Clio vs Smokeball
On the evidence we track, Clio leads this comparison with a composite score of 69/100. Scores are only directly comparable because these tools share a category; the full breakdown and every source is below.
Capabilities
Feature-by-feature on the axes that matter for legal practice management. “-” means undocumented, not absent.
What each one is
The product in its own terms, so the numbers below have context.
Clio
LeaderA practice management system that helps law firms organize cases, track billable time, manage tasks and deadlines, and communicate securely with clients. The platform integrates with over 50 third-party applications to extend functionality.
Smokeball
A comprehensive legal practice management platform combining case management, billing, trust accounting, time tracking, and AI-assisted document automation to help law firms reduce administrative burden and focus on client service.
Pricing
List pricing as published by each vendor, with the date we read it. Always verify at the source before you buy.
Clio
LeaderFrom $49/user/mo. Free 30-day trial.
- Starter$49/user/mo
- Store and manage every contact, matter, and document
- Track time and expenses from anywhere
- Client online payments (card, eCheck, Apple Pay, Google Pay)
- Trust and operating account reconciliation
- Core-
- Everything in Starter, plus:
- AI-drafted billing on schedule
- Documents to calendar events and tasks
- Automatic client updates from case activity
- Secure client portal
- Signature-
- Everything in Core, plus:
- Unlimited custom roles and permissions
- Kanban board with matter stages
- AI reports on profitability and productivity
- Multi-currency billing
Smokeball
Per-user monthly billing. Custom quotes available.
- ProsperContact sales
- Legal billing and case management
- GrowContact sales
- Advanced automation, reporting and firm management
- Prosper+Contact sales
Platform & deployment
Where each product runs and how it can be hosted. A dash means undocumented, not unsupported.
Integrations
What each product connects to. Counts come from the vendor's own integration directory where one exists.
Clio
Leader- Apptoto
- Nextchapter
- Legalist
- Clause
- LawLytics
- CyphraTek
Smokeball
- Outlook
- Microsoft Word
- QuickBooks Online
- LAWCLERK
Clio or Smokeball: which one depends on you
A composite score cannot know your constraints. Describe them and both get re-weighted against what you actually need, with the evidence behind every position.
Free to run, no account needed to start. How the evaluation works
Comparison generated from independently-sourced facts. Every value links to its source and retrieval date. See the method.