ClientOS vs Agency Handy
A self-hosted Agency Handy alternative
Agency Handy is a hosted client portal and service-management tool for agencies. ClientOS does the same job from a server you own, for a one-time licence instead of a subscription. Because this page could not reach Agency Handy’s own pages to check their current terms, it compares the two *models* and states only ClientOS facts as fact.
What we could not check, and will not guess. On 29 October 2026, https://agencyhandy.com/ refused connections from our network over both HTTPS and HTTP, so we could not read Agency Handy’s own pricing or feature pages. This page therefore makes no claim at all about Agency Handy’s prices, plans, limits or features. It compares the two delivery models, states only ClientOS facts as fact, and sends you to https://agencyhandy.com/ for theirs. Recorded in UNVERIFIED.md.
Side by side
| Agency Handy | ClientOS | |
|---|---|---|
| The model | Hosted SaaS: the vendor runs the servers and bills you monthly or annually. | A one-time licence per domain, installed on a Linux VPS you rent. $490, $990 or $1,790, or quoted, plus a server at about $10 a month. |
| Where client data lives | On the vendor’s infrastructure, under their terms — as with any hosted portal. | In your own PostgreSQL database and file storage. The only thing that leaves is a licence check-in twice a day carrying the signed licence and the version you run. |
| Who runs the server | They do. Nothing for you to patch, monitor or back up. | You do. One command installs it and one updates it, but you own the VPS — and the docs are explicit that nothing runs your backups until you schedule them. |
| How the price moves as you grow | Hosted portals typically price by seat, by plan tier, or both. | It does not. Unlimited clients, staff and orders on every package; extra domains are each a separate licence. |
| Payments | Check their own pricing page for the gateways and any transaction fee. | Stripe, PayPal, NOWPayments, CoinGate, BTCPay Server, manual crypto wallets and account credit — straight to your accounts, no cut taken. |
| Leaving | Whatever their export covers. Worth checking before you commit either way. | The database and files are already yours. One command dumps the database, files and settings into a folder you can copy anywhere. |
| Source code | Not offered by hosted SaaS. | Not offered either. ClientOS ships as SHA-256-verified Docker images with a one-command installer: self-hosted, but not open source. |
Stay on Agency Handy if…
- You want the vendor to run the infrastructure, patch it and back it up.
- Agency Handy already does something specific you depend on. Check their own site — this page deliberately makes no claim about their feature set.
- A monthly subscription suits your cash flow better than a licence paid up front.
- You need an interface language other than English, which ClientOS does not offer.
- You want to trial the product free before paying. ClientOS sells a licence; its demo is read-only and lasts 3 days.
Look at ClientOS if…
- Client data has to stay in your own database — the usual requirement for white-label resellers and anyone working under a client NDA.
- You are tired of a bill that grows with headcount. ClientOS states unlimited clients, staff and orders on every package, because the licence is counted per domain.
- You want clients to be able to pay in crypto. ClientOS lists NOWPayments, CoinGate, your own BTCPay Server and manual wallet payments, next to Stripe and PayPal.
- You want the whole operation — store, orders, messages, help desk, invoices, subscriptions, expenses, reports — under one licence rather than split across plan tiers.
- You would rather pay once. The licence keeps working on the version you hold after its updates end.
What moving actually involves
This is the part comparison pages usually skip. Here is what getclientos.com states about migration, including the bits that are work.
- 01
A server and one DNS record
A Linux VPS with 2–4 GB of memory, and one A record pointing a domain such as clients.youragency.com at it. On Cloudflare the record must be DNS-only while you install.
- 02
One command, then the browser
The installer handles Docker, passwords, the download and HTTPS; the docs put it at about 10 minutes. A seven-step setup page follows: agency, region, two brand colours and your owner account.
- 03
Connect email and payments
Allow 20–40 minutes, most of it in your email provider adding SPF and DKIM records. Nothing can be emailed until Resend or your SMTP server is connected, so this comes before inviting anyone.
- 04
Bring your data over
On Start-up and Standard you import clients from a CSV with column mapping. On Premium and Custom the ClientOS team moves your data, or builds a migration tool for it.
- 05
Schedule your own backups
The honest one.
clientos backupwrites the database, files and settings to a folder, but nothing runs it until you add the cron line — and you should copy that folder off the server.
Other comparisons
ClientOS vs Wayfront
Wayfront, formerly Service Provider Pro, is a hosted client portal from $99/mo. ClientOS is the same job self-hosted on a one-time licence. An honest comparison, checked 29 October 2026.
Read the comparison →ClientOS vs Zendo
Zendo is a hosted service-selling platform from free to $99/mo, with per-user pricing. ClientOS is self-hosted on a one-time licence. A factual comparison, checked 29 October 2026.
Read the comparison →The full list
Every client portal we know of for agencies, self-hosted and hosted, listed neutrally and not ranked.
Browse the list →See ClientOS before you leave Agency Handy
The instant demo emails you a login to a live ClientOS with sample clients, orders and invoices — the full agency admin and the client portal. Read-only, 3 days, no call and no card.