Electronic signature vs digital signature
The two terms are used interchangeably in everyday speech and mean quite different things in practice. Knowing which one a document needs saves you from either over-engineering a simple form or sending an unusable file to a notary.
An electronic signature records intent
An electronic signature is any electronic mark made with the intent to sign: a drawn signature image, a typed name, a checkbox, a tap on “I agree”. It carries no cryptography of its own. What supports it is the surrounding evidence — the email trail, timestamps, the version of the document both sides hold. This is what the overwhelming majority of business documents use.
A digital signature binds a certificate to the file
A digital signature uses a certificate issued to you and a private key to produce a cryptographic hash of the document. Any later change to the file breaks the hash, so the reader can see both who signed and that the content has not shifted since. It requires a certificate from an authority or a device such as a smart card, and it is what formal filings, tenders, and regulated submissions typically ask for.
Which one you need depends on the receiver
The practical rule: read what the other side asked for. If they wrote “sign and send it back”, a drawn signature on the PDF is what they mean. If they mention a certificate, a qualified signature, a smart card, or an e-signature authority, an image will be rejected no matter how good it looks.
| Electronic signature | Digital signature | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Mark showing intent to sign | Certificate-based cryptographic seal |
| Needs a certificate | No | Yes |
| Detects later edits | No | Yes |
| Typical use | Contracts, forms, consents | Filings, tenders, regulated submissions |
| Cost to produce | None | Certificate fee, sometimes hardware |
Frequently asked questions
Is a scanned signature a digital signature?
No. A scanned or drawn signature is an electronic signature — an image. It shows intent but carries no certificate and cannot prove the file is unchanged.
Can one document carry both?
Yes. A drawn signature can sit on the page while a certificate-based signature is applied to the file itself. Signing the file digitally after placing the image is the correct order.
Does a digital signature look different on the page?
It often shows as a badge or a validity panel in the PDF reader rather than as handwriting. Some readers show nothing on the page at all and only report validity in a side panel.
Sign a PDF without your file leaving the device. PDF Signature Maker opens the document in your browser or phone, lets you draw your signature, place it, and export the signed file. No upload, no account, no server copy.
Try it in the browser Get it on Google Play