A client portal for graphic designers that keeps briefs, proofs and payments in one place
A design job rarely goes wrong because of the design. It goes wrong in the gaps: a brief that lived in three emails, a revision that wasn’t in the quote, a client who said “love it” in a message and “can we try another direction?” a week later, and final files that were sent before the deposit cleared.
CloveDesk gives each client one private, branded space for the whole project. You send the quote, get the contract signed, share concepts, collect feedback on the files themselves, hold back finals until you’re paid, and invoice from the same place. Your client opens a link from an email. No account, no password.
Where design projects usually go off the rails
Every designer has a version of these stories:
- The brief is scattered. Goals are in an email, preferences in a voice note, and the one thing the client actually cares about came up on a call nobody wrote down.
- Revision rounds have no limit on paper. You quoted two rounds. By round five, nobody remembers that, and it’s awkward to bring up.
- Feedback arrives in six formats. Screenshots with arrows, a numbered list in an email, a message that says “make it pop”. You spend more time decoding than designing.
- Versions get mixed up. The client approves “the blue one” but you have three blue ones, and the printer gets the wrong file.
- Finals leave before the money does. Handing over source files and full-resolution artwork before payment removes your only leverage.
- Usage rights are vague. Who owns what, where the work can run, and for how long all sit in a conversation instead of a signed document.
- Costs eat the fee. Font licenses, stock images, a freelance illustrator and print proofs are paid from your own pocket and forgotten when you price the next job.
A client portal won’t improve your taste. It does give your process a spine, so your work gets judged on the work.
How a design project runs in CloveDesk, step by step
Here is a realistic flow for a brand identity project. The how it works walkthrough shows each screen with screenshots.
1. Set up a workspace and a project
Create a workspace for the client with their business details, then a project for the job, such as “Brand identity” or “Packaging refresh”. A client who comes back for a brochure next year gets a new project in the same workspace, with the old one still there for reference.
2. Quote the work clearly
Build the quote with a line for each deliverable: discovery and moodboard, logo concepts, brand guidelines, social templates. Put the number of revision rounds, timeline and what’s not included in the notes and terms, in the client’s currency. Or upload your own quote PDF if you’ve already designed one. The client approves it, asks for changes or declines. If the scope shifts, revisions are kept in a history, so you can always show what was agreed.
3. Get the contract signed before you open Illustrator
Upload your design agreement, with scope, revision limits, payment terms and usage rights, and send it for signature. The client signs by drawing or typing, and you both get the signed PDF with a certificate page and an audit trail. For one-off paperwork outside a project, such as an NDA for a subcontracting illustrator or a separate licensing letter, Universal E-Sign lets you send any PDF to anyone through a private link.
4. Invoice the deposit before work begins
Create an invoice for the first payment and send it with your payment terms and due date. Add your own payment links, such as PayPal, Stripe or Wise, and the client gets a Pay button on the invoice, in the email and on the PDF. The money goes straight to you. You mark the invoice as paid with the date once it arrives, so you always know when the work is actually funded.
5. Share concepts and collect feedback in one place
Upload concept boards, mockups and PDFs, then choose which ones the client can see. Drafts and rejected ideas stay private. Each file has a comment thread shared with the client, so notes like “the logo feels too heavy on the left” sit on the concept itself rather than in an email chain. Upload a revised version and the earlier ones are kept, so “can we go back to version two?” is a click, not an archaeology dig. Labels help you sort files by round or deliverable; they’re for you, and clients don’t see them.
6. Keep the client oriented with stages
Move the project through stages the client can see, such as “Discovery”, “Concepts”, “Revisions” and “Final delivery”. It answers “where are we?” without a status email. You decide when each stage changes.
7. Hold back finals until the final invoice is paid
This is the part designers care about most. Because you choose what the client can see, the final artwork, source files and brand guidelines stay private until you share them. Send the final invoice, wait for the payment, mark it paid, then release the files and email the client that they’re ready. No awkward conversation required. Files of many types and sizes are supported, within your plan’s limits.
8. See what the client has opened and follow up
You can see when the quote, contract, invoice or document was opened and when the client last visited the portal. A dashboard shows everything waiting on them. Overdue invoices are flagged automatically, and you can send a reminder with one click or let reminders go out on their own.
9. Know what the job really paid
Log font licenses, stock assets, printing and a freelance illustrator against the project, in the currency you paid. The project shows its own revenue and costs, and the workspace adds up everything for that client. Over a year, that tells you which kinds of jobs are worth taking. The guide to freelance expense and profit tracking explains how to read the numbers.
What your clients experience
Your clients are founders, marketing managers and shop owners, rarely people who enjoy project software. They get an email with a link and open a clean page with your logo and colors. They see what needs them: a quote to approve, a contract to sign, concepts to review, an invoice to pay. They can comment on files, ask for changes and sign. No account, no password, no learning curve, which is exactly how you want them to feel when a decision is waiting.
Features designers use most
| What designers need | How CloveDesk handles it |
|---|---|
| A scope the client agrees to | Quotes with line items, notes and terms, plus a revision history |
| Contracts with usage rights | Upload your own agreement and have it e-signed, with an audit trail |
| Feedback in one place | Comment threads on each file, shared with the client |
| No version mix-ups | File versions kept as you upload revisions |
| Releasing finals after payment | You choose which files the client can see, and when |
| Deposits and final payments | Invoices with payment terms and Pay buttons using your own links |
| Clients who go quiet | Open tracking, overdue flags and reminders |
| Knowing a job’s real margin | Expenses per project or client in many currencies |
| Looking like your studio | Your logo, colors and business details on everything clients see |
The features page has the complete list.
What CloveDesk doesn’t do for designers
- No on-image annotation. Clients comment on files, but they can’t drop pins or draw on a design. For heavy visual markup, you may still want a dedicated proofing tool.
- Clients can’t upload files. They can view, download, sign and comment, but they can’t send you logos, photos or copy through the portal. Collect brand assets another way.
- No time tracking. It suits project and package pricing rather than hourly timesheets.
- No messaging. Conversations stay in your email or chat tool.
- One person per account. It’s built for solo designers and small studios where one person runs client admin.
- Payments happen outside CloveDesk. Clients pay through your links, and you mark the invoice as paid.
- Branded, not white label. Your logo and colors appear throughout, but the portal runs on a CloveDesk address.
If you want a bigger suite with leads, scheduling and a full pipeline, the HoneyBook alternative and Dubsado alternative pages explain where those tools make more sense.
Who this suits
CloveDesk fits freelance graphic designers, brand and identity designers, packaging and print designers, social and presentation designers, and small studios who:
- price by project or package and want revision limits in writing
- need contracts with usage rights signed before work starts
- want feedback on the file, not scattered across messages
- want to stay in control of when final files are released
For other creative disciplines, see the client portal for web developers and client portal for photographers pages. For the broader picture, start with the client portal for freelancers guide.
Moving over from email, Dropbox and Google Drive
- Start with your next enquiry. Send the quote and contract through CloveDesk from the first yes.
- Bring current clients over at a natural break. The start of a new project or a fresh invoice is an easy moment.
- Save your defaults once. Business details, standard terms, revision limits, payment links and branding are reused on every quote and invoice.
- Keep your archive where it is. You don’t need to import old artwork. Use CloveDesk for what’s live.
Frequently asked questions
What is a client portal for graphic designers?
It’s a private place where each client can see the quote, sign the contract, review concepts, leave feedback, download final files and look at invoices, without digging through email. For a designer, it replaces scattered attachments and shared links with one organized space per client.
How do I stop clients getting final files before they pay?
You choose which files a client can see. Keep finals and source files private, send the final invoice, mark it paid when the money arrives, then share the files and email the client.
Can I limit revision rounds?
Put the number of rounds in the quote’s notes and terms and in your signed agreement. Every quote version is kept in a revision history, and each file keeps its own versions, so there’s a clear record of what was agreed and what was delivered.
Can clients leave feedback on my designs?
Yes. Each file has a comment thread shared with the client. There is no pin-on-image markup, so for pixel-level annotation you may want a dedicated proofing tool.
Do my clients need an account?
No. They open a link from their email. There’s no password and no sign-up.
Can I send large design files?
Yes. Many file types are supported, including large ones. The maximum file size depends on your plan, and the pricing panel below shows the details.
Can I take a deposit?
Create an invoice for the deposit and send it before work starts, with your payment terms and Pay button. You mark it paid once the money arrives.
Can I use my own contract?
Yes. Upload your own design agreement and send it for e-signature. The signed copy includes a certificate page and an audit trail.
Are e-signatures legally valid?
Signed documents come with a certificate page and an audit trail. E-signature rules vary by country and document type, so check what applies where you and your clients are based.
Can I try it before paying?
Yes. You can start free and run a real project through it.
Give your next design project a spine
Create a workspace, send the quote, and get the contract signed before the first sketch. It takes about as long as writing the email.