Best Contract Management Software 2021

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Contract management is a critical component of your business strategy and relationships but maintaining and tracking contracts can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. The right contract management tool can help. This review will explain what contract management software is, how it functions, and the advantages it can offer your business. We will also show you the best contract management solutions available to your business in 2021. 

What’s on This Page

What is Contract Management Software?

Contracts are critical to every part of a business and involve most teams from human resources to procurement to sales. Traditional methods of managing contracts via paper and filing are often inefficient and error prone. Contract management software, also known as contract lifecycle management (CLM) software, digitizes, automates and streamlines the entire contract management process. It encompasses a wide range of software functions that can create, organize, assess and manage the entire contracting process, including securing electronic signatures. 

How Does Contract Management Software Work?

Businesses use contract management systems to build contracts and provide a platform for collaboration and editing to improve accessibility, workflow, and accuracy. To ensure this, contract management software will include automatic notifications and reminders for critical dates and tasks to facilitate approval processes and contract renewals. Document assembly features can help you enforce compliance and reduce errors and risks associated with insecure storage and distribution. To do this, the best contract management software provides centralized control, analytics, and checkpoints for contracts, as well as encryption of documents, safe storage, and robust search capabilities. 

What are the Advantages of Using Contract Management Software?

There are many options available to you for managing your contracts. What you need is mainly dependent on your business processes and the types of contracts you create. But there are a few features you will want to focus on. Look for software that offers a secure and centralized contract repository and tracking, including version, compliance and audit trails. Contract management software should simplify the contract process for you. That means facilitating an intelligent contract workflow with the integrations your company needs, as well as automated reminders and an electronic signature process that is easy to use for both you and your vendors and customers. The best contract lifecycle management technology will provide end-to-end lifecycle management, but in an easy-to-use format that makes it simple for your people to adopt and other stakeholders to participate. 

To help you choose the right contract management software, we’ve analyzed five popular tools based on ease of use, support provided, process automation, and ability to scale. Here is what we found:  

Top 5 Rated Contract Management Products

Agiloft

Best for companies who want to automate their entire contract process

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Agiloft supplies pre-built and customized modules via its contract lifecycle management program. It can be implemented as a cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution or as an on-premises platform to help your company manage procurement and sales operations and automate legal and compliance processes. 

In addition to Agiloft’s wide-ranging applications, users continue to be impressed with its equally wide array of features. 

Ease of Use 

Agiloft boasts an intuitive interface design with detailed help resources and plenty of wizards to help you with setup. It is both adaptable to specific needs and flexible in terms of implementation. 

Highly Customizable

For those who want something less generic or geared explicitly to their business, Agiloft offers a highly customizable interface. Their no-code approach to customization means you can avoid the extra time and expense of hiring coders to make the changes you need. 

Multiple Extra Features

From drag and drop configurations to email incorporation and multilanguage support, Agiloft has an impressive array of features – more than any of its competitors. And they continue to add more, including the recently added Wiki Power search capabilities, expanded AI toolkit, and workflow integrations with Microsoft Office, Adobe Sign, and DocuSign. 

SC Icon

StackCompare.com

4.9 (Aggregate Score)


Capterra Icon

Capterra.com

4.9 (31 user reviews)


G2 Logo

G2.com

4.7 (26 user reviews)

DocuSign

Best for companies looking for sales side support

Most people are familiar with DocuSign through their realtors or accountants. However, the company has facilitated contract signatures for over 100 million users in industries across the world and has, within the last two years, doubled its CLM customer count to over 1200. DocuSign excels in sales side support due to its integrations with Salesforce, Microsoft, Oracle, and others. 

DocuSign’s other standout features include: 

E-Signature Capabilities

DocuSign is the accepted leader in e-signatures. The software helps individuals and organizations eliminate paper, digitize agreements, manage signatures and reduce costs. Recipients can quickly sign contracts without having to register or download the software. 

DocuSign is now leveraging its established position as a leader in e-signatures and recent acquisitions to make a bold move into the CLM market. 

Contract Analytics 

A recent player in contract analytics, DocuSign dramatically upped its game with its 2020 purchase of Seal Analytics. DocuSign now offers

an enhanced ability through its Insight software to extract and analyze contract data and provide contract review and visibility. Contract risk assessment controls will ensure your contracts serve you well and allow you to manage risk. 

Mobile Enabled 

DocuSign’s ease of use extends to the platforms it has adopted. It is available as a cloud, SaaS, or web service and both Mac and PC desktops. It makes contract management easy for its users through its Android and iPhone apps. Sales, legal and other departments can quickly deal with contracts on the fly, ensuring complete contract automation.  

SC Icon

StackCompare.com

4.1 (Aggregate Score)


Capterra Icon

Capterra.com

4.7 ( n/a)


G2 Logo

G2.com

4.5 (1735 user reviews)

Concord

Best for companies who need an audit trail for their contracts and those with high growth potential.

Concord contract management software can take your contracts through from negotiation to secure signing. It allows you to track contracts throughout the process and receive reminders and alerts for renewals, signatures, and other important events. Finally, the software offers robust storage and search capabilities and solid support, including weekly live webinars. 

In addition to these options, Concord also offers several features frequently touted by its users. 

Full Audit Trail

Audit trails are critical for legal teams but also increasingly in sales, procurement, and HR. Concord automatically tracks your versions, comments, edits, and actions to ensure your business and those you contracted with remain compliant. 

E-Signature Capability

Whether you need one person to sign or twenty, Concord has you covered. Signatories outside the company are provided with a link for signatures and do not have to download any additional software. And because the software offers mobile capability, they can do it anywhere and at any time.

Security 

Concord ensures advanced security for your documents in several critical areas, from their servers to document encryption. Additionally, the company retains the services of a third-party security firm to do regular audits of Concord’s security practices. 

Pricing

Concord’s pricing structure starts at $17 for a basic plan. They also offer a pro version with integrations and enterprise plans that feature custom branding and SSO. There is a free 14-day trial and a basic free version that you can use for an unlimited period.  

SC Icon

StackCompare.com

4.36 (Aggregate Score)


Capterra Icon

Capterra.com

4.5 (135 user reviews)


G2 Logo

G2.com

4.4 (86 user reviews)

Congra

Best for companies looking for CLM support for sales contracts.

Conga approaches contract management with an eye to both efficiency and risk reduction. With Conga contract management software, you can quickly create long or complex contracts and automate time-consuming tasks, including authoring, negotiation, approvals, and reporting while ensuring compliance. 

Sell-side Contract Support 

Conga’s Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) platform applies artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to optimize contract lifecycles and provide easy intelligent transfer of bulk documents and contracts. This provides 360-degree visibility of the entire contract cycle, including negotiations, emails, and documents. The software also integrates easily with Salesforce, another plus for sell-side contracts. 

A Suite of Related Products

In addition to contract management, Conga offers related products that expand on its CLM. These include its e-signature and CPQ product and Conga Composer for customer communications and another new product to enhance contract creation. Customer companies can buy these products a la carte, meaning they can start small and add products as they need them, significantly reducing costs for small businesses. 

Customer Support

Following its merger with Apttus, Conga implemented a comprehensive customer support model renovation. The cornerstone of the new model is its Customer Success Manager program which, along with top-level executives, actively monitors and reviews customer satisfaction metrics. 

SC Icon

StackCompare.com

4.6 (Aggregate Score)


Capterra Icon

Capterra.com

4.3 (68 user reviews)


G2 Logo

G2.com

4.2 (362 user reviews)

Ironclad

Best for contract content creation

Ironclad was initially built by lawyers, for lawyers which is why it is one of the best platforms for building solid contracts. While its strengths are primarily those most critical to legal teams, it has expanded its reach using the tagline “created by lawyers for everyone”. It can help your company with contract management, execution, and optimization.

The stand-out features that Ironclad’s users appreciate the most include: 

Robust Workflow

Contract templates give you a great starting point. However, the ability to make edits in real-time, tag stakeholders for feedback and comments and update information (such as changes in addresses) automatically across the platform and contracts sets Ironclad apart. 

Intuitive Contract Management 

From integrated notifications and reminders to an interface that makes collaboration a breeze, Ironclad helps you save time, reduce costs and efficiently manage the entire contract process. 

Powerful API Integrations

In addition to its built-in features, Ironclad includes some enviable API integrations, including Salesforce, Google Drive, Dropbox, and eSignature providers, including PandaDoc. 

Pricing

Ironclad does not reveal its pricing structure. There is no free version or free trial, although they do offer a free demo.

SC Icon

StackCompare.com

3.5 (Aggregate Score)


Capterra Icon

Capterra.com

4.1 (26 user reviews)


G2 Logo

G2.com

4.4 (25 user reviews)

Our Rating Process

Contract management software is a crowded field. To ensure you get the right contract management platform for your company, you will want to consider the following criteria which we scored on a five-point system:

Support
Ease of Use
Process Automation
Ability to Scale
Support

Software implementation can be a headache for your entire company and can quickly bog down your processes and productivity before it helps speed them up. Does the company offer support? How fast can you get the answers you need? The best way to avoid a slowdown is through dedicated customer support. This should include both an easily accessible knowledge base as well as ongoing webinars and other events. However, live support should also be a factor in your decision, as there may be times when you just can’t wait for an answer, or you need a live human to step in to solve a problem. 

Ease of Use

It doesn’t matter how robust a piece of software is or how fantastic the features it offers are if you cannot figure out how to use them. Usability measures the ease with which you and your staff can implement and use the system and all of its features. However, it also considers how easy it is for other stakeholders, including customers and vendors, to access. 

Process Automation

The idea of contract management software is not to complicate your contract workflow. Instead, it should simplify it. The key to this is automation. The best contract management software includes options that will automate some of the more time-consuming tasks in your contract process. This contract automation should encompass an e-signature process, reminders, compliance and other routine tasks. 

Ability to Scale

If you’re like most businesses, you plan to grow, and the contract management software you choose should have the capacity to grow right alongside you. That means choosing a platform that doesn’t just have the features you need now but also the features you may need in the future as your business expands. Look for software providers that boast clients of varying sizes or offer a range of products or plans suitable to a wide range of client needs. Better yet, find one that includes step up plans or a la carte services that you can add as you need them. 

Product Features

Agiloft

$65
/ month

  • Easy to use
  • Highly customizable
  • Loaded with features


Sign Up

DocuSign

$19-$49
/ month

  • Mobile compatibility
  • Free Trial
  • Contract analytics


Sign Up

Concord

$17
/ month

  • Highly secure
  • Affordable pricing
  • Easy e-signature


Sign Up

Conga

$12
/ month (starting price)

  • Contract support
  • Strong support
  • Robust features


Sign Up

Alternative Options

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CRM

Business Intelligence Tools

HR

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Project-Management

Business Process Management Software

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a CLM platform?

A Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) platform is used interchangeably with Contract Management software. It is software, online, in the cloud, on desktops or mobile devices, that manages the entire lifecycle of your contracts from creation to deployment. The best CLM platforms also include tools and templates for contract creation and collaboration alongside automations for advising or reminding partners and stakeholders about when to sign or renew. There are also likely to be secure storage and robust search capabilities built into the software to allow you to find archived contracts or revive contracts undergoing a delay quickly. 

What is the best contract management software for small businesses?

While the best contract management software for your business depends on the type of business you do and your specific contract needs, DocuSign offers the most benefit for small businesses. It is cost-effective and easily deployed. You won’t have to provide tech support to your suppliers, clients or customers who can easily access and sign your contracts with a quick click of a button on their desktops or mobile devices.

How much does contract management software cost?

Contract management software can cost $5 to more than $1500 per month, depending on the provider and the set of features you need.  Most, however, will cost less than $100 per month for a robust set of extras, including e-signature capabilities and risk mitigation features. There are also many free versions available that will allow you to try out specific features for as long as you want or enable you to try out the complete set of features for a limited amount of time, generally around thirty days.

What is an e-signature?

E-signatures are a secure way to access and sign contracts. Typically done through an emailed link, they ensure both security and regulatory compliance. E-Signatures allow companies to expedite contract negotiations and completion while reducing paper and other costs.

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