In the beginning, most electronic signature software was geared towards businesses. The real estate industry was one of the first adopters of esignatures due to the number of documents that needed to be signed. Today, there is a lot of choice and variety of esignature services. Most are still geared towards businesses, but there are some that can be a good fit for individuals. Frequency and complexity come into play when addressing the needs of individuals versus those of a business.
Few Signatures
Compared to businesses, most individuals may need just a few signatures a year. For example, if you want to sell your car, you may want to draw up a bill of sale where the buyer and you sign it to confirm the transaction. Most electronic signature software charges users on a monthly basis whether you use the esignature service or not. For example, DocuSign‘s least expensive paid plan is $10/month, which is overkill for an individual who only needs one or two signatures a year. On the other hand, eSignToday charges a flat rate of $0.50/esignature. So there is inexpensive affordable esign software available for individuals.
Keep it Simple
Esignatures require users to be comfortable with technology. Most esignature services require the use of the Internet and email at a minimum. Since most individuals typically need just a few signatures a year, having the ability to use their own document and needing only a signature makes the process so much simpler. Some esignature services like RightSignature enable users to create fields within documents which can lead to complexity. Other services like eSignToday only provide signatures and nothing else. The simpler the service, the easier it is for individuals to use.
As individuals realize their need for signatures, many of the electronic signature software is available for individual use. Finding an esignature service that is cost effective and easy to use are wins for individuals and their needs.