A retainer client portal without login.
The average client portal gets used once, then abandoned. They forgot the password, couldn’t remember the URL, or just didn’t bother. HourTab works differently: your client gets a single URL they bookmark. Open it any time — hours used, hours remaining, work log. No account. No password. No “I’ll reset it and send you a link.”
Free forever for your first retainer · no credit card.
Why client portals fail retainer freelancers
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Login friction kills adoption.
Your client gets an invite email, creates a password, logs in once to check their hours, and never comes back. Two weeks later they’re emailing you anyway: “Hey, quick question — where do I find the hours page?” You set up the portal to avoid exactly this email. Now you’re writing it.
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Portals are built for agencies, not solo freelancers.
Tools like Retainerkit and Plutio are built for 10-seat agencies who have an ops person to configure client accounts. Solo consultants and 2-person studios don’t need per-client user management — they need to send a link and move on. No RBAC. No onboarding flow. Just a URL.
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The work log matters more than a status number.
Clients who can see what got done alongside how many hours it took stop asking “what did you work on?” That question is a billing relationship problem, not a communication problem. The work log on the same page as the progress bar resolves it.
How the no-login portal works
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1
Create a retainer. Enter the hours per cycle, hourly rate, reset date, and client name. Takes 60 seconds.
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2
Import your time entries. Paste a CSV export from Toggl, Harvest, Clockify, FreshBooks, or Hubstaff — or log hours manually. Entries appear on the client page immediately.
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3
Send the link once. HourTab generates a unique URL. Send it in your first invoice, next onboarding email, or Slack message. Your client bookmarks it. Done.
The link stays live as long as the retainer is active. Every new CSV import updates the live page. Your client checks it whenever they want — no ping from you required.
“It is frustrating to be contacted by clients looking to find out how many hours they have left, or why something took more hours than usual.”
— Bonsai’s guide to freelance retainers
A URL they can bookmark stops that email before it starts.
Common questions
Can my client see the retainer hours page without creating an account?
Yes. HourTab generates a public URL — like hourtab.com/r/abc123 — that anyone with the link can view. No login, no account, no password. Your client bookmarks it once and checks it whenever they want.
Is a no-login retainer portal secure?
Each retainer gets a unique unguessable link (randomized slug). Only someone with the URL can view it — the same model Calendly and Loom use for shared links. You can revoke and re-issue the link at any time from your dashboard.
What does the client see on the portal?
A live progress bar showing hours used vs. hours included in the retainer, the reset date, and a timestamped work log listing each time entry. No invoices, no billing details, no unrelated project data.
Does the portal update automatically?
Whenever you import a new CSV from your time tracker or log hours manually, the page refreshes for your client the next time they open it. No email required from you.