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Bill4Time vs CARET Legal

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Our analysts compared Bill4Time vs CARET Legal based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Legal Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Overview Pricing Benefits & Features Analyst Ratings Comparison Charts User Ratings Analyst Summary Screenshots
Bill4Time Software Tool
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CARET Legal Software Tool
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Product Basics

Analyst Rating

72 Detailed Analysis

User Sentiment

Excellent User Sentiment (329 Reviews)

Analyst Rating

86 Detailed Analysis

User Sentiment

Excellent User Sentiment (345 Reviews)
Bill4Time provides law firms of all sizes with productivity and practice management solutions. Track and review billable activities from any device in real time. Expedite payment with pre-filled digital invoices and secure online payments. Provide clients with a self-service portal to track their invoices, payment status and transaction history. Use the customizable dashboard to keep tabs on all case-related activities and transactions and centrally access firm data.

Administrators can design automated workflows to assign, track, schedule and prioritize tasks and legal obligations. Supports trust accounting with IOLTA reconciliation and QuickBooks integration. Run preconfigured reports on KPIs, productivity, task management, brand recognition, reputation and more.
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CARET Legal (formerly Zola Suite) is a cloud-based practice management solution with integrated matter management, CRM, time tracking and billing capabilities. Businesses can centralize all firm and client data, track time and expenses, and manage operating and trust accounts. It helps prepare digital invoices, run financial reports and connect legal matters with associated contacts, documents, communications and tasks to get complete visibility over active cases. The built-in legal calendar tracks important events and touchpoints in real time.

It complies with SOC 2 auditing standards and secures sensitive information via military-grade encryption and user permissions. Companies can expedite client onboarding with trigger-based workflows and intelligent forms. It integrates with third-party applications for continued scalability.
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$27/User, Monthly
Free Trial is available →
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Tailored to your specific needs
$150/User, Monthly
Free Trial is available →
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
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Windows
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Chromebook
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Linux
Android
Chromebook
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On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
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FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Uninterrupted Service: Provides maximum uptime with environmental controls and power systems designed to resist local outages and natural disasters. 
  • Unlimited Storage: Never lose track of critical case information with easy uploading and storage of legal documents. 
  • Mobile Access: Stay connected to important tools and tasks with a mobile app. 
  • Flexible Project Management: Efficiently juggle multiple projects by customizing default labels according to the firm’s requirements. 
  • Maximize Billable Time: Capture every moment of billable time with offline time tracking, mobile tracking and retroactive addition of time entries. 
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  • Easier Data Management: A centrally accessible data repository provides a single source of truth for all employees and team members. 
  • Prompt Customer Support: Offers multiple support options to clients with quick response times. 
  • Flexible Accounting: Provides in-house accounting tools and integration with QuickBooks. 
  • Onboarding Support: Minimize time to market with dedicated onboarding and data migration support. 
  • Better Insights and Decisions: Comprehensively diagnose the firm’s financial health, productivity, profitability and efficiency metrics with powerful built-in reports. 
  • Global Reach: The mobile app provides unrestricted access to all features, including time tracking, matter management, emails, payment portal, billing and OCR capabilities. 
  • Seamless Integration: CARET Legal seamlessly integrates with your existing systems, streamlining workflows and eliminating data silos.
  • Enhanced Efficiency: Automated processes and intuitive dashboards empower your team to work smarter, saving time and resources.
  • Improved Collaboration: Secure document sharing, real-time communication, and collaborative workspaces foster seamless teamwork.
  • Advanced Analytics: Data-driven insights provide actionable intelligence, empowering you to make informed decisions and optimize operations.
  • Exceptional Security: Industry-leading security measures protect sensitive data, ensuring compliance and safeguarding your clients' information.
  • Tailored to Your Needs: Customizable settings and flexible configurations adapt CARET Legal to the unique requirements of your practice.
  • Enhanced Client Experience: Client portals and self-service options provide transparency and empower clients to actively participate in their cases.
  • Timely Reporting: Automated reporting capabilities deliver real-time visibility into key metrics, enabling proactive decision-making.
  • Expert Support: Our dedicated team of legal experts provides ongoing support, ensuring a smooth implementation and maximizing your ROI.
  • Future-Proof Innovation: CARET Legal is continuously updated with the latest technologies and best practices, ensuring your firm remains at the forefront of legal innovation.
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  • Time Tracking: Track billable and non-billable time, staff contractors, consultants and internal non-client time with separate timers. Convert meetings to billable hours and run multiple timers at the same time. Review daily and weekly time entries to measure the firm’s productivity and financial health. Set up custom activity types and work code lists to improve efficiency. 
  • Expense Tracking: Upload images of receipts to track case-related expenses in real time. Leverage two-way image syncing to track expenses internally or charge a flat percentage markup. Comes with built-in configurable UTBMS billing codes. 
  • Integrations: Integrate with third-party applications such as QuickBooks, Outlook, Google Calendar, Box, NetDocuments, Cyber Revolution and more. 
  • Billing and Invoicing: Create pre-filled bills, detailed invoices and statements with configurable payment terms, currency and late fees. Set up tailored payment plans and link invoices to online payment options. 
    • Invoice Templates: Track the status of invoices in real time. Override default payment rates and add a brand logo, currency, company details, payment terms, late fees and more. Prepare invoices en masse and generate summary reports. Provide clients with flat rates, percentage discounts, hybrid billing options and online payment methods. 
  • Online Payments: Securely process online payments with various flexible payment options, including eCheck and credit cards. Ensure compliance with IOLTA, ABA and state bar guidelines. Run payment-related reports to maximize efficiency. 
  • Client Management: Get 24/7 access to client and project information from any device. Customize the dashboard for quick access to specific information, such as client info, outstanding balances, assigned account manager and more. Centrally store all case-related data, contacts and notes. Tailor the client’s budget according to the firm’s financial goals. 
  • Case Tracking: Organize cases with custom notes and files. Assign activities to specific cases and track pending tasks with the shared schedule. Get status updates on essential activities with the customizable notification center. 
  • Tasks: Set up automated workflows to assign, track and schedule tasks. Add custom descriptions, details, priority levels and due dates. Search for specific tasks with custom filters, such as due date, assigned employee, completion status and priority level. Convert completed tasks into time entries. 
  • Accounting: Get complete visibility of outstanding balances, credits and debits, pending projects and balance adjustments. Supports trust accounting. 
  • Reporting: Run preconfigured reports to evaluate accounting activity, client details, entry specifics, legal matter, user activity and productivity. Export recorded data in PDF or CSV format for analysis by external auditors. 
  • Client Portal: Provide clients with a self-service portal. Get real-time access to invoices, payment history, outstanding balances and the payment portal. Improve brand awareness by embedding the firm’s logo into the client portal and payment gateway. 
  • Customization: Prepare custom invoices to match the firm’s existing layout, data fields and format. Create custom reports with extra columns, optional views and additional filters. Set up custom rate tables with flexible billing rates. 
  • Firm Metrics: Leverage the configurable dashboard to track monthly performance metrics, measure key performance indicators, set utilization targets and develop competitive billing rates. Evaluate unique data points to generate actionable insights. Track the firm’s reputation on review sites and take corrective action where necessary.  
  • Data Security: Protect the firm’s data with 256-bit SSL encryption. Provide round-the-clock protection and comply with SSAE 18 SOC 1 reporting standards. 
  • Permissions and Access: Limit visibility into restricted information with permission-based access. Assign permissions for every function and provide third-party contractors with temporary access. Track logins automatically. 
  • Mobile Application: Get unrestricted access to the firm’s data, legal matters, dashboard and activity timers via a native app for mobile devices. Get daily, weekly and monthly progress reports, add case details, communicate with clients and view outstanding balances.  
  • Legal Documentation: Upload and store an unlimited number of case-related documents. Create custom folders and subfolders and share access with the entire firm. Leverage file duplication and templates to standardize document creation. Search for specific documents and quotes faster with fuzzy search. Implement completely new conventions or use the built-in structure.  
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  • Matter Management: Use the matter dashboard to track active cases in real time. Create custom fields with check-boxes, dates, pick lists and currency and record all matter-specific activities, including time entries. Limit access to sensitive information on a per-matter basis and categorize matters based on practice area, responsible attorney, custom fields and open date. 
  • Intelligent Email: Automatically file emails to associated case files and add time entries for sent emails. The proprietary smart suggest feature locates associated contacts. Convert emails to tasks, matters and billable hours. 
  • Integrations: Supported integrations include G Suite, Exchange, Microsoft 365, RPost, Outlook, Google Calendar, NetDocuments, OneDrive, LawPay and QuickBooks. 
  • Calendar: Send ICS invites, create time entries, set private events, mark recurring events and follow up on team obligations. Set up daily, weekly or monthly schedules for report delivery. 
    • Rules-Based Calendaring: Integrate with LawToolBox to automatically track procedural, administrative and regulatory deadlines. 
    • Date Calculator: Factor in days out, federal holidays and weekends while calculating dates for templates and deadlines. 
  • Legal Contacts: Create cards and lists for various legal contacts, including clients, prospects, witnesses, opposition counsels and referral sources. Generate custom fields and categorize them based on contact role, created by and contact type. 
  • Legal Documentation: Store multiple legal documents depending on the subscription plan. Access instant preview of documents, in-document search, complete version history and file locking and tagging capabilities. Create matter-specific document folders and securely share files via the Caseway portal. 
    • Word Ribbon Plugin: Create, open and save documents directly from Microsoft Word. 
  • CRM: Filter leads by source, practice area and potential revenue and convert them to matters. Identify successful referral sources with intelligent metrics. Embed intake forms into the firm’s website. Automatically create lead entries and generate retainer agreements and standard documents.  
  • Task Management: Tag, sort, filter and create sub-tasks based on requirements. Implement standardized procedures using task templates. Delegate tasks to team members, turn on notifications and assign deadlines. 
  • Client Portal: Allow clients to exchange case-related documents via a 256-bit encrypted channel. The payment portal can process both debit and credit card transactions. Request and approve eSignatures instantly. 
  • Mobile App: Available for both Android and iOS users. Insurers can design custom logos, send and receive documents, share invoices and receive payments. Secures access via fingerprint authentication and Apple TouchID. 
  • Time and Billing: Choose from over 11 ways to create time entries. Build custom invoices with support for UTBMS codes and LEDES format. Run financial reports, develop accounts payable and trust checks, process payments and more. Manages vendor bills and supports split, consolidated and separate billing frequencies. 
    • Time Entry: Create automated time entries and assign “no charge” and “no charge don’t show” labels. Designate round-up increments and log time entries in decimals or HH:MM format. 
    • Rate Cards: Create rate cards with custom user rates. Allow clients to inherit rate cards and set matter-specific discount rates. 
    • Expenses: Automatically track all expenses. Charge soft costs and import copy activities from photocopier devices via the uniFLOW importer. 
  • Business Accounting: Earmark part of payments for expenses and to timekeepers. Set up firm-wide budgets to predict revenue on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis. Run year-end reconciliations and add time entries for individual transactions. 
    • Reports: Run built-in client, compensation, productivity, accounting, trust and vendor reports. 
  • Trust Accounting: Manage trust accounts separately. Accept payments via checks and debit and credit cards. Administrators can withdraw money from trust accounts to avoid overdrawing from operating accounts. 
    • Retainer/Trust Fund: Create retainers for trust and operating accounts and get notifications when the balance falls below the minimum. View and print ledgers and trust account summaries with sub-ledgers. Run three-way reconciliation reports. 
  • Smart Settlement: Intelligently manage settlement workflows, including percentages and memo generation for all involved parties. Create a settlement statement for every settlement memo. Capture expenses incurred by the firm, clients and third parties in a detailed value list.  
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Product Ranking

#11

among all
Legal Software

#46

among all
Legal Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

72
86
88
100
57
90
99
99
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Task Management
Time and Expense Management
Dashboard and Reporting
Mobile Capabilities
Billing and Payments
Billing and Payments
Task Management
Time and Expense Management
Dashboard and Reporting
Matter/Case Management

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Bill4Time
CARET Legal
+ Add Product + Add Product
Billing And Payments Calendaring And Legal Docketing Client And Contact Management Dashboard And Reporting Document Management Matter/Case Management Mobile Capabilities Task Management Time And Expense Management 88 57 99 33 65 89 100 100 100 90 99 65 92 67 100 100 0 25 50 75 100
88%
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100%
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92%
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8%
100%
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29%
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71%
64%
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36%
67%
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33%
89%
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11%
89%
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11%
67%
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33%
100%
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

71%
0%
29%
86%
0%
14%
75%
0%
25%
75%
0%
25%

User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 329 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 345 reviews
95%
of users recommend this product

Bill4Time has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 95% when considering 329 user reviews from 3 recognized software review sites.

94%
of users recommend this product

CARET Legal has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 94% when considering 345 user reviews from 3 recognized software review sites.

4.3 (13)
4.8 (114)
4.77 (166)
4.64 (119)
4.8 (150)
4.6 (112)

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Bill4Time and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Task Management. Bill4Time stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award
Task Management Award

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated CARET Legal and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Billing and Payments and Task Management. CARET Legal stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award
Billing and Payments Award
Task Management Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Customizable Invoices: Users appreciate the ability to personalize invoices with their firm's branding and preferred layout, ensuring a professional presentation to clients.
Detailed Reporting: Bill4Time offers comprehensive reports that provide insights into billable hours, expenses, and overall firm performance, enabling data-driven decision-making.
Client Portal: The secure client portal facilitates seamless communication and collaboration, allowing clients to access invoices, make payments, and share documents conveniently.
Mobile App: The mobile app empowers attorneys to track time, manage expenses, and stay connected while on the go, enhancing flexibility and productivity.
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Robust Legal Case Management: CARET Legal offers a comprehensive suite of tools for managing cases, including document management, calendaring, and time tracking, streamlining legal operations.
Excellent Collaboration Features: Its intuitive interface fosters collaboration among team members, allowing seamless sharing of documents, notes, and tasks, enhancing teamwork.
Customized Reporting: CARET Legal's customizable reporting capabilities provide tailored insights into case progress, resource allocation, and billing, enabling data-driven decision-making.
Automated Workflows: The software automates repetitive tasks such as document generation and approval processes, freeing up lawyers to focus on higher-value work.
Improved Efficiency and Productivity: By centralizing legal operations and automating tasks, CARET Legal helps firms improve efficiency, reduce turnaround times, and enhance productivity.
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Limited Functionality for Legal Professionals: Bill4Time may not be the best fit for all law firms due to limitations in features specifically designed for legal professionals, such as trust accounting and conflict checking.
Usability Challenges: Some users find the interface to be clunky and outdated, leading to a steeper learning curve and potential frustration during daily use.
Customer Support Concerns: A portion of users have expressed dissatisfaction with the responsiveness and effectiveness of Bill4Time's customer support, which can be crucial when encountering technical issues or needing assistance.
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Limited Customization: Many users find that CARET Legal's customization options are limited, making it difficult to tailor the software to their specific needs.
Steep Learning Curve: The software's complex interface and lack of user-friendly features can make it challenging for users to navigate and use effectively.
Expensive: CARET Legal's pricing model is often seen as expensive, especially for small to medium-sized law firms with limited budgets.
Integration Issues: Users have reported difficulties integrating CARET Legal with other software applications, leading to workflow disruptions and data management challenges.
Limited Support: Some users have experienced slow response times and inadequate support from CARET Legal's customer service team, leading to frustration and delays in resolving issues.
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Time is money, and when it comes to billing for your time, you need software that doesn't waste either. Bill4Time has been making waves in the legal software arena, but is it all hype or does it truly hold up in court? Let's delve into the jury's verdict on this popular time-tracking and billing solution. Bill4Time users rave about its intuitive interface and robust features, especially its time-tracking capabilities. The ability to track time across projects with ease, generate detailed reports, and seamlessly integrate with accounting software streamlines the billing process, saving valuable time and ensuring accuracy. Users also appreciate the flexibility of the platform, allowing customization to fit individual workflows and preferences. However, some users find the mobile app to be less user-friendly than the desktop version, and others desire more advanced reporting options. Compared to competitors like Clio and TimeSolv, Bill4Time stands out with its competitive pricing and user-friendly interface. While it may not have all the bells and whistles of some higher-priced options, it provides a solid foundation for time-tracking and billing needs, making it a compelling choice for solo practitioners and small to medium-sized law firms seeking an efficient and cost-effective solution.

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CARET Legal has garnered significant user praise over the past year, with reviewers consistently highlighting its strengths in legal research and document automation. One user remarked that CARET Legal's "research tools are top-notch, making it easy to find relevant case law and statutes." Another reviewer lauded its "intuitive document automation features, which have saved me countless hours drafting contracts and pleadings." Compared to similar products, CARET Legal stands out for its user-friendly interface, comprehensive research capabilities, and robust automation tools. Users have noted that its "clean and organized interface makes it a breeze to navigate," while its "deep integration with legal databases provides access to a wealth of information." The software's ability to automate repetitive tasks has also been a major differentiator, with one reviewer stating that "CARET Legal has streamlined my workflow, freeing up more time for high-value tasks." In summary, CARET Legal is highly recommended for legal professionals seeking a comprehensive and user-friendly legal software solution. Its strengths in research, document automation, and user experience make it an ideal choice for lawyers, paralegals, and legal teams looking to enhance their productivity and efficiency.

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Screenshots

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Head-to-Head Comparison

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