7 Best Online Waiver Software for Small Businesses

Waivers are an important legal tool used by businesses and organizations to limit liability. Traditionally, waivers were printed paper documents that customers would sign. But modern online waiver software offers digital alternatives that streamline the waiver process and provide many advantages over paper waivers.

In this comprehensive guide, we will discuss the benefits of online waiver software, factors to consider when choosing waiver software, provide an overview of how online waivers work, and recommend the top 7 online waiver software options specifically suited for small businesses.

What are Waivers and Why are They Important?

A waiver is a legal document that outlines the risks associated with an activity or service and requires the signing party to acknowledge and accept those risks. Waivers protect businesses and organizations from liability should a customer get injured or harmed.

Common examples of activities and services that require waivers include:

• Fitness classes, gyms, sports leagues
• Recreational activities like ziplining, skydiving, amusement parks
• Camps, daycares, schools
• Venues for parties and events
• Medical and wellness services like massages, chiropractic

Without waivers, businesses are vulnerable to lawsuits and litigation even if they were not negligent. Waivers provide legal protection by proving that customers were informed of and consented to the risks.

Benefits of Online Waivers for Small Businesses

Traditionally, waivers were paper documents that customers would sign in person prior to receiving a service or participating in an activity. However, modern online waiver software offers many benefits, especially for small businesses:

Easy to create and customize: Online software makes it simple to create waiver templates and customize them with your business branding. No need to manually format documents.

Easier for customers to complete: Customers can electronically sign waivers from anywhere at their convenience prior to your service instead of completing paper forms onsite.

Saves time: Online software drastically reduces administrative time spent managing paper waivers. Waivers are digitally organized and easy to find.

Legally binding: Electronically signed waivers hold up identically to wet ink signatures when crafted properly. Some software even includes e-signature laws for each state.

Lower costs: Removing printing, storage, and mailing costs associated with paper waivers. Potentially lower insurance premiums too.

Accessible from anywhere: Waiver data is securely accessible from any device unlike paper waivers locked in a filing cabinet.

Better organized: Digital waivers are neatly organized and easy to search versus folders of papers.

Environmentally friendly: Reduces paper waste and carbon footprint.

Metrics and analytics: Online software provides insights into waiver completion rates, liability coverage, participation levels, etc.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Online Waiver Software

Small businesses should keep the following factors in mind when selecting online waiver software:

Ease of use: The waiver setup process, sending waivers, and accessing signed waivers should be simple and intuitive for both your staff and customers.

Waiver templates: Pre-built waiver templates help you get started faster. But you also want the ability to customize and tweak the waiver design and content.

Branding: Options to include your logo, colors, fonts so waivers align with your brand identity. More professional branding leads to better completion rates.

Waiver building tools: Features to help you craft enforceable waivers including template text, e-signature fields, photo/video capture, and more.

Storage and organization: Securely stores signed waivers and allows you to easily search records. Integrations with cloud storage like Dropbox.

Analytics and reports: Insights into waiver completion rates, liability coverage levels, participation volumes and other metrics.

Embed waiver links: Ability to embed waiver links into your website, emails, registration forms for seamless waiver signing experience.

Mobile-friendly: With many customers on mobile devices, waiver software should be mobile responsive for signing on any device.

Pricing model: Consider setup costs, recurring fees, number of included waivers, overage charges, and scalability.

Level of support: Look for responsive customer support via phone, email, chat, FAQs, and training resources.

How Do Online Waivers Work? A Step-By-Step Overview

While each waiver software option handles specifics a bit differently, here is a general overview of how online waivers work:

1. Set up waiver templates: Create customized waiver templates for your business needs using the waiver software. Add branding, language, signature fields.

2. Send waivers to customers: Embed waiver links in websites, registration forms, emails. Or have customers sign on a tablet or kiosk onsite.

3. Customers complete waivers: Customers simply click waiver link, review terms, e-sign, and submit digitally.

4. Waiver data is stored: Completed waivers are securely saved in the waiver software system and/or synced to your cloud storage.

5. Manage and access waivers: You can easily search waiver records, monitor completion rates, pull reports, and export waiver data if needed.

7 Recommended Online Waiver Software for Small Businesses

Now that you understand the basics of online waiver software, let‘s explore some top options specifically tailored for small business needs:

1. PandaDoc

PandaDoc offers one of the most intuitive and user-friendly online waiver solutions. It makes it simple to create professional waivers using templates, branding tools, and built-in eSignature functionality.

Key features:

• Beautiful waiver templates for all common business types
• Custom branding with colors, logos, and fonts
• Legally-binding eSignatures
• Integration with CRMs, payment processors, and 500+ apps
• Doc automation features like fields, tagging, workflows
• Analytics on waiver views, completion rates, signatures

Ideal for: Small businesses wanting waiver automation coupled with document creation capabilities beyond just waivers. The large app integration ecosystem is a major plus.

Pricing: Free plan. Pro plan starts at $49/month for unlimited waivers. Free trial available.

Summary: PandaDoc provides one of the most powerful end-to-end waiver solutions thanks to smooth workflows, excellent templates, built-in payments, and easy integration with your tech stack.

2. WaiverSign

WaiverSign focuses 100% on waiver creation, e-signatures, and liability protection for businesses. It offers nearly unlimited waiver customization possibilities.

Key features:

• Huge library of pre-built waiver templates
• Fully customizable waiver design and branding
• Legally-compliant eSigning process
• Waiver data accessible from any device
• Link waivers to your website or emails
• Setup kiosk waiver signing stations
• Auto-sync signed waivers to cloud storage

Ideal for: Small businesses who want maximum waiver customization options and straightforward pricing.

Pricing: Starts at $10/month for 50 waivers. 10 cents per additional waiver. Enterprise pricing available.

Summary: WaiverSign enables small businesses to create customized, legally valid waivers with great pricing and simplicity.

3. Smartwaiver

Smartwaiver prioritizes ease of use in their waiver software designed for businesses of all sizes. It‘s straightforward to create, send, and manage waivers.

Key features:

• Simple account setup and waiver creation
• Custom branding and logo options
• Library of waiver templates
• Accept eSignatures and photo capture
• Send waiver reminders and confirmations
• Embed waiver links anywhere or use self-service kiosk
• Mobile signing optimized

Ideal for: Seasonal businesses and smaller operations that want a basic, affordable, and user-friendly waiver software.

Pricing: Starts at $15/month for 100 waivers. Scales up to handle over 100,000 waivers per month.

Summary: With Smartwaiver‘s simple and intuitive platform, small businesses can create professional waivers easily without complexity or high costs.

4. CleverWaiver

CleverWaiver provides easy online waiver creation and signing along with helpful waiver management features.

Key features:

• Quickly build waivers from template library
• Custom branding, colors, fonts to match your business
• Collect eSignatures and photo capture
• Send waiver links via email or embed on your website
• Set up waiver kiosks on iPads and tablets
• Auto-sync signed waivers to cloud storage
• Access waiver analytics

Ideal for: Small retail, healthcare, wellness and fitness businesses that want an end-to-end waiver management solution.

Pricing: Plans ranging from $9.99/month to $499/month based on number of waivers needed.

Summary: CleverWaiver enables small businesses to create, manage, and store waiver documents seamlessly in one integrated online solution.

5. Checkfront

In addition to waiver software, Checkfront provides a full reservation and client management solution for tour/activity companies.

Key features:

• Simple waiver creation and e-signatures
• Send waiver reminders and confirmations
• Accept payments and deposits
• Scheduling and calendar tools
• Resource planning for rentals and retail
• Integration with tourism channels

Ideal for: Small travel/tourism businesses that want waiver management coupled with booking and operational tools.

Pricing: Starts at $49/month. Annual discounts available.

Summary: Checkfront gives travel/tour companies waiver capabilities within a robust platform to manage all aspects of their business.

6. WaiverForever

WaiverForever focuses on making waiver signing easy for customers via flexible options to complete waivers online or in-person.

Key features:

• Build custom waivers from templates
• Collect eSignatures and driver‘s license scanning
• Send waiver links via email or embed on your website
• Offer self-service kiosk mode for in-person signing
• Accept payments upon waiver completion
• Sync signed waivers to cloud storage
• Connects with CRMs, email services, calendars

Ideal for: Fitness gyms, sports teams, and recreational companies that want to provide a seamless waiver signing experience.

Pricing: Free plan. Paid plans start at $9.99/month for up to 70 waivers.

Summary: WaiverForever emphasizes flexible waiver signing options and ease of use for waiver signers.

7. Waiver Electronic

WaiverElectronic provides a wide selection of customizable waiver templates along with helpful waiver building tools.

Key features:

• Large template library with customization
• Variety of waiver types for all business needs
• Legally-compliant electronic signatures
• Tools to build enforceable waivers
• Embed waiver links into your website
• Offer self-service kiosk signing
• Waiver completion notifications
• Sync to cloud storage

Ideal for: Small businesses that want assistance crafting air-tight waivers from industry templates.

Pricing: 30-day free trial. Plans start at $11.99/month for up to 70 waivers.

Summary: WaiverElectronic makes it easy for small businesses to create customized, legally-valid waivers from a large template library.

Key Takeaways and Recommendations

• Online waiver software provides many advantages over paper waivers like easier management, lower costs, better organization, and higher completion rates.

• Look for software that is easy to use, offers custom branding, provides strong waiver templates and creation tools, seamless storage of signed waivers, and flexible pricing.

• Consider waiver software capabilities as well as integrations with business software you already use like payments, CRM, email marketing etc.

• Leading waiver solutions like PandaDoc, WaiverSign, Smartwaiver, and CleverWaiver provide great options for small businesses to manage waivers digitally.

• Take advantage of free trials to test out waiver software options before committing.

Streamlining your waiver process with purpose-built software gives small businesses leverage to enhance professionalism, reduce administrative headaches, and limit liability risks. Don‘t leave your waiver process stuck using old paper waivers. Join the digital waiver revolution to protect and grow your small business!