Signing and scanning documents were once a welcome experience versus postal mail delivery. Nowadays, it can often be a hassle to sign and scan documents. Sometimes the scanner does not working properly or we may not have easy access to a copier or scanner. The great news is, like all facets of our lives, technology has found a variety of other ways to sign documents electronically and often with only the use of a smart phone! Below are 4 apps you can download to sign documents via your smartphone or web browser simply and quickly:

HelloSign Chrome Extension

If you can receive most of your documents through email, the HelloSign Chrome extension is a convenient way to sign them and send them back quickly and easily. The extension is integrated into your email inbox and enables you to sign PDFs received through Gmail. If you have an Android or iOS device, download the mobile HelloSign app.

DocuSign App for Android

For Android devices you can install the DocuSign app to import documents from Dropbox or email and sign them on your phone, then send the document back to the recipient. DocuSign is available for free; however, you can choose a premium account for additional business-related features that may be of use to you.

SignNow App for iOS

If you mostly use an iPhone or iPad, install SignNow to import documents from Dropbox or your email and sign them on your mobile device, then send the document back to the recipient. SignNow allows you to sign up to 5 documents a month for free. If you want to sign more documents, use a premium plan. If you are signing that often it will be worth the extra cost!

SIGNificant Signature Capture for iOS and Android

SIGNificant signature capture is a free app for both iOS and Android devices. If you want a full-feature app, download SIGNificant Signature Capture to sign documents on your smartphone using your finger or a stylus.

Keep Security in Mind

While signing documents electronically is extremely convenient, some businesses may not accept electronic signatures. For those businesses that do accept electronic signatures, these apps will help you save time and effort compared to signing and scanning documents, however, remember to keep security in mind. If you’re signing a sensitive document, it’s wise to print it out and sign a paper copy instead of sending the document over email. Many of these apps above though use what they call “Bank-grade security systems” to be sure your information is safe. Be sure to look into that if security is a concern for you [and it should always be].

Bonus tip: CamScanner is a FREE useful app available for iOS, Android & Windows Phone used for scanning and editing documents on the fly.