What a Client Portal is
A Client Portal is the long-lived sibling of a Drop Room. A Drop Room is a temporary space that disappears at a deadline. A portal has no deadline. It is a permanent mini-site for a single client or project, reachable at an address you choose, such as upload.am/room/acme-design.
On that page the client can upload files to you, download the files you have prepared, see what has happened recently and leave a message. You see exactly who did what, and everything is stored in your upload.am account under your plan’s storage.
For the client it feels like a professional service built just for them. For you it replaces the scatter of email attachments, ad-hoc links and chat messages with a single, dependable place.
Why agencies, freelancers and consultants use portals
A professional first impression
A named page with your brand and a welcome message looks like a real client area, not a random file link.
One address for the whole relationship
The client bookmarks the portal once. New files appear there, so you never resend or re-explain a link.
Two-way exchange
Clients drop briefs, logos, footage and feedback straight in. You publish drafts and final files in the same place.
Clear accountability
Visitors give a name once per visit. The activity feed shows who uploaded, viewed, downloaded, signed or wrote a note.
Approvals and sign-off
Ask the client to confirm they have read a document, such as a quote or a contract, before they continue.
Everything stays in your account
Portal files live in your storage, so you can manage them with the rest of your files.
What you can set up
- A custom address: letters, numbers and dashes, or leave it empty to get a random link instead.
- Client name, company name and a welcome message shown at the top of the page.
- Branding: your own brand name, logo and brand colour on the page (Premium plans and above).
- A password so only the client and their team can open the portal.
- Upload and download switches: let the client upload, download or both.
- Visitor names: require people to introduce themselves before they continue.
- Click-to-sign: require a signature on a chosen document before anyone can use the portal.
- Folders inside the portal to keep deliverables, references and invoices apart.
The number of portals depends on your plan: one on Access, five on Premium and Lifetime, and fifty on Premium GOLD. Free and Keep plans include Drop Rooms but not portals — compare plans on the pricing page.
How click-to-sign works
Many client projects need a simple “yes, I have read and agree”. Instead of exchanging PDFs by email, you attach a document to the portal and require a signature. The visitor reads the file, types their full name and ticks the agreement. upload.am records their name, email, IP address and the time, and shows a “signed” badge next to their name. You can also be notified by email when someone signs.
Be clear about what this is: a click-to-sign record that documents the act and the context. It is not a cryptographic signature embedded in a PDF. For many everyday approvals, such as a brief, a quote or an NDA acknowledgement, it is exactly the right lightweight tool. Where the law requires a qualified electronic signature, use a dedicated signing service.
Portal vs. Upload Inbox vs. share link
- A share link sends files one way and ends when you decide.
- An Upload Inbox receives files one way from many people, with no history for each sender.
- A Drop Room is a two-way space that ends at a deadline.
- A Client Portal is a two-way space that never ends, with a custom address, branding, signatures and a full history. Choose it when the relationship is ongoing.
Teams can combine portals with the Team plan: a shared storage pool, roles and folder permissions, so colleagues can serve the same client without sharing a login.
How to set up a Client Portal
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1
Choose a plan with portals
Client Portals are available from the Access plan. Upgrade from your cabinet.
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2
Create a portal
Open Rooms in the cabinet, choose Create Client Portal, and enter the client name, company, address and welcome message.
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3
Brand and protect it
Add your logo and colour on supported plans, set a password, and decide what visitors can do.
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4
Send the address to your client
Share the portal link. From now on, files go back and forth in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Which plans include Client Portals?
Portals start with the Access plan (1 portal), then Premium and Lifetime (5) and Premium GOLD (50). Free and Keep plans include Drop Rooms instead.
Does a portal expire?
No. A portal is permanent until you delete or destroy it. Files follow your plan’s storage and retention.
Can I use my own logo and colour?
Yes, on Premium plans and above. You can also set a brand name shown on the page.
Can clients upload files to me?
Yes. You control whether visitors can upload, download or both, and you can ask them to give a name first.
Can I get a custom address?
Yes. Choose a short name and the portal opens at upload.am/room/your-name. Leave it empty for a random link.
Do clients need an account?
No. They need the link, and the password if you set one.
Is the signature legally binding?
It records the name, email, IP address and time of a click-to-sign action. It is useful evidence of acknowledgement but is not a qualified electronic signature. Check the rules that apply to your contract.