The contract management market is often framed around a few big names, but there are powerful alternatives with different strengths. This vendor spotlight introduces Conga, SpringCM (DocuSign), and other notable players to broaden procurement options.
Conga (formerly Apttus)
Strengths: Deep quote-to-cash capabilities, strong revenue operations integration, and configurable CLM that ties into commercial processes.
Ideal for: Sales-driven organizations that need CLM tightly integrated with CPQ and billing.
SpringCM / DocuSign CLM
Strengths: Solid document lifecycle features, coupled with DocuSign’s signature and agreement cloud ecosystem — good for organizations standardizing on DocuSign for signatures.
Ideal for: Teams that prioritize end-to-end agreement automation anchored by eSignature and document management.
Agiloft
Strengths: Highly customizable low-code platform, flexible deployment options (cloud, on-prem), and strong automation capabilities.
Ideal for: Organizations requiring heavy customization without starting from scratch.
Others to consider
- Evisort / Lexion / Onit: Focused on AI document understanding and centralized contract discovery.
- Ironclad / Icertis: Often in discussion, but their different product philosophies (transactional vs enterprise governance) can make one a better fit depending on scale.
Selection considerations
- How well does the CLM map to your commercial processes (sales, procurement, legal)?
- Do you need rapid customization or a managed, out-of-the-box approach?
- What integrations (ERP, CRM, HR, procurement) are mission-critical?
- How important are deployment options (SaaS only vs hybrid/on-prem)?
Conclusion
Don’t limit procurement to the most visible vendors. Evaluate the fit across process, integrations, and desired level of customization — a smaller or less-advertised vendor may deliver far more value for your specific needs.