Datasite review for startups.
The platform many investment banks run sell-side processes on: AI tools, a phone app, SSO and redaction, bought through a quote.
Facts checked Sep 30, 2026. Editorial score, no paid placement.
Overview.
Datasite dates from 1999 and is American. When a banker runs the sale of a company, there is a good chance the buyers will read in Datasite.
It brings AI sorting, a dedicated app for buyers on the move and enterprise sign-on, backed by ISO 27001 and SOC 2. There is no trial; access starts with a demo and a proposal.
Why a founder would pick it
You meet it when an adviser runs your exit. It is rarely the economical choice for a round you run yourself.
| Key fact | Datasite |
|---|---|
| What you pay | Quote only |
| Before paying | Demo, no trial |
| Security reports | SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR |
| Year started | 1999 |
| Home base | United States |
| Hosting model | Cloud |
Score breakdown.
Startup score 8.0 of 10, place 6 of 17 on our startup ranking; the 17-room mean is 7.6.
Strengths
- AI tools and a phone app for buyers.
- Redaction, SSO and ISO 27001.
- Familiar to banks and large acquirers.
Gaps
- Quote only, and no trial.
- No e-signing or open API in the facts we hold.
Features.
Datasite lists 10 of the 12 features we track; nda e-signing, open api are not listed.
| Feature | Listed | What it does for a founder |
|---|---|---|
| Investor Q&A | Funds and buyers ask questions against a file; you assign, answer and publish replies, and the thread stays on record. | |
| Viewer activity log | Shows which investor opened which file, for how long and when, and exports the record. | |
| Dynamic watermarks | Stamps the viewer email and the time across every page, so a forwarded screenshot points back to its source. | |
| In-app redaction | Blacks out salaries, customer names or personal data inside the platform without keeping a second copy. | |
| NDA e-signing | Investors sign the NDA or click-through terms before the room opens. | |
| Mobile app | An installable phone and tablet app on top of the mobile website. | |
| Open API | Lets your engineers create rooms, add users or pull activity into your own tools. | |
| Single sign-on | Your team signs in with Google Workspace, Microsoft Entra ID or Okta instead of another password. | |
| Two-step login | Every login needs a one-time code or an app approval as well as the password. | |
| Bulk folder upload | Drag a whole folder tree in at once and keep its numbering. | |
| View-only and download control | Set each file to view only, print or download, and change it later without resending anything. | |
| AI assistance | Vendor-listed help such as auto-filing, document summaries, search across files or drafted answers. |
Pricing.
Datasite does not publish a price and quotes per project. The figures below are our market band for rooms of its kind, not a vendor price.
| Scenario | Months | Seats | Indicative cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-seed or angel round | 2 | 1 | $2,400 to $7,000 |
| Seed round | 3 | 2 | $4,850 to $14,200 |
| Series A | 4 | 3 | $6,500 to $18,900 |
| Sale of the company | 6 | 4 | $13,700 to $39,900 |
What Datasite costs against the field
Totals in US dollars for the life of the room, indicative only. Listed prices are each vendor's entry plan; vendors who only quote get our own market band. Get the real figure from the vendor before you sign.
| Provider | How it is priced | Total for the project | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellty | $149 monthly | $596 | Visit Ellty |
| iDeals | Quote (our band) | $2,450 to $8,100 | Pricing details |
| Firmex | Quote (our band) | $2,450 to $8,100 | Pricing details |
| SecureDocs | $250 monthly | $1,000 | Pricing details |
| Ansarada | Quote (our band) | $2,450 to $8,100 | Pricing details |
| Datasite | Quote (our band) | $6,500 to $18,900 | Pricing details |
| Citrix ShareFile | $55 monthly | $220 | Pricing details |
| CapLinked | $299 monthly | $1,196 | Pricing details |
| Drooms | Quote (our band) | $2,450 to $8,100 | Pricing details |
| Intralinks | Quote (our band) | $6,500 to $18,900 | Pricing details |
| DealRoom | Quote (our band) | $2,450 to $8,100 | Pricing details |
| SmartRoom | Quote (our band) | $2,450 to $8,100 | Pricing details |
| Onehub | $15 monthly | $60 | Pricing details |
| Digify | $120 monthly | $480 | Pricing details |
| ShareVault | Quote (our band) | $2,450 to $8,100 | Pricing details |
| DocSend | $45 per seat monthly | $360 | Pricing details |
| Venue by DFIN | Quote (our band) | $6,500 to $18,900 | Pricing details |
More on prices and models in our startup data room pricing guide.
Where it fits.
Security and setup.
Security and compliance
ISO 27001, SOC 2 and GDPR alignment; enterprise sign-on, watermarking and redaction; detailed reporting on every buyer.
Getting started
Usually configured with your banker or a vendor project lead. Get the scope of the quote in writing.
Check during the trial or demo
- Upload your real folder index and confirm the numbering holds.
- Invite a test investor and open a file as that person on a phone.
- Set one folder to view only and one to hidden, then check the activity log.
- Ask for the current security report and where data is hosted.
Alternatives.
8.2/10 · Quote only
A UK deal room priced by quote, with redaction, Okta-style single sign-on and an API, plus both ISO 27001 and SOC 2. A trial is offered.
See the review
7.5/10 · Quote only
One of the first virtual data rooms (1996), built for large and regulated transactions and sold by quote, with SSO and redaction.
See the review
8.0/10 · Quote only
An Australian quote-based room with AI tools and a readiness process for companies preparing to sell; ISO 27001, SOC 2 and a trial.
See the reviewHead to head: iDeals vs Datasite.