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DocuSign vs Salesforce

DocuSign logo

DocuSign

Software

The Way the World Agrees

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Salesforce logo

Salesforce

Software

World's #1 CRM

From
$25/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only DocuSign has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: DocuSign expensive pricing with difficult-to-predict costs and billing surprises; higher tiers required for useful features; Salesforce sales Cloud tiers as captured 2 January 2024: Starter Suite $25/user/month, Professional $80/user/month, Enterprise $165/user/month, all USD billed annually
  • They diverge on capability: DocuSign covers Electronic signatures, Salesforce covers Contact management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DocuSign and Salesforce actually diverge.

Attributes where DocuSign and Salesforce differ
AttributeDocuSignSalesforce
Starting priceFree$25/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20031999

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in DocuSign

  • Electronic signatures
  • Templates
  • Mobile signing
  • Audit trail
  • Agreement analytics
  • Salesforce
  • SAP
  • Web support

Only in Salesforce

  • Contact management
  • Opportunity management
  • Lead management
  • Reports & dashboards
  • Email integration
  • Workflow automation
  • Mobile access
  • AppExchange

Both cover

  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Workspace

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

DocuSign

  • Customer Successnot Salesforce
  • Esignaturesnot Salesforce
  • Agreement Cloudnot Salesforce

Salesforce

  • Sales managementnot DocuSign
  • Customer servicenot DocuSign
  • Marketing automationnot DocuSign
  • Lead generationnot DocuSign
  • Analytics & reportingnot DocuSign

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

DocuSign

  • Expensive pricing with difficult-to-predict costs and billing surprises; higher tiers required for useful features
  • Slow customer support response times for billing and account issues, with difficulty reaching human agents
  • Limited PDF editing capabilities despite the high price point
  • Difficulties canceling subscriptions and deleting accounts with potential for unauthorized charges
  • Uploaded signatures cannot be changed after signing in some cases, contradicting official documentation

Salesforce

  • Sales Cloud tiers as captured 2 January 2024: Starter Suite $25/user/month, Professional $80/user/month, Enterprise $165/user/month, all USD billed annually

Pricing, plan by plan

DocuSign

Free
  • Personal$10/month
    • 5 envelopes per month
    • Basic signing
  • Standard$25/month
    • 100 envelopes per user per year
    • Advanced fields
  • Business Pro$40/month
    • 100 envelopes per user per year
    • Bulk send
    • Payment collection

Salesforce

$25/month
  • Essentials$25/month
    • Account & contact management
    • Opportunity tracking
    • Lead management
  • Professional$80/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • Complete CRM
    • Lead scoring
  • Enterprise$165/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • Workflow automation
    • Advanced analytics
  • Unlimited$330/month
    • Everything in Enterprise
    • Unlimited customizations
    • 24/7 support

Which should you pick?

Choose DocuSign if

  • You need electronic signatures.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want templates.
DocuSign review

Choose Salesforce if

  • You need contact management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want opportunity management.
Salesforce review

Questions people ask

Is DocuSign or Salesforce better?
Neither clearly leads. DocuSign starts at Free and Salesforce at $25/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DocuSign or Salesforce?
DocuSign has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for DocuSign and $25/month for Salesforce.
Does DocuSign or Salesforce run on more platforms?
DocuSign runs on Web. Salesforce runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use DocuSign for free?
Yes. DocuSign has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Salesforce starts at $25/month.
What is DocuSign best used for?
DocuSign is most often used for customer success, esignatures, agreement cloud. Of those, customer success and esignatures are not what Salesforce is typically brought in for.
What can DocuSign do that Salesforce cannot?
DocuSign covers Electronic signatures, Templates, Mobile signing, Audit trail. Salesforce covers Contact management, Opportunity management, Lead management, Reports & dashboards. Both handle Microsoft 365, Google Workspace.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DocuSign: What are the differences between DocuSign's eSignature and Intelligent Agreement Management (IAM) plans?

eSignature plans focus on document signing starting at $10/month for personal use. IAM plans bundle AI-powered agreement analysis, no-code workflow automation via Maestro, and a smart document repository at higher pricing, designed for enterprise teams managing high volumes of contracts.

Source
DocuSign: Does DocuSign offer a free trial?

Yes, DocuSign offers a free Personal plan at $10/month (billed annually) or $15/month (billed monthly) with limited features, but no trial period for paid plans.

Source
DocuSign: What platforms does DocuSign support?

DocuSign integrates with Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Teams), Salesforce, Workday, and Slack. Documents can be sent and signed through these applications without leaving the platform.

Source
DocuSign: What are the envelope limits on DocuSign's plans?

The Personal plan includes 5 envelopes per month. Standard and Business Pro plans limit to 100 envelopes per user per year. Overages beyond these limits result in additional charges.

Source
DocuSign: Can I cancel my DocuSign subscription?

While DocuSign allows cancellation, users report difficulties reaching support to process cancellations and account deletions, with some experiencing unauthorized charges after attempting to cancel.

Source
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