Comparison
Ellty vs Firmex
Ellty and Firmex are both full deal rooms with Q&A, dynamic watermarks, view and download rights, an activity log, 2-step login and bulk upload. Firmex is headquartered in Toronto, was founded in 2006 and lists a Canadian hosting region; Datasite acquired it in July 2021 and runs it as a standalone business unit. Ellty, founded in 2020, publishes its price at US$149 a month, about C$211, offers a 14-day free trial and lists AI help and e-signature.
Ellty9.2Choose Ellty if
- You want a published price in dollars and a 14-day free trial
- You want AI help for indexing and search in a large room
- You want NDAs signed inside the room with built-in e-signature
- Your guests open a data room rarely and need an interface they learn quickly
Firmex8.4Choose Firmex if
- A pension fund, Crown corporation or public body requires a Canadian hosting region in writing
- You need in-room redaction for SINs or payroll records
- A buyer's security questionnaire asks for an ISO 27001 certificate by name
- You want a vendor headquartered in Toronto
For Canadian buyers
Firmex is headquartered in Toronto and lists a Canadian hosting region, which simplifies residency requests and Law 25 s. 17 assessments. Ellty is headquartered in Australia; ask where its rooms are hosted. Ellty's US$149 a month is about C$211 at the Bank of Canada rate of 1.4154; Firmex quotes on request, so ask for a Canadian dollar figure. Add GST or HST to both, and ask each about French-language support for Quebec parties.
| Ellty | Firmex | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | about C$211 a month | Priced per project |
| Trial | 14-day free trial | Free trial offered |
| Canadian hosting | Ask the vendor | Canadian region listed |
| Certifications | SOC 2 (hosting) | SOC 2, ISO 27001 |
| Head office, founded | Australia, 2020 | Canada, 2006 |
Ellty vs Firmex: cost in Canadian dollars
Choose the deal type, how many people on your side need access, the number of months and where your company is.
| Data room | Pricing | Total with tax |
|---|---|---|
 Onehub | Flat | C$95 |
 Citrix ShareFile | Flat | C$353 |
 Box | Per user | C$759 |
 Digify | Flat | C$768 |
| Ellty | Flat | C$954 |
 SecureDocs | Flat | C$1,600 |
 CapLinked | Flat | C$1,912 |
 DocSend | Per user | C$2,314 |
 iDeals | Estimate | ~C$11,300 to C$33,900 |
 Datasite | Estimate | ~C$11,300 to C$33,900 |
 Ansarada | Estimate | ~C$11,300 to C$33,900 |
| Firmex | Estimate | ~C$11,300 to C$33,900 |
 Drooms | Estimate | ~C$11,300 to C$33,900 |
 Intralinks | Estimate | ~C$11,300 to C$33,900 |
 SmartRoom | Estimate | ~C$11,300 to C$33,900 |
 DealRoom | Estimate | ~C$11,300 to C$33,900 |
 ShareVault | Estimate | ~C$11,300 to C$33,900 |
 Venue by DFIN | Estimate | ~C$11,300 to C$33,900 |
Rows marked Flat or Per user start from the price each vendor lists in US dollars, turned into Canadian dollars at the Bank of Canada rate for October 16, 2026 (US$1 = C$1.4154) and taxed at your province's rate. Rows marked Estimate belong to vendors that keep prices private; for them we show the range we see for the kind of project you chose, which is not that vendor's own figure. For planning only.
Verdict
Ellty scores 9.2 overall in our model and Firmex 8.4. Ellty leads on deal workflow, with AI help and e-signature on top of the shared Q&A and permission tools, and on cost, since its price is public. Firmex is a well-known Canadian name with a listed Canadian hosting region, redaction and support rated 9.2. Ellty comes out ahead for most Canadian deal teams; Firmex is the one to look at when Canadian hosting is written into a contract.
Scores by criterion
Ellty Firmex
Overall: Ellty 9.2, Firmex 8.4 out of 10.
Feature differences
Only Ellty
- E-signature
- AI help
Both have
- Q&A module
- Activity log
- Dynamic watermarks
- 2-step login
- Bulk upload
- View and download rights
Only Firmex
- In-room redaction
Place by Canadian use case
| Use case | Ellty | Firmex |
|---|---|---|
| M&A | #1 | #7 |
| Private equity | #1 | #7 |
| Startup fundraising | #1 | #5 |
| TSXV and CSE listings | #1 | #5 |
| CCAA restructuring | #1 | #5 |
| Commercial real estate | #1 | #6 |
| Mining deals | #1 | #7 |
| Life sciences | #1 | #8 |
FAQ
Does Firmex keep data in Canada?
Firmex lists a Canadian hosting region. Ask whether it is the default for your account or must be selected when the room is created, and get the answer in your contract if a buyer, lender or public body requires it. Ellty does not list a Canadian region, so ask Ellty directly where rooms are hosted.
Which is easier to price?
Ellty publishes US$149 a month, about C$211 before GST or HST, with a 14-day free trial. Firmex offers a free trial but prices by quote, so the cost depends on the scope you describe. For a fair comparison, ask Firmex to quote the same number of months, users and pages you expect.
Is Firmex still independent after the Datasite deal?
Datasite announced on July 26, 2021 that it had acquired 100% of Firmex. Firmex runs as a standalone business unit under its own name and product. For a Canadian buyer the practical questions are the same as with any vendor: hosting location, support hours, contract terms and how personal information is handled.