What is a board portal?
A board portal, also known as a board management platform, is software that allows users to upload documents to the cloud server, store, edit, share and review them securely. It serves as a virtual meeting room that improves remote team collaboration and communication during boardroom meetings.
Thanks to a virtual boardroom, even in remote work conditions every director can not only collaborate on important documents but also communicate with other board members effectively. Various organizations use board management tools to manage the intense workflow of their leading boards.
Modern board portals go beyond document storage; they offer advanced governance tools such as agenda management, electronic voting, real-time annotations, screen sharing, and compliance tracking. By replacing traditional paper-based board packs with digital workflows, board portals enhance operational efficiency and streamline decision-making processes.
Why organizations are adopting board portals
The adoption of board portals is accelerating globally, with a particularly strong surge among Canadian organizations. Several factors are driving this trend:
- Regulatory compliance – Canadian businesses face stringent data privacy laws, including PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act), making secure digital solutions like board portals essential for maintaining compliance.
- Remote and hybrid governance – With more boards adopting hybrid or fully remote meeting structures, digital governance platforms enable real-time collaboration regardless of location.
- Cybersecurity and data protection – Given the rising threats of data breaches, board portals provide encrypted, permission-based access to confidential board materials, ensuring proprietary information security.
- Efficiency and cost savings – Automating board meeting preparation reduces administrative overhead, eliminating the need for printed board books and last-minute document updates.
Board portal adoption among Canadian organizations
Board portals have seen a rapid uptick in adoption across Canada, particularly in industries with high governance requirements such as finance, healthcare, education, and government agencies.
- Financial institutions & credit unions – Stringent regulatory frameworks and governance best practices push banks, credit unions, and investment firms to leverage board portals for secure decision-making and record-keeping.
- Healthcare & nonprofits – Organizations handling sensitive patient or donor data require a secure, centralized platform for document sharing and compliance reporting.
- Public & government entities – As transparency and accountability become more critical, Canadian government bodies increasingly implement board portals to enhance governance efficiency.
- Corporate boards & private companies – As businesses scale, they adopt digital governance tools to manage complex board operations and regulatory obligations efficiently.
Who uses board portals?
A board meeting app is not limited to directors; it serves multiple stakeholders involved in governance and decision-making:
- Board members & executives – Use it as board governance software, providing secure, real-time access to board materials, schedules, and discussions.
- Corporate secretaries & governance professionals – Use it primarily as board agenda software, managing board documentation, streamlining meeting preparation, and ensuring regulatory compliance.
- Legal & compliance teams – Use it primarily for board document management, monitoring governance records, tracking resolutions, and maintaining audit trails for risk mitigation.
- C-suite leadership (CEOs, CFOs, COOs) – Align executive decision-making with board priorities and provide financial insights.
- IT & security teams – Ensure proper implementation, access controls, and cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive board data.
Board management software selection guide
When a specific business understands all the benefits of board minutes software adoption, many new questions can appear. Which virtual meeting room is the most reliable? How much should we spend on it? Which deployment option to choose? Will the provider meet all the requirements? These questions are right. We will try to answer in our short but useful selection guide.
- Define the budget. Each business is unique, and has its own needs and possibilities. Board management software is like any service on the market: prices are pretty various. The best board portal software is not always the most expensive.
- Understanding what features of the board software are a must. No need to select the most known and reputable provider and pay for the features the business didn’t use.
- Choose a convenient board portal deployment type. The software is available both in cloud-based and on-premise options. Each option has its pros and cons. In a nutshell, cloud-based board portals are more flexible. It’s easy for the client to increase or decrease the number of features of a cloud-based solution. On-premise board portal could be a more expensive option at the beginning. Plus, system maintenance and possible customization require extra spend.
- Read as many board portal reviews as you can. You can find many valuable insights about board software providers while reading reviews.
- Use free trial option. You will hardly find a provider that won’t offer a 30-day free trial option. Even more, since the beginning of the pandemic, some board software can extend their free trial.
- Compare several best board portal software options before choosing the most convenient provider.
How to conduct board portal comparison
When choosing tools for your business, you need to make sure they fit your needs and goals. Before investing in new technology and committing to it long-term, it’s recommended that you try out the board of directors platform and fully understand all the features it has to offer.
The board meeting minutes software comparison starts as soon as you get free trials or demo versions of several board portals. There are several aspects you need to consider when choosing the right digital board portal for your business.
The comparison process usually consists of consideration of the following points:
Board portal vendors comparison
During this stage of the board vendor comparison process, it’s important to consider how the vendor interacts with a client, whether it offers 24/7 support, the speed, and the quality of processing the client’s requests. You also need to check if the provider offers training sessions, customization features, or the ability to choose the most convenient settings, and the quality of the interaction with a provider’s support team. Among other key factors to consider during board portals comparison are:
- Collaboration features
- Engagement convenience
- Intuitive interface
- Affordability
- Reliability and reputation
- Simple software setup and quick training
Board portal feature comparison
| Provider | Best for | Industries | User Ratings | Best Tools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Ideals Board | effective board meeting management and remote collaboration improvement |
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2 Boardvantage | boards of directors from multiple sectors |
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3 Loomio | small businesses and nonprofits’ board management |
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4 Diligent | board governance optimization in different companies |
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When you consider features of new software for your business, firstly, you have to identify what you really need to improve the workflow and get the most benefit out of using the new tool. Board portal feature comparisons allow you to see what the online board portal offers with its document management and collaboration features.
It’s good to take a closer look at board collaboration tools, as you will use them a lot. These are important for better and more effective board meeting management.
Typically, to ensure the best quality of meeting management, the board software should have at least these features:
- Analytics tools
- Archives
- Tasks set via agenda
- Collaboration tools
- Audit possibilities
- Compliance with board meeting security standards
- 24/7 technical support
- E-signatures
- Chats
- Multi-factor authentication
- Mobile and desktop access
- PDF reports with meeting results
- Standardized templates for meetings
- Meeting process documentation
Board portal pricing comparison
| Vendor | Deployment | Free Trial | Training | Pricing Model | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Ideals Board |
| Available |
| Flat-rate | Not available Request Price |
| 2 Boardvantage |
| Available |
| Per feature | Not available View Profile |
| 3 Diligent |
| Available |
| Per user | Not available View Profile |
When looking for the right board portal, it’s important to compare the pricing options. If not done correctly, you may be paying high costs for an average product. Board portal pricing comparison allows you to find the best solution for your business that suits your budget.
The secure board portal has up-front costs as well as ongoing expenses. It’s always better to calculate the pricing annually, where you include all expenses associated with the software like price per user, for example.
You may also receive a discount if you have a specific number of users, but not all vendors offer this. There are also certain additional costs to keep in mind when calculating the overall price for an online board portal. These include:
- The cost of the software setup (applicable for on-premise solutions)
- Subscription payments
- Training expenses (are often included in the total price)
Comparison of board meeting software reviews
It’s worth reading the board meeting software reviews to check if the quality level of services is maintained beyond the free trial. Board portal reviews serve as helpful resources for unbiased user insight.
Board management software comparison by likelihood to recommend
On the chart above we’ve visualized board management software comparison by likelihood to recommend. The data are from well-known software review websites, plus our evaluation. This chart represents the average estimate. But do not forget that reviews for each provider are written by specialists from different organizations. Each client has their own requirements.
Board management software comparison by likelihood to recommend:
- Ideals Board – 90%
- Boardvantage – 89%
- Loomio – 87%
- Diligent – 85%
- BoardPaq – 81%
- Convene – 80%
- Nasdaq Directors Desk – 75%
- Aprio – 73%
- OnBoard – 72%
Selecting the right board management software is essential for secure governance and efficient board operations. To compare features, pricing, and security standards, explore the full board portal comparison and find your best match!
Board portal use cases and industries
Board portals have become essential for organizations needing secure, centralized governance solutions. They streamline decision-making, enhance compliance, and improve collaboration across various industries.
Corporate boards & enterprises
Enterprises rely on board portals for corporations to manage governance, compliance, and strategic planning. ASX-listed companies rely on them for financial reporting, audit trails, and regulatory filings, while private firms use them for M&A, IPO readiness, and executive collaboration. By digitizing board operations, organizations reduce legal risks, improve efficiency, and ensure secure decision-making.
Government & public sector
Government agencies and local councils use board portals to improve transparency, policy management, and compliance. These platforms centralize documentation for budget tracking, legislative decisions, and inter-agency collaboration while ensuring secure data protection in response to increasing cybersecurity threats.
Nonprofits and associations
These user groups leverage board portal software for nonprofits to hold virtual meetings, simplify governance, manage donor transparency, and improve remote collaboration. They help organizations track funding decisions, store essential documents, and meet regulatory obligations while freeing up resources for mission-driven activities.
Financial and banking institutions
Banks, credit unions, and investment firms require a board portal for financial services for risk management, compliance, and financial strategy oversight. These platforms securely manage audit trails, investment reports, and board discussions while ensuring regulatory adherence to Basel III, SOX, and GDPR.
Healthcare & educational institutions
Hospitals, universities, and research institutions use board portals to manage governance, regulatory compliance, and funding approvals. Healthcare boards ensure HIPAA compliance and patient safety oversight, while educational institutions rely on them for faculty appointments, accreditation, and budget planning.
Law firms and professional services
Legal and professional service firms use board portals to securely manage client-sensitive data, case strategies, and compliance documentation. Law firms overseeing M&A, litigation, and corporate governance rely on these platforms, as do accounting and consulting firms handling financial disclosures and regulatory compliance.
Across industries, board portals have become a critical governance tool, ensuring efficiency, security, and regulatory compliance. As digital transformation advances, they provide organizations with the infrastructure to manage governance transparently, securely, and effectively.
The role of board portals in modern governance
Board portals are becoming an essential tool for organizations operating in regulated environments where security, efficiency, and compliance are key.
Whether used by corporate enterprises, government institutions, financial organizations, or nonprofit boards, these platforms provide the infrastructure needed to modernize governance processes. As industries continue to embrace digital transformation, board portals play a crucial role in ensuring governance practices remain structured, transparent, and legally compliant.
Board portal features and benefits
There are various features implemented in this software. Let’s review some of the most important ones.
- In-app voting and decision making. For example, most board meeting software providers allow their customers to create votings within the virtual boardroom. Using this feature, board directors can make decisions on details and solve some minor issues without holding an offline event.
- In-app commenting and communication. Also, users can leave notes and communicate with other users of board meeting software. These features of corporate meeting software allow creating a steady workflow and communication between directors. Thus, everyone will be aware of what is going on and what actions do other members of the leading board perform.
- Secure space for virtual meetings. Board portals also allow companies to hold paperless board meetings. In fact, directors can even set a convenient date and time for the event to improve attendance.
- Convenient document management. Board rooms provide all the necessary functionality for working with documents before, during, and after virtual meetings. Since all documents are uploaded to the repository in advance and every member of the board can access them, participants can study the information before the meeting. Using their devices, directors can go through documents during the event. Once the meeting is over, all information about it goes to the virtual boardroom’s repository.
- Task and progress management. During and after the meeting, directors can create tasks for themselves, other members or executives. This data allows keeping a better track of the work of the board.
As you can see, board portal software allows you to keep all the essentials in one place: from meetings to decision making and performance tracking – all in a virtual working space.
Board management software and its security
One of the best benefits the board management software provides its users with is the perfect security of the data. Once documents are uploaded to servers of the boardroom software provider, they are highly protected. Let’s observe some security features in the table below:
- 256-bit AES Encryption
The essence of encryption is to convert board software content into ciphers. Decryption without keys is beyond the power of third parties or malicious programs. Before data is sent to AES, a random number generator creates a key. A host does not take part in decryption. - ISO Certified Software
ISO-certified virtual boardroom software indicates a vendor that follows the standards of the International Organization for Standardization. The certificate is proving the high quality and commitment of a provider to customers. For both parties, the ability to receive a certificate is guaranteed protection against threats that arise. - Multi-factor Authentication
Multi-factor Authentication prevents unauthorized entry into board management software better. A user receives a message with a randomly generated code after entering their password. The risk of third-party interference is significantly reduced. - SOC-2 Compliance
SOC-2 indicates the board portal provider adheres to the information security policy. The software that received the auditor’s report meets the current parameters and requirements. SOC-2 differs from others since it implies constant internal security practices. - Remote Locking
Remote locking makes it possible to restrict access to files after sending them. In this way, directors control all processes during and after transactions. Usually, the feature is available from any device. - 4096-bit RSA Encryption
4096-bit RSA is based on long keys. Once the authentication process is finished, a key is created specifically for the current session. Each of the parties sends parameters, but none of them can have access to the equation. - Access Controls
Paperless board meetings can be protected from third-party access with access controls. Directors or administrators track actions after granting permissions for access on the platform. Monitoring is possible from any location and device. - E-Signature
Best board portals offer an e-signature feature for long-distance interactions. Parties do not need to meet to sign the document. In this operation, security mechanisms work to protect confidentiality.
Why it’s better to avoid free board portal software
Security is one of the most important aspects you need to look for in board meeting management software. High-quality security features require significant investment during the development stage as well as for the further maintenance of high safety standards.
That’s why almost all reputable board portal vendors are fee-based. Among other reasons why you need to avoid free board portal software are:
- Free software provides less data security than a premium app. In fact, free board of directors portal software offers only basic features.
- A board portal provider may not have any additional products to consider. To benefit from a software’s full power, you need to pay for additional features — you may even end up spending more on add-ons using free software than subscribing to any industry-leading paid software solution.
- Free software may not offer all of the needed features to boost the productivity of your meetings. The purpose of using additional tools for your business, like board collaboration software, is to make processes more efficient and productive. Free board of directors management software may not meet your expectations, and you risk wasting time on tools that won’t meet your needs or expectations.
Those are the reasons for investing in high-quality industry-leading board meeting management software to get the most out of its functions and features. However, to protect your files and experience the benefits of high data security, it’s best not to skimp on service. As the old saying goes, “You get what you pay for.”
To find the best board portal software for your virtual meetings, compare key functionalities, pricing, security standards, and user experience.
👉 View the full board portal comparison table