Alternatives for Contract Management Software outside Multifamily

If you simply want to take advantage of software built for other industries, then we’ve compiled a list of options to consider. We’ve even listed a few that we think are worth skipping - and explained why. Before you consider these options, make sure that you’re familiar with the difference between CLM, CMS, SLM, and eSign (read our primer here).

DocuSign / Icertis / PandaDoc - CLM software for Enterprise

The main focus of these three contract lifecycle management software products is on sending documents for signatures. However, if you explore further, you’ll discover their CLM capabilities, which offer a broader range of features at "Enterprise" pricing. If you frequently send documents for signature and need workflow automation, these options could be ideal. However, if your suppliers and vendors are the ones sending contracts to you, these solutions may not be the best fit (take a look at ContractWorks and ContractSafe below).

ContractWorks & ContractSafe - Contract Management Software

These are the best “middle-ground” options. Their pricing is fairly transparent and palatable to mid-market multifamily owners and operators. These software companies excel at document storage, tagging, and reminders. That said, they don’t have PMS integration, no way to associate contracts with properties, and you still have to upload every contract yourself. Consider these options if you are the only person who signs contracts and you trust yourself to upload and organize them yourself.

DocuSign / Adobe Acrobat / JotForm - Basic E-signature

If you require an electronic signature for a document, consider utilizing Adobe if you already have a subscription for other services. Otherwise, DocuSign is a popular choice for most people. For those seeking signatures along with advanced workflows, JotForm is worth exploring. However, it is important to note that none of these platforms serve as comprehensive Contract Management Software; they are primarily focused on electronic signatures.

Which Price is Right?

Features aren’t the only considerations. Let’s talk about pricing from contract management alternatives.

For comparison, the prices listed are monthly with the assumption you have 100 properties with at least 100 contracts and/or addendums per property. It's important to note that the options provided do not integrate with Property Management Software or have the capability to link contracts with properties. However, the pricing serves as a useful reference point.

DocuSign: Starting around $50/seat if you just want to collect signatures. To get CLM and workflows, you have to talk to their sales team. More info
PandaDoc: Starting around $35/seat if you just want to collect signatures. To get workflow automations and SSO, you have to talk to their sales team. More info
ContractWorks: Starting at $2000/month but their pricing implies that some features will cost extra. More info
‍ContractSafe: Starting at $1700/month, but $2200/month if you want SSO and workflows. More info

Recommendations

Excluded Options

Here are a few options that we didn’t list above and the reasons that we didn’t list them.

Gatekeeper: even at $5300/month, you are limited to 1000 vendors and 1000 contracts, which is too few for multifamily.
LinkSquare: unlisted pricing and positioned as legal technology. Some sources say that it starts at $1000/month, but we’re cautious of hidden pricing and the needs of a law firm aren’t the same as multifamily.
Proposify: starts at $650/month and includes some similar features, but it’s focused on drafting proposals and getting them signed. Annual commitment is required. More designed for suppliers themselves.
Ignition is listed as a CLM in several places but we found that it was very focused on selling and sales contracts.
ContractHero: a European solution that has most of the features that we recommend but is limited to 20 users and they customize their pricing for every customer, which usually means it’s expensive.
SAP, HICX, Salesforce, and Workday have solutions in this space, but the price point and complexity are vastly outsized for the needs of multifamily.