Noira vs. PandaDoc: Who Actually Holds the Encryption Keys?
PandaDoc encrypts documents with AES-256 at rest, but PandaDoc holds the keys and can technically access document contents. Noira encrypts in-browser before data reaches its infrastructure, using threshold cryptography so no party — including Noira — can decrypt documents.
Can PandaDoc read my documents?
Yes. PandaDoc uses standard server-side encryption and holds the keys, so it can technically access document contents.
PandaDoc is hosted on AWS and uses AES-256 at rest with PandaDoc-controlled keys, so the confidentiality guarantee depends on trusting PandaDoc and its cloud provider. The encryption protects data at rest and in transit, but the keys live with PandaDoc — meaning a cryptographic barrier between you and your documents is not part of the architecture.
How does PandaDoc pricing compare?
PandaDoc charges per seat, with a free tier capped at five documents per month and paid plans starting at $19 per user per month.
Verified PandaDoc tiers: Free (5 docs/mo), Starter $19/user/mo, Business $49/user/mo (annual), with per-seat or per-document models and add-ons priced extra. Noira uses Internet Identity sign-in with no per-seat SaaS tier, so cost does not scale with team size in the same way.
How the plans line up
PandaDoc is a per-seat SaaS with tiered document caps; Noira uses Internet Identity sign-in and does not charge per seat.
The pricing structures reflect different architectures. PandaDoc's per-seat model scales cost with team size and document volume, with paid tiers unlocking more documents and features. Noira's threshold-cryptography model is anchored on the Internet Computer Protocol, so the cost structure is not tied to per-seat SaaS billing.
| Attribute | PandaDoc | Noira |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption model | AES-256 at rest, server-side, PandaDoc-held keys | Client-side in-browser, threshold cryptography, no party holds a usable key |
| Pricing structure | Free 5 docs/mo, Starter $19, Business $49 per user/mo annual | Sign in with Internet Identity, no per-seat SaaS tier |
| On-chain status | Off-chain, AWS-hosted | Agreements anchored on the Internet Computer Protocol |
| Compliance certs | SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR-ready | Cryptographic privacy by construction, formal compliance program not yet complete |
Frequently asked questions
Yes. PandaDoc uses standard server-side encryption and holds the keys, so it can technically access document contents. PandaDoc is hosted on AWS and uses AES-256 at rest with PandaDoc-controlled keys, so the confidentiality guarantee depends on trusting PandaDoc and its cloud provider.
No. Documents are encrypted in-browser before reaching Noira's infrastructure, using VetKeys threshold cryptography on ICP. No single party — including Noira — can unilaterally decrypt.
PandaDoc charges per seat, with a free tier capped at five documents per month and paid plans starting at $19 per user per month. Verified tiers: Free (5 docs/mo), Starter $19/user/mo, Business $49/user/mo (annual), with per-seat or per-document models and add-ons priced extra. Noira uses Internet Identity sign-in with no per-seat SaaS tier.
No. PandaDoc is off-chain and AWS-hosted. Noira anchors agreements on the Internet Computer Protocol, so the integrity of an agreement is verifiable on a public blockchain rather than dependent on a single vendor's infrastructure.
PandaDoc holds SOC 2, HIPAA, and is GDPR-ready. Noira's privacy is cryptographic by construction — no party holds a usable key — but its formal compliance program is not yet complete. The difference is architectural (key custody) rather than a certification count.
Where PandaDoc is still ahead
PandaDoc has the maturity of an established SaaS platform, with third-party certifications (SOC 2, HIPAA) and a broad enterprise footprint that Noira does not yet match. Noira's differentiator is architectural, not feature parity: the threshold-cryptography model removes a class of key-custody risk that server-side-encryption architectures cannot. We do not overclaim Noira's current stage — the comparison above is about how each system is built, not about which one has shipped more enterprise rollouts today.
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