Breaking Vendr Pricing Intelligence: Docusign Testing Pricing Plan Change [and How to Prepare]

Did you know that Docusign may soon change the way its customers pay for software? According to Vendr’s community — one of the largest communities of software buyers in the world — Docusign is testing a new pricing plan that could impact certain businesses. Our special intel indicates that high-growth companies and enterprise buyers stand to benefit the most. 

To help you understand what this change might mean, this article will cover: 

• Docusign's traditional two-pronged pricing model.
• Docusign's new pricing model.
• What this means for Docusign customers.
• How Docusign customers can prepare for potential changes.

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Docusign's traditional two-pronged pricing model 

To date, Docusign has had a two-pronged pricing model: per-seat and per-envelope.

The per-seat pricing model charges customers for each user assigned to their account. Each seat is given a limited number of envelopes (documents to be signed) though this limit is often not strictly enforced. According to Vendr's Docusign Buyer Guide, pricing negotiations for buyers of seat-based pricing start around $780/year.

The usage-based per-envelope model charges the customer for a certain number of envelopes. If the customer exceeds that amount, they need to either renew or change their contract. Vendr's Buyer Guide and community purchasing data with this pilot model indicates target negotiation ranges for per-envelope pricing.

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Docusign's new pricing plan 

Vendr has learned from our community that Docusign is testing a change to its pricing model. 

Under the proposed pricing plan, Docusign would do away with usage-based, per-envelope pricing. Instead, they would only offer a per-seat model that provides unlimited envelopes per user.

‍Note: These changes aren’t official and it isn’t certain the company will replace its current two-pronged pricing model.

So far, Docusign has limited testing of the new pricing model to high-growth enterprise businesses.

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Advantages and disadvantages of Docusign’s new pricing plan

Flexibility is a key advantage of the two-pronged pricing model, as buyers can opt for the pricing plan that best suits their e-signature needs. 

For example, a large company that sends a high volume of documents can opt for per-seat pricing so it does not have to worry about running out of envelopes. However a small business may choose usage-based pricing and purchase more envelopes as needed.

According to Vendr’s Community Insights, some buyers on a usage-based plan also leverage it to secure discounts per envelope. However, buying more envelopes requires frequent contract amendments, creating more work for both Docusign and customers.

If you register for a free Vendr account, you will get access to valuable Community Insights on Docusign. You will also be able to see how DocuSign compares to top competitors such as Adobe, PandaDoc, Conga, and SignNow.

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How does the new Docusign pricing plan impact you?

If you are a current or future Docusign customer, the new seat-based pricing model could impact you in several ways.

The new pricing model that Docusign is testing is great news for fast-growing companies or enterprise buyers who want to avoid envelope limits. 

Some Vendr community members have already leveraged the new model to secure a discount — one buyer cut their costs by 50% when they transitioned to an unlimited envelope agreement.

With a seat-based pricing model, companies may save time as they will no longer need to amend contracts when they run out of envelopes.

A potential downside is the loss of flexibility. Some companies, such as small businesses that send out fewer documents today or expect to lessen the number of envelopes they send in the future, are happy with envelope-based pricing. For them, the shift to seat-based pricing does not bring any notable advantages. Additionally, they may not be able to secure per-envelope discounts and may need to spend more money than they’re spending today to be an unlimited envelope user.

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How Docusign customers can prepare for a potential pricing plan change 

One way to prepare for Docusign’s potential pricing changes is to sign or renew your contract now on the envelope model. If the company does transition to a seat-based model, you will be locked in on envelope-based pricing for the duration of your contract. 

When considering the switch to seat-based pricing, it’s a good idea to calculate how many seats you will need ahead of time. To save money, you could grant permission to send envelopes to a small handful of team members. This will minimize the number of seats on your account while taking advantage of unlimited envelopes.

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Save thousands on Docusign and other SaaS products with Vendr 

Vendr’s procurement platform helps companies of all sizes find the best software vendors and access pricing data to secure better deals. For example, LocalizeOS, a real estate technology company, has saved $131,000 with the help of Vendr’s insights and pricing data. 

Vendr’s benchmarks provide excellent discount leverage every time you buy or renew software. We also have a team of negotiation experts to help you analyze contracts, obtain competitor quotes, and get tailored advice. 

To start, register for a free account and unlock more insights into Docusign and dozens of other software vendors.