Updated October 2026 · Prices checked October 1, 2026
A Skribble alternative, and when you still need Skribble
Skribble is a Swiss specialist in qualified electronic signatures (QES) under both EU eIDAS and Swiss ZertES, from pay-per-use QES at €5 each to Team and Pro plans. eSignSimple does not offer QES or AES, only simple electronic signatures. If a law requires the written form, as in Germany under BGB §126a, you need a QES and should use Skribble. For everyday contracts, we are simpler and cheaper.
Skribble, based in Zurich with a strong base in Germany and Austria, lets you sign at all three legal levels: simple (SES), advanced (AES) and qualified (QES). Its QES is issued through qualified trust service providers and is recognized under the EU's eIDAS regulation and Switzerland's ZertES. Signers verify their identity once, and after that a QES takes seconds.
We want to be very clear: eSignSimple does not offer qualified electronic signatures or advanced ones. We provide simple electronic signatures with an audit trail and a certificate of completion with a SHA-256 hash. That is legally valid for most contracts, but it does not replace a handwritten signature where the law demands one.
When is QES legally required? In the EU, eIDAS gives only a QES the same legal effect as a handwritten signature. In Germany, where a law prescribes the written form (Schriftform, BGB §126), you can replace it electronically only with a QES under BGB §126a, and some laws exclude the electronic form altogether (for example terminating an employment contract, BGB §623). In Switzerland, only a QES meeting ZertES equals a handwritten signature under the Code of Obligations. See our Germany and Switzerland guides.
How does eSignSimple compare with Skribble?
| Feature | eSignSimple | Skribble |
|---|---|---|
| Signature levels | No (simple electronic signatures only) | SES, AES and QES |
| QES under EU eIDAS and Swiss ZertES | No | Yes |
| Replaces the written form (BGB §126a) | No | Yes, with QES (unless the law excludes electronic form) |
| Free plan | Yes, 5 documents/month | Starter: €0/month, pay per signature |
| Pay-per-use prices | Not needed; flat plans | Starter: €3 per AES, €5 per QES |
| Starting subscription | $4.99/month or $39.99/year, unlimited documents | Team: €23/month (€276 billed yearly), unlimited SES, 72 AES/QES per user per year |
| Higher tier | Team plan ($19/sender) coming soon; no team seats yet | Pro: €36/month (€432 billed yearly), 120 AES/QES per user per year, API, branding |
| Extra QES | Not available | €4.50 (Team) or €4 (Pro) each |
| Signer identity verification | No | Yes, required for AES/QES |
| Signer needs an account | No | No for SES; identification needed for AES/QES |
| Templates / bulk send | Yes / Yes, up to 200 people per send | Focused on signing uploaded PDFs |
| Audit trail | Yes, with certificate of completion and SHA-256 hash | Yes |
| API | REST API v1 and webhooks | Pro and Scale |
| Languages | 10 languages: English, Turkish, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), German, French, Italian, Japanese, Indonesian, Arabic | German, English, French, Italian |
How much does Skribble cost?
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | €0/month | 1 user, pay per use: €3 per AES, €5 per QES. |
| Team | €23/month (€276 billed yearly) | Up to 20 users, unlimited SES, 72 AES/QES per user per year, extra QES €4.50. |
| Pro | €36/month (€432 billed yearly) | Up to 20 users, unlimited SES, 120 AES/QES per user per year, extra QES €4, API and branding. |
| Scale | Quote-based | More than 20 users or high volume. |
Prices checked October 1, 2026 on Skribble pricing. 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 | 5 documents a month (a document counts when it is sent), unlimited signers, audit trail and certificate of completion, templates, web forms, API access. |
| Personal | $4.99/month, or $1.99/week or $39.99/year | 1 sender, unlimited documents, templates, bulk send (up to 200 people per send), web forms, reminders, REST API and webhooks. |
| Team | $19 per sender/month | Coming soon. Team seats, shared templates and branding are not available yet, so today every sender needs their own account. |
Where is Skribble the better choice?
- Qualified electronic signatures that equal a handwritten signature in the EU and Switzerland. We cannot offer this at all.
- Advanced electronic signatures for documents where you want stronger proof of identity.
- Swiss and EU legal expertise, with QES under both eIDAS and ZertES from one tool.
- Pay-per-use QES from €5, so occasional written-form contracts do not need a subscription.
- Team administration for up to 20 users today and German, French and Italian interfaces.
Why do people switch to eSignSimple?
When SES is enough
Most commercial contracts, NDAs, quotes, freelance agreements and HR forms have no form requirement. For those, a simple electronic signature with a solid audit trail is valid and much cheaper than QES.
Unlimited documents, one price
$4.99/month for unlimited documents ($1.99/week or $39.99/year), or $0 for 5 a month. No per-signature counting. See pricing.
Templates, web forms and bulk send
Reusable templates, public web form links and bulk send to up to 200 people, which suit repetitive paperwork.
No identification step for signers
Signers open a link and sign, with no account and no ID check. That is faster, and also why our signatures are simple, not qualified.
Who should pick which?
| Pick eSignSimple if… | Pick Skribble if… |
|---|---|
| Your documents have no written-form requirement (most everyday business contracts). | A law requires the written form and you want to sign electronically (QES under BGB §126a or ZertES). |
| You send many documents and want a flat monthly price. | You need AES or QES for regulated industries, banks or public bodies. |
| You want templates, web forms and bulk send. | Your team works in German, French or Italian. |
How do you switch from Skribble to eSignSimple?
- Sort your documents: anything with a written-form requirement stays with a QES provider like Skribble.
- Download your signed documents and signature reports from Skribble.
- Create an eSignSimple account with Google and upload your everyday documents as PDF or Word.
- Save recurring documents as templates and set signing order and reminders.
- Keep a Skribble Starter account (pay per use) for the occasional document that needs QES.
Our take
Skribble does something we do not: qualified signatures that stand in for a handwritten one. If your contracts need the written form in Germany, Austria or Switzerland, use Skribble or another qualified provider, not us. Read the QES glossary entry if you are unsure.
Most small businesses, though, sign documents with no form requirement, and paying per qualified signature for them is unnecessary. Our honest advice: use eSignSimple for everyday paperwork and keep Skribble's pay-per-use Starter plan for the few documents that truly need QES. Compare also Yousign.
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. Skribble 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
Does eSignSimple offer QES?
No. We only offer simple electronic signatures. For documents that legally require QES, use a qualified provider such as Skribble.
When is QES required in Germany?
When a law prescribes the written form (BGB §126) and you want to sign electronically, BGB §126a requires a QES. Some documents, such as an employment termination (BGB §623), cannot be signed electronically at all. See our Germany guide.
Is a simple electronic signature valid in Switzerland?
It can be used as evidence for contracts with no form requirement, but only a ZertES qualified signature equals a handwritten one. See our Switzerland guide.
How much does Skribble cost?
Skribble lists Starter at €0 with €5 per QES, Team at €23/month and Pro at €36/month (billed yearly), per its pricing page checked October 2026.
Is Skribble free?
Starter has no monthly fee, but each AES or QES is paid per use. Team and Pro have a 14-day free trial.
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