If your company is about to start work on an M&A, IPO or fundraising deal, chances are you are looking at which virtual data room provider to use for your transaction.
To make your life easier, here is a brief overview of how EthosData Data Room compares to Merrill DatasiteOne.
First, what can they both do?
EthosData’s service combines easy-to-use data rooms with experienced teams of professionals, all to simplify financial transactions.
The Merrill DatasiteOne was spun out of the Merrill Corporation, a company that specialises in financial printing and one that has now been split in two following the sale of one of its divisions to a subsidiary of Toppan Vintage. Merrill has been around longer than EthosData so this does mean their technology is much older.
Which is faster and more flexible?
At the start of any deal you’ll be under huge time pressure.
That’s why a good data room provider should get you set up in minutes, and use infrastructure that allows you to navigate their platform easily and load documents quickly. They should also be flexible when it comes to their service, pricing and your usage.
Flexibility is one of the main benefits of the EthosData service. EthosData’s service has been built with both SMEs and large corporates in mind, that’s why it’s quick to understand, easy to use, and simple to navigate.
In comparison, some have suggested that while Merrill is well-suited for document sharing between 2-3 parties, it’s slower and less efficient when you introduce over 10 users and have multiple parties uploading documents.
Merrill’s DatasiteOne was built out of the larger Merrill corporation, and while the platform benefits from that corporation’s solid reputation, its legacy technology can make their data rooms complex.
Furthermore, online reviews of Merrill’s data room suggest that identifying new file uploads on the platform, and searching for documents, is difficult and slow.
What about cost?
It’s important you choose a provider that has a transparent pricing structure. Not one that comes with hidden costs for extra users or levels of service, and gives you a surprise bill in a few months that takes you over budget. Find a data room service that comes with one simple and clear fee.
The DatasiteOne is a platform that’s targeted towards larger companies and this is reflected in their pricing and the extras they charge.
In contrast, EthosData’s pricing is transparent, more flexible and offers better value for money.
On top of this, at EthosData you receive additional support and experience from a dedicated DataRoom Specialist. This Specialist handles all user, permission and document management for you and is provided at no extra cost.
A final word:
On paper, the majority of data rooms look the same. In practice, it’s not so simple.
Before you commit to one provider you must do two things. The first is get a demo of the platform, and the second is check what’s not included in the price you’re quoted. There may be hidden extras (for example the creation of a deal bible, weekend support or customised branding) that are not included but will sting you further down the line.
Want to learn more about how EthosData’s VDRs work?
Book a free demo of the service:
