Share an HTML file the way you'd share a doc.
You used to email a spreadsheet. Then a PDF. AI just built you something better — an interactive page that responds, filters, and actually works. The question is how you share it. Email can’t render it. Google Drive prompts a download. Porch gives it a real link, with access control built in.
| Feature | Porch | Email (PDF) | Google Drive | Figma share | Notion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive HTML Renders as a working page, not a download prompt | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | Mocks only | ✗ |
| Password protection Gate the content behind a shared password | ✓ | N/A | Partial | ✗ | Partial |
| Invite-only access Specific email addresses, magic link auth | ✓ | N/A | ✓ | ✗ | Workspace only |
| Viewer needs an account | Never | Never | Sometimes | Never | Sometimes |
| Works with AI-built content HTML from Claude, v0, Bolt, Lovable, and more | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Clean shareable link | yourapp.getporch.app | ✗ | Long Drive URL | figma.com/… | notion.so/… |
| Update without re-sharing Change the files — the link stays the same | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Revoke access instantly | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Visit log | 30-day log | ✗ | Basic | ✗ | ✗ |
| Free tier | 3 Porches | Unlimited | 15 GB | 3 files | Limited pages |
Porch vs email (PDF or attachment)
Emailing a file is the oldest sharing model. It works fine for a Word doc or a spreadsheet. It breaks down for interactive HTML — most email clients won’t render it at all, and the ones that do strip scripts and styles. Your recipient gets a broken page or a download they don’t know what to do with.
Porch gives your HTML a real URL that opens exactly as built. You control who sees it, you can update the files without changing the link, and you get a log of who opened it. It’s what email was never designed to do.
Porch vs Google Drive
Google Drive is excellent at sharing documents. It is not designed for interactive HTML. Upload an HTML file to Drive and your viewer gets a download prompt — not a rendered, working page. Google has no mechanism to run the JavaScript your AI-built dashboard depends on.
Porch renders the page exactly as built. The access control model is familiar — private, password, invite-only — but applied to interactive pages instead of documents. If Google Drive is where you store the file, Porch is where you share the experience.
Porch vs Figma share
Figma share links are great for static mockups. But AI tools like v0 and Bolt don’t generate Figma files — they generate working HTML. When you share a Figma link, your client sees the mock. When you share a Porch link, they experience the actual product.
Designers are increasingly using AI to turn their Figma concepts into real, interactive prototypes. Porch is the natural next step — password-protect it, share the link, let the client click through the real thing instead of pointing at a screenshot.
Porch vs Notion
Notion is where a lot of teams write their docs and reports. It’s excellent at text, embeds, and databases. But Notion pages are Notion’s format — you can’t drop in arbitrary interactive HTML and have it run. If AI built you a custom dashboard or a fully interactive report, Notion can’t host it.
Porch can. Drop the folder, get a link, share with the same team. Your colleagues don’t need a Porch account to open it — they just tap the link.
If you’re evaluating Porch against Netlify Drop, GitHub Pages, static.app, or tiiny.host — the short answer is that Porch is the only one with built-in access control. Every other static host deploys publicly by default with no password protection or invite-only gating. Porch was designed specifically for sharing with the right people, not the whole internet.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to share an AI-built HTML file?+
Porch. Unlike email (which can't render HTML), Google Drive (which prompts a download), or Figma (which shows mocks, not working pages), Porch gives your HTML a real link that opens in any browser — with password protection or invite-only access built in.
How is Porch different from Google Drive for sharing files?+
Google Drive shares documents. Porch shares interactive HTML. If you upload an HTML file to Drive, your viewer gets a download prompt — not a rendered, working page. Porch renders it exactly as built, with the same link-and-access-control model (private, password, invite-only) but for interactive content.
Can I share an interactive report without my viewer needing an account?+
Yes — that's exactly what Porch is for. Viewers never need a Porch account. For password-protected Porches they enter the password you set. For invite-only Porches they verify via a magic link. No sign-up, no app download, no account.
Is there a better alternative to emailing an HTML file?+
Yes — Porch. Most email clients won't render HTML files, and those that do strip scripts and styles. Porch gives the file a real URL, renders it exactly as built, and lets you control who can see it.