The print-sign-scan loop that doesn't need to exist anymore
For a long time the only way to "sign" a PDF was printing it, signing with a pen, and scanning it back in — three extra steps and usually a worse-looking final document than the original, because scans never come out as crisp as the source file. For anything that doesn't require a legally certified digital signature — an internal approval, an informal agreement, an acknowledgment form — that entire loop is unnecessary.
Drawing a signature directly with a mouse or finger and placing it exactly where it needs to go skips the print and scan steps entirely, and the result is a cleaner file than the scan-based version ever was, since the rest of the document was never re-scanned at all.
It's an image, and knowing that changes how you use it
A drawn signature gets captured and embedded as an image at the spot you click — technically the same as pasting in a picture of your handwriting. That's exactly what most situations actually need: something that visually represents your signature on the document. It positions cleanly, scales proportionally to your drawing, and looks the same every time you place it once you've drawn it the way you want.
Because it's an image rather than text, there's a genuine limit here worth being upfront about: this is not a cryptographic, certificate-based digital signature backed by PKI infrastructure. Contexts that specifically require that — certain legal filings, some financial documents, government submissions with strict e-signature requirements — need dedicated certificate-based signing software, not a visual signature tool.
Getting a signature you're actually happy with
A mouse-drawn signature rarely looks right on the first try — trackpads especially make smooth curves hard to draw. Clear and redraw as many times as needed before placing it; there's no penalty for doing this five times until it looks close to your actual handwriting. If you're on a phone or tablet, drawing with a finger or stylus usually produces a noticeably better result than a mouse.
One placement per use is standard for this kind of tool — for a multi-page document needing a signature on several pages, you place it once, download, then repeat on the result for each additional page.