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Concord vs. DocuSign CLM: Which Contract Management Tool Is Better?

Concord vs. DocuSign CLM: Which Contract Management Tool Is Better?

The bottom line

DocuSign CLM offers enterprise-level contract management tied to their e-signature platform — but at a substantial cost in both price and complexity. Concord delivers complete contract lifecycle management with advanced features that won’t overwhelm your team: Set up in as little as a day (compared to months for typical enterprise platforms) Intuitive interface that feels like using Gmail Built-in e-signature with no additional fees AI that extracts key contract data automatically For organizations seeking a powerful contract solution without six-figure implementation costs and multi-month deployment timelines, Concord hits the sweet spot of capability and usability.

How they stack up: Concord vs. DocuSign CLM

Feature

Concord

DocuSign CLM

Templates

Approval workflows

Audit trails

Internal/public discussion

Integrations with Salesforce, Google Drive, Box, and Dropbox

Open API

Unlimited storage

Universal easy-to-learn interface

Generate and send multiple contracts at once

Clause library

Edit in-app

Native e-signature

Transparent pricing

File formats supported

.docx, .pdf, .html

.docx, .pdf

Implementation time

1-2 days

2-6 months

Starting price

$399/month

Enterprise pricing (contact sales)

Features: What can they actually do?

Concord and DocuSign CLM serve different contract management needs:

Feature comparison table

Feature

Concord

DocuSign CLM

Contract repository

✓ Secure, centralized storage with unlimited capacity

✓ Secure, centralized storage with volume limits

Document search

✓ Advanced search with intuitive filtering

✓ Complex search functionality

OCR technology

✓ Intelligent document processing

✓ Intelligent document processing

Email alerts

✓ Comprehensive alert system

✓ Basic notification system

Contract creation

✓ Intuitive template-based authoring

✓ Template-based authoring

Negotiation tools

✓ Real-time collaboration & redlining

✓ Limited real-time collaboration

E-signature

✓ Built-in e-signature at no additional cost

✓ Native integration with DocuSign (may require separate license)

Workflow automation

✓ User-friendly custom workflows

✓ Technical workflow configuration

AI capabilities

✓ Agreement Intelligence platform

✓ Contract analysis tools

Analytics

✓ Advanced analytics & actionable insights

✓ Complex reporting system

Mobile access

✓ Intuitive mobile applications

✓ Mobile applications with enterprise focus

API access

✓ Developer-friendly API ecosystem

✓ Complex API requiring technical expertise

File formats supported

.docx, .pdf, .html

.docx, .pdf

DocuSign CLM: The enterprise behemoth

DocuSign CLM extends the company’s e-signature business with:

  • Document storage and organization

  • Integration with the DocuSign platform

  • Automated workflows and approvals

  • Pre-built enterprise connectors

  • Complex security configuration options

Where organizations often encounter challenges:

  • Steep learning curve for non-technical users

  • Lengthy implementation (typically 3-6 months)

  • Significant implementation and training costs

  • Cumbersome collaboration during negotiations

According to market research, DocuSign CLM holds approximately 6.18% of the contract management market share as of 2025, while being primarily focused on large enterprises.

One DocuSign CLM reviewer notes: “Implementation was difficult for us. It was down to our set up and having very detailed requirements, however the system need to have a technical product expert / coding expert in place to develop.” (Capterra UK, 2025)

Concord: Complete contract management

Concord delivers end-to-end contract management software that covers:

  • Intuitive contract creation with templates and clause libraries

  • Seamless real-time negotiation with comments and tracked changes

  • Integrated electronic signature at no additional cost

  • Straightforward approval workflows

  • Actionable analytics and reporting

The most significant differentiator? Concord offers an intuitive user experience with implementation measured in days rather than months, while delivering the comprehensive capabilities that modern organizations need.

As one customer explains: “The velocity of our organization has improved dramatically since we adopted Concord.” (Concord.app, 2025)

Implementation: How fast can you get started?

Getting contract software up and running is where many companies experience their first significant investment of time and resources:

Implementation comparison table

Implementation Aspect

Concord

DocuSign CLM

Average setup time

1-2 days

2-6 months

Technical expertise required

Minimal

Significant

Implementation process

Streamlined with success team guidance

Complex, consultant-driven

User training requirements

Intuitive interface with minimal training

Extensive training required

Data migration complexity

Automated data mapping

Lengthy manual configuration

Custom configuration

User-friendly configuration

Technical configuration requiring specialists

Time to first value

1-3 days

Often 3+ months

Implementation resources

Dedicated success managers, efficient training

Technical consultants, extensive training program

DocuSign CLM implementation typically represents a major project, with deployments averaging 2-6 months. The process requires significant technical resources, consultant engagement, and substantial budget allocation.

One reviewer notes about DocuSign CLM: “The system needs to have a technical product expert / coding expert in place to develop.” (Capterra UK, 2025)

Concord takes a fundamentally different approach with 1-2 day implementation that includes proper workflow setup and integration with existing systems. This dramatic efficiency difference delivers immediate business value without the extended deployment timeline.

A Concord user highlights the onboarding experience: “It’s very easy to track contracts throughout the writing, negotiation, signing, & execution process. The on-boarding process was made very easy, thanks to our Account Manager who walked us through that process and went the extra mile to make sure it was setup perfectly for our needs.” (G2, 2025)

The choice significantly impacts how quickly your organization can begin realizing value from your contract management investment.

User experience: Will people actually use it?

Even the most powerful software fails to deliver value if user adoption is weak:

User experience comparison table

UX Aspect

Concord

DocuSign CLM

Interface design

Clean, intuitive layout

Complex, feature-heavy interface

Learning curve

Low to moderate

Steep

User onboarding

Self-guided with support options

Requires consultant-driven training

Mobile experience

Fully-featured mobile apps

Limited mobile functionality

Personalization

User-friendly configuration

Technical configuration process

Accessibility

Enhanced accessibility options

Basic accessibility features

Interface feedback

“Intuitive like Gmail”

“Powerful but complex”

User adoption challenges

High adoption rates

Significant training requirements

Support resources

Interactive guides, responsive support

Technical documentation, tiered support

DocuSign CLM offers extensive functionality wrapped in an enterprise-focused interface. The complexity often leads to adoption challenges, with users requiring significant training to navigate the platform effectively.

As one reviewer on G2 noted, “The interface is dated and inconsistent. Icons are the opposite of intuitive…” (G2, 2025)

Concord takes a different approach by balancing power with usability:

  • An interface that “feels like Gmail” according to users

  • Intuitive navigation that reduces training requirements

  • Mobile apps designed for productivity on-the-go

  • Contextual guidance that helps users accomplish tasks

As one G2 reviewer summarized: “I like that the format is similar to gmail, so it is simple, and intuitive to use.” (G2, 2025)

AI capabilities: Smart contract management

AI is transforming contract management in 2025, with significant differences in implementation approach:

AI capabilities comparison table

AI Capability

Concord

DocuSign CLM

Data extraction

✓ Comprehensive extraction with validation

✓ Basic data extraction

OCR technology

✓ Advanced intelligent document processing

✓ Standard OCR capabilities

Risk identification

✓ Automated risk flagging and scoring

✓ Manual risk identification

Compliance monitoring

✓ AI-powered compliance checking

✓ Basic compliance validation

Contract analysis

✓ Deep semantic analysis

✓ Surface-level contract analysis

Obligation extraction

✓ Comprehensive obligation management

✓ Basic obligation tracking

Performance analytics

✓ AI-driven performance insights

✓ Standard performance reporting

Benchmarking

✓ Industry-specific benchmarking

✓ Limited benchmarking capabilities

Processing speed

Seconds per document

Variable processing times

Accuracy improvement

90%+ accuracy with continuous learning

Requires manual verification

AI training model

Industry and customer-specific learning

General purpose model

DocuSign CLM applies AI primarily for:

  • Basic contract analysis

  • Term extraction

  • Workflow automation

Their documentation states that AI-Assisted Review can help “handle a 30% spike in contract volume,” though many customers report requiring significant configuration to achieve these results.

Concord’s Agreement Intelligence platform delivers:

  • Comprehensive data extraction with verification

  • Automated risk identification and flagging

  • Continuous compliance monitoring

  • Complete obligation tracking

  • Actionable performance insights

As Matt Lhoumeau, CEO of Concord, explains: “By automating the extraction and entry of key terms, our users can focus on strategic tasks rather than tedious administrative work.” (Concord, 2025)

According to independent research, AI-powered contract platforms can reduce review time from 92 minutes to approximately 26 seconds while improving accuracy by over 10%.

Integrations: Playing nice with your tech stack

The ability to connect seamlessly with existing tools drives significant value in contract management:

Integration comparison table

Integration Type

Concord

DocuSign CLM

CRM Systems

✓ Salesforce (bidirectional with advanced workflows)

✓ HubSpot (native integration)

✓ Microsoft Dynamics 365 (via Zapier)

✓ Pipedrive (via Zapier)

✓ Salesforce (complex integration)

✓ Limited support for other CRMs

E-Signature

✓ Native e-signature (included)

✓ DocuSign compatibility (if needed)

✓ DocuSign (may require separate license)

Cloud Storage

✓ Google Drive (native)

✓ Dropbox (native)

✓ Box (native)

✓ OneDrive (native)

✓ Limited cloud storage options

Collaboration Tools

✓ Slack (native)

✓ Microsoft Teams (via Zapier)

✓ Asana (via Zapier)

✓ Limited collaboration tool support

Identity Management

✓ SAML 2.0, LDAP, Azure AD

✓ Enterprise SSO with complex setup

Automation Platform

✓ Zapier integration to 7000+ apps

✓ Limited middleware options

API Access

✓ Developer-friendly API

✓ Complex API requiring technical expertise

Implementation Complexity

Low – connects in minutes

High – requires technical resources

DocuSign CLM offers integration focused primarily on:

  • Salesforce (with complex configuration)

  • DocuSign e-signature

  • Selected enterprise systems

  • Limited collaboration tools

Concord provides an extensive integration ecosystem:

  • Straightforward Salesforce connection with bidirectional data flow

  • HubSpot integration for marketing and sales alignment

  • Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, and OneDrive for document storage

  • Slack integration for real-time notifications

  • Microsoft Teams connectivity

  • Zapier connection to 7,000+ apps

  • Developer-friendly API

According to market intelligence from 6sense, Concord has captured a 19.62% market share in the contract management space compared to DocuSign CLM’s 6.18%, partially due to this integration flexibility.

For teams with diverse tech stacks, Concord’s integration capabilities create a more seamless workflow across different business functions.

Pricing: What will it cost?

The financial impact of contract management platforms extends far beyond the monthly subscription:

Pricing comparison table

Pricing Aspect

Concord

DocuSign CLM

Pricing model

Transparent, predictable structure

Complex enterprise licensing

Starting price

$399/month

Enterprise pricing requiring sales engagement

Entry-level plan

Essential: $399/month

Not available to small businesses

Mid-tier plan

Professional: Custom pricing

Custom pricing only

Advanced plan

Enterprise: Custom pricing

Custom pricing only

User limitations

Flexible user model

Significant per-user fees

Contract volume limits

Flexible scaling options

Tiered volume pricing

Additional costs

Minimal implementation costs

Substantial implementation, consulting, training fees

Pricing transparency

Published pricing structure

Limited transparency, enterprise sales model

Free trial

Demo available

Demo only

Annual discount

Available

Available

DocuSign CLM employs a complex enterprise pricing model that typically requires engaging with sales for a custom quote. Implementation costs, training, and ongoing consulting often represent a substantial portion of the total investment, frequently reaching six figures for mid-sized deployments.

This approach presents predictability challenges for organizations without large, dedicated budgets.

Concord starts at $399/month with a transparent structure based on your specific requirements. All plans include unlimited e-signatures and document storage, with features that scale as your organization grows.

For detailed pricing information tailored to your organization, you can explore Concord’s pricing details.

ROI and business impact

The ultimate measure of any software investment is its impact on business outcomes:

ROI comparison table

ROI Factor

Concord

DocuSign CLM

Time-to-value

Fast (days to weeks)

Slow (months to years)

Implementation costs

Low to moderate

High

Administrative savings

50-70% reduction in admin time

30-50% reduction in admin time

Contract cycle time reduction

40-75% reduction in cycle time

20-40% reduction in cycle time

Renewal opportunity capture

Comprehensive renewal management

Basic renewal tracking

Risk mitigation value

Proactive risk identification

Reactive risk management

Revenue impact

Direct revenue acceleration

Indirect cost efficiency

Compliance benefits

Comprehensive compliance transformation

Basic compliance improvements

Strategic insights

Actionable business intelligence

Limited reporting capabilities

Typical ROI timeframe

3-6 months

12-24 months

ROI multiplier

High (91-183x per dollar invested)

Moderate (3.5x over 3 years)

DocuSign CLM delivers value primarily through:

  • Enterprise-focused contract management

  • Basic compliance features

  • Limited integration with enterprise systems

  • Administrative time savings

  • Basic risk reduction

According to Forrester analysis cited by DocuSign, “organizations implementing DocuSign’s CLM solution achieved a 356% ROI over three years,” though this calculation typically doesn’t include the substantial implementation costs.

Concord delivers more rapid returns through:

  • Complete lifecycle efficiency improvements

  • Accelerated contract creation and approval

  • Streamlined negotiation and execution

  • Significant legal resource optimization

  • Strategic insights driving business decisions

According to Concord research, “For every dollar invested in contract management software, companies can expect to generate between $91 and $183 in recovered revenue.”

Industry research shows that organizations implementing modern CLM solutions typically aim for a minimum 3:1 benefit-to-cost ratio, though the most successful implementations often exceed 10:1 returns.

Market position and future growth

The contract management software market is experiencing significant growth, with important trends to note:

Market position comparison

Market Aspect

Concord

DocuSign CLM

Market share

19.62% (leading position)

6.18%

Customer base

2,037+ companies (diverse industries)

642 companies (primarily enterprise)

Industry focus

Cross-industry versatility

Limited industry specialization

Target company size

SMB through enterprise

Enterprise focus

Geographic strength

Global presence with strong US coverage

Limited global reach

Growth trajectory

Rapid expansion

Steady but limited

Key competitors

DocuSign CLM, SAP Ariba, Deltek

Concord, Conga, Ironclad

AI development

Industry-leading capabilities

Basic AI implementation

Market perception

Innovative, user-friendly

Complex, technical

The global contract lifecycle management market is projected to grow significantly, with analyst forecasts showing:

  • Growth from $1.07 billion in 2024 to $3.46 billion by 2034, at a CAGR of 12.4% (Fact.MR, 2024)

  • Market expectations reaching $2.66 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 12.25% (Mordor Intelligence, 2025)

  • Healthcare CLM specifically projected to reach $9.68 billion by 2032 (Data Bridge Market Research, 2025)

According to Gartner, “half of procurement contract management will be AI-enabled by 2027,” highlighting the increasing importance of advanced AI capabilities in contract management platforms.

Which one is right for you?

The best contract lifecycle management software depends on your specific requirements:

Overall comparison: At-a-glance decision matrix

Factor

Concord

DocuSign CLM

Best suited for

• Full lifecycle contract management needs
• Organizations valuing rapid implementation
• Teams seeking intuitive user experience
• Businesses requiring comprehensive integrations
• Companies of all sizes

• Large enterprises with significant DocuSign investment
• Organizations with extensive technical resources
• Companies with multi-month implementation timelines
• Businesses with large CLM budgets

Implementation time

1-2 days

2-6 months

Pricing model

Transparent, flexible structure

Complex enterprise model with hidden costs

Starting price

$399/month

Enterprise pricing (contact sales)

User experience

Intuitive, Gmail-like interface

Complex with steep learning curve

AI capabilities

Comprehensive Agreement Intelligence

Basic contract analysis

Integration breadth

Extensive ecosystem (7000+ apps)

Limited enterprise integrations

Customization

User-friendly configuration

Complex technical setup

Mobile support

Fully-featured mobile applications

Limited mobile capabilities

Customer support

Responsive success team

Enterprise-focused support model

ROI timeline

Rapid value realization

Extended payback period

DocuSign CLM might be appropriate if:

  • You have a significant existing DocuSign investment

  • Your organization has dedicated technical resources for implementation

  • You can accommodate a 3-6 month deployment timeline

  • Your budget can absorb substantial implementation and training costs

  • Your contracts require only basic automation

Concord is ideal for:

  • Organizations seeking end-to-end contract lifecycle management

  • Teams valuing rapid implementation and time-to-value

  • Businesses requiring intuitive user experience

  • Companies needing comprehensive tech stack integration

  • Organizations focusing on user adoption and productivity

  • Teams looking for advanced AI-powered insights

Most growing organizations find that Concord delivers significantly more value without the implementation complexity and budget concerns associated with traditional enterprise CLM platforms.

Want to see Concord in action? Request a demo tailored to your specific use cases and requirements.


Bibliography

  1. 6sense. (2025). Concord vs DocuSign CLM: Contract Management Comparison.

  2. Concord. (2025). Contract Management Software.

  3. DocuSign. (2025). Contract Lifecycle Management Software.

  4. Fact.MR. (2024). Contract Lifecycle Management Market Forecast.

  5. Mordor Intelligence. (2025). Contract Lifecycle Management Software Market Growth Trends.

  6. G2. (2025). Concord vs. DocuSign CLM Comparison.

  7. HyperStart. (2025). DocuSign CLM Pricing for 2025.

  8. Concord. (2025). DocuSign Alternative – Concord Contract Management Software.

  9. Forrester Research. (2024). The Total Economic Impact of DocuSign CLM.

  10. Data Bridge Market Research. (2025). Healthcare Contract Management Software: The 2025 Guide.

  11. Gartner. (2023). CLM Trends 2024: Future Insights for Contract Management.

  12. TrustRadius. (2025). Compare Concord vs DocuSign CLM.

  13. Capterra. (2025). Concord Reviews, Pricing and Alternatives.

  14. Capterra. (2025). DocuSign CLM Reviews, Pricing and Alternatives.



What you get when you use Concord

Get set up in days, not months

Agiloft’s deep customizability means it takes organizations months to implement. Concord onboards most customers in under 3 weeks, so teams can start streamlining processes quickly.

Unlimited e-signature, at no extra cost Agiloft integrates with several e-signature providers but does not offer a native e-signature. Concord’s native e-signature is secure and legally binding, so while you can integrate with DocuSign or another e-signature platform, you won’t have to.  

Automatically send signed contracts to Google Drive, Box, or Dropbox

Agiloft enables users to download all contracts and attached files. Concord’s out-of-the-box integrations with Google Drive, Box, and Dropbox automatically sends signed contracts to these additional storage systems.

Simple approval workflow editor

Agiloft’s graphical workflows give administrators a visual way to organize their approvals, but its complexity is time-intensive. Concord’s approval workflows are designed to quickly route the contract to the right person or team based on company-wide rules or the value of a field. 

Get started with Concord today: Request a demo

Thousands of companies trust Concord.

“Many hours saved, many dollars saved in contracts that we meant to terminate and forgot.”

Jennifer Neville, Associate Corporate General Counsel at Sevita

Thousands of companies trust Concord.

“Many hours saved, many dollars saved in contracts that we meant to terminate and forgot.”

Jennifer Neville, Associate Corporate General Counsel at Sevita

Thousands of companies trust Concord.

“Many hours saved, many dollars saved in contracts that we meant to terminate and forgot.”

Jennifer Neville, Associate Corporate General Counsel at Sevita

Need to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Take the "management" out of contract management.

Join thousands of companies using Concord every day.

01

Upload your contracts

Quickly create a searchable repository of business agreements with bulk import and AI.

02

Let AI do the work

Concord's AI automatically extracts key dates, payment terms, and other core information.

03

Go do something else

Eliminate manual contract work so you can spend your time on the things that matter most.

Take the "management" out of contract management.

Start improving your contract process today — no complexity, no hidden fees.

01

Upload your contracts

Quickly create a searchable repository of business agreements with bulk import and AI.

02

Let AI do the work

Concord's AI automatically extracts key dates, payment terms, and other core information.

03

Go do something else

Eliminate manual contract work so you can spend your time on the things that matter most.

Take the "management" out of contract management.

Start improving your contract process today — no complexity, no hidden fees.

01

Upload your contracts

Quickly create a searchable repository of business agreements with bulk import and AI.

02

Let AI do the work

Concord's AI automatically extracts key dates, payment terms, and other core information.

03

Go do something else

Eliminate manual contract work so you can spend your time on the things that matter most.