eSign APIs vs traditional eSignature solutions

Here's the deal: you have two main options when collecting eSignatures from customers:

1. Traditional eSignature tools
2. eSign APIs

You're probably used to the former. These out-of-the-box solutions have a simple UI but lack customization and integration. That makes them a little generic – something your business should never be!

Consider an eSign API instead. It's a type of application programming interface (API) specifically designed for eSignatures. 

The awesome thing about an eSign API is that you can integrate eSignatures directly into your website and applications. This allows customers to sign documents without visiting a third-party site, making life much easier for everyone.

Below, we'll explain the differences between traditional eSignature tools and eSign APIs so you can make the right choice for your business.

Traditional eSignature tools explained

Until recently, the only way to collect eSignatures from customers was through a third-party website like Lumin Sign, HelloSign or DocuSign. You upload a document, ask someone to sign it via email, and that's pretty much it.

Compared to collecting paper-based signatures, these tools make things super simple. You can get rid of pens, improve digital transformation and ensure your documents are legally compliant. And you don't need any code to do all that. Sounds good, right?

If you want to scale eSignature use for your staff or customers, an eSign API might be a better option. Traditional tools won't integrate with your website or apps, meaning gathering signatures can be a chore.

That's especially true if customers don't respond to your painstakingly-written text and emails requesting them to sign a document.

What are eSign APIs?

eSign APIs let you add eSigning capabilities to your website and apps so customers don't have to visit a third-party platform.

The features available through an eSign API might include:

• white labeling, which allows customers to see your company's logo and other branding when signing documents
• integration with your existing software, such as a CRM or ERP system
• automation, which lets you send documents to customers or track signature statuses without any human intervention

Software companies like Lumin Sign and DocuSign offer eSign APIs, so you won't have to create them entirely from scratch – see the Lumin Sign API. However, you'll still need some coding skills to customize everything how you like.

How Does an eSign API Work?

All eSign APIs have a service contract – a document that defines how the API behaves and how users use it. API requests, meanwhile, allow an eSign API to send or receive data from a third-party application. The eSign API is known as the client, while the app is known as the server.

Here's how everything works:

• a user initiates a request
• information is sent to an app
• the app provides information to the eSign API
• the eSign API sends the information to the user

We won't go into details now, but just know there are various types of APIs – and they all behave differently. The most popular include REST APIs and Soap APIs. The Lumin Sign API is an example of a REST API, which conforms to the constraints of REST architecture.

Is an eSign API or traditional eSignature tool best for you?

It all depends on what you want to achieve. Traditional tools are best for ease of use and quick setup, while APIs might suit you if you crave growth and a higher level of customization.

One of the biggest benefits is workflow automation. Integrating an API into your app code lets a customer sign a document quickly without waiting for an email requesting them to do so, thereby cutting out the middle man so you get signatures faster.

Automation and other eSign API features are available to your team through Lumin Sign. Designed with your end customer in mind, it ensures a smoother user experience and makes it easy to integrate signature collection capabilities into your website and apps.