Explainers
Electronic signatures versus digital signatures
The two terms get used as if they're synonyms. They're not — one is a legal category, the other is a specific technology, and knowing which one you actually need matters.
Updated · 3 min read
The core distinction
Electronic signature is the broad, legal umbrella term: any electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to a record with the intent to sign it. A typed name, a drawn squiggle, clicking "I agree" — all of these are electronic signatures under laws like the US ESIGN Act.
Digital signature is narrower and technical: a cryptographic method using a public-key certificate, issued by a trust provider, that mathematically binds a signature to both the signer's identity and the exact bytes of the document. It's one specific way to implement a more secure electronic signature — not a separate category of law.
Put simply: every digital signature is a kind of electronic signature. Not every electronic signature uses digital-signature technology.
Side by side
| Electronic signature | Digital signature | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Legal / umbrella term | A specific cryptographic technique |
| How it works | Any electronic mark showing intent to sign | Public-key certificate (PKI) binds signer + document |
| Issued by | No third party required | An accredited certificate authority / trust provider |
| Typical use | Contracts, leases, NDAs, approvals | Regulated filings, some government or EU qualified signatures |
| eIDAS tier | Simple (SES) | Advanced (AES) or Qualified (QES) |
| What Signavos provides | Yes — with a hash-chained audit trail | No — no PKI certificate is embedded in the PDF |
When you actually need a digital signature
For the large majority of business documents — leases, freelance contracts, NDAs, internal approvals, vendor agreements — a well-evidenced simple electronic signature is the norm and is legally sufficient. See are electronic signatures legally binding?
A digital signature (specifically a qualified electronic signature under eIDAS, or an equivalent PKI-based scheme) becomes relevant for certain regulated filings, some government submissions, and specific EU cross-border transactions where the law names QES explicitly. If a form or counterparty specifically requires a qualified or digital signature, an audit-trailed simple e-signature tool is not a substitute — you need a provider that issues the certificate-based signature itself.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a digital signature more secure than an electronic signature?
- A digital signature adds cryptographic proof tied to a certificate, which is stronger for identity assurance in specific regulated contexts. For most everyday contracts, an electronic signature with a solid audit trail is equally defensible in practice, and far more common.
- Does Signavos issue digital signatures?
- No. Signavos provides simple electronic signatures with a hash-chained audit trail and a document checksum, not a PKI-based digital certificate embedded in the PDF.
- What is a qualified electronic signature (QES)?
- The highest tier under EU/UK eIDAS: a digital signature issued using a certificate from an accredited trust service provider, given automatic legal equivalence to a wet signature.
- Which one do I need for a standard business contract?
- In almost all cases, a well-documented electronic signature is enough — see are electronic signatures legally binding? Check your specific form or counterparty's requirements if you're unsure.
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