eIDAS Qualified Signature: What Every EU Company Needs to Know
A qualified electronic signature has the same legal weight as a handwritten one across the entire EU. DocuSeal makes it simple to create them without vendor lock-in or per-seat costs.
Trusted by fast-moving teams
Why DocuSeal on Opsily for eIDAS Signatures
Built for EU compliance, not US SaaS costs.
Open-source transparency
View the entire codebase on GitHub. No hidden data flows. No proprietary lock-in. Audit the signing algorithm yourself. Security through transparency beats closed-box claims.
EU data, EU price
Your documents stay on Frankfurt servers. GDPR Data Processing Agreement included. No cross-border transfers to US cloud providers. Your compliance officer sleeps at night.
No per-seat gouging
DocuSign charges $45 per user, per month. DocuSeal on Opsily: $20 per user. Scale without cost shock. A team of 50 saves $15,000 annually.
Built for teams who need reliability
How to Create an eIDAS Qualified Signature
Four simple steps to legally binding PDFs across the EU.
Choose Your App
Select an app to get started.
Upload your PDF
Drop your contract or document into DocuSeal. Supports forms, templates, and bulk uploads. No format restrictions.
Add signature fields
Click where signatories need to sign. DocuSeal auto-detects form fields. No manual drawing required.
Invite signers
Send a link to each signer via email. They sign in browser. No software to install. Works on mobile.
Get legally binding proof
Signed document includes eIDAS-compliant timestamp, signer IP, browser fingerprint, device details. Audit-proof for regulators.
EUR 800 a year for tools that used to cost us multiples of that. We replaced HubSpot, Make.com, and our password manager with self-hosted apps on Opsily. One provider, one fee.
Franz Koller
Co-Founder · Joy
What Is an eIDAS Qualified Signature?
A qualified electronic signature (QES) is a digitally created signature that meets the legal definition under EU Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 (eIDAS). It has the same legal weight as a handwritten signature in all 28 EU member states.
QES is one of three eIDAS signature levels:
- SES (Simple Electronic Signature): Basic proof of consent. Low legal weight. Used for non-critical documents or internal approvals.
- AES (Advanced Electronic Signature): Strong link between signer and document. Tamper-evident. Medium legal weight. Acceptable for most contracts.
- QES (Qualified Electronic Signature): Created with certified ID and cryptographic key. High legal weight. Equivalent to handwritten signature in court. Required for regulated industries.
When Is eIDAS Qualified Signature Mandatory?
QES is legally required for:
- Financial contracts: loans, derivatives, payment agreements
- Real estate transactions: mortgages, lease agreements
- Legal documents: wills, powers of attorney, notarized papers
- Regulated sectors: banking, insurance, healthcare, investment services
- Government and official records
Non-regulated sectors (SaaS contracts, marketing agreements, employment offers) can use AES or SES. But if unsure, QES is the safer choice. DocuSeal supports all three levels, so you choose per document.
Why Open-Source Matters for Compliance
With proprietary tools like DocuSign, you trust a vendor's black box. With DocuSeal, the signing algorithm is on GitHub. You can audit it yourself. Your security team can verify the cryptography. Regulators can inspect the code. That transparency is worth far more than vendor promises.
DocuSeal vs DocuSign: Pricing and Features
Pricing as of June 2026. DocuSign per-user costs subject to minimum seat requirements. DocuSeal on Opsily pricing is fixed regardless of company size.
Everything for eIDAS Compliance
DocuSeal includes all compliance features in every plan. No gatekeeping by tier.
Trust & Security
Built for regulated industries. Audited. Compliant.
eIDAS Certified
Qualified electronic signatures recognized across all 28 EU member states. Legally binding in court and regulatory proceedings.
GDPR Compliant
EU data residency. SOC2 Type II certified. Data Processing Agreement included with every plan.
Open-source verified
11.7K GitHub stars. Full code transparency. No black-box algorithms. Security through openness.
SOC2 Type II audited
Independent audit confirms security, availability, and processing integrity meet international standards.
EU hosting guaranteed
Frankfurt data centers. No US cloud. No cross-border transfers. Your compliance team approves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about eIDAS qualified signatures and DocuSeal.
An eIDAS qualified signature (QES) is a digitally created signature that meets the legal definition under EU Regulation 910/2014. It has the same legal weight as a handwritten signature in all 28 EU member states. Regular electronic signatures (AES or SES) have lower legal weight and may not be acceptable for regulated documents. QES requires certified identity and cryptographic keys managed by a Trust Service Provider. This makes QES suitable for contracts, financial agreements, and government documents where strong legal proof is essential.
What our customers say
Teams across the EU run their stack on Opsily. Here is what that looks like in practice.
EUR 800 a year for tools that used to cost us multiples of that. We replaced HubSpot, Make.com, and our password manager with self-hosted apps on Opsily. One provider, one fee.
Franz Koller
Co-Founder • Joy
We were paying per user on everything and it added up fast. Now we run five apps for less than one of those old plans. My finance team finally stopped asking questions.
Elise
Head of Operations
Wanted to use n8n for ages but the self-host part always stopped me. Opsily just handled it. Got the power without becoming an IT person overnight.
Federica B.
Automation Consultant
Ready to sign compliantly?
Deploy DocuSeal in minutes. 14-day free trial. No credit card required. EU data residency included.