Intralinks vs Datasite: A Detailed Comparison Guide

The demand for cloud storage solutions is snowballing as more businesses adopt digital data storage and collaboration tools. In fact, the global cloud storage market is expected to reach USD 234.9 billion by 2028.

This trend creates a challenge for businesses: with so many providers, how do you know which is the right fit? The decision is crucial, as different solutions vary in features, pricing, and overall suitability to your needs and budget. 

In this guide, we compare two major players — Intralinks and Datasite — to help you make a reasonable choice!

Overview of Intralinks and Datasite

Here is a brief description of the providers’ background:

Intralinks

• Founded in: 1996
• Headquarters: New York, New York, United States

Intralinks is a pioneer in the virtual data room industry and one of the leading service providers for global banking, alternative investments, dealmaking, and capital markets. With a 35-year history as part of SS&C Technologies, the solution delivers innovative, future-ready data-sharing solutions that support clients’ success.

Recognized as a global leader in inter-enterprise content management and collaboration, Intralinks enables seamless exchange, control, and management of information between organizations. Its products serve a wide range of industries, including financial services, real estate, energy, legal, and life sciences.

Datasite

• Founded in: 1968
• Headquarters: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States 

Datasite virtual data room, also known as Merrill Datasite, offers secure software solutions for managing a wide range of financial transactions, including M&A, restructuring, and capital raising. Its user-friendly platform ensures advanced security for file sharing and collaboration within and between organizations. 

Datasite supports advisors and clients throughout the deal lifecycle, helping shorten timelines for buy-side and sell-side teams. As one of the best virtual data rooms for M&A due diligence, Datasite is recognized for its advanced technologies, including automated redaction. In addition to due diligence, the platform offers transaction and document management solutions for investment banking, private equity, corporate development teams, and law firms.

How do these providers compare? In the following feature analysis, we evaluate Merrill Datasite vs Intralinks virtual data room to help you decide which solution fits your needs.

Feature-by-feature comparison of Datasite and Intralinks

Here are the key features of both data room providers, grouped into categories.

Note: These are only the top features of Intralinks and Datasite virtual data rooms. For a complete overview, explore their full functionalities.

Datasite vs Intralinks: Pros and cons

According to user reviews, Datasite and Intralinks virtual data rooms have the following strengths and drawbacks:

Intralinks

Based on these pros and cons, Intralinks virtual data room software offers advanced document management capabilities with detailed tracking, making it a good choice for secure and regulated business processes. However, its user experience drawbacks may hinder efficiency for some teams.

Datasite

Based on these pros and cons, Datasite virtual data rooms provide secure document management features with advanced AI tools, making it suitable for sensitive business transactions. However, it lacks some collaboration features, which may limit its effectiveness for more complex workflows.

Use cases and ideal scenarios

When choosing between Intralinks and Datasite data room providers, the decision often depends on your needs and objectives. Below are some scenarios where each platform may be preferred based on their strengths and features:

Intralinks virtual data room

Best for:

1. Complex document management

Intralinks virtual data room delivers detailed access control and document tracking, making it ideal for industries that require stringent security and auditing, such as financial services and legal sectors. The ability to set granular permissions ensures that only the right users have access to sensitive documents, which is essential for large-scale deals or highly regulated industries.

2. AI-based redaction for sensitive data

The AI-driven redaction feature is useful in scenarios where businesses need to handle large volumes of sensitive information quickly and accurately, such as in due diligence processes in M&As. Intralinks helps mitigate risks by automatically identifying and redacting personal identifiable information and confidential data.

3. Customization for regulatory compliance

Companies dealing with strict data privacy regulations can benefit from Intralinks’ robust compliance features. The solution guarantees that document handling and storage meet global standards, which is crucial for multinational deals.

Datasite virtual data room

Best for:

1. M&A deal lifecycle & due diligence process

Datasite provides end-to-end support from document management to transaction tracking for M&A transactions. Its strong AI and automation tools, such as AI-driven document redaction and integrated Q&A, make it a solid choice for investment banks, law firms, and private equity firms engaged in complex deals.

2. Quick setup in fast-moving transactions

The platform’s intuitive design and easy-to-navigate user interface are advantageous for teams that prioritize a fast, easy setup and user adoption. This makes it ideal for smaller teams or first-time users who need to get up and running quickly.

3. Collaboration

Datasite stands out with its Q&A management, integrated video support, and request list management, which is beneficial for teams needing efficient collaboration throughout the deal process. The ability to manage and respond to questions quickly can accelerate timelines, which makes the tool suitable for dealmakers on tight schedules.

Both platforms stand out in their respective areas. Therefore, businesses should assess their needs to determine which data room best supports their goals.

Pricing models and plans comparison

Since the providers don’t disclose pricing information, we analyzed hundreds of user reviews on this aspect, and here is what companies say.

💸 Intralinks

Users note that Intralinks is more expensive than other virtual data rooms despite offering similar features. A few users initially chose Intralinks due to a competitive pricing offer but eventually switched to iDeals, which has a better overall value for money.

💸 Datasite

Despite the positive feedback, some users note that the price per page can be high. It makes them be selective about the files they upload, focusing on the most important documents to avoid unnecessary costs. As a result, the pricing structure may be unsuitable for businesses that need to upload a large volume of documents.To learn more about service costs and pricing plans, contact the providers.

Exploring alternative virtual data room software

While Datasite and Intralinks offer robust features, they may come with complexities, high costs, and steep learning curves. If you are looking for an alternative that addresses these drawbacks, IDeals is the solution you need.

Ideals virtual data room is a user-friendly platform for smooth collaboration and strong data protection in complex business transactions and everyday workflows. With its mobile and desktop apps, as well as a multilingual interface, the solution allows for secure document sharing and access management across global teams.

Additionally, Ideals holds independent certifications meeting the highest security standards, including ISO/IEC 27001:2013, SOC 2, SOC 3, GDPR, and HIPAA. Thus, you can have full confidence in data security.

What are the top Ideals features?

Unlike Intralinks and Datasite virtual data rooms, Ideals offers the following functionality:

• Industry-leading 99.95% uptime. The redundant design of infrastructure components ensures a highly resilient environment with a guaranteed 99.95% uptime.
• Time and IP-address restriction. A data room admin can restrict login access from specific IP addresses, configure session durations, and set expiration dates for file access.
• Two-factor authentication. When logging in, virtual data room users must confirm their identity using a mobile device or biometrics.
• User security impersonation. Admins can view document access from any user’s perspective, ensuring users access only the documents they are authorized to view.
• Remote wipe. If a device is lost or stolen, users can remotely lock and wipe encrypted data.
• Sync with no disruptions. Changes within the data room are synced in the background every 3 minutes.
• Quick file upload. The software uploads 1 GB of documents in just 25 seconds.
• Real-time project updates. Real-time updates provide a detailed overview of project statuses and keep stakeholders informed and projects on track.
• Multi-project management. Administrators can invite new users, manage support access, and coordinate multiple projects with a single click.
• Advanced Q&A. Virtual data room admins can set up approval workflows, designate response reviewers, and manage question limits to ensure organized and secure communication.

✔️ You can request a 30-day free trial and try out the Ideals virtual data room solution.

Compare Ideals, Intralinks, and Datasite virtual data rooms

Features

User feedback

4.7

3.8

4

Ease of use

4.7

3.6

4.5

Ease of setup

4.7

3.6

4.5

Value for money

4.6

3.6

3.9

Customer care

4.8

4.3

4.7

Pros/cons

• 24/7 chat support
• 30-second response time
• 8 levels of access
• 25+ file formats
• 15 languages support
• Search with OCR
• Advanced Q&A module

• No

• 24/7 live support
• 4 levels of access
• AI-redaction tool
• Multi-format support
• 8 languages support
• Advanced Q&A

• No bulk user invitation

• Responsive customer service
• Reliable document security
• Secure file sharing
• Easy to use
• Strong AI tools

• No formula viewing in watermarked Excel files
• No desktop sync
• No annotations
• No screenshot prevention
• No time and IP access restrictions

Pricing range

Drag & drop upload

Personal manager

Bulk user invitation

Search with OCR

Auto-indexing

Multilingual access

Activity reports

Detailed audit trail

Activity notifications

Visit Website

View Profile

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Conclusion

After assessing the two solutions, we can safely say that Intralinks and Datasite offer distinct strengths to meet business needs. So, clearly define your priorities—whether they focus on security, collaboration, or strict regulatory compliance—and choose a virtual data room provider that will firmly support your long-term success!

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