Compared Oct 25, 2026
Assembly vs Plutio
Two hosted client portals, side by side: price, seats, white-label, trials and reviews, each with a source. And, if neither fits, the self-hosted option.
Full admin and client portal
No call, no card
By Vibemonk Updated Oct 25, 2026 We build ClientOS
Assembly
Hosted
Plutio
Hosted
- Starts at
- Free plan for 5 contacts; paid from about $29–39/mo billed yearly
- $19/mo (Core, up to 9 active clients)
- Trial
- Free plan
- 7-day trial, no card
- Reviews
- About 4.7/5 on G2 (~325 reviews)
- About 4.6/5 on Capterra (~160 reviews)
Short answer
Pick Assembly if you sell retainers or consulting and care most about how the portal looks. Pick Plutio if you are a solo freelancer with a handful of clients.
If you would rather own the portal and pay once instead of every month, there is a third option: ClientOS, which we make.
Our bias, up front. This guide is written by Vibemonk, the team behind ClientOS, one of the products compared. Every price links to the vendor's own page, and the places where others beat ClientOS stay in.
Side by side
Assembly vs Plutio at a glance
The facts that decide most switches, from each vendor’s own pages on Oct 25, 2026.
| Feature | Assembly | Plutio |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Service firms that want a polished client experience | Freelancers and small studios |
| Starting price | Free plan for 5 contacts; paid from about $29–39/mo billed yearly | $19/mo (Core, up to 9 active clients) |
| Trial | Free plan | 7-day trial, no card |
| White-label | Custom domain and badge removal from Professional ($149/mo billed yearly). | White-label is a $9/mo add-on below the Max plan ($199/mo). |
| Where it runs | Hosted by Assembly | Hosted by Plutio |
| Reviews | About 4.7/5 on G2 (~325 reviews) | About 4.6/5 on Capterra (~160 reviews) |
In depth
Strengths, weaknesses and who should pick which
Where each one wins, where it falls short, and who it suits.
Assembly (formerly Copilot)
Best for service firms that want a polished client experience
About 4.7/5 on G2 (~325 reviews)
A clean, branded client portal for messaging, files, billing, forms and contracts. It renamed itself from Copilot in 2025.
- Starting price
- Free plan for 5 contacts; paid from about $29–39/mo billed yearly
- White-label
- Custom domain and badge removal from Professional ($149/mo billed yearly).
- Trial
- Free plan
Strengths
- A polished client-facing design
- Quick to set up
- A free tier to start on
Weaknesses
- Contact caps on lower plans (50 on Starter, 500 on Professional)
- Not built around buying a service and running an order
- Fewer payment options and native integrations
Pick it if you sell retainers or consulting and care most about how the portal looks.
Plutio
Best for freelancers and small studios
About 4.6/5 on Capterra (~160 reviews)
An all-in-one workspace for projects, proposals, invoices and a client portal, with AI and automations.
- Starting price
- $19/mo (Core, up to 9 active clients)
- White-label
- White-label is a $9/mo add-on below the Max plan ($199/mo).
- Trial
- 7-day trial, no card
Strengths
- Replaces several freelancer tools
- Low entry price
- Generous storage and AI credits
Weaknesses
- Core stops at 9 active clients
- Reviewers call some automations misleading
- Not shaped around a service store and orders
Pick it if you are a solo freelancer with a handful of clients.
Neither one fits?
ClientOS, the self-hosted option
A self-hosted client portal for productized service agencies: service store, checkout, orders, invoices, subscriptions, messages and tickets, on your own server, paid for once.
- Pay once, keep it forever
- No limit on staff or clients
- Runs on your server, in the country you choose
- An importer built for leaving Wayfront
What it lacks: no Zapier, Make or public API yet; no time tracking; new, so no third-party reviews yet. We make it, so weigh this card accordingly.
Before you choose
Assembly vs Plutio: questions
Is Plutio cheaper than Assembly?
Plutio starts at $19/mo (Core, up to 9 active clients). Assembly starts at Free plan for 5 contacts; paid from about $29–39/mo billed yearly. Which comes out cheaper depends on your team size and how long you stay, so price both for your team.
Do Assembly and Plutio have a free trial?
Assembly: Free plan. Plutio: 7-day trial, no card.
Can you white-label Assembly and Plutio?
Assembly: Custom domain and badge removal from Professional ($149/mo billed yearly). Plutio: White-label is a $9/mo add-on below the Max plan ($199/mo).
Which has better reviews, Assembly or Plutio?
Assembly: About 4.7/5 on G2 (~325 reviews). Plutio: About 4.6/5 on Capterra (~160 reviews). With few reviews, one unhappy customer moves the score, so read the reviews, not just the stars.
Is there a self-hosted alternative to Assembly and Plutio?
Yes. ClientOS runs on your own server and is paid for once ($990, $1,790 or $2,690, plus a server at about $10–25/mo), with no seat limit. We make it, so weigh that. Assembly and Plutio are hosted only.
Keep comparing
More from this guide
See it before you switch
Don’t take our word for it. Click around the real thing.
The live demo is the full ClientOS admin and client portal, filled with a sample agency’s clients, orders and invoices. Your login arrives by email and works for 3 days.
Sample data, not a real agency.