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Clio vs Firm Central

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Our analysts compared Clio vs Firm Central 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
Clio Software Tool
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Firm Central Software Tool
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Product Basics

Analyst Rating

91 Detailed Analysis

User Sentiment

Excellent User Sentiment (1435 Reviews)

Analyst Rating

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Detailed Analysis

User Sentiment

Good User Sentiment (141 Reviews)
Clio is an industry-leading end-to-end solution to streamline all aspects of a law firm — case management, daily workflows, billing, client relationship and in-depth reporting. Firms can opt for its practice management and billing-focused Clio Manage, client-facing Clio Grow or combine the best of both worlds with Clio Suite. Users can access a centralized calendar to schedule workflows, deadlines and client appointments with reminders, checklists and follow-ups. They can also access and manage cases, matters, documents and clients in real-time and generate bills with personalized payment plans, track billable hours and account receivables to maximize firm revenues.

It provides a secure database for easy access to client records, documents and matters. It simplifies client intake, relationship and retention processes with lead generation, secure communication, client tracking and online payment modules. It also provides robust customizable dashboards and reporting to enable data-driven insights on different facets of the firm. Scalable for practices of all sizes, firms can leverage more than 200 integrations and its immersive referral network to enrich its functionality. Its dedicated cybersecurity and cloud deployment enable users and teams to connect securely and remotely from the devices of their choice.
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Firm Central is an end-to-end cloud-based solution that provides firms with a centralized interface to manage legal matters, accounting, calendaring, time tracking, billing and client communication. Users can track time and expenses efficiently from multiple devices and create flexible payment options and custom invoices for clients. Monitor legal workflows using its legal calendar with custom rules templates, deadline assistance, permissions-based access and multiple viewing options. Dashboards and reports provide up-to-date data-driven insights.

It offers robust data security with encryption, compliant servers and 24/7 security monitoring. It also provides continuous data backups and seamless integrations. Users can access it from anywhere, from any device.
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$40/User, Monthly
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$40/User, Monthly
Free Trial is available →
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
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Android
Chromebook
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Android
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Product Assistance

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

Product Insights

  • User-Friendly: Maximize ROI by reducing time spent on reskilling employees thanks to extensive training material and an intuitive UI. 
  • Automatically Perform Core Processes: Save time with purpose-built automation such as email scheduling, automated workflows, task assignments, email templates and more. 
  • Unlimited Cloud Storage: Store an unlimited number of case-related documents, audio and video files. 
  • Prompt Support: The technical support team provides quick responses. 
  • Comprehensive Mobile App: Offers on-the-go time tracking, business accounting and database access. 
  • Precise Dashboard Tracking: Track invoices, receivables, deadlines, tasks, staff performance and more in real time. 
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  • Comprehensive Reports: Get detailed daily, weekly and monthly reports of billable and non-billable time tracked. Maximize accuracy by cross-checking before billing. 
  • Easy Access: Directly access Westlaw’s legal research network from the homepage. 
  • Customizable Dashboard: Customize the dashboard with status bars for crucial functions. 
  • Simplify Collaboration: Collaborate with clients and team members by integrating with SharePoint. 
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  • Client Management: Increase operational efficiency by automating standard firm procedures throughout the client lifecycle. Improve the customer experience by encouraging client collaborations in case operations. 
    • Client Intake Management: Automate logging and synchronization of client intake data, case management tasks and calendar information under one scheduling environment. Track potential client information and open new matters seamlessly with Quick Intake. 
    • Client Tracking: Never miss a single task or appointment with checklists, automated reminders and cross-platform sharing of client information and documentation. Follow up on potential clients and collect matter details with 24/7 secure access to cases, scheduling, contacts through Online Intake Forms and the Matter Pipeline. 
    • Client Services: Increase client engagement with automated follow-up emails and reminders. Offer flexible payment options including online credit cards. 
  • Security: Secure your data from potential external and internal vulnerabilities with a dedicated cybersecurity portal. Enforce administrative, physical and technical controls like 2FA, criminal background checks, security training and more to protect against future liabilities. 
    • Compliance: Ensure GDPR compliance both as a data controller and processor. Get payments processed 39% faster with credit cards while operating in compliance with PCI guidelines. 
    • Data Encryption: Store and transmit data securely with HTTPS and TLS-based in-transit and at-rest encryption. The secure web interface is verified by DigiCert. 
    • Control Implementation: Control access to sensitive information with role-based permissions, login safeguards and session/activity tracking via IP information. Increase safety standards with strong passwords, regular password resets and two-factor authentication via the mobile app. 
  • Firm Insights: Thoroughly understand the firm’s strengths and weaknesses with in-depth reporting on the most valuable referral sources, clients, and matter types. Compare actual matter totals to estimated ones and track billed, unbilled and collected amounts. 
  • Case Management: Track and manage case-related documents, bills, time and client contact information from anywhere. Integrate pre-existing case information from over 200 applications including Dropbox, Outlook and Google Workspace. 
  • Document Management: Remotely store and access an unlimited number of legal documents, images, audio and video files. Backup documents automatically, filter and sort using customized categories, search using keywords and send documents for signature through the e-Signature portal. 
  • Billing Management: Create, approve and send bills electronically and process interest for late payments with the Clio Connect portal. Offer automated, flexible and faster payment plans with integrated credit card processing via the Clio Payments extension. 
  • Contact Management: Track the firm’s clients and contacts with quick overviews of their connected matters, documents, transactions and bills. Trace their interactions with the firm, identify conflict of interests, if any, and log case-specific information in custom data fields. 
  • Accounting: Create trust and operating accounts and produce invoices in compliance with legal industry regulations. Use the client ledger portal to monitor all accounts and transactions associated with a client and perform 3-way reconciliations either manually or with the help of third-party extensions. 
  • Calendar Management: Stay on top of deadlines and important dates by synchronizing calendars with cases. Create custom entries to log more billable hours, share important events and dates with clients and keep track of firm-wide events, meetings and appointments. 
  • Task Management: Keep track of pending tasks on legal cases, assign tasks to other members and set as many customized task categories as required using the Advanced Tasks portal. Get notifications about overdue tasks, organized by due date, in the main dashboard. 
  • Time and Expense Tracking: Keep a record of time spent working by seamlessly adding entries from calendar events, tasks, communication logs, notes, documents, Outlook and Gmail. Track time and expenses in real time even when on the go using the mobile application. 
  • Performance Management: Get detailed reports on the utilization of the firm’s time with insights on how to streamline workflows and reallocate resources for better productivity. Identify unbilled hours and write-offs to prevent further incidents. 
  • Legal Client App: Clients can use the mobile app to receive push notifications, status updates and case details, contact their lawyer and scan and upload documents. Case lawyers provide sign up links via email for secure login with Face ID or Touch ID verification. 
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  • Matter Management: Manage legal matters, tasks, contacts, deadlines and documents from a single platform. Automate the client intake process and store an unlimited amount of documentation and files. 
    • Matter Search: Identify specific legal documents and files with the global search function. 
  • Collaboration: Securely share case files and calendar entries with all team members and counsels. Encourage collaboration between counsels and clients with a dedicated client portal. 
  • Task Management: Assign tasks to staff members, set reminders for important events and appointments and keep track of notifications. Monitor document reviews and updates and perform conflict checks across the client database. 
  • Time Tracking and Billing: Track every single minute of billable time with the Firm Central Time & BIlling portal. Create and operate trust funds, run reports and issue expedited invoices for faster payments. 
    • Financial Reporting: Generate reports with custom datasets to identify profitable practice areas, aging receivables, referral values, important clients and more. 
    • Financial Dashboard: Get real-time access to firm financials, outstanding bills, WIP, year-end reconciliations and more through a single interface. Use the dashboard insights for agile decision-making and strategic future planning. 
    • Time and Expense: Log billable hours with multiple timers from any computer or mobile device. Integrate time tracking and billing capabilities to directly invoice for the time entries. 
    • Billing: Prepare tailored payment plans and payment options for clients. Edit invoices and accept credit card payments with the ClientPay portal. 
  • Accounting: Manage separate trust and operating accounts with purpose-built accounting software. Process invoices ethically and in compliance with industry standards. 
    • Reports: Run regular accounting reports to measure profitability, discounts, write-offs, bank reconciliations, account transactions and more. Stay on top of the firm’s financial health to make informed decisions. 
    • Eliminate Error: Automate data entry to eliminate duplicate data and human errors. 
    • Compliance: Prepare an audit trail for all trust account transactions and simplify year-end reconciliations. Set up internal controls to protect financial data from leaks. 
  • Legal Calendar: Manage deadlines, events, hearings and more with the integrated legal calendar tool. 
    • Deadlines: The Deadlines Assistant automatically computes the deadlines of ongoing projects based on the rules set by the firm’s jurisdiction. Set up custom rules if required. 
    • Calendar Sync: Add, edit and update events in either the built-in calendar or Microsoft Outlook and automatically synchronize entries. 
    • Multiple Calendar Views: Allow all staff members to view the legal calendar for a holistic awareness of deadlines and appointments. Drill down on specific entries by matter and permissions. 
  • Mobile Application: Retain full control over legal matters and tasks while away from the office. Use the mobile application to securely access legal documents, matters, contacts, calendars and more. Track time and process expenses on the go. 
  • Security: Secure firm files and documentation in transit as well as in storage. Additionally, solve any data residency requirements with U.S.-based servers hosted by Thomson Reuters. 
    • Data Encryption: All connections to Firm Central servers are routed via HTTPS sessions with 256-bit SSL and TLS encryption. 
    • Compliance: Ensure the data security standards of the firm are compliant with SOC 2 Type II and AICPA regulations. Physical data centers are ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified. 
  • Client Portal: Provide clients with an encrypted communication environment for secure collaboration with counsels. 
    • Communications: Share documents, bills, case updates, messages and more with clients in real time. Monitor all client activity and maintain a record of all communications. 
    • Self-service: Clients can check case files and matter information, receive push notifications and upload documents. 
    • Security: Maintain ABA ethics mandates with the self-service portal. Use permission-based controls to decide who gets access to what items and documents. 
  • Westlaw Compatibility: Subscribe to Westlaw for built-in case citation flags and integrated global search and research tools. 
  • Integrations: Integrate with multiple Thomson Reuters applications under the same platform. Available inclusions include Westlaw legal research, Westlaw Form Builder, Practical Law and Drafting Assistant. 
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Product Ranking

#2

among all
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#37

among all
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Analyst Rating Summary

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Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

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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 97 100 82 62 98 100 100 79 0 25 50 75 100
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 1435 reviews
Good User Sentiment 141 reviews
93%
of users recommend this product

Clio has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 93% when considering 1435 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

74%
of users recommend this product

Firm Central has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 74% when considering 141 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

4.6 (18)
4.1 (5)
4.5 (243)
3.8 (11)
4.7 (1147)
3.68 (62)
n/a
3.7 (62)
4.7 (27)
3.0 (1)

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Clio and concluded it deserves the award for the Best Overall Legal Software available today and earns best-in-class honors for Client and Contact Management, Mobile Capabilities, Task Management and Integrations and Extensibility. Clio stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

Analysts' Pick Award
User Favorite Award
Client and Contact Management Award
Mobile Capabilities Award
Task Management Award
Integrations and Extensibility Award

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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Ease of Use: All the users who reviewed this aspect found the UI intuitive and easy to pick up.
Functionality: According to 73% of users reviewing capabilities, basic functions such as time tracking, accounting and document management perform satisfactorily.
Service and Support: 83% of users who mentioned this element said they’re satisfied with the customer support and response rates.
Task Management: Regarding this feature, 71% of users said the softwaremade task management easier.
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Data Management: It provides easy and secure access to client records and legal matters, according to 100% of users mentioning data management.
Ease of Use: According to 83% of users who reviewed this aspect, the platform is user-friendly and easy to learn.
Sharing and Collaboration: All reviewers who mentioned this benefit said they found it easy to share and collaborate on legal matters, especially with access to SharePoint.
Task Management: According to 67% of users who reviewed this feature, the legal calendar simplifies tracking pending tasks, assignments and deadlines.
KPI Monitoring: Everyone reviewing this element said that the customizable dashboard made it easy to track KPIs.
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Integrations: Integration options are limited and plagued with bugs, according to 60% of users mentioning this aspect.
Speed and Performance: According to 100% of users who reviewed this element, loading speed is slow, negatively affecting performance.
Reporting: 56% of users who reviewed this feature found that reports lack customizability.
Training: 80% of users found the training resources to be insufficient.
Cost: According to 80% of users who reviewed this aspect, the software cost is higher than its competitors.
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Functionality: Without integrations, it has limited functionalities, according to 57% of users mentioning this element.
Integrations: According to 71% of users who reviewed this feature, integrations can be buggy and expensive.
Service and Support: 64% of users who mentioned this aspect said they found the technical support lacking in knowledge and responsiveness.
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Clio offers practice management capabilities, along with data and task management modules. According to reviews, its primary functions like time tracking, billing and matter management meet modern legal requirements. It’s scalable, secure and easy to use, with a responsive support team to back it up. However, reviewers noted that integrations are buggy and loading time is slow. While the features make it worthwhile, many users feel that the cost could be lower. Overall, Clio is an excellent package if you don’t mind paying a bit more and dealing with extended load times.

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Firm Central provides legal practitioners with a capable practice management solution with direct access to Westlaw. It offers secure and fast web access to basic features, including time tracking, billing, accounting, and matter and task management modules. Access to Westlaw is an important asset and should weigh heavily on any acquisition decision. That said, multiple integrations can drive up costs and put a lot of pressure on the platform. Implementation and technical support can be hard to reach at times. Unless a Westlaw integration is absolutely essential to the firm, there are better options available in this price range.

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Screenshots

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