Think about the word “signature.” What image pops into your head?
A pen and paper to sign or a digital app?
For many of us, the classic ink signature remains the gold standard. We’ve spent years perfecting that.
Remember school notebooks where we practiced our signatures during classes, dreaming that our signatures would go on important contracts, cheques, and maybe even autographs?
But the world has gone digital, and so have our signing habits.
Let us talk about both types’ usage, security, relevance, and pros and cons.
What is a Wet Ink Signature?
A wet ink signature is the traditional method of signing documents. It involves physically writing your name on a paper document using a pen. This type of signature has been used for centuries to authenticate documents.
What is an Electronic Signature?
An electronic signature, or e-signature, is a way to sign documents using a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Instead of using a pen, you can type your name, draw your signature with a stylus or mouse, or even use your fingerprint to sign.
What are the pros & cons of wet ink signatures?
Pros:
Universally Accepted
Wet ink signatures are accepted in most legal systems worldwide. They have been used for a long time, so people trust them a lot.
No Technology Needed
You don’t need special technology, software, or internet access to use wet ink signatures. All you need is a pen and paper to sign any document, whether it’s for legal or business purposes.
Cons:
Companies face several challenges when collecting wet ink signatures:
Turnaround Time
Collecting wet ink signatures can take a long time. Companies must wait for the mail, couriers, and business days to return the signed documents. Using e-signatures like SignPe is much faster. They can get the documents signed within seconds and close important deals instantly.
Cost
It’s not just about the cost of paper and delivery. Waiting over a week for a signed contract can cost companies money. Delays give potential clients time to consider other options from competitors, which can lead to lost sales.
Customer Experience
Customers must travel to sign the document. If they sign in a different geographical area, they must print and fax it or find a courier service to deliver it. Signing a document online is faster and easier, as it requires no travel, printing, or faxing.
Security and Privacy
Paper documents can be lost or stolen, and it’s hard to control who sees them. E-signatures, like those from SignPe, offer better security with methods to verify who is signing and who can see the documents.
Record Keeping and Retrieval
Storing wet ink signatures requires space. Also, finding physical documents later is chaotic and takes a longer time.
What are the pros and cons of Electronic Signatures?
Pros:
Convenient: Signing documents digitally is super easy. You can do it anywhere using a computer, tablet, or smartphone.
Fast: There is no need to print, sign, and scan. You can sign documents instantly anywhere with your phone.
Cost-Effective: There is no need for pen, paper, printing, or fax. So, you can save money on paper, printing, and postage. Companies can close deals instantly and avoid any opportunity where clients can consider other competitors.
Eco-Friendly: Reduces paper use, which helps save trees and protect the environment.
Cons:
Needs Technology: You need a computer, tablet, smartphone, and internet to use electronic signatures.
Not Always Accepted: Some places or situations still require traditional wet ink signatures.
Technical Issues: Problems with software or internet connection can make it hard to sign documents electronically.
Which is More Secure: Wet Ink or E-Signature?
Wet Ink Signatures
These are signatures you write with a pen on paper. They are safe if the paper is kept in a secure place. However, someone can copy (forge) your signature, and it can be hard to prove who signed it. Signed documents can also be stolen or have higher chances of getting lost.
Electronic Signatures
These are usually more secure as they use encryption to protect the document. E-signatures also keep a record (audit trail) of who signed the document and when, making it easier to prove who signed it and harder for someone to fake (forge) your signature.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Wet Ink Signature | Electronic Signature |
| Convenience | Low (requires physical presence) | High (sign from anywhere) |
| Speed | Slow (printing, signing, scanning) | Fast (instant signing) |
| Cost | Higher (paper, postage) | Lower (digital, no paper) |
| Security | Moderate (forgery risk) | High (encryption, audit trails) |
| Storage | Physical storage required | Digital storage (cloud or local) |
| Eco-Friendliness | Low (paper use) | High (paperless) |
Switch to eSignatures
It is time to switch our signing habits as the world goes digital.
E-signatures use encryption to keep documents safe and make tracking who signed and when easy.
They are fast and easy to use, save time and cost, and save mother nature.
Time to move away from the old way of doing things and walk in hand with the future with electronic signatures.
You can easily make this switch with our app, SignPe. You can sign documents quickly and securely from anywhere using your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Join the growing number of people making their lives easier with e-signatures.
in 
India.