In today’s competitive business landscape, contracts aren’t just paperwork — they’re pivotal assets. Missed renewal dates, buried contract obligations, or inefficient approval chains don’t just waste time — they cost real dollars, expose risk, hurt relationships.
That's why contract lifecycle management (CLM) software is more than a tool: it’s a solution that transforms how legal, procurement, sales, and finance teams work together.
With 2025 bringing sharper AI capabilities, deeper integration demands, and higher expectations for compliance, organizations need CLM tools that do more than store contracts: they need tools that streamline, analyze, forecast, and adapt. This guide dives into the top CLM software solutions out now, what they offer, what to watch for, and how to choose the right one for your organization.
CLM software refers to systems that manage every stage of a contract’s life: from initiation and drafting through negotiation, execution, performance tracking, renewals, and termination. Rather than treating contract management as merely “document storage,” CLM systems integrate workflows, collaboration, compliance, analytics — in short, they make contracts live, usable, and strategic.
Without a CLM:
Contracts may be scattered in email threads, file shares, or local drives.
Key dates (renewals, expirations) get missed.
Legal risk compounds.
Resource-intensive manual work drags down responsiveness.
With a good CLM:
You get a centralized, searchable repository.
Automated notifications reduce human error.
Teams across departments can collaborate more transparently.
Data extracted from contracts (clauses, obligations, risk) becomes actionable.
2025 is not just another year — it's one where:
AI & Automation have become standard, not optional. Tasks like clause extraction, risk scoring, contract review are increasingly handled by machine learning.
Regulatory pressure continues to grow globally (data protection, privacy, industry-specific compliance). Failing to adhere can mean fines, reputational damage.
Remote & distributed work means that manual, paper-based contract processes are untenable. Digital, cloud-based CLMs are a must.
Cost control & ROI transparency are under higher scrutiny. Boards want to see that investments in CLM tools produce measurable return (shorter contract cycles, fewer legal disputes, better compliance).
According to recent reports, the CLM market is growing at a CAGR of ~12-13%, with increased adoption in regulated industries, legal ops, procurement, and large enterprises.
To make sure you pick a tool that not only meets today’s needs but scales for tomorrow, here are essential features and capabilities to evaluate carefully.
Template libraries with approved clauses.
Ability to customize templates per business need.
Support for different contract types (vendor, customer, partnership).
Configurable, automated workflows from drafting → review → approval → execution.
Role-based permissions (legal, sales, finance, etc.).
Parallel vs sequential approvals.
Native or well-integrated eSignature capability.
Audit trails.
Security & legal compliance of digital signatures.
Centralized storage.
Strong metadata, tagging, and full-text / clause-level search.
Versioning control.
Automatically track renewal / expiration dates.
Reminders / alert dashboards.
Clause-based obligations (deliverables, payments, service levels) tracked.
Contract risk scoring (e.g. non-standard clauses, liability exposure).
AI/ML-based clause extraction, discrepancy identification.
Reporting on contract cycle times, bottlenecks.
Integration to CRM, ERP, finance systems, cloud storage, etc.
Compliance (GDPR, HIPAA, ISO standards).
Security features: access control, encryption, SSO/MFA.
Easy to set up & use.
Good UI/UX that legal and non-legal users can navigate.
Scalability: handle increased contract volumes, more users, more complex workflows.
Here are some of the leading CLM vendors / platforms in 2025, their strengths, what problems they solve, and where they might not be the best fit.
| Vendor | Strengths | Best For / Use Case | Limitations / Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malbek CLM | Very intuitive, AI-fueled, end-user & admin friendly. Strong scores in composite and customer experience. | Companies that want quick ramp-up with intelligent search, obligations tracking, and strong integrations with major systems like Salesforce, Dynamics, NetSuite. | For very large enterprises with extremely complex custom needs, might find limits in deep customization or extremely heavy regulatory features. |
| DocuSign CLM | Robust eSignature heritage, strong brand, high trust, reliability. Composite scores high, emotional footprint strong. | Businesses looking for a proven, mature platform with heavy reliance on signature workflows, compliance, and tight integrations. Also companies already using DocuSign for eSign. | Costs can be on the higher side; enterprise features and custom integrations may require more resources. |
| Agiloft CLM Suite | Highly configurable, no-code/low-code workflows, strong template & clause libraries, good AI features for risk & review. | Enterprises with specific, complex contract types, needing customization; industries like healthcare, manufacturing. | Learning curve for very specialized custom workflows; initial setup may require more effort. |
| Ironclad | Focus on digital contracting, strong workflow automation, good user interface, AI extraction & collaboration tools. | Companies where legal & business teams jointly manage contracts, want speed of negotiation, visibility. | Pricing transparency less in some cases; integration and scaling may be more work depending on existing infrastructure. |
| Sirion CLM | Deep focus on risk, performance, obligations management; especially good for large, global contracts. | Enterprises managing many high-risk contracts, needing detailed performance/risk/renewal tracking, especially suppliers + partner contracts. | UI/UX may feel more “enterprise heavy”; may not be as lightweight or fast for simpler contract types. |
| Icertis | Very established, strong in compliance, global deployment, AI insights, handles massive volumes of contracts. | Large, regulated industries (pharma, energy, finance), multi-jurisdictional contract portfolios. | Cost and complexity can be high; implementing full-scale features takes time and resources. |
Below is a more detailed side-by-side on several of the leading CLM platforms to help you see how they differ in concrete terms.
From SoftwareReviews / Infotech 2025 data:
Malbek CLM: Composite Score ~ 8.4/10, Customer Experience (CX) ~8.6/10.
DocuSign CLM: Composite ~8.2, CX ~8.4.
Agiloft: Composite ~7.9, CX ~8.1.
Ironclad: ~7.6/10 composite, ~7.8 CX.
Sirion: ~7.5 composite, ~7.8 CX.
Icertis: Slightly lower on those specific metrics but still among the top tier vendors.
Malbek: Strong at making contract requests simple, managing contract obligations, and ensuring no milestone is missed. Integrates well with popular business systems.
DocuSign CLM: Excellence in signature & audit trails; supports digital transformations from analog contract processes with trusted workflows.
Agiloft: Pushes customization: templates, clause libraries, flexible approvals. Their “AI on the Inside” strategy adds risk scoring, internal rules, data extraction.
Ironclad: Collaboration-focused, clean dashboards, visibility into contract cycle times, negotiation tracking.
Sirion: Especially strong in post-signature obligations, risk, performance metrics, global contract compliance.
Icertis: Scalable platform with support for multiple languages / jurisdictions, large contract volumes, and deep compliance functionalities.
While exact times vary depending on complexity:
Some platforms, especially those with strong out-of-the-box features (e.g. Malbek, DocuSign) can get basic modules live within a few weeks.
More customized platforms (Agiloft, Icertis, Sirion) tend to require months for full deployment (define workflows, integrate, train teams).
Important: pilot projects (one business unit or contract type) are often used to validate assumptions, test templates, and demonstrate ROI.
| Platform | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Malbek | UX, speed, obligation tracking, integrations | May lack deep specialization for extremely regulated industries; less known in some verticals. |
| DocuSign | Signature pedigree, trust, brand, security, global usage | Cost; sometimes overkill for small businesses; custom integrations may be costly/time-intensive. |
| Agiloft | Flexibility; handles nuance; powerful rule-based workflows | Steep customization can mean longer initial setup; heavier IT involvement. |
| Ironclad | Good collaboration, visibility, fast negotiation cycles | May require subscription models and fees that change with feature addition; pricing opaque in some cases. |
| Sirion | Risk/performance tracking, global scale | UX less friendly for users used to lightweight tools; potentially higher cost of ownership. |
| Icertis | Enterprise readiness, compliance, global reach | Complexity, cost, sometimes slower implementation; may be more than small/medium businesses need. |
Understanding pricing is critical: it’s not just the sticker-price of the software, but what you pay over time (users, add-ons, implementation, integrations etc.).
Entry-level CLM solutions begin around US$20-50/user/month for simple features.
More advanced, enterprise-grade solutions with AI, global compliance, high volumes cost hundreds per user/month or need custom pricing.
Some plans are structured by number of contracts or number of suppliers rather than per user; others have “capacity-based” or “module based” fees.
Here are the variables that most influence cost. Keep them in mind when you talk to vendors:
Number of users & roles
Volume of contracts & storage needed
How many contract types & clauses / templates you need upfront
Integrations (CRM, ERP, eSign, cloud storage, etc.)
AI / ML features (clause extraction, risk scoring, redlining assistance)
Security & compliance requirements (data residency, audits, certifications)
Support & training levels
Implementation & onboarding costs
Gatekeeper: its plans (as of mid-2025) include “Essentials” tier (~US$1,245/month for 150 suppliers/contracts), “Pro” (~US$2,995/month), “Enterprise” (~US$5,295/month) and custom pricing for larger needs. Research.com
Small-business-oriented CLMs might charge per user/month at the lower band (US$20–50) but often limit features in those tiers. Learn Hub
Don’t just look at subscription/license fees — factor in:
Setup / customization costs
Data migration of existing contracts
Internal staff time for training & change management
Maintenance, upgrades
Potential compliance or legal consulting if required
Often, an upfront investment pays off via faster approvals, fewer missed renewals, lower legal and compliance risk.
Here’s a step-by-step process to ensure you pick a CLM that solves your problems, not just looks good in a demo.
Are most delays in drafting, negotiation, approval, or execution?
Are you missing renewal or expiration deadlines?
Is contract data hard to access or analyze?
Are there compliance / risk issues that keep coming up?
Map features (from section 3) to your priorities. Decide what’s “must-have” vs “nice-to-have”. Consider:
Number of contracts, users, types
Regulatory needs
How much internal IT support vs vendor support you need
Create a shortlist (e.g. 3-5 vendors) that match your must-have features.
Do demos with real scenarios (your contract types, your workflows).
Ask about integration with your systems.
Obtain full pricing: subscription + setup + training + integrations + possible custom development. Ask about hidden/cross-tier costs.
Start small: one department or contract category.
Measure metrics: time to contract, number of errors, missed renewals, user satisfaction.
Refine workflows & templates.
Train people.
Create governance: who owns templates, who reviews risk, who signs off.
Maintain regular reviews & feedback loops so the system evolves.
Even the best CLM fails if implementation is poor. Some tips:
Template and clause standardization: Before implementation, standardize your clauses and templates. That reduces negotiation friction and risk.
Metadata strategy: Decide what data you need to capture (dates, parties, obligations, renewal terms) so contracts are searchable and reportable.
Define ownership & roles: Legal, Procurement, Sales etc. Understand who does what at each stage.
Data migration planning: Import existing contracts cleanly. Use OCR / data extraction for scanned documents.
User training & support: Hands-on training; “super-users” who can champion internally.
Monitor KPIs / metrics: Contract cycle time, renewal miss rate, contract value leakage, compliance violations prevented etc.
| Pitfall | Consequence | Mitigation Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Over-customization too early | Long implementation, high cost, delayed ROI | Start with core workflows; defer non-critical customizations to later phases |
| Ignoring user adoption | Features unused, resistance, poor ROI | Invest in change management, training; get buy-in from all involved departments |
| Poor metadata strategy | Contracts are stored but not leveraged for insights | Define what fields matter; ensure consistent tagging; build search/clause libraries |
| Hidden integration complexity | Unexpected costs, delayed launches | Assess integration requirements early; ask vendors for existing connectors |
| Underestimating support & maintenance | System degrades over time; frustrations grow | Choose vendors with reliable support; plan for updates; assign internal ownership |
More CLMs are embedding generative AI (e.g., draft suggestions, clause rewriting, summarization), not just clause extraction. Saves time speeding up initial drafts.
Automated risk rules, regulatory compliance checks built in, auto-flagging non-standard / risky clauses. As regulation across industries tightens, that becomes a differentiator.
Contract data is just one part. Leading companies are integrating CLM with vendor risk, procurement spend, supplier performance. This gives end-to-end view of cost, risk, obligations.
Demand for tools that business users (not just legal/IT) can configure: dashboards, workflows, clause policies without deep technical skills.
Handling contracts in multiple languages; compliance across different legal / regulatory regimes; data residency concerns.
There’s no one-size-fits-all in CLM. The “best” contract lifecycle management software for a small startup looks very different from what a regulated multinational enterprise needs. But what ties the best tools together are common threads: automation, visibility, risk reduction, and adaptability.
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