Box vs Citrix ShareFile
Two general file-sharing platforms with published prices, weighed for deal use.
Box and Citrix ShareFile are not purpose-built virtual data rooms, and it is worth saying so up front. Both are file-sharing and collaboration platforms that many firms already use, and both can host deal documents with audit trails, watermarks, two-factor login, single sign-on, e-signature, a mobile app and a public API. Neither lists a Q&A module or native redaction in our facts file, and those are two of the tools buyers lean on most during formal diligence.
Between the two, the differences are clear. Box, founded in 2005, publishes a price from $15 per user per month, lists AI features and holds SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR and HIPAA. ShareFile, also founded in 2005, publishes a price from $55 a month, lists document rights controls for view, print and download, and holds SOC 2, ISO 27001 and HIPAA. Box does not list document rights controls. Both offer a free trial, and both are headquartered in the United States.
Bottom line
Box edges ahead on our weighting through stronger security and diligence toolkit ratings, AI features and a broader certification list. ShareFile is the better choice when you need view, print and download controls on shared files, when a flat monthly price is easier to budget than per-user fees, or when clients need a simpler interface. For formal M&A diligence with structured Q&A, both fall short of a dedicated data room.
Choose Box if
- Your firm already uses Box and wants deal folders inside the same platform
- AI features and GDPR among the listed certifications matter to you
- Data protection is the priority; Box rates higher on it in our model
Choose Citrix ShareFile if
- You need view, print and download controls on documents shared with clients
- A flat published price from $55 a month is easier to budget than per-user fees
- Clients need an easy portal; ShareFile rates higher on ease of adoption
Scores side by side
Box against Citrix ShareFile, mark by mark
Box 81 Citrix ShareFile 80 Feature checklist: where they differ
- Built-in AI
- Access history
- Live watermarks
- Signing in the room
- Phone app
- Integration API
- Corporate SSO
- 2-step sign-in
- Bulk uploads
- Print and download rights
Using a file-sharing platform as a data room
Both platforms handle the storage and sharing side of a transaction well enough: bulk upload, audit trails, watermarks and access controls through two-factor login and single sign-on. What they lack, according to our facts file, is a Q&A module and native redaction. On a formal sale process, buyers submit questions in volume, and someone has to track, route and answer them. Without Q&A, that work moves to email or spreadsheets, which weakens the audit trail. For simple document exchanges this may not matter; for M&A diligence it usually does.
Document control and AI
ShareFile lists document rights management, so you can restrict viewing, printing and downloading on sensitive files. Box does not list that control in our facts file, though it offers watermarks and audit trails. Box lists AI features; ShareFile does not. If your concern is limiting what recipients can do with a file once they open it, ShareFile has the advantage. If you want AI help organizing or summarizing a large content library, ask Box to demonstrate its AI tools on documents like yours.
Comparing published prices
Both vendors publish entry prices, which makes early budgeting easier than with quote-only data rooms. Box starts from $15 per user per month, so the total grows with each user you add. ShareFile starts from $55 a month as a flat entry price. Treat both as indicative; tiers, user counts and add-ons change the real bill. Use the cost calculator on this page with your expected number of users and months, then confirm with each vendor which features sit in the tier you need.
What each costs for your term
Move the sliders to your expected term and user count. Published entry prices only; quote-only providers show a labelled market range.
Worked out from each vendor's lowest published tier in US dollars. Bigger plans, extra storage, more admins and sales tax all lift the real figure, so read it as a floor and get the vendor's own number. Budgeting detail is on the pricing page.
Specs
| Box | Citrix ShareFile | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 81/100 (No. 9) | 80/100 (No. 10) |
| Entry price | $15 per user/mo | $55 a month |
| Trial | Free trial offered | Free trial offered |
| Attestations | SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR | SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA |
| Checklist features | 9 of 12 | 9 of 12 |
| Top lists it makes | 12 of 13 | 8 of 13 |
| Founded | 2005 | 2005 |
| Head office | United States | United States |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
From the shared provider facts file, checked monthly. Prices in USD, indicative; confirm with each provider.
Box vs Citrix ShareFile: questions
Can Box or ShareFile replace a virtual data room?
For simple document sharing, they can. For formal M&A diligence, both lack a Q&A module and native redaction according to our facts file, and Box does not list view, print and download controls. If buyers will submit questions in volume, a dedicated data room is the better tool.
Which is cheaper, Box or ShareFile?
Box publishes a price from $15 per user per month, and ShareFile from $55 a month. Which costs less depends on how many users you need and for how long. Both prices are indicative entry points; check which tier includes the features you plan to use.
Do Box and ShareFile support HIPAA?
Both list HIPAA among their certifications in our facts file, along with SOC 2 and ISO 27001. Box also lists GDPR. If you handle health information, confirm with each vendor the exact plan and agreement terms required for HIPAA coverage before uploading anything.
Do either of them have AI features?
Box lists AI features in our facts file; ShareFile does not. Ask Box which AI functions apply to shared deal folders, where processing happens and whether they are included in your tier. Among dedicated data rooms on our list, Datasite, Ansarada and Ellty list AI features.