DocAISign

Signing guides

Digital signature vs electronic signature: what “instant” signing tools add

By the DocAISign team · Reviewed · About 3 min read

“Digital signature” is often used loosely for any signature made on a screen. In PDF terms it usually means something narrower: a cryptographic signature backed by a certificate. Knowing which one you have, and which one someone asked for, avoids signing the same document twice.

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Electronic signature is the broad category

An electronic signature is any electronic mark a person uses to sign: a drawn signature image, a typed name, a click on an “I agree” button. Many everyday agreements use this kind of signature together with a record of the signing process.

DocAISign’s signatures are electronic signatures. The standard workflow adds an audit record of who opened and signed, when and from which IP address, plus SHA-256 fingerprints of the files.

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A digital signature is certificate-based

A certificate-based digital signature embeds cryptographic data in the PDF, linked to a certificate issued to the signer. A PDF reader that supports it can show who the certificate belongs to and whether the document changed after signing. Some processes, especially official filings, require this type and name the certificates they accept.

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What most “instant” tools actually add

A tool that lets you draw a signature and download the PDF in seconds is almost always placing an image. That is fine for many documents you sign yourself, but the image alone does not prove who placed it, and it is not validated by a PDF reader’s signature panel.

DocAISign’s browser-only signer works this way: it adds an image to your own copy without uploading it, and says so on the page.

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How to tell which one a PDF has

  • Open the PDF in a reader that shows a signatures panel or banner.
  • A certificate-based signature is listed there, with details about the signer’s certificate.
  • A signature image appears only on the page, with no entry in a signatures panel.
  • Check whether the reader reports the document as changed after signing.
  • If you are unsure, ask the sender which method they used.

Ask what the recipient requires

Before signing, ask the organisation that will receive the document whether an electronic signature is acceptable or a certificate-based digital signature, a witness or a notary is required. A visible signature that looks official does not change that requirement.

For a file-content check, comparing a SHA-256 fingerprint with the audit record shows whether a copy is identical to the signed file. It is not certificate validation.

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Where DocAISign fits

Use the browser-only signer for your own signature without uploading anything. Use the standard workflow when one other person must sign and you want an audit record. Neither provides certificate-based digital signatures or identity verification; if those are required, choose a service that explicitly provides them.

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