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).
$29.99
per month per seat
DocuSign
Score 8.7 out of 10
N/A
DocuSign supports transactions with document sharing and electronic signature, as well as automated and guided data collection and entry, record updating across disparate systems and payment collection upon agreement, as well as analytics and reporting.
$15
per month
Pricing
Adobe AcrobatDocuSign
Editions & Modules
Acrobat Pro for Individuals
$19.99
per month
Acrobat Pro for Teams
$23.99
per month per user
Acrobat Studio for Individuals
$24.99
per month
Personal
$15
per month
Real Starter
$15
per month
DocuSign for Realtors
$35
per month
Standard
$40
per month
Business Pro
$60
per month
Advanced Solutions
Custom Pricing
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Adobe AcrobatDocuSign
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesNo
Entry-level Setup FeeOptionalNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Adobe AcrobatDocuSign
Considered Both Products
Adobe Acrobat
Chose Adobe Acrobat
ShareFile and rightsignature are HIPAA-compliant for securely sending/transferring PDF files and offer authenticated signing/reviewing trails. DocuSign can be used for signing and sending docs for signing. Adobe Acrobat DC is not as robust as any of these other platforms in …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
DocuSign is not as friendly or usable as Adobe Acrobat DC. It has severe limitations when it comes to displaying images or making any changes or edits (or recommending or changing any part of the PDF.) Sometimes I have been forced to use DocuSign by the vendor I am working …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat DC has been the go-to tool for our organization to handle all our PDF Documents. We use the document signing feature regularly and are very happy with its usage. we have used DocuSign in the past but the best results have been achieved by using Adobe Acrobat DC.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
I think that the ability to edit PDFs is a step above DocuSign, even though this is not really what DocuSign was made for. I've always stuck with Adobe Acrobat DC because I love the Adobe suite and the constant updates and improvements. I would not want to switch to anything …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
DocuSign has more features than Adobe Acrobat DC but it costs more and we don't need those features. HelloSign is not as robust as Adobe Acrobat DC. We have yet to use a program that we were as satisfied with the results of converting documents into PDF files as we are with …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
In comparison to DocuSign, Adobe Acrobat has more features and functionality. DocuSign is a great resource for collecting signatures outside of the company; however, Adobe Acrobat has been great for us inhouse.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
In the signature collection, I find DocuSign easier to use and more friendly. Also more known for this purpose.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Overall, Adobe has a better reputation than Foxit PDF Editor; while many of my colleagues prefer the features of Foxit (over Adobe), Adobe remains more secure and provides our organization with a higher level of comfort. DocuSign is a great tool for requesting signatures on …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
The pricing structure is not as great with DocuSign than with Adobe Acrobat. It would be nice if the entire company could use Adobe Acrobat rather than everyone having different platforms. It would also be nice to have an account that multiple users can use without paying so …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Acrobat is overall, the superior PDF creator, editor and compiler. However, DocuSign is easier and more reliable as a document signing program. This tool is Acrobat is much harder to use and has caused some errors in documents in the past. It also does not work well with a …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
DocuSign has it's perks, for sure. DocuSign is easier to integrate into websites with extensions than Adobe Acrobat is but when it came down to it, we just didn't trust the brand. We felt that using a product with the Adobe name connected with it provided necessary peace of …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
This isn't really a good comparison, but Adobe Acrobat is more of a program that works among all of these, and I'll keep using it as long as it's a part of Adobe CC. Otherwise, I see DocuSign as suitable for secure/private documents, and Dropbox file previews allows a pretty …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
To me, I just feel safer using Adobe Acrobat because I've been using Adobe for so long and I have familiarity with it, but DocuSign is good too.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
It is easy to use when sharing documents and having signatures on the documents
Chose Adobe Acrobat
We have not really worked with any other products. " If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is the old saying, and it rings true here. We love Adobe, and it does everything we need. Their engineers are always looking at the workforce to see what improvements can be made and where …
Chose Adobe Acrobat
PandaDoc is less customizable for creating/editing documents, less security but is much better when sending to a client and needing them to add text since the client would a paid subscription with Adobe Acrobat if I sent it that way
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat allows licenses to stretch across one account rather than just one device, and works across both Mac and Windows, as opposed to some of the other options.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Being the industry standard, Adobe Acrobat exceeds other platforms as the common file format all parties can read and comment even with only the free reader version.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
They have a superior product that works better and more reliably when it comes to working with PDF files. Adobes' Achilles heel is the restrictions and requirements imposed on the user and software by their administrative and legal teams that drag down what otherwise is a …
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
Adobe stands out because it is a program on your computer, so you can easily upload or save documents rather than using a website that always adds an extra step.
Chose Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat DC is more fully self-contained and multi-functional for the tasks I use it for. Again it combines the functionality of several different programs in one place and also offers the ability to interact with documents from others that may have been created in other …
DocuSign
Chose DocuSign
Adobe Acrobat Sign is less user-friendly and more suited to small scopes, or one-off documents. It lacks the use of templates that DocuSign has, which is what ultimately streamlines and delivers the consistency and efficiencies for the business.
Chose DocuSign
Very similar but did not have the backing of SAP SuccessFactors in terms of Integration. The Developer Environment allowed us to test and practice on very easily compared to Adobe Acrobat Sign. Both products can be connected to via Microsoft Power Platform to aid automation …
Chose DocuSign
I don't think I've seen anything like DocuSign in the market. Well I think now Acrobat has a product similar to it, but it's not exactly same people can use it to sign. But it has come recently, not a long back. DocuSign has been in the market since long, so it still has the …
Chose DocuSign
Adobe was not a good experience despite the lower cost. Constant crashing, slow to load and a simple feature like copy and pasting the same fields across pages was non existent. Our team celebrated the decision to move back to Docusign from Adobesign. We have never looked back …
Chose DocuSign
I have not used any alternatives. DocuSign is the leader in this space from my opinion.
Chose DocuSign
DocuSign is the one we went with because of the majority of people who use it regularly. It's the first one that comes to mind when you think of electronic signatures. We do use AdobeSign with our HR platform because that is the one that is integrated with it, but standalone …
Chose DocuSign
DocuSign is far superior to anything on the market for my needs, and my needs varied in different roles across different industries: it is a better solution, and easier to use for client interaction.
For statements of work, contracts, agreements of sale, commercial and …
Chose DocuSign
  • I had used Adobe before and it is not a simple experience. The last thing you want is for your customers to have trouble signing an electronic document. It defeats the purpose.
  • HelloSign is a nice product, but may have been a bit overkill for what our needs were. And they were …
Chose DocuSign
I originally tried using just a fillable Adobe PDF document for my clients to sign...but they struggled in figuring out how to complete it and if someone didn't have Adobe installed on their computer, then it was a problem. DocuSign makes it quick and easy and anyone can …
Chose DocuSign
DocuSign is much better at what it does with regard to securely getting signatures on paperwork. Adobe has lots of issues and it does not always translate well with other users depending if and how the end user has their Adobe setup. It is a very clunky process and does not …
Chose DocuSign
I personally have not used any other program. The decision to use DocuSign was not my choice. I am happy with the choice that was decided upon by others.
Best Alternatives
Adobe AcrobatDocuSign
Small Businesses
Square 9 Softworks
Square 9 Softworks
Score 9.7 out of 10
Foxit eSign
Foxit eSign
Score 9.0 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
Tungsten Capture
Tungsten Capture
Score 7.9 out of 10
Box
Box
Score 8.5 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Adobe AcrobatDocuSign
Likelihood to Recommend
8.9
(839 ratings)
8.2
(161 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.2
(40 ratings)
7.0
(12 ratings)
Usability
9.3
(246 ratings)
8.0
(19 ratings)
Availability
9.3
(3 ratings)
10.0
(3 ratings)
Performance
6.3
(10 ratings)
10.0
(2 ratings)
Support Rating
9.0
(63 ratings)
10.0
(46 ratings)
Online Training
9.0
(1 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Implementation Rating
9.7
(15 ratings)
10.0
(5 ratings)
Configurability
7.3
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
6.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
9.0
(9 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
7.1
(4 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
4.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
5.5
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Adobe AcrobatDocuSign
Likelihood to Recommend
Adobe
I would recommend to my peers if they are signing paperwork as it makes it super easy. I would also recomned it if somebody was trying to make an editable PDF or fill in paper document to be able to share across multiple platforms and emails at a timely manner
Read full review
DocuSign
This product is well suited in the use case that I provided before: when it comes to onboarding employees and providing a clear channel for decision making for human resources, this is an excellent tool to accomplish that. I would say the weak points is when you have back and forth communication with users that it might seem a little redundant to have that back and forth communication in that scenario.
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Pros
Adobe
  • Ability to manipulate a PDF in various ways.
  • Print production is incredibly helpful for checking off and making sure PDFs are ready for print.
  • Commenting in Adobe Acrobat is awesome! So nice to be able to hand off a PDF and get it back with edits that are easy to navigate and resolve!
Read full review
DocuSign
  • Ease of sending the same document out to multiple recipients, at multiple locations, for multiple signatures
  • Quick turnaround - once the recipient signs the document, we receive notification and the document back immediately
  • Can resend, alter, change, and/or add to the email and/or document that is sent out very easily
  • The recipient can save the document after signing, so they too have their own electronic copy for their records
Read full review
Cons
Adobe
  • More printing settings, like being able to adjust the margins and place the print area on the page when the file size is larger than the page, and I only want to print one section. Illustrator has this feature. Often, we print from Illustrator instead, because of this limitation.
Read full review
DocuSign
  • Tracking, particularly when collecting signatures through connected applications, such as an ATS, is not always clean or easily traceable.
  • Formatting documents to handle electronic signature types (signatures, initials, etc.) is not always easy, and highly dependent on the partner's technology.
  • It is not convenient to have to use DocuSign as a stand alone product if the signatures are required for 3rd party applications. It definitely excels on its own, but the scope of that usage, at least for us, is slim.
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Likelihood to Renew
Adobe
Adobe Acrobat works seamlessly with the other Adobe products we use that are industry-standard. We will certainly continue to use Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator, meaning it will always be convenient to work seamlessly with Adobe Acrobat for our organization. We are happy with the performance of Acrobat and it's meets our expectations.
Read full review
DocuSign
I can't imagine doing business without DocuSign now. I would never want to go back to the way we used to do things. The "new way" is "the way" is "the right way." We can honestly be proud of a "one right way" process and not have to suffer through "5 ways for 5 days."
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Usability
Adobe
I've only used it on Mac desktops, so I am giving this a neutral rating right down the middle. I've not used a mobile version of Adobe Acrobat for cell phone or for a tablet (like an Apple iPad). I've also not used Adobe Acrobat on a PC, although Acrobat Reader, yes. (But that's not the point of this review.)
Read full review
DocuSign
Generally user-friendly once you have command of the basics, but also has a lot of nuances that can make it difficult to train others on. DocuSign University is a helpful tool, but understandably a lot of content to get through to become a well-versed user. A lot of different functionalities but only a few I use on a weekly basis.
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Reliability and Availability
Adobe
We have not had availability issues with Adobe Acrobat, or at least none that I am personally aware of. Some may encounter crashes of the software during outages of electricity in their city or neighborhood, which no one can plan for, but with generators in our organization, we have been lucky not to have outages
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DocuSign
It does not go down. I have had zero issues with DocuSign, approaching 4 years.
Read full review
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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DocuSign
Everything loads quickly. Reports are generated in a reasonable time. No noticeable difference in integrated software processing speeds.
Read full review
Support Rating
Adobe
For a while, Acrobat DC crashed pretty frequently. I contacted Adobe Acrobat support about the problem. At first support was unable to provide a solution. After about a month Adobe's software engineers provided a fix. I just wish it had taken less than a month to solve the problem.
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DocuSign
I'd give them a 10, but there has been 1 or 2 small cases that seemed to fall to the wayside, but I was able to call them up and get them resolved. We were having a bad implementation night (after midnight) and we needed assistance from Docusign. They were able to get an engineer to help us in the early morning hours
Read full review
Online Training
Adobe
Easy to follow and understand
Read full review
DocuSign
Docusign is super easy to use, and apart from a few administration details, there was really nothing to train on. Post implementation, there were issues with configuration of auto-filled documents with the integrating 3rd party. That training required some time, because the DocuSign expert took the time to walk me through the 3rd party's configuration (how often does that happen?) so I could see how DocuSign should be best used to overcome weaknesses in the 3rd party platform. 10/10 expert care.
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Implementation Rating
Adobe
I was not involved with the implementation process, so I cannot answer this question. However, when it was installed on my computer system, they did so virtually. I just sat there while they took control of my computer over the network and watch them install it, lickety split
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DocuSign
Until you get the hang of it, I recommend doing several internal tests before sending a document to a client. As I mentioned earlier, you have to go through a bit of trial and error at first to verify that the workflow works as expected.
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Alternatives Considered
Adobe
In my opinion, both complement each other. Microsoft clearly has with Copilot the AI Edge. However, the visual dynamics of Adobe Creative are Outstanding and provide a balanced approach to creativity, utilizing both Excellent, user-friendly Tools.
Read full review
DocuSign
There has never been anything that we could really compare to Docusign. We have tried sending documents in a PDF version, but that was not nearly as efficient. DocuSign saves your signature in the system and uses that as it goes through your documents.
Read full review
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.
Read full review
DocuSign
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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DocuSign
In my years of using DocuSign, I have never had an outage. I haven't even encountered a bug.
Read full review
Return on Investment
Adobe
  • Adobe Acrobat has saved us time in managing documents. In this day, everything is fast, moves fast, and keeping up with that pace demands software that functions at the same level. Adobe Acrobat does that. It has streamlined the steps I need to take to edit and create documents we need to manage our customers.
  • Adobe Acrobat removes the worry and stress associated with managing a large influx of documents. Something as simple as a document featuring an image that was sent to us upside down. Using the old method, I would have to open other software, click 'Edit', find the 'Rotate Image' button, click it a couple of times, save it as a JPEG, then attach it to Word, and finally save it as a PDF. It was a grueling process that consumed a great deal of time. Now, I simply open the image, and Adobe automatically recognizes it is upside down and fixes it for me. I can save and move on; it literally takes me seconds. Amazing.
  • Adobe Acrobat is intuitive and easy to use, and the additional apps are relevant to the needs that come up. If I have an idea, I can go to the available apps and find exactly what I need. Impressive and speaks to the years of experience this company has had to fine-tune its product and make it obvious that it is aggressive in staying on top.
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DocuSign
  • Less paper use, faster signature times, less time standing at the printer/scanner to send documents to yourself
  • Security over your signature! Security over your company's signature and authorization to approve projects, cash flow etc
  • Love audit trails and the seamless tracking of the status of the document
Read full review
ScreenShots

Adobe Acrobat Screenshots

Screenshot of where to create, edit, convert, and share PDF files all from within Microsoft Teams – as part of Acrobat integrations with Microsoft 365 apps.Screenshot of Liquid Mode in Adobe Acrobat Reader mobile app, where 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 where to fill and sign PDF forms from anywhere and on any device. Here, users can collect signatures, digitally track progress, and automatically archive the signed document.Screenshot of the Adobe Scan mobile app, used to capture and convert documents into high-quality, interactive PDF documents that can be filled out, signed, and shared. This eliminates the hassle of finding a printer, filling a form by hand, and scanning it again.

DocuSign Screenshots

Screenshot of Screenshot of Screenshot of