Updated October 2026 · Prices checked October 14, 2026
A Penneo alternative for businesses that don't need MitID
Penneo is a Danish e-signing and data-collection platform and a qualified trust service provider, popular with auditors, accountants and finance teams. Its Sign plans start from DKK 899 per month billed annually with 500 signatures a year, include national eIDs like MitID and BankID, and offer advanced and qualified signatures. eSignSimple offers only simple electronic signatures, from $0 to $9.99/month for unlimited documents. If your signers use MitID or you sign audit reports, choose Penneo.
Penneo has two products: Penneo Sign for signing and Penneo Collect for gathering data and documents from clients. Sign plans include national eIDs (MitID, MitID Erhverv, Norwegian and Swedish BankID, FTN and .beID), SMS verification, SSO, a document archive and templates. Penneo says MitID, MitID Erhverv and Swedish BankID create advanced electronic signatures, and that MitID QES, itsme, Norwegian BankID, .beID, AusweisApp or a passport create qualified ones. It states that it is a QTSP listed on the EU Trust List.
Pricing is in Danish kroner on the Danish view of its pricing page, billed annually, with 500 signatures a year on Sign Essential and Sign Plus; usage above the allowance is billed at an agreed unit price at the end of the period or at renewal. International signing with itsme, ID Verifier or AusweisApp costs DKK 12 per signature, and MitID QES is an add-on on request. A free trial is offered; its length is not stated on the pricing page.
eSignSimple does not do any of the eID work. A signer opens an email link and signs in the browser, and every document gets an audit trail and a certificate of completion with a SHA-256 hash. These are simple electronic signatures, recognized as evidence under eIDAS but not advanced or qualified. See our EU guide.
How does eSignSimple compare with Penneo?
| Feature | eSignSimple | Penneo |
|---|---|---|
| Signature levels | No (simple electronic signatures only) | Advanced (MitID, MitID Erhverv, Swedish BankID) and qualified (MitID QES, itsme, Norwegian BankID, .beID and more) |
| Qualified trust service provider | No | Yes, listed on the EU Trust List (per Penneo) |
| Free plan | Yes, 3 documents/month | Free trial (length not stated) |
| Entry price | $4.99/month (Bronze, 25 documents/month) | Sign Essential: from DKK 899/month, billed annually |
| Included volume | 25/month on Bronze; unlimited on Silver | 500 signatures/year on Essential and Plus; overage billed per unit |
| National eIDs | No | MitID, MitID Erhverv, BankID (NO and SE), FTN, .beID on all Sign plans |
| SMS verification | No | Yes, on Sign plans |
| SSO | No | Yes; advanced user management on Sign Pro |
| Collecting client data and files | Web forms (Silver and up) | Penneo Collect, from DKK 499/month billed annually |
| Templates | Yes, on every plan | Yes |
| API | REST API v1 and webhooks (Silver and up) | Sign Pro (on request) and Collect Pro |
| Billing | Monthly or yearly, cancel anytime | Annual |
How much does Penneo cost?
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Sign Essential | From DKK 899/month, billed annually | 500 signatures/year, national eIDs, SMS verification, SSO, archive, templates. |
| Sign Plus | From DKK 1,250/month, billed annually | 500 signatures/year, custom signing flows, scheduled reminders, Microsoft integration. |
| Sign Pro | On request | API access, system integrations, SSO with advanced user management, dedicated onboarding, priority support. |
| Collect Plus / Collect Pro | From DKK 499 / DKK 999 per month, billed annually | Data and document collection; Pro adds API access and advanced workflows. |
| Add-ons | DKK 12 per international signature | itsme, ID Verifier or AusweisApp signing; MitID QES on request; registered letter DKK 10. |
Prices checked October 14, 2026 on Penneo: Sign and Collect pricing, Penneo: eIDAS-compliant signatures, Penneo: Qualified Trust Service Provider FAQ. Vendors change prices and may show different prices by country and currency, so confirm before you buy.
eSignSimple pricing, for comparison
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 3 documents a month (a document counts when it is sent), unlimited signers, templates, audit trail and certificate of completion. |
| Bronze | $4.99/month or $39.99/year | 1 sender, 25 documents a month, automatic reminders. |
| Silver | $9.99/month or $89.99/year | 1 sender, unlimited documents, bulk send (up to 200 people per send), web forms, REST API and webhooks. |
| Gold | $19.99/month or $179.99/year | Everything in Silver, team seats for up to 5 senders with shared templates, your logo and brand color, priority support. |
Where is Penneo the better choice?
- MitID, BankID, FTN and .beID signing on every Sign plan, which Danish, Nordic and Belgian signers expect. We support no eIDs.
- Advanced and qualified signatures from a qualified trust service provider. We offer neither.
- A product built for auditors and accountants, including signing annual reports and a Caseware integration.
- Penneo Collect for gathering client data and documents in structured workflows.
- SSO, SMS verification and custom signing flows for regulated firms.
Why do people switch to eSignSimple?
A much lower entry price
Penneo's Sign plans start from DKK 899 per month billed yearly. eSignSimple is $0 for 3 documents a month, $4.99/month for 25, or $9.99/month for unlimited. See pricing.
No signature quota
Silver includes unlimited documents. You don't need to estimate an annual signature count or worry about overage at renewal.
Signers anywhere, with no eID
If your clients are outside Denmark or don't have MitID, an email link is simpler for them. They need no account and no app.
Monthly billing
Pay month to month or save with a yearly plan, and cancel anytime. Templates come with every plan, including Free.
Who should pick which?
| Pick eSignSimple if… | Pick Penneo if… |
|---|---|
| You are a freelancer or small business with everyday contracts and no eID requirement. | You are an auditor or accountant signing annual reports in Denmark, Sweden or Belgium. |
| Your signers are international and don't use MitID or BankID. | Your signers expect MitID or BankID, or you need advanced or qualified signatures. |
| You want a low, flat price without a yearly signature allowance. | You also want structured client data collection with Penneo Collect. |
How do you switch from Penneo to eSignSimple?
- Keep documents that need MitID, AdES or QES (such as audit reports) on Penneo.
- Download your signed documents and signing evidence from Penneo's archive.
- Create an eSignSimple account with Google and upload your everyday contracts as PDF or Word.
- Turn recurring documents into templates and use web forms where you collected simple sign-offs.
- Review your Penneo signature allowance at renewal once only eID signing remains there.
Our take
Penneo is a specialist, and a good one: for a Danish audit firm signing reports with MitID, it fits far better than we do. If you are unsure whether your documents need an advanced or qualified signature, start with our eIDAS glossary entry.
Outside that world, a yearly eID plan priced in kroner is a lot to pay for everyday contracts. eSignSimple covers quotes, NDAs and service agreements with an audit trail for a few dollars a month. For another Nordic option, compare Scrive.
We compare published features and prices from each vendor's own website and list the sources above. Where we could not verify something, we say so. Penneo is a trademark of its owner; eSignSimple is not affiliated with it. See how we protect documents on our security page and what each plan includes on pricing.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Penneo cost?
Penneo's Danish pricing page lists Sign Essential from DKK 899 and Sign Plus from DKK 1,250 per month, billed annually, each with 500 signatures a year; Sign Pro is on request. Collect starts from DKK 499 per month (checked October 2026).
Does eSignSimple support MitID?
No. eSignSimple does not support MitID, BankID or any other eID. Signers sign through a unique email link, and we record an audit trail.
Is Penneo a qualified trust service provider?
Penneo says it is a QTSP and is listed on the EU Trust List, and offers qualified signatures through MitID QES, itsme, Norwegian BankID, .beID, AusweisApp or passport.
Is a simple electronic signature valid in the EU?
Yes, as evidence: eIDAS says a signature cannot be refused just because it is electronic. Only a qualified signature has the automatic effect of a handwritten one. See our EU guide.
Does Penneo have a free trial?
Yes, Penneo offers a free trial, but its pricing page does not state the length. eSignSimple has a permanent free plan with 3 documents a month.
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