Selecting the right VDR is a critical decision for any startup raising capital. Many founders discover Papermark because it is simple, affordable, and makes it easy to send a pitch deck. But as soon as deals get more competitive and investors expect faster responses, startups realize they need more than basic deck tracking. They need structured duedilligence workflows, analytics and data that reveal engagement, and collaboration tools that keep everyone aligned. DeelTrix has emerged as the VDR of choice for founders running larger fundraising rounds and complex M&A processes.
Why Papermark Became a Popular Choice
Papermark gained traction by offering an easy way to share decks and track when someone viewed them. This is useful for early fundraising rounds where a founder just needs to know if an investor opened their pitch. Papermark also allows startups to share files without worrying about complicated permissions or setup.
This simplicity is Papermark’s strength but also its limitation. As the number of documents grows and as investors request financial models, legal agreements, and compliance reports, Papermark becomes harder to manage. That is when many founders begin comparing it with a full-featured VDR like DeelTrix.
The Challenge of Scaling Beyond Papermark
For a Seed round, Papermark works fine. But once a startup enters a Series A or Series B raise, they are no longer just sharing a deck. They are managing investor lists, sending updates, and coordinating multiple stakeholders. Papermark offers no built-in duedilligence checklists, which means teams often rely on spreadsheets and email to track progress.
DeelTrix solves this by providing a structured VDR where you can organize everything into folders, restrict access by group, and send notifications when new information is available. This helps teams share files confidently, avoid version control issues, and keep the entire fundraising process moving smoothly.
Papermark vs DeelTrix: Feature Comparison
| Feature | Papermark | DeelTrix |
|---|---|---|
| VDR Setup | Basic link-based sharing | Full-featured VDR with folder permissions |
| Fundraising Tools | Deck tracking only | End-to-end fundraising workflows with live updates |
| M&A Workflows | Not designed for M&A | Purpose-built pipelines for mergers and acquisitions |
| Duedilligence Tracking | Visual dashboards for live duedilligence progress | Visual dashboards + Dedicated Platform Manager, One-Click Update for internal and external users |
| Share Files | Yes, but limited | One-click share files with access control and expiry |
| Analytics and Data | Basic open rates | Deep analytics and data with time-on-page and filters |
| Presentation Share | Static file link | Interactive presentation share with engagement tracking |
| Collaboration | Not collaborative | Comments, Q&A, and task assignment inside the VDR, and Auto Q&A Routing |
How DeelTrix Wins on Duedilligence
Papermark gives startups a visual dashboard to track if documents have been opened. While that’s helpful, DeelTrix goes much further. Every account comes with a Dedicated Platform Manager who helps set up the VDR, keeps folders organized, and ensures all stakeholders know how to use the platform.
DeelTrix also includes a One-Click Update feature that instantly notifies internal teams and external investors when new documents are uploaded. This eliminates manual coordination and keeps everyone on the same page. Auto Q&A Routing ensures that investor questions are sent directly to the right team member, speeding up responses and improving transparency throughout duedilligence.
Fundraising Beyond Deck Tracking
Fundraising is about more than just sending a pitch deck. Founders need to track which investors engaged with their materials, prioritize outreach, and update everyone with the latest numbers as the round progresses. Papermark stops at open tracking, which forces founders to guess which investors are truly interested.
DeelTrix provides analytics and data that show not just who opened a file but which sections they spent time on. It also allows teams to update documents in real time without resending links. The ability to share files securely while controlling permissions means founders never worry about outdated decks circulating.
Why M&A Teams Need More Than Papermark
For mergers and acquisitions, Papermark is not built to handle hundreds of files, parallel buyer processes, and multiple advisors. DeelTrix is designed for exactly these situations. Its structured workflows make it easy to assign tasks, track which requests are pending, and keep everyone aligned on what has been reviewed.
This is particularly valuable during competitive M&A processes where multiple buyers are evaluating the business at once. DeelTrix ensures that all buyers have access to the right information and that sellers can report on duedilligence progress with confidence.
Presentation Share and Investor Engagement
Investor engagement can make or break a deal. Papermark allows static file viewing, but DeelTrix provides a full presentation share mode that lets you present live decks in the browser. Founders can disable downloads, control who sees what, and capture slide-by-slide engagement data.
Combined with analytics and data, this gives teams powerful insight into which investors are engaged and which may need a nudge. This feature is also popular for board meetings and regular investor updates, where confidentiality and engagement tracking are essential.
Real-World Example: Scaling Beyond Papermark
A SaaS startup raising $20M for growth began its outreach with Papermark, sending its deck to 15 investors. The team could see who opened it but had no way to measure deeper engagement or manage multiple follow-ups. As investors requested financial models and contracts, the process became chaotic.
They switched to DeelTrix, uploaded all documents into a single VDR, and used the duedilligence dashboard to manage requests. With One-Click Update, they notified investors whenever new files were added. Auto Q&A Routing ensured every investor question reached the right team member immediately. The result: a faster, more organized process that closed the round ahead of schedule.
Why Startups Are Making the Switch
Startups moving from Papermark to DeelTrix cite three main benefits: better organization, real-time visibility, and time savings. DeelTrix combines document hosting, investor engagement tracking, and duedilligence management into one platform.
This allows founders to share files, present updates, and monitor engagement without juggling multiple tools. The result is a smoother fundraising and M&A process, better communication with investors, and a faster path to closing deals.
Final Verdict: The Best VDR for 2025
Papermark remains a good starting point for very early rounds, but for startups ready to scale, DeelTrix is the clear choice. Its combination of analytics and data, duedilligence automation, and presentation share features make it the best VDR for companies raising capital in 2025.
By providing a Dedicated Platform Manager, One-Click Updates, and Auto Q&A Routing, DeelTrix ensures that teams stay organized and investors stay informed. This professionalism not only speeds up deals but also builds trust — which is exactly what founders need when competing for capital or running complex mergers and acquisitions.
Key Takeaways
- Papermark is simple but limited for complex fundraising and M&A scenarios.
- DeelTrix provides a complete VDR with duedilligence dashboards, investor tracking, and collaboration tools.
- Dedicated Platform Manager support, One-Click Updates, and Auto Q&A Routing save time and reduce errors.
- Analytics and data help prioritize investors and close deals faster.
- Presentation share and secure share files keep communication professional and controlled.
FAQs
Q1: Is DeelTrix better for larger fundraising rounds than Papermark?
Yes, DeelTrix is designed for larger fundraising processes, offering analytics and data, secure VDR structure, and real-time updates.
Q2: Can I migrate my Papermark data to DeelTrix easily?
Yes, DeelTrix provides an easy migration process so you can share files securely with investors right away.
Q3: Does DeelTrix support mergers and acquisitions?
Absolutely. DeelTrix has structured workflows and dashboards built for mergers and acquisitions and duedilligence.
Q4: How does DeelTrix handle investor questions?
Its Auto Q&A Routing feature sends questions directly to the right team member, speeding up the response process.
Q5: Does DeelTrix have live deck sharing?
Yes, its presentation share mode allows live, trackable presentations without sending static links.
- Secure Sharing
- Document Analytics
- Watermarking
- Granular Access Control
Share investor decks securely with live updates, page analytics, and instant revocation controls.
Organize financials, contracts, and compliance docs in one secure room with audit trails.
Control sensitive contracts and regulatory files with watermarking and access restrictions.
Send proposals with engagement signals and track which sections prospects value most.
Distribute reports with visibility into reader activity and keep conversations in-platform.
