firmar.ec vs Adobe Sign
Honest comparison between firmar.ec (free, open-source, Ecuadorian) and Adobe Sign (commercial SaaS). When each makes sense and LOPDP considerations.
Adobe Sign (part of Adobe Acrobat Sign / Acrobat Pro) is a very powerful commercial SaaS service. firmar.ec solves a different and quite specific problem: helping anyone who wants to sign PDFs in Ecuador with their ECI certificate, without paying and without handing their private key to a foreign service.
Comparison table
| Capability | firmar.ec | Adobe Sign |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Open-source web PWA | Closed commercial SaaS |
| Cost | Free | ~USD 15–50/month depending on plan |
| Open source | ✅ Apache 2.0 | ❌ No |
Ecuadorian certificate (.p12 ECI ARCOTEL) | ✅ Yes, native support | ⚠️ Requires manual configuration; does not integrate the EC TSL |
Private .p12 key to server | ❌ Never | ⚠️ Depends on flow (uploading is common in some modes) |
| Personal data outside Ecuador | ❌ No (Ecuador origin, global edge with informed clause) | ⚠️ Yes (Adobe USA) |
| LOPDP compliance by design | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Requires contractual DPA with Adobe |
| Multi-signer workflows | ❌ No (v1; possibly v2) | ✅ Advanced (rounds, reminders, reassignment) |
| Reusable templates | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| API for corporate integration | ❌ No (v1) | ✅ Yes |
| Mobile | ✅ Installable PWA | ✅ Native app |
| Formats | PDF (PAdES B-B) | PDF (various profiles) + client-signing with local cert |
When to choose firmar.ec?
- Simple use case: sign 1–N PDFs with your Ecuadorian certificate and download the result.
- You do not want to pay a monthly subscription.
- LOPDP compliance is a requirement and you need technical evidence of data sovereignty.
- You are uncomfortable having your certificate and documents on foreign servers.
- You are an individual who only signs occasionally.
- You are a small organisation with no budget for SaaS.
When to choose Adobe Sign?
- You need multi-signer workflows with orchestration (assign to 5 people, automatic reminders, centralised audit trail).
- Your organisation already uses Adobe Acrobat Pro and wants continuity.
- You need an API to integrate signatures into your CRM/ERP.
- Your volume is high (hundreds of signatures per month) and the SaaS cost is justified.
- LOPDP compliance does not directly apply to your operations (you operate primarily outside Ecuador and your DPA with Adobe already covers your jurisdictions).
Hybrid approach
Nothing stops you from using both. For example:
- Adobe Sign for international B2B workflows with multiple signers.
- firmar.ec for internal signatures with an Ecuadorian ECI certificate and strict LOPDP compliance.
Technical validity
Regarding validity of the resulting signature, both produce valid PAdES fully recognised under Ecuador’s LCE, provided the certificate is from an ARCOTEL-accredited ECI. The difference lies not in the cryptography but in the operational workflow, business model, and data sovereignty.
Adobe Acrobat Reader (reading/verification) remains free
If you only want to open and verify a signed PDF, Adobe Reader remains free and shows the signature panel with full details. firmar.ec/verificar is an additional alternative, not a replacement.