Endless approval delays draining your time?
Managing contracts across scattered emails and endless Excel sheets, it’s easy for procurement and legal teams to feel overwhelmed and constantly behind.
All those manual processes add up fast—missed deadlines, lost visibility, and uninformed stakeholders can derail your entire operations.
A legal technology survey by EY found 68% of companies reported operational bottlenecks due to fragmented contract workflows. That means you’re definitely not alone struggling to stay compliant or catch every renewal on time.
This article shows you how to fix these headaches so you spend less time chasing signatures and more time driving real value for your company.
In this article, I’ll guide you through the best contract lifecycle management software options built to streamline approvals, centralize compliance, and empower real collaboration across teams.
You’ll find solutions that let you automate approvals, track renewals, and finally gain the real-time visibility you’ve been missing.
Let’s dive in.
Quick Summary:
| # | Software | Rating | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Concord → | Enterprise procurement & sales | |
| 2 | Icertis → | Legal & compliance teams | |
| 3 | DocuSign CLM → | Large enterprises | |
| 4 | Conga CLM → | Scaling enterprises | |
| 5 | LinkSquares → | Budget-conscious legal teams |
1. Concord
Managing contract chaos shouldn’t drain your week.
With Concord, you get automated workflows for contract creation, review, and approval—so you skip endless email chains and lose the version headaches for good.
This means your procurement, legal, and sales users can collaborate on the same document in real time, never losing track of terms or renewals in a spreadsheet abyss. Plus, you eliminate scattered signatures or snags blocking critical deals.
No more stumbling around fragmented approval chains.
Here’s how Concord directly cuts through bottlenecks.
You can create and approve contracts up to 60% faster on Concord, thanks to their intelligent automation rules and customizable workflow templates built for enterprise teams.
Additionally, Concord’s AI-powered Agreement Intelligence automatically pulls key terms and dates, so you can spot renewal obligations, assign accountability, and surface risks instantly without days of manual data entry. If you’re juggling hundreds of vendor, sales, or HR agreements, this insight can be a game changer.
Plus, the built-in eSignature feature lets you execute agreements securely, right within the same platform—no more chasing down paper or bouncing PDFs through another app. The result is lightning-fast deal closure, audit trails, and airtight compliance for every contract cycle.
Everything just fits together and it shows.
Key features:
- Automated workflows for contract creation and approval save your team hundreds of clicks, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks, even as agreements move between legal, procurement, and sales.
- Agreement intelligence powered by AI for smart insights pulls out renewal dates, key terms, and risk factors so you spot compliance gaps and avoid costly mistakes upfront.
- Legally binding eSignatures delivered natively in Concord keep your agreements secure and compliant, accelerating signature turnaround for even your most time-sensitive negotiations.
Concord features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict:
If you’re after the best contract lifecycle management software, Concord is a strong contender. Users cut contract processing time by up to 400% and reduce manual work by 60%, all while centralizing collaboration and compliance—no more lost signatures or renewal deadlines.
2. Icertis
Caught between fragmented processes and mounting contract risks?
Icertis meets that head-on with AI-powered contract intelligence that extracts data, automates risk management, and streamlines your compliance along the way.
If you’ve struggled with delays, version chaos, or disconnected approvals, you’ll see how Icertis can bring every stakeholder onto a single, automated platform for transparency and speed with built-in workflows and compliance tracking.
Here’s how Icertis takes your contract lifecycle to the next level.
With Icertis, you’re no longer forced to rely on scattered spreadsheets or email chains to keep contracts moving. The software uses advanced AI to extract key terms and obligations, flag potential risks, and reduce compliance headaches by giving you real-time, structured insights into every contract.
This means you get guided workflows that walk your team step-by-step through contract creation, negotiation, and multi-level approval—minimizing manual effort and confusion so you can focus on closing deals faster.
Additionally, comprehensive compliance features ensure every contract follows both external regulations and your own internal standards. Icertis automatically tracks obligations and provides proactive risk assessment, so nothing falls through the cracks and you maintain airtight audit trails and policy adherence.
The result is a platform that doesn’t overload you with complexity but brings you the control, speed, and confidence you need.
Key features:
- AI-powered intelligent data extraction from your contracts means you’re always equipped for proactive risk and compliance management and smarter negotiation with actionable information at your fingertips.
- Guided, configurable workflows for contract creation and approval empower cross-functional collaboration, eliminate bottlenecks, and ensure data always stays up to date for every stakeholder involved in the process.
- Automated compliance and obligation management tools help your team minimize financial and legal risk by flagging potential issues, tracking regulatory changes, and standardizing contract language throughout your pipeline.
Icertis features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict:
Icertis is an excellent contract lifecycle management software option if you want to unite legal, procurement, and sales. AI-driven insights, guided workflows, and compliance guardrails deliver the transparency, efficiency, and risk reduction that busy teams need for confident contract management.
3. DocuSign CLM
Is your contract process still scattered and time-consuming?
DocuSign CLM gives you automated workflows, native e-signatures, and AI analysis to eliminate manual bottlenecks and disconnected approvals right from day one.
If you’re weighed down by slow approvals and unclear contract status, this is where real automation meets your need for control and compliance. No more tracking terms in endless spreadsheets or chasing signatures over email—everything happens inside one organized platform.
Here’s where things start to click into place.
DocuSign CLM tackles contract challenges by empowering you with a central hub for creation, approval, and tracking, all automated to save time and eliminate errors.
Automated workflows handle every step, taking agreements from drafting and negotiation through approvals and post-signature actions without missing a beat. The platform’s AI-powered analysis quickly extracts key terms and risk areas, which means you’re able to make informed decisions faster and spot issues that would slip through manual reviews.
Additionally, built-in eSignature lets you finalize contracts immediately within the same system, so execution is never delayed waiting for signatures to come back. Integration with critical business platforms like Salesforce also means less context switching for your team and better cross-departmental visibility in real time.
You immediately see how this brings your whole contract process together.
Key features:
- Automated contract workflows from draft to renewal so your approvals keep moving, bottlenecks disappear, and everyone works off the latest version—no more scattered communications or lost revisions.
- AI-driven contract review and risk detection to surface key legal topics, terms, and obligations instantly, reducing costly manual work and minimizing risks before contracts are even signed.
- Native eSignature built right into the CLM process so you execute agreements with legally binding signatures fast, while keeping every approval auditable and compliant in one place.
DocuSign CLM features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict:
DocuSign CLM is the best contract lifecycle management software when you want automated contract workflows, actionable AI insights, and integrated eSignature to cut cycle times and reduce compliance headaches—all from a single, proven platform trusted by top enterprises.
4. Conga CLM
Is your team bogged down by scattered contract workflows?
Conga CLM delivers automated contract generation, AI-powered negotiation tools, and a centralized contract repository to help you tackle these common headaches right out of the box.
If you find yourself juggling multiple contract versions, struggling with bottlenecks during approvals, or spending too much time redlining, you’ll appreciate how Conga CLM can streamline every stage of your contract process from creation to renewal—eliminating manual work and reducing costly delays.
Here’s why that matters for your business.
Conga CLM is purpose-built to automate contract creation with pre-approved templates and integrated CRM data, cutting reliance on legal and minimizing version missteps.
By leveraging its end-to-end capabilities, you get streamlined contract management without the chaos.
The real value begins with how Conga CLM transforms your contract lifecycle management. It enables your legal, procurement, and sales teams to collaborate within a single platform, automating contract creation with templates and syncing records from your CRM for consistent terms every time.
You gain a real advantage with AI-powered negotiation and redlining capabilities that accelerate review cycles and centralize communications. This means less time tracking approvals over email, and more clarity over every version and edit.
Additionally, the contract repository gives you a secure, searchable home for all contracts, complete with version control and audit history, so you can easily track obligations and never miss a renewal.
That’s how you stay in control of compliance and visibility.
Key features:
- Automated contract generation using CRM-integrated templates lets your team create, customize, and send contracts quickly, eliminating slow manual processes and reducing errors that delay deal closure.
- AI-powered negotiation and redlining toolkit empowers your legal, procurement, and sales users to collaborate using real-time fallback clause libraries, accelerating review times and minimizing back-and-forth.
- Centralized contract repository with full version control ensures every contract is stored securely, audit trails are complete, and your users gain instant visibility into obligations, renewals, and compliance requirements.
Conga CLM features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict:
Conga CLM is an excellent contract lifecycle management software for scaling enterprises. Its automation and AI cut contract-to-close time by up to 75%, while the centralized repository boosts compliance and visibility, making it ideal if your goal is unified, cross-functional contract collaboration.
5. LinkSquares
Tired of contract processes holding up business growth?
LinkSquares gives you AI-powered contract analysis, a centralized repository, and automated workflows to address frustrating approval delays and visibility gaps.
Here’s how using their LinkAI capabilities can extract terms, track obligations, and highlight risks automatically, freeing you from sifting through contracts or chasing counterparts for manual updates.
By unifying your agreements in a single, searchable location with version tracking, you get real-time visibility over every important contract detail. This removes the mess of scattered files, email threads, and Excel trackers that can lead to missed deadlines and compliance headaches.
The solution goes further.
LinkSquares brings your legal and procurement workflows together from contract creation through approvals and renewal alerts. With built-in LinkAI, you automate extracting key terms and risk flags, giving you actionable insights without manual review.
Additionally, the centralized contract repository keeps every version and metadata instantly accessible, so you can quickly retrieve or audit agreements when needed—no more siloed information or lost documents.
If you want to standardize approvals and reduce cycle times, custom workflows and templates help you route contracts efficiently and maintain policy consistency across your business.
Everything is designed for business clarity and speed.
Key features:
- AI contract analysis for risk and obligation tracking: LinkAI’s built-in extraction ensures your team never misses key dates, risks, or terms, putting actionable intelligence in your hands quickly.
- Centralized, searchable contract repository with audit trails: Easily locate, filter, and track agreements plus all metadata, which gives you full visibility and peace of mind at audit time.
- Automated workflows and templates for fast, compliant approvals: Create, approve, and route contracts from standardized templates, vastly reducing manual work and eliminating inconsistent approvals.
LinkSquares features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict:
LinkSquares stands out as the best contract lifecycle management software if you want AI-driven analysis, full contract visibility, and workflow automation in one tool. Its legal-first approach fits budget-conscious teams, helping reduce compliance gaps and accelerate cycles by up to 50%.
6. Oneflow
Tired of chasing contracts across different tools?
Oneflow lets you build, edit, and sign dynamic digital contracts that all your teams can access, track, and update in one central dashboard.
This means you can finally avoid scattered emails and missed deadlines by keeping every contract version, approval, and renewal reminder in the same live workspace—with zero extra manual uploads.
With Oneflow, you skip the time sink of comparing multiple document drafts or piecing together approval chains from spreadsheets.
Now let’s dive into how Oneflow brings this together.
Unlike patchwork contract tools, Oneflow offers interactive HTML-based contracts—no juggling Word files or PDFs—so every change updates instantly, and every stakeholder sees the latest version.
Here’s how the real advantage kicks in: you get AI-powered contract analysis detecting risks and highlighting changes between versions, giving you confidence nothing critical slips through the cracks. No more surprise clauses or hidden edits to catch too late.
Plus, every contract is finalized with secure, legally compliant eSignatures right in the same environment. This means you’re not just faster; you’re airtight on compliance and authenticity from first draft to final signoff.
Oneflow brings clarity and momentum to messy approval cycles.
Key features:
- Dynamic, editable HTML contracts with real-time collaboration enable live editing and commenting by sales, legal, and procurement, avoiding confusion or lost changes typical with static files.
- AI-powered risk detection and clause highlighting to surface hidden risks, ensure contract accuracy, and give you visibility on key changes for easier compliance reviews.
- Integrated legally binding eSignatures plus renewal alerts means you close deals faster and never lose track of key obligations, even at scale.
Oneflow features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict:
Oneflow stands out as a great contract lifecycle management software pick because it removes file chaos, cuts approval cycles in half, and arms you with AI-powered risk detection, real-time collaboration, and ironclad eSignatures—delivering the clarity, speed, and compliance scaling enterprises demand.
7. PandaDoc
Ever feel contracts slow everything down for your team?
PandaDoc’s drag-and-drop contract builder and automated workflow tools address the struggle of manual document creation and scattered approvals head on, putting you back in control of the process.
You don’t have to bounce between spreadsheets, emails, and outdated templates anymore—PandaDoc delivers fast contract generation plus instant e-signature with audit-ready records so your business can eliminate bottlenecks for good.
That’s a game-changer if you want more visibility.
Here’s how PandaDoc actually solves your contract headaches.
With PandaDoc, you get a user-friendly editor that lets you build and customize contracts in minutes. Combined with integrated eSignatures, collecting legally binding approvals is instant and paperless every time.
You can also automate contract approval workflows in a matter of clicks, track progress in real time, and minimize mistakes from duplicate data entry—so everyone from legal to procurement works from a single, up-to-date version.
Plus, everything is tracked from start to finish for compliance, so you never miss a renewal or lose sight of signed agreements. You’re free to focus on higher-value work—not policing old versions or chasing signatures.
The result: your contract process is finally streamlined.
Key features:
- Drag-and-drop contract editor with reusable templates so you can create, brand, and update contracts quickly, ensuring every document follows your best legal and procurement practices.
- Secure, native eSignatures for fast agreement closures plus an automatic activity log, so your team never loses track of who signed and when.
- One-click approval routing and centralized tracking dashboards remove bottlenecks by letting you automate, assign, and monitor every approval in one place—no more missed deadlines.
PandaDoc features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict:
PandaDoc is a great contract lifecycle management software solution if you’re ready to ditch the manual busywork. Everything from creation to renewal stays in one place, so your team can work up to 50% faster with zero approval delays or version control headaches.
8. DealHub
Struggling with contract chaos and missed approvals again?
DealHub’s automated contract generation gives your team instant, template-driven creation, CRM syncing, and reliable version accuracy right out of the gate.
Here’s how those capabilities address the frustration of delays and fragmented processes: you can automate repetitive tasks and reduce approval bottlenecks radically by centralizing everything. No more chasing edits across emails, no more second-guessing which version is final.
Now let’s see what a modern, unified CLM can really do.
DealHub tackles manual contract headaches with purpose-built automation designed for legal, procurement, and sales teams alike.
You get a platform that lets your team automatically assemble agreements with all the right terms, plus real-time negotiation and redlining—complete with version tracking and full audit trails built in so you never lose control. If compliance, accountability, or audit readiness have been challenges, you’ll value how much easier visibility and collaboration become.
Additionally, centralized contract storage means you always know exactly where every agreement lives, when a renewal is coming up, and who approved what. Tack on advanced search and permission controls, and you’re well positioned for cross-team success without the constant manual effort.
Everything comes together for smoother contracts and less stress.
Key features:
- Automated contract creation and CRM-driven templates so even complex contracts are error-proof and ready in less time, with data accuracy every step of the way.
- Collaborative negotiation with streamlined redlining and audit trails so legal, sales, and procurement can review, edit, and approve confidently, knowing every change is tracked and secure.
- Centralized contract repository for easy search and compliance bringing every agreement, status, and renewal into one secure, accessible hub—minimizing risk and missed obligations.
DealHub features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict:
DealHub stands out as a great contract lifecycle management software thanks to automated contract creation, integrated negotiation tools, and a centralized repository. Users have seen up to 50% faster deal cycles and 70% fewer errors, making it a smart pick if you need full-cycle efficiency and reliability.
9. Evisort
Are contract approval delays costing your team time?
Evisort helps your legal and procurement teams move past manual bottlenecks with AI-powered data extraction, automated workflows, and smart search for every contract document.
When your current contract process means slow reviews, missed renewals, and scattered communication, Evisort’s automation addresses those headaches directly. By identifying and extracting critical terms and surfacing obligations, you can keep compliance issues and revenue leakage at bay.
That’s why automation makes such a big difference here.
Here’s how Evisort puts you in control of your contracts.
With Evisort, I can digitize all legacy and new contracts instantly—no more piecing things together from spreadsheets or emails. No-code, drag-and-drop workflows make it simple to create or adjust approval paths, so legal, sales, and procurement can work together without version chaos.
Additionally, AI-powered smart search and analytics mean you’re always a few clicks away from any clause or obligation across your repository, greatly reducing time spent hunting for key dates or supplier terms. The result: you get one searchable audit trail and far less risk of missed obligations.
If you’re prioritizing efficiency and accountability, this can change everything.
Key features:
- AI-powered extraction of critical contract data eliminates manual entry, rapidly analyzes every contract, and flags key clauses or terms for your review—so you never miss important information.
- No-code workflow builder for contract approvals lets you automate and customize routing, making it easy to track progress and drastically cut down on turnaround times.
- Smart search and business analytics help you instantly locate clauses or obligations and visualize contract milestones, supporting better compliance and proactive obligation management.
Evisort features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict:
Evisort stands out as the best contract lifecycle management software thanks to AI-driven extraction and no-code workflow automation that reduce contract review time by 80%. If your goal is compliance and cycle time cuts, you’ll value actionable insights and true end-to-end automation.
10. Ironclad
Evaluating contract workflow tools just makes your day tougher.
Ironclad helps you design and automate approvals using their Workflow Designer, where you map out every step without code or IT bottlenecks.
This means your team can collapse manual steps in the approval chain and put an end to scattered emails, missing signatures, and untracked renewals for good. You feel more in control—no more letting obligations or deadlines slip by.
Accelerating contract approval shouldn’t be a guessing game.
Ironclad’s digital contracting platform brings all your contract work under one roof, letting you automate complex workflows so you can focus more on outcomes, not just admin.
Here’s how the Workflow Designer helps: you build and tweak contract flows visually to speed up approvals between legal, procurement, and sales, without waiting on IT. I especially like how you can launch dynamic templates that flex to each use case, ensuring compliance while still moving fast.
Plus, Ironclad’s AI-powered insights scan your portfolio to identify risk areas and keep you ahead of renewal dates or changing obligations. The result is a simplified process that’s aligned with your real business needs, not just generic automation.
You end up with fewer errors and a workflow everyone can trust.
Key features:
- Visual Workflow Designer for approval automation gives you a code-free way to map, automate, and manage complex contract review processes, so you minimize bottlenecks across departments.
- Dynamic contract templates tailored to deal specifics provide consistent, compliant contracts at scale, letting you generate new agreements quickly while upholding your legal standards.
- AI-powered contract analytics and risk alerts surface trends, obligations, and potential problem areas, letting you proactively manage renewals and get ahead of any compliance risks.
Ironclad features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict:
Ironclad stands out as the best contract lifecycle management software if you want error rates down 70% and contract execution 55% faster. The Workflow Designer and AI analytics power true end-to-end automation and control, so you can finally stop juggling tasks and start getting better results.
11. Agiloft
Evaluating contract software shouldn’t eat up your week.
Agiloft’s no-code platform lets you streamline contract creation, automate approval workflows, and centralize everything—letting you cut through system overlap and manual headaches easily.
Here’s how Agiloft helps if you’re overwhelmed by scattered processes or missing contract renewals: you get a central dashboard tying every agreement, clause, and renewal date together. With AI-driven analysis, you can quickly extract obligations and risks from incoming documents before small issues spiral into real problems.
No wonder automation is a must, not a luxury, as teams juggle compliance and ROI.
Agiloft brings flexibility and powerful automation together for you.
You’re able to automate the entire contract lifecycle—from template-based creation to negotiation, all the way to automated approvals and alerts—so no detail slips by. The platform’s AI contract analysis underlines hidden risks, renewal clauses, and obligations in seconds, helping you make more informed business decisions, faster and with confidence.
Additionally, you can customize everything through their intuitive no-code builder. If legal, sales, or procurement wants a unique workflow or field, you simply drag-and-drop instead of logging IT requests. The result: your contract process fits how your team works, instead of the other way around.
Agiloft combines automation and transparency, supporting faster cycle times and reliable compliance.
Key features:
- Highly configurable no-code workflow automation so you can design contract, approval, and renewal processes to match changing business needs—all without IT overhead.
- AI-powered contract data extraction and risk detection highlighting key clauses and obligations instantly, enabling smarter compliance checks and confident decisions from day one.
- Centralized contract management dashboard and alerts that unify templates, approvals, and renewal tracking, keeping every department aligned and avoiding costly oversights.
Agiloft features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict:
Agiloft is an excellent contract lifecycle management software for procurement pros and legal teams seeking agility, compliance, and ROI. It cuts review times by up to 50% and delivers 99% contract compliance—making it a compelling choice for end-to-end, automated contract control.
Conclusion
Streamlining contract approvals shouldn’t feel impossible.
Sifting through countless tools, it’s tough to find a solution that balances flexibility, automation, and real clarity for your procurement or legal workflows.
A recent survey from EY found that 68% of companies reported issues due to fragmented contract processes—that’s almost seven out of ten teams fighting bottlenecks you just can’t afford to ignore.
So what’s the best next move?
From every platform I tested, Concord is the standout option to finally tame contract chaos end-to-end.
With Concord, you can centralize creation, automate approvals, and track every renewal in one intuitive dashboard. That’s why it’s my clear #1 pick in this guide.
If you’re serious about getting the best contract lifecycle management software, Concord makes collaboration easy for legal, procurement, and sales—plus real-time visibility helps you stay ahead of deadlines.
Go ahead and start your free Concord trial here and experience seamless contract workflows today.
Watch your approval speed soar.
