DIY Google Drive Folder vs a Real Client Portal
A comparison of using a shared Google Drive folder versus a dedicated client portal for delivering contracts, galleries and invoices.
A shared Google Drive folder is free and easy to set up, but it was not built for client delivery: no proofing, no branding, no invoicing, and permissions that are easy to get wrong. A dedicated client portal costs more but is actually built for this exact job.
What Google Drive gets right
It is free, familiar, and quick to set up for a single client without any new tool to learn. For a very small, casual operation, that simplicity has real appeal.
Where it falls short
| Google Drive folder | Dedicated client portal | |
|---|---|---|
| Branding | None | Fully branded |
| Proofing or favouriting | No | Yes |
| Invoicing built in | No | Yes |
| Permission mistakes | Easy to make | Scoped by design |
The permissions risk specifically
A shared folder's permissions are easy to get wrong, sharing a link more broadly than intended, or forgetting to remove access after a project ends, which a dedicated client portal handles by design rather than by manual vigilance.
Move from a shared folder to a real client portalFrequently asked questions
Is a Google Drive folder good enough for a small photography business?
For very casual, occasional work it can suffice, but it lacks branding, proofing and invoicing, which matter more as a business grows.
What is the biggest risk with using shared folders for client delivery?
Permission mistakes: sharing more broadly than intended, or forgetting to revoke access later, both of which a dedicated portal avoids by design.
Does a client portal cost significantly more than Drive?
It typically comes bundled with other studio tools you likely already need, like galleries and invoicing, rather than being a separate, standalone cost.
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