Portico

Portico is an onboarding tool for service businesses that want to move clients from intake to payment in one guided process. It suits teams that handle repeatable client setup; businesses that only need a basic form may find its wider workflow unnecessary.

Overview

Portico brings multi-step intake, document uploads, signatures and Stripe payments together, with a branded portal clients can revisit using a magic link. That makes it a credible fit for firms that want clients to submit information, sign documents and pay without splitting those steps across separate tools. Conditional logic and validation help tailor forms to different cases, while automatic saving reduces the risk of losing progress.

The persistent portal gives clients a place to check progress and retrieve their submitted responses and signed documents. For providers managing ongoing relationships, that is more useful than a one-off form link. The trade-off is that Portico is built around onboarding as a workflow, so it may be more than a solo operator needs for occasional information gathering.

Key features

Intake, signatures and payments

Forms support conditional logic, validation, file uploads and automatic saving. Embedded e-signatures are described as supporting the ESIGN Act and eIDAS, with timestamps and IP address logging. Portico can collect deposits, retainers or project fees through Stripe as part of the same process. This combination is most compelling when a business regularly needs both signed paperwork and an initial payment; it is less relevant to teams that only need to collect responses.

Integrations, API and security

Portico lists integrations with QuickBooks Online, Xero, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Slack, Gmail, Zapier and Make. Its REST API and webhooks support programmatic onboarding management and real-time event notifications, making the product more adaptable for teams connecting onboarding to other systems.

Stored data is encrypted with AES-256, data in transit uses TLS 1.2+, and audit events are cryptographically linked using SHA-256 hashing. GDPR features include consent collection, data export, erasure and configurable retention. SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 are planned, rather than current certifications. Its infrastructure uses Supabase on AWS, PostgreSQL with team-scoped access and AWS S3 file storage.

Pricing

Every plan begins with a 14-day Pro trial without a credit card. After the trial, the account moves automatically to Free, so users can evaluate paid features without an unexpected paid renewal, though they should account for the Free plan's tighter limits afterward.

• Free: $0/forever, with three active onboardings per month, three e-signatures per month, 1 GB of storage and unlimited team members. An active onboarding is one that has not been completed or archived. This is suitable for light or occasional use, but the small monthly cap limits it as a continuing option for a busy practice.
• Starter: $29/mo, billed annually — save 26%. It allows 25 active onboardings per month, 50 GB of storage and unlimited team members. This is the entry paid tier for firms whose intake volume exceeds Free but does not require the larger monthly allowances.
• Pro: $59/mo, billed annually — save 25%. It includes 100 active onboardings per month, 100 SMS reminders per month, 250 GB of storage and unlimited team members. The added reminders and capacity suit a higher-volume operation that wants to prompt clients by SMS.
• Business: $119/mo, billed annually — save 20%. It provides unlimited onboardings, 500 SMS reminders per month, unlimited storage and unlimited team members. This is the clearest fit for organizations that would otherwise have to manage monthly onboarding or storage ceilings.

The quoted paid rates are annual-billing prices; the stated paid starting rate is $29/mo.

Platforms

Portico is available on web and through an API. The API and webhooks make it relevant to teams that want programmatic control, while its web portal serves clients completing the onboarding flow.

Who it's for

Portico is aimed at agencies, accountants, bookkeepers, legal practices, consultants, coaches and freelancers. It is strongest for service businesses that repeatedly collect client details, documents, signatures and an initial payment. A business with only occasional, simple forms is unlikely to benefit as much from a dedicated end-to-end onboarding platform.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Intake, uploads, signatures and Stripe payments share one guided flow, reducing the need to separate those client-facing steps.
• Pro: A branded, persistent portal lets clients return to track progress and access responses and signed documents.
• Pro: Unlimited team members are included across the plans, while higher tiers expand onboarding and storage capacity.
• Con: Free is capped at three active onboardings and three signatures per month, too little for many recurring business workflows.
• Con: Paid prices are annual-billing rates, and Starter is already $29/mo; teams needing only basic forms may be paying for more workflow than they use.
• Con: SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 are planned, which may matter to buyers requiring those certifications today.

Alternatives

Browse Client Intake Software for more options. Choose Intake instead if you need Android or iOS access, or prefer its free allowance of up to 10 clients; its Professional plan is $19 a month, below Portico's entry paid rate.

Onvoy is worth considering for a smaller team: its free plan allows five onboardings per month and includes one team member, forms, file uploads, templates and automated email reminders. PlatoForms may suit a form-centered workload, with a free plan allowing one live form and 100 submissions per month.

FormsHQ offers a free Starter Form plan with one published form and 50 responses per month, making it a more focused option for limited form use. ClientLoop is another free-plan alternative; its free tier allows up to five clients and one team member.

IntakeQ is a paid alternative starting at $49.90 a month, with low-volume discounted plans available by contacting the provider. FlowyForm is a free alternative with unlimited forms and submissions, e-signatures, file uploads and conditional logic. LaunchBay is another paid, web-based alternative.

Verdict

Portico is a strong choice for service businesses that want one client-facing path for intake, documents, signatures and Stripe payments, especially when clients need a persistent portal. Its main drawback is the narrow Free allowance and annual billing for paid plans. Choose it when the joined-up onboarding flow matters; look elsewhere if you only need basic forms or need a free plan for regular client volume.