Yousign

Yousign is a French electronic signature platform founded in 2013, headquartered in Paris, that has rapidly established itself as one of Europe's leading e-signature solutions. The platform is designed to make digital document signing simple, legally binding, and fully compliant with European regulations. With its clean three-click process -- upload a PDF, add signatories, and send -- Yousign prioritizes usability without sacrificing legal rigor. The company has grown to serve over 15,000 businesses across Europe, ranging from freelancers and small businesses to large enterprises and public sector organizations.

What sets Yousign apart from US-based competitors like DocuSign, Adobe Sign, and HelloSign is its deep commitment to European compliance. Yousign is recognized as a Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP) on the Trust List of the European Commission, meaning its electronic signatures are certified and legally recognized across all EU member states. This certification is not merely a marketing claim -- it represents a rigorous audit and accreditation process that ensures the highest standards of identity verification, signature integrity, and document security.

eIDAS Compliance and Legal Framework

Yousign's compliance with the eIDAS (Electronic Identification, Authentication and Trust Services) regulation is central to its value proposition. The platform supports all three levels of electronic signatures defined by eIDAS: Simple Electronic Signatures (SES) for everyday documents, Advanced Electronic Signatures (AES) for contracts requiring stronger authentication, and Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES) for documents that need the highest level of legal assurance, equivalent to a handwritten signature in all EU member states.

Looking ahead to eIDAS 2.0, which requires all 27 EU Member States to provide EU Digital Identity Wallets (EUDI Wallets) by December 2026, Yousign is already preparing for the transition. The company is evolving beyond simple signatures toward a comprehensive digital trust platform, integrating identity verification, document sealing, and signature capabilities into a unified offering. This forward-looking approach ensures that businesses using Yousign will be well-positioned as the European digital identity landscape evolves.

Core Signing Features

The Yousign application is designed for maximum simplicity. Users can upload documents in PDF format, place signature fields and other form elements (date fields, text boxes, checkboxes) precisely where they are needed, define the signing order for multiple signatories, and send documents for signature with personalized messages. The platform supports sequential and parallel signing workflows, allowing businesses to configure complex approval chains where documents must be signed in a specific order or can be signed simultaneously by all parties.

Yousign also offers document templates for recurring documents such as employment contracts, NDAs, service agreements, and invoices. Templates can include pre-configured signature fields, signer roles, and automated reminders, dramatically reducing the time needed to prepare documents for signature. Once a template is created, it can be reused indefinitely, making it ideal for businesses that process large volumes of similar documents.

API and Developer Integration

For businesses that need to embed electronic signatures into their own applications or workflows, Yousign provides a comprehensive RESTful API with detailed documentation and developer support. The API allows companies to create signature requests programmatically, manage signers, track document status, and receive real-time notifications through webhooks. Developers can test the API for free in a dedicated sandbox environment that includes all features available in paid plans, before switching to production when ready.

The API pricing starts at 75 euros per month for 500 signatures per year, with higher tiers available for businesses with greater volume needs. This makes Yousign's API accessible to startups and scale-ups as well as larger enterprises. The platform also integrates with popular tools through Zapier, enabling no-code workflow automation for teams that want to connect Yousign with their existing CRM, project management, or document management systems without writing code.

Workflow Automation and Collaboration

Yousign's workflow capabilities extend beyond basic signature collection. The platform allows teams to configure custom approval processes, set automatic reminders with personalized messages, define due dates with escalation notifications, and manage document routing through multiple stages. Administrators can assign roles and permissions to team members, controlling who can create, send, and manage signature requests. This granular access control is essential for organizations where different departments or team members need different levels of access.

The platform also supports bulk signing, which is invaluable for businesses that need to send the same document (such as updated terms of service or policy acknowledgments) to dozens or hundreds of signatories simultaneously. Combined with templates and automation, bulk signing can save businesses hours of manual work each month.

Audit Trail and Document Security

Every signature processed through Yousign generates a comprehensive audit trail that records every action taken on a document, including when it was created, sent, viewed, signed, and completed. This evidence file is legally admissible in court and provides irrefutable proof of each signer's identity and intent. Signed documents are securely archived for 10 years, ensuring long-term legal compliance and easy retrieval when documents are needed for audits, disputes, or regulatory requirements.

Yousign employs strong encryption for documents both in transit and at rest, and all data is stored in European data centers. The platform uses timestamping from a qualified timestamping authority, ensuring that the exact time of each signature is cryptographically sealed and cannot be tampered with. These security measures go well beyond what many US-based competitors offer, particularly in terms of European regulatory compliance.

GDPR and Data Sovereignty

As a French company, Yousign is fully GDPR compliant by design. All user data and signed documents are stored exclusively in European data centers, ensuring that sensitive business documents never leave European jurisdiction. This is a critical advantage over US-based platforms like DocuSign, which are subject to the CLOUD Act and can be compelled to share data with US authorities regardless of where the data is physically stored.

Yousign's commitment to data sovereignty extends to its technical architecture: the platform is designed so that customer data is fully isolated and encrypted, with strict access controls that ensure only authorized parties can access documents. The company publishes a comprehensive privacy policy and data processing agreement that clearly explains how data is handled, stored, and protected.

Pricing and Plans

Yousign offers a tiered pricing structure designed to serve businesses of all sizes. The One plan, starting at 9 euros per user per month, is designed for freelancers and individuals who need basic signing capabilities. The Plus plan at 25 euros per user per month adds team collaboration features, templates, and custom branding. The Pro plan at 40 euros per user per month includes advanced workflow automation, bulk signing, and priority support. Enterprise pricing is available for large organizations with custom requirements.

All plans include eIDAS-compliant signatures, audit trails, and secure document archiving. The API is priced separately starting at 75 euros per month, making it accessible for businesses that need programmatic integration. Compared to DocuSign's pricing, which starts at a similar range but often requires higher-tier plans for European compliance features, Yousign delivers better value for businesses that prioritize regulatory compliance.

Yousign vs. DocuSign and Adobe Sign

The primary differentiator between Yousign and US-based competitors is compliance and data sovereignty. While DocuSign and Adobe Sign are powerful platforms with extensive feature sets and global reach, they are fundamentally US companies subject to US law. For European businesses that handle sensitive contracts, personal data, or regulated documents, Yousign's native eIDAS compliance, QTSP status, and European data storage provide a level of legal certainty that US platforms cannot match.

In terms of features, Yousign matches or exceeds its competitors for the vast majority of use cases. Where DocuSign excels is in its massive integration ecosystem and global brand recognition. However, for businesses whose signing needs are primarily European, Yousign offers a more focused, compliant, and often more affordable solution.

The Future: From Yousign to Youtrust

Yousign is undergoing a strategic evolution toward becoming a comprehensive digital trust platform, with a planned transition to the Youtrust brand. This evolution will expand the platform from its e-signature roots into three integrated pillars: Sign (electronic signatures), Verify (identity verification), and Seal (document authentication and tamper-proofing). This transformation positions Yousign at the forefront of Europe's digital trust infrastructure, aligning with the eIDAS 2.0 framework and the coming EU Digital Identity Wallet ecosystem.

Final Verdict

Yousign is the strongest choice for European businesses seeking an e-signature platform that combines simplicity, legal compliance, and data sovereignty. Its QTSP certification, native eIDAS compliance, European data storage, and competitive pricing make it a compelling alternative to DocuSign and Adobe Sign. Whether you are a freelancer signing occasional contracts or an enterprise processing thousands of documents per month, Yousign delivers the features, security, and regulatory compliance that European businesses need. Its evolution toward a broader digital trust platform makes it an even more compelling long-term investment.