Datasite Data Room Features Overview 2026

When it comes to due diligence for M&A, startup fundraising rounds, or compliance audits, secure document sharing is key. 

Datasite Virtual Data Room is a platform built for just that and is used by investment bankers, legal advisors, and corporate deal teams around the world.

In this 2026 feature overview, we’ll break down what Datasite does best, explore its most advanced tools, and look at why early-stage startups prefer tools like Google Drive or Dropbox. 

What is Datasite’s Virtual Data Room Product?

Datasite has an enterprise-grade virtual data room (VDR) designed to simplify complex deal processes. It helps teams prepare, organize, and securely share sensitive files across every stage of a deal- from due diligence to post-merger integration.

Traditionally, Datasite has been a go-to choice for M&A and private equity, but it’s also expanded into fundraising, restructuring, and compliance management.

The one thing that hasn’t changed is its pricing model, which remains private. Companies still need to contact sales for a custom quote, which can make budgeting unpredictable for smaller teams or advisors running multiple projects at once.

Datasite’s Virtual Data Room Key Features for 2026

Let’s take a closer look at what Datasite brings to the table this year, and how it stacks up for modern deal teams.

1. Automated Deal Preparation

Datasite’s machine learning engine helps automate document prep by automatically categorizing files, extracting key information, and tagging confidential data. This saves hours of manual sorting and keeps large data sets consistent and ready for review.

For enterprise teams managing thousands of files, this level of automation can be a huge time-saver.

2. Granular Access Control

Datasite gives administrators precise control over who can see what - from entire folders down to individual documents. That’s critical for managing multiple investors, buyers, or advisors in a single workspace without compromising confidentiality.

It’s a strong system for multi-party deals, but for smaller teams, like startups, could be overly complex.

3. AI-Powered Redaction

One of Datasite’s standout features is its AI-driven redaction tool. It can automatically identify and hide personal, legal, or financial information across entire document sets, making it perfect for regulatory-heavy industries or cross-border deals. It’s a sophisticated feature aimed squarely at enterprises.

4. Real-Time Analytics and Tracking

In any deal process, visibility is everything. Datasite’s analytics dashboard shows who viewed which files, how long they spent on them, and when they engaged, helping teams spot genuine buyer interest and prioritize follow-ups.

Datasite’s analytics environment is built for complex, multi-party deal cycles, allowing administrators to monitor activity across dozens of users, permission groups, or workstreams in a single interface.

These insights help M&A teams, investment bankers, and legal advisors identify serious bidders, anticipate questions, and prioritize follow-ups based on real engagement rather than guesswork.

5. Q&A Management Workflow

Datasite includes a built-in Q&A feature where buyers and sellers can exchange questions securely. Everything is logged and searchable, making it ideal for complex diligence processes where clarity is key.

6. Advanced Reporting and Compliance

Datasite automatically logs every user action, creating detailed audit trails that help teams stay compliant with strict regulations like GDPR or HIPAA.This is especially useful for legal, healthcare, and financial institutions managing sensitive data.

In short, Datasite gives enterprise-level peace of mind, but it comes with enterprise-level complexity too.

DataSite features may be unnecessary for startups

While Datasite stands out as a leading enterprise-grade virtual data room, many of its advanced features wouldn’t be required for a startup doing a fundraising round. Startups typically value speed, simplicity, and flexibility over the heavy compliance infrastructure that Datasite is built for.

Here are some key areas where Datasite falls short for startups:

1. No Cloud Storage Integration: Datasite requires uploading all your files to their service before starting. There’s no native Dropbox or Google Drive integration, which means managing document changes will require you to do that in both your cloud storage solution and your Datasite data room. 
2. Limited modern security controls: Datasite doesn’t include features like screenshot prevention, device-level locks, or automated access expiry, all of which help startups control exactly how sensitive files are viewed. 
3. Datasite's comprehensive feature set requires initial setup: Because Datasite is designed for large enterprises, onboarding can take hours or even days. According to a G2 user review, Datasite requires multiple admin approvals, folder permissions, and training sessions before your data room is ready.
4. Overkill for smaller deals: Many of Datasite’s compliance and reporting features (such as detailed audit trails or multi-level Q&A systems) are unnecessary for smaller fundraising or investor-sharing workflows.

In short, Datasite is powerful but complex, which is great for regulated industries and enterprise M&A, but not for startup founders who need a data room that’s fast and frictionless.

By contrast, Orangedox is built for startups and offers both Google Drive and Dropbox integrations, reducing the data room setup time from days to minutes. You can share, track, and control access to your documents instantly, with full visibility into who viewed what, and when, all without leaving your Dropbox or Google Drive.

Who is Datasite Diligence Virtual Data Rooms for?

Datasite shines brightest in large-scale, high-complexity transactions. Here’s where it really earns its reputation:

1. Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A): Share confidential financials, IP, and legal documents between buyers and sellers securely.
2. Private Equity: Manage multiple portfolio companies and investor access with structured oversight.
3. Corporate Restructuring: Simplify the exchange of documents during bankruptcy or reorganization.
4. Regulatory Audits: Keep an auditable trail for compliance reviews.
5. Enterprise Fundraising: Centralize investor diligence in a secure workspace.

If your deal involves dozens of stakeholders, global legal requirements, and heavy data workloads, Datasite fits the bill.

Datasite Pricing in 2026

Datasite doesn’t publish its pricing publicly, instead offering custom quotes are provided based on project size, data volume, user count, and feature add-ons.

According to Australian Data Room, Datasite charges based on the level of support each project requires, with final costs varying depending on several key factors: 

1. The amount of content uploaded to the data room
2. The volume of data storage required
3. The duration of the project
4. The number of users and their access levels
5. Any additional features or support services added

For large enterprises, that model makes sense, as budgets are flexible, and custom pricing can match complex project needs. But for startups or boutique advisory firms, it’s hard to gauge whether the cost aligns with their actual usage or deal size.

Orangedox as an Alternative for Google Drive & Dropbox Users

If your company already uses Google Drive or Dropbox , you’ll likely find Orangedox a much better fit. All data rooms are synced with your existing Dropbox or Google Drive cloud storage, so any changes made to your cloud storage are automatically synced with your data room. Giving you enterprise-grade visibility and control, without the enterprise learning curve.

With Orangedox, you can:

1. Create virtual data rooms directly from Google Drive or Dropbox (no uploading required).
2. Manage your documents in one place and have them auto synced with your data room.
3. Track document page views, downloads, and engagement in real time.
4. Restrict access with secure, device-level control instead of insecure passwords
5. Gate your documents and data rooms behind NDAs for added protection.
6. Transparent pricing starting at $75/month.

For small teams managing investor relations, due diligence, or fundraising, Orangedox delivers the same level of insight and professionalism as large-scale data rooms, but only simpler.

Why Startups Prefer Orangedox

Datasite remains a powerhouse for enterprise M&A, but many smaller teams find its setup and pricing too heavy for their needs.

Orangedox, on the other hand, offers:

1. Ease of use - Setup takes minutes instead of days and as you can leverage your existing cloud storage solution.
2. Predictable pricing - Affordable, and transparent.
3. Deal visibility - Understand who’s most interested in your deal, right down to the pages they’re viewing.
4. Security - Easy to use device level security without the need for recipients to create accounts or remember passwords.

Orangedox delivers the essentials that startups, advisors, and sales teams actually need, without all the complexity.

Conclusion

In 2026, Datasite Virtual Data Room remains a top-tier solution for large organizations that need advanced automation, AI redaction, and strict compliance controls. It’s a complex platform built for complex deals.

But for startups and growing teams that value cost and simplicity, Orangedox stands out as the smarter choice as it integrates with your existing cloud storage solution for a fraction of the cost.

FAQ

1. What is Datasite Virtual Data Room used for?

Datasite Virtual Data Room is designed for managing M&A deals, due diligence, and other secure document-sharing workflows across enterprises.

2. What is Datasite pricing in 2026?

Datasite does not publish public pricing. To get a quote, you must schedule a meeting with their sales team.

3. Is Datasite priced per user, per project, or per document?

Third-parties suggest Datasite pricing is typically project-based, with costs influenced by data volume, user count, and deal duration. See SoftwareTestingHelp’s Datasite review.

4. Can I get a free trial of Datasite before committing?

No, Datasite does not offer a free trial. Demos are available upon request through their sales team.

5. Who owns Datasite?

Datasite is owned by Datasite LLC, a global provider of virtual data room technology headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

6. What security certifications does Datasite have?

Datasite maintains ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II certifications, ensuring compliance with global data security standards.

7. Can Datasite integrate with Google Drive or Dropbox?

Datasite does not offer native integrations with Google Drive or Dropbox. For teams working within the Google Workspace ecosystem, Orangedox offers a fully synced, secure document-sharing alternative.

8. What are the best Datasite alternatives?

If you’re looking for transparent pricing and native Drive integration, Orangedox is a leading alternative to Datasite for M&A and due diligence.

Start your 14-day free trial of Orangedox Virtual Data Rooms and see what Orangedox can do for your business, or you can book a free 1-1 demo today.