MFA sign-in for every user
A password plus a one-time code, so a stolen password can't open your clients' files.
The Problem
Your Inbox Is the Least Safe Folder You Own
It happens every season. An accounting client portal should replace attachments, but yours is missing or so awkward that clients skip it.
A business client emails three K-1s and a scanned driver's license to your shared inbox.
- A partner forwards it to a preparer, who saves the files to a desktop folder.
- In April, someone replies to the wrong client with last year's return attached.
- Your current portal can't show one owner's entities under one login, so clients stop using it.
We start with an encrypted document exchange portal on your own domain, built around how your clients are structured.
Each person signs in with multi-factor authentication and sees only their allowed entities. Files stay encrypted in storage, every view is logged, and email alerts carry no attachments. Clients get one place for requests, signatures, and invoices.
MFA on every login
Clients and staff confirm each sign-in with a second factor.
Access by entity
One login covers a household or company group, with each file limited to the right people.
A record of every view
Every login, view, and download is logged with a user and time.
Our Secure Portal Build Process
From Security Review to Client Rollout in Five Steps
You approve the security plan, screens, and a pilot with friendly clients before anyone else logs in. Each stage ends with something you can test.
What's Included
What You Get With a Secure Client Portal for Accountants
The build covers sign-in, storage, requests, signatures, payments, and the logs your security plan needs, all on your own domain.
Compare Options
DeveloperLook vs Hosted Portals vs Encrypted Email
Hosted portals suit most small firms, and encrypted email works for occasional files. Custom earns its price when entities or integrations don't fit a template.
| Feature | DeveloperLookBest fit | Hosted portal | Encrypted email |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time to start | 4 to 16 weeks | A few days | Same day |
| Branding and domain | Your domain, your design | Logo, some domains | Sender name only |
| Multi-entity access | Built around your clients | Varies by product | One thread each |
| MFA and permissions | MFA and entity rules | MFA on most | Depends on inbox |
| Tool integrations | Your tools, by API | The vendor's list | Not available |
| Activity logging | Every view and download | Built into most | Sent mail only |
| Pricing model | From $1,350 plus hosting | Per-user fees | Lowest cost |
| Code ownership | Code and data yours | Vendor license | Copies in inboxes |
DeveloperLook
Hosted portal
- Time to start
- DeveloperLook: 4 to 16 weeksHosted portal: A few days
- Branding and domain
- DeveloperLook: Your domain, your designHosted portal: Logo, some domains
- Multi-entity access
- DeveloperLook: Built around your clientsHosted portal: Varies by product
- MFA and permissions
- DeveloperLook: MFA and entity rulesHosted portal: MFA on most
- Tool integrations
- DeveloperLook: Your tools, by APIHosted portal: The vendor's list
- Activity logging
- DeveloperLook: Every view and downloadHosted portal: Built into most
- Pricing model
- DeveloperLook: From $1,350 plus hostingHosted portal: Per-user fees
- Code ownership
- DeveloperLook: Code and data yoursHosted portal: Vendor license
DeveloperLook
Encrypted email
- Time to start
- DeveloperLook: 4 to 16 weeksEncrypted email: Same day
- Branding and domain
- DeveloperLook: Your domain, your designEncrypted email: Sender name only
- Multi-entity access
- DeveloperLook: Built around your clientsEncrypted email: One thread each
- MFA and permissions
- DeveloperLook: MFA and entity rulesEncrypted email: Depends on inbox
- Tool integrations
- DeveloperLook: Your tools, by APIEncrypted email: Not available
- Activity logging
- DeveloperLook: Every view and downloadEncrypted email: Sent mail only
- Pricing model
- DeveloperLook: From $1,350 plus hostingEncrypted email: Lowest cost
- Code ownership
- DeveloperLook: Code and data yoursEncrypted email: Copies in inboxes
Projects We've Built
Finance, Insurance, and Workforce Apps
Finance, insurance, and workforce apps we designed and built, with the secure logins, dashboards, and account screens a firm portal needs.
Login HR Staffing App Design & Development
- HR & Staffing
- Portal
- Mobile App
Dualcare Insurance App Design & Development
- Insurance
- Mobile App
Money wish Corporate AppDesign & Development
- Finance
- Website
Investment Website Design & Development
- Finance
- Website
What Our Clients Say
What Clients Say After Launch
Feedback from teams we have built secure web apps and portals for.
We had a pretty specific idea of what we wanted our website to become, but I wasn’t sure how easily we could explain all of it to a development team. There were quite a few moving parts, and we were working toward a deadline, so I expected a few things to get lost along the way. That never really happened. They understood what we were trying to achieve, kept us updated throughout the process, and got everything ready within the agreed timeline. The final site feels much easier to navigate, works beautifully on mobile, and is noticeably smoother for our customers. It was a huge relief seeing the original idea actually turn into the website we had in mind.
The mobile experience is probably my favourite part of the new site. We had spent a lot of time making sure the desktop version looked right, and the team kept pushing us to think about how everything would actually feel on a phone too. They were right. The navigation is clean, the interactions feel natural, and everything we’ve tested so far works exactly as it should. They also went through the links, forms, integrations, and other details more than once before launch, which I really appreciated. And even after going live, we could still reach out when something came up. The whole process felt friendly, organised, and surprisingly straightforward.
What I appreciate most is that the website is actually easy for us to manage now. We can update content ourselves instead of sending a developer a message every time we need to change something small. They also paid attention to the technical SEO side, which mattered to us because we didn’t want a new website to create problems for the traffic we already had. I’ve probably asked more questions than I should have since launch, but every question has been handled patiently and without any fuss. The team is easy to work with, they explain things clearly, and when we need something changed, they focus on getting it done rather than making the process complicated.
1,000+
Projects shipped
10+
Years of experience
Top 3%
Upwork Top Rated Plus
5 stars
Average review score
Work Culture
Why Firms Trust Us With Client Data
We treat every tax file as someone's identity. These habits keep your portal secure after launch day, not only on it.
MFA on every account
Encrypted in transit and storage
Every access leaves a record
Built for client adoption
Retention you control
You own the code and data
Overview
Who builds a secure accounting client portal for CPA firms?
DeveloperLook builds a custom accounting client portal for CPA and wealth firms that want tax files out of email. Each portal includes MFA logins, encrypted uploads, activity logs, and your own domain, with e-signatures and invoices on larger plans. Builds start at $1,350 and take 4 to 16 weeks, and you own the code.
- Starting price
- From $1,350 USD, fixed scope after discovery
- Typical timeline
- 4 to 16 weeks, by plan
- Experience
- 10+ years of development experience and 1,000+ shipped projects
- Post-launch support
- 30, 60, or 90 days, by plan
4 more facts
- Service
- Secure client portal development for CPAs & firms (MFA, encryption, logs)
- Platforms
- AWS, plus Karbon, QuickBooks Online, or Xero
- Built with
- Next.js, Node.js, PostgreSQL, Amazon S3, Auth0
- Communication
- Calls in US, UK, and AU business hours
You're still emailing returns. Clients forward PDFs from personal inboxes, and your security plan needs a safer channel.
Your firm prepares taxes and manages investments, and clients want one login for returns and planning documents.
Your business owners run several companies and a trust, and want every entity's files under one login.
Your current portal charges per user, can't match your brand, or won't connect to your tools.
Your managed IT firm supports several CPA offices and needs a developer to build a client portal for accounting firms.
Your firm runs TaxDome and its portal fits once branded. TaxDome Client Portal & Website Integration costs far less.
Your real gap is retyping clients between tools. CPA Practice Management & Workflow Integration connects what you already use.
You have one preparer and a few dozen clients. A portal subscription is cheaper and faster, and we'll say so.
Your budget is under $1,350, or you need the portal live within two weeks. A hosted portal fits that better.
Not sure we're the right fit?
Send a two-line brief. We'll tell you honestly whether we're the right team.
Pricing
Transparent Starting Prices for a CPA Client Portal
These are starting points in USD. Your final price depends on client entity structure, signing and payment needs, and integrations, and you get a fixed proposal after a free security review.
Secure File Portal
For firms that need tax files out of email, with a portal on their own domain.
$1,350
- Branded portal on your subdomain
- Client and staff sign-in with MFA
- Encrypted folders for each client
- Email alerts with no attachments
- Log of every view and download
- 30 days of post-launch support
Client Workspace Portal
For firms that want requests, signatures, and invoices in the same place as files.
$3,900
- Everything in Secure File Portal
- Document request lists with reminders
- E-signatures for letters and forms
- Stripe invoices paid by card or ACH
- Staff roles and permissions by client
- 60 days of post-launch support
Integrated Firm Portal
For CPA and wealth firms that need households, integrations, and adoption reporting.
$7,600
- Everything in Client Workspace Portal
- Household and multi-entity access
- Links to Karbon, QuickBooks Online, or Xero
- Staff sign-in with Microsoft 365
- Adoption report on logins and requests
- 90 days of post-launch support
For Agencies
White-Label Portal Development for Agencies and IT Providers
You own the client relationship. We supply the portal engineering for your accounting clients under your brand: secure sign-in, encrypted storage, activity logs, and the documentation their security plan needs.
Behind your brand
Security documentation
Senior developers only
Room to grow
How the partnership works
Share the firm's client structure, current portal, and security requirements.
You get a fixed quote, a data flow diagram, and one lead developer.
We build, pilot with friendly clients, and hand over the code under your brand.
Partner with DeveloperLookDelivered under your brand
The Right Technology for Your Project
Technology Stack
We build on proven frameworks and managed cloud services that publish SOC 2 reports, and document how we use them.
Next.js
React
Node.js
PostgreSQL
- Auth0
- Amazon S3
Cloudflare- 1Password
- Karbon
QuickBooks Online
Xero- DocuSign
Stripe
AWS
Docker- Sentry
- Let's Encrypt
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers on cost, timing, email risk, compliance, custom domains, adoption, and ownership.
Custom portal builds with us start at $1,350 for secure file exchange with MFA, encrypted folders, and activity logs on your domain. Request lists, e-signatures, and Stripe invoices start at $3,900. Household access, software links, and adoption reporting start at $7,600. Hosting is billed separately to your cloud account.
A secure file portal takes 4 to 6 weeks, and a portal with requests, e-signatures, and invoices takes 8 to 10. Integrated builds with households and software links take 12 to 16 weeks. The pilot adds about a week, so we time rollout before organizers go out.
Email leaves a copy of every attachment in both inboxes, and one mistyped address sends a return to a stranger. IRS Publication 4557 asks tax professionals to encrypt sensitive data and skip unprotected email. The FTC Safeguards Rule also requires telling the FTC within 30 days when unencrypted data on 500 or more people is acquired without authorization.
No IRS certification exists for portals, and SOC 2 is an audit of an organization's controls, not a product label. A portal needs what those rules check: multi-factor sign-in, encryption in transit and at rest, access by client, logs, and secure deletion. AWS, our usual host, shares its SOC 2 reports through AWS Artifact.
A custom portal puts all three on one client screen, tied to the same record. A request list shows what's missing, uploads land in the right entity's folder, and the letter and invoice sit beside them. Your staff see one status per client instead of checking three tools.
Yes, the portal runs on a subdomain such as portal.yourfirm.com, with your logo, colors, and email sender. We set the DNS records and TLS certificate, plus SPF, DKIM, and DMARC so portal emails come from your domain. Clients see your firm's name at every step.
A portal your clients use becomes the home of their tax and planning history, making your firm harder to leave. We can't promise a retention number, so we build for adoption: one household login and email reminders. Tax and planning files sit together, which client portal software for financial advisors may not offer.
Most small firms should start with a hosted portal, since it costs less and launches in days. Custom makes sense when clients have many entities, you run a wealth arm, or you need links your vendor lacks. If TaxDome already fits, our TaxDome setup service is cheaper.
The files don't live on the laptop, because they stay in encrypted cloud storage and each download is logged. Staff sign in with MFA, and an admin can end a lost device's sessions right away. We also set short session timeouts and can block downloads from sensitive folders.
Your firm owns the code, cloud account, domain, and every file from day one. Plans include 30, 60, or 90 days of support, then an optional care plan covers security updates. You also get a runbook your IT provider can follow for backups, access reviews, and incidents.
Book a call
Book Your Exclusive Strategy Session Today!
Pick a 30-minute slot that works for you. We meet on Google Meet to align on goals, scope, and the right next step.