Published 2026-04-20 · Updated weekly
The 2026 E-Signature Criteria
A 20-point scoring framework for evaluating e-signature platforms in 2026. Every criterion is defensible, citation-backed, and aligned with where the industry is heading — not where it was in 2015.
The scorecard
SignBolt is at 6.5/20 today — we're the first to admit it. Our roadmap gets us to 20/20 by mid-2026 across Phases A through D. Every missing criterion has a specific delivery phase listed in the table below.
| Criterion | SignBolt today | SignBolt mid-2026 | DocuSign | HelloSign | Adobe Sign |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Free tier for individuals SignBolt: 3 docs/mo forever. DocuSign: 30-day trial only. | |||||
2. Legally binding (ESIGN/UETA/eIDAS/AU ETA) All four platforms meet core legal frameworks. | |||||
3. No account required for recipients Table stakes in 2026. | |||||
4. Sub-3-second signing experience SignBolt: 3 clicks. DocuSign: 8+ clicks. | |||||
5. Mobile-first design SignBolt PWA today; native iOS+Android Phase B. Delivered: Phase B (Expo native) | |||||
6. Cryptographic signature (not rasterized image) Adobe Sign offers PKI cert option; others use image overlay. Delivered: Phase B (WebAuthn) | |||||
7. WebAuthn / Passkey support No major e-sig platform ships WebAuthn signing as of 2026-04. First to market wins. Delivered: Phase B | |||||
8. AI-delegated signing (agent can sign on behalf) World first when SignBolt ships Phase C. Enterprise incumbents culturally unable to ship. Delivered: Phase C | |||||
9. Public verification URL per signed doc DocuSign requires account login to verify. Delivered: Phase B (/verify/{id}) | |||||
10. Blockchain timestamp anchor OpenTimestamps → Bitcoin anchor. Court-bulletproof, $0 cost. Delivered: Phase D | |||||
11. Open source core @signbolt/core MIT. Verifiable, auditable, embeddable. Delivered: Phase B (pulled forward) | |||||
12. MCP server / AI agent integration Claude Desktop, Cursor, any MCP-compatible agent can sign. Delivered: Phase C | |||||
13. Embeddable widget / white-label DocuSign PowerForms is enterprise-tier only. Delivered: Phase C | |||||
14. Payment-on-signature Stripe embedded at sign-complete. DocuSign requires separate Payments add-on. Delivered: Phase C | |||||
15. Apple/Google Wallet credential pass First e-sig to ship signed-doc-as-Wallet-pass. Delivered: Phase B | |||||
16. Court-ready evidence package SignBolt Phase A adds certificate PDF; Phase B delivers full evidence package. Delivered: Phase B | |||||
17. Sign & chain (recipient-forwardable) Recipient can forward to next signer without sender. DocuSign requires sender-added signers. Delivered: Phase B | |||||
18. Template marketplace Lawyer-authored templates with revenue share. Delivered: Phase D | |||||
19. Lawyer review marketplace Hire a lawyer to review before signing. Delivered: Phase D | |||||
20. Global / AU-native pricing SignBolt: Stripe-native multi-currency. DocuSign: AUD billing but USD-pegged. | |||||
| Total | 6.5/20 | 20/20 | 5/20 | 4.5/20 | 5.5/20 |
Why these 20?
The incumbents built for 2015: rasterized signature images, enterprise SSO, seat-based pricing. The next billion e-signature users are freelancers, HR teams, landlords, real-estate agents, small-business owners. They need:
- Cryptographic correctness (so signatures can't be forged)
- AI-native workflows (so routine docs sign themselves)
- Openness (so the protocol survives any one vendor)
- Permanent evidence (so disputes can be settled cryptographically, not by trust)
DocuSign, HelloSign, and Adobe Sign are structurally unable to retrofit most of these — their enterprise customers require backward compatibility and brand-risk aversion blocks experimental features. SignBolt's greenfield status is the only reason these 20 criteria are even achievable by a single vendor.
Track our progress
This page updates weekly. Every phase completion moves SignBolt's score closer to 20/20. Watch the Delivered column shift from "Phase B" to "Shipped" as we execute.