Choosing software as an AV or security integrator is about more than just feature lists. It’s about finding a platform that aligns with how your team actually works. Portal and Jetbuilt both serve this industry but approach it from different angles. If you’re trying to decide between them, below is a clear comparison.
About Portal.io
Portal is a cloud-based platform built for AudioVisual, IT, and security integration companies. It combines product data, fast quoting, payment collection, and proposal collaboration into one modern system. It’s designed to simplify the sales and procurement workflow from start to finish.
Key Features:
Fully Managed Product Catalog: Access over 2M+ industry products, each with images, specifications, and real-time pricing, including vendor-direct and wholesale data.
AI Proposal Builder: Quickly create detailed proposals by describing the project in plain language. The system builds out products, labor, scope, and documentation instantly.
CRM & Payments: Built-in custom CRM tools for customer tracking and integrated payment processing via QuickBooks, Square, and Stripe.
Client and Team Collaboration: Review proposals internally or with customers, share changes, and get approvals with e-signatures.
Ideal For:
Portal is a strong fit for sales teams and small to mid-sized integration companies looking to move faster and reduce manual quoting work. It’s also used by larger firms that want to simplify the front end of their sales and project pipeline.
About Jetbuilt
Jetbuilt is a cloud-based platform built for integrators. It offers tools to streamline project workflows from quoting to installation, and now includes advanced modules for inventory, scheduling, and service ticketing.
Key Features:
Project Modules: Includes Funnel (CRM), Install (scheduling), Stock (inventory), and Service (support tickets).
Third-Party Integrations: Works with QuickBooks, Microsoft 365, Salesforce, HubSpot, and design tools like Vectorworks and VidCAD.
Tariff Management Tools: Built-in features for tracking tariff changes, project registration, and automated pricing alerts.
Multi-Currency & Multilingual Support: Supports international teams and clients with localized features.
Ideal For:
Jetbuilt is often chosen by firms that want project-level oversight in one system. It’s useful for integrators that manage ongoing jobs involving multiple departments.
Feature Comparison Chart: Portal vs. Jetbuilt
Feature | Portal.io | Jetbuilt |
Platform Type | Cloud-based quoting and product data platform | Cloud-based project sales and management suite |
Product Catalog | Fully managed industry catalog with product data and dealer pricing | AV and IT product catalog with dealer pricing |
AI Capabilities | AI Proposal Builder creates proposal drafts with project descriptions, items, and labor | AI support chat, AI-assisted proposal creation, scopes of work, and project summaries; AI drawings require a paid add-on |
CRM | Customer and contact management; Zoho/Salesforce integrations | Client records and custom integrations via API; Funnel CRM requires an additional paid module |
Proposal Generation | AI-built proposals, reusable templates, and packages | Proposal templates and AI assistance |
Change Orders | Client-facing with e-signature and payment options | Client-facing with e-signature and payment options |
Document Handling | File uploads on Proposals (drawings, floorplans, specs) | File uploads on Proposals; client portal document sharing requires an additional paid module |
Scheduling & Task Mgmt | — | Task assignment and technician time tracking require the additional paid Install module |
Payments | Invoicing and payment requests with QuickBooks, Stripe, and Square integrations | Jetpay ACH, credit cards, QuickBooks Online |
Inventory & Procurement | Order Management, basic vendor workflows | Purchase orders and vendor workflows; inventory tracking requires the additional paid Stock module |
Reporting & Analytics | Project profitability | Project profitability |
Mobile Access | iOS app and mobile responsive web app | iOS and Android |
Proposal Structuring
| Organize by rooms and areas | Organized by rooms and systems |
Deployment | Cloud-based | Cloud-based |
Pricing | Starts at $29/month | Starts at $69/user/month (modules sold separately) |
Conclusion
Portal and Jetbuilt take different approaches to helping integrators work more efficiently.
Portal is built for speed. It removes friction from quoting, approvals, and purchasing by combining product data, smart proposals, and client collaboration in one place. For most sales teams and growing integration firms, it offers a faster way to get proposals out the door and projects underway.
Jetbuilt includes more traditional project management tools such as scheduling, inventory tracking, and service modules. These can be useful for companies managing larger or more complex installations.
Think about where your team spends the most time and what gets in the way. The right platform should help you do more of what works and less of what slows you down.