There are many project management tools that can keep your project organized and on track, but most do not have a convenient way to involve your client in the project. That’s where a project management software with client portals can be a game changer.
We’ve listed the best project management software with client portals to help you stay on top of your projects and client communication.
1. Ahsuite
With snappy performance, ease of setup, and a minimalist user interface, Ahsuite helps its users create and share modern client portals within literal minutes.
This client portal software makes it easy for users to securely display content with iframe pages protected by password-protected, 2FA-supported accounts.
Ahsuite’s focus on project management and collaboration is reflected in its key features, which are designed for internal teams and clients. Let’s examine the tools included in the portal.
Embeds & Pages
For remote projects, it is essential for clients to access project information and updates without barriers and with minimal delays.
Imagine this: you need to regularly share content from separate reporting and analytics software, knowledge base, invoices, and forms with your client.
However, your client needs more time to create accounts for these platforms or learn a new tool. Downloading attachments can also be a hassle if opening specialized file types.
How can you deliver your report in a single, easy-to-use package while allowing your clients to view project updates and interact effortlessly with the data?
Secure client portals with iframe embeds, like Ahsuite, can help business owners simplify sharing multi-source, platform-specific content.
Ahsuite will display this content as if it were from a single website, allowing your clients to view the information in one place.
Users can embed the following content on Ahsuite Pages.
- Looker Studio / Tableau / Airtable
- Microsoft Office / Google Workspace
- Figma / Canva
- Youtube / Vimeo
- Google Maps
- Calendars & Forms
White Label Customization
A project management client portal makes it easy for clients and staff to track and manage files, activities, and progress to ensure the project plan progresses smoothly.
Beside streamlining project management, there is also a crucial aspect of client management that these products improves significantly: branding and appearance.
Users often associate brand visual cues with overall customer experience. In fact, according to MailChimp, users who are consistently exposed to a brand will associate their experiences with that brand and eventually influence their spending decisions.
With white-label customization options, users can make Ahsuite’s professional platform their own, reinforcing their brand identity and facilitating hassle-free interactions.
Here are your branding options with Ahsuite:
- Custom Branding
- Custom Domain
- Custom CSS
- Secure Document Sharing
- Up to 20 internal users (for agencies)
Collaboration Tools
Sharing files, schedules, and other data, internally or externally, can improve decision-making and coordination among project collaborators and stakeholders.
One of the many ways PM software tools with client portals outperform traditional products is their ability to facilitate real-time and asynchronous communication effectively.
Fire up the Ahsuite messaging app or embed a dashboard with real-time updates to give your clients the up-to-date data they need during critical moments.
Keep your teams updated and informed with universal changes in SOPs, schedules, and more with asynchronous communication).
Ahsuite tightly integrates these features (online team messenger, task management system, and document management features) without additional monthly subscriptions.
With Ahsuite, you can enjoy these online collaboration features:
- Searchable labels
- Client approvals
- Comments
- Version control
- Unlimited file storage
- File request
Pros:
- Offers handy tools like work journals, password managers, and templates.
- Minimum setup complexity (users must paste iframe codes to get started).
- Provides navigation options like sidebars, drop-down menus, and multiple tabs.
- Unlimited clients/projects on paid plans (up to 10 clients on free plan).
- Integrates with popular business tools like Google Workspace and Airtable.
Cons:
- There are no billing and time-tracking features, but it’s on the roadmap.
- Supports mobile use with no need to install additional apps.
- Needs more text formatting options for non-embedded content.
Pricing:
- Starter (Free)
- Grow ($8/month)
- Professional ($17/month)
- Agency ($29/month)
Ratings:
- G2: 4.7 out of 5 (87 Reviews)
- Capterra: 5 out of 5 (19 Reviews)
2. Asana
Asana doesn’t have a built-in client portal feature. Instead, people use shareable folders with the client added as a “commenter” or “viewer” to provide a portal-like experience.
Make a separate folder for housing the data that will go into your project portal (this is a crucial step to avoid revealing confidential documents or internal processes).
Inside the folder you created, you can add customizable “pages” with Asana blocks, such as task lists, views (board, timeline, Gantt), workload calendar, workflow, and more.
Like a regular team member, the client could see ongoing tasks, assignees, due dates, priorities, and statuses. This might not be a good option if working on non-tech clients.
Although this method can be tedious, it can improve project management processes with effective asynchronous communication and real-time task tracking.
Pros:
- Content updates are in real-time and great for projects with time-sensitive KPIs.
- Has a “portfolio” function, helpful in managing multiple, interconnected projects.
- It’s user-friendly and easy to add, edit, and share tasks and approvals.
- Generous features for the free version (great for personal projects).
Cons:
- Permissions and controls are limited to Asana’s default configuration.
- There is no custom view; you can’t embed data from external platforms.
- The setup is very manual, and no portal templates are available.
- You can create workflows, but external integrations are pretty limited.
- You need to re-do every fine-tuning and configuration for different projects/clients.
Pricing:
- Starter ($10.99/seat/mo)
- Advanced ($24.99/seat/mo)
- Enterprise (Contact Sales)
- Enterprise+ (Contact Sales)
- Billed annually
Ratings:
- G2: 4.4 out of 5 (10,177 reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5 out of 5 (12,699 reviews)
3. Monday.com
Like its direct competitors, Monday.com doesn’t have a built-in client portal functionality. Instead, owners create shareable boards and invite contacts as guests to present client work and communicate with the project team.
What makes Monday.com different from other project management software tools with a makeshift client portal is its accessibility to third-party integration.
For example, if you want to use Google Drive for online storage, you can use the right Monday.com apps. Take note: some third-party apps have monthly subscriptions.
Since it is one of the most popular PM software options, Monday.com also uses enterprise-level security in its product, which is always a welcome addition.
Using Monday.com as a customer portal is viable if your clients are already familiar with the platform or if you don’t need white labeling options.
Pros:
- Guest users can still access all PM tools (search, filter, sorting, hiding, etc.).
- View statistics and activity logs are automatically recorded.
- Has a file gallery (needs files to be uploaded) and Google Drive integration.
- The dashboard and widget features are easy to use and clean.
Cons:
- Setting up permission is only available on the Enterprise Plan.
- There is no option to chat with clients (except for comments).
- Limited permission controls for lower tiers.
- Monday.com doesn’t support white-label customization.
Pricing:
- Basic ($12/user/month)
- Standard ($14/user/month)
- Pro ($24/user/month)
- Enterprise (Contact Sales)
Ratings:
- G2: 4.7 out of 5 (12,263 reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6 out of 5 (4,910)
4. ClickUp
ClickUp is not known for having the best client management tools, as it is designed primarily with traditional features for project management software.
However, dedicated users have discovered that the “Public Docs” feature can be customized to look like a “portal-like” page for sharing resources and tracking/assigning tasks.
Users would need to create a project folder in one of the active spaces and create a document with widgets and links that connect to various resources (like a list, a table, and more).
Set the sharing permission to “Share link with anyone” and send the link to your client for a makeshift portal.
While this option avoids the overall cost of a client portal, the setup process can be tedious. Admins would need to create separate public docs for different projects.
This is quite similar to Notion, but the drawbacks (like non-existent templates, no automation, and more) might break the deal for many people.
Pros:
- Integrates well if your processes are already ClickUp-dependent.
- Offers views standard with PM tools like tables, Kanban boards, and timelines.
- Most ClickApps are usable with “views” on public docs (including embeds).
- Includes tools for chatting, issue reporting, and change requests.
Cons:
- The Dashboard feature can be slow when dealing with a lot of data.
- For Public Docs, you must repeatedly set up content for different “portals.”
- Lacks community template support, increasing setup time and effort.
- There is no way to chat with your team/client members except with comments.
Pricing:
- Free
- Unlimited ($10/user/month)
- Business ($19/user/month)
- Enterprise (Contact Sales)
Ratings:
- G2: 4.7 out of 5 (9,538 reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6 out of 5 (4,131 reviews)
5. Accelo
When you want every single metric visible on your screen, from project status to budget and due dates, Accelo’s client portal would be a great option. It is a business management software with a client portal that displays data for signoffs, requests, quotes, projects, tickets, and more.
This client portal will suffice for clients who just want to explore project details independently or access a portal to file and track project-related concerns.
Although the base program has great features, the client portal is not the most polished and most customizable tool inside the toolbox.
Overall, this is for businesses who prefer an “out-of-the-box” complete product for convenience instead of the hands-on approach that Notion has in exchange for customization.
Pros:
- Almost everything a client would use is in the client portal.
- Shows information effectively through rows and columns.
- Tracks user activities (e.g., when a client views a quote).
Cons:
- Lacks customization, users are stuck to pre-defined rows and columns.
- Basic sorting features, but is enough for common operations.
- Primarily focused more on invoicing and billing than task management.
Pricing:
- Professional ($50/month)
- Business ($70/month)
- Advanced ($90/month)
- Elite (Contact Sales)
Ratings:
- G2: 4.4 out of 5 (499 reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5 out of 5 (165 reviews)
Conclusion
Project management tools with client portals are essential for businesses wanting to boost collaboration and efficiency. Technology has greatly improved these tools, helping teams work together in real time, automate tasks, and access key project info from anywhere. Working with clients using management software can lead to better efficiency.
Ahsuite stands out as one of the best solution offering collaboration an project management features with client portal. With an easy-to-use design, great reporting, customization options, and competitive pricing, Ahsuite is a solid choice for any business. If you want a strong and flexible project management tool, give Ahsuite a try with their free trial.
