Updated October 2026 · Prices checked October 14, 2026
A Scrive alternative for small teams outside the eID world
Scrive is a European e-signature provider and qualified trust service provider, strongest in the Nordics. eSign Online costs €21 per user per month (Essentials) or €49 (Business), both billed annually, with unlimited documents and a 14-day free trial; BankID, MitID and Scrive QES are paid add-ons on Business and Enterprise. eSignSimple offers simple electronic signatures only, from $0 to $9.99/month for unlimited documents, billed monthly or yearly. If your signers expect BankID or you need QES, choose Scrive.
Scrive sells several products: eSign Online (the web app), eSign GO, an eSign API, eSign Forms, and identification services through its eID Hub, which it says gives eID and identity verification access across more than 195 countries. Its help center lists eIDs such as Swedish and Norwegian BankID, MitID, the Finnish Trust Network, Freja, Smart-ID, iDIN and itsme, plus Onfido and PIN by SMS. Scrive is a qualified trust service provider under eIDAS and offers its own qualified signature, Scrive QES, with BankID, Smart-ID or itsme.
The eSign Online plans are licensed per sender: only the person who initiates a contract needs a license. Essentials includes unlimited documents, an e-archive and an evidence package, but no eID add-on. Business adds signing with eIDs and identity verification (for extra fees), integrations, branding, templates and a contact book. Enterprise adds bulk send, SSO and an extended SLA. Contracts are annual, and Scrive asks for notice three months before the contract expires.
eSignSimple is much simpler. Signers open an email link and sign in the browser; we record an audit trail and a certificate of completion with a SHA-256 hash. We do not offer BankID, SMS or qualified signatures. In Sweden, contract law generally has no form requirement, so a simple electronic signature can be used for most commercial agreements; see our Sweden guide.
How does eSignSimple compare with Scrive?
| Feature | eSignSimple | Scrive |
|---|---|---|
| Signature levels | No (simple electronic signatures only) | Electronic signatures plus Scrive QES (qualified, Scrive is a QTSP) |
| Free plan | Yes, 3 documents/month | 14-day free trial with 10 documents, no credit card |
| Entry price | $4.99/month (Bronze, 25 documents/month) | Essentials: €21/user/month, billed annually |
| Unlimited documents | Silver, $9.99/month or $89.99/year | Yes, on Essentials (€21) and Business (€49) per user/month |
| Billing | Monthly or yearly, cancel anytime | Annual; notice 3 months before the contract expires |
| BankID, MitID and other eIDs | No | Add-on on Business and Enterprise (extra fees); not on Essentials |
| SMS authentication | No | Add-on with variable fees |
| Signer needs an account | No | No; only senders need a license |
| Templates / bulk send | Yes, on every plan / Yes, up to 200 people per send (Silver and up) | Templates on Business / bulk send on Enterprise |
| Web forms | Yes, Silver and up (public link, single-signer templates) | Forms builder and shareable links as a paid add-on |
| SSO | No | Enterprise |
| Audit trail | Yes, with certificate of completion and SHA-256 hash | Evidence package and e-archive |
| API and integrations | REST API v1 and webhooks (Silver and up); No native integrations yet (API and webhooks) | eSign API, plugins and integrations (Business and up) |
How much does Scrive cost?
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free trial | €0 for 14 days | 10 documents, most features; eID verification needs separate setup. |
| Essentials | €21 per user/month, billed annually | Unlimited documents, e-archive, evidence package, document forwarding. BankID/eIDs not available. |
| Business | €49 per user/month, billed annually | eIDs and identity verification (BankID, MitID, Onfido, Scrive QES) as paid add-ons, integrations, branding, templates. |
| Enterprise | Quote | Bulk send, SSO, extended SLA, configurable account structure and signing groups. |
| Variable fees | Not published | SMS and eID transactions are charged on top of the license. |
Prices checked October 14, 2026 on Scrive: eSign Online pricing, Scrive: eID Hub pricing, Scrive: Scrive QES, Scrive help center: eIDs. 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 Scrive the better choice?
- BankID, MitID, FTN, itsme and other national eIDs that Nordic and Benelux signers trust. We support none.
- Its own qualified electronic signature, as a qualified trust service provider under eIDAS.
- Identity verification and KYC through eID Hub, beyond signing.
- Enterprise features we lack: SSO, configurable account structures and an extended SLA.
- Integrations and plugins for the business systems common in its markets.
Why do people switch to eSignSimple?
Pay per account, not per sender per year
Scrive licenses every sender and bills yearly. Our Silver plan is $9.99/month for unlimited documents, and Gold covers up to 5 senders for $19.99/month. See pricing.
No annual lock-in
Our plans are monthly or yearly and you can cancel anytime. There is no three-month notice period.
Your signers don't use BankID
If your clients are outside the Nordics, eIDs add cost without helping them. Our signers open a link and sign with no account and no app.
Templates and bulk send on small plans
Templates come with every plan, including Free; bulk send to up to 200 people and web forms come with Silver, not an enterprise tier.
Who should pick which?
| Pick eSignSimple if… | Pick Scrive if… |
|---|---|
| You are a freelancer or small business whose signers don't need BankID. | Your signers are in Sweden, Norway, Denmark or Finland and expect BankID or MitID. |
| You want monthly billing and a flat price without per-sender licenses. | You need qualified signatures or KYC-grade identity checks. |
| Your clients are spread across many countries and languages. | You want SSO, an SLA and an established Nordic provider. |
How do you switch from Scrive to eSignSimple?
- Note which contracts truly need eID or QES; keep those with Scrive.
- Download your signed documents and evidence packages from Scrive before your contract ends, and give notice in time.
- Create an eSignSimple account with Google and upload your everyday contracts as PDF or Word.
- Save recurring documents as templates and set signing order and reminders.
- Send a test to yourself and check the certificate of completion before moving clients over.
Our take
Scrive is a strong choice in the Nordics, where BankID is how people prove who they are, and its qualified signature is something we will not match. If your process needs that level, stay with Scrive or compare Skribble for qualified signing.
If your signers just need to read and sign a contract, a per-sender annual license with eID add-ons is more than you need. eSignSimple is cheaper, monthly and quick to start. For another Swedish option built around contracts, see Oneflow.
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. Scrive 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 Scrive cost?
Scrive lists eSign Online Essentials at €21 and Business at €49 per user per month, both billed annually, with unlimited documents. Enterprise is quoted, and SMS and eID fees come on top (checked October 2026).
Does Scrive have a free plan?
Scrive offers a 14-day free trial with 10 documents and no credit card, not a permanent free plan. eSignSimple's free plan includes 3 documents a month with no time limit.
Does eSignSimple support BankID?
No. We do not support BankID, MitID or any other eID, and we do not send SMS codes. Signers sign through a unique email link.
Is a simple electronic signature valid in Sweden?
For most commercial contracts, yes: Swedish contract law generally has no form requirement, and eIDAS says an electronic signature cannot be refused as evidence just because it is electronic. Some documents, such as property purchases, still need paper. See our Sweden guide.
Is Scrive a qualified trust service provider?
Yes. Scrive says it is a QTSP under eIDAS and offers Scrive QES with BankID, Smart-ID or itsme. eSignSimple offers simple signatures only.
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