Legal Billing Software: Efficiency & Cost Comparison

Getting paid shouldn’t be the hardest part of your job. But the reality is that for many law firms, turning hours worked into invoices settled can be a slog.  

The challenges extend beyond wrangling slow-to-pay clients. The entire billing lifecycle can be inefficient and frustrating, especially when you’re using tools that don’t meet the needs of the legal industry.  

When law firms put the right billing software to work for them, the benefits are significant: easier and more accurate invoicing, faster cash flow, and richer data to inform business decisions. 

Which is the right legal billing software for your firm, though?  

This mini guide aims to simplify the selection process for lawyers seeking efficient, user-friendly billing systems suited to their specific needs, optimizing efficiency and cost-effectiveness. 

Let’s review some of the main software solutions on the market for lawyers, evaluating their standout features, ease of use, cost, and integrations.    

TimeSolv 

TimeSolv has been a leader in time and expense tracking, billing, and management software since 2006. While TimeSolv serves customers across industries, it’s primary focus is on legal.   

With 80% of its users coming from this industry, TimeSolv understands the specific needs of attorneys and legal professionals.   

Key billing features 

TimeSolv provides users with a full suite of features to support running an efficient and profitable law firm, but its billing capabilities are exceptionally strong. With TimeSolv, users have access to:  

• Customizable billing templates  
• Batch invoicing  
• Integrated payment processing 
• Split, fixed fee, and other alternative billing arrangements  
• Automated billing 
• Dashboard analytics 

Ease of use 

Users express appreciation for how intuitive and fast TimeSolv is. This ease of use stands out considering the extensive flexibility offered by the software; users can quickly create—and deploy—numerous unique billing templates depending on client needs.  

Users also comment that it’s equally easy to batch-create monthly invoices without needing to add extra steps to the process.  

Price point 

• 1-4 users: $39.95 per user/month or $35.96 if billed annually 
• 5-14 users: $34.95 per user/month or $31.46 if billed annually 
• 15+ users: $29.95 per user/month or $26.96 if billed annually 

Integrations 

Robust integrations to all of the key data storage and accounting applications you’ll need, from QuickBooks online to NetDocuments, Dropbox, and more.

Smokeball 

Smokeball is a legal practice management software used by a lot of law firms. It’s headquartered in Sydney, Australia, and is known for its tight integration with Windows products.  

Key billing features 

As an all-in-one practice management software, Smokeball aims to enhance productivity by reducing the time spent on tasks, including billing. Some of their key billing features include:  

• Time and expense tracking  
• Flexible billing options  
• E-invoicing  
• Online payments via LawPay  
• Reporting 

Ease of use 

Users appreciate Smokeball’s time-tracking features and quickly generated invoices. However, some have expressed frustration with the learning curve of the billing and accounting systems. Other users note that the reporting functions didn’t meet their needs.  

Integrations 

There are critical integrations that Smokeball does not offer: Dropbox, Xero Accounting, NetDocuments, and AccountEdge, all of which are integrated with TimeSolv. 

Price point 

• Smokeball Bill: $39 per user/month 
• Smokeball Boost: $89 per user/month 
• Smokeball Grow: $179 per user/month 
• Smokeball Prosper+: $219 per user/month 

Clio  

Clio was launched in 2008 with the goal of delivering cloud-based legal technologies that improve the quality of practice for lawyers around the world.  

Clio is a powerful, easy-to-use, cloud-based legal case management software offering everything you need to run a law practice, with features to manage cases, clients, documents, bills, calendars, time tracking, reporting, and accounting. 

Key billing features 

Clio’s full suite of practice management software includes billing features to help law firms bill for their work. Their key billing functions allow legal practices to:  

• Create branded invoices  
• Apply discounts and write off bills  
• Set up customized billing plans  
• Online payments  
• Access billing reports 

Ease of use 

Clio is a popular software for law firms looking for a one-stop shop. However, when it comes to billing features, many firms have found their invoicing lacks the sophistication needed to handle complicated billing requirements.  

Another concern users express is that their firms only using a fraction of their offerings, meaning they are paying for tools they never use. Too many unused features can also make it harder to fully integrate a software in your workflows and create frustration among users.  

Integrations 

While Clio supports many integrations, there are some that TimeSolv supports that Clio does not, such as QuickBooks Online, and AccountEdge. 

Price point 

• EasyStart: $39per user/month 
• Essentials: $69 per user/month 
• Advanced: $99 per user/month 
• Complete: $129 per user/month 

TimeSlips  

A legacy legal software, TimeSlips is a time and billing software that has been available to law firms since the 1980s. In 1994, the software was acquired by Sage. TimeSlips has long been a desktop software but is now dipping its toes into cloud access options.  

Key billing features 

As a software designed around time and billing functionalities, TimeSlips does not offer the full scope of practice management features like its competitors.  

However, it’s time and billing functions don’t provide the advanced functionality the way that cloud-based software does. TimeSlips currently includes basic billing features like: 

• Time tracking 
• Branded invoices  
• Automated accounts receivable  
• Reporting  

Ease of use 

Users struggle with TimeSlips on a number of levels. One of the biggest issues is TimeSlips’ limited cloud-based functionality, which creates access issues for on-the-go attorneys.  

Users also report that TimeSlips’ user interface is cumbersome and key functions are difficult to access.  

Price point 

• Annual cost per license, up front: $860.48 

Integrations 

While TimeSlips offers integrations to key applications such as LawPay, Dropbox, and QuickBooks, it lacks integrations with NetDocuments and Xero Accounting.  

MyCase 

MyCase is a web-based legal practice management solution that helps small and medium-sized law firms improve efficiency and grow revenue with award-winning technology. It was built by AppFolio, a company that develops cloud-based software solutions for small- and medium-sized businesses to help them grow.  

Key billing features 

As a practice management system, MyCase provides a range of functionalities, from case management to law firm websites. Within its software suite, its billing platform includes features such as:  

• Customizable invoices  
• Payment reminders  
• Automated invoicing 
• Online payments via an integration with LawPay 

Ease of use 

Users report that MyCase works well for case management, but the integration of the different platforms (i.e., client portals, time and billing, etc.) does not deliver a user-friendly experience.  

Additionally, some users state customer service is lacking, which is a key consideration when getting the maximum benefit from a software solution.  

Price point 

• Basic: $39 per user/month 
• Pro: $69 per user/month 
• Advanced $89 per user/month 

Integrations 

While MyCase integrates with Dropbox and QuickBooks, it lacks integrations to NetDocuments, AccountEdge, and Xero Accounting. 

Get the right billing software for efficiency and profitability with TimeSolv 

As you make your decision about which trials to start, TimeSolv stands out as an ideal choice for firms looking to scale up while not worrying about their time and billing. It stands out for ease of data conversion, constant improvements, and a user-friendly interface that lawyers consistently praise. 

When you add affordable pricing, with TimeSolv’s pricing tailored to accommodate different firm sizes, it only becomes easier to get your partners on board. Experience how TimeSolv can solve all your time and billing headaches when you start a free trial today. 

More useful posts:

7 Ways to Improve Your Law Firm Profitability with Zero AR & More Billable Time

ZERO AR: How to Achieve ZERO Accounts Receivable with TimeSolv and Batch Client Payments  

Is Your Legal Billing System’s Invoice Reconciliation Broken? Here’s How to Fix It