A ShareFile alternative for small accounting firms
ShieldFive document requests: you send a client one link with a list of the documents you need, the client uploads from a phone or computer without an account, and each file is encrypted in their browser before it leaves.
ShareFile is a full client portal with e-signature, tax-software integrations and certifications, priced per user with a 3-user minimum. If the job your firm actually pays it for is getting documents in from clients, this does that one job for €29 per seat per month, with no seat minimum. We store only ciphertext and never hold your keys.
One link per engagement
List the W-2s, 1099s and bank statements you need, send the link, and the client ticks them off as they upload. You get an email when files arrive, and on the Firm plan, if you add the client’s email, they get up to two reminders while required items are missing.
No client login to forget
A portal login is a password your client uses once a year. Here the client opens the link, enters the PIN you sent separately and uploads; nothing to create, nothing to reset in March.
Priced for a two-person practice
ShareFile’s per-user plans start at three users. Seats here are €29 each per month with no minimum, so a sole practitioner pays for one and a partner and an assistant pay for two.
Ciphertext, not a readable copy
ShareFile encrypts at rest with keys it manages. Here each return and statement is encrypted to your firm’s public key on the client’s device, so what we store is ciphertext and encrypted filenames.
ShieldFive vs ShareFile for collecting client documents
| What it does | A firm sends a client one link with a checklist of the documents it needs; the client uploads them from a phone or computer. |
|---|---|
| Client needs an account? | No. A current browser, the link and the PIN you send separately. |
| Encryption | Each file and its name are encrypted in the client’s browser to the firm’s keys. We store only ciphertext and never hold your keys. |
| ShieldFive price | €29 per seat per month, or €290 per seat per year. No seat minimum. 14-day trial with everything unlocked, no card. Clients never pay. |
| ShareFile price | Advanced $16.50 and Premium $26 per user per month, billed annually, with a 3-user minimum (sharefile.com/pricing). |
| What ShareFile has that we do not | E-signature, tax-software integrations, a full client portal and named certifications such as SOC 2. |
Start collecting documents securely
Create a request, share one link, and your clients upload without an account — each file sealed to your keys in their browser.
Start collecting — free14-day trial, everything unlocked · then free for 1 open request at a time · no card · clients never pay
Questions
- Does this replace ShareFile?
- Only for collecting documents from clients. There is no e-signature, no tax-software integration and no third-party audit or certification yet. Firms that rely on those keep ShareFile for them.
- How much does it cost compared with ShareFile?
- €29 per seat per month or €290 per seat per year, with no seat minimum and a 14-day trial. ShareFile lists Advanced at $16.50 and Premium at $26 per user per month billed annually, with a 3-user minimum, so its entry price is about $49.50 a month for three users.