6 Best Project Management Software with Client Portals in 2024 (Free/Paid)
- Written by Kevin Frei
- August 26, 2024
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.
6 Best Project Management Software with Client Portals
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
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.
on Ahsuite’s secure website
$8-29 per month
Pricing
Free
Intro Offer
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).
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.
2. Notion
Notion is the right project management software for users who prefer customization and flexibility in their business portals or task management in general.
on Notion’s secure website
$10-18 per user/month
Pricing
Free
Intro Offer
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).
- Hosted on AWS, providing robust data protection.
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.
- While customization is great, it can provide challenges for scaling later on.
3. 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.
on Accelo’s secure website
$50-80 per month
Pricing
$50 per month
Intro Offer
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.
4. Bonsai
Bonsai is a business management tool that offers three core modules: client management, project management, and financial management.
on Bonsai’ secure website
$25-75 per month
Pricing
$25 per month
Intro Offer
Pros
- Clients can use the portal to audit and pay invoices.
- Robust finance tools for small businesses/contractors with multiple clients.
- Automatically notifies if the client views a contract/invoice.
- The platform has tools for managing proposals, contracts, forms, and schedules.
Cons
- The client portal is primarily for document sharing and billing (no timeline views).
- Customization is non-existent (you can’t embed reports and self-serve content).
- Clients and teams might need external platforms for communication.
- Limited views and functionalities for portal users.
5. Zoho Project
Zoho Projects is a project management platform with a client portal module that offers on-demand access to activity feeds, reports, calendars, tasks, and more.
on Zoho’s secure website
$5-10 per user/month
Pricing
Free up to 3 users
Intro Offer
Pros
- The item filter is neatly hidden when not needed, but it packs a lot of options.
- The product is free for three users and offers highly competitive “per user” pricing.
- It provides various customization options, from appearances to task settings.
- Extra features like Blueprint and Data Backup are unique and handy additions.
Cons
- Focuses on native Zoho apps and has fewer third-party integration options.
- Data Admin capabilities are lacking compared to other competitors.
- Although customizable, the dashboard can quickly become overcrowded with data.
- Some apps, like time tracking, can be challenging to set up and use.
- Core features like 2FA, SSO, and custom roles/fields are behind paywalls.
6. ClickUp
ClickUp is not known for having the best client management tools, as it is designed primarily with traditional features for project management software.
on ClickUp’s secure website
$10-19 per user/month
Pricing
Free
Intro Offer
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.
Summary
Choosing the right project management solution that offers an easy-to-use and feature-rich web portal can be more complicated than integrating it. Although the market offers project management tools with robust work management and support for various project types, built-in web portals are still rare (or an afterthought). With this in mind, obtaining a separate, dedicated web portal for handling client-facing interactions could be the optimal approach for some businesses.