Are Yousign and Youtrust the same thing?

Yes. The company announced that Yousign is becoming Youtrust from July 2026. The app may still show the name Yousign for a while, as the move is due to finish by 2027.

Do I need an account?

Not with Cachety. Youtrust asks you to create an account, even on its free plan.

Can I send the document to someone else to sign?

Not through Cachety. It has one signer: you. You download the signed PDF and send it yourself, and nothing records who signed or when. If you need to collect several signatures with an evidence file, use Youtrust.

Cachety vs Youtrust (formerly Yousign): which should you use to sign a PDF?

Updated 17 October 2026

Youtrust, which began replacing the name Yousign in July 2026, is a French e-signature platform. It sends documents for signature and keeps a time-stamped evidence file. Cachety is a simpler tool: it lets you sign a PDF yourself, in your browser, with no account and no upload.

In short

For a contract that needs several signers, an evidence file, an identity check or an advanced or qualified signature, Youtrust is the better choice. Its free plan includes unlimited signing of your own documents, once you have an account, and every plan comes with a time-stamped evidence file. If you just want to put your signature on a PDF without creating an account or uploading the file, Cachety does that.

Side by side

Criterion	Cachety	Youtrust (formerly Yousign)
Where the document is processed	CachetyIn your browser, on your own device. Nothing is uploaded.Advantage Cachety	Youtrust (formerly Yousign)On Youtrust's servers, which are hosted exclusively in France.
Account	CachetyNone.Advantage Cachety	Youtrust (formerly Yousign)Required, including on the free plan.
Free use	CachetyFree, with no paid tier.	Youtrust (formerly Yousign)A free, ad-free plan with unlimited signing of your own documents and two signature requests a month. Paid plans: One, Plus and Pro.
Signature level	CachetyWhat is commonly called a simple electronic signature: an image of your signature placed on the page.	Youtrust (formerly Yousign)Simple, advanced (with ID verification) or qualified (with video ID verification). Advanced and qualified are paid add-ons on the Plus and Pro plans.Advantage Youtrust (formerly Yousign)
Evidence file	CachetyNone: no certificate, no audit trail, no timestamp.	Youtrust (formerly Yousign)A time-stamped evidence file, archived for 10 years, on every plan.Advantage Youtrust (formerly Yousign)
Sending to other signers	CachetyNo. One signer: you. You send the signed file yourself.	Youtrust (formerly Yousign)Yes, with signer order, approvals, automatic reminders and templates.Advantage Youtrust (formerly Yousign)
Identity checks	CachetyNone.	Youtrust (formerly Yousign)An optional one-time code, an SMS access code on the Plus plan, and ID checks for advanced and qualified signatures.Advantage Youtrust (formerly Yousign)
How long data is kept	CachetyNothing is stored. Your signature only exists in the tab's memory.	Youtrust (formerly Yousign)Signature evidence is kept for 10 years and identity data for 90 days, according to its privacy policy.

Yousign is becoming Youtrust

In its own announcement, the company says that Yousign is becoming Youtrust from July 2026. During the move, you may still see the name Yousign, or ‘Yousign (soon to be Youtrust)’, in the app, which is due to switch over by 2027. The company is Youtrust SAS, based in Caen, France.

Two tools for two different jobs

Youtrust is built for sending. You upload a document, choose who signs and in what order, and Youtrust sends the invitations and reminders. Each signature comes with a time-stamped evidence file that is archived for 10 years. You can choose the level: simple, advanced with an ID check, or qualified with a video ID check. Youtrust is on the EU list of qualified trust service providers, and it connects to tools such as Zapier and HubSpot.

Cachety does not send, track or archive anything. It is for signing a document yourself: someone emails you a PDF, you sign it in your browser, and you send it back. Nothing is uploaded and nothing is kept.

About image signatures

Youtrust says its eIDAS-compliant signatures are legally enforceable, unlike basic image-based or scanned signatures. That is its own claim, made to promote its product, but it points to a real limit. A Cachety signature is an image placed on the page, what is commonly called a simple electronic signature. It counts if nobody disputes it, and it is usually accepted for everyday documents. If it is disputed, it carries little weight on its own. Only a qualified signature is presumed reliable. This is not legal advice.

Cachety is not the right tool when an advanced or qualified signature is required, when you need an audit trail or several signers, for a will or a deed, or when the other party insists on a specific signing platform. In those cases, use what they ask for.

Where Youtrust is better

Sending a document to several people, in order, with reminders.
A time-stamped evidence file for every signature, kept for 10 years.
Advanced and qualified signatures, with ID or video ID checks.
A free, ad-free plan for signing your own documents, with a time-stamped evidence file on every plan.

Where Cachety is better

No account at all: open the page and sign.
Your document is never uploaded, not even to servers in France. It still works in aeroplane mode once the page has loaded.
The signed PDF is flattened, and hidden text, metadata and attachments are removed.
It is open source, with no ads and no trackers.

How to sign a document with Cachety

1Open cachety.com/en/sign in your browser, on a computer or a phone. There is nothing to install and no account to create.
2Add your PDF, or a photo of a paper document (JPG, PNG or HEIC). A photo becomes a page that fits an A4 sheet. You can add several documents at once.
3Draw your signature with a finger or the mouse, type your name, or upload a photo of your signature on white paper. Add the date, the place or a short note underneath if you wish.
4Drag the signature onto the line and resize it. Tick ‘Also initial every page’ if you are asked to.
5Check the preview and download the signed PDF. Keep the fingerprint shown after the download with your records.

When Youtrust (formerly Yousign) is the better choice

You need to send a document to other people for signature and follow its progress.
You want a time-stamped evidence file, or an advanced or qualified signature.
You sign your own documents often and want an evidence file for each one, and an account is fine for you.
The other party has sent you a Youtrust or Yousign link: sign there.

When Cachety is the better choice

You only need to sign a PDF yourself and send it back.
You do not want to create an account or upload the document anywhere.
You want the signed copy cleaned of hidden data before you send it.

Frequently asked questions

Are Yousign and Youtrust the same thing?: Yes. The company announced that Yousign is becoming Youtrust from July 2026. The app may still show the name Yousign for a while, as the move is due to finish by 2027.
Is a Cachety signature legally valid?: It is what is commonly called a simple electronic signature: an image of your signature on the page. It counts if nobody disputes it, and it is usually accepted for everyday documents. If it is disputed, it carries little weight on its own. When a contract really matters, or the other party asks for it, use a service that offers advanced or qualified signatures, such as Youtrust. This is not legal advice.
Do I need an account?: Not with Cachety. Youtrust asks you to create an account, even on its free plan.
Can I send the document to someone else to sign?: Not through Cachety. It has one signer: you. You download the signed PDF and send it yourself, and nothing records who signed or when. If you need to collect several signatures with an evidence file, use Youtrust.

Sources

Facts checked on 17 October 2026 on each publisher's public pages. Services change: if something here is out of date, tell us on GitHub and we will fix it.

Written by the author of Cachety. We aim to be factual and fair: every claim about another tool links to its source.