The best data room software in the UK – Top 7
| 1. Ideals Visit Website View Profile |
Overview Ideals is one of the leading data room providers for managing corporate transactions and securely sharing data. Ideals’ unique data room software combines enterprise-grade security, ease of use, and exceptional customer support. Over two million leaders globally use Ideals’ data rooms for M&A, fundraising, clinical trials, and other business activities. |
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Advantages:
- 15 supported languages
- 30 seconds customer support response time
- Unlimited live training with a VDR expert
- Premier administrative services
- Data room setup assistance
- 30-day free trial
- Staging Hub sandbox room for sell-side preparations
Disadvantages:
- Some capabilities are limited in the mobile app
- Sometimes downloaded archives contain long folder names
Pricing plans:
- Core
- Premier
- Enterprise
| 2. Datasite View Profile |
Overview The Datasite data room provider offers end-to-end due diligence and project tracking options for M&A transactions. Formerly known as Merrill Corporation, Datasite serves over 1.8 million users in 180+ countries. |
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Pros:
- Project assistance services
- Data room training
- Customizable dashboard widgets
- Customizable interface colors
Cons:
- No free trial
- More expensive than other VDRs
- Dashboard functionality needs to be more user-friendly
- No staging/sandbox environment
Pricing structure:
The provider does not publicly disclose its pricing plans.
| 3. Box View Profile |
Overview The Box online data room focuses on ease of use, integration capabilities, and collaboration. Box offers interconnected collaboration apps and secures critical content. |
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Strengths:
- 14-day free trial
- Automated document generation
- AI agents for specific business tasks
- Intelligent threat detection
- Dedicated administrative services
Weaknesses:
- Not a security-first platform
- Some VDR-grade features must be sold as add-ons
- VDR-grade features are expensive
- Pricing plans include non-VDR capabilities
Pricing plans:
- Business
- Business Plus
- Enterprise
- Enterprise Plus
- Enterprise Advanced
| 4. Intralinks View Profile |
Overview Intralinks is in the ranks of the cloud-based virtual data room providers for the capital market and global banking. Intralinks’ priority is to protect information flow in strategic initiatives such as fundraising, due diligence, and M&A deals. |
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Pros:
- Client assistance services
- Dedicated customer service managers
- Deal service assistance
- Purpose-built AI and fundraising platforms
Cons:
- No free trial
- High-cost per-page pricing
- Intricate billing with non-prorated overages
- Limited flexibility in access permissions
Pricing policy:
Contact the provider for details.
| 5. HighQ View Profile |
Overview HighQ technology is in high demand among law firms, as it’s built by legal professionals to move legal processes forward. |
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—– More details about HighQ —–
Advantages:
- AI-based document analysis
- Data auditing and version control tools
- Integration with Thomson Reuters Legal Task Manager
- Template-based document generation
Disadvantages:
- No free trial
- Limited customer support options
- No live VDR training
- Inferior access permissions compared to other VDRs
Pricing plans:
- Essentials
- Advanced
- Premium
| 6. Ansarada |
Overview Ansarada is an AI-centered data room provider that delivers deal automation capabilities while ensuring robust information security. |
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Strengths:
- Unlimited free trial until the first user invitation
- VDR tutorials and webinars
- Predictable storage overages
- Access to all features under a ‘single’ plan
Weaknesses:
- Not a straightforward interface according to user reviews
- Lacks flexibility in access permissions
- No premium client support services
- No dedicated VDR training
Pricing approach:
Storage-based pricing starting at 250MB increments
| 7. DealRoom |
Overview The Dealroom data room offers balanced capabilities for the deal-making process, focusing on AI automation, ease of use, and security. |
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—– More details about DealRoom —–
Pros:
- M&A synergy tracking
- Integration worklists
- Dedicated customer success managers
- Onboarding services
Cons:
- No free trial
- Small starting storage capacity
- Workflow-based limitations on necessary features across pricing plans
- No monthly subscriptions on certain plans
Pricing plans:
- Pipeline
- Diligence & Integration
- M&A platform
Gone are the days when organizations stored piles of papers in offices or traditional data rooms with physical storage. The new era of virtual data rooms (also known as virtual deal rooms) enables companies to reliably safeguard business-critical data from accidental damage, theft, and mismanagement. Virtual data rooms ensure secure document sharing, unmatched data traceability, and regulatory compliance, making them indispensable tools in the modern corporate world.
What is a virtual data room?
A virtual data room is a dedicated online space for secure cloud storage and seamless collaboration in a controlled environment. Before we dive deep into the specifics of data rooms, it’s important to clarify the distinction between virtual data rooms, cloud storage solutions, and enterprise content management systems (ECMs).
| Characteristic | Cloud storage | ECM | Virtual deal room |
| Purpose | General-purpose file storage and sharing | Enterprise-wide governance | Secure collaboration in high-stakes transactions |
| Security | Basic security features with limited access controls | Advanced security features with access controls | Security by design with security features focused on preventing data breaches |
| Collaboration | Basic features like co-editing, messaging, and notifications | Advanced features for enterprise-wide cooperation and governance, with integrations and automation | Structured workflows tailored to corporate transactions |
| Scalability | Scales to accommodate growing content storage needs | Scales across the entire organization with operational growth in mind | Tailored to specific transactions and projects |
A virtual data room can be considered a narrower branch of ECM software. This is an online office for working on a project involving a significant amount of sensitive information and complicated workflows.
Bank-grade security makes virtual data rooms fundamentally different from other solutions.
Since document security is what small firms, medium and large businesses strongly need for high-stakes transactions, virtual data rooms prove helpful in many industries. Some examples are investment banking, financial services, insurance, real estate, manufacturing, retail, government, healthcare, biotech, human resources, energy, and utilities. Another point to underline is the defining aspects of virtual data rooms.
- Firstly, it is the ability to set secure data access permissions for other users, covering temporary guest access rights. It is of particular value when collaborating with external stakeholders, investors, or bidders.
- Secondly, an online data room is accessible anywhere you can get an internet connection. Being hosted in the cloud, hundreds of confidential documents are within reach for all parties in the transaction. It makes this versatile solution indispensable when businesses need to share and collaborate on data online.
- Finally, the dataroom software’s greatest strength is its data sharing capabilities. Organizations can be sure about comprehensive security while sharing their most sensitive documents. Indeed, for the user’s peace of mind, electronic data room providers use complex data encryption mechanisms and comply with international privacy protection standards.
The UK virtual data room market: A glimpse into 2025
UK businesses extensively used virtual data rooms in 2024, driving significant growth in the data room market. UK data rooms generated $238.8 million in revenue throughout 2024, accounting for a 9.9% share in the global data room market (Grand View Research). This considerable activity is linked to an uptick in UK mergers and acquisitions (M&A), which saw around £50 billion in announced deal value within the takeover segment, compared to just £19 billion in 2023.
With the stabilization of interest rates expected in 2025, the UK’s M&A activity is projected to remain robust, further driving data room adoption and contributing to the growth of the VDR industry. It’s predicted to reach $837.4 million (in revenue) between 2025 and 2030, becoming the fastest-growing regional VDR market (Grand View Research).
Virtual data room pricing
Virtual data room vendors choose different approaches to pricing based on the following pricing models:
- Per page. Companies pay per virtual data room page; sometimes, the price depends on the project scale. It may be suitable for small companies with a set number of documents. However, this is not recommended for large-sized businesses as they may run into cost overruns ordering additional pages.
- Per user. Data room providers allow a certain number of users and charge a fee for each. Before opting for such a pricing model, admins should ensure they won’t have to request many additional users later. As practice shows, extra users are more expensive.
- Data room storage. Here, the number of uploaded files is limited, and additional document storage requires a fee. This model may be suitable for storing a relatively small amount of data.
- Flat fee. For a fixed price, online data room customers can manage a certain number of participants and documents per month. Consequently, this model allows users to avoid overage fees. Of course, top VDR providers give customers unlimited storage and users, but this is usually the case with a premium suite.
To sum up, potential users should remember that VDR software features must be tailored to their needs, and individuals should not feel the lack of any essential feature. It is what determines cost-efficient solutions and lets you take the first step to effective work and positive changes.
How do you choose the best virtual data rooms?
While any secure virtual data room can benefit the user to some extent, the right choice of virtual data room software can maximize user experience. Because this online platform is designed to meet and fully satisfy individual needs, it is not advisable to base your choice solely on virtual data room reviews. So here are detailed recommendations for you on how to choose data room software. After all, whether you choose a virtual data room solution for due diligence or private equity deals, following these simple steps will benefit you.
- Determine your needs and priorities
Before selecting the best virtual data room, you should understand what you need to improve current practices. For example, companies dealing with sensitive data should put the main focus on solutions with reliable security features. Likewise, teams with a large volume of important information and users require a perfect collaboration platform with secure document management tools.
- Stick to your budget
Best data rooms are generally cost-effective, whereas pricing models differ. Therefore, deciding how much you are ready to pay to implement the virtual data room software is important. In addition, it is an easy way to narrow down a broad range of virtual data room solutions.
- Read virtual data room reviews
Virtual data room reviews contain valuable information about the VDR experience of users, which may help to make a choice. It’s important to source this information from trusted data room review platforms like G2, Software Advice, and Capterra, which post testimonials from verified software users.
- Contact the well-reviewed providers
Once you have compiled a list of suitable virtual data room providers after assessing your needs, budget, and reading virtual data room reviews, you may contact the data room provider via online chat or phone. Typically, potential customers ask about experience in a relevant industry, the functions they are interested in, and clarify pricing issues. Thus, you can not only get answers to your questions but also assess the level of competence and responsiveness of reps.
- Test the best data room providers
It’s better to choose virtual data rooms with a free trial to know what you pay for. After all, most virtual data rooms allow potential customers to try out the usability, interface, and efficiency of their platforms. Another positive aspect is that you can see how easily your colleagues adapt to virtual data rooms during a free trial. It is important to note that some online data rooms offer a free demo. However, there is a drawback – a user can only see how the platform works, but not test it.
- Compare virtual data rooms
Now, at the final stage, it’s time to make a virtual data room comparison in terms of VDR’s functionality, data protection features for cloud storage, and technical support, including the following criteria:
Security
To verify the data room provider’s level of data security, potential customers need to check its compliance with ISO 27001:2013, SOC 1 or 2, GDPR, and HIPAA (for UK providers that operate in the U.S.). The list of security options should also cover data encryption at rest and in transit, data room access permissions, time and IP restrictions, dynamic watermarking, a comprehensive audit trail, and data room backup options. The ability to apply and modify security permissions in locally saved files is also highly recommended for dealing with sensitive information.
📌 Tip: Prioritize security capabilities over cost. Compromising security features can increase the data breach risk.
Convenience
The convenience of using a data room lies not only in the intuitive interface but also in a number of other user-friendly features, including automatic indexing, bulk uploads, drag-and-drop functionality, and a multilingual interface. Also, consider full-text search to find content within documents and single sign-on (SSO), which allows accessing multiple applications (including a VDR) with one set of credentials.
📌 Tip: Choose an intuitive VDR platform to accommodate team members with varying technical skills.
Accessibility
Data room members must access critical documents on the go. For this reason, virtual data room services should be accessible on desktop PCs and mobile devices and be compatible with various operating systems – Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, and Apple iOS.
📌 Tip: The best data room providers should deliver a consistent experience across all platforms and operating systems.
Integrated apps
A reliable data room provider should be able to connect to applications that enhance the security of workflows and the convenience of using a data room. For example, SAML 2.0 single sign-on (SSO) improves the convenience of logging into a data room and reduces password fatigue in data room users. It’s also common for data rooms to connect to cloud storage solutions for smooth data exchange.
📌 Tip: While it’s beneficial for a data room to support integrated apps, VDR providers that offer too many apps ‘for every possible use case’ may risk diluting the platform’s focus on secure collaboration.
Customer support
Efficient customer support from a data room provider includes 24/7 availability, multilingual assistance, fast response time (30 minutes at maximum), and free access to a rich knowledge base. You should also ask the online data room provider about team training and the onboarding options because some users may require guidance despite the platform’s general intuitiveness.
📌 Tip: When evaluating data room providers, prioritize those offering proactive customer service, such as live training and dedicated success managers.
So, taking into account the company’s needs, financial capabilities, virtual data room reviews, experience during the trial, and virtual data room comparison results, a user has every chance to choose the best and most secure data room provider. This way, a company can get a head start over others, attracting investors with a strong base for the due diligence process.
VDR benefits compared to alternative solutions
be okay if there were no threat of breaches due to the insecurity of such platforms. So, this brings us to the main difference between virtual data rooms and other solutions – document security, but first things first.
Virtual data rooms compared to data-sharing platforms
- Virtual data room. As mentioned, a virtual data room is a permission-based online repository for sharing sensitive data with dozens of different features for secure collaboration and business teamwork.
- Data-sharing platform. Data-sharing services allow you to create and share documents across devices, taking advantage of automatic sync and multiple-user access. However, in contrast to data rooms, data-sharing services don’t have that many features specifically designed for secure file sharing.
Use case: Capital raising
Capital raising is the process through which a company (typically a startup) secures funds from investors. This process implies sharing business-critical information with external parties, and companies must work in an environment with robust access controls, which are virtual data rooms.
For example, Ideals offers eight levels of access permissions, ensuring full control over the information shared. The Ideals virtual data room enables encrypted downloads, making it possible for a startup, for example, to adjust permissions or configure access expiration to a ‘financial projections’ folder even after it has been downloaded by a potential investor.
Conversely, a startup wouldn’t have the same level of control over critical information while using a regular file-sharing system, like Microsoft OneDrive. Microsoft OneDrive doesn’t feature as many permission levels, nor does it support encrypted downloads with the possibility to manage user access expiration.
Typical document management features
- Virtual data room. Data rooms are explicitly built for business and its security, so there are granular access permissions based on roles. In other words, managers control the options for creating, sharing, editing, viewing, and printing content. What’s more, the user activity tracking audit trail makes all processes transparent.
- Data-sharing platform. The product provides easy access to all the documents needed, sharing in a few clicks, version control, and limited access. However, there are no granular access permissions and advanced document management features. As a result, administrators can’t track activities and incoming or outgoing documents.
Use case: M&A due diligence
Due diligence is a crucial element of mergers and acquisitions, which involves evaluating all aspects of the target company before completing the transaction. It requires comprehensive audit trails to create verifiable records of how M&A information was managed. Audit trails are built-in features of modern data rooms, while regular file-sharing solutions often lack this capability.
For example, the Datasite data room records all actions performed inside the data room, including user logins, file uploads, access permission adjustments, and page edits. In contrast, a regular file-sharing solution, like Google Drive, lacks due diligence-centric data management features and detailed audit trails, making it less suitable for maintaining verifiable M&A records.
Security options
- Virtual data room. Additional layers of protection, such as a physical data security system, a firewall, above 99.9% VDR uptime, two-factor authentication, complex passwords, access control, private cloud solutions, and a built-in NDA, make the virtual data room software hack-resistant.
- Data-sharing platform. Some solutions offer data encryption, virus scanning, and relatively secure data centers. But all the same, these characteristics do not exclude leaks since the platform is not designed for storing and exchanging important data. Furthermore, scandalous cases of data attacks on world-famous companies are known, which resulted in millions in damages.
Use case: IPO (initial public offering)
An initial public offering involves a private company listing its shares on public markets for the first time. This process requires extensive and, most importantly, secure data sharing between the company, underwriters, advisors, regulators, and potential investors, making data security a top priority to pre-IPO companies.
A dedicated security-first data room is a much more suitable tool for this case. For example, the Intralinks virtual data room, alongside four levels of access permissions, allows VDR admins to set up NDA agreements for VDR users, has geographically dispersed data centers, and is ISO 27701 certified. In contrast, WeTransfer, a data-sharing solution, lacks these advanced permissions, which makes it a less suitable option for high-stakes activities like initial public offerings.
Collaboration tools
- Virtual data room. First, all virtual data rooms allow collaboration and board communications without relying on email. Additionally, a company can use the FAQ section as a resource for insights. And finally, the power of Q&A as a user-friendly multifunctional tool for safe information exchange during the business transaction helps to keep essential projects running smoothly without any effort.
- Data-sharing platform. With document-sharing workspaces, you can leave comments, tag team members, share files and folders, and create shared to-do lists. But often, customers need more specific features when conducting online due diligence processes, mergers and acquisitions, and other large-scale and complex deals.
Use case: Deal advisory
Deal advisors facilitate key stages of the deal process, including target screening, due diligence, negotiations, and contract finalization. These activities require structured, standardized, and scalable workflows, which can be enabled by dedicated data rooms.
For example, the Ansarada virtual data room offers comprehensive M&A progress tracking tools, including deal analytics algorithms trained on over 30,000 transactions. This capability helps advisors predict deal outcomes and make informed decisions. In contrast, a data-sharing service, like Internxt, lacks specialized M&A features, making it a less suitable option for M&A advisors.
Use cases of data rooms
As mentioned briefly, virtual data room providers serve various industries. In particular, a data room provider helps companies increase productivity, reach a high-performance level, enhance user management, and gain full control of confidential information.
Besides, a VDR can facilitate difficult processes such as due diligence, mergers and acquisitions, or fundraising. However, this is not the whole list of the most common uses for the virtual data room solution. Firms and large enterprises use the data room software for many other purposes, including joint ventures, partnerships, bankruptcy & restructuring, and board communications.
Due diligence
Due diligence is a time-consuming process involving hundreds of large files and many parties. Before the invention of VDRs, a physical data room was among the few reliable options for storing business files. And unfortunately, it required due diligence teams to leave offices, go on business trips, and spend money on cumbersome paperwork.
Thanks to virtual data rooms, the due diligence transaction is greatly simplified and carried out efficiently on the seller’s part. Specifically, the virtual data room solution allows the sell-side to provide all the required documents professionally and clearly and keep the deal transparent and easy.
On the other hand, the buy-side gets a convenient space for quick but thorough data research. Besides, the virtual data room software is also the best option to demonstrate a responsible attitude to due diligence, which increases the chances of a successful outcome for the seller.
Investment banking
For investment bankers, as well as for due diligence parties, data sharing plays a vital role. Moreover, they deal with a wide range of people, namely advisory services, regulators, attorneys, consultants, and corporations.
Virtual data rooms for this use case serve as a secure environment with exceptional services. Thus, bankers can manage the flow of transactions, monitor the activity of multiple parties involved, receive valuable analytics, benefit from multidimensional access controls, and also receive personalized support from the leading virtual data room providers.
Life sciences
Because the drug discovery pipeline, along with research and corporate development, is getting expensive for life science organizations, they need to keep costs down. Fortunately, online data room providers offer medical device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and those involved in a clinical trial an ideal solution to manage clinical trials, grow business, and collaborate on secure private data.
Generally, the cloud platform for life sciences means not only savings and security. In addition, this greatly improves cooperation with investors, as organizations can securely share confidential documents in a structured manner and accelerate transaction workflows. As a result, companies assist partners with the flexible decision-making process.
Private equity and venture capital
Selling assets for profit is typically the ultimate goal of venture capital and private equity firms. Consequently, the virtual data room supports the entire lifecycle of this process, helping them through ownership, purchase, management, and sale.
At the same time, confidential data is stored on secure data room servers and is available to parties depending on their permissions. Also, since the data rooms are equipped with updates for authorized users, asset managers gain control and understanding of the latest market conditions.
Initial public offering
Raising funds for a growing business involves some challenges, including managing a large number of confidential documents, their analysis, and financial control by auditors, lawyers, and regulators.
For these IPO processes, a VDR solution brings lots of crucial advantages. For example, the best virtual data room software offers real-time analytics and reports, secure IPO intellectual property protection, data transparency, access privileges, basic tools, and advanced functions that are always intuitive.
Real estate transactions
The top electronic data room vendors provide exceptional services for real estate because they simplify due diligence transactions, governance, document structuring, business communications, and document sharing security for crucial strategic decisions.
It’s also worth noting that virtual data room software makes real estate agile teams stand out from the competition by offering video tours with attached presentations and photos. Thus, potential buyers do not have to go anywhere to see everything they need.
How do you use a virtual data room? A quick guide
Using a virtual data room involves several steps taken in a specific order for the best data room experience:
- Configure data room settings. Configure watermarking settings, create terms of use (NDA if applicable), and enable security options such as multi-factor authentication, corporate SSO, and IP restrictions.
- Organize a data room. You can bulk-upload data from a local device, cloud storage, or content management system. Creating a data folder structure will help you set up user permissions more conveniently.
- Create user groups. Create groups that reflect the workflows of your project. For example, you can create a sell-side due diligence group and a buy-side due diligence group in an M&A project.
- Set security granular access permissions. Decide how user groups should interact with files and folders inside your data room. Set access permissions to multiple files and folders for each user group based on their roles and responsibilities.
- Invite users. Send bulk invitations and allocate users to existing user groups with pre-configured permissions. This will help you control data access in bulk, without micro-managing individual users. You can double-check security settings and permissions from the users’ point of view for additional security.