Drive vs client portal
Google Drive as a client portal? It’s missing the point.
Drive is perfect for storing files. But your client doesn’t want files: they want to know where their project stands.
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The short answer
A shared Google Drive folder is enough to exchange files with a client. It doesn’t show project progress, conversations or what’s waiting for approval, and clients land in Google’s interface, not your space. XTablo brings files, progress, chat and approvals together in a client portal with your brand. You can keep Drive for archiving.
Updated October 4, 2026
What Drive does well
Storing lots of files, sharing by link, co-editing Google Docs: Drive does it very well, and your clients already know it.
What’s missing for a client portal
- Progress: a folder doesn’t tell anyone where the project stands or what’s next.
- Conversations: feedback arrives by email or text, far from the files it’s about.
- Approvals: no way to see at a glance which deliverable is approved and which is pending.
- Versions: “Mockup_final_v3_REAL.pdf” is still a classic.
- Your brand: clients land in Google, not in your space.
- Access: an “anyone with the link” share travels well beyond the client.
The alternative: a client portal that also holds the files
In XTablo, every file is attached to its project and step. You choose whether the client can see it, they approve it in one click, and the project chat sits right next to it. See files in XTablo.
You get 20 GB of storage per project, starting with the Freelance plan (€49/month). For heavy archives, keep Drive: the two work well together.
Shared Drive or client portal?
| XTablo | Google Drive folder | |
|---|---|---|
| Files | Organized by project, visible to the client or not | Organized by folder |
| Project progress | Steps and tasks visible | No |
| Conversations | Chat inside the project | Comments on files, everything else by email |
| Deliverable approval | One click, visible to everyone | No |
| Your brand | Your logo and address | Google’s interface |
How to get started
- 1Create your XTablo space.
- 2Create the project and drop deliverables into the right steps.
- 3Invite your client: files, progress and messages in one place.
FAQ
Can I keep Google Drive with XTablo?
Yes. Many agencies keep Drive for archives and share project deliverables in XTablo.
How much storage does XTablo include?
20 GB per project, starting with the Freelance plan (€49/month).
Does my client need a Google account?
No. They get a link to your XTablo space.
No more “which Drive was it in?”
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