While OneSpan Sign is celebrated for its robust security and comprehensive features, concerns over the OneSpan pricing structure have been raised by users. Essential eSignature features like advanced authentication or bulk sending may be unavailable without upgrading to higher-priced plans, undermining operational efficiency and escalating costs.
For instance, a reviewer on G2 stated:
“The high cost is one of OneSpan Sign’s challenges. It certainly offers awesome security and a host of powerful features, but if your company is small and doesn’t need all of the more sophisticated stuff, it may be too much of a burden on your purse strings.”
This sentiment highlights a significant challenge for smaller teams, functional departments like HR, finance, procurement, legal, etc. or businesses with lean budgets: paying for features they don’t need or struggling to access core functionality locked behind premium tiers or add-on paywalls.
The additional cost burden or feature gating can be especially problematic for smaller teams that rely on cost-effective solutions. In this blog, we’ll look closely at the OneSpan pricing structure, the restrictions it brings, and what organizations should consider when evaluating a solution that corresponds with their needs and budget.
A Quick Comparison of Different Pricing Options
To evaluate the value offered by eSignature providers, let’s compare the Professional Plan in OneSpan pricing plan with Certinal’s transaction-based approach. The example below illustrates the cost implications for 10,000 transactions and highlights the savings with Certinal’s Transaction pricing model:
| Feature | OneSpan Sign Professional Plan (User-Based) | Certinal (Transaction-Based) |
| Number of Users | 1200 | 1200 |
| Pricing Model | $22/User/Month (Annual) | $1 per Transaction |
| Bulk Sending | Extra Fee | Included |
| Advanced Authentication | Extra Fee | Included |
| Customer Support | Premium Tier Required | 24/7 Included |
| Scalability | Rigid Plans | Flexible and Dynamic |
| API Access | Higher-Tier Only | Included |
| Premium Support | Not Included | |
| Total Cost for 10,000 Transactions | ~$26,400 | $10,000 |
| Savings with Certinal/Month | N/A | ~$16,400 (~62%) |
OneSpan Pricing Structure
Understanding the OneSpan pricing structure is crucial when evaluating long-term value. Most vendors, including OneSpan, offer tiered pricing models that cater to different business needs. However, additional fees often accompany these plans, making the total cost of ownership unpredictable.
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Professional Plan – $22/User/Month (Billed Annually)
Includes:
- Sending documents for eSignature
- Unlimited templates
- In-person and remote signing
- Advanced fields
- Email and Q&A authentication
- Detailed audit trail
- Workflow integrations (e.g., Google Drive, Slack)
- Mobile apps (iOS and Android)
Additional Fees ($):
- Advanced authentication
- Bulk sending
- Video signing
- Remote Online Notarization (RON)
- Premium support
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Enterprise Plan (Price based on your choice of user OR transaction volume)
Includes all features from the Professional Plan, plus:
- Embedded signing
- Custom workflows
- Real-time reporting and analysis
- Full white-labeling and branding
- Advanced integrations (e.g., Salesforce, Workday)
Additional Fees ($):
- Premium support
- Advanced integrations with platforms like SharePoint and HubSpot
Challenges with OneSpan Pricing
When selecting an eSignature provider, businesses often encounter unexpected pricing hurdles that can disrupt budgets and limit scalability. While OneSpan offers robust functionality, the OneSpan pricing models may introduce hidden challenges that affect long-term value.
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Hidden Costs
OneSpan pricing model charges additional fees for essential features like bulk sending, verified signatures, or advanced authentication. While these capabilities are crucial for efficient workflows, businesses may need to upgrade to premium tiers or pay per use, driving up costs unexpectedly.
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Rigid Pricing Models
Professional Plan in the OneSpan pricing structure relies on user-based pricing, requiring organizations to pay for a set number of licenses annually. This often leads to underutilized licenses, where businesses pay for inactive users, wasting resources.
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Scalability Issues
As document volume fluctuates with seasonal or dynamic workflows, fixed pricing plans may fail to adapt. Organizations either overpay during low-demand periods or scramble to scale up, incurring additional fees.
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Feature Gating
Core features like API access, workflow integrations, or premium support are frequently locked behind higher-priced tiers. For businesses on lower-tier OnesSpan pricng plans, accessing these essential capabilities can mean significant additional expenses.
OneSpan Enterprise Plan
While OneSpan’s Enterprise Plan addresses several limitations of its Professional Plan—such as including advanced integrations and custom workflows—it still falls short when compared to Certinal’s Enterprise Plan. Here’s how the two stack up:
What OneSpan’s Enterprise Plan Offers
For enterprises, the OneSpan pricing plan includes features like embedded signing, real-time reporting, and advanced integrations with platforms such as Salesforce and Workday. These additions make it more suitable for larger organizations with complex workflows. However, businesses looking to fully optimize costs and access premium features may face additional challenges:
- Premium Support Comes at a Cost: Accessing 24/7 support or priority services requires an upgrade to higher service tiers.
- Integration Fees Add Up: While integrations are available, certain prebuilt integrations like SharePoint or HubSpot incur additional costs.
Support Challenges with OneSpan’s Enterprise Plan
While for enterprises the OneSpan pricing includes enhanced features, customer feedback highlights some concerns with its support services. A reviewer on G2 mentioned:
“Sometimes the reactivity of the customer support is not as expected. A few requested features were marked as ‘for future consideration,’ but no follow-up.”
This sentiment reflects a common frustration among businesses relying on timely and efficient support for critical workflows.
Another customer shared a more critical experience:
“I am deeply disappointed with the customer service experience I have had with OneSpan. The company’s slow response time and inability to provide clear answers was a major obstacle during my client’s contract-related request for assistance. Waiting for over an hour only to be disconnected is extremely disheartening; it suggests a lack of organisational priority in providing adequate support services which may damage their reputation with customers.”
These reviews highlight key issues with OneSpan’s support: slow response times, lack of follow-up, and an overall perception of insufficient prioritization of customer needs. Additionally, access to premium support often requires paying extra as per the OneSPan pricing plan, which adds to the frustration.
In contrast to the OneSpan pricing for enterprises, Certinal’s Enterprise Plan includes 24/7 premium support at no additional cost, ensuring swift responses and clear communication. Certinal prioritizes customer success by delivering consistent, high-quality assistance that meets the demands of modern businesses, avoiding the delays and challenges that users frequently report with OneSpan.
What to Look for in a Cost-Effective Alternative to OneSpan
When considering alternatives to OneSpan, businesses should prioritize pricing models and features that address common pain points. While OneSpan offers robust security and functionality, the OneSpan pricing structure and feature accessibility can often create challenges. Here’s what to look for in a more cost-effective and accessible solution:
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Bulk Sending Without Extra Costs
For a business with a lot of documents, bulk sending is a key feature. Many vendors, however, will charge you for this functionality, and it can increase the price considerably. Seek an alternative where bulk sending is part of the standard offering to scale workflows without surprise charges.
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Advanced Authentication as a Standard Feature
Additional functionalities such as SMS OTP or even email verifications are extremely useful, especially within industries that are sensitive in terms of compliance. Ones having advanced authentication included in base rates do not require businesses of any size to pay over the top for security elements to consider vital.
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Inclusive Integrations
Integrations with platforms like Salesforce, SharePoint, and Workday are critical to streamlining workflows across teams and tools. Most vendors charge a premium for such integrations, which adds to the overall cost. Look for an alternative that has seamless compatibility with major platforms without any additional fees.
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Premium Support at No Extra Cost
Reliable customer support means the fast resolution of issues and a smooth user experience. The alternatives that offer 24/7 premium support through their standard plans can help businesses avoid the hassle of overpaying for satisfactory support or the frustration of getting slow response times.
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Clear and flexible pricing
User-based pricing models in OneSpan pricing plans usually result in unused licenses and increasing costs, especially for companies with seasonal or variable workflows. Look for a pricing plan that is transparent. Ideally, it must be on usage; that is, cost predictability, scalability, and better alignment to business needs.
By focusing on these pricing features, businesses can find an eSignature solution that meets their operational requirements but also provides value for long-term growth and scalability.
Why Certinal’s Pricing is a Game-Changer for Enterprises
Certinal redefines eSignature pricing with a model designed to address the frustrations businesses face with traditional vendors. By eliminating hidden fees, offering dynamic scalability, and including advanced features in every plan, Certinal delivers exceptional value without compromise.
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Transaction-Based Pricing
Certinal’s innovative pricing model allows businesses to pay only for completed transactions, avoiding the waste associated with underutilized user-based licenses. This structure is particularly beneficial for organizations with fluctuating document volumes, as costs align directly with usage. Whether you handle high or low volumes, you’ll never overpay.
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No Hidden Fees
Unlike competitors who charge extra for essential features like bulk sending, advanced authentication, or premium support, Certinal includes these capabilities in its base pricing. This transparency ensures businesses can budget effectively without unexpected add-ons inflating costs.
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Built-In Scalability
Certinal’s pricing model is designed to grow with your business. As document volumes rise or seasonal needs fluctuate, the platform seamlessly adapts, maintaining cost-efficiency and operational flexibility. Businesses can rely on Certinal to support their evolving requirements without financial strain.
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All-Inclusive Features
Advanced functionality such as API access, custom workflows, and real-time reporting come standard in every Certinal plan. This eliminates the need to upgrade tiers or pay additional fees to access critical tools, empowering businesses to leverage the platform’s full capabilities from the start.
Certinal’s transparent and predictable pricing not only eliminates financial surprises but also maximizes the value delivered at every level. It’s a solution tailored to meet modern business needs without compromise.
Discover 13 Reasons Why Enterprises are Switching to Certinal eSign
Conclusion: Choosing the Best Cost-Effective Alternative to OneSpan
While vendors like OneSpan offer robust security and advanced functionality, their pricing structures often introduce challenges such as hidden fees, rigid plans, and costly feature upgrades.
Certinal emerges as a game-changer in this space. By prioritizing transparency, flexibility, and inclusivity, Certinal offers businesses a pricing model that adapts to their unique needs. With features like bulk sending, advanced authentication, and 24/7 premium support included in every plan, Certinal ensures that businesses can unlock the full potential of eSignature technology without financial strain.
For businesses focused on long-term growth, Certinal provides a predictable, cost-effective, and feature-rich alternative to traditional platforms like OneSpan.
When evaluating eSignature solutions, businesses must ask: Are we getting the most value for our investment? With Certinal, the answer is a resounding yes. By solving the pricing challenges faced with other vendors, Certinal positions itself as the smarter choice for organizations that refuse to compromise on quality or cost-efficiency.
Ready to Save on eSignature Costs?
Discover how Certinal can transform your eSignature workflows with cost-effective, transparent, and scalable pricing. Say goodbye to hidden fees, rigid plans, and feature gating. With Certinal, you get all the tools you need to power your business at a fraction of the cost.
Book a Demo: See Certinal in action and learn how it can meet your unique business needs. Schedule your demo today!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Why is OneSpan Sign so expensive?
OneSpan’s pricing can seem high because additional fees are charged for essential features like bulk sending, advanced authentication, or premium support. These costs can quickly add up, especially for smaller businesses or teams. - What are the hidden costs of OneSpan?
Hidden costs in OneSpan often come from features like advanced authentication, video signing, bulk sending, or integrations with platforms like Salesforce or SharePoint, which require additional payments beyond the standard plan. - Is OneSpan Professional Plan pricing scalable for growing businesses?
OneSpan uses a user-based pricing model, which can be limiting for growing businesses. If your team size or document volume fluctuates, you might end up paying for unused licenses or struggle to scale without incurring extra costs. - Does OneSpan include bulk sending in its basic plans?
No, bulk sending is not included in OneSpan’s basic Professional Plan and typically requires an upgrade or additional fees, which can increase your total costs. - How does OneSpan handle seasonal or fluctuating workflows?
OneSpan’s rigid pricing model doesn’t adapt well to fluctuating workflows. Businesses with seasonal spikes in document volume may face challenges in scaling without paying for extra licenses or higher-tier plans. - Does OneSpan include advanced authentication as a standard feature?
No, advanced authentication features like SMS OTPs or email verification are not standard in OneSpan’s basic plans and usually require additional fees or higher-tier subscriptions. - Are OneSpan’s integrations free?
Integrations with platforms like Salesforce, Workday, or SharePoint are often part of OneSpan’s higher-tier plans or come with additional costs, which can be a burden for businesses needing seamless workflows. - Can I customize OneSpan without upgrading to a higher plan?
Custom workflows, white-labeling, and advanced integrations are typically available only in OneSpan’s higher-tier enterprise plans, limiting customization options for businesses on lower-priced plans. - How does OneSpan compare to other eSignature vendors?
While OneSpan excels in security and compliance, other vendors like Certinal eSIgn might offer more transparent pricing, better scalability, and advanced features without extra costs. - Does OneSpan offer 24/7 premium support for all users?
No, OneSpan’s premium support is usually available only for higher-tier plans or as an add-on, meaning users on lower plans may not receive comprehensive assistance.
