Poland's Trusted Profile (profil zaufany) is free but only works with Polish public administration. A qualified electronic signature (QES) costs from about PLN 240 per year, yet carries the full legal weight of a handwritten signature across the entire EU — in business contracts, courts and accounting. Here is how to choose.
What is the Trusted Profile?
The Trusted Profile is a free electronic identification tool operated by the Polish state. It lets you log in and sign submissions in public e-services: ePUAP, the e-Tax Office, ZUS (social insurance) or company registers. A signature created with it is accepted only by Polish public institutions — and you need a PESEL number to get one.
What is a qualified electronic signature (QES)?
A QES is based on a qualified certificate issued by a supervised trust service provider (in Poland e.g. Certum). Under the eIDAS regulation it is legally equivalent to a handwritten signature and recognised in every EU member state, including private and B2B contracts.
Key differences
| Feature | Trusted Profile | Qualified signature (QES) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | free | from ~PLN 240/year |
| Legal effect | Polish public offices only | equal to handwritten signature |
| B2B / B2C contracts | ✗ | ✓ |
| EU-wide recognition | ✗ | ✓ (eIDAS) |
| KSeF, tax filings, e-reports | partly | ✓ |
| Public tenders | ✗ | ✓ required |
| HR documents | ✗ | ✓ |
| For foreigners | PESEL required | ✓ passport-based, no PESEL |
When is the Trusted Profile enough?
If you are an individual dealing only with Polish public administration — filing a tax return or registering a sole proprietorship — the free Trusted Profile is all you need.
When do you need a QES?
- You run a company — contracts, invoices, HR documents, financial statements (Polish e-KRS filings require a QES from board members).
- You bid in public tenders — Polish procurement law requires a QES above EU thresholds.
- You use KSeF — authenticating a company in Poland's National e-Invoicing System is easiest with a QES or a qualified seal.
- You work cross-border — a QES is valid across the EU; the Trusted Profile is not.
- You are a foreigner without a PESEL number — you cannot create a Trusted Profile, but you can get a qualified certificate verified against your passport (details here).
Can you have both?
Yes — and most business owners do: the Trusted Profile for simple administrative matters, a QES for everything commercial. They complement each other.
What does a QES cost?
A SimplySign (Certum) certificate in our offer is PLN 479 for 2 years, renewal PLN 249/year. The whole process — remote video identity verification, certificate issuance, app setup — is done online, usually within one business day. See the pricing page or the full cost breakdown in How much does a qualified signature cost in 2026?.
Summary
The Trusted Profile is a great free tool for public offices. A QES is the business standard — one certificate covers contracts, KSeF, tenders and documents across the EU. Not sure which one you need? Contact us — advice is free.