Legal Software Comparison Hub
Compare Clio, PracticePanther, MyCase, and Filevine. Find your fit with our quiz and explore features, pros, cons, and scores.
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Compare Platforms
Select a platform to view features, pros and cons, and our summary score.
Key features
- Online intake forms & client portal
- Legal calendaring with court rules
- Time & expense tracking
- Clio Grow (CRM, marketing) on Complete
- 250+ integrations
- Automated workflows (Advanced+)
Pros
- Strong ecosystem and integrations
- Clio Grow for intake-to-invoice
- Nonprofit discount available
- Court rules calendaring
Cons
- Higher tiers needed for automation
- Manage AI is add-on
Key features
- Built-in CRM
- Time tracking & billing reports
- LawPay, QuickBooks, Gmail, Outlook
- User-friendly interface
- Document management
Pros
- Intuitive for small firms
- Strong billing and reporting
- Competitive pricing from $49/user
Cons
- Fewer advanced automation options
- Smaller integration ecosystem
Key features
- All-in-one with native accounting
- Document automation & e-signature
- Unlimited storage
- Award-winning support
- Client portal & intake
Pros
- Built-in accounting
- Strong support reputation
- Starts at $39/user
Cons
- Less suited for large enterprises
- Fewer third-party integrations
Key features
- AI (SidebarAI, AIFields)
- Advanced workflow automation
- Document centralization
- Filevine Payments
- Activity feeds & collaboration
Pros
- AI-powered document analysis
- Strong for complex matters
- Enterprise-ready
Cons
- Steeper learning curve
- Accounting via integrations
- Pricing less transparent
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Key Features
Streamline client onboarding with digital intake forms.
Turn intake data into actionable insights.
Never miss a deadline with court rules–based calendaring.
Track billable time and expenses accurately.
Pricing Calculator
Understanding Clio Pricing Tiers: What Actually Changes
Choosing a Clio plan is less about cost and more about the level of operational system you want to run. This section helps you answer: What level of operational system do we want?
Tier Comparison at a Glance
EasyStart
Best for: Solo practitioners or firms moving from spreadsheets or manual processes.
Not included vs. Essentials: No client portal, templates, integrations, or custom fields.
Operational impact: Gets you off spreadsheets with core time, billing, and docs—but manual workflows remain.
Essentials
Best for: Growing firms ready to streamline operations and connect with clients.
Not included vs. Advanced: No automated workflows, custom reports, matter stages, or priority support.
Operational impact: Client portal and integrations reduce admin; limited automation and reporting.
Advanced
Best for: Firms ready to automate workflows and gain deeper insights.
Not included vs. Complete: No Clio Grow (CRM, intake, marketing); add-on available.
Operational impact: Workflows and custom reports drive efficiency; strong for established practices.
Complete
Best for: Firms aiming to grow clients and ROI, with Clio Grow included.
Not included: Manage AI and other add-ons (pricing by tier).
Operational impact: Full intake-to-invoice system; supports growth and marketing ROI tracking.
Capabilities by Functional Area
| Functional Area | EasyStart | Essentials | Advanced | Complete |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Client Intake & Lead Management | Basic intake; no CRM or portal | Secure client portal, intake forms, appointment booking; Clio Grow add-on available | Same as Essentials; Clio Grow add-on | Clio Grow included—CRM, intake workflows, email marketing, website builder |
| Case & Matter Management | Cases, contacts, tasks, calendar, unlimited docs | + Custom fields, document & matter templates, virtual drive | + Matter stages, unlimited custom roles, court calendaring rules (10/firm) | Full matter management with all Advanced features |
| Billing & Revenue Tracking | Time, expense, invoicing, payment plans, eCheck/ACH 1%, card 2.95% | + Text-to-pay | + Multi-currency, split billing | Same as Advanced |
| Reporting & Insights | Basic financial and activity reports, trust reporting | + Trust balance notifications, origination credit, 5 saved report views | + Matter budgets, fee allocation, task progress/productivity, custom reports, scheduled delivery | Full reporting suite |
| Automation & Workflow Tools | 3 e-signatures; no templates or workflows | 15 e-signatures; document/matter templates; 3 court calendaring rules; 250+ integrations | Unlimited e-signatures; automated task/doc/matter workflows; advanced tasks | Maximum automation; Manage AI add-on available |
| Integrations | None | QuickBooks, Xero, TrustBooks; Gmail, Outlook; full-text document search | Same + SAML SSO | Same as Advanced |
What You Gain When You Upgrade
EasyStart → Essentials
New capability: Client portal, secure messaging, document and matter templates, and 250+ integrations (including accounting). Efficiency: Reduces back-and-forth with clients and manual data entry. Revenue: Text-to-pay and better client communication support faster collections. Risk: Trust balance notifications and origination credit reporting improve compliance visibility.
Essentials → Advanced
New capability: Automated workflows (task, document, matter creation), custom reports, matter budgets, and priority support. Efficiency: Workflows eliminate repetitive setup; custom reports surface profitability and productivity. Revenue: Multi-currency and split billing support complex matters. Risk: Task progress and productivity reporting help identify bottlenecks and malpractice exposure.
Advanced → Complete
New capability: Clio Grow included—CRM, intake workflows, email marketing, website builder. Efficiency: Single system for intake through billing; no separate CRM. Revenue: Capture and convert leads, track marketing ROI, automate touchpoints from inquiry to invoice. Risk: Centralized intake reduces lost leads and improves consistency.
Strategic Recommendations
3–4 Attorney Defense Firm Focused on Efficiency
Choose Advanced. You need automated workflows to assign tasks and create matters consistently, custom reports for profitability and productivity, and priority support. Clio Grow is usually unnecessary unless you are actively growing caseload through marketing.
Growth-Focused Firm Prioritizing Lead Intake
Choose Complete. Clio Grow included gives you CRM, intake forms, appointment booking, email marketing, and website builder in one system. You can capture leads, automate follow-up, and see the full ROI of your marketing efforts without managing a separate intake tool.
Firm Wanting Maximum Automation
Choose Advanced or Complete plus the Manage AI add-on (when available for your tier). Advanced delivers automated workflows, custom reports, and task prioritization. Complete adds intake automation. Manage AI extends automation to calendaring, client updates, and billing.
Pricing reflects annual billing. Verify current plans on Clio’s pricing page.
Trial & Demo
Why Sign Up Through a Trusted Advisor?
The real question is not “Which software?” but Who is guiding our implementation? Law firms don’t fear software cost—they fear disruption and wasted time. Working with a strategic implementation partner adds a risk-reduction layer between software and chaos.
Advantages of signing up through a trusted advisor:
- Personalized onboarding strategy tailored to your firm’s practice area (e.g., defense law, family law, estate planning)
- Workflow design and best-practice configuration so Clio matches how you actually work
- Guidance on selecting the correct pricing tier based on your needs, not feature lists alone
- Integration planning for Outlook, QuickBooks, document tools, and other systems
- Ongoing advisory support beyond initial setup—not just go-live and done
- Optimization for growth, reporting, and automation as your firm evolves
- Direct liaison support with Clio when escalation or vendor coordination is needed
What This Means for Your Firm
- Reduces implementation risk. A structured approach with clear milestones lowers the chance of go-live failures.
- Accelerates adoption. Staff get training and configuration aligned to their roles, so they use the system sooner.
- Prevents costly configuration mistakes. Poor setup leads to rework, lost data, or workflow gaps. Guided configuration avoids that.
- Improves ROI on the software investment. When Clio is configured and used correctly, you capture more billable time and operate more efficiently.
Signing Up Directly vs. Signing Up Through Yellow Mountain Business Solutions
Signing Up Directly
- Generic onboarding and training materials
- Self-configured workflows; you decide what to automate
- Reactive support—contact Clio when something breaks
- You own tier selection and integration planning
Signing Up Through Yellow Mountain
- Tailored onboarding strategy for your practice area
- Guided workflow optimization and best-practice configuration
- Proactive advisory support before and after go-live
- Partner helps with tier selection, integrations, and Clio liaison
Yellow Mountain Business Solutions is a Clio partner and strategic implementation advisor—not just a referral source. We help firms get the right plan, the right configuration, and the right support so the software delivers value from day one.
Clio Evaluation FAQ
How much does Clio cost per user?
Clio offers four pricing tiers: EasyStart at $49/month per user, Essentials at $89/month per user, Advanced at $119/month per user, and Complete at $149/month per user. See the Understanding Clio Pricing Tiers section for a detailed comparison. Nonprofits and mission-driven organizations may qualify for a 20% discount.
What features does Clio include?
Clio includes online intake forms, client intake insights, legal calendaring with court rules, and time and expense tracking. Use the evaluation hub above to explore each feature and start a free trial.
Next Steps
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