AEO for e-signature software: AI search visibility ranking
How AI search engines rank e-signature software by visibility and citations. 20 brands measured quarterly across Google AI Mode: which brands the AI names in answers, which domains it cites as sources, and how the leaders compare. Software used to send, sign, track, and manage legally binding digital agreements, approvals, and contract workflows online. Composite score: 70% visibility (% of AI answers naming the brand) + 30% citation rate (% citing the brand's domain). Full methodology →
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When asking AI engines about E-signature software, PandaDoc emerges as the leading brand, with a visibility percentage of 62.5. Other top brands that frequently appear in AI responses are DocuSign and signNow. The significant visibility of PandaDoc indicates a strong presence and recognition in this space.
The rankings are shaped by AI engines pulling from top cited sources like YouTube, Zapier, and Reddit. These platforms often feature user-generated reviews and expert insights, contributing to an aggregation of real-world experiences and expert knowledge. Review sites and forums are heavily cited, influencing how brands rank by reflecting genuine user sentiment.
For buyers navigating this list, it's crucial to consider what AI engines prioritize, such as recent reviews and third-party validations. Platforms like Gartner contribute topical authority and expertise on specific subcategories. Evaluating where the information comes from and how brands perform across these trusted sources can guide a more informed decision-making process.
At a glance
What we observed in this category
PandaDoc leads the e-signature AI visibility landscape with a composite score of 51.2, compared to DocuSign and signNow both sitting at 38.8. That 12.4-point gap is significant because PandaDoc achieved it by growing visibility 25 percentage points to reach 62.5%, while DocuSign actually fell 12.5 points from its previous position as rank-one brand. Adobe Acrobat Sign and Dropbox Sign both rose sharply in visibility this period, suggesting the mid-tier is becoming more competitive rather than stable.
A clear divergence exists between being named and being cited. Adobe Acrobat Sign appears in 37.5% of responses but holds a 0.0% citation rate, and Dropbox Sign mirrors this exactly at 25.0% visibility with zero citations. Meanwhile, SignEasy shows the inverse pattern: 0.0% visibility yet a 50.0% citation rate, the highest in the dataset. Jotform Sign similarly carries a 37.5% citation rate despite zero visibility. These brands are referenced as sources without being surfaced as recommendations.
All ten ranked brands share Google AI Mode as their top engine, confirming this audit is anchored entirely within that single surface. The top cited sources for this category are youtube.com, zapier.com, reddit.com, proposify.com, gartner.com, sirion.ai, techtarget.com, and signwell.com. The presence of reddit.com and youtube.com alongside analyst sources like gartner.com suggests Google AI Mode is drawing on a broad mix of user-generated content and structured review platforms when generating e-signature responses.
Movers & shakers since last refresh
Biggest visibility risers
-
PandaDoc 38% → 62% · rank #2 → #1+25pp
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Adobe Acrobat Sign 12% → 38% · rank #8 → #4+25pp
-
Dropbox Sign 0% → 25% · rank #17 → #5+25pp
Biggest visibility fallers
-
BoldSign 25% → 0% · rank #3 → #11-25pp
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DocuSign 62% → 50% · rank #1 → #2-12pp
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Jotform Sign 12% → 0% · rank #6 → #9-12pp
The AEO ranking
| # | Brand | Visibility | Citation | Top engine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
pandadoc.com
|
62% | 25% | Google AI Mode |
PandaDoc leads with 62.5% visibility, more than 4.5 times the 13.8% category average, but its citation rate fell 25 points this period to just 25.0%. |
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| 2 |
docusign.com
|
50% | 12% | Google AI Mode |
DocuSign sits at 50.0% visibility, above average but down from its previous rank-one position, with a citation rate of 12.5% matching the 10.6% category average closely. |
||||
| 3 |
signnow.com
|
50% | 12% | Google AI Mode |
signNow shares DocuSign's identical composite score of 38.8 and identical 50.0% visibility and 12.5% citation rate, making them statistically indistinguishable in this audit. |
||||
| 4 |
adobe.com
|
38% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
Adobe Acrobat Sign jumped four ranks after a 25-point visibility gain to 37.5%, yet its citation rate remains 0.0%, meaning AI names it without linking to it. |
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| 5 |
dropbox.com
|
25% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
Dropbox Sign made the largest rank jump in the dataset, rising 12 places from rank 17 to rank 5, but still holds zero citation rate despite its 25.0% visibility. |
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| 6 |
airslate.com
|
25% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
| 7 |
signeasy.com
|
0% | 50% | Google AI Mode |
| 8 |
onespan.com
|
12% | 12% | Google AI Mode |
| 9 |
jotform.com
|
0% | 38% | Google AI Mode |
| 10 |
zoho.com
|
12% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
| 11 |
boldsign.com
|
0% | 25% | Google AI Mode |
| 12 |
getaccept.com
|
0% | 12% | Google AI Mode |
| 13 |
scrive.com
|
0% | 12% | Google AI Mode |
| 14 |
gonitro.com
|
0% | 12% | Google AI Mode |
| 15 |
sertifi.com
|
0% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
| 16 |
contractbook.com
|
0% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
| 17 |
yousign.com
|
0% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
| 18 |
foxit.com
|
0% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
| 19 |
xodo.com
|
0% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
| 20 |
formstack.com
|
0% | 0% | Google AI Mode |
Sources AI engines trust in this category
Across the 8 buyer-intent queries we ran on e-signature software, these are the domains Google AI Mode cited most often. If you're not on this list — or if your competitors are — that's a concrete PR / linkbuilding target.
How to read this AEO ranking
Four things worth knowing before you act on the numbers above. These are the same definitions across every industry page — for category-specific observations, see the What we observed section above (where available) and the per-brand insights inline in the ranking.
Visibility = being named
A brand's visibility % is the share of AI answers that mention it by name in the response prose. This is who AI engines actively recommend to the buyer. More on visibility →
Citation rate = being trusted
Citation rate is the share of AI answers that include the brand's domain as a clickable source link. This is what the AI treats as authoritative evidence, different from being named. More on citation rate →
Top engine differs by brand
The "top engine" column shows which AI surface each brand performs best on. Big gaps between a brand's score across engines usually points to specific content or schema gaps. How AI engines pick sources →
AEO rankings move month to month
AI engines re-crawl and re-rank on shorter cycles than classical search. We re-audit every brand on this list at least every 90 days and refresh this page automatically. How AI search ranking works →
Run an AEO audit on your own e-signature software brand
The brands above were curated from public market-leader lists. Want the same answer engine optimisation measurement against your own brand — including the queries you appear on, which competitors get named instead, and a prioritised fix list? Run a free preview.
Frequently asked about AEO for e-signature software
Who leads AI visibility in e-signature software?
PandaDoc leads with a composite score of 51.2 and 62.5% visibility, ahead of DocuSign and signNow who are tied at 38.8. PandaDoc moved up from rank two after a 25-point visibility increase.
Which e-signature brands are cited most often by Google AI Mode?
SignEasy has the highest citation rate at 50.0%, followed by Jotform Sign at 37.5%, despite both having zero visibility scores. PandaDoc leads among visible brands with a 25.0% citation rate.
What sources does Google AI Mode anchor on for e-signature research?
The top cited sources are youtube.com, zapier.com, reddit.com, proposify.com, gartner.com, sirion.ai, techtarget.com, and signwell.com, spanning user forums, integration directories, and analyst platforms.
Which e-signature brands have high visibility but zero citations?
Adobe Acrobat Sign at 37.5% visibility and Dropbox Sign at 25.0% visibility both carry 0.0% citation rates, meaning they appear in AI responses but are not being linked as sources.
Which brands have lost the most AI visibility in e-signature software?
BoldSign fell the furthest, dropping eight ranks from third to eleventh with a 25-point visibility loss and a 37.5-point citation loss. DocuSign also fell from rank one to rank two with a 12.5-point visibility drop.
How does the average e-signature brand perform in Google AI Mode visibility?
The category average visibility is 13.8% and the average citation rate is 10.6%, meaning most of the 20 brands audited have very limited AI presence compared to the top five.