Modern self-serve room or an established enterprise vendor
Ellty vs iDeals
iDeals is one of the best-known data rooms for M&A and private equity, with ISO 27001, SSO and an API. Ellty covers the same core investor controls with AI features, a published price and a 14-day free trial.
Ellty
9.1/10, rank 1 of 16- Price
- $149 a month
- Trial
- 14-day free trial
- Security
- SOC 2 (hosting)
- Best for
- Fundraising, M&A and investor reporting
iDeals
8.7/10, rank 2 of 16- Price
- Quote on request
- Trial
- Free trial
- Security
- SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR
- Best for
- Sell-side M&A and PE buyouts
Scores side by side
| Criterion | Ellty | iDeals |
|---|---|---|
| Investor access control (26%) | 8.8 | 9.4 |
| Diligence workflow (22%) | 9.3 | 8.1 |
| Security and compliance (18%) | 7.8 | 9.9 |
| Speed to launch (18%) | 9.7 | 8.8 |
| Cost clarity (16%) | 9.9 | 7.0 |
| Overall | 9.1 | 8.7 |
Features: what only one of them lists
Built-in e-signature, AI help
Redaction in the room, Public API, Single sign-on
Q&A module, Activity log, Viewer watermarks, 2-step login, Bulk upload, View and download rights
Who should choose which
- You want a published monthly price and a free trial before talking to sales
- Your team sets up rooms itself and wants to launch the same day
- You want AI indexing and summaries in the room
- You run fundraising and deal rooms side by side
- Your IT policy names ISO 27001 or needs SSO for every vendor
- You need in-room redaction or a public API
- You prefer a vendor-led onboarding with a project manager
How investors see it
Bankers and PE deal teams know iDeals well. Ellty gives investors the same working experience (numbered index, Q&A, watermarked view-only files) in a cleaner, faster interface.
By use case
| Use case | Ellty | iDeals |
|---|---|---|
| Venture capital | #1, 9.3 | #2, 8.9 |
| Private equity | #1, 9.3 | #3, 9.0 |
| Startup fundraising | #1, 9.5 | #2, 8.6 |
| Mergers and acquisitions | #1, 9.3 | #3, 9.0 |
| Hedge funds | #1, 9.1 | #2, 9.0 |
| IPO readiness | #1, 9.0 | #3, 8.9 |
| Real estate investment | #1, 9.1 | #3, 8.7 |
Price for your project
Ellty and iDeals: estimated cost
Pick your project, team size and how long the room stays open.
| Data room | Pricing | Total for the period |
|---|---|---|
 Citrix ShareFile | Flat | $165 |
 Digify | Flat | $360 |
| Ellty | Flat | $447 |
 DocSend | Per user | $675 |
 SecureDocs | Flat | $750 |
 CapLinked | Flat | $897 |
| iDeals | Estimate | ~$2,700 to $7,500 |
 Datasite | Estimate | ~$2,700 to $7,500 |
 Ansarada | Estimate | ~$2,700 to $7,500 |
 Firmex | Estimate | ~$2,700 to $7,500 |
 Drooms | Estimate | ~$2,700 to $7,500 |
 Intralinks | Estimate | ~$2,700 to $7,500 |
 SmartRoom | Estimate | ~$2,700 to $7,500 |
 DealRoom | Estimate | ~$2,700 to $7,500 |
 ShareVault | Estimate | ~$2,700 to $7,500 |
 Venue by DFIN | Estimate | ~$2,700 to $7,500 |
Flat and per-user totals use each vendor's published entry price. "Estimate" rows do not publish a price; the range is our market band for the project you picked, not a quote from that vendor. All prices in USD, indicative, before tax.
Check before you decide
- Ask both vendors for the price of your exact project in writing.
- Invite a test investor and confirm view-only and watermarks work as described.
- Export the activity log from each and compare the detail.
- Ask for the SOC 2 report or ISO 27001 certificate if your LPs will ask.
Ellty vs iDeals FAQ
Is Ellty as secure as iDeals?
Both offer watermarking, file-level view and download rights, 2-step login and an activity log. iDeals lists ISO 27001 and SOC 2; Ellty lists SOC 2 for its hosting infrastructure. If your policy requires ISO 27001, check that first.
How do the prices compare?
Ellty publishes $149 a month with a 14-day free trial. iDeals quotes each project; our calculator shows a market band for quote-only vendors so you can compare.
Which is better for a PE auction?
Both run sell-side processes with Q&A and bidder groups. In our private equity ranking Ellty is first and iDeals is in the top three.