DocHub Review: In-Depth
DocHub is a free cloud-based tool that allows flexible signing, editing, and distribution of documents digitally. It offers a secure platform suitable for both individuals and businesses. Editing options enable users to create reusable templates, erase, stamp, and comment into the instrument without affecting the form’s original quality.
Posting templates with personally identifying information for public visibility is possible. Every edit done on the tool saves real-time on the cloud to ensure the security of records. It has integrations with Gmail, Google Drive, and Dropbox. It also allows subscribers to import and export files directly. The platform also supports other file types such as .DOC, .PPT, and .XLS.
Key Features
- Annotation tools
- Lossless editing
- Secure workflow
- PDF forms
- Publish forms online
- Send and receive real signatures
- Multiple signers’ workflows
- Batch signing
- Legally binding eSignatures
- Gmail Add-on
DocHub Review: Background Information
Chris Dover founded DocHub on April 5, 2014. Its parent company is Macroplant, a global leader specializing in software development. It is currently based in Boston, Massachusetts, and has six employees.
They include:
- Chris Devor – Founder /CEO
- Mike Dalehite – Head of Customer Relations
- Joshua Wilkosz – Full Stack Engineer
- Bryan Pierce – Software Architect
- Michael Cedrone – Full Stack Developer
- Josh Bautista – Customer Relations Specialist
Interesting Stats & Facts
Over the years, the company has generated more than $1.1 million in revenue while saving on the physical printing of paper and pulping. They seek to create a superb user experience pertaining to the stages involved in the form signing process. Due to this, the company has grown significantly to millions of active users.
Here are some of their key achievements:
- Over 1 Billion pages recorded on the platform
- 2.08 million daily Page visitors
- Reached 52 million users and 274.9 million documents
Service Features & Technical Details
This electronic signature solution enables individuals and organizations to digitize workflows. Based on this, it offers a feature-rich platform to carry out these services.
Digitized files are almost always in the portable format. Acquiring the right tool to alter, sign, and share collaboratively is paramount. The service provides an all-in-one solution through its features.
These include:
- Annotating documents: in the form of text or diagram
- E-Signatures: for legal-binding contracts
- Merging templates: share multiple templates as one
- Convert to PDF: upload and transform any document instantly into PDF
- Secure file sharing: prevents unauthorized access
- PDF Reader: easily interact with indentures
Features in Detail
Users appreciate the tool for the wide range of features that provide beneficial solutions in handling documents. Reviews indicate its invaluable qualities to facilitate easy access to information.
This online service ensures secure and seamless bridging of the browser and PDF gap. Multiple parties can then acquire a report from a single source. These outstanding features enhance the user experience.
Here is a review of the platform’s features in detail.
Powerful Tools to Annotate PDFs
Documents convey written communication and need a tool to enhance readability. The tool allows text interaction to improve the reader’s ability to understand, recall, and react to the paper. This tool consists of options that will enable commenting on text margin and highlighting key pieces.
Here are useful annotate tools:
- Add text
- Brush
- Line/Rectangle/Circle
- Whiteout/Redact
- Insert image
- Highlight/Underline/Strikeout
- Stamp
- Comment
- Add signature/Add initials
Retained Quality Edit
With most software applications offering editing tools, it is easy to lose the text/diagram’s quality. This utility provides lossless editing by ensuring the finished version and original are of the same quality.
People comfortably utilize this tool with the assurance that their content remains unchanged unless they authorize it.
Encrypted Channel
Users can set permissions to enable public visibility, editing, and sharing. Regardless, they rest assured that their private forms remain inaccessible to others. The accounts employ state-of-the-art OAuth 2.0 authentication for validation.
This allows for storage in an encrypted manner. Any deletion of a file leads to the destruction of all its available counterparts.
Modify PDF Forms
Most people utilizing this tool seek to modify files in a portable format to suit their preferences. The service consists of a Field Manager that gives the user control. This simplifies creating, editing, and filling new fields.
Enable/Disable Public Display
This utility allows an individual to share their files with multiple people at once. It is possible to send them as a URL link via Twitter, Facebook, and email. This feature enhances file accessibility since anyone can acquire their own copy and fill it out. The owner of the file automatically receives completed forms.
Digital Signatures
This feature eliminates a tedious physical interaction between two parties seeking signatures. Both parties provide real signatures making the signed document legally-binding. This feature eliminates the process of printing and scanning.
The process involves:
- Importing the file from the inbox
- Dropping signature from the toolbar
- Sending the signed document to the other party
Multiple Signers’ Accessibility
It incorporates the authorization of having multiple people sign a document. This feature requires the specification of the parties involved. It also asks one to indicate where the document needs signing.
One-For-All Document Signing
Seeking signatures from many people can be monotonous and boring for a person sending one at a time. To curb this long process, this tool consists of this feature that allows bulk signing. Numerous people can fill a document created from a single template.
Legally Binding Agreements
Documents signed through DocHub bind the sender and receiver legally. This is under the ESIGN Act, which was enacted on June 30, 2000.
During the signing process, the platform records the event’s authentication details. Both parties of the instrument acquire these details and form a legal audit trail.
Seamless Gmail Add-On
Importing a document from Gmail directly is attainable, enhancing annotation, signing, and editing. This is through the integration of a sidebar into a person’s Gmail account. These features also allow users to attach files from the service without necessarily leaving their inbox.
This add-on enables:
- The appearance of a button to open attachments into the service
- Display of recently updated documents
- Using toggle buttons to attach new draft in current email
Integrations
Certain online utilities integrate seamlessly with the service. The list below explores features of the best integration in 2023.
Google Drive
Offering 15GB storage, users can store, access, and share documents from any device. Businesses can acquire Drive Enterprise for employees’ storage.
Dropbox
This smart workspace provides secure file storage and enables a team to access content and tools from different devices.
Google Contacts
This is a contact management program. It ensures the safe backing up of a person’s address book and has no clutter. This app is readily available on devices sharing the same platform.
Gmail
Gmail app allows DocHub users to access and respond to emails and get attachments securely. It also provides warnings to phish-y looking emails to avoid dangerous emails from reaching the end-user.
Google Workspace
Formerly G Suite, this one-stop app allows individuals to organize and manage work in a timely way. People can work online or offline from anywhere.
DocHub Plans & Pricing
DocHub comprises two pricing packages: a free version and a pro plan. The latter offers a monthly or annual billing cycle. Both differ in price, benefits, features, and capabilities. Here is a review of each plan package.
Free Package
This tier allows its account holders to access the various features the platform offers at no charge. This is a suitable option for first-time users to gauge their experience with the service. The package enables individuals to manage at most 2,000 documents. They can also send out a total of five eSignatures for every month per document.
This subscription level does not offer any fax pages, and account owners can only acquire seven saved signatures.
Features:
- Three sign requests per month
- Three emails a day
- Three simultaneous signers per sign request
- Three email recipients for every email sent
- Access to storage
- Secure transfer
- Easy document modification
Functionality:
- Suitable for personal/short-term use
- Free of charge
- Seamless editing and annotation
- Integration with third-party apps
- Encryption enabled
- Digital signature enabled
Number of users: Unlimited
Number of social accounts: Unlimited
Scheduling: No
Price: Free
Pros:
- Free of charge
- Easy access and use
- Lifetime availability
- Small scale use
- Secure file transfer channel
Cons:
- Slow customer support
- User features prone to exhaustion
Pro Package
The Pro plan is the billed version that provides a wide range of benefits. It provides the platform to execute document workflow on a large scale. This makes it more suitable for businesses and organizations.
It costs $6.99 a month with a discount of 29% when billed annually. First-time users get to enjoy a one-month trial at no cost. With this option, subscribers get priority tech support. It comes with unlimited access to document handling, eSignatures, sign requests, and saved signatures.
Features:
- 250 email a day
- 50 simultaneous signers per sign request
- 30 Email recipients for every sent mail
- 35 free monthly fax pages
- Drop-Down box field tool
- Over 600 customized stamps
- Flatten and rasterize documents
Functionality:
- Access to premium tools
- Send in bulk
- Secure transfer enabled
- Unlimited and seamless workflow
- Integration to third-party services
- Suitable for long-term use
Number of users: Unlimited
Number of social accounts: Unlimited
Scheduling: No
Price: $6.99 / month
Pros:
- Advanced benefits compared to the free version
- A priority when it comes to tech support
- Complimentary one-month trial
- Availability of fax pages
- Ability to customize stamps
Cons:
- A bit complex user interface
- No refunds available
Price & Key Features Comparisons Table
The free and pro packages mainly differ due to price. Deciding the best offer of the two entirely depends on an individual’s or organization’s document workflow.
Below is a comparison table that highlights the key metrics in the plans for 2023.
Free |
Pro |
|
Monthly Price | $0.00 | $6.99 |
Free Trial | Yes | Yes |
Discount Offer | No | Yes |
Unlimited Document Handling | No | Yes |
Unlimited E-Signatures and Saved Signatures | No | Yes |
Customized Stamps | No | Yes |
Fax Page Availability | No | Yes |
Large-Scale Workflow | No | Yes |
Encryption | No | Yes |
Priority Tech Support | No | Yes |
Simplified User Interface | Yes | No |
Terms & Conditions
This service consists of well laid out terms and conditions that account holders need to accept before using it. Anyone joining on a company’s behalf needs to understand that the terms and conditions bind them, their affiliates, and associated users. Should someone disagree with these terms of service, they are not allowed to join the platform.
Here are important details to learn about:
- Users can only submit non-copyrighted content and avoid unauthorized use of the site’s materials.
- Known and unapproved activities are subject to removal without warning.
- Communication on any price or subscription plan changes to the account holder before taking effect.
Privacy Policy
The tool deals with members’ personal information and files. They take the responsibility of keeping personal user details seriously. They get this information from the consent of the member. The site does not ask account holders to submit sensitive information.
Attention Heading
The company does not sell the private information of account holders to third parties. They use it only to ensure better interaction between them and their members.
Refund Policy
The platform has a non-refundable payment policy. Any partially used periods warrant no refund or credit. The user can cancel any billing plan and still have access to their plan until the end of their current billing period.
Informational Heading
The company can choose to provide a discount, refund, or other consideration to members at their discretion. This instance does not entitle a member to future obligations by the company.
Customer Support
This online platform offers useful support channels to ensure ease of use. This allows new or continuing members to acquire assistance on questions or gain helpful tips for better use of the site. Here is the review of some contact channels:
Telephone
While it is most convenient to contact the company by phone for direct assistance, DH has no customer phone number. Instead, one can mail or visit their address at 180 Cambridge St., Floor 2, and Boston, MA 02114, United States.
They have an email channel available to existing members and visitors. The email addresses depend on one’s inquiry or concerns. They include customer email as well as secure email. For general questions or help, anyone can email them at [email protected] Any concerns about an account’s security, one should email [email protected]
Online Chat
The company provides social media interaction through Twitter at @dochubapp. Their Twitter presence consists of a high following of over 3,000 followers. Here, they also provide quick updates on issues such as service updates and maintenance.
Support Center
The support center provides useful assistance while enabling the reporting of any issues encountered. It consists of three main sections, which include:
- Knowledge base: mainly contains articles to frequently asked questions, guide tutorials as well as helpful tips. These help users learn more about the application.
- Feature requests: in this section, people post their requests publicly for consideration.
- Bug reports: anyone can report hiccups on the site for fixing.
Quality of Service
Based on user reviews, the tool is resourceful, convenient, and efficient. Most customers who use it describe the ease of document workflow when using it. This helpful service allows satisfactory paperless use for nothing or at reasonable plan rates.
However, some reviews identify that many people do not recognize it. Others consider it to have fewer features as compared to other platforms.
Overall, the organization enabling digital editing, signing, and sharing files convinces many that it is a suitable application.
Customer Types
Consisting of different management tools, the app proves essential for most customer types. Below is a list of who the platform is best for.
Small Business
Most small businesses operate from home and can highly benefit from the digitization of paperwork. Using this platform allows small businesses to connect to their customers faster, enabling growth.
Large Enterprises
Large businesses deal with bulk paperwork. DH comes in and provides paperless solutions bettering the efficiency of handling files. The sharing of documents within the enterprise is also made easy and efficient. This is true, as one single file is accessible to many people.
Medium Business
Medium businesses usually seek to evolve into a large organization. Using the application can allow faster processing of files through one account. They can enter into contracts that benefit the business electronically.
Freelancers
Most freelancers often work for employers they never get to meet physically. This platform eases the sharing of non-disclosure forms, assignments, and others. Freelancers can better understand assignments when employers can edit or comment on work done.
DocHub Pros & Cons
While DocHub allows many to enjoy various benefits, it is not perfect and contains inevitable snags. Here are some reviews on the advantages and disadvantages of users’ experience.
Pros
Cons
- Versatile, ideal, and powerful tools
- Limitless access to documents across devices
- Facilitates teamwork
- Easy to use
- Saves on printing costs
- Supports in-person as well as mass signatures
- Minimal customer service
- Unappealing design
- Its integration does not enable importing Google contacts
Service Alternatives
There are multiple options to choose from when looking for a tool to edit and share documents in 2023. Anyone looking for alternatives to this app may learn and consider the following utilities:
PdfFiller: Safe Document Backup
This tool provides a single space that enables customers to edit, fill, sign, and send PDFs online. It also offers cloud storage. The service has no version gratis and only provides a complimentary trial with a monthly package of $8.
Lumin PDF: Convenient Editing and Annotation
Consists of a web-based dashboard that allows users to view, edit, and send files in a portable format. It bases its pricing on individual, team, or enterprise options. Each section contains different package plans and storage.
Sign Now: Quick and Easy Document Signing
This is a cloud-based app that provides electronic signature technology. The basic monthly cost for businesses using this app is $8, while enterprises pay $15. It also contains a free version.
Nitro: Comes with A Free Demo
It provides tools useful for creating, editing, signing, and secure PDFs. It consists of a free version. The application also contains a one-time purchase that goes for $159 per user. This version comes with a trial at no charges.
PDF-Xchange Editor: Efficient Third-Party Integration
This is a lightweight app that allows the editing of files. It enables users to access third-party storage platforms easily. It has a gratuitous version, and its one-time payment pricing starts at $43.50 with a trial at no cost.
Master PDF Editor: Conveniently View and Modify Files
It provides customers with the ability to view, create, and modify files. It also allows the merging and splitting of documents into several files. The tool requires one to purchase a license. Its pricing depends on the quantity, which ranges from one to 150. One amount costs $69.95 while the highest (150) goes at $24.95 each.
Table of Comparison
To better visualize how this service compares to the alternatives, here is a comprehensive table to summarize each tool’s features.
DocHub | PdfFiller | Lumin PDF | Sign Now | Nitro | PDF Xchange Editor | Master PDF Editor | |
Price | $4/mo | $8/mo | $5/mo | $8/mo | $159/yr | $43.50 one-time payment | $69/95 one-time payment |
Annotation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Editing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Fill up and Host PDF Forms | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
E-Signature | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
PDF Converter | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Add -on | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Draw/ Add images | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Merge PDFs | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Add Watermark | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Encryption | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Integration | Dropbox, Google | Dropbox, Google, OneDrive | Dropbox, Google | Dropbox, Google, SharePoint | Dropbox, Google, OneDrive, SharePoint | Dropbox, Google, OneDrive | No |
FAQ Section
-
Is DocHub a Safe Site?
The service is generally considered safe and legit for editing, signing, and sharing files. Its team also prioritizes ensuring account privacy and does not share its members’ private information. It employs reasonable measures of security and seeks to notify members of the occurrence of a breach. Users have access to modify or delete any of their personal details.
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Is DocHub Owned by Google?
So far, there is no indication that Google owns this service. It is currently owned by DocHub LLC under Christopher Devor, CEO and Founder. However, it integrates fully with Google Drive and Gmail, allowing seamless transfer of portable document format between the platform and a person’s Drive. This allows for easy and efficient collaboration.
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Is DocHub Legally Binding?
The app fully complies with the U.S. Electronic Signature in Global and National Commerce Act of 2000 (ESIGN) requirements and those of the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA). This makes any electronic signatures done on the platform to be legally binding. The site also authenticates all signers and records all signature activities and every change to the contracts after that.
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How Do I Cancel DocHub?
Anyone looking to cancel their subscription to their pro plan can do so on the site.
Below is the procedure to follow:
- Go to “Settings.”
- Click on the “Billing” page.
- Follow the guidelines to either downgrade or change to version gratis.
To delete an account, follow these steps:
- Go to “Settings.”
- Go to “Account Settings.”
- Then click on the “Delete my account” button.
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Is DocHub HIPAA Compliant?
The service is on the verge of fully being HIPPA compliant. The app underwent a 3rd party assessment on security to continue its integration to Google Drive and Gmail. The tool uses end-to-end encryption and with Amazon Web Services (AWS) for file storage. The company still requires a BAA (Business Associate Agreement) with AWS to be fully compliant with HIPPA.
The Final Word
DocHub offers versatile tools, flexibility, and ease of use when it comes to indenture management. Anyone can enjoy the convenience of modifying files and sharing them wherever and whenever employing this tool. With several document handling tools available, it is essential to learn and consider certain factors. These include files to be handled, pricing, features, benefits, privacy, and drawbacks to settling for the best utility.
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