To put it simply, electronic signature (or e-signature) is a broad term referring to any electronic process that indicates acceptance of an agreement or a record. A digital signature is one specific type of e-signature.
Typical e-signature solutions use common electronic authentication methods to verify signer identity, such as an email address, a corporate ID or a phone PIN. If increased security is needed, multifactor authentication may be used. The best e-signature solutions demonstrate proof of signing using a secure process that includes an audit trail along with the final document.
Digital signatures use certificate-based digital IDs to authenticate signer identity and demonstrate proof of signing by binding each signature to the document with encryption. Validation occurs through trusted certificate authorities (CAs) or trust service providers (TSPs).
