The terms "electronic signature" and "digital signature" are often used interchangeably — but they mean very different things. Understanding the distinction helps you choose the right approach for your documents.
An electronic signature (e-signature) is any electronic mark that represents a person's intent to agree to a document. This includes a drawn signature on a touchscreen, a typed name in a signature font, a scanned image of a handwritten signature, or even clicking "I Agree" on a webpage. E-signatures are legally valid under laws like the ESIGN Act (US) and eIDAS (EU) for most business contracts.
A digital signature is a specific type of electronic signature that uses cryptographic technology — a public/private key pair — to mathematically bind the signer's identity to the document. Digital signatures provide a verifiable audit trail and are tamper-evident. Changes to the document after signing invalidate the signature. They require a digital certificate issued by a trusted Certificate Authority.
E-signatures are appropriate for standard business contracts, NDAs, employment agreements, sales contracts, rental agreements, and most everyday documents where the parties trust each other's identity. Services like pdfeditor.onl create electronic signatures.
Tip: For the vast majority of business use cases — including legally binding contracts — a simple e-signature is sufficient and legally enforceable.
Digital signatures are required for regulated industries with strict identity verification requirements — such as pharmaceutical trial documentation, government filings, medical device compliance, and financial instruments subject to specific regulations. They require a paid certificate from a Certificate Authority.
Yes, for most contracts. Under ESIGN (US), eIDAS (EU), and equivalent laws in over 60 countries, electronic signatures are legally enforceable for standard commercial agreements.
Electronic signatures. The drawn or typed signature is embedded as a visual mark into the PDF. It is legally valid for most business contracts but does not include a cryptographic certificate.
Digital signatures require identity verification through a Certificate Authority. Electronic signatures rely on the surrounding context — email records, IP logs, and timestamp data — as evidence of intent.