PDF DocOfficeElectronic Signature vs Digital Signature on a PDF: What Is the Difference?
Three things people call a signature
When someone says 'sign this PDF', they might mean very different things. The first is a picture of your handwritten signature pasted onto the page. The second is an electronic signature, which is any electronic way of showing your intent to sign, such as clicking an approval button or typing your name. The third is a digital signature, which uses a certificate to cryptographically bind your identity to the document.
Visual signatures
Tools like our Sign PDF let you draw, type or upload your signature and place it on the page. This is the easiest option and is widely accepted for ordinary paperwork such as quotes, internal approvals and many forms. Its weakness is that it proves little by itself: anyone with a copy of the image could place it on a document.
Digital signatures with certificates
A digital signature is created with a certificate issued by a trusted provider. The document is processed with a mathematical function so that any later change is detected, and the certificate identifies the signer. This offers much stronger proof of who signed and that the text was not altered.
Digital signatures are normally required for tenders, regulated filings and some official or financial contracts.
Which one should you use?
Match the method to the risk. Low-value, low-risk documents between people who trust each other can use a visual signature. Agreements with legal or financial consequences should use whatever method the law and the other party require. Laws differ between countries, and sometimes between document types, so we cannot give legal advice. When in doubt, ask the recipient or a legal professional.
Good habits whichever you choose
Sign only the final version of a document. Keep a copy of what you signed. Protect the file with a password if it contains private data, and do not share an image of your signature publicly, because it can be reused.
Related guides
- How to Sign a PDF Online by Drawing or Typing Your Signature
- How to Protect a PDF with a Password
- How to Merge Multiple PDF Files into One Document