Electronic signature vs digital signature: what’s the difference?

The short answer

An electronic signature is any electronic way of showing that someone agrees to a document: a typed name, a drawn signature, a ticked box, or a click on “I agree”. It is the legal concept, and it is what UK law talks about.

A digital signature is a specific technique that uses cryptography. It uses a certificate and a pair of keys to lock a signature to the exact content of a document, so any later change is detectable and the signer can be identified by their certificate.

So every digital signature is a kind of electronic signature, but most electronic signatures are not digital signatures.

What UK law cares about

UK law uses the term electronic signature, in three levels: simple, advanced and qualified. A digital signature is one way of building an advanced or qualified signature. The law does not require one in most cases. A simple electronic signature is valid for most documents, as long as you can show who signed and that the document has not changed. The guide to the three types goes through the levels.

How they compare

• Effort. An electronic signature takes seconds on any device. A digital signature usually needs a certificate to be issued to the signer first.
• Proof of identity. A simple electronic signature relies on the email link and the activity record. A certificate-based digital signature ties the signature to a verified identity.
• Tamper evidence. A digital signature locks the document cryptographically. A simple e-signature service shows tampering by keeping a record and a fingerprint of the finished file.
• Cost and friction. Digital signatures cost more and ask more of the signer, which is why they are kept for higher-risk documents.

Which do you need?

For quotes, service agreements, NDAs, consent forms and most employment paperwork, a simple electronic signature with a clear record is normally enough. Consider something stronger, such as an identity check or a qualified signature, when a document is high-value, heavily regulated, or likely to be disputed.

SignEdge provides simple electronic signatures. Each signed PDF ends with an activity trail, and the finished file has a SHA-256 fingerprint you can check at any time with the document checker. It does not issue certificate-based digital signatures.