ShareFile vs SmartVault: An honest comparison for 2024

ShareFile and SmartVault are two of the most prominent players in the file storage and hosting space. But with a high crossover of features and benefits, it’s not easy to differentiate between which tool you should go with.

To help you select the file management system that will work best for your business, we’ve created a ShareFile vs SmartVault comparison that will evaluate features, prices, use cases, and more, allowing you to make a more informed decision.

Brief overview of ShareFile vs SmartVault

ShareFile and SmartVault are file-sharing and document management solutions that were built to enhance collaboration and remote access within regulated industries. They both come loaded with a flexible range of handy features that matter to modern businesses, like bank-grade encryption that lets teams host, store, and share files with clients and stakeholders, but without running the risk of an embarrassing data loss.

However, while both platforms are capable of delivering what you need, there is a new generation of tools, like Copilot, that offer a more comprehensive set of features, stronger client experiences, and more value for money.

So, before we get deeper into the face-off, read these articles to see how Copliot stacks up against ShareFile and SmartVault.

ShareFile vs SmartVault: Top features comparison

Our first port of call on our ShareFile and SmartVault comparison is to look at how the features that matter stack up against each other.

ShareFile top features

Here are five areas in which ShareFile shines:

Secure file sharing and storage

ShareFile offers highly secure file sharing and storage. Bank-grade encryption, 2FA, and granular control settings are all big selling points, which make the platform a credible option for businesses that handle sensitive personal and financial data.

Client Portal

ShareFile has an excellent branded client portal, which means teams can create excellent client experiences with a platform that includes their web domain, logo, brand colors, font, and more. ShareFile customers can create rock-solid virtual spaces that look and feel like their own proprietary solution but without breaking the bank on bespoke software development.

Integration

No software can do it all. ShareFile allows you to fill the gaps by integrating with other tools in your software stack, including Microsoft 365, Google Suite, Salesforce, and more. The right integrations mean that you can centralize your workflow and say goodbye to the days of switching between applications.

Mobile accessibility

Mobile access is essential for teams on the go. ShareFile comes with a great mobile app that allows users to access, share, and even edit files from wherever they are. The productivity benefits here are obvious for both remote teams and any clients they might have around the globe.

Collaboration

Speaking of collaboration, another one of ShareFile’s great features lies in its ability to enhance via document sharing. Users can co-edit, comment, and roll back versions of files, all from one centralized place. The interface is slick and easy to use, which makes it a solid choice for project management.

SmartVault top features

Here are the five most compelling features of SmartVault:

Document management

SmartVault’s primary utility is as a secure, centralized document management solution. It allows users to keep all their documents in one cloud-based location with an easy-to-use folder structure and a collaboration-friendly version control. SmartVault also has a powerful search function, which is the perfect feature for busy teams with a lot of documents.

Client Portal

SmartVault is more than just a file storage platform. It ties everything together with a white-label client portal that helps teams collaborate with colleagues and clients. The client portal helps cut out messy, unstructured communication via email and includes activity tracking to help you keep an eye on client engagement.

E-signatures

E-signature functionality is essential in the era of remote work. SmartVault has excellent templates for a variety of documents, built-in electronic signatures, and real-time tracking that provides notifications once agreements are signed.

Workflow automation

SmartVault helps you save time and increase efficiency through automated workflows that route documents and send approval notifications. In particular, the RequestDocs feature means you’ll spend less time chasing after documents and more time running your business.

Integrations

SmartVault integrates well with a variety of popular tools, such as Microsoft Office, and a wide range of tax and accounting tools. The app is marketed as a solution for financial teams not only because it has bank-grade file security features but also because it plays seamlessly with the sort of tools that are part of the furniture across the tax and accounting industries.

As you can see, both tools have a lot of great features. However, if you want a little more from your file management solution, why wouldn’t you? Copilot has all these features and then some.

Alongside file sharing and a polished, white-labeled client portal, Copilot also allows you to create contracts and legal agreements, automate their distribution, and accept any related payments with a wide variety of billing and invoice options.

Copilot is also HIPPA compliant, which is why our solution is used by accounting and law firms and other service businesses that need first-rate protection for their user's financial and sensitive data. And as if that’s not enough, Copilot also has a CRM tool to boost your marketing and user retention.

When it comes to getting the most features for your monthly subscription, Copilot is tough to beat.

ShareFile vs SmartVault: Use cases comparison

OK, so now that you’ve got the hang of the flagpole features of ShareFile and SmartVault, it’s time to see what they can really do. Let’s compare a few of the best use cases for each tool to see which one suits your business best.

Accounting

ShareFile is built to help a variety of professionals, including accountants. It enables secure document exchange of tax returns and financial statements, plus solid collaboration features for audits thanks to its client portal.

Access controls, e-signatures, and version history are other solid reasons for accountants to use ShareFile, alongside the tools ability to streamline workflows and meet data protection standards.

SmartVault is a good option for accounting firms due to features like secure file sharing, granular permission controls, audit trails, and, perhaps most pointedly, its ability to integrate with a wide array of tax and accounting tools.

Accounting firms that use SmartVault can streamline the audit process, reduce the risk of errors or data breaches, and communicate with clients and stakeholders, all while meeting industry compliance standards.

Finance

ShareFile helps financial teams share sensitive financial documents with clients and colleagues. It features bank-grade security thanks to 2FA, encryption, watermarking, and solid activity tracking. ShareFile can help close deals faster while meeting regulatory compliance.

That said, integrating ShareFile with some financial tools requires a bit of configuration.

Many of the characteristics that make SmartVault a solid option for accounting firms also stand to reason for teams within the financial sector. The app offers users secure data rooms and integration with finance and due diligence tools, which are hugely beneficial during deals, mergers, and acquisitions. 

Healthcare

Healthcare teams can use ShareFile to exchange a variety of documents, including medical images, patient records, and lab results, all while meeting HIPAA compliance. Customizable access controls, detailed audit trails, and remote data wiping further ShareFile’s case as a credible solution for sharing medical data without running the risk of data breaches.

SmartVault is also HIPPA-compliant. This attribute is essential within healthcare environments where both sensitive personal and financial details are exchanged regularly. What’s more, the tool can integrate with electronic health record systems, and even facilitate secure messaging between health professionals while offering secure e-signature functionality.

What’s more, as telemedicine and remote consultations take off, SmartVault’s paperless office capabilities are a huge asset.

Insurance

ShareFile is used within the insurance industry to collect and share documents like police reports or medical bills in a secure, centralized location. The tool integrates with insurance software and streamlines workflows thanks to customization and automation. With the right set-up, claim processing time is reduced while stakeholder collaboration and user experience is enhanced.

Insurance claims processing and management involve a lot of repetitive and mundane work. SmartVault’s workflow automation capabilities mean teams can route a lot of this paperwork to boost efficiency while also working with insurance management systems.

Transparency, accountability, and faster claims are essential to insurance clients. SmartVault has the capacity to make an impact in each area.

Legal

ShareFile facilitates legal document sharing for files, contracts, and discovery between clients and opposing counsel. It integrates well with eDiscovery and other popular software and includes welcome features like redaction tools and secure messaging. What’s more, it’s a more than capable tool for legal hold requirements.

Overall, ShareFile makes collaboration easy, mitigates data risk, protects attorney-client privilege, and improves the overall efficiency of your legal operations.

SmartVault’s incredible security features can help legal teams deliver a paperless service but without compromising on confidentiality. What’s more, its excellent file sharing and collaboration features are perfect for teams working on big cases. Centralizing sprawling email communication means that no crucial information should go lost of unresponded, while embarrassing data breaches also become a remote prospect.

ShareFile vs SmartVault: Pricing comparison

Price is an important consideration. Here’s how ShareFile and SmartVault stack up on financials.

ShareFile pricing

ShareFile has a tier pricing system that comes with a variety of different features. Here is a breakdown of the pricing tiers (paid monthly):

• Advanced: $17.60 per user/month
• Premium: $27.50 per user/month
• Virtual Data Room: $75 per user/month

SmartVault pricing

SmartVault’s pricing is a little more expensive and a little more complex. Here are your options:

• Standard: $25 per user/month
• Accounting Pro: $65 per user/month
• Business Pro: $70 per user/month
• Accounting Unlimited: $90 per user/month

ShareFile vs SmartVault: Pros and Cons Comparison

All software comes with pros and cons. So, what are the trade-offs you need to make? Let’s have a look.

ShareFile pros and cons

Pros:

• Excellent security features like password protection and end-to-end encryption.
• User-friendly design makes sharing files quick and easy.
• Auto delete timing makes it easier to manage without maxing out storage capacity.
• Solid automation options that you can bend around your workflows.

Cons:

• Less expensive plans have storage limits that might not suit busy organizations.
• Some users have complained of low upload speeds for larger files.
• Opinions on customer support are mixed, with some ShareFile users suggesting that help isn’t always easy to find.
• Pricing could be more competitive when compared to similar tools on the market.

SmartVault pros and cons

Pros:

• Polished, intuitive interface that makes sharing files with coworkers and clients very simple.
• Offers businesses a variety of ways to interact with the platform, including the client portal, synchronized desktop, or cloud-based SmartVault.
• Sophisticated version control makes sure no documents are lost or overwritten.
• The branded client portal is a great option for client-facing businesses.

Cons:

• SmartVault is fairly expensive, especially when compared to rival products that deliver more and better features.
• Viewing and sharing documents is easy, but many SmartVault customers have complained that editing them within the platform is not possible.
• Lack of offline access can hamper productivity and make internet outages a real issue for your workers.
• SmartVault excels at document management, but it lacks the additional features that similarly priced all-in-one tools provide.

Related reads: The best SmartVault alternatives for businesses

ShareFile vs SmartVault: Customer support comparison

Customer support is essential for resolving problems and ensuring maximum upside for your solution. If a tool becomes a central part of your operations, you need to make sure you’re covered in the event of any problems.

ShareFile customer support

ShareFile has a customer support rating of 4.1/5 stars on Capterra. These reviews are based on their own user’s experience, so there is some weight behind these reviews.

SmartVault customer support

SmartVault’s customer support rating on Capterra is also 4.1/5 stars. While this is a respectable score, it’s a bit below rival tools. For example, Copilot’s customer support rating on the same website is a near-perfect 4.9/5 star rating.

ShareFile vs SmartVault: User reviews and testimonials

One of the best ways to get to the heart of what works (and what doesn’t) about a piece of software is to listen to what its users have to say in their own words.

ShareFile

G2: 4.1/5 star rating — “I enjoy the simplicity of converting the file to ShareFile before sending it. With a few clicks it's on its way to a user that needs to sign in before opening.”

Capterra: 4.5/5 star rating —  “Gives our company confidence that sensitive data is being protected more than sending an attachment via email.”

GetApp: 4.5/5 star rating — “We don't have a file sharing server, thus this is the simplest way to distribute and exchange data, especially huge ones, across geographically distributed staff and clients.”

While the reviews for ShareFile are typically positive, the application is not perfect. Some of the areas that customers cite as needing improvement include:

• Sluggish performance when uploading large files.
• Long server wait times during login.
• Complex implementation and a steep learning curve when compared to rival tools.

SmartVault

G2: 4.3/5 star rating — “The platform is straightforward and intuitive, making it easy for even non-technical users to upload, organize, and share files securely.”

Capterra: 4.4/5 star rating — “It's an easy way to securely hold all of my clients documents. I LOVE that it works well with docusign. My clients find it easy to use.”

GetApp: 4.4/5 star rating — “What I like most is the organization of files and the security behind the product. I know for a fact that my customers and company’s files are safe.”

However, read further into these reviews, and a theme starts to develop. Some of the complaints that SmartVault customers have about the service include:

• Unresponsive customer service.
• A lack of perceived value for money.
• Complex and time-consuming setup.

Conclusion

Both ShareFile and SmartVault are solid file management solutions. They were both built to make sure that businesses can share and collaborate on documents from remote and server-less locations thanks to cloud storage.

In recent years, both platforms have pivoted into providing client portals as part of their service, which is welcome news for teams who want more streamlined collaboration with their clients. However, during the same time, other platforms have come to market offering similar services but with more value.

Copilot also facilitates secure file sharing and automated workflows but with a sleeker, more modern UI. However, the additional features don’t stop there. Copilot comes with excellent contract and legal agreement templates which help teams draw up contracts and legal agreements and a solid CRM. When paired with the Billing App, you can even offer clients and customers different payments options.

Before you choose between ShareFile and SmartVault, try a 14-day free trial of Copilot to discover why it’s a fast-growing and credible alternative to both platforms.