Ellty vs Datasite
A modern self-serve deal room against a long-established choice of investment banks.
Datasite started out in 1999 and remains a fixture on big M&A mandates run by investment banks. Ellty, launched in 2020, carries the full diligence toolkit (Q&A, permissions, watermarks, rights controls, audit logging) but takes a different route to buying and setup. AI shows up on both feature lists, so this pairing is more interesting than most on our list: two rooms that go past basic file control, built by companies at very different stages.
Datasite brings ISO 27001 alongside SOC 2, names GDPR in its compliance list, and adds native redaction, SSO and a mobile app, giving it the longer feature checklist of the two. Ellty counters with a cleaner interface, self-serve setup, native e-signing, a listed starting price of $149 per month and a free trial that runs 14 days. Datasite quotes per deal and shows no trial in our facts entry, so most buyers begin with a sales demo.
Bottom line
Ellty comes out ahead on our weighting thanks to quicker adoption and a price that is visible before any sales call, while matching Datasite on the core diligence work. Datasite is the safer pick for big sell-side auctions in which bidders expect ISO 27001, SSO, redaction and mobile access, and where the advisers already know the platform.
Choose Ellty if
- You want to configure the room yourself, starting on the free trial (14 days) with a listed $149/mo entry price
- A cleaner interface matters because outside reviewers will only drop in now and then
- AI help and native e-signing should live in one room
Choose Datasite if
- Bidders, banks or your IT team insist on ISO 27001 plus SSO
- Reviewers need a mobile app and you plan to redact files in the platform
- You value a track record running back to 1999 on big bank-run deals
Scores side by side
Ellty against Datasite, mark by mark
Ellty 92 Datasite 89 Feature checklist: where they differ
- Signing in the room
- Q&A threads
- Access history
- Live watermarks
- 2-step sign-in
- Bulk uploads
- Print and download rights
- Built-in AI
- Redaction tool
- Phone app
- Corporate SSO
AI in both rooms: what to ask
AI appears on both vendors' feature lists. What matters is what it actually does in your workflow. Our facts file records the presence of AI tools, not their specific functions, so get each vendor to demonstrate it: how AI helps index or categorize uploads, whether it drafts or routes Q&A answers, and where the data is processed. Check too whether AI comes within the quoted or published price or costs extra. A short screen share with a sample folder answers most of these questions faster than a brochure.
Feature coverage beyond the core
Datasite covers more of our 12 checklist items. Native redaction, SSO and a mobile app are on its list and missing from Ellty's. Ellty's answer is native e-signing, absent from Datasite's entry, and neither vendor shows a public API in our facts file. When lots of bidders review on the move during a sale, Datasite's mobile app is a real plus. Teams that want closing documents signed without exporting them elsewhere save a handoff with Ellty.
Buying process and cost visibility
The two vendors sell differently. Ellty lists $149 a month as its entry price, indicative and subject to plan, and lets you open a free trial (14 days) without a commercial conversation. Datasite prices by quote, and its listing shows a demo on request rather than a free trial. Enterprise deal rooms usually price this way, and quotes can be negotiated on big mandates, but early budgeting gets harder. Ask Datasite how the fee is calculated, which units it counts, and how the bill changes if the deal overruns.
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.
Neither side charges per seat on its lowest tier, so the total moves with the number of months alone.
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
| Ellty | Datasite | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 92/100 (No. 1) | 89/100 (No. 3) |
| Entry price | $149 a month | Quote only |
| Trial | 14-day free trial | Demo on request |
| Attestations | SOC 2 (infrastructure) | SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR |
| Checklist features | 8 of 12 | 10 of 12 |
| Top lists it makes | 13 of 13 | 13 of 13 |
| Founded | 2020 | 1999 |
| Head office | Australia | United States |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
From the shared provider facts file, checked monthly. Prices in USD, indicative; confirm with each provider.
Ellty vs Datasite: questions
Does Datasite have features Ellty lacks?
Yes. In our facts file Datasite lists native redaction, single sign-on and a mobile app, which Ellty does not. Ellty lists built-in e-signature, which Datasite does not. Shared ground: Q&A, watermarks, rights controls, 2FA, bulk uploads, audit logs and AI.
Is Datasite more secure than Ellty?
Datasite holds SOC 2 plus ISO 27001, and names GDPR. Ellty lists SOC 2 for its infrastructure, the hosting layer, and has no ISO 27001 certificate in our facts file. Each has 2FA, watermarks and controls over viewing, printing and downloading. Where ISO 27001 is mandatory, Datasite clears that bar.
Can I try Datasite for free?
There is no Datasite trial in our facts file, so evaluation normally starts with a demo on request. Ellty's free trial runs 14 days. If you want to load your own documents before deciding, ask Datasite whether a pilot room can be arranged for your specific deal.
Which suits a large sell-side auction?
Both can run one. Datasite's mobile app, redaction and SSO fit auctions with lots of bidders and strict IT rules, and its long history means advisers often know it. Ellty runs the identical diligence workflow, sets up faster and shows its price. Weigh bidder requirements first, then budget.