Review, checked October 2026
iDeals review
A long-established M&A data room with ISO 27001 and SOC 2, redaction, SSO and a public API. Quote-based pricing with a free trial.
Key points
- Score 8.7/10 (excellent), rank 2 of the 16 data rooms we review.
- Price: Quote on request; free trial.
- Investor controls: 6 of 6 (viewer watermarks, view and download rights, activity log, 2-step login, q&a module, redaction in the room).
- Security: SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR.
- Best for: sell-side m&a and pe buyouts.
What iDeals is
iDeals, founded in 2008 and based in the United Kingdom, is one of the best-known names in M&A data rooms. It lists ISO 27001 and SOC 2, Q&A, redaction inside the room, single sign-on, a public API and file-level rights with watermarking.
Pricing is by quote. A free trial is available, which is less common among the enterprise vendors.
A safe choice for PE funds and advisers running formal auctions with many bidders and strict IT requirements.
How iDeals scores
iDeals scores 8.7 out of 10 overall. It is above the field average on investor access control, diligence workflow, security and compliance, speed to launch. The chart shows each criterion against the average of all 16.
iDeals: score by criterion
Each criterion out of 10. The red tick is the average of all 16 data rooms.
Strengths and what is missing
- ISO 27001 and SOC 2
- Redaction, SSO and a public API
- Strong support rating
- No published price
- No AI tools listed
- No native mobile app listed
Where iDeals fits best
Its strongest positions across our seven investor use-case rankings:
Venture capital
5 of the 5 must-have features for this use case: viewer watermarks, view and download rights, activity log, q&a module, 2-step login.
#2 of 16, 8.6/10Startup fundraising
5 of the 5 must-have features for this use case: activity log, viewer watermarks, view and download rights, q&a module, bulk upload.
#2 of 16, 9.0/10Hedge funds
5 of the 5 must-have features for this use case: 2-step login, view and download rights, viewer watermarks, activity log, single sign-on.
Features
| Feature | iDeals | What it does for investors |
|---|---|---|
| Q&A module | Listed | Investors ask questions inside the room; your team assigns, answers and publishes them, with a record of every reply. |
| Activity log | Listed | A log of which investor opened, downloaded or printed each file and for how long, ready to export. |
| Viewer watermarks | Listed | Each page shows the viewer's name or email and the time, so a leaked copy traces back to one person. |
| Redaction in the room | Listed | Black out salaries, customer names or personal data inside the room instead of uploading edited copies. |
| Built-in e-signature | Not listed | Investors sign the NDA or the subscription documents without leaving the platform. |
| Mobile app | Not listed | A native iOS or Android app, on top of the mobile browser view most rooms offer. |
| Public API | Listed | A documented interface to create rooms, sync users and pull activity into a CRM or a fund system. |
| Single sign-on | Listed | Your team signs in with company credentials through an identity provider such as Okta or Entra ID. |
| 2-step login | Listed | A second login step (a code or an app) for admins and investors. |
| Bulk upload | Listed | Drag a whole folder tree into the room and keep its structure and numbering. |
| View and download rights | Listed | Per-file rules for view, print and download, including view-only access that can be withdrawn. |
| AI help | Not listed | Machine help listed by the vendor, such as auto-indexing, document summaries, search or drafting Q&A answers. |
iDeals against the field
Number of reviewed data rooms that list the feature. Yellow bars: features iDeals lists.
iDeals pricing
iDeals does not publish a price and quotes per project, usually on the number of users, the data volume and how long the room stays open. Ask for the full price in writing, including overage and archive fees. Free trial.
Estimate the cost of iDeals for your deal
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.
Security and compliance
iDeals lists SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR. Admins and investors can be required to use 2-step login. Single sign-on is available for your own team. Files can be watermarked with the viewer's details and set to view-only.
Setup and support
Vendor-led onboarding with a project contact is common on larger deals. Speed-to-launch score: 8.8/10 (average 8.1).
Check during your trial or demo
- Invite a colleague as an investor and confirm they cannot download a view-only file.
- Open a document as that investor and check the watermark shows their name and the time.
- Export the activity log and see if it shows page-level views.
- Post a question as an investor and route it to an expert on your side.
- Ask for the price of your exact project in writing, including what happens after the term.
iDeals alternatives
Head-to-head: Ellty vs iDeals, iDeals vs Datasite.
iDeals FAQ
How much does iDeals cost?
iDeals does not publish a price; it quotes per project. As a guide, quote-only rooms usually cost $900 to $2,500 a month for a Series A round and more for a buyout or auction.
Does iDeals have a free trial?
Yes, iDeals lists a free trial.
Is iDeals secure enough for institutional investors?
iDeals lists SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR and 2-step login. ISO 27001 covers most institutional security questionnaires.
Does iDeals have a Q&A module?
Yes. Investors can ask questions inside the room, and your team can assign, answer and publish them with a full record.
What are the best iDeals alternatives?
The closest alternatives by use and score are Datasite, Ellty, Intralinks. See the full ranking for all 16.