Name: Portico
Author: Portico

Question 1

How is Portico different from Assembly?

Accepted Answer

Assembly is a polished client portal with messaging, files, and a unified inbox. But its onboarding features are limited: 9 form field types, no conditional logic, and no auto-save on client forms. E-signatures live in a separate Contracts app rather than inside the intake form. Portico is purpose-built for client onboarding. Intake forms, document collection, e-signatures, and payments happen in one guided flow with conditional logic and automated reminders.

Question 2

Does Assembly have conditional logic?

Accepted Answer

No. Assembly forms show all fields to all clients. Portico's conditional logic shows different fields based on answers — new clients see the full intake, returning clients skip to what's changed. One template handles both.

Question 3

Can I collect e-signatures with Assembly?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but not inside the intake form. Assembly has a native Contracts app with e-signatures, templates, and PDF audit trails, included on all plans. It is a separate step from the forms, though, so signatures and form fields live in different places. Portico includes legally binding e-signatures inline in the onboarding flow alongside form fields and payments — one guided sequence instead of separate apps.

Question 4

Does Assembly save form progress?

Accepted Answer

No. Assembly forms only have Submit and Cancel buttons. If a client closes the browser mid-form, their work may be lost. Portico auto-saves every field with an 800ms debounce — clients can close the browser and resume exactly where they left off.

Question 5

Is Assembly's client portal better than Portico's?

Accepted Answer

Assembly's portal is polished — messaging, file sharing, and a unified inbox in one interface. But polish is not the same as onboarding depth. Portico's portal centers on the intake flow: step-by-step progress, completion tracking, deadline visibility, and per-field feedback. Assembly uses the same interface for messaging, files, and forms. Portico's interface is shaped around the onboarding sequence.

Question 6

Can I brand Portico beyond just the sidebar?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Logo on forms and portal, brand colors on buttons and UI elements, custom domain, branded emails with your sender name, and badge removal at $39/month. Since its 2.0 update, Assembly applies your logo, font, and 3 brand colors across the login screen, emails, and invoices — but full badge removal still requires its Advanced plan ($399/mo).

Question 7

What about Assembly's built-in CRM?

Accepted Answer

Portico focuses on onboarding, not CRM. Assembly's CRM is a contact directory with Active/Inactive status — no pipeline stages, no lifecycle tracking. If you need a CRM, pair Portico with a dedicated tool. Most teams find that the "CRM" in Assembly was really just a contact list.

Question 8

Is there a free plan?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Portico has a permanent free plan with up to 3 active onboardings per month, unlimited team members, conditional logic, and e-signatures. No credit card required.

Question 9

What does Assembly do better than Portico?

Accepted Answer

Assembly has a polished client portal with built-in messaging, file sharing, and a unified inbox. If you need an ongoing communication and file-sharing hub with clients beyond the onboarding phase, Assembly covers more ground. Its portal also supports custom domains and a fully branded experience on higher tiers. Portico focuses specifically on the structured onboarding flow — forms, signatures, payments, and follow-up.

Question 10

Can I collect documents, signatures, and payments in one flow with Assembly?

Accepted Answer

Not in one flow. Assembly has e-signatures, forms, and payments, but each lives in its own app within the portal — a client moves between separate tools rather than a single sequence. Portico combines intake forms, e-signatures, and payments in one guided flow — clients complete everything step by step without switching tools.

Feature	Portico	Assembly
Purpose-built client onboarding		General-purpose client portal
Conditional intake forms
E-signatures in the intake flow		Separate Contracts app
Multi-step forms		Single scroll
Auto-save on client forms	800ms
Field types	18+	9
Branded transactional emails		Logo + colors (2.0)
Custom branding	$39/mo	3 colors + logo/font
Remove "Powered by" badge	$39/mo	Advanced plan
Per-field comments
Per-field approve/reject
Payment collection		Separate app
Client portal
In-portal messaging
Magic-link access
Workflow automations		Task-metered
Audit trail	Hash-chained, tamper-proof
Multilingual (9 locales)
Unlimited team members
Setup time	~10 min	1-3 hours
Starting price	$0 (free tier)	$39/mo

A client portal built for onboarding, not everything

Why teams leave Assembly

Onboarding scattered across separate apps

Single-scroll forms with no auto-save

9 field types and limited form logic

Branding you do not fully control until Advanced

See the difference

Dashboard

Forms

Onboarding automation

Onboarding that works. Not a portal with forms bolted on.

Forms, signatures, and payments in one flow

Multi-step forms with auto-save

Per-field review built for onboarding

18+ field types with conditional logic

Full branding — not just the sidebar

Portico vs Assembly

Frequently Asked Questions