A signed envelope is not a priced plan.
DocuSign is the reference for getting documents signed, and it does that job far beyond veterinary medicine. On Business Pro, at $40 per user per month, it can also take a payment during signing through Stripe, PayPal or another gateway. What it does not do is price a plan where the owner ticks the optional lines and watches the total move, and getting close means building the template, wiring the gateway and paying for a seat per person. This page compares the two honestly so you can pick the one that matches the problem you actually have.
Who each one is for
Pick DocuSign if…
You need signatures across the whole business, not just treatment plans, and you have someone to build the templates.
- You sign employment contracts, vendor agreements and leases as well as client documents.
- You need routing between several signers, or in-person signing on a tablet at the counter.
- You already pay for Business Pro seats and are happy to build the template and connect the payment gateway yourself.
Pick VetApprove if…
The document you care about is a priced treatment plan, and the outcome you care about is a booked, paid-for procedure.
- You want the plan approved, signed and the deposit paid in a single page, with no template to build and no gateway to wire.
- You want the total to change when the owner picks or drops an optional line.
- You want one price for the clinic, not a seat for every veterinarian and receptionist.
Line by line, without the marketing.
Every row is something a clinic asked us about. Where DocuSign is better, the table says so.
| Criterion | VetApprove | DocuSign |
|---|---|---|
| Priced plan with included / recommended / optional lines | ||
| Total updates as the owner chooses options | ||
| Deposit collected in the same page | to your Stripe | Business Pro, via a gateway |
| Veterinary templates (dental, spay, TPLO, imaging) | build your own | |
| What the client sees | a plan on their phone | an envelope to sign |
| Signature with timestamp, IP and content hash | ||
| Reminders on day 1 and day 3 | generic reminders | |
| Pricing model | free during the beta, then one plan per clinic | $40 / user / month for payments |
| Signs an employment contract or a lease |
Comparison written from the public product and pricing pages of DocuSign, checked September 2026. Payments during signing are a Business Pro feature at $40 per user per month on the annual plan, and need a payment gateway (Stripe, PayPal and others) connected to your account. DocuSign is a trademark of its owner and is not affiliated with VetApprove. Features change. If something here is out of date, write to us and we will correct it.
Product names are trademarks of their respective owners. VetApprove is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.
When you should not pick VetApprove.
We would rather lose a signup than take a clinic's time when it does not need us. If one of these describes you, close the tab.
You need signatures on documents that have nothing to do with treatment plans. VetApprove has no generic envelope and will not get one.
You need multi-party routing, witnesses or notary workflows. That is DocuSign territory, not ours.
You need a higher assurance level than a simple electronic signature. Ours is a simple e-signature with an audit trail; we make no certification claim.
Your clinic cannot or will not take card payments through Stripe. The deposit is half of what VetApprove is for.
Questions clinics ask.
Can I keep DocuSign and use VetApprove?
Yes, and several clinics will. Keep DocuSign for contracts and HR paperwork; use VetApprove for the priced plan that needs a yes and a deposit before a procedure.
Does VetApprove charge per user?
No. One workspace for the clinic, whatever the number of veterinarians, technicians or front-desk staff: free during the beta, one flat plan per clinic afterwards, no setup fee and no contract. DocuSign collects payments on Business Pro, at $40 per user per month, so the bill grows with the team.
Is the VetApprove signature as solid as a DocuSign one?
Both are simple electronic signatures backed by an audit trail: timestamp, IP address, device, the hash of the accepted content and proof the link was opened. Simple e-signatures are recognised under the US ESIGN Act and the EU eIDAS regulation (art. 25). We are not lawyers and we make no compliance claim; ask your counsel if you need a qualified signature.
Who holds the deposit money?
Your clinic. Deposits go into your own Stripe account through Stripe Connect with direct charges. VetApprove is not a payment processor: we take nothing on the deposit, Stripe's fees apply.
Open your workspace. It takes one email.
Tell us about the clinic and we send your sign-in link right away. No password, no card, nothing to install. Your first estimate can go out today.
