SignNow review: Low entry price, but envelope caps
Our verdict
SignNow is a capable electronic signature platform suited to small and mid-sized businesses that require straightforward document execution. It captures signatures efficiently and offers functional native mobile applications for in-person signing. The platform executes core document management well, allowing users to upload, configure, and send contracts quickly. However, its pricing structure presents a severe hidden limitation. Standard plans cap users at just 100 signature invites per year, after which expensive overage fees apply, meaning costs escalate rapidly as operational volume increases.
Pros
- The mobile application's Kiosk mode enables reliable, offline signature capture for field teams and physical locations.
- The entry-level tier offers a low monthly cost for sole traders sending fewer than 100 documents a year.
- Security credentials meet strict enterprise standards, including SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001.
Cons
Plans and pricing
SignNow offers four pricing tiers in US dollars.
Plan | Annual billing (per user/month) | Monthly billing (per user/month) | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|
Business | $8 | $20 | Unlimited document storage, unlimited templates, basic fillable fields |
Business Premium | $15 | $30 | Everything in Business, plus bulk sending, custom branding, conditional routing, payment collection |
Enterprise | $30 | $50 | Everything in Business Premium, plus Single Sign-On (SSO) and phone support |
Site License | $1.50 per signature invite | $1.50 per signature invite | Removes the per-user invite cap, adds full API access |
Source: SignNow plans and pricing (checked 2 July 2026).
Is there a limit on how many documents each user can send?
Yes. Business, Business Premium, and Enterprise all limit each user to 100 signature invites per year. This is stated directly on SignNow's own pricing FAQ. Site License removes this cap and charges per invite instead.
What happens if a user exceeds the 100-invite limit?
SignNow's own pricing page states the 100-invite annual limit and cites a flat $1.50 excess fee per envelope. These rates could change depending on subscription tier.
What other limits apply to documents sent through SignNow?
Each document uploaded is limited to 50MB on desktop or 15MB on the iOS and Android apps. An envelope, meaning a set of documents sent together for signature, is capped at 130 unique documents.
Getting started
SignNow offers a seven-day free trial that requires no credit card. The sign-up process is immediate, asking only for an email address and password before routing the user directly to the primary dashboard. The interface is functional, though the visual design is older than modern competitors. Users immediately see options to upload a document, create a template, or view pending signatures. There are no mandatory onboarding tutorials, which allows users to start configuring documents without delay. The only notable friction point occurs when testing advanced features like bulk sending during the trial, as the platform frequently prompts users to upgrade to a paid subscription.
Features
Document preparation
Users upload documents via a drag-and-drop interface that supports PDF, Word, Excel, and image files. The editor relies on a standard left-hand toolbar containing signature boxes, text fields, calculated fields, dropdown menus, and date markers. Administrators create reusable templates for frequently used contracts and store them in shared team folders to ensure consistency across the business. You can set specific recipient roles, customise request messages, and enforce mandatory fields before dispatching the document. The preparation screen handles large files well. However, adding large numbers of fields to complex documents requires manual placement, as the platform lacks automatic field detection functionality.
Signing experience
Signers do not need a SignNow account or any proprietary software to execute a document. They receive an automated email link that opens the document in a standard web browser. The interface guides them directly to the required fields, highlighting missing information in red to prevent incomplete submissions. On mobile devices, the browser view adapts securely to smaller screens, allowing users to draw their signature with a finger, upload a saved image, or type their name. SignNow also provides a native application for iOS and Android devices. This mobile application includes a dedicated Kiosk mode for offline, in-person signature collection at trade events or front desks, syncing the captured data automatically once the device reconnects to a stable internet connection.
Workflow and automation
Administrators dictate the signing sequence by assigning sequential or parallel routing orders, ensuring that documents move through departments in the correct order. SignNow handles this basic routing well, but advanced workflow capabilities are heavily gated. Bulk sending, the ability to distribute a single document or policy update to hundreds of individual signers simultaneously, requires the Business Premium plan. Furthermore, high-volume automation is severely restricted by the platform's strict allowance of 100 signature invites per user per year. Teams automating large workflows must purchase the dedicated Site License to avoid the $1.50 per-envelope overage penalty. The platform lacks native document generation tools, meaning users must create and format complex, variable contracts in external software before uploading them into the SignNow environment for execution.
Audit trail and evidence
Every completed document generates an automated, legally binding audit trail. This certificate records the exact time, date, IP address, and browser configuration of every action taken on the file, from the initial email open to the final signature. SignNow secures the final PDF with a digital tamper-evident seal to prove the document remains unaltered after execution. Administrators access these detailed audit logs directly from the document management dashboard and can download them as separate PDF files for external compliance reporting or legal review. The audit trail is admissible in court under standard electronic signature and commercial laws across North America and Europe.
Integrations
SignNow connects to consumer cloud storage providers like Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive natively across all plan tiers, allowing easy importing and archiving. It also offers a Zapier integration to link with other business applications via custom webhooks. However, native integrations with essential enterprise tools, including Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics, demand the Site License or enterprise-level custom contracts. Once unlocked, these CRM integrations allow sales teams to populate contracts with client data automatically, trigger sending events, and track document status directly within the CRM interface without logging into the separate SignNow dashboard.
Security and compliance
SignNow holds enterprise-grade security certifications, including SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001. It uses 256-bit AES encryption for all data at rest and in transit. The platform complies with the United States ESIGN Act and UETA. European users can execute eIDAS Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES), but this requires an additional fee. Healthcare organisations can execute Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) to meet HIPAA compliance requirements, which is also structured as a paid add-on rather than a default feature. For identity verification, senders can require signers to authenticate their identity via a predetermined password, an SMS text code, or an automated phone call before they access the document.
Support
SignNow provides email support and access to a searchable online knowledge base across all plan tiers. Live web chat is available, but standard tier users frequently encounter slow response times during peak hours. Telephone support is entirely absent for standard subscribers. Priority phone assistance and access to dedicated account managers are strictly limited to customers paying for the Enterprise tier or the usage-based Site License. Furthermore, the platform publishes no binding service level agreements regarding minimum response times for lower-tier subscribers, leaving smaller teams waiting for critical help during document outages.
Scorecard
Overall
airSlate SignNow
SignNow is a capable electronic signature platform suited to small and mid-sized businesses that require straightforward document execution.
Should you use it?
SignNow directly suits low-volume sole traders, field service teams, and small businesses that process occasional, unchanging contracts. Its standalone mobile applications and offline capabilities make it an excellent choice for teams collecting physical signatures on site. It does not suit scaling sales teams, human resources departments, or high-volume businesses due to its strict 100-envelope annual limit and expensive overage fees. Readers who need to process high volumes of documents or automate workflows without per-envelope penalties should evaluate FlowSign or PandaDoc, as both offer plans without restrictive annual signature caps.
