WP Customer Area alternative
WP Customer Area alternative: Drive Workflows, with client files in your Google Drive
Both are WordPress plugins. The difference is where your clients' files live.
WP Customer Area keeps private files on your WordPress server. Drive Workflows puts each client's files in their folder of your company Google Drive.
- Files in your Google DriveInstead of your hosting space.
- Workflows built inApproval, team steps, filing.
- Every feature in one planInstead of add-ons one by one.
WP Customer Area and Drive Workflows, side by side
The facts that matter when you choose a client portal plugin.
| Feature | Drive Workflows | WP Customer Area |
|---|---|---|
| Where client files are stored | Each client's folder in your company Google Drive | On your WordPress server, in wp-content/customer-area |
| Storage space | The storage of your own cloud account | The disk space of your hosting |
| Cloud storage you connect | Google Drive today; Dropbox, Box and OneDrive coming soon | No |
| Private space per client | A Drive folder per client, created on their first visit | Private pages and files per user; folders with the Enhanced files add-on |
| Client uploads | Yes | With the Front office publishing add-on (from €59 a year) |
| Requests and approvals | Workflows: approval, team steps, filing, closing e-mail (paid plans) | Projects, tasks and conversations add-ons; no approval workflow found |
| Invoicing | No; paid access to the client space with WooCommerce | Billing add-ons with Stripe or PayPal |
| Form plugins | Contact Form 7, WPForms, Ninja Forms, Formidable Forms, Google Forms | Not found |
| GDPR tools | Export, erasure, retention periods, deletion log | Not found in its add-ons or documentation |
| Mobile app | Cloud Docs Pro for iPhone and Android (coming soon) | Not found |
| Free version on WordPress.org | Yes | Yes |
| Price | Free version; paid plans €149, €299 or €599 a year (1, 5 or 25 sites), VAT included | Add-ons from €39 to €59 a year each; all 24 add-ons €549 a year for 1 site |
Competitor facts come from each vendor's own website, checked on 9 November 2026. Prices and features change: check them on each site before you decide. Drive Workflows prices include VAT; other prices are shown as each vendor shows them. Something out of date? Write to us and we will correct it.
Which one fits your business
WP Customer Area suits you if…
You want client files on your own server, a mature plugin with a large user base, and you pick add-ons one by one, including invoicing, projects and tasks.
Drive Workflows suits you if…
Your team already works in Google Drive and wants client files there, with requests that move through approval and team steps, and a mobile app for clients.
Why Google Drive
Client files where the team already works
- A light websiteFiles pass through the site on their way to Drive and are never kept on your hosting.
- The team works as usualOpen, edit and share client files in Google Drive, with no WordPress account.
- Backups stay smallYour site's backup holds pages and accounts, not years of client documents.
Questions
What is a good WP Customer Area alternative?
If your company files are in Google Drive, Drive Workflows gives each client a private space on your WordPress site with their files in their own Drive folder, plus workflows with approvals. WP Customer Area stays a good choice if you want files on your own server and its invoicing, projects and tasks add-ons.
Why store client files in Google Drive rather than on the server?
Your hosting space and backups stay small, the team opens client files in Google Drive like any other file, and you can share a client's folder with a colleague or a freelancer the usual way. Every file stays under your company Google account.
Can I switch from WP Customer Area?
Yes. Your client accounts are ordinary WordPress users, so they stay. Copy each client's files into their folder in your Google Drive, and Drive Workflows shows them in their space. We can do it for you, on a free estimate. See setup and services
Is there a free version?
Yes. The free version on WordPress.org connects your Google Drive, gives each client a private folder and space, and includes the GDPR tools. Uploads, workflows and the app come with a paid plan.