Last Updated on September 16, 2025 by Ewen Finser
Picking a notary service is unlikely to be the most crucial move you make in your business this year. However, if you’re regularly getting documents notarized, it is worth thinking about the provider you’re using.
Notarize is probably the leading name in this space, but it’s not necessarily the best for every business (or even most businesses). Because it uses a pool of independent notaries, I have a lot of concerns around the quality and reliability of the service.
I’ve had a look at some of the alternatives in this article, and explained the demand each one caters to best.
What Sets the Best Online Notary Services Apart?
Firstly, it’s worth thinking about what actually separates the good from the bad in this area. A lot of people regard notarization as a box-checking exercise (which, to be fair, it kind of is), but there are still a number of factors you should think about before picking your provider, namely:
- Price: This is a particularly relevant consideration for business users doing a lot of notarizations every month. Different providers have different types of subscription plans, so it’s worth doing some digging to figure out which ones are likely to represent the best value for you. I generally prefer pay-as-you-go pricing plans, as these allow you to pay only for the notarizations you’re actually getting done.
- Security and compliance: All the leading notarization platforms take security seriously; however, some set higher standards than others. Additionally, the security features on some platforms can make for a less user-friendly experience, so it’s worth taking this into account as well.
- Ease of use: Document upload and session completion should be as frictionless as possible from the start. Some services have steeper learning curves than others.
- Availability and turnaround: Some providers offer around-the-clock notary access, which can come in handy if you happen to need something notarized urgently, or if you travel out of the US regularly and want to arrange notarizations while on the move.
- Support for complex signing scenarios: Some platforms specialize in multi-signer or high-volume workflows. This may or may not be a priority for you, depending on your use case.
- Strong customer support and educational resources: If you’re not already familiar with notarization or online notary services, these can come in very handy. This is one major issue with Notarize; there have been a lot of complaints about the robustness of its customer care.
OneNotary – My Top Pick for Ease and Reliability
For me, OneNotary is the provider that checks the most boxes in this space. It’s affordable, reliable, and easy to use; arguably the three most important characteristics of an online notary (or any online business service).
Pros
- Ease of use: From the moment I logged on, I found OneNotary’s interface easy to use. I wasted no time figuring out how to upload documents or invite additional signers, even on my first try.
- Transparent pricing: On the Pay-as-You-Go tier, OneNotary charges $25 per online notarization (with additional seals for $10 each). Subscription to this tier does not require a monthly payment. This flat-fee structure is great for small businesses; it potentially represents big savings when compared to the basic monthly subscription with some competitors in the space. OneNotary also offers custom packages for enterprise users, so there’s something there for everyone.
- Excellent customer support and resources: The platform provides guides for common documents and a responsive support team. Again, this is really useful for smaller businesses that don’t have the bandwidth for complex setup processes.
- Security: OneNotary uses end-to-end encryption and robust identity verification protocols; these provide great peace of mind.
Cons
- No unlimited-use monthly plan for heavy users: While OneNotary does offer custom business packages, it doesn’t offer a flat-rate subscription tier like some competitors. This may add some friction to the sign-up process if you do prefer a monthly subscription model.
NotaryCam – Great for Global Signers
NotaryCam has a long track record in this space, and it operates across all 50 US states and 145 countries. This global reach is a huge plus if you or your signers are overseas, and is probably NotaryCam’s key selling point.
Pros
- Extensive experience: NotaryCam is great if you have signers located internationally. It has a really strong reputation when it comes to handling real estate and business documents worldwide.
- Multi-signer support: NotaryCam’s system can support many signers in one session. The platform is also capable of handling complex signings (multiple signers, witnesses, etc.), which will be useful for you if you handle larger transactions.
- 24/7 availability: The service is staffed around the clock, so you’ll be able to get a document notarized no matter what time it is.
Cons
- Higher cost for international notarization: If you’re outside the US, or your client is, NotaryCam’s fee jumps to $75 for that session. So, while the platform makes international notarization straightforward, it doesn’t come cheap.
- No published flat-rate subscription for unlimited use: While NotaryCam does offer volume discounts for extended monthly usage, there isn’t a simple monthly plan for a set number of notarizations.
- Different subscription models for different use cases: NotaryCam offers separate subscriptions for real estate closings and wills. If you plan on getting various types of forms notarized, you’ll find this a little awkward.
- Dated interface: I could be accused of nitpicking here, but NotaryCam’s interface doesn’t feel as modern or slick as those of some competitors.
BlueNotary – Straightforward, User-Friendly Platform
BlueNotary launched in 2022, so it’s the new kid on the block. Despite being a young company, though, it has made a name for itself by offering a simple, user-friendly online notarization experience.
Pros
- Flat pricing with no hidden fees: BlueNotary charges $37 per online notarization session, which covers fees for both the notary and the platform. While this is more expensive than some competitors, there are no hidden costs, which is always good.
- Modern, easy-to-use platform: I was able to get started right away and found the user interface very smooth. The platform also offers 24/7 live chat support.
- Security and compliance: BlueNotary is MISMO-certified and retains notarization records for 10 years.
- Responsiveness to user requirements: The team behind BlueNotary is agile and tech-savvy; the platform regularly adds features and improves the service based on user feedback.
Cons
- Price: At $37 per notarization on the standard business tier, BlueNotary will cost you more than the likes of OneNotary. While it’s a solid platform, I don’t think it does enough to justify this extra expense.
- Shorter track record: BlueNotary has only been around since 2022, and so doesn’t yet have the same longstanding reputation as some others in this area.
- Lean feature set: BlueNotary doesn’t offer a lot of ancillary services or advanced integrations unless you’re on a business plan. This doesn’t matter much for straightforward notarizations, but may cause issues if you have more complex needs.
- Lack of pricing differentiation for international notarization: The pricing page doesn’t offer much clarity when it comes to the cost of international notarizations. This suggests that you might need to negotiate this with the sales team, which isn’t ideal.
PandaDoc Notary – All-in-One Document Solution for Businesses
PandaDoc is primarily known as an e-signature and document management platform (it’s a major competitor to DocuSign), but it also offers a remote online notarization feature. This means you can create or upload a document, get it electronically signed, and get it notarized all within one platform.
Pros
- All-in-one document workflow: PandaDoc Notary lets you prepare, send, sign, and notarize documents on the same platform. If you need all these functions, this is very handy.
- Seamlessness for existing PandaDoc users: If your company already uses PandaDoc for contracts or forms, adding notarization is straightforward. The notary service is just an extension of your document process, with 24/7 support available to help.
- Competitive pricing for on-demand notarizations: PandaDoc charges $25 per notarization (when you’re using PandaDoc’s notaries), which is as good a price as you’ll find. If you have in-house notaries, the platform can accommodate them too, albeit with an extra fee.
Cons
- Unsuitable for occasional or nonbusiness users: If you just need one-off notarization and you’re not interested in document management software, PandaDoc will probably be overkill. The interface is richer and more complex than a simple notary-only service, which might feel cumbersome if you’re not going to use the extra features.
- Steep learning curve: I found that I needed to spend a bit more time understanding how to initiate a notary transaction within the PandaDoc app than on simpler platforms.
What’s the Verdict?
While Notarize has a lot of respect in this space, I just don’t think it offers value for money compared to some other online notarization platforms, especially for smaller businesses.
For me, OneNotary is the pick of the bunch, unless you have a specific use case that might make another provider more suitable. For example, NotaryCam is worth a look if you do a lot of international notarizations, while PandaDoc may be right for you if you already use the platform for other functions. Otherwise, though, I’d recommend looking no further than OneNotary for your online notarization needs.