In today’s digital environment, businesses and individuals increasingly rely on electronic signatures (e-signatures) to streamline document workflows, reduce paper waste, and save time.

Deciding on the best digital signature solution on the market is challenging enough. Choosing to go with Adobe only to realise that Adobe Acrobat and Acrobat Pro offer digital signatures leads to many new questions that need answering.

The short answer is that Adobe Acrobat and Acrobat Sign are two popular e-signature solutions that cater to different needs and requirements.

In this blog post, we’ll dive deep into what sets these two solutions apart and explore their unique offerings to help you make an informed decision.

Key Takeaways

  • Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Sign are compared in terms of their key features to determine the better solution for specific needs.
  • Both offer e-signature capabilities, mobile app support, intuitive user interfaces, document tracking features and unique functionalities tailored to electronic signatures.
  • Plans are available for individual users & small businesses, as well as business & enterprise plans with custom pricing options.

Understanding Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Sign

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At a glance, Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Sign may seem quite similar. However, there’s a key distinction between the two – Adobe Acrobat primarily focuses on PDF tools, while Adobe Sign specialises in e-signatures. We will examine what each solution offers.

Adobe Acrobat: More Than Just PDFs

Adobe Acrobat Reader is renowned for its comprehensive suite of PDF tools. But it’s more than just a PDF viewer – it offers a wide range of functions, such as:

  • Editing text and images in PDFs
  • Adding comments and annotations
  • Creating PDF files
  • Collaborating and sharing multiple documents
  • Securing and optimising PDFs
  • Simplifying the management of PDFs with features like organisation, document management, form data management, file conversion, compression, and metadata and tags.

Adobe Acrobat’s comprehensive features make it a preferred choice for many professionals needing advanced PDF editing capabilities.

The option to restrict editing with a password or encrypt the file with a certificate or password guarantees the security of your PDF files and signature processes. Adobe Acrobat also provides advanced mobile editing features, allowing users to create and modify top-quality PDFs on different devices.

Adobe Sign: Focused on E-Signatures

Adobe Sign is a dedicated e-signature platform offering a comprehensive document workflow approach. It enables users to:

  • Electronically sign documents
  • Collect digital payments
  • Integrate electronic signatures into their websites
  • And more

Adobe Sign employs electronic signature technology, including digital signatures, which are recognised and enforceable in many countries, providing maximum flexibility and compliance with e-signature laws.

This ensures that the signer’s identity is authenticated, and the signature is bound to the document, providing proof of signing.

Some of the standout features of Adobe Sign include:

  • Document management
  • Real-time notifications
  • Unlimited signatures
  • Activity tracking
  • Forms creation and design

These advanced e-signature features make Adobe Sign an ideal choice for organisations that require a dedicated solution for handling electronic signatures and document management.

Comparing Key Features

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Both Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Sign offer valuable tools for handling documents and e-signatures. How do they stack up in terms of key features?

We’ll evaluate their similarities and unique offerings to determine which solution best fits your needs.

Common Features

Adobe Acrobat Pro and Adobe Sign offer e-signature capabilities, enabling users to sign documents, collect and track an unlimited number of signatures, and send PDFs to others for signature.

They also provide a variety of document tracking features, such as tracking changes, document version control, real-time insights and updates, and form tracking, making it easier to manage signature processes.

Moreover, both solutions offer mobile app support, allowing users to sign and manage documents conveniently using Adobe Document Cloud.

The user interfaces for both Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and Adobe Sign are highly user-friendly and intuitive, making it easy for businesses and individuals to create, sign, and send documents for electronic signatures using Adobe Acrobat Sign.

This accessibility and user-friendly design are essential for users seeking a dependable and efficient solution for managing e-signatures.

Unique to Adobe Acrobat Pro

Adobe Acrobat Pro distinguishes itself from Adobe Sign by offering a broader range of PDF editing and management features.

Its advanced editing capabilities are considered superior to other software on the market, making it a popular choice among professionals who need a versatile solution for working with PDF documents.

Adobe Acrobat Pro provides the following special conversion tools:

  • Convert PDFs to various file formats, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
  • Customise PDF conversion settings
  • Batch convert multiple files into one PDF file
  • Quickly generate PDFs
  • Effortlessly edit PDFs and fix PDFs

These unique features make Adobe Acrobat Pro a more comprehensive solution for PDF management, including the capabilities of Adobe Acrobat DC and creating searchable PDFs.pdfUnique to Adobe Sign

Adobe Sign, a dedicated e-signature platform, offers additional features tailored for electronic signatures. Some of these exclusive features include:

  • Form templates
  • Bulk sending
  • Real-time tracking and management of electronic signatures
  • Integrations
  • APIs
  • Advanced authentication options for organisations with specific requirements

Bulk sending allows users to simultaneously send the same document or template to multiple recipients, with each recipient signing independently.

Adobe Sign also enables users to customise workflows by navigating to Account Settings, where they can create, edit, and sign documents with customised workflows.

These advanced e-signature features make Adobe Sign an ideal choice for businesses and individuals who require a dedicated solution for managing electronic signatures and streamlining document workflows.

Plans: Which One is Right for You?

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The choice of the right e-signature solution is dependent on your specific needs and budget.

We’ll compare the pricing plans for individual users, small businesses, and enterprises for both Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Sign to assist you in making the right decision.

Individual Users and Small Businesses

Adobe Acrobat offers Standard and Pro plans for individual users and small businesses. The Acrobat Standard plan provides basic PDF editing and e-signature tools, while the Pro plan offers more advanced features.

On the other hand, Adobe Sign offers a standalone e-signature plan billed per user for small businesses.

When choosing between these plans, consider your needs and the required features. Adobe Acrobat Pro might be the better choice if you need a comprehensive PDF editing solution with e-signature capabilities.

If you’re primarily focused on e-signatures and document management, Adobe Sign’s standalone plan may be more suitable for your needs.

Business and Enterprise Plans

For larger businesses and enterprises, both Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Sign offer scalable plans with various features and pricing options.

These plans offer more advanced features and customisations tailored to the needs of larger organisations. When deciding between these options, consider factors such as the number of users, expected transactions, and the level of integration with other business applications.

Ultimately, the best option will depend on your organisation’s specific requirements and priorities.

Real-World Scenarios: How Users Benefit from Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Sign

To better comprehend the practical benefits of Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Sign, we’ll review real-world scenarios where users have effectively used these solutions to simplify contract approvals and document management.

Case Study: Streamlining Contract Approval

One company that successfully used Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Sign to expedite the contract approval process is Regeneron (see full case study here). By implementing these solutions, Regeneron was able to:

  • Improve security
  • Streamline the approval process
  • Reduce turnaround time
  • Enhance collaboration
  • Increase productivity

Merck has also employed Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Sign to accelerate their contract approval process, gaining similar benefits (full case study).

These case studies demonstrate how Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Sign can provide significant advantages for organisations needing efficient, secure, and user-friendly e-signature solutions.

Choosing the Right Option as an E-Signature Solution

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Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Sign provide useful document and e-signature management tools. Yet, each solution has distinct strengths and uses.

To select the appropriate option for your specific needs, a careful evaluation of each solution’s pros and cons is necessary, considering factors such as needed features, budget, and the degree of integration with other business applications.

In Summary

Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Sign are robust e-signature solutions catering to different needs.

Adobe Acrobat offers a comprehensive suite of PDF tools, while Adobe Sign is a dedicated e-signature platform with advanced features specifically tailored for electronic signatures and document management.

By carefully evaluating the unique offerings of each solution and considering your specific requirements and budget, you can make an informed decision and choose the right e-signature solution for your needs.

So, whether you’re an individual or a business, take the first step towards streamlining your document workflows and embracing the future of e-signatures.

For more information or help in deciding on the better option for you, drop us a mail at webquery@learningcurve.co.za or visit our Acrobat page here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Adobe Acrobat Sign different to Adobe Acrobat?

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and Adobe Sign are two separate software programs with distinct features.

Can you use Adobe Sign without Acrobat?

Yes, you can use Adobe Sign without Acrobat, as it is possible to sign documents using a web browser, mobile device, or other programs.

What is Adobe Sign called now?

Adobe Sign is now known as Adobe Acrobat Sign, formerly EchoSign, eSign and Adobe Sign. It is a cloud-based e-signature service that allows users to send, sign, track, and manage signature processes.

What is the main difference between Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Sign?

Adobe Acrobat focuses on PDF tools, while Adobe Sign specialises in e-signatures, making them different solutions with different functions.