DocuSign vs. PandaDoc

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
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
PandaDoc
Score 8.7 out of 10
N/A
PandaDoc headquartered in San Francisco offers their eponymous electronic signature platform for sales teams, containing sales proposal automation and CPQ (configure, price, quote) features, and integration with CRMs.
$35
per month per seat
Pricing
DocuSignPandaDoc
Editions & Modules
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
Starter
$35
per month per seat
Business
$65
per month per seat
Enterprise
Contact Sales
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
DocuSignPandaDoc
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoYes
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeOptional
Additional DetailsPandaDoc offers a free eSign plan and 3 paid packages for eSigning and document automation. All plans include unlimited documents and eSignatures. Evaluations start with a free 14-day trial. Up to a 46% discount for annual pricing.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
DocuSignPandaDoc
Considered Both Products
DocuSign
Chose DocuSign
Looked at PandaDoc about 18 months ago because of the interesting functionality around tracking redlines in contracts. This is something we are interested in, but PandaDoc was not PCI compliant (we capture billing info on our DocuSign forms). At that time they were pursuing it, …
Chose DocuSign
To be honest, I found out about PandaDoc after we had already signed a contract with DocuSign. I researched PandaDoc, and while they seem fine and are a wonderful up and coming company, we've had such success with DocuSign, and they've been around longer...they have a good …
Chose DocuSign
DocuSign is like Salesforce for CRM's. It just made sense as we were scaling as an organization and moving and adding new technology to our stacks. We really like Adobe Sign as a close second, but for what we were doing, DocuSign came back as a more professional sales org and …
Chose DocuSign
Docusign probably feels more robust and a more corporate feel. They are pretty similar, however.
Chose DocuSign
I think DocuSign is still the leader in this industry as pronounced by their superior customer service and quick development response time to changes in the industry. For simple users, DocuSign is user friendly and easy to navigate while adding significant benefit to small to …
Chose DocuSign
They stack up very well. I was happy with other the other software. They lost us because of how expensive it was for clients to have access to their API. A lot of our clients cannot afford $200/mo. They can afford $50/mo which is what most of our clients pay.
PandaDoc
Chose PandaDoc
We looked at DocuSign before PandaDocs, and while they are a well-known and good product, we felt their basic content was lacking compared to PandaDoc. We felt we got more bang for our buck, and the navigation seemed better. Plus, we get a dedicated rep with PandaDoc.
Chose PandaDoc
PandaDoc serves its purpose, but I feel it is behind large competitors like DocuSign in managing contracts.
Chose PandaDoc
There is no comparison. PandaDoc is far superior to any others I've seen. That's why I moved my company over when I saw the were using DocuSign
Chose PandaDoc
PandaDoc and DocuSign are very similar in functionality and design, but I prefer to use PandaDoc's interface. It is so easy to use and I prefer PandaDoc's interface and UI. It feels a little cleaner and a little more professional to me when compared with DocuSign's interface …
Chose PandaDoc
PandaDoc is equal to DocuSign in every significant way except for its level of adoption; however, the pricing of PandaDoc is so much better that it's clearly the best choice for our firm.
Chose PandaDoc
I think PandaDoc is more modern and has a more user-friendly nature than DocuSign. We preferred Pandadoc because it allowed multiple workspaces, enabling different teams to have varying levels of access. This was incredibly useful, as it meant HR and Legal could only view …
Chose PandaDoc
We've used PandaDoc at previous organizations, and we liked this the best because of how modern it looks and how easy it is to use.
Chose PandaDoc
Our office selected PandaDoc since it was better in terms of saving money. The cost was the most important factor when determining which site to use.
Chose PandaDoc
I find it easier to automate and create templates in PandaDoc. Specifically the templates. Also, connecting through API is easier (our IT team says so, I'm not qualified to evaluate that). Pricing is also something important, when we acquired PandaDoc it was cheaper so we were …
Chose PandaDoc
PandaDoc is a less clunky user experience, not only on the signature process and review, but also on the document creation process.
Chose PandaDoc
PandaDoc is easier to use and creates more professional documents than the other platforms we've evaluated. It also has very handy features such as reminder emails, suggestions, templates that we found were more robust than other platforms. The pricing was also competitive and …
Chose PandaDoc
ease of use and simplicity for the customer experience
Chose PandaDoc
much better. The pricing structures worked a lot better than the other companies because we are a small clinic
Chose PandaDoc
PandaDoc provided similar features and functionality at a better price, but the "tipping point" was integrated e-signatures.
Chose PandaDoc
To be able to block certain fields within templates and contracts, so that the commercial team can negotiate the rest and adapt them but cannot change those purely legal clauses that should not be negotiated or changed without the approval of the legal department. I also find …
Chose PandaDoc
We chose PandaDoc for its ease of use and tools that allow a professional feel. The convenience for our clients to review and sign agreements also helped us make the decision to go with PandaDoc.
Chose PandaDoc
All very similar offerings. PandaDoc is one of the few that provided an approval workflow that we required.
Chose PandaDoc
I can't say I know enough about the credentials of either to comment.
Chose PandaDoc
PandaDoc is a million times better. PandaDoc is also more affordable since you don’t have a limit on the number of documents you can send.
TrustRadius Insights
DocuSignPandaDoc
Highlights

TrustRadius
Research Team Insight
Published

DocuSign is the flagship product of the DocuSign Agreement Cloud, a platform consisting of software focused on “agreement processes”. DocuSign’s key feature is eSignature and document generation.

Similar to DocuSign, PandaDoc’s key feature is eSignature. However, it also supports contract and proposal management. PandaDoc also has a related tool Quote Roller, focused on sales proposal automation.

DocuSign reviewers are primarily from mid-sized companies and part of the Computer Software industry. PandaDoc reviewers on the other hand are primarily small businesses, but also have their largest representation from Computer Software companies.

Features

DocuSign’s biggest selling point is helping controllers create documents that can be signed online, cutting out the hassle of dealing with printed materials, and using postal mail. DocuSign also supports managing document workflows, creating documents through integrated apps like Salesforce, version controls, and analytics of contracts and agreements.

PandaDoc speaks to its utility as a sales support tool. The value proposition from PandaDoc is that using its features can help sales teams “crush their quota from propose to close”. PandaDoc seeks to accomplish this goal by providing insights into document workflows, changes, and analytics to streamline, automate, and improve upon online document management and eSignature user experiences.

Limitations

While DocuSign may be best suited for enterprises that transmit a large number and variety of online documents daily, there are some types of businesses and use cases that may want to more closely inspect competitors’ offerings. For example, DocuSign may not be best for businesses who need a free or more “budget”-friendly option. It may not also be the best tool for businesses that are looking for a high level of customization with their online documents.

PandaDoc’s biggest drawback appears to be its ease-of-use. Many reviewers report that there is a learning curve with PandaDoc and that memorizing its intricacies, especially as they change between upgrades, can make use across large teams and departments difficult. PandaDoc continues to be popular, however, given it has a version available completely free and with a high-rated payment portal.

Pricing

As previously mentioned, DocuSign does not have a free version available like PandaDoc. For many, this makes PandaDoc the instant choice in terms of affordability. However, DocuSign’s paid plans are more than considerable given their expansive feature set and wide array of use cases.

DocuSign’s cheapest paid plan starts at $10/month for a single-user. DocuSign also provides a specialized solution for the Real Estate industry and an “API” version for organizations looking for advanced customization and authentication abilities. This version starts at $50 per month.

PandaDoc’s cheapest paid plan starts at $9 per month per user, designed for use by individuals within a department or organization. Its Business plan is $49 per month per user and introduces an unlimited number of created documents, CRM integrations, a content library, custom branding, and workflow tracking.

Best Alternatives
DocuSignPandaDoc
Small Businesses
Foxit eSign
Foxit eSign
Score 9.0 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
Box
Box
Score 8.5 out of 10
DocuSign
DocuSign
Score 8.7 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
DocuSignPandaDoc
Likelihood to Recommend
8.3
(161 ratings)
8.7
(329 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
7.0
(12 ratings)
9.1
(18 ratings)
Usability
8.0
(19 ratings)
8.3
(23 ratings)
Availability
10.0
(3 ratings)
9.1
(4 ratings)
Performance
10.0
(2 ratings)
9.6
(21 ratings)
Support Rating
10.0
(46 ratings)
6.1
(23 ratings)
Online Training
10.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
10.0
(5 ratings)
6.3
(4 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
2.8
(3 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(20 ratings)
Product Scalability
10.0
(1 ratings)
8.6
(4 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
9.7
(20 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
6.7
(4 ratings)
User Testimonials
DocuSignPandaDoc
Likelihood to Recommend
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.
Read full review
PandaDoc
Best suited for after demonstrations when requested by the prospect when they are looking for pricing with T&C. The data room is also great that acts like a drop box for opportunities and their contacts. Helps share pertinent information with others in the organization.
Read full review
Pros
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
PandaDoc
  • Allows clients to remotely execute documents.
  • Tracks the progress of document execution.
  • Emails clients to remind them to sign documents so we don't have to follow up.
  • Emails us when documents have been fully executed.
  • Provides an easy-to use interface to place signatures, dates, and other information on our forms.
Read full review
Cons
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.
Read full review
PandaDoc
  • Sometimes the fillable fields don't automatically map properly and you have to manually adjust.
  • Plan tiers and pricing recently changed, so now we get less value and less features (limited templates, no more pricing tables or invoicing/connected payment) for the same price, which is pricy for a small business.
  • Easier, integrated invoicing as an included feature (so we don't have to use a different software for invoicing/payment collection) would be ideal. You have to upgrade to the Business Plan for this.
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
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."
Read full review
PandaDoc
The reason I gave it a rating of 7 is because it's probable, but not for sure. This is because there are a few little things we don't love about pandadoc. Mostly that there is not conditional logic such as: they must either fill this field out OR this one. Also it's a little pricey. But we'll probably stay because it's good enough and a pain to switch to something new
Read full review
Usability
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.
Read full review
PandaDoc
Once you get the hang of it, it's very easy to use. There can be a slightly steep learning curve to get fully in on the system. The new editor v2 has really improved usability and allows us to collaborate on documents simultaneously. Once the templates and library items are set up, a new document, whether it be a sales or HR document, takes very little time to complete.
Read full review
Reliability and Availability
DocuSign
It does not go down. I have had zero issues with DocuSign, approaching 4 years.
Read full review
PandaDoc
We haven't had any real issues regarding downtime as of yet.
Read full review
Performance
DocuSign
Everything loads quickly. Reports are generated in a reasonable time. No noticeable difference in integrated software processing speeds.
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PandaDoc
The documents load quickly for the most part but sometimes if there are larger documents with a high number of variables it could take a bit longer to get the document to show up. Most of the time the document comes on the screen relatively quickly allowing for quick access to documents to be edited and sent out.
Read full review
Support Rating
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
PandaDoc
Recently I could not upload a pdf to a contract - support was very responsive and easy to work with. They got back to me the next day with an apparent fix - however when I opened the document nothing had changed. I then could not respond to the rep who was helping me because it was a "no-reply address", the problem still has not been solved and we had to make alternate arrangements to get this to the client. Never had it happen before and was only with this one contract.
Read full review
Online Training
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.
Read full review
PandaDoc
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
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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PandaDoc
Implementation was before the time I was here at Riafox, however, support has been great in assisting to merge spaces and upgrade to 2.0 Editor.
Read full review
Alternatives Considered
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
PandaDoc
We used Dropbox back when it was still HelloSign. At the time, new templates were very hard to create. We had to upload a PDF and then add the fields from there. With PandaDoc, we are able to drag and drop the text, images, logos, and fields we need easily. This has saved our team an immense amount of time.
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Scalability
DocuSign
In my years of using DocuSign, I have never had an outage. I haven't even encountered a bug.
Read full review
PandaDoc
It's scalable
Read full review
Return on Investment
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
PandaDoc
  • We have greatly increased the efficiency in which we can get signatures from individuals for documents and increase productivity.
  • We have been able to find older documents very easily.
  • W-9 have been very difficult due to Section 3, but this was addressed with conditional logic
Read full review
ScreenShots

DocuSign Screenshots

Screenshot of Screenshot of Screenshot of

PandaDoc Screenshots

Screenshot of some of the custom-designed themes, templates, embedded rich media, and interactivity to give every deal the opportunity to get noticed.Screenshot of automatic notifications, on-the-fly editing, CRM Integrations, and integrated eSignatures.Screenshot of reporting, with drill down to the deal level with proposals, to pick which deals to include (or exclude).Screenshot of legally binding eSignaturesScreenshot of centralized communications to streamline the negotiation process, and make revisions in real-time in a single location.Screenshot of document analytics that display what’s really happening after documents are sent with real-time reporting on engagement and activity on the documents. This enables teams to respond faster to prospects.