software that's specifically designed for realtors and other real estate industry professionals.

You can even use SignHouse for construction and other purposes.

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Just like DocuSign, SignHouse offers all the features you need to streamline your business, including templates, tracking, analytics, and more.

The main difference is that SignHouse totally free — meaning it's a budget-friendly alternative for small businesses.

But that hasn't stopped some of the world's biggest companies and brands from hopping onboard, including Google, Uber, and LinkedIn.

SignHouse Key Features

Document Setup

Like DocuSign, SignHouse offers a wide range of document setup options.

You can upload your own documents, create them from scratch using SignHouse's drag-and-drop builder, or use one of the many templates SignHouse provides.

The process is simple, intuitive, and fast — so you can get your documents out for signature in no time. You also get unlimited signature requests at SignHouse!

Send & Sign

Once your document is ready, it's time to send it out for signature. SignHouse makes it easy to add signees and set up signing order. You can also include fields for signees to fill in, such as their name or address.

Signees simply click on their name and enter their online signature. Signing is easy!

The whole process takes just a couple of minutes and can be completed on any device without needing to download any apps or tools.

Template Library

SignHouse makes it easy to create custom document templates —and they have a wide selection of templates for you to choose from, too.

The template library has everything from property management agreements to construction contracts — so you can find the perfect one for your needs without having to start from scratch. All templates are fully editable, so you can make changes as you see fit.

No-Nonsense Analytics and Tracking

SignHouse cuts the fat when it comes to analytics and tracking. You won't find any filler metrics here—just the data you need to see how your documents are performing.

Track everything from views and opens to who signed and when. This data is presented in an easy-to-read format, so you can quickly spot any trends or patterns.

Simple UI

As you may have noticed by now, simplicity is one of SignHouse's top priorities. We work to include the features that users actually need without the bells and whistles.

That extends to the platform's user interface, which is clean, straightforward, and easy to navigate. You won't find yourself clicking through endless menus or getting lost in a sea of options.

SignHouse Pricing

For the time being, SignHouse is completely free to use. You can browse (and try) all of SignHouse's tools and features without ever having to input your credit card information.

There will likely be paid plans at some point in the future, but for now the focus is on improving the product through user feedback and engagement.

What does that mean for you? Well, not only do you get full access to a top-notch e-signature tool, but you also get to help shape the future of the product.

DocuSign vs. SignHouse: Feature Comparison

Close Deals Faster with SignHouse

At the end of the day, SignHouse is a great DocuSign alternative for realtors and other real estate professionals who need an efficient, cost-effective e-signature tool.

Want to see how first-hand how easy it is to close deals with SignHouse? Sign up for a free account and start closing deals in minutes!

Thank you for reading our DocuSign review!