For AV, IT/MSP, and security integration companies, quoting software can range from fast, lightweight tools focused on sales efficiency to full-scale platforms that cover the entire project lifecycle. Portal.io and D-Tools Cloud both serve this market but with different priorities. Portal.io is designed for speed, automation, and accuracy in quoting, powered by a massive structured product catalog. D-Tools Cloud is built as an all-in-one solution, combining quoting with design, project management, inventory, service, and financial tools. Choosing between them depends on whether your business needs a streamlined quoting engine or a single platform to manage sales through service. If you’re weighing the options, here’s a practical comparison designed to help you choose what fits your team best.
About Portal.io
Portal is a cloud-based platform built for AudioVisual, IT/MSP, and security integration companies. It combines structured product data, fast quoting, integrated payments, and client collaboration into one lightweight system. It’s designed to remove friction in quoting, procurement, and approvals.
Key Features:
Fully Managed Product Catalog: Access over 2M+ AV/security products with images, metadata, and real-time dealer pricing from connected suppliers.
AI Proposal Builder: Create complete proposals in seconds just by describing the project or uploading a quick voice or video walkthrough. The system adds descriptions, areas, items and labor.
Payments & Invoicing: Send clean, connected invoices tied to proposals, accept payments instantly using your own processor, and support deposits, progress billing, and field collection without needing QuickBooks access.
Client-Facing Change Orders: Track and communicate changes without creating a new proposal. Portal keeps evolving projects accurate and ensures adds and upgrades don’t get missed. Clients see all approved changes in one place and can sign off instantly.
Ideal For:
Portal is best suited for small to mid-sized integrators and fast-moving sales teams that need to quote quickly and minimize back-office setup. Larger firms also use it to streamline their front-end quoting and client approval process.
About D‑Tools Cloud
D‑Tools Cloud is a cloud-native quoting and project management suite for AV, security, and IT integrators. It emphasizes structured workflows for quoting, field service, scheduling, and inventory.
Key Features:
Visual Quoting & Bundles: Create proposals using rooms, systems, or bundles. Drag-and-drop visual layouts help with structured system design.
Service & Project Tools: Includes scheduling, dispatch, time tracking, job costing, and change orders. Suited for end-to-end project workflows.
Inventory & Job Costing: Built-in inventory tracking with barcode/QR scanning, reorder alerts, and cost-to-budget tracking.
Financial Integrations: Works with QuickBooks Online/Desktop and Xero. Supports credit card deposits and convenience fees through built-in payment processing.
Ideal For:
D‑Tools Cloud is well suited for teams that want a structured, room-based quoting workflow with integrated project management tools and inventory control. It’s best for firms with multiple team roles, service plans, or larger ongoing projects.
Feature Comparison Chart: Portal vs. D‑Tools Cloud
Feature | Portal.io | D‑Tools Cloud |
Platform Type | Cloud-based | Cloud-based |
Product Catalog | 2M+ SKUs with real-time dealer pricing | 1.4 SKUs , real-time pricing from some suppliers, manually build “My Catalog” to view pricing or use items in a proposal |
AI Capabilities | AI-driven proposal builder | Not available |
CRM | Lightweight CRM built-in; also integrates with Zoho and more | CRM built-in |
Proposal Generation | Yes | Yes |
Change Orders | Client-facing with e-signature | Structured change order approvals |
Document Handling | Upload drawings/specs to proposals | Upload drawings/specs to proposals |
Scheduling & Tasks | Not available | Full project calendar, service dispatch, and time tracking |
Invoicing & Payments | Built-in invoicing, deposits, and convenience fees. Integrates with QuickBooks, Stripe, and Square. | Built-in invoicing, deposits, and convenience fees. |
Inventory | Not available | Included |
Mobile Access | Native iOS app, mobile web | Mobile web only |
Pricing | Starts at $29/month | Starts around $99/month |
Conclusion
Portal and D‑Tools Cloud take different approaches to helping integrators run more efficiently.
Portal is built for speed and ease. It’s ideal for quoting, payments, and client approvals from anywhere. It removes friction by combining structured product data with intuitive tools in a mobile-friendly platform. Teams can be up and running in minutes, sending polished proposals with virtually no setup or training required.
D‑Tools Cloud offers a more structured platform with deeper project tools like scheduling, service tracking, and inventory management. It’s well suited for teams that need detailed project visibility and are comfortable investing time upfront to configure workflows, build their catalog, and train staff on quoting structures.