Comparison

sign vs BRAK beA

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

sign

This app provides a secure second factor for authenticating qualified electronic signatures. It ensures your online signatures are legally compliant and protected.

Highlights
  • eIDAS-compliant remote signature solution
  • Legally sign electronic documents
  • Second factor authentication for QES
  • Recommended for qualified electronic signature approval
Read full description

sign-me is the eIDAS-compliant remote signature solution from D-Trust, a part of the Bundesdruckerei Gruppe. You can legally sign your electronic documents with with sign-me. In order to sign your document with an eIDAS qualified electronic signature (QES), the signature process must be authenticated by means of a second factor (2FA). This second factor authentication can be done by using the sign-me 2FA app. D-Trust recommends the use of the sign-me 2FA app for the approval of qualified electronic signatures. You can find more information at www.sign-me.de.

About

BRAK beA

Access your special electronic lawyer mailbox (beA) and other authorized beA mailboxes from your mobile device. Read messages and attachments, and send prepared drafts and acknowledgments of receipt. Requires a software token for secure access.

Highlights
  • Access beA mailboxes
  • Read messages and attachments
  • Send message drafts
  • Send acknowledgments of receipt
  • Secure login with PIN or biometrics
Read full description

Mit der beA-App können Sie mobil auf Ihr besonderes elektronisches Anwaltspostfach (beA) sowie weitere beA-Postfächer, für die Sie berechtigt sind, zugreifen. Sie können Nachrichten sowie Anhänge in allen Ordnern öffnen und lesen. Außerdem können Sie vorbereitete Nachrichtenentwürfe und elektronische Empfangsbekenntnisse über die beA-App versenden. Für die Benutzung der App benötigen Sie zwingend ein Software-Token (beA-Softwarezertifikat), welches Sie bei der Bundesnotarkammer bestellen können. Gehen Sie dazu in den BNotK Online-Shop unter https://zertifizierungsstelle.bnotk.de/produkte/bestellung-antrag-bea. Um die App benutzen zu können, müssen Sie das Software-Token in Ihrer beA-Webanwendung für Ihr Postfach hinterlegen und mit Ihrer beA-Karte freischalten. Anschließend können Sie das Software-Token ganz einfach per QR-Code in die App übertragen. Nach der einmaligen Einrichtung können Sie sich jederzeit mit der PIN Ihres Software-Tokens oder mit biometrischen Daten, z.B. Face-ID (Gesichtserkennung) oder Touch-ID (Fingerabdruck) in der beA-App anmelden. Weitere Informationen finden Sie auch in der beA Anwenderhilfe unter https://handbuch.bea-brak.de.

Screenshots

sign4 screens
BRAK beA4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: BRAK beA at every 3 months against sign's every 9 months. sign's advantage is review sentiment (40% vs 29%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

sign ships an update every 9 months, BRAK beA every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
sign versus BRAK beA: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametersignBRAK beA
PriceFreeFree
Rating—1.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews40.0% of reviews — better29.2% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB93 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperD-Trust GmbHBundesrechtsanwaltskammer

Customer experience

sign

Written reviews5 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative40.0%

BRAK beA

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive29.2%
Neutral8.3%
Negative62.5%

In-app purchases

None

sign

No in-app purchases

None

BRAK beA

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is sign free?
sign is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is BRAK beA free?
BRAK beA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do sign or BRAK beA have ads?
Neither sign nor BRAK beA shows ads.
Which is updated more often, sign or BRAK beA?
sign ships an update every 9 months, and BRAK beA every 3 months. Most recently, sign was updated on October 24, 2026 and BRAK beA on October 19, 2026.

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