What's the best online notary service in 2026?
The $25 price is the start. Seals, signers and your signer's country decide the rest.
The short answer: OneNotary for most people. It costs $25 a session like its rivals, but extra seals are $10 instead of Proof's $15, and its reviews are the best of the group. If a signer lives outside the US or has no Social Security number, pick NotaryCam: it's the only one that posts a price for that case ($79). Proof is the safe, well-known option for a single US document at 2 a.m.
What most "best online notary" lists skip: you often can't choose your notary's state, some recipients refuse e-notarizations, and the apostille is a separate step handled by the notary's state. We compared four remote online notarization (RON) platforms on price with extras, availability, signers abroad, document acceptance and user reviews.
The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always labeled on its card, and no affiliate link ever changes a score.
The best online notary by situation
4 online notary services compared
All four charge per session or per seal, no subscription required for individuals. Read the "Best for" column before the price: the cheapest session is worthless if the recipient rejects the notary's state.
| Best for | Edge | Free plan | Team size | Visit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OneNotary | Best overall | Extra seal at $10 | 4.3/5 | $25 per session | — | Individuals, small teams | Visit → |
| 2 | NotaryCam | Best for signers abroad | Posted non-SSN price, 145 countries | 4.3/5 | $25 per seal ($79 without SSN) | — | Expats, foreign signers | Visit → |
| 3 | Proof (formerly Notarize) | Best known | 24/7, all 50 states | 4.1/5 | $25 per notarization | — | One US document, fast | Visit → |
| 4 | DocuSign Notary | For DocuSign teams | Inside a DocuSign envelope | 3.4/5 | From $25 (via OneNotary) | — | DocuSign customers | Visit → |
Scores on five weighted criteria. Prices read in 2026 on each company's official pricing page, before tax.
How we compared and scored
Remote online notarization works in three steps: you upload the document, the platform checks your ID (a photo of your license, sometimes knowledge-based questions from your credit file), then a commissioned notary meets you on video and applies an electronic seal. The result carries the notary's state seal.
We read each company's official pricing page for base price and extras, then read user reviews starting with the worst ones, plus expat forums and official guidance on apostilles and embassy notarization. The criterion that moved the ranking most was how each platform handles a signer without a Social Security number.
- PriceBase price, then real cost with seals, signers and witness.25%
- AvailabilityHours, states covered, time to reach a notary.20%
- Signers outside the USPrice and ID check without an SSN, countries served.20%
- Document acceptanceChoice of notary state, apostille, reported rejections.20%
- Reliability and reviewsAverage rating, share of negative reviews, recurring bugs.15%
No affiliate link ever changes a score or a rank.
OneNotary
OneNotary takes the top spot because it wins where most people actually lose money: the extras. A session costs $25 with one seal and one signer. Each extra seal is $10 (Proof charges $15), each extra signer $10, a witness $15. On a four-page packet, that gap adds up fast. Teams get a Business plan at $49 a month billed annually, and a "connect your own notary" option at $10 a session.
Reviews are the best in this ranking: 4.8 out of 5 across more than 3,600 reviews, with only 2% one-star. Many sessions wrap up in under ten minutes. The complaints are specific: waits that stretch after you book, a form with the wrong date (redone for free), and a government form that could not be filled in online. Turn those forms into fillable PDFs before you log in.
The catch: the pricing page says nothing about apostilles or signers without a US Social Security number. If your signer lives abroad, ask support first. Also, OneNotary ranks itself first on its own blog. Read those lists with that in mind.
- $25 per session
- Extra seal at $10
- Business plan at $49/mo
- Sessions often under 10 minutes
- ✓Cheapest once you need two seals
- ✓Best reviews in the ranking
- ✓A real plan for teams
- ✗No posted price for non-SSN signers
- ✗Apostille not on the pricing page
- ✗Waits reported after booking
The best value for most US signers. Ask support before booking if anyone on the document lives outside the US.
NotaryCam
NotaryCam is the only platform here that posts a price for a signer without a US Social Security number: a $79 fee (the page doesn't say whether it is on top of the $25 per seal). That matters because online identity checks in the US often rely on questions built from your credit file. No US credit file, no easy check, so the platform verifies you another way and charges for it. NotaryCam says it serves signers in 145 countries, 24/7, and offers real estate closings from $199.
Reviews are strong: 4.8 out of 5 across more than 17,000 reviews. Signers in places like the Philippines say it saved them a trip to the embassy. The negatives are technical: site bugs, dropped connections, waits, and a reported problem reading DC driver's licenses. Negative reviews also tend to go unanswered.
Apostilles are billed separately and are not listed on the pricing page, so get a quote before you count on one.
- Posted price for non-SSN signers
- Signers in 145 countries
- Open 24/7
- Real estate from $199
- ✓The clearest option for signers abroad
- ✓Huge review base
- ✓No subscription
- ✗$79 fee without an SSN
- ✗Bugs and waits in reviews
- ✗Apostille billed separately
The pick when a signer lives outside the US. Budget $79 and confirm the recipient takes online notarizations.
Proof (formerly Notarize)
Proof, formerly Notarize, is the name most people know. The base price is $25 per notarization, available 24/7 in all 50 states per the company. Extras climb quickly: $15 per additional seal, $10 per additional signer, $15 for a witness, $4 for a plain eSignature. One reviewer paid $40 instead of the $25 they expected, and those add-ons are why.
Reviews average 4.6 out of 5 over more than 3,800 reviews, with 7% one-star. The complaint that matters most: you can't pick your notary's state. One user had a document rejected by the recipient for exactly that reason. Another needed four tries because of a technical issue, and one said nothing warned them that some recipients refuse e-notarizations.
Business pricing is quote-based, and the pricing page says nothing about international use or apostilles.
- $25 per notarization
- 24/7
- Business pricing on quote
- ✓The most established brand
- ✓Available any time
- ✓Clear base price
- ✗Extra seal at $15
- ✗Notary state assigned, not chosen
- ✗Nothing on use abroad
Solid for a single US document. For multi-page packets OneNotary costs less, and NotaryCam handles signers abroad better.
DocuSign Notary
DocuSign Notary adds a remote notary to a regular DocuSign envelope. The contract, signatures and notarization live in one tool and one audit trail. For a legal or real estate team already paying for DocuSign, that's the shortest path.
The limit: it doesn't handle apostilles. A user on the DocuSign community forum asked how to connect DocuSign with an apostille; the only reply pointed to DocuSign Notary, and the question stayed unresolved.
Worth knowing: for a one-off notarization, DocuSign's official Notary page starts at $25, routed through its partner OneNotary. So the entry price matches OneNotary direct. The reason to go through DocuSign is the integration with the envelopes you already send, not the price.
- Notarization inside a DocuSign envelope
- One audit trail
- Partners with OneNotary: notarization from $25
- Enterprise plan on quote
- ✓No new tool if you already use DocuSign
- ✓Built for teams
- ✓Same $25 entry price as OneNotary
- ✗Enterprise plan on quote only
- ✗No apostille
- ✗Only makes sense for DocuSign customers
Only worth it if your company already pays for DocuSign. For a one-off, a $25 session does the job.
Which online notary fits your case
Before you pay, ask the recipient two questions: do you accept online notarization, and does the notary's state matter? Then match your case below.
- One page, one signer, in the US: any of the top three at $25.
- Several pages: OneNotary, extra seals at $10.
- Signer abroad: NotaryCam at $79.
- Weekly volume: OneNotary Business at $49/mo.
You need one document notarized tonight
Your packet has several pages to seal
A signer lives outside the US
The recipient needs a specific state
The document goes to another country
Your company notarizes every week
- Ask the recipient whether they accept online notarization.
- Ask whether the notary's state matters.
- Count seals and signers to get your real price.
- Turn forms into fillable PDFs before the session.
- If a signer has no SSN, confirm the price with support.
- If the document leaves the US, plan the apostille before you book.
Six tips to avoid paying twice
Pulled from official pages and from signers' reviews. Each one costs less than a rejected session.
Ask the recipient first
TrapThe costliest complaint in reviews is a notarized document rejected at the other end. Banks and agencies can require a specific state or refuse e-notarizations outright.
A two-line email saves you a second session.
- Ask
- Online OK? Which state?
Count your seals
PriceEach page to seal counts. One Proof customer paid $40 instead of $25. At OneNotary the extra seal is $10, at Proof $15.
Group your documents in one session.
- Extra seal
- $10 to $15
No SSN? Budget $79
PriceThe $25 headline usually assumes a US signer with a credit file. NotaryCam posts $79 for signers without an SSN.
Elsewhere, ask support before booking.
- NotaryCam, no SSN
- $79
Make forms fillable beforehand
SessionA government form you can't fill in online will stall the session. One reviewer found out live.
Fill it in, check every date, then upload.
- Typical session
- Under 10 minutes
Bring an ID the system can read
TrapNotaryCam reviewers report trouble with DC driver's licenses. Have a passport ready as a backup.
Good light and a steady camera help the photo check pass on the first try.
- Backup
- Passport
Plan the apostille separately
AbroadThe apostille comes from the notary's state, not the platform, and it's billed on top. DocuSign doesn't offer it at all.
Get the timeline before you promise a foreign recipient a date.
- Issued by
- The notary's state
Only need a signature? Start here
An eSignature isn't a notarization, but it covers most contracts.
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Online notary · FAQ
How much does an online notary cost?
$25 is the going rate for one seal and one signer at Proof, OneNotary and NotaryCam. Extras push it up: $10 to $15 per extra seal, $10 per extra signer, $15 for a witness. A signer without a US Social Security number pays a $79 fee at NotaryCam.Is online notarization legal in every state?
Most states now authorize remote online notarization, and platforms say they serve documents for all 50 states (Proof). The real question is whether your recipient accepts it. Some banks, courts and agencies ask for a notary from a specific state, and some platforms won't let you choose.Can I use an online notary if I live outside the US?
Yes, for documents headed to the US. NotaryCam serves signers in 145 countries and charges $79 without an SSN. The alternative is a US embassy or consulate, often $50 per signature with appointments weeks out. For documents going to another country, check with the recipient first.Do I need a Social Security number to get notarized online?
Not always, but it changes the price and the identity check. US platforms often verify you with questions drawn from your credit file. Without one, NotaryCam uses another method and charges $79. OneNotary and Proof don't post a price for this case, so ask support before booking.Can an online notarized document get an apostille?
Sometimes. The apostille comes from the notary's commissioning state, not from the platform, and procedures for electronic notarizations vary by state. NotaryCam bills apostilles separately. DocuSign doesn't offer them. Get the exact process in writing before you promise a foreign recipient anything.Is an eSignature the same as a notarization?
No. An eSignature proves who signed and when. A notarization adds a commissioned notary who verifies your identity and applies a seal. Most contracts only need an eSignature; deeds, affidavits and powers of attorney often need the notary. Check what your recipient requires.How long does an online notarization take?
Often under ten minutes once you're connected, according to OneNotary users. Plan extra time for identity checks and the queue: reviewers on several platforms mention waits after booking. Prepare fillable PDFs and check dates beforehand so the session doesn't stall.Why was my online notarized document rejected?
Usually because the recipient wanted a notary from a specific state, or doesn't accept e-notarizations at all. Proof assigns the notary, so you can't pick the state. Ask the recipient two questions in writing before paying: do you accept online notarization, and from which state?Is DocuSign Notary cheaper than going direct?
No. DocuSign's official Notary page starts at $25 for a one-off notarization, routed through its partner OneNotary, the same entry price as OneNotary direct. Pick DocuSign only if your contracts already live there; for anything else, book OneNotary or NotaryCam yourself and skip the extra layer.
