“We still print documents just to sign them”
A contract is agreed. Then it waits: print it, sign it, find the scanner (or photograph it badly), email it back, and hope the other side’s copy doesn’t sit in a truck for three days. Every hire, lease, and client agreement pays this tax, and deals cool off while paper travels.
What modern businesses do instead
Modern businesses send documents for electronic signature: the client clicks a link, signs on any device in under a minute, and both sides get a tracked, tamper-evident copy automatically. No printer, no scanner, no "did you get my fax" energy.
E-signatures are legally recognized for most everyday business documents across most of the world - the US ESIGN Act, the EU’s eIDAS, the UK, Canada, Australia, and dozens of other jurisdictions. The signed record that comes back is typically easier to verify than ink.
The prescription
Foxit
Edit, convert, e-sign, and AI-summarize documents at a third of Adobe’s price.
Why for this problem: E-sign comes bundled with the PDF editor, so the same tool that prepares the contract sends it for signature - send, track, remind, done. For a small business this replaces both the scanner ritual and a separate signature subscription.
The honest downside: Heavy design and print-production workflows still belong in Adobe.
From ~$8/month; e-sign included in the suite.
Try Foxit → Our full takeUPDF
Modern PDF editor with AI summarizing and one-time-purchase pricing.
Why for this problem: The lighter option: fill and sign the occasional document yourself without printing, on a one-time license. Right if you receive documents to sign more often than you send them.
The honest downside: Lighter collaboration features than Foxit/Adobe.
One-time license available - rare in this category.
Try UPDF → Our full takeCompare the PDF suites side by side →
Common questions
Are electronic signatures legally binding?
For most routine business documents - contracts, proposals, NDAs, hiring paperwork - yes, in most jurisdictions, including under the US ESIGN Act and the EU eIDAS regulation. A few document types (some deeds, wills, and notarized documents, depending on where you are) still require special handling; check locally for those.
Does the person signing need an account or software?
No. Modern e-sign tools email the signer a link; they open it in a browser on any device, sign, and are done. Making the customer download something to sign your contract is how deals stall - the good tools never require it.
What does e-signing cost compared to DocuSign?
Standalone e-sign platforms like DocuSign run roughly $10–40 per user per month. Suites like Foxit include e-signing with the PDF editor from about $8 a month, which is usually the right math for a small business that signs regularly but not in enterprise volume.
Is this really your biggest leak?
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