Virtual data rooms (VDRs) like Intralinks VDR remain a staple for M&A, fundraising, and other VDR due diligence workflows. But in 2025, new entrants—including Papermark—promise faster setup, modern UX, and powerful analytics at a fraction of the cost.
In this guide we will:
Walk through how to set up an Intralinks VDR for due diligence
Explore Intralinks' latest features and capabilities
Compare Intralinks to Papermark feature-by-feature
Show why thousands of founders, bankers, and legal teams are switching to Papermark for critical transactions
Intralinks VDR features overview
Simple
Frictionless setup - Use Advanced Deal Prep to organize deal documents before going live, with no contract or upfront costs
Optimized processes - Enhanced drag-and-drop capability lets you rename and upload files and folders in bulk
Intuitive UI - Switch between data rooms, manage users, access reports simply and smoothly
Streamlined access - Add users to your data room quickly and easily
Smart
Integrated AI redaction - Leverage artificial intelligence to easily redact PII and other sensitive content from documents inside the data room, saving time and reducing risk
Detailed reporting - Share key VDR metrics with deal team members to keep everyone informed and aligned
Real-time insights - Easily track and share group, user and document level activity in your VDR through a customizable dashboard to help measure engagement
Seamless
Automated index - Dynamically organize your VDR without the need to constantly update the index
Powerful Q&A - Simple, easy-to-use Q&A helps move your deal toward the finish line; bulk import of questions, priority level and access level are all easy to control
Video support - Tell your story using video with Zoom Integration
Mobile flexibility - Anytime, anywhere access to key data room capabilities and insights – even when you're on the go
Fully integrated - VDRPro is a key component of DealCentre™, a powerful platform designed to speed and simplify every aspect of the deal lifecycle
Secure
Platinum certification - The industry's first VDR to earn ISO 27701 certification – the standard in data privacy
Easily share...and UNshare® - One-click to enable and one-click to retract a document with advanced information rights management
Robust watermarking - Flexible and customizable, saving you time and effort
Turnkey permissions - Granular and easy to control to ensure the right users have access to the right documents
Holistic security - GDPR-compliant, encrypted archives, in-region data storage and processing
How to create an Intralinks VDR
Even though Intralinks is decades old, its security certs and extensive enterprise features mean it is still the default choice for many corporates and investment banks. If you must use it, here is the high-level process.
Step 1 – Request workspace activation
Contact an Intralinks sales rep or partner
Sign the order form and wait for provisioning (typically 24–48h)
Receive admin credentials via email
Tip: If your deal timeline is tight, Papermark can spin up a secure room in minutes—no sales calls required.
Verify that inherited permissions are correct per folder
Run the built-in index checker to validate numbering
Step 4 – Invite participants
Bulk-import emails (.csv) or add manually
Assign them to appropriate groups
Enable two-factor authentication (recommended)
Send invitation message and track access receipts
Step 5 – Monitor VDR due diligence activity
Open Reports → User Activity
Filter by group, document, or time period
Export CSV for advisors or board updates
Use the Q&A module to manage bidder questions
While Intralinks covers the basics, many users find the interface dated and the per-page pricing unpredictable. That is why growing teams increasingly choose Papermark.
Want to explore other VDR options? Check our comprehensive Intralinks alternatives for a side-by-side comparison of 10 competing solutions.
Why Papermark is the modern alternative
Papermark is a purpose-built data-room platform created in 2024. It provides enterprise-grade security without the enterprise price tag, helping you close deals faster.
Instant self-serve setup—create a room in under 15 minutes
Dynamic, non-invasive watermarking that follows every page
Real-time heatmaps showing which pages investors care about
Granular role-based access and email-gated links
Q&A workflows, document versioning, and audit exports
Simple, predictable subscription (no per-page or per-MB fees)
Data room solutions comparison
Feature
Intralinks
Papermark
Setup time
2–3 days (requires onboarding rep)
Less than 1 hour (self-serve)
Pricing
Request quote
€99/month (unlimited datarooms, 3 admins)
Dynamic watermarking
Yes
Yes (viewer info, timestamp)
User management
Complex permission layers
Intuitive role-based access
Activity tracking
Standard reports
Real-time heatmaps & page analytics
Q&A module
Yes (paid add-on)
Included
Custom branding
Limited
Full white-label
Looking for detailed pricing information? See our full Intralinks pricing guide for a breakdown of all plans and hidden costs.
Papermark for fundraising & investor updates
If you are raising capital, Papermark's pitch deck tracking software lets you share a teaser or deck, then seamlessly upgrade to a full VDR when due diligence begins—keeping all analytics in one place.
Open Analytics → Visitors to see dwell time and drop-off
Filter by document to identify red-flag sections
Export full audit trail (CSV/PDF) for the data room binder
Frequently asked questions
Conclusion
Legacy providers like Intralinks VDR still dominate high-stake transactions, but modern alternatives such as Papermark deliver the same security with superior usability, analytics, and pricing. Whether you are preparing for VDR due diligence or simply need a secure place to share confidential documents, Papermark lets you get started in minutes.