Datasite review
Best for: Investment banking deals
Datasite is a name most people in investment banking already know. It has been around since 1999 and is used heavily on Wall Street and in big merger deals. It has a deep set of tools built specifically for deal teams, including AI assistance and a mobile app, which several of the older names on this list still do not offer, plus strong security.
Datasite, founded in 1999 and based in United States, is one of 11 providers we track on this site. It includes 6 of the 6 core deal tools we check for every company, and holds SOC 2 and ISO 27001 and GDPR. Against our 11-provider average, its clearest lead is on technology (7.5/10 vs 3.5/10).
Good fit for: An investment bank or corporate development team running a formal sale process with several bidders.
Quick facts
The basics
What's good, and what's missing
What's good
- Full deal toolkit including redaction
- AI assistance and a mobile app, more than most on this list
- Single sign-on for enterprise IT teams
- Strong security reputation, well known on Wall Street
- Holds SOC 2, ISO 27001 and GDPR certification
What's missing
- No free trial, you have to talk to sales first
- No e-signing or developer API built in
- You have to call for a price
- Heavier software than some of the newer options on this list, based on published user reviews
How Datasite handles security
Datasite holds SOC 2, ISO 27001 and GDPR certification, the full set that comes up most often in due diligence. It also lists in-app redaction, single sign-on and 2-step verification, covering both document-level and login-level controls that a formal M&A process usually needs.
AI and technology
AI assistance and a mobile app are both listed, putting Datasite ahead of several older platforms on this list for day-to-day usability. Single sign-on is listed too, useful for bank IT teams, but there is no developer API or built-in e-signature, and no free trial, so expect a sales conversation before you can test it yourself.
Full feature list, against how common each one is
Where Datasite sits on each feature we track
Bar length is how many of the 11 providers we track list that feature; the highlighted rows are the ones Datasite itself has.
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Q&A workflow (core deal tool) | Yes |
| Activity log (core deal tool) | Yes |
| Viewer watermarks (core deal tool) | Yes |
| In-app redaction (core deal tool) | Yes |
| Built-in e-signing | Not listed |
| iOS or Android app | Yes |
| Developer API | Not listed |
| SSO sign-in | Yes |
| 2-step verification | Yes |
| Bulk import (core deal tool) | Yes |
| File-level access rights (core deal tool) | Yes |
| AI assistance | Yes |
How Datasite scored
Datasite vs. the average of all 11
Darker bars beat the average of all 11 on that measure. Full weights on our scoring page.
Who Datasite suits, and who should look elsewhere
Generated from the scores and feature records above, the same tests applied to every provider on this site. Use it as a quick filter, then confirm anything that matters with the vendor directly.
A good match if…
- Buyers who care most about technology: Datasite scores 7.5/10 here, above our 11-provider average of 3.5.
- Buyers who care most about features: Datasite scores 9.7/10 here, above our 11-provider average of 8.8.
- Teams that need iOS or Android app: only 1 of 11 providers we track include it. A native iOS or Android app, beyond the mobile browser view most rooms offer.
- Teams that need AI assistance: only 4 of 11 providers we track include it. Machine assistance listed by the vendor, such as auto-indexing, summaries, document search or Q&A help.
- Teams that would rather negotiate a scoped contract than pick from a self-serve plan.
Look elsewhere if…
- You want hands-on time before talking to sales. Datasite has no self-serve free trial in our records, so plan on a demo call instead.
- You need a published number for internal approval before a call. Datasite prices on request. See pricing models.
- Buyers who care most about pricing: Datasite scores 6.2/10 here, below our 11-provider average of 7.1.
What will it cost you?
Pick a deal size and a term length to see a real number for Datasite, estimated from the typical range for quote-only pricing at this size.
Estimate the cost of a room with Datasite
Datasite $4,500–$13,500 Flat and per-user prices come from each provider's published plan; quote-only providers use our labelled market bands, never an invented number. Estimates are indicative.
A few other options like Datasite
Picked by shared tags and a close score, not just an alphabetical list.
Big deals, strict compliance. iDeals has been doing this since 2008 out of the UK and is one of the most established names in the business.
Capital markets, big companies. Intralinks has been in this business since 1996, making it one of the oldest names here.
Fast setup, clear pricing. Ellty is one of the newer names on this list, launched in 2020 in Australia, but it already has the full set of tools a deal team expects: permissions, a Q&A box, watermarks and a log of who opened what.
Frequently asked questions
Does Datasite have a free trial?
Demo on request; Datasite does not offer a self-serve free trial, so plan on a demo call before you get access.
What does Datasite cost?
Quote on request. Prices are estimates; check the company's own website for the current number.
Does Datasite have outside security certification?
Datasite holds SOC 2 and ISO 27001 and GDPR.
Who is Datasite best for?
An investment bank or corporate development team running a formal sale process with several bidders.
Does Datasite have a built-in Q&A workflow?
Yes, Datasite lists a built-in Q&A workflow in its documentation.
How does Datasite compare to the top-scoring option?
Datasite scores 8.4/10 against Ellty at 8.5/10 on our formula. See the comparison pages for a direct, criterion-by-criterion look if one exists for this pair.