E-signatures make signing faster and cheaper, but they are not the right choice for every document. This guide weighs the real advantages against the real disadvantages, so you can decide when a simple electronic signature is enough and when you need something more.
Table of Contents:
4. What “secure” means for an e-signature
5. E-signatures vs handwritten signatures
The short answer
A simple e-signature is usually enough for everyday business documents: client agreements, consent forms, applications, onboarding paperwork and approvals. A handwritten, witnessed, notarised or qualified electronic signature may still be needed when the law or the other party requires it. If you need to verify the signer’s identity, choose a method that includes an appropriate identity check.
Advantages of e-signatures
- Faster turnaround. The signer opens a link and signs. There is nothing to print, scan or post, so documents can come back much faster.
- Sign from anywhere. Clients, contractors and new hires can sign on a phone or computer, wherever they are.
- Less paper and lower costs. You save on printing, postage, couriers and physical storage.
- Fewer incomplete documents. When the signature is part of an online form, required fields stop a document from being sent back unsigned or with missing information.
- Easier to find later. Signed documents are stored digitally, so you can sort, filter and export them instead of searching through filing cabinets.
Disadvantages and risks
- Identity is not proven by default. A simple e-signature records how and when a document was signed. It usually does not check the signer’s ID document. If you need that level of assurance, you need a different method.
- Some documents have special rules. Depending on where you are, documents such as wills, certain powers of attorney and deeds, notarised documents and some property transfers have formalities that a simple e-signature may not meet.
- Simple is not the highest level of assurance. In the EU, the eIDAS Regulation recognises electronic, advanced and qualified electronic signatures. Some transactions require an advanced or qualified signature.
- Not everyone is comfortable with digital tools. Signers need a device, an internet connection and some confidence using them. A few will still ask for paper.
- Software costs money. Many e-signature tools are paid, usually by subscription. Weigh the cost against what you spend on paper, postage and time.
What “secure” means for an e-signature
There are two different ideas behind a “secure” e-signature:
- Recorded evidence. The system records who was asked to sign, when they signed, what they agreed to and a fingerprint of the signed file. Later changes to the file can be detected by comparing fingerprints.
- A cryptographic signature. A digital signature uses public-key cryptography, so verification fails if the signed data changes. Advanced and qualified electronic signatures commonly use this technology.
PlatoForms uses recorded evidence. When a form is sent through an invitation or a workflow step with the certificate option turned on, the signature certificate records:
- The signer’s email address, the time of signing, and their IP address and browser.
- The consent notice they agreed to, word for word.
- The SHA-256 fingerprint of the signed PDF.
- A tamper-evident timeline in which each event is chained to the one before it.
Every certificate links to a public verification page where anyone can check whether a PDF matches the file fingerprint recorded at signing, with no PlatoForms account. A copy of the certificate is kept in write-once storage for seven years. PlatoForms does not provide ID document checks, text-message verification, notarisation or qualified electronic signatures.
E-signatures vs handwritten signatures
| Simple e-signature | Handwritten signature | |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Minutes, from anywhere | Days if documents are posted or couriered |
| Cost | Often a software subscription; free options exist | Printing, postage, couriers and storage |
| Evidence of signing | Depends on the tool. With a signature certificate: who was asked, when, consent, file fingerprint and timeline | The signed paper, and a witness where one is required |
| Detecting later changes | Possible by comparing the file’s fingerprint | Hard to prove without the original |
| Proof of identity | Usually not checked with an ID document | Only if checked in person, by a witness or a notary |
| Where it is accepted | Many everyday documents, subject to local law and document type | Broadly accepted, subject to any witnessing, notarisation or filing requirements |
Are e-signatures legally binding?
Generally, yes, for many everyday business documents, but it is not automatic. In the US, the ESIGN Act says a signature may not be denied legal effect just because it is electronic. Whether a particular signed document holds up depends on the applicable law, the type of document, the signer’s consent and the evidence available. See Legally binding electronic signatures for more detail, and What is an e-signature? for how electronic and digital signatures differ.
Where PlatoForms fits
PlatoForms puts the signature in the same PDF or web form people already fill in, and returns the completed PDF. On paid plans, sending the form by invitation or in a workflow with the certificate turned on adds a signature certificate that anyone can verify. For the step-by-step setup, read How to send a contract for electronic signature online. To check a signed PDF, see How can I prove a PlatoForms e-signature is valid?.
FAQ
What are the main advantages of electronic signatures?
Documents come back faster, signers can sign from anywhere on a phone or computer, and you spend less on printing, postage and storage. When the signature is part of an online form, required fields stop a document from being sent back unsigned or incomplete.
What are the disadvantages or risks of e-signatures?
A simple e-signature does not prove identity with an ID document. Some documents have special formalities that a simple e-signature may not meet. Signers need a device and some comfort with digital tools, and e-signature software often has a cost.
Are e-signatures less secure than handwritten signatures?
Not necessarily. A handwritten signature can be copied, and changes to a paper document after signing can be hard to prove. A well-recorded e-signature keeps evidence of when and how it was signed and a fingerprint of the signed file, so later changes can be detected. What it usually does not do is check the signer’s ID.
When should I still use a handwritten signature?
When the law, a court, a registry or the other party requires a handwritten, witnessed or notarised signature, or a qualified electronic signature. Depending on where you are, this can apply to wills, certain powers of attorney and deeds, notarised documents and some property transfers.
Decide document by document
For most everyday paperwork, a simple e-signature with recorded evidence saves time and money. Keep handwritten, notarised or qualified signatures for the documents that require them. To try it on your own forms, read the signature certificate guide or create your free account.
