Electronic document signing has become an essential part of modern business practices. However, despite its clear benefits, paper still seems to be an integral part of our world. Fortunately, there are several WordPress plugins available that can help you get documents signed electronically, saving you and your clients a lot of time.
In this article, we will look at seven useful plugins that can help you get documents signed electronically. These plugins can help you create professional forms or documents and take your client’s signature straight from your WordPress site. Let’s get started!
1. JotForm
JotForm Sign is a plugin that allows you to embed your documents directly on your website using their WordPress plugin. Your users can then sign them digitally. You can use their workflow automation features to save time and money while collecting legally binding signatures.
You can collaborate with your team on the same documents and generate reports to gain insight into your business. You can also use automated approval flows for your e-signature documents by adding signers and getting notified when a change happens. You can do all of this securely thanks to their many security compliances for sensitive data. You can add even more security by using an access code unique to you.
You can get started on creating your document by choosing one of their 600+ ready-made templates. Just select a template and customize it using their drag-and-drop builder.
2. ApproveMe
If you are looking to sign documents online with WordPress, ApproveMe’s WP E-Signature is the frontrunner. This premium plugin is designed to enable you to legally sign documents using your own WordPress website.
Similar to e-signature services such as DocuSign and HelloSign, WP E-Signature enables you to upload documents and send them to your clients for signature. You can have unlimited documents and unlimited signers all managed through your own site. WP E-Signature is UETA and ESIGN compatible, so the signatures are legally binding and can be enforced in court.
If you need a legally binding solution for signing documents in WordPress, WP E-Signature is the obvious choice. Though pricey, the time saved and the peace of mind is arguably well worth the cost.
3. WP Online Contract
WP Online Contract is a full-featured contract management plugin with over 3,000 sales. With this plugin, you can create, manage, and save contracts online and have your clients sign from any device.
You can create your own contract templates using the built-in WordPress editor. WP Online Contract stores the IP address and timestamps when a contract is signed, providing you with an audit trail. The plugin also integrates with several payment gateways through add-ons.
WP Online Contract is a great solution if you are looking for an all-in-one contract management platform within WordPress. However, you may want to investigate another option if you need court-enforceable contracts.
4. Contact Form 7 Signature Addon (Free)
Contact Form 7 is one of the best-known and most popular free form builder plugins, with over 1,000,000 active installs. Though originally created for contact forms, it has expanded beyond that, especially with the help of add-ons such as this free signature add-on, which has 1,000 active installs and a 4.2-star satisfaction rating.
The signature field is added to your form through shortcode tags like any other field and can be customized using CSS.
If you are already using Contact Form 7 and are comfortable with its interface, this add-on will be perfect for you to add signatures to your online forms. This is not a legally binding solution but can work for less strict applications.
5. Formidable Forms’ Signature
In the world of free form builders, Formidable Forms is a strong contender, with over 300,000 active installs. The usefulness of the form builder is extended through premium add-ons, such as their Signature add-on. It starts at $19 for a single site and can also be bundled with their higher-end premium licenses.
The signature field is added to a form like any other field and has a few options for customization. Once the signature is submitted, it is converted to an image and stored with the form data.
If you are a Formidable Forms fan, this add-on will make it easy to collect signatures. However, it is not a particularly secure solution, nor is it really designed for legally binding situations.
6. Signature Addon for ARForms WordPress Plugin
ARForms is a well-rated premium form builder plugin with over 3,000 sales. They have created a premium signature add-on which enables you to capture signatures online by simply adding a field to your form.
The easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface makes adding the signature field to your forms simple. Your website users will not need any special browser plugins to add their signature, which will be converted and stored as a PNG file with the form submission.
If you need a legally binding solution, this may not be the approach for you. However, if you are already an ARForms user and want an easy way to collect signatures, check this out.
7. Swift Signature Free WordPress Plugin
Swift Signature is an up-and-coming entrant in the online signature world. This free plugin is part of the SwiftCloud business suite of services and is designed to make any WordPress page signable. You must create a free SwiftCloud account to use the plugin, and a premium option is coming in the future – so try it out for free now while you can.
Swift Signature can be used on single pages or as part of a multi-step flow – and it integrates with all existing SwiftCloud services. All signed documents are archived and stored with legally binding timestamps for an audit trail. This could be a useful solution if you are looking for an integrated set of services.
Conclusion
Getting documents signed can often be a painful and time-consuming process, especially if you’re unable to sit down with your client in person. Emails sent back and forth end with the need to print, sign, and scan a document before emailing it back to complete the process.
WordPress offers several solutions to help you get those documents signed electronically. We’re sure one of these will meet your needs, though we definitely recommend WP E-Signature as an all-round solid solution.
Is electronic document signing crucial to your business, and if not, could you adopt the practice in the future? Share your insights in the comments section below!
