Portara
Job-based catering scheduling, invoicing, purchasing, and payment software
At a glance
- Editor score9.0 / 10
- PricingFrom $42/mo (annual) · 14-day trial
- Best forSmall teams needing affordable event operations
- Free planNo
- Paid from$42/mo
- Proposal builderYes
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Covers estimates, signatures, deposits, orders, purchasing, and payments
- Teams plan adds scheduling, job briefings, roles, timesheets, and payroll export
- Connects with Stripe, Square, calendars, storage, messaging, and email providers
Where it doesn't
- No free plan is available
- The product runs on the web rather than offering listed native apps
- Advanced team operations require the higher-priced Teams plan
Our verdict on Portara
Portara is browser-based business management software for caterers and other job-based businesses. It supports the full event workflow, from estimates with electronic signatures and deposits to event orders containing products, services, labor, and quantities. Teams can also manage purchasing lists, inventory, receipts, staffing, event briefings, invoices, payment collection, time approvals, payroll exports, and job-based reporting. Its scope makes it a fit for small catering businesses that want operational and financial records connected to each event rather than handled across separate tools.
Pricing is divided between Solo and Teams, with monthly and annual billing. Solo costs $49 per month or $504 per year, while the published starting price is $42 per month when billed annually. Solo includes estimates, signatures and deposits, job items, inventory and purchasing lists, receipt scanning, invoices, and payments. Teams costs $99 per month or $1,020 per year and includes everything in Solo, plus employee availability, job scheduling, work offers, job briefings, timesheets, payroll export, and custom roles and permissions. A 14-day trial is available, but there is no free plan.
Portara also has a practical ecosystem for payment and event coordination. Listed connections include Stripe, Square, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Square Payroll, Twilio, and email providers. The product includes AI features, payment links, online or on-site payment collection, and event briefings with location, timing, and service details. Small teams with recurring catering jobs, staff coordination needs, and purchasing requirements should find the broad job-based workflow relevant. Businesses seeking a free option, native platform coverage beyond the web, or a narrowly focused menu tool may prefer a more specialized alternative.
Portara pricing
All 2 Portara plans and prices →
Portara fact sheet
| Free plan | No |
|---|---|
| Paid from | $42/mo |
| Proposal builder | Yes |
| Contract signing | Yes |
| Menu management | Yes |
| Catering order management | Yes |
| Staff scheduling | Yes |
| Payment processing | Yes |
| Event logistics | Yes |
| Free trial | 14 days · no card needed |
| Deployment | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web |
| Compliance & security | SOC 2 |
| Support | |
| Built for | Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 7 integrations: Stripe, Square, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Square Payroll, Twilio … |
| Pricing | From $42/mo (annual) · 14-day trial (source) |
| Website | getportara.com |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Portara integrations
Portara lists 7 integrations on its own site.
- Stripe
- Square
- Google Calendar
- Google Drive
- Square Payroll
- Twilio
- email providers
Alternatives to Portara
- CaterOpsA low-cost, workflow-focused system for managing catering events end to end.9.6
- CurateA broad catering operations platform with strong integrations and sales-led pricing.7.0
- CatertooA practical browser-based suite for managing catering sales, events, payments, and staffing.9.0
See all Portara alternatives →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026
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