Legal Time & Billing Software (Alphabetical List)
Bill4Time is a cloud-based timekeeping software with law practice management features that cater specifically to lawyers, including integrating with LawPay. Learn more about Bill4Time.- BillQuick is powerful billing and timekeeping software with both a Windows desktop version and an online version that work well for small and solo lawyers. Learn more about BillQuick.
- Chrometa is a passive time tracker for Macs, PCs, and mobile that automatically tracks and records the application, file, or website you're using. Learn more about Chrometa.
- FreshBooks is timekeeping and billing software with extensive invoicing, payment, and reporting features. Click here to learn more and to read our reviews. Learn more about FreshBooks.
- Tabs3 is Windows-based desktop-only timekeeping and billing software. It is robust, customizable, and flexible, but mostly tethers you to your computer. Learn more about Tabs3.
- Timeslips legal time and billing software has been used by lawyers for years, but it is both desktop-based and Windows-only, which limits its utility. Learn more about Timeslips.
- TimeSolv is cloud-based time tracking and billing software designed exclusively for lawyers. It also includes project and budget management features. Learn more about TimeSolv.
Legal time and billing software can save you literally days of administrative work reconciling, referencing, and compiling timesheets and invoices. There are many choices out there specifically for attorneys that can help you keep track of time better than a stop watch, create invoices, reconcile accounts, and sync all that information into your law practice management software so you have an accurate and holistic view of the man-hours being put into matters.
Considerations
When choosing legal time and billing software for your law firm, it can be challenging to know which specific features you need to keep your business running smoothly. We’ll try to make it easy.
- First, determine your firm’s needs. Some programs offer only timekeeping, while others allow you to create bills and invoices and run reports.
- Read through our feature definitions list.
- Then, get more information about the software that most interests you by visiting the product page for each.
- Finally, sign up for a trial account with one or two likely software options, put them through their paces, and select the one that will work best for your firm.
Feature Comparison Chart
See all the key features for all the legal time and billing software options in our directory.
Feature Definitions
Invoicing. This means invoicing capabilities.
Time Tracking. This means time tracking specifically, but not billing or invoicing.
Expense Tracking. A check in this box means the software is capable of tracking business expenses and organizing them accordingly.
Online Payments. This means you can accept credit card or e-check payments within your timekeeping and billing software, either through its own payment portal or via a third-party integration like PayPal or Square. Most online payment services come with a processing fee.
Request Payments. A check here means you have the ability to request payments through the system itself, rather than attaching an invoice to an email.
Recurring Payments. If a client needs to make recurring monthly payments, you’ll be able to set that up for software with a check in this box.
Estimates. A check here means that you can use the software to provide estimates to your client or to yourself to assess the cost or profitability of a matter.
Reporting. Firms often need reports that help them assess things like which firm members are the most profitable and how long certain matter types take. A check mark in this field means that the timekeeping software can generate at least these reports. Some have more robust reporting features than others.
Project Management. If this box is checked, it means the software can help you plan matters, allocate resources, and schedule employees. Some software has more robust project management features than others.
Document Management. Some timekeeping software includes basic document management so that you can add documents and associate them with your cases/matters. Some also offer integrations with popular cloud file storage services like OneDrive/Office 365, Box, and Dropbox.
Basic Accounting This means basic checkbook register–style bookkeeping, which is more limited than full accounting. You should be able to keep track of your operating accounts and reconcile your balances, but you may still need QuickBooks or Xero.
Accepts Major Credit Cards. If a client needs or wants to make a payment using a Master Card, Visa, AmEx, or other major credit card, no sweat!
eCheck/ACH. They want to not deal with those credit card interest rates and want to do an ACH transfer instead? Also no sweat!
International Transactions. Companies with a check in this box can accommodate clients and customers outside of the United States.
Issue Refunds. Need to send money back to a client? Shouldn’t be a problem for software with a check in this box.
Support. If you need a little more help navigating the software, website, or understanding how a feature works, you’ll be able to reach out to a support team for more guidance.
Now that you’re on your way to selecting legal time and billing software, we’re sure you’ll have questions. Why not sign up to be a Lawyerist Insider? It’s free, and you’ll get tons of awesome free stuff, like access to our private Facebook Group to ask your peers what software they use. If you have questions about our Insider program, or about legal software, or about anything else, you’re always welcome to contact us.
