Six-time Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader, now part of Docusign IAM
Best Contract Lifecycle Management Software
Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) software is designed to streamline the entire contract management process, from pre-signature to post-signature activities. In contrast to traditional contract management software, CLM solutions go beyond just managing the creation and signing of contracts.
More about Contract Lifecycle Management Software
The key features of CLM software include:
- Obligation Tracking: Centrally store and monitor all contractual obligations for internal and external parties.
- Performance Management: Provide visibility into the performance of active contracts, ensuring all parties meet their obligations.
- Compliance Management: Assist businesses in maintaining compliance with industry regulations, government requirements, and legal obligations.
- Dispute Resolution: Facilitate the management and resolution of any contractual disputes that may arise.
To be considered a true CLM solution, a software product must include all the capabilities of a standard contract management system, plus the additional post-signature functionalities listed above. This allows businesses to oversee the entire contract lifecycle, from initial creation to final expiration or renewal.
By leveraging CLM software, organizations can ensure all parties involved understand and fulfill their contractual responsibilities. Additionally, these platforms provide valuable insights and risk mitigation measures to help optimize contract performance and compliance.
Contract Lifecycle Management Software Compared
Compare the 10 most relevant Contract Lifecycle Management Software options on price, free trial and deployment.
| Product | Starting price | Free trial | Free plan | API | Deployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Not published | ✓ | – | ✓ | Cloud Based |
| | Custom | – | – | ✓ | Cloud Based |
| | Custom | – | – | ✓ | Cloud Based |
| | Custom | – | – | ✓ | Cloud Based |
| | Custom | – | – | ✓ | Cloud Based |
| | Custom | – | – | ✓ | Cloud Based |
| | Custom | – | – | ✓ | Cloud Based |
| | Custom | – | – | ✓ | Cloud Based |
| | Custom | – | – | ✓ | Cloud Based |
| | Custom | – | – | ✓ | Cloud Based |
All Software
11 Best Contract Lifecycle Management Software Options
DocuSign CLM states that effective contract management can boost speed and efficiency by 83%, and backs its credibility with an unusually specific analyst claim: named a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for CLM for the sixth year in a row. It now sits under the umbrella of "Docusign IAM | Contract Lifecycle Management," reflecting Docusign's broader push to position CLM as part of an Intelligent Agreement Management suite rather than a standalone product bolted onto its e-signature roots.
The practical advantage for existing Docusign customers is continuity: creating, reviewing, negotiating, routing and managing contracts sits alongside the e-signature workflow most businesses already use Docusign for, rather than requiring a separate vendor relationship for signature and lifecycle management. A guided tour is offered before talking to an expert.
Read DocuSign CLM ReviewsExplore various Keka features, compare the pricing plans, and unlock the potential of seamless operations by selecting the right software for your business.
Features
View all DocuSign CLM Features- Create and review contracts in one platform
- Negotiate and route contracts for approval
- Manage the full contract lifecycle
- Combine CLM with Docusign e-signature
- Reference six-time Gartner MQ Leader status
- Improve contracting speed and efficiency
- Take a guided product tour
- Operate within Docusign IAM
- Reduce contracting risk through structured process
- Scale from SMB through enterprise use
Pricing
DocuSign CLM Caters to
- StartUps
- SMEs
- Agencies
- Enterprises
Contract Lifecycle Management Software Buyer's Guide
Buyers comparing Contract Lifecycle Management Software usually find the shortlist separates on workflow fit and total cost rather than headline capability. Below are the core capabilities, who benefits most, typical pricing, and what to test before committing.
What is Contract Lifecycle Management Software?
Contract Lifecycle Management Software helps teams organise the bookings, customer records and paperwork that contract lifecycle work depends on in one system. The real return is usually less rekeying and fewer version disputes rather than any single headline feature. Most products handle the easy cases; the useful test is what happens at the edges of your process.
Key features to look for in Contract Lifecycle Management Software
Which of these matter depends on your process, but they are worth checking against any Contract Lifecycle Management Software shortlist.
- Records and profiles built around contract lifecycle work
- Scheduling and capacity planning
- Workflow stages matching how contract lifecycle operations actually run
- Invoicing and payment handling
- Document storage and compliance records
- Customer and contact communication
- Reporting on the measures that matter in contract lifecycle work
- Role based access for different staff types
Benefits of using Contract Lifecycle Management Software
Organisations running Contract Lifecycle Management Software that genuinely fits their workflow tend to see:
- Workflows that match contract lifecycle operations instead of a generic process
- Less adaptation of general purpose software to a specialist job
- Records and terminology that fit the field
- Compliance and record keeping handled in one place
- Reporting on measures that are actually relevant
Who uses Contract Lifecycle Management Software?
Contract Lifecycle Management Software is used by owners and managers in contract lifecycle work, administrative staff, and the frontline teams delivering it. What matters more than headcount is whether the product’s assumptions about your process are correct.
How to choose the right Contract Lifecycle Management Software
Worth weighing before you commit to any Contract Lifecycle Management Software option:
- How closely the workflow matches your own contract lifecycle operation
- Whether sector specific compliance requirements are covered
- The size of operation the product is genuinely designed for
- Data migration from whatever you use today
- How responsive the vendor is to requests specific to this field
Narrow to a few options and test on your own data. The eventual daily users should run the trial, because their friction determines whether a rollout sticks.
How much does Contract Lifecycle Management Software cost?
Expect per user or per location monthly pricing, banded by operation size. Expect to pay more than for a general purpose tool, which is normal where the addressable market is small. Budget against where you expect to be, and read carefully which capabilities are gated above the tier you are quoted.
FAQs of Contract Lifecycle Management Software
Contract Lifecycle Management Software covers the operational side of contract lifecycle work, holding records, scheduling and invoicing together instead of across separate tools.
Generic software leaves you building the contract lifecycle specifics yourself, whereas Contract Lifecycle Management Software ships with them at a higher price.
Fit depends on the scale Contract Lifecycle Management Software was designed for, so check whether the vendor’s typical contract lifecycle customer resembles your own operation.
Migration support varies across Contract Lifecycle Management Software, so ask what the vendor imports as standard from your current contract lifecycle records and what needs manual work.
Contract Lifecycle Management Software is usually billed per seat or per site each month, and specialist contract lifecycle tooling generally prices above generic software.
Test Contract Lifecycle Management Software on genuine contract lifecycle tasks with the people who will actually use it rather than on a scripted scenario.