SmartDocs vs. Yousign
The Yousign alternative hosted in Germany
Yousign is an established European provider headquartered in France. European is good. For many German businesses, data protection officers and works councils, though, "hosted in Germany" is the simpler answer: no cross-border data flows, German data protection law, German data centers.
- Hosted in Germany
- GDPR compliant
- eIDAS compliant
- ISO 27001
Head to head
SmartDocs and Yousign compared
SmartDocs combines what Yousign does well with the advantage of being based in Germany and a pricing model without the tier puzzle.
| SmartDocs | Yousign | |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Germany | France |
| Data hosting | Exclusively Germany (Nuremberg) | France / EU |
| Pricing model | Two clear plans: €25 or €40 per seat | Four plans (€9 to €38) with tiered feature limits |
| Free plan | Yes, 5 signature requests per month | Yes, 2 signature requests per month |
| QES | Yes, terms on request | Yes, approx. €10 to €15 extra per signature |
| In-person signing (kiosk mode) | Yes | Not advertised |
| API access | Included in the Pro plan at no extra cost | Separate API plans from approx. €104 per month |
As of June 2026. All information on Yousign is based on the provider's publicly available information, without guarantee.
Why SmartDocs
Four reasons to switch
Hosted exclusively in Germany
Data center in Nuremberg, no transfers to third countries. The simplest answer to any data protection review.
Transparent pricing from €0
A free plan with no time limit, Pro for €25 per seat per month. No pricing on request, no hidden tiers.
All three signature levels
SES, AES and QES on one platform: from everyday business to the statutory written form under § 126a BGB.
In-person signing included
Kiosk mode with documented identity verification: signatures in the showroom, at the practice or at handover.
Fairness
What Yousign does well
To be fair: Yousign has been on the market for years, offers a mature platform with identification and seal products and serves more than 30,000 customers in Europe. If you also need KYC verification or electronic seals, you will find a broader portfolio there.
See for yourself: the SmartDocs Free plan costs nothing, with no time limit, so running both side by side during your evaluation is free.
Switching is easier than you think
Create templates, invite your team, get going: most teams are productive on day one. We help you move over.