Adobe Acrobat vs. Adobe Acrobat Sign

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Adobe Acrobat
Score 8.8 out of 10
N/A
Adobe Acrobat DC is the current version of the well-established document / PDF management solution, part of the Adobe Document Cloud (the other part being Adobe's eSign services based on technology acquired with EchoSign in 2011).
$12.99
per month
Adobe Acrobat Sign
Score 8.4 out of 10
Mid-Size Companies (51-1,000 employees)
Acrobat Sign is an e-signature solution that combines simple and secure e-signatures with Adobe Acrobat. With Acrobat Sign, the user can create, sign, send for signature, manage, and track documents from one Adobe platform. The user can create signing experiences for customers and teams by enabling them to sign documents on any device or browser – anytime, anywhere. No additional software download or accounts are needed. As Microsoft’s e-signature solution, Acrobat Sign…
$14.99
per month license
Pricing
Adobe AcrobatAdobe Acrobat Sign
Editions & Modules
Acrobat Standard for Individuals
$12.99
per month
Acrobat Standard for teams
$14.99
per month per user
Acrobat Pro for Individuals
$19.99
per month
Acrobat Pro for Teams
$22.19
per month per user
Acrobat for Enterprise
Contact sales team
Acrobat Standard DC for teams
$14.99
per month license
Acrobat Pro DC with advanced e-sign
$16.99
per month license
Acrobat Sign Solutions
Call 800-685-4192 for pricing
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Adobe AcrobatAdobe Acrobat Sign
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesYes
Entry-level Setup FeeOptional$34.99 license per month
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Adobe AcrobatAdobe Acrobat Sign
Considered Both Products
Adobe Acrobat
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat Sign was evaluated and found to be lacking in terms of setting up a document for data entry and signature. We chose to continue to use Adobe Acrobat DC for situations requiring data entry and signature because the ROI for purchasing this more expensive package did …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe helps aid in keeping financial records in order when you organize documents digitally, which helps make it easy to search for items such as spreadsheets, receipts, payments, expense reports, and other documents for tax or billing information. Plus there is much more …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe has more features than the others and they are included in my Adobe software. No other integrations needed
Chose Adobe Acrobat
I use all of my Adobe products for different reasons. As someone who works in creative a lot of the time, the products I listed are super important in my daily work. I typically use Adobe Acrobat to organize and export the files I worked on. I find it to be an all purpose …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
All of Adobes products work cohesively together making projects seamless. Adobe Acrobat DC is my go-to software to share files and documents with others that I know don't have access to more involved Adobe platforms such as InDesign or Illustrator. I know that users will be …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat DC simplifies the process of editing and creating PDFs. With drag-and-drop functionality, it's simple to use. We can also choose to forego reading by utilizing the text-to-speech function. It's InDesign and Illustrator-compatible. Templates in Acrobat DC make it …
Adobe Acrobat Sign
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
Adobe Sign and DocuSign are very similar in use; however, in comparison, the navigation of the Adobe app and integration are much easier for marketing and design professionals because it is still very close to the format and structure of other Adobe products. Industry standard …
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
Our original idea was to edit our forms using Adobe Acrobat DC to make them fillable with text, but they (the clients) would still have to save, download, and email them back to us, and DocuSign had such an user-unfriendly layout and design, it was very slow and just overall …
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
Both products allow you to create a fillable form and send the form out for signature. Acrobat did not originally set up to do these features. But we share the Adobe Sign across the HR Dept for sending out new hire forms.
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
We sometimes received DocuSign documents from clients for signature. I've found that, while DocuSign is similar to Adobe Sign, it does not seem as user friendly or as intuitive as Adobe Sign. We selected Adobe Sign due to its value and ease of use. We have other products …
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
Better integrates with our other systems, and allows employees to use it easier along other applications. We already use lots of adobe products so the decision was based heavily on that. I think Adobe Acrobat Sign can be a little clunky at times, but once a user has been …
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
We utilize DocuSign over Adobe Acrobat Sign for e-signature purposes. The functionality of DocuSign is much greater in its' self-contained application; usability appears superior, and, to my knowledge, costing is more beneficial for the total value package.
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
I like that its incorporated WITH ALL Adobe products so I can create a PDF or edit one and attach my signature RIGHT there or send it off for signature all in one go.
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
I was looking for a tool which needs no approval (third party) as well as well aware of it. I was using acrobat so has fair knowledge of features and options
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
Integration is key to help me determine the value of Adobe Sign to our organization. That is what set it apart from DocuSign in my opinion.
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
In [every] way, Adobe Sign is good. The forms stayed familiar so users didn't get upset. We built out our forms in Word; [it was] very easy to build out forms and make them yours. Although support has been adequate, I usually bring difficult questions to the table, which …
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
HelloSign is a similar product to Adobe Sign; however, I found it lacking in some features that are present in Adobe Sign. Usability is similar, [but] I believe that Adobe Sign has a slight edge and I found it nicer to use [with a] better layout and design to be honest.
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
Adobe Sign had better functionality and pricing. It also synced more readily with the programs already in use and filled a need for our organization to obtain electronic signatures across multiple facilities, departments and users. We can't say enough about how great Adobe …
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
Some of the providers did not offer services that matched our needs. However, most of the major companies (Adobe SIgn, DocuSign, HelloSign, Zoho Sign) all do pretty much the same thing. Initially, we chose Adobe based on brand recognition and the fact that their pricing was …
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
Both are easy to use, however the biggest difference I see is the name. Adobe is more recognized. For me, when I used DocuSign, it feels the same for scrolling to sign, but from the set up it tends to be a little more confusing.
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
They have better workflows and are very sleek. Their technical support and sale people do know how to sell and make it simpler for people to use their products
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
Adobe Sign is better with customer service and intuitive UI. However, DocuSign allowed for greater customization of workflows.
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
For what we use it stacks up to the same. Both Adobe and DocuSign work with our ERP environment. It comes down to price and negotiation with our account rep. We could easily move to DocuSign if Adobe chooses not to be competitive.
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
We already had Creative Cloud and so used this because it was already paid for. That being said, we've really valued it and would likely purchase it on its own if we had needed it.
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
Adobe Sign is the only document signing software that I have used. I have nothing to compare it to.
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
We occasionally use DocuSign because it is free but it is not as robust and seems to lack some security function. However, the cost comparison is not even close when it comes to Quote Roller. We were on the base plan and the transition was a no-brainer.
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
The main advantages for Sign are csv reports and encrypted signature.
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
I haven't used any outside products. I researched a few last year when deciding if I'd continue on my Adobe Cloud program but ultimately chose to continue with Adobe Sign. Prior to this program, I did everything on paper or through emailing, printing, writing and scanning …
Chose Adobe Acrobat Sign
They are about as good, but Adobe Sign comes with the Adobe Suite, which I use as a Web Designer/ Developer, as a result, I don't have to get yet another solution, and the Adobe Suite becomes a whole lot more valuable.
Top Pros

No answers on this topic

Top Cons

No answers on this topic

Best Alternatives
Adobe AcrobatAdobe Acrobat Sign
Small Businesses
Square 9 Softworks
Square 9 Softworks
Score 9.8 out of 10
PDFfiller
PDFfiller
Score 9.1 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
MSB Docs
MSB Docs
Score 9.4 out of 10
MSB Docs
MSB Docs
Score 9.4 out of 10
Enterprises
M‑Files
M‑Files
Score 9.0 out of 10
DocuSign
DocuSign
Score 8.5 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Adobe AcrobatAdobe Acrobat Sign
Likelihood to Recommend
8.9
(474 ratings)
7.9
(227 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.8
(25 ratings)
8.0
(30 ratings)
Usability
8.7
(237 ratings)
8.1
(193 ratings)
Availability
10.0
(2 ratings)
9.0
(5 ratings)
Performance
9.0
(8 ratings)
9.0
(4 ratings)
Support Rating
7.9
(56 ratings)
7.4
(164 ratings)
Online Training
9.0
(1 ratings)
8.0
(1 ratings)
Implementation Rating
9.0
(9 ratings)
8.0
(7 ratings)
Configurability
8.5
(2 ratings)
9.0
(3 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
6.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
9.0
(8 ratings)
5.0
(2 ratings)
Product Scalability
10.0
(2 ratings)
8.0
(3 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
4.0
(3 ratings)
9.0
(2 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
5.5
(2 ratings)
9.0
(2 ratings)
User Testimonials
Adobe AcrobatAdobe Acrobat Sign
Likelihood to Recommend
Adobe
If your organization uses PDFs frequently, then Adobe Acrobat feels like must-have. I could not imagine our organization not using it. The ability to create, organize, and edit PDFs easily and intuitively are the main reasons my organization uses it. The other additional functions and features are "nice to haves", but ultimately, don't impact our day-to-day
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Adobe
Acrobat Sign isn't quite as user friendly as other E-Sign platforms I have used. However, it offers a wide range of features that provide convenience and efficiency. For example, I can have multiple people receive the same document separately, or I can have multiple people receive and review the exact same document. I also like that I can choose to set a signing order or not, this is important for when I send Offer Letters and other things that require order of approvals.
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Pros
Adobe
  • Easy to understand- the program has a very intuitive layout that is great for people who doesn't use the product very much
  • Includes all features you might need. There are many features I didn't even think we would need that they have included.
  • They have a very recognizable name so my clients feel they can trust what they are being asked to open/sign since the Adobe name is next to it.
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Adobe
  • Adobe Acrobat Sign tracks whether or not a signer has viewed a document
  • Adobe Acrobat Sign tracks when a signer has signed, and the document has been sent to the next signer
  • Adobe Acrobat Sign sends you confirmation emails and progress update emails along the way
  • Adobe Acrobat Sign provides a "confirmation of signing" page at the end of the document package you put together, to prove the signatures are authentic
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Cons
Adobe
  • It would be good if Adobe Acrobat could utilize less system resources. I have had crashes due to memory and CPU load this week
  • Quicker load times from a cold launch
  • Easier collaborative commenting for offline documents - knowing where and who wrote what
  • Ensuring documents don't have issues where text cannot be copied before publishing
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Adobe
  • Builds on Adobe platform so it is easy to utilize, but many features require enterprise subscription.
  • Integrations available but your CRM integration is only available with enterprise license.
  • Lots of templates but there are additional templates with enterprise only and there was no drag and drop editor.
  • Adobe captures some analytical metrics but many of the analytics we required were not available - specifically metrics related to how the tool converts and reduces use time by our team and the impact on clients.
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Likelihood to Renew
Adobe
I bought a perpetual license to Acrobat some time ago, but if the software ever stopped being supported in my version of windows or other solution that makes me need to buy another license I would not hesitate to do so since it saves me a lot of headaches. There are workarounds to merge files and edit pdfs with an online interface but I dont think those are a good usage of time when Acrobat exists.
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Adobe
It is by far the easiest service we have used to obtain digital signatures from employees. In the past we had done it by hand (a process I would not recommend for 1500+ employees) and with another company that would not allow us to create our own forms and would charge us for each form.
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Usability
Adobe
My overall experience with Adobe is great because because the it has almost all of the tools in one place and it can be used it for most of my work without going anywhere else. Because the tools are available right there in the main interface, it makes it very easy to use.
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Adobe
I've had very little trouble with it in all my uses with it. I do wish the text boxes you add wouldn't cut off the text if you entered too many words and that it would adjust it's size to fit within the space you've provided. However, that just takes a little refining in the initial set up of the document before you send it out.
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Reliability and Availability
Adobe
The software is readily available and rarely has application errors.
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Adobe
I would have rated this a 9 or greater had they not had had such critical outages. They have taken steps to resolve this so I may come in and revise this
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Performance
Adobe
One of the best features of Adobe Acrobat is its speed and stability. When dealing with massive multi-page files, having to reload a crashed program over and over again would slow down progress unnecessarily. And expanding on that, having the table of contents generated allows me to skip to different pages with ease, a necessary feature with exceptionally long files. word searches are even more helpful with text recognition.
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Adobe
The Adobe Acrobat Sign's performance are excellent.
When we send electronic document by email for signature all the customers receive it regularly, nobody has any issue to open it and the signature phase was very easy. The user-friendly aspect of this product reduce or reset the call for IT support
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Support Rating
Adobe
Because I don't need it. Used it years ago for account management/billing issues but they have changed the user experience so more of that can be managed online. If I have a question the knowledge base or a video that Adobe has posted answers
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Adobe
It is a great tool to get signatures from the client and has reduced a lot of overhead that was caused before resulting in very long delays. With the integration of Adobe Acrobat Sign, we have reduced this delay making the process much smoother and more efficient.
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Online Training
Adobe
Easy to follow and understand
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Adobe
The best types of training are well integrated into the product and Echosign does this well. As mentioned earlier in my review - there are some areas of functionality that can be difficult to understand ("only I sign") for the novice user. Other areas such as macro usage, bulk signature and so on were easily learned and understood via the online tools.
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Implementation Rating
Adobe
Works well with JamF and SmartDeploy. These are our Enterprise imaging solutions for Mac's and PC's. The Enterprise installer is required when pushing out this app.
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Adobe
We did not use it in the manner that most companies do, so I am pleased with how our company handled implementation. We will be pushing the full company over into Echosign for various processes which will incorporate more of an implementation effect.
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Alternatives Considered
Adobe
There really is no comparison. Although we use other PDF programs, we mainly utilize Adobe. Not only because we find it to be a better program but also because everyone is more familiar with it. However, the other products are implemented for various reasons, such as a feature or 2 that we find necessary to use at times.
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Adobe
They are just different. Adobe's number one feature that puts it above it's competitors is that your document, the signing process, all of it exists within Adobe. There is no need to go from Word, to Adobe, to DocuSign. It saves you time and makes life easy for you (and for your clients).
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Contract Terms and Pricing Model
Adobe
The only thing I can think of that may be helpful would be a more flexible tiered pricing options based on usage or document volume.
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Adobe
No answers on this topic
Scalability
Adobe
I find that many users aren't aware of many features of the software they use, nor may they be comfortable with learning multiple-step processes. For the simplest of PDF purposes (scanning, downloading, exporting), it gets a thumbs-up. For anything involving electronic signatures, meh--causes eyes to glaze over, or forgetting what all is involved.
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Adobe
At the beginning we assigned Adobe Acrobat Sign just to Purchase Office Department because at that moment we needed a tool that supported us to avoid manual signature and was compliance with remote working.
Now we are using it also in other situation because it help us with time and we can also reduce cost
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Return on Investment
Adobe
  • Adobe Acrobat has improved the security of our documents, resulting in less risk, as protecting documents is essential to ensure compliance with privacy laws.
  • It saves our company money, as the product makes it easier for our employees to complete their jobs.
  • The product assists our employees with providing quality work product.
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Adobe
  • Significantly reduced the time required for document signing processes reducing wasted time and effort
  • Cost savings since there is no longer any need to print and post/scan traditional signed paper-based documents
  • Faster decision-making since time-sensitive decisions and approvals can now be processed much more quickly by using e-signatures.
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ScreenShots

Adobe Acrobat Screenshots

Screenshot of Create, edit, convert, and share PDF files all from within Microsoft Teams – as part of Acrobat integrations with Microsoft 365 apps.Screenshot of With Liquid Mode in Adobe Acrobat Reader mobile app, users can read PDFs on phones and tablets without having to pinch and zoom. Navigate lengthy documents with intelligent outline and search tools, while maximizing readability and comfort with font size and line spacing that are adjustable.Screenshot of Fill and sign PDF forms from anywhere and on any device.  Collect signatures, digitally track progress, and automatically archive the signed document.Screenshot of With Adobe Scan mobile app, capture and convert documents into high-quality, interactive PDF documents that can be filled out, signed, and shared.  Eliminates the hassle of finding a printer, filling a form by hand, and scanning it again.

Adobe Acrobat Sign Screenshots

Screenshot of Send, sign, manage and archive documents with 100% legal e-signatures. Collecting e-signatures is as easy as swipe and tap with Adobe Sign. Sign from any device. Legally binding. Works with multiple apps. extremely cost-effective.Screenshot of Easily send e-signature requests to multiple recipients using Send in bulk feature.  Send a document to multiple people with one click, and every recipient gets their own personalized form ready to sign.Screenshot of Track and manage signatures with Adobe Acrobat Sign.  Get real-time visibility for every document out for signature, and receive notifications when documents have been signed.Screenshot of Create an online web form with Acrobat Sign.  It allows your recipients – whether they’re your employees or customers – to quickly access, complete, and sign critical documents without printing or mailing anything.  You will also get immediate access to the data and signatures.