SmartRoom's pricing structure can be confusing. The website shows some pricing information, but understanding what you'll actually pay requires digging deeper into plan limits and overage costs.
This guide covers SmartRoom's current pricing tiers, real costs for different transaction types, and how it compares to alternatives. You'll see actual numbers, understand hidden fees, and calculate what you'd pay based on your specific deal.
What is SmartRoom?
SmartRoom is a virtual data room platform designed for M&A transactions, corporate development, and due diligence processes. It's built to handle complex deal workflows with multiple parties.
What they do: SmartRoom provides secure data rooms where you upload confidential documents, control granular access permissions, and track all user activity. The platform focuses on enterprise-grade security and compliance for mid-market to large transactions.
Key features:
- Secure document repository with bank-level encryption
- Granular permission controls and user groups
- Q&A module for managing due diligence questions
- Real-time activity tracking and reporting
- Automated indexing and full-text search
- Redaction and watermarking tools
- Mobile access through responsive design
Market position: SmartRoom has been in the VDR market since 2012. They're positioned as a mid-tier option between legacy enterprise VDRs like Intralinks and newer, simpler tools. The company serves corporate development teams, investment banks, private equity firms, and law firms handling complex transactions.
SmartRoom plans and pricing breakdown
SmartRoom publishes pricing on their website, which is more transparent than many VDR competitors. They use a tiered model with monthly subscriptions.
Billing structure: Pricing is per room per month. You can add multiple rooms to your subscription. Annual plans offer discounts. Pricing includes a set number of users and storage with additional charges for overages.
Currency note: All prices listed in USD. International customers are charged in USD at current exchange rates.
Basic - $400/month
Who it's for: Small deals, basic due diligence, or companies testing VDR software for the first time.
What's included:
- 1 virtual data room
- 10 users included
- 5 GB storage
- Basic permission controls
- Document upload and organization
- Basic activity tracking
- Email support
- Q&A module
- Standard security features
Key limitations:
- Only 10 users (additional users cost $25/month each)
- Limited 5 GB storage (additional storage $50 per 5 GB)
- Single data room only
- No advanced features like bulk upload tools
- Basic reporting only
- Email support during business hours only
- No dedicated account management
Best for: Small M&A deals, simple due diligence processes, seed fundraising with limited document sets, or testing VDR functionality before larger transactions.
Standard - $800/month
Who it's for: Mid-market M&A, Series A/B fundraising, or companies needing more users and storage.
What's included:
- 1 virtual data room
- 25 users included
- 25 GB storage
- Advanced permission controls and user groups
- Bulk document upload tools
- Enhanced activity tracking and analytics
- Q&A management with workflow
- Document watermarking
- Customizable branding
- Priority email support
- Excel plug-in for bulk operations
Key limitations:
- Additional users cost $25/month each
- Storage overages charged at $50 per 5 GB
- Single data room (additional rooms available)
- No API access
- No SSO integration
- Limited customization options
- No dedicated support contact
Best for: Series A/B fundraising ($5M-20M), mid-market M&A transactions, corporate development teams running periodic due diligence, or companies needing professional-grade VDR features.
Professional - $1,200/month
Who it's for: Large transactions, multiple concurrent deals, or organizations requiring advanced features and support.
What's included:
- 1 virtual data room (discounts for multiple rooms)
- 50 users included
- 50 GB storage
- All Standard features
- Advanced analytics and custom reports
- Bulk user management tools
- Advanced document redaction
- Enhanced security features
- API access
- Phone and email support
- Dedicated account manager
- Custom branding and white-labeling
- Training sessions included
Key limitations:
- Additional users still cost $25/month
- Storage overages at $50 per 5 GB
- SSO requires custom configuration
- Some enterprise features require upgrades
Best for: Large fundraising rounds (Series C+), significant M&A transactions ($50M+), private equity firms with portfolio companies, or organizations running multiple concurrent deals.
Enterprise - Custom pricing
Who it's for: Large corporations, investment banks, PE firms, or organizations with complex security and compliance requirements.
What's included:
- Multiple data rooms (custom configurations)
- Unlimited or very high user limits
- Custom storage allocations
- All Professional features
- SSO integration (SAML, Azure AD)
- Advanced compliance features
- Custom security configurations
- Dedicated account team
- 24/7 priority support
- Custom onboarding and training
- Service level agreements (SLAs)
- White-label solutions
- API access with higher rate limits
- Custom integrations
Best for: Investment banking, large corporate M&A programs, private equity firms managing multiple portfolio companies, or organizations requiring custom security and compliance configurations.
Plan comparison table:
Enterprise pricing:
Custom pricing based on:
- Number of concurrent data rooms needed
- Total user count across all rooms
- Storage requirements across portfolio
- Security and compliance needs (SOC 2, ISO certifications)
- SSO and authentication requirements
- Integration complexity
- Support level and SLAs required
- White-label and customization needs
Contact sales for quote. Based on industry reports, enterprise plans typically start at $3,000-5,000/month for organizations needing multiple rooms and 100+ users.
Costs not shown in base pricing
User overages: Every user beyond your plan limit costs $25/month. For a Standard plan with 30 users (5 over limit), that's an extra $125/month or $1,500/year.
Storage overages: Additional storage costs $50 per 5 GB increment. If you exceed your limit by 15 GB on a Standard plan, that's $150/month extra ($1,800/year).
Additional data rooms: Each additional concurrent data room costs extra. Pricing isn't published but typically ranges from 50-75% of base plan cost per additional room.
SSO integration: Single sign-on isn't included in Basic or Standard plans. Professional plans may require additional setup fees. Enterprise includes SSO but implementation can take time.
Premium support: Basic plan includes email support only. Phone support requires Professional or higher. 24/7 support is Enterprise-only.
Training and onboarding: Professional plans include some training. Basic and Standard plans may charge for custom training sessions (typically $500-1,500 depending on team size).
Setup and migration: Data migration from other platforms or complex folder structures may incur setup fees, particularly for Enterprise customers with large document sets.
Annual contract discounts: While SmartRoom offers annual discounts (typically 10-15%), you're locked in for the year. Breaking the contract early may result in penalties.
Real costs for teams
Per-room pricing seems straightforward until you factor in users, storage, and deal duration. Here's what SmartRoom actually costs for common scenarios.
Scenario 1: Seed fundraising ($1M-2M round)
Deal characteristics: 3-month fundraise, 12 investors, 3 GB of documents
Recommended plan: Basic
Monthly cost: $400
Total cost for fundraise: $1,200 (3 months)
What this includes:
- Secure data room for pitch deck and financials
- Enough users for typical seed investor pool (10 included, 2 extra at $25 each = $50/month)
- Sufficient storage for standard seed documentation
- Basic activity tracking
- Q&A module for investor questions
Limitations to watch:
- If investor pool grows beyond 12, each additional costs $25/month
- Limited to 5 GB storage (probably fine for seed stage)
- Basic reporting only
- Email support can be slow during deal crunch times
Actual monthly cost: $450 (base $400 + 2 extra users at $25 each)
Actual total cost: $1,350 for 3 months
Scenario 2: Series A fundraising ($5M-10M round)
Deal characteristics: 4-month process, 28 investors, 15 GB documents, need good analytics
Recommended plan: Standard
Monthly cost: $800
Total cost for fundraise: $3,200 (4 months)
What this includes:
- Professional data room with custom branding
- 25 users included (3 overages at $25 each = $75/month)
- 25 GB storage (sufficient for comprehensive docs)
- Enhanced analytics to track investor engagement
- Bulk upload tools to save time
- Q&A workflow management
- Priority email support
Limitations to watch:
- 28 investors means 3 user overages ($75/month extra)
- Storage is adequate but tight if you add video presentations
- No phone support on Standard plan
- Timeline extensions add full monthly cost
Actual monthly cost: $875 (base $800 + 3 extra users at $25 each)
Actual total cost: $3,500 for 4 months
Scenario 3: Series B/C fundraising ($20M-40M round)
Deal characteristics: 5-month process, 45 investors, 40 GB documents, need advanced features
Recommended plan: Professional
Monthly cost: $1,200
Total cost for fundraise: $6,000 (5 months)
What this includes:
- Advanced data room with white-label branding
- 50 users included (sufficient for large investor pool)
- 50 GB storage (adequate for extensive documentation)
- Advanced analytics and custom reports
- API access if needed for integrations
- Dedicated account manager
- Phone support for urgent issues
- Training for team included
Limitations to watch:
- If process extends to 6+ months, costs continue
- Additional storage may be needed for large technical documentation
- User count should be sufficient but watch for last-minute additions
- SSO may require additional configuration
Actual monthly cost: $1,200 (no overages expected)
Actual total cost: $6,000 for 5 months
If process extends to 7 months: $8,400 total
Scenario 4: Mid-market M&A ($50M-100M transaction)
Deal characteristics: 6-month process, 60+ users (buyers, advisors, lawyers), 75 GB documents
Recommended plan: Professional to Enterprise
Monthly cost: $1,500-2,000 (Professional with overages or Enterprise base)
Total transaction cost: $9,000-12,000 (6 months)
What this includes:
- Enterprise-grade security and compliance
- 50 users on Professional (10+ overages at $25 = $250/month) OR unlimited on Enterprise
- 50 GB on Professional (25 GB overage at $50/5GB = $250/month) OR custom storage on Enterprise
- Advanced analytics and audit trails
- Dedicated account manager
- Priority support with SLAs
- Custom training for transaction team
- API access if needed
Limitations to watch:
- Multiple buyer groups may need separate rooms (extra cost)
- Storage overages add up with extensive documentation
- Extended exclusivity periods keep costs running
- Post-close access for reps and warranties adds months
Actual monthly cost (Professional + overages): $1,700 (base $1,200 + 10 users at $25 + 25 GB storage at $250)
Actual total cost: $10,200 for 6 months
Enterprise alternative: Likely $2,000-2,500/month base with no overages = $12,000-15,000 for 6 months
Scenario 5: PE firm with multiple portfolio companies
Deal characteristics: 4 concurrent data rooms, various transaction types, ongoing needs
Recommended plan: Enterprise
Monthly cost: $4,000-6,000
Annual cost: $48,000-72,000
What this includes:
- 4 concurrent data rooms (or unlimited)
- High user limits across all rooms
- Substantial storage allocation
- All enterprise features
- Dedicated account team
- Priority support and SLAs
- Volume pricing negotiated
- Centralized billing and management
Limitations to watch:
- Costs scale with number of active transactions
- Each new deal may require room setup time
- User management across multiple rooms requires coordination
- Storage across multiple active deals compounds quickly
Actual monthly cost: $5,000 (estimated with volume pricing)
Actual annual cost: $60,000
Cost comparison table:
Hidden cost multipliers:
Costs increase when you need:
- User overages beyond plan limits ($25 per user adds up fast with large investor pools)
- Storage overages from technical documentation, videos, or extensive legal files ($50 per 5 GB)
- Multiple concurrent data rooms for different buyer groups or portfolio companies
- Extended deal timelines (every extra month is full monthly cost plus overages)
- Post-close access for warranties and representations (3-12 additional months)
- Premium support or training beyond what's included in your plan
- SSO integration setup and configuration (Professional/Enterprise)
- Data migration from previous VDR or complex folder structures
What teams actually need
Most teams pay for features they don't use or underestimate what they'll need. Here's what actually matters for different scenarios.
Seed fundraising: Basic is usually enough
Must-have features:
- Secure document storage and sharing
- Basic permission controls (investors can view, can't download)
- Simple activity tracking (who viewed, when)
- Q&A module for investor questions
- Password protection and link expiration
Nice-to-have features:
- Watermarking
- Custom branding
- Enhanced analytics
Skip these features:
- API access (won't use it)
- Bulk upload tools (document set is small enough to upload manually)
- Advanced user groups (investor pool is simple)
- Dedicated account manager (overkill for seed stage)
Recommended plan: Basic ($400/month)
For most seed rounds, Basic is sufficient. You're sharing a pitch deck, financials, and basic legal docs. Don't overpay for enterprise features you won't use.
Series A/B fundraising: Standard makes sense
Must-have features:
- Enhanced activity tracking to identify serious investors
- Bulk upload tools (saves hours with larger document sets)
- Custom branding (looks professional to institutional investors)
- Advanced permission controls for different investor types
- Q&A workflow management
- Good search functionality across documents
- Priority support (deals move fast, can't wait for email responses)
Nice-to-have features:
- Advanced analytics and custom reports
- API access for integration with CRM
- Dedicated account manager
Skip these features:
- White-label branding (custom branding in Standard is enough)
- Advanced redaction tools (usually not needed at this stage)
- Multiple concurrent rooms (typically one fundraising process)
Recommended plan: Standard ($800/month)
Standard hits the sweet spot for Series A/B. You get professional features without paying for enterprise capabilities you don't need. Watch user count carefully.
Growth stage and M&A: Professional or Enterprise
Must-have features:
- Advanced analytics showing detailed user behavior
- Dedicated account manager (essential when deals get complex)
- Phone support with fast response times
- Advanced permission controls for multiple buyer groups
- Audit trails and compliance reporting
- Bulk user management tools
- Advanced redaction capabilities
- Custom reports for stakeholders
- API access if integrating with other systems
Nice-to-have features:
- White-label branding
- SSO integration (depends on buyer requirements)
- Custom training sessions
- Service level agreements
Skip these features:
- Nothing really - at this stage you need comprehensive features
Recommended plan: Professional ($1,200/month) for most, Enterprise (custom) for large or complex deals
At this stage, inadequate features or support can kill deals. Don't try to save $400/month by using Standard. The risk isn't worth it.
Decision framework:
Ask yourself:
How many people need access?
- Under 15 users: Basic works
- 15-30 users: Standard (watch for overages)
- 30-50 users: Professional
- 50+ users: Professional or Enterprise
How much documentation do you have?
- Under 5 GB: Basic sufficient
- 5-25 GB: Standard
- 25-50 GB: Professional
- 50+ GB: Professional with overages or Enterprise
How long will the process take?
- Under 3 months: Budget for Basic or Standard
- 3-6 months: Plan for Standard or Professional
- 6+ months or ongoing: Consider annual Enterprise pricing
How complex are your permission needs?
- Simple (investors vs. company): Basic
- Moderate (different investor tiers): Standard
- Complex (multiple buyer groups, advisors, regulatory): Professional or Enterprise
What's your transaction value?
- Under $5M: Basic or Standard
- $5M-$25M: Standard or Professional
- $25M+: Professional or Enterprise
Do you need dedicated support?
- Can wait for email: Basic or Standard
- Need phone support: Professional or Enterprise
- Need SLAs and guaranteed response times: Enterprise only
The biggest mistake is underestimating users and storage. Add 30% buffer to your estimates for both. The second biggest mistake is choosing Professional for a seed round - you're paying for features you'll never use.
What users say about SmartRoom pricing
We reviewed user comments on G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius. Here's what actual customers say about SmartRoom's pricing.
What users like
Transparent pricing structure:
"Unlike other VDRs where you have to call sales for everything, SmartRoom actually shows pricing on their website. Made it easy to budget and compare options." — VP Corporate Development, G2
Reasonable base pricing:
"At $800/month for Standard, we paid less than half what we were quoted for Intralinks. Features were comparable for our needs." — CFO, Capterra
No setup fees:
"Appreciated that there were no hidden setup costs. We paid the monthly fee and that was it. Other VDRs wanted $2,000 just to get started." — M&A Advisor, TrustRadius
Common pricing complaints
User overages add up quickly:
"Base price of $800 looked good, but we ended up at $1,200/month with user overages. Should have gone with Professional from the start." — Corporate Development Manager, G2
Storage limits feel tight:
"Hit the 25 GB limit on Standard faster than expected. $50 for every 5 GB adds up. Wish they had more generous storage in base plans." — Head of M&A, Capterra
Per-room charges for multiple deals:
"We're a PE firm running multiple deals. Each data room costs extra. Would prefer unlimited rooms at a higher base price." — PE Associate, TrustRadius
Limited features on Basic plan:
"Basic plan is too basic. No bulk uploads, limited reporting. You really need Standard for anything serious, so the $400 entry price is misleading." — Startup CEO, G2
Annual commitment for best pricing:
"They offer 15% discount for annual payment, but we only needed the room for 4 months. Ended up paying more overall by committing to a year." — Investment Banker, Capterra
Overage billing surprises:
"Didn't realize we'd gone over storage limit until we got the bill. Would prefer alerts before overages are charged." — Legal Counsel, TrustRadius
Is SmartRoom worth the cost?
User sentiment varies based on deal complexity and alternative awareness.
Who finds it worth it: Mid-market companies doing Series A+ fundraising or M&A transactions appreciate SmartRoom's balance of features and cost. Multiple users noted it's 40-60% cheaper than legacy VDRs (Intralinks, Merrill, Datasite) while providing similar security and functionality. Corporate development teams running periodic deals find Standard or Professional plans provide good value.
Who finds it overpriced: Seed-stage companies and small businesses often feel even the Basic plan is expensive for simple document sharing. Several users mentioned switching to DocSend or similar tools after realizing they didn't need full VDR features. Users also expressed frustration that user and storage overages make the final bill significantly higher than advertised base pricing.
The consensus: SmartRoom offers decent value in the mid-tier VDR market, especially compared to legacy enterprise options. Pricing is more transparent than competitors, but overages can make final costs unpredictable. Good fit for Series A+ and mid-market M&A, probably overkill for seed stage and basic due diligence.
SmartRoom vs alternatives: quick comparison
Here's how SmartRoom pricing compares to similar tools. All prices for comparable plans.
Ellty - Free, Pro $24/user/month
- Unlimited pitch deck uploads and link sharing on free plan
- Page-by-page engagement analytics
- Real-time notifications when investors view decks
- Password protection and link expiration
- Pro adds custom branding, unlimited storage, team features
- Not a full VDR, but excellent for deck sharing and investor tracking
- Free tier: Unlimited decks, basic analytics, 10 GB storage
Best for: Seed fundraising, pitch deck sharing, investor updates, teams on tight budgets
DocSend - $45-150/user/month
- Per-user pricing, not per-deal
- Strong document tracking and analytics
- One-click NDA signing
- Dynamic watermarking
- Advanced plan ($150/user) has more VDR-like features
- Good for professional document sharing
- More expensive than SmartRoom for small teams
Best for: Professional document sharing across sales and fundraising, teams already in DocSend ecosystem
Firmroom - ~$600-800/month starting
- Per-deal pricing similar to SmartRoom
- Modern interface, easier setup than legacy VDRs
- Pricing not published on website (requires sales call)
- Comparable features to SmartRoom Standard
- Good reputation for simplicity
- Similar target market as SmartRoom
Best for: Teams wanting transparent pricing but willing to talk to sales, mid-market transactions
Ansarada - ~$500-1,500/month
- Per-room pricing with tiered plans
- Strong in Australian and APAC markets
- AI-powered insights and deal prediction
- More expensive than SmartRoom for similar features
- Better analytics and deal management tools
- Requires sales contact for accurate pricing
Best for: M&A-focused teams, companies in APAC region, teams wanting AI-powered insights
Intralinks - $10,000+/month
- Legacy enterprise VDR
- Used by investment banks and large corporations
- Extremely robust but complex
- Significantly more expensive than SmartRoom
- Overkill for most startups and mid-market deals
- Industry standard for billion-dollar transactions
Best for: Large corporate M&A, investment banking, deals over $500M
Cost comparison for common scenarios:
For a Series A fundraise (4 months, 25 investors, 20 GB storage):
For mid-market M&A (6 months, 50 users, 50 GB):
When SmartRoom makes sense:
You need SmartRoom or similar VDR when:
- Raising Series A or later with institutional investors
- Running mid-market M&A transactions ($10M-100M)
- Need transparent pricing you can budget without sales calls
- Want balance between features and cost (not cheapest, not most expensive)
- Require VDR-level security but don't need investment banking features
- Dealing with confidential information requiring audit trails
- Investors or buyers expect professional VDR platform
When alternatives make sense:
Use simpler or different tools when:
- Raising seed rounds under $3M (Ellty works better and costs less)
- Primarily sharing pitch decks and tracking engagement (DocSend or Ellty)
- Budget is under $1,000/month and you don't need full VDR compliance
- Running very large transactions requiring investment banking features (Intralinks)
- Need AI-powered deal insights and predictions (Ansarada)
- Want unlimited rooms for PE firm portfolio (Enterprise VDR with custom pricing)
Special offers and discounts
SmartRoom offers some published discounts and ways to reduce costs. Here's how to get the best deal.
Current promotions: SmartRoom occasionally runs promotions for new customers. Check their website or ask sales about current offers when signing up.
How to save money:
Annual payment discount: Pay annually and save 10-15% compared to monthly billing. SmartRoom offers this discount on all plans.
- Basic: $400/month × 12 = $4,800/year → Annual price ~$4,080-4,200 (15% off)
- Standard: $800/month × 12 = $9,600/year → Annual price ~$8,160-8,400 (15% off)
- Professional: $1,200/month × 12 = $14,400/year → Annual price ~$12,240-12,600 (15% off)
Only makes sense if you need VDR access year-round or run multiple deals annually.
Multiple data room discounts: If you need multiple concurrent data rooms, SmartRoom offers volume pricing. Each additional room typically costs 50-70% of base plan price rather than 100%.
Startup programs: SmartRoom doesn't widely advertise startup discounts, but some accelerators and venture networks have partnerships. If you're part of Y Combinator, Techstars, or similar programs, ask about partner pricing.
Educational and non-profit pricing: Not typically offered since VDRs aren't common in academic or non-profit settings. Ask sales if you have a specific use case.
Free trial strategy:
SmartRoom offers a 14-day free trial with full access to features:
- Sign up directly on website (no sales call required)
- Get full access to test features
- Upload sample documents and test workflow
- Evaluate reporting and analytics
- Test with team members and external users
- No credit card required during trial
How to maximize trial:
- Set up room structure and test bulk upload tools
- Add team members and test permission controls
- Upload representative documents and test search
- Share with 2-3 test users to evaluate external experience
- Review analytics and reports to see if they meet needs
- Test Q&A module workflow
- Evaluate mobile access and responsiveness
After trial: If you need more time, contact sales - they sometimes extend trials for serious evaluators.
Negotiation tips:
Compare quotes: Get pricing from SmartRoom, Firmroom, and Ansarada. Use quotes to negotiate.
Be specific about needs: "We need X users, Y GB storage for Z months" gets better pricing than vague inquiries.
Ask about first-deal discounts: New customers sometimes get 10-20% off first transaction.
Negotiate overage rates: If you're close to plan limits, try to negotiate lower per-user or per-GB overage rates before signing.
Bundle multiple deals: If you anticipate multiple transactions over 12 months, negotiate annual package pricing.
Commit to longer terms: 6-12 month commitments often unlock better pricing than month-to-month.
Ask about referral credits: If you refer other companies, SmartRoom may offer credits toward your subscription.
Time your purchase: End of quarter (March, June, September, December) can yield better deals as sales teams close quotas.
How to calculate your true cost
Base price is just the start. Here's how to calculate what you'll actually pay for SmartRoom.
Step 1: Base subscription
Choose your plan: Basic / Standard / Professional / Enterprise
Monthly rate: $_____
Deal duration in months: _____ months
Base cost: $_____ × _____ months = $_____
Add 1-2 months buffer - deals typically take longer than planned.
Step 2: Add-ons and extras
User overages:
Expected total users: _____
Users included in plan: _____ (Basic: 10, Standard: 25, Professional: 50)
Additional users needed: _____ Cost per extra user: $25/month
User overages: _____ users × $25 × _____ months = $_____
Storage overages:
Expected document size: _____ GB Storage included: _____ GB (Basic: 5, Standard: 25, Professional: 50)
Additional storage needed: _____ GB Cost per 5 GB: $50/month
Storage overages: (_____ GB ÷ 5) × $50 × _____ months = $_____
Additional data rooms:
Number of concurrent rooms needed: _____
Cost per extra room: ~50-70% of base plan = $_____
Extra rooms: _____ rooms × $_____ × _____ months = $_____
SSO setup (if needed): One-time setup cost: $_____ (Professional/Enterprise only)
Training sessions: Custom training: $_____ (if not included in plan)
Step 3: Implementation
Internal time:
- Room setup and organization: 8-15 hours
- Document preparation and upload: 15-30 hours
- User training and onboarding: 4-8 hours
- Permission configuration: 3-6 hours
- Ongoing management: 3-5 hours per month
Total internal hours: _____ hours × your team's hourly cost = $_____
External help (if needed):
- Consultant for room setup: $_____ (typically $1,000-3,000 if needed)
- Data migration services: $_____ (if coming from another VDR)
Step 4: Ongoing costs
Extended timeline costs: If deal extends beyond planned timeline: Extra months: _____ × (monthly base + overages) = $_____
Post-close access: Months needed after deal closes: _____ (for reps and warranties) Monthly rate (base + overages): $_____
Post-close cost: _____ months × $_____ = $_____
Annual costs (if ongoing use): Annual discount available: 10-15% off Annual commitment: $_____ - (_____ × _____ discount %) = $_____
Total first-year cost:
Base subscription: $_____
User overages: $_____
Storage overages: $_____
Additional rooms: $_____
SSO setup: $_____
Training: $_____
Implementation time: $_____
External help: $_____
Extended timeline: $_____
Post-close access: $_____
TOTAL: $_____
True monthly cost (amortized): Total cost ÷ months of use = $_____ per month
Example calculation (Series A fundraise):
Step 1: Base
- Plan: Standard
- Monthly rate: $800
- Duration: 4 months
- Base cost: $800 × 4 = $3,200
Step 2: Add-ons
- Users: 30 expected, 25 included, 5 overages
- User cost: 5 × $25 × 4 months = $500
- Storage: 20 GB needed, 25 GB included
- Storage cost: $0
- Total add-ons: $500
Step 3: Implementation
- Internal time: 40 hours × $100/hour = $4,000
- External help: $0
- Total implementation: $4,000
Step 4: Ongoing
- Extended timeline: 1 extra month = ($800 + $125 user overages) = $925
- Post-close: 2 months × $925 = $1,850
- Total ongoing: $2,775
Total cost: $3,200 + $500 + $4,000 + $2,775 = $10,475
True monthly cost: $10,475 ÷ 7 months actual use = $1,496/month
Hidden costs to remember:
Underestimated timelines: Most deals take 30-50% longer than initially planned. Budget extra months.
User creep: Investor pools grow as you progress through due diligence. Plan for 20-30% more users than initial list.
Storage underestimation: Technical documentation, customer contracts, and video content consume more storage than expected.
Multiple buyer scenarios: M&A processes with multiple interested parties may require separate rooms or complex permission management.
Post-close obligations: Warranty and representation periods mean you'll need VDR access for 3-12 months after deal closes.
Team learning curve: First-time VDR users spend 10-20 hours learning the platform and best practices.
Document preparation time: Getting documents organized, indexed, and permission-mapped takes longer than expected.
Compare this to alternatives:
Run this same calculation for 2-3 alternatives:
- Ellty (simpler: users × $15/month or free)
- DocSend (users × $45-150/month)
- Firmroom (get quote, typically higher base cost)
- Ansarada (get quote)
Don't just compare monthly base prices. Compare total all-in costs including overages, setup time, and realistic timelines. A $400/month plan with expensive overages can cost more than a $1,200/month plan that includes everything you need.
Switch to Ellty (simple alternative for pitch deck sharing)
SmartRoom's VDR features are comprehensive but often unnecessary for early fundraising. If you're sharing pitch decks and tracking investor engagement, there's a much simpler option.
Ellty takes a different approach: unlimited pitch deck sharing with detailed analytics at a flat price. No per-room fees, no user overages, no storage limits on Pro. Set up in minutes, not days.
Ellty pricing:
Ellty Free - $0
- Unlimited pitch deck uploads and shares
- Share with unlimited investors
- Page-by-page analytics showing exactly how investors engage
- Real-time notifications when decks are viewed
- Password protection and expiration dates
- 10 GB storage
- Basic branding customization
Best for: Seed fundraising, investor updates, testing investor interest before formal due diligence
Ellty Pro - $24/user/month
- Everything in Free
- Unlimited storage (no overage fees ever)
- Custom domain and white-label branding
- Advanced analytics and CSV exports
- Video uploads (up to 500 MB)
- Team collaboration and internal notes
- Priority support
- Remove Ellty branding completely
Best for: Series A/B fundraising, professional investor communications, teams needing comprehensive engagement data
Side-by-side comparison: SmartRoom vs Ellty
What you save with Ellty:
For a 5-person team running a 4-month Series A:
- SmartRoom Standard: $3,200 (4 months × $800)
- Ellty Pro: $300 (5 users × $15 × 4 months)
- Savings: $2,900 (91%)
For seed fundraising (solo founder, 3 months):
- SmartRoom Basic: $1,200 (3 months × $400)
- Ellty Free: $0
- Savings: $1,200 (100%)
For Series B (10-person team, 5 months):
- SmartRoom Standard + overages: $4,375 (5 months × $875 with user overages)
- Ellty Pro: $750 (10 users × $15 × 5 months)
- Savings: $3,625 (83%)
When Ellty makes sense:
Ellty works well when you're:
- Raising seed or Series A rounds (typically under $10M)
- Primarily sharing pitch decks and investor updates, not full document repositories
- Tracking investor engagement to prioritize follow-ups and gauge interest
- Working with tight budgets and need predictable costs
- Want to set up quickly without learning complex VDR systems
- Sending regular investor updates and progress reports
- Testing investor interest before entering formal due diligence
- Need simple analytics showing which slides investors spend time on
When to stick with SmartRoom:
Use SmartRoom or similar VDR when:
- Running full due diligence with hundreds of documents
- M&A transactions requiring audit trails and compliance
- Institutional investors specifically request VDR-level security
- Managing complex permission structures for multiple buyer groups
- Need Q&A module for structured due diligence questions
- Sharing highly sensitive IP, customer contracts, or regulated data
- Compliance certifications (SOC 2, ISO) are required
- Dealing with legal documents, customer contracts, technical documentation beyond pitch materials
- Investors won't accept simpler tools and require enterprise VDR
Migration is simple:
Switching to Ellty (or trying it first) takes minutes:
- Upload your pitch deck PDF
- Create a shareable link with password protection
- Share with investors via email or your investor portal
- Get real-time notifications when investors view
- See exactly which pages they spent time on
- Follow up with investors who showed most engagement
No setup fees, no sales calls, no training required, no minimum commitments. Start free, upgrade to Pro when you need advanced features.
Quick answers
Does SmartRoom have a free plan?
No. SmartRoom doesn't offer a free plan. They provide a 14-day free trial with full access to features, but you'll need a paid subscription after that. The trial doesn't require a credit card.
Does SmartRoom offer a free trial?
Yes. SmartRoom offers a 14-day free trial with access to all features. You can sign up directly on their website without talking to sales. No credit card required. This gives you time to test the platform, upload documents, and evaluate if it meets your needs.
Does SmartRoom have monthly billing or only annual?
SmartRoom offers both monthly and annual billing. Monthly plans have no long-term commitment. Annual plans save 10-15% but lock you in for a year. You can switch from monthly to annual anytime, but annual contracts typically can't be canceled early without penalties.
What payment methods does SmartRoom accept?
SmartRoom accepts major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), ACH transfers, and wire transfers. Monthly subscriptions typically require credit card. Annual contracts can be paid by invoice, ACH, or wire transfer.
Does SmartRoom charge for implementation or onboarding?
No. SmartRoom doesn't charge separate setup or onboarding fees. All plans include basic onboarding support. Professional and Enterprise plans include training sessions. Complex data migrations or extensive custom training may incur additional costs - ask sales if you have specific migration needs.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes for monthly plans, no for annual plans. Monthly subscriptions can be canceled anytime with no penalties - you'll have access until the end of your current billing period. Annual plans require 12-month commitment. Check your contract for specific terms.
Does SmartRoom have an API?
Yes, but only on Professional and Enterprise plans. API access allows integration with other systems. Basic and Standard plans don't include API access. Contact SmartRoom for API documentation and rate limits.
Does SmartRoom have a mobile app?
SmartRoom doesn't have dedicated iOS or Android apps. The platform is mobile-responsive and works through web browsers on phones and tablets. Users can access data rooms, view documents, and manage permissions from mobile devices through Safari, Chrome, or other mobile browsers.
Are there limits on storage or documents?
Yes. Each plan has specific storage limits: Basic (5 GB), Standard (25 GB), Professional (50 GB), Enterprise (custom). There's no limit on number of documents or files, just total storage space. Additional storage costs $50 per 5 GB per month. Number of documents doesn't matter, total size does.
Do I need to pay per user or can I share one account?
SmartRoom charges based on user count. Each plan includes a set number of users: Basic (10), Standard (25), Professional (50), Enterprise (custom). Additional users cost $25/month each. You can't share login credentials because the platform tracks individual user activity for audit trails and analytics. Every person accessing the data room needs their own account.
What happens if I exceed my plan limits?
You'll be charged overage fees. Additional users cost $25 per user per month. Storage overages cost $50 per 5 GB per month. SmartRoom typically notifies you when approaching limits, but overages are automatically charged on your next bill. Watch your usage dashboard to avoid surprise charges.
Does SmartRoom offer refunds?
SmartRoom's refund policy isn't publicly disclosed. Most SaaS VDR providers don't offer refunds after you've uploaded data and started using the platform. If you're in the first few days and haven't used features, you might negotiate a refund - contact support. The 14-day free trial lets you test before paying, which reduces need for refunds. Read terms of service before subscribing.
