By the ClientBrief Team · Last updated October 2026
SmartVault costs $65 per user per month on both Business Pro and Accounting Pro, and $85 on Accounting Unlimited, when billed annually. Monthly billing raises those to $85, $85, and $110 per user per month. Critically, all plans carry user minimums — three users on Business Pro and two on the Accounting plans — so a solo practitioner cannot buy a single seat.
Only need clients to upload documents? SmartVault starts at $65 per user / month annual; ClientBrief is $7.99/month flat — unlimited clients and checklists, no per-user or per-request pricing, no client login.
Per user per month with enforced seat minimums and annual billing about 23% cheaper than monthly. All plans include unlimited cloud storage, unlimited clients, and unlimited external collaborators, so the cost driver is entirely internal headcount — subject to the minimum. SmartRequestAI, the AI-assisted document request feature, is a separate per-return charge on top of the subscription.
Annual or monthly · 3-user minimum
Secure document management, client portal, unlimited storage, unlimited clients and external collaborators. The general-business tier without accounting-specific workflows.
Annual or monthly · 2-user minimum
Everything in Business Pro plus accounting-specific workflows — per-client and per-tax-year folder templates, return delivery, and document requests tied to engagements. Positioned as best value.
Annual or monthly · 2-user minimum
The full accounting feature set including the deeper compliance and workflow tooling. The most popular plan for established tax and accounting firms.
| SmartRequestAI | About $12.50 per return, or bundles of 50 requests for about $625 (add-on to annual Accounting plans) |
| Storage | Unlimited on all plans — no per-GB overage |
| Client users | Unlimited, at no additional cost |
| Firm setup | Annual cost |
|---|---|
| Solo practitioner, Accounting Pro (2-seat minimum) | $1,560 / year |
| Solo practitioner, Business Pro (3-seat minimum) | $2,340 / year |
| 2-person firm, Accounting Pro (annual) | $1,560 / year |
| 5-person firm, Accounting Pro (annual) | $3,900 / year |
| 5-person firm, Accounting Unlimited (annual) | $5,100 / year |
SmartVault is a document management system priced like one, and the seat minimums mean the effective entry price for a one-person firm is $1,560/year rather than the $780 the headline rate implies. For a two-to-five person accounting firm that genuinely needs folder templates, permissions, and return delivery, it's a strong product. For a solo practitioner who just needs clients to upload files, the minimum alone rules it out.
Comparing against ClientBrief: ClientBrief is $7.99/month flat — no per-user pricing, no seat minimums, no annual commitment, and unlimited clients and checklists. It covers document collection only: send a checklist, clients upload without an account, reminders go out automatically. It is not a replacement for SmartVault's wider feature set, and firms often run both.
How much does SmartVault cost per user?
$65 per user per month on Business Pro and Accounting Pro, and $85 on Accounting Unlimited, with annual billing. Monthly billing costs $85, $85, and $110 per user per month respectively.
Does SmartVault have a minimum number of users?
Yes. Business Pro requires three users and both Accounting plans require two. That means a solo practitioner still pays for at least two seats — roughly $1,560/year on Accounting Pro rather than $780.
Is storage limited on SmartVault?
No. All plans include unlimited cloud storage, plus unlimited clients and unlimited external collaborators. Cost scales only with internal user seats.
What does SmartRequestAI cost?
About $12.50 per return, with bundles of 50 requests available for around $625. It's an add-on to annual Accounting Pro and Accounting Unlimited plans, not included in the base subscription.
Is SmartVault cheaper than ShareFile?
Rarely, at any firm size. ShareFile now prices per user too: Advanced is $16.50 and Premium — the tier with e-signature and document requests — is $26 per user per month on annual billing, each with a 3-user minimum, against SmartVault's $65-85. What SmartVault's premium buys is accounting-specific folder templates, return delivery and direct tax-software integrations, not cheaper file sharing.
How much does SmartVault cost for a firm of 5?
Five users on Accounting Pro or Business Pro annual billing is $325 per month, or $3,900 a year — the two plans now cost the same per seat. Accounting Unlimited is $425 per month ($5,100 a year). Monthly billing raises those substantially — Accounting Unlimited goes to $550 per month for five users.
How much does SmartVault cost for a solo practitioner?
More than the headline rate suggests, because of the seat minimums. The Accounting plans require two users and Business Pro requires three, so a single practitioner on Accounting Pro pays for two seats — $130 per month on annual billing rather than $65. That minimum is the detail most solo firms miss when comparing SmartVault against per-seat competitors with no floor.
How much do you save on SmartVault annual billing?
$20 to $25 per user per month depending on plan: Business Pro and Accounting Pro are $65 annual against $85 monthly, and Accounting Unlimited $85 against $110. For a three-person firm on Accounting Unlimited that is $900 a year.
Are there hidden costs with SmartVault?
The seat minimums are the significant one — two users on the Accounting plans and three on Business Pro, regardless of your actual headcount. SmartRequestAI is also priced separately at about $12.50 per return, or $625 for a bundle of 50, and is only available as an add-on to the annual Accounting plans.
Is SmartVault worth it?
For an accounting or tax firm that wants the document system to understand its workflow — per-client and per-tax-year folder templates, return delivery with approvals, requests tied to the engagement — yes, and that vertical fit is what the per-user premium buys. For general secure file exchange, ShareFile's per-seat pricing — $16.50-26 per user on its core plans — is usually cheaper for the same practical result.
What is the cheapest alternative to SmartVault?
ShareFile is cheaper per head: Advanced is $16.50 and Premium $26 per user per month on annual billing (3-user minimum), against SmartVault's $65-85. For document collection without the document-management layer, ClientBrief is $7.99/month flat with no seat minimum and no client login.
Pricing checked against the vendor's public pricing page in August–September 2026. Software vendors change prices, tier names, and included features regularly — always confirm current numbers directly with the vendor before signing.
Verified against SmartVault's official pricing page →