# Page 2 | SmartVault Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Page 2 - Is SmartVault the right File Sharing solution for you? Explore 137 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/82811/SmartVault/reviews --- SmartVault 4.3 (137) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/82811/SmartVault/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Page 2 - Reviews of SmartVault ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 26-50 of 137 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use RR Robert R. CPA Accounting Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Do your homework before you subscribe to SmartVault" March 11, 2025 2.0 I attended a seminar with well-know tax attorney. I've attended many of his CPE seminars and I decided to give it a try because that's what I have been looking for. I'm a one-man CPA practice, specializing in tax matters. I figure that this system could save me time and facilitate several functions with my clients, just as they advertised using the testimony of the attorney. The problem is the implementation of the software. The onboarding training for me was horrible. The coach assigned to me for 6 or 7 1-hour sessions of training was clueless. At times, he would spend the entire hour figuring out how to do things in the software and calling other people. They don't give you some kind of a user manual for quick reference. Instead, they have a knowledge-based library on their website to answer questions, but it's not organized in an intuitive manner. After I went through the entire 7 sessions, I was lost. I'm a CPA, but I've always loved computers. I built my own computers. I sought more assistance, but it was like a piecemeal approach and I had a list of significant issues that had not been resolved. That's when I had to reevaluate the value of having such software. I asked myself these couple of questions: Is the software really going to save me time in my practice? Are my clients going to be able to learn how to access their vault and be able to learn DocuSign and other features of the software? The answer to both was "NO." In order to make this software operational, each firm would have to have a person dedicated to handling the software and interacting with clients on a full-time basis. The cost is also a bit ridiculous because I only needed one license, but they make you buy two licenses. They lure new clients with their presentation, which is impressive, and use well-known tax professionals to advertise the software, but it is a big disappointment when you dive into it. I was able to achieve the same results by using the software I had been using for years to manage documents (Filecenter) and Google Workspace, at a fraction of the cost of SmartVault. Another problem they have is the amazing turnover of employees. I had to go through 2 or 3 people who were going to be my onboarding coach before finally ending up with the one that was clueless and a waste of time and money. I should have read some reviews about the software before getting into it. Also, when I called them to let them know I was not going to renew this software, they practically didn't care that much or even ask me what had happened. Pros The platform looks promising and the concept is great. The fact that you can have everything secured in the cloud and accessible from everywhere is attractive. Cons The onboarding training is extremely deficient. They don't provide a user guide that you could use for a quick reference. The onboarding person (coach) gives you about 6 or 7 1-hour sessions. The software can be a little bit difficult to navigate. You will have 3 icons on your desktop. At times, it's rather confusing which one to use. The settings could be quite hidden. Functionality is not as they advertise. Switched from [FileCenter](https://www.capterra.com/p/125404/FileCenter/) Because of the cloud-based feature and automation. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Accountant Accounting Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "All in one place" January 26, 2026 4.0 Overall, I would say that smartvault was helpful in being able to keep everything I needed for information and organization all in one place. Pros SmartVault allowed everything to be in one place and had a desktop app as well that made it convenient to open. Cons Sometimes it was a little cumbersome and a little slow, I think the flow of smartvault could've been a little more user friendly. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Digital asset manager Entertainment Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A Little Less Smart, But Much More Vault" March 18, 2026 3.0 Overall, SmartVault is mostly the same for me, with the core tenet of file storage and transfer at the forefront. However, they seemed to have made organizational aspects a bit more muddy recently. Pros I like that I can collaborate with other professionals in a friendly, user-centered environment with little clutter or distraction. Cons Now, I feel that SmartVault may have dipped in quality, especially given that documents take longer to upload, and connectivity issues as well as organizational technicalities detract from the experience in a frustrating way. Review Source Thomas C. civil engineer Plastics Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Document always at hand" January 8, 2025 4.0 It makes it easier for me to search for documents, and it also improves my agility in my work Pros The storage of documents makes each document much more organized, making it easier to find it again without spending hours searching. Its cloud system allows it to be accessed from anywhere and remains very secure. The access permissions on each document provide greater security and validate who can access each document since not all users can access everything, which gives us more security Cons In my experience, everything has been very pleasant, without problems or failures. I like everything Review Source Dylan C. marketing Food & Beverages Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Secure documents" October 5, 2024 5.0 A very useful platform for accessing documents that are not at hand and very secure because each document saved in the cloud will be well protected. Pros I like using SmartVault because I can access documents from anywhere I am. The protection that SmartVault provides for each document is very secure because its access controls are strict and very rigorous. All documents are in the cloud for easier access and sharing with clients regardless of where they are. In addition, they can be accessed any day and at any time. Cons I like it and there is nothing I dislike about it. It has always worked as it should and the support staff has helped me on many occasions very kindly. Review Source uW ute W. CEO Accounting Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "not user friendly" December 3, 2024 3.0 somewhat disappointed since it was not very easy to communicate with clients. Pros the security of the program for all users Cons it was very difficult for most of my clients, not user friendly Review Source Response from SmartVault December 10, 2024 Thank you for your honest review! We're glad to hear you value our robust security features and are sorry your clients found the platform challenging to use. We'd love to help make things easier - our team offers 1-on-1 SmartHour training sessions that have helped many clients get comfortable with the platform. Please email customersuccess@smartvault.com to schedule your SmartHour so we can personally assist you! Your feedback helps us create a better experience for everyone. FM Freyxa M. Onboarding and training Supervisor Mental Health Care Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "documentation key" June 2, 2025 3.0 Its a really good software, but you will need more guidance than supposed to be able to have a good work with it Pros It has been good at helping the team move to a more paperless and physical "enviroment", lots of great features and awesome support Cons The onboarding and implementation of the software can be really tedious and if not settled corrected can violate regulations Alternatives considered [NetDocuments](https://www.capterra.com/p/225425/NetDocuments/) Reason for choosing SmartVault This other software is not as user'friendly Review Source Glenn Teryll N. Commis Restaurants Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Mon avis sur smartvault" April 23, 2025 4.0 Pros Il permet de stocker et de partager des fichiers, peu importe l'endroit où l'on se trouve on arrive à avoir accès à nos documents. Cons A part le coût qui est de 20 euros par mois par utilisateur, je ne vois pas vraiment d'inconvénients à ce logiciel. Review Source TB Tatsiana B. Owner Accounting Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Solid Document Storage with Good Organization Structure" November 21, 2024 5.0 It was a great experienced for what I used it for until the price went up significantly without addition of new features. Pros I liked that it offered a good folder structure and I liked that it was geared towards professional services firms. Cons It didn't have the capability to communicate tasks or requests (back and forth) to the customer, like a portal could. Review Source TD Traci D. Owner Accounting Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Smartvault" December 10, 2024 4.0 Their online steam is great but their app lately does not allow me to use it. Pros The ease of use. Safeway to share documents. E-Signature. Cons Have to purchase two seats when I am a sole proprietor. Review Source TF Tim F. Accountat Accounting Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Too many Cons, not worth the value" August 6, 2024 1.0 SmartVault is well intentioned, but misses the mark. The program has the following issues: - Slow. The connected desktop takes painstakingly long to refresh when looking for client data. And when you sometimes have to cross-reference info, it can be very annoying. - Expensive. When we first purchased smartvault, we went with the basic plan. 2 years later they discontinued the plan, and we were forced to spend 1.5x as much for widgets and features that we still don't use. Since we had JUST moved all our clients to that portal it seemed like it'd be a mistake to have to move them to another program immediately. It almost felt like extortion. - Although we've been using smartvault only for about 5 years, they've already changed the layout and look for the online portal several times. I see something completely different than certain coworkers and clients. It's almost as if they only got halfway with this cosmetic transition, then got distracted by other things like a neurotic puppy. - Their support is hit or miss. However, when it's a miss, its a dangerous miss. We had an issue where we couldn't access a clients file. Tech supports solution? Delete everything in the file. They didn't ask before they did this. This included efile forms and copies of returns, now making us non-compliant with the IRS. For an accounting tool, this is a big deal. - Constant glitches. I keep local copies of excel files because I do not trust SmartVault to keep live files safe. Which completely defeats the purpose of a program like this. There are a myriad of other issues. There are positive things about smartvault, but none of which justify the price. If they made a desktop, non-portal version of the program that simply integrates with Lacerte like DMS use to do it'd be much better. But then they couldn't gouge you for all your worth every year on a subscription model, so they wont do that. Pros The front end for clients, many of whom have multiple entities, is very beneficial. Cons Overly expensive for a product that doesn't deliver. Switched from [Lacerte Tax](https://www.capterra.com/p/249726/Lacerte-Tax/) DMS was discontinued so we were forced to move. Review Source Response from SmartVault August 8, 2024 Thank you for your detailed feedback about SmartVault. We genuinely appreciate your honesty and take your concerns seriously. We understand the frustrations you've experienced with pricing changes, support, and technical issues. These points are crucial for our improvement, and we're committed to addressing them. We'd like to connect with you directly to address these concerns, discuss your firm’s needs, and share our recent product updates and upcoming enhancements. Since we have no way to identify or contact you, please contact our team at help@smartvault.com. We're dedicated to resolving your concerns and ultimately earning your trust in SmartVault. Thank you again for your review. We are committed to continuous improvement and value your business. EO ELVIS O. Audit Apprentice Accounting Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "A Friendly Document Management Solution with Room for Improvement" August 4, 2024 5.0 I generally find it effective for storing and sharing sensitive documents securely and appreciate its user friendly interface Pros SmartVault provides an intuitive interface that makes it easy for users to navigate and manage documents Cons There is limited features on the mobile app Review Source CB Chris B. Company Director Accounting Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Well packaged Document Management System, well presented!" November 26, 2020 5.0 Overall, I have been very impressed by SmartVault. I was using Office 365 Business and was fed up that Sharepoint kept falling over for clients - I had set it up as groups to move documents around as I provide payroll services, but often I would get an email from the client saying not received or can't access. SmartVault integration has been very easy and clients have embraced - I think that for many it looks like IE tree set up for navigating makes it easier and that a desktop version is available for their use - a feature taken away by Microsoft - they feel they have greater control too. The current global pandemic has meant that the software has been a god send in maintaining client relations and service provision. I am pleased to have moved over and would recommend. Pros \- Very user friendly and easy to navigate - Easy to set up and invite clients and give the appropriate access according to their status i.e. full for the company director down to folder or file specific - Easy to upload documents and great that it has a desktop version in addition to the online version. Clients like the Apple integration and the fact it works happily with MAC's as comfortably as non-MAC Windows PC's - Good support, though confusing when you get a US number for someone who lives in India to assist! - I'm a UK based company - Free set up and training assistance including full run through of the software - Unlimited Companies - Free access for clients - Templates for Accounts/Payroll etc save a lot of time for setting up year on year Cons \- Integration with Outlook - this is hit and miss if it works and mine doesn't meaning I can't link email in - have been advised it is due to not having the full office suite, though I have and it still wouldn't integrate - A little expensive compared to other products, but it was best fit for the business Switched from [Microsoft SharePoint](https://www.capterra.com/p/1167/SharePoint/) Sharepoint kept falling over and files would disappear or not be available. Review Source MN Mickele N. Owner/Operator Accounting Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Not worth the effort or price" September 24, 2021 4.0 Even though I have had issues with the software and it does not meet all of my needs I likely would have renewed had they honored the agreement made when I signed up. You are required to have a minimum of 2 licenses and the agent I worked with was able to waive that requirement and I agreed to use the software as opposed to going with a different provider. They have now decided to unilaterally enforce the 2 licenses even though I was told my pricing would be locked in as long as I remained a customer. So due to the price, because it does not contain premium features, and the lack of integrity I would not recommend this software to anyone. Pros I like that the software does what it is supposed to (securely stores documents) but there aren't too many bells and whistles and a lot of it is very manual to do. I also like the DocuSign integration. Cons There are a lot of features missing and since they are now doubling the cost it is definitely not worth it. There is no way to securely request files from clients who do not have an account. They just barely added a document request feature which I will not be trying since I am not renewing. It is not intuitive to use for my clients and it does not integrate with my tax software. There is a feature to send tax organizers to all of your clients which would be useful if I could upload a template but that is not an option. Alternatives considered [TaxDome](https://www.capterra.com/p/186749/TaxDome/)[Progress ShareFile](https://www.capterra.com/p/10007380/ShareFile/) Reason for choosing SmartVault It came highly recommended and due to the original pricing agreement, it was at an okay price point. Review Source MA Maria A. Tax preparer Accounting Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Good service but it has become prohibited for a solo tax practitioner." December 13, 2021 4.0 After the initial learning curve, it worked fine. It's a secure and efficient way to exchange and store client documents. The only reason why I didn't renew it is that the plan I was using was discontinued and I was put in a plan that had a minimum of 2 users. I was going to start paying 3 times more than the previous year's fee. They did some improvements but I didn't need those. Pros It is robust, well structured and secure. Cons I had a couple of glitches, I couldn't login in my account, and it was scary. I resolved it after a few days, trying many other things, including contacting customer support. I cleared the cache in my browser and I had access again. It was a steep learning curve for me. I was used to another client portal that had a modern look and this one looked a little outdated. Alternatives considered [Progress ShareFile](https://www.capterra.com/p/10007380/ShareFile/) Reason for choosing SmartVault Citrix was not tailored to my practice and SmartVault had a "Tax Professional" portal. I couldn't figure out how to tailor Citrix for my needs. Review Source JS Juliana S. CEO Accounting Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Not user friendly enough for older or nontech savvy clients" March 23, 2023 3.0 I was trying to solve my portal problem with Smart vault. I used this program for 6+ years at another job but when I tried implementing it in my own firm it just didn't work. I ended up going with another program for the same price that included workflow automation. Pros I like the ease of use between Smartvault and Lacerte Tax. It's very simple to print documents directly to the client folders. Cons I liked the portal features, set up and interface the least. I wasted MORE time having to edit & update invites, resend documents, explain how to use the portal over the phone etc than I EVER saved my actually using the portal. Alternatives considered [TaxDome](https://www.capterra.com/p/186749/TaxDome/)[Canopy](https://www.capterra.com/p/150647/Canopy-Tax/)[Firm360](https://www.capterra.com/p/197013/Firm360/) Review Source Tammy W. Bookkeeper Accounting Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great product for storage and collaboration" November 12, 2020 5.0 With SmartVault I never have to worry about where my documents are for all of my clients. I know they are secure and accessible at all times no matter what computer I have access to. Pros I love SmartVault for the unlimited storage capacity and ease of use. I am easily able to collaborate and share files and sensitive documents with colleagues and clients alike with different permissions. I love being able to access my documents from any computer, anywhere, anytime. I feel like care about me as a consumer and try and be as helpful as possible. Cons Learning SmartVault was a bit difficult in the beginning but the company provides plenty of training and hundreds of videos. Review Source EB Edward B. Owner/CPA Accounting Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Clumsy/confusing to use, and SmartVault will screw you on the way out the door." April 6, 2022 1.0 Low end portal service that clients found difficult to use, and which we found more difficult to integrate into our business model as a document management system than we felt should be necessary. Pros I had high hopes for the platform. Clients found it difficult to use. It did provide a marginal level of flexibility for small clients/individuals. Larger clients had higher expectations than what was provided. Cons The pricing has become ridiculous in comparison to what is received. Price has doubled year to year??? Great punchline to this joke. SmartVault's cancellation policy is morally void. After getting hit with an unexpected doubling in cost year to year (after a significant increase the year before), I was informed on my renewal date that I could cancel my subscription and lose all access to the account, but SmartVault's policy was NOT to refund anything for the year subscription that they charged to my credit card, even though I would not have access to the service for the year. What a crock. SmartVault is an expensive, marginal portal service that is designed for the lower end of the market and set up to screw you on the way out. Beware. Review Source LH Lydia H. CPA/Owner Accounting Used the software for: 2+ years ### "SmartVault used everyday " November 12, 2020 5.0 I have been using SmartVault for over 5 years, when I first started with SmartVault it was because Intuit decided to no longer offer Document Management System and they partnered with SmartVault, you could say I grew up with SmartVault, over the years they have added additional features to enhance and not only allow me to be paperless but now automated too. Pros Love the integration with my tax software, ProSeries and also DocUSign which I depend on immensely. With the Pandemic and having to social distance this ability allowed me to continue to work and stay in business. Cons difficult to understand how to set functions up and utilize the more advanced features Alternatives considered [Progress ShareFile](https://www.capterra.com/p/10007380/ShareFile/) Reason for choosing SmartVault Integration with ProSeries Review Source LD Lola D. CEO Accounting Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "SmartVault -- Not for all Accounting firms" May 11, 2024 3.0 Not very happy with the product or the "Help" Pros Professional appearance and ability to brand Cons It was difficult to setup -- I had to dedicate one employee to the setup and maintenance. Review Source ANASTASIA K. CPA Accounting Used the software for: 2+ years ### "AWFUL CUSTOMER SUPPORT " February 6, 2020 2.0 We started using smartvault about 3 years ago and it is a great software/cloud organization for an accounting practice UNTIL something goes wrong. The customer service is terrible, the wait to talk to someone could take hours and they would promise a call back but it wouldn't happen. So you call back, get another promise and it doesn't happen again. In the meantime, your whole workflow is suffering. It has been a month and I am still waiting... Pros convenience of having all the documents in one place, organized Cons UNRELIABLE, make sure you backup your data, but most importantly, TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SUPPORT. Review Source Response from SmartVault February 14, 2020 Hello Anastasia! Thank you for taking the time to submit your feedback. We are so sorry that this has been your experience with SmartVault and that it had taken so long for someone to get back to you. Our support team confirmed they were able to resolve your issue on 2/6. If there is anything more needed, please do not hesitate to let us know. All the best! - The SmartVault Team Tracey D. Financial Financial Services Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Awesome to add to my tech stack" November 16, 2020 5.0 My compliance department introduced SmartVault instead of google drive or another service. I couldn't be happier! And, the integration with docusign is awesome. My clients find it easy to work with . Pros 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. Cons If you cannot get in touch with customer service (everyone is busy!) they have FAQ's that I easily found what I was looking for! Switched from [Google Drive](https://www.capterra.com/p/161425/Drive/) My compliance department. Review Source Georgia K. Partner CPA Accounting Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Consistent and Cheaper than other options out there" November 16, 2020 4.0 Overall I am very happy with the service for the price. Pros It is consistent across the many years we have used it at my small account firm. It is a cheaper options for delivering our tax returns to our clients. Cons We have some issues with permissions on our end and on the client end that requires some troubleshooting and frustration. Reason for choosing SmartVault PRICE!!! Review Source JB Joe B. CPA Accounting Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great integration with our tax software" November 17, 2020 4.0 The cloud software has been great at moving our firm from the back office server environment to the cloud. Pros The features most liked about SmartVault for us has been the ease of initial installation, the integration with our Intuit ProSeries Software and how it has helped our office move to the cloud for a safe secure location for our data. Cons The folder setups for multiple clients could stand to be easier. Seems like we've been having most issues in how to set up engagement folders that are not pre-formatted. Also the price is not incredibly cheap for us, but due to integration don't have much choice. Reason for choosing SmartVault Not really another viable choice considering our needs. Review Source MF Marc F. Owner Accounting Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Pricing Hike is Imminent" July 20, 2022 4.0 Pros Integration with Intuit Pro Series and Lacerte Software Cons The pending price increase of over 35% is absolutely a shocker as there have been limited proposed improvements to the package and the price is going from $ 24.38 / month to a minimum of $40.00 per month. It may be extremely difficult to justify especially considering that this commodity software is available at HALF THE COST from competitors and they have additional workflows and features not available in SmartVault. Reason for choosing SmartVault Integration with Intuit ProSeries and Lacerte Review Source Similar Products Featured ## Related categories [File Sharing](https://www.capterra.com/file-sharing-software/)[Legal Document Management](https://www.capterra.com/legal-document-management-software/)[Document Management](https://www.capterra.com/document-management-software/) ## Send me user reviews about this product ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox.