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ZealiD vs DocuSign
DocuSign is the agreement platform millions of businesses use, and ZealiD's qualified signature works inside it. Trust Circle is built for regulated firms that also need to verify each client and share files with them. Here is how the two compare, and when to use both.
In short
DocuSign wins on reach and workflow.It has 1,000+ integrations, templates, bulk sending, web forms and full agreement management. Most of your clients have signed with it before. It also sells qualified signatures through its own trust service provider, Docusign France.
Trust Circle is built around the client, not the envelope.Each client verifies their identity once, with no fee per check, and that stays valid for two years. Their files, signatures and KYC answers sit in one shared space.
Many firms use both.DocuSign runs the firm's agreement workflows, and ZealiD's qualified signature works inside it. Trust Circle is where client identities and client files live.
ZealiD and DocuSign, side by side
Sources: DocuSign eSignature pricing (EUR), DocuSign trust and compliance and ZealiD pricing, November 2026. Qualified status checked on the EU Trusted List, November 2026.
Where they really differ
One check per client, or one per envelope
In DocuSign, identity verification is an add-on charged per attempt, and a qualified signature needs a verified signer. In Trust Circle, your client verifies once in the ZealiD app, and the verification stays valid for two years at no extra cost to you or them.
An envelope ends; a client relationship doesn't
DocuSign is built around sending an envelope and getting it back signed. Trust Circle gives each client or matter its own space, with every document, signature and identity in one place for as long as you work together.
Nordvik M&A
Price one year of qualified signatures
Take last year's number of clients who signed something that needed a qualified signature. Multiply it by €10 per recipient for DocuSign's QES add-on, and add €2.35 for each ID check you'd run. Then compare that with the Trust Circle plan that covers your team.
Your numbers
DocuSign at list price: a year
eSignature Standard (€23 per user a month, billed yearly), plus €10 per QES recipient and €2.35 per ID check.
Trust Circle:
ID checks included, no fee per check. Prices billed yearly.
What each one costs
DocuSign charges per user, with envelope limits and add-ons for qualified signatures and ID checks. Trust Circle charges per plan, billed yearly, with identity verification included.
Trust Circle
A month, billed yearly. ID checks included
See pricing →Already on DocuSign? Keep it.
ZealiD's qualified signature works inside DocuSign as one of its trust service providers. German DocuSign customers meet anti-money-laundering (GwG) rules with ZealiD's identity check and qualified signature inside DocuSign. Read how the partnership started and about the KYC extension for Germany.
Meets German AML rules (GwG)
DocuSign customers in Germany verify and sign with ZealiD inside DocuSign.
Read the case study →Three ways to use ZealiD
ZealiD on its own (Trust Circle)
Who it's for: Firms that want one place for verified clients, their files and signatures
Where documents are sent: In a Trust Circle
Who issues the qualified signature: ZealiD
Client portal and KYC: Included
What you pay ZealiD: A plan from €40 a year
ZealiD inside DocuSign
Who it's for: Firms whose documents already run through DocuSign
Where documents are sent: In DocuSign, as today
Who issues the qualified signature: ZealiD
Client portal and KYC: Not part of the integration
What you pay ZealiD: A plan from Starter, €39.20 a month
Both
Who it's for: Firms that keep DocuSign workflows and also want verified client files
Where documents are sent: Agreements in DocuSign, client files in Trust Circle
Who issues the qualified signature: ZealiD
Client portal and KYC: In Trust Circle
What you pay ZealiD: One plan from Starter
Which one is right for you?
Choose DocuSign if:
- You send many agreements and need templates, bulk sending or workflows
- You need integrations with Salesforce, Workday or other enterprise systems
- Your signers are spread across the world and know DocuSign already
- A simple or advanced signature covers most of what you sign
Choose Trust Circle if:
- You must know who your client is, and keep that proof, for AML or eIDAS
- You want identity checks without paying per check
- You share documents with clients, not just send them for signature
- Your clients sign with qualified signatures often
- You want KYC answers next to the client's identity and files
Use both if: DocuSign already runs your agreements. Add ZealiD's qualified signature inside DocuSign, and use Trust Circle for verified client files.
What Trust Circle doesn't do
Live sanctions and PEP screening, beneficial ownership checks and the risk decision stay with your firm.
It isn't an agreement-management platform: no template library, bulk send or contract lifecycle tools at DocuSign's scale.
What our customers say
Following a challenging couple of weeks during which our previous TSP partner refused to accept the latest form of identity documents from Malta, it became crucial for us to locate a provider who could smoothly integrate it into our system. ZealiD offers a robust platform and a competitive pricing model which is among the finest in the industry.
Paper procedures are a no-go for modern businesses with complicated signing journeys and long delays. It was time for us to go digital, and ZealiD came through with a user-friendly and simple solution that cut our signing cycles from weeks to just minutes ensuring the highest level of security.
ABN AMROMicrosoftDLA PiperBird & BirdBinderrOyster HRCALIPIA
Verify, share and sign in one place
- Identity verification in every plan, no fee per check
- Verified once, valid for two years
- ZealiD AB is a qualified trust service provider on the EU Trusted List
- Documents stored in Stockholm, EU
Common questions
Is ZealiD a DocuSign alternative?
For regulated firms that need verified clients, shared files and qualified signatures in one place, yes. For agreement workflows at scale, DocuSign is the stronger tool, and ZealiD works inside it. See what Trust Circle includes.
Does DocuSign offer qualified electronic signatures?
Yes. DocuSign sells QES as an add-on, from €10 per recipient on its EU pricing page, through Docusign France and partner providers, ZealiD among them.
Can I use ZealiD's qualified signature inside DocuSign?
Yes. ZealiD is one of DocuSign's trust service providers. Integrations are included from the Trust Circle Starter plan. How the qualified signature works.
Does identity verification cost extra in Trust Circle?
No. It's included in every plan, from Micro to Enterprise, with no limit on how many clients you verify. Your client doesn't pay anything either. See plans.
Is DocuSign eIDAS compliant?
Yes. It offers simple, advanced and qualified signatures under eIDAS, and Docusign France is a qualified trust service provider. DocuSign trust and compliance.
Where are documents stored in Trust Circle?
In Stockholm, EU. ZealiD AB is a qualified trust service provider on the EU Trusted List, supervised by PTS and audited every year by TÜViT and SRC Security. Certifications and compliance.