Clio vs PracticePanther: Which Is Better?
Legal practice management software for modern law firms compared.
Tom Bradley
2026-02-27
Both Clio and PracticePanther are cloud-based legal practice management platforms built for law firms of all sizes, but they diverge significantly in scope, price, and target audience. Clio positions itself as an enterprise-grade platform with deep AI capabilities, while PracticePanther competes on simplicity and competitive pricing.
Quick Comparison
| Clio | PracticePanther | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $49/user/mo (annual) | $59/user/mo |
| Free trial | Yes | 7 days, no credit card |
| AI features | Yes (Clio Duo add-on) | No |
| Integrations | 250+ | Limited |
| Trust accounting | Yes | Yes |
| Client portal | Yes | Yes |
| Business texting | No (3rd party) | Yes (built-in) |
| Court filing | CA, TX, GA | No |
| Bar approvals | 100+ worldwide | Not specified |
Clio
Clio is the market leader in legal practice management by most measures — 150,000+ users across 130+ countries and approved by over 100 bar associations. It's a comprehensive platform that handles the full lifecycle of legal work, from client intake through billing and document management.
Pricing tiers (annual billing): - EasyStart — $49/user/month: Time tracking, billing, document management. Entry point for firms migrating off spreadsheets. - Essentials — $89/user/month: Adds task automation, court calendaring rules, and the most popular feature set for growing firms. - Advanced — $119/user/month: Adds advanced reporting, custom fields, and deeper workflow automation. - Expand — $149/user/month: Includes Clio Grow (their CRM/intake product) bundled in, plus all advanced features.
Monthly billing runs $59, $99, $139, and $169 respectively. Clio Duo, the AI assistant, is an additional $69/user/month and is US-only.
The standout feature in 2025-2026 is Clio Duo, their embedded AI that handles invoice generation and routing, drafts motions and client updates from matter activity, extracts court dates from filed documents, and surfaces case priorities. For firms that spend significant time on administrative work, this is a meaningful time multiplier.
Clio also includes built-in e-filing for state courts in California, Texas, and Georgia — useful for litigation-heavy practices. The 250+ integration directory is the deepest in the market, covering Office 365, Google Workspace, accounting tools, and specialized legal research platforms.
Support is 24/5 by phone, email, or live chat — notably not 24/7, but broader than most competitors. Data migration is handled by dedicated specialists, which matters when switching from legacy software.
Limitations: The pricing tiers are steep, especially for multi-attorney firms. The AI features cost extra and are US-only. Clio Grow (CRM) is only bundled at the top tier; lower plans require purchasing it separately. The platform's breadth can make it feel heavy for solo practitioners or small firms with simple needs.
PracticePanther
PracticePanther targets small to mid-size law firms that want solid core functionality without the complexity or cost of enterprise platforms. Their three-tier pricing is straightforward, and the feature set covers what most general practice firms need day-to-day.
Pricing tiers: - Solo — $59/user/month: Contact and matter management, time and expense tracking, secure client portal, unlimited storage. - Essential — $79/user/month: Adds custom intake forms, advanced reporting, and additional workflow features. - Business — $99/user/month: Full feature set including attorney revenue reports, business texting, and conditional workflows.
A 7-day free trial requires no credit card, which lowers the barrier to evaluation.
PantherPayments, their built-in payment processor, is a genuine differentiator — they claim firms get paid 70% faster by accepting credit card, ACH, or eCheck with built-in payment plans and trust account integration. Trust accounting follows IOLTA, ABA, and state bar guidelines with three-way reconciliation and balance threshold alerts.
Business texting is built into the Business plan, including two-way client messaging that automatically tracks conversations and creates time entries. This is something Clio requires third-party integrations to replicate.
Workflows support conditional logic — useful for firms with practice-area-specific processes that branch based on case type or client status. The automated intake forms sync directly to the CRM, reducing duplicate data entry.
Security is 256-bit SSL with role-based access controls and real-time cloud backup. The client portal allows clients to view documents, send messages, check invoice balances, and make payments.
Limitations: No AI features as of early 2026. Integration ecosystem is smaller than Clio's. No built-in e-filing. The platform is less customizable at the enterprise level. Fewer third-party audits and bar association approvals publicly listed, which may matter to compliance-conscious larger firms.
When to Choose Clio
- You run a firm with 5+ attorneys and need scalable infrastructure
- AI-assisted billing and drafting would meaningfully reduce administrative overhead
- You need built-in court e-filing in California, Texas, or Georgia
- Integrations with your existing tools (accounting, research platforms) are a priority
- Bar association compliance documentation is required for firm approval processes
- You're willing to pay premium pricing for a platform that can grow with the firm over years
When to Choose PracticePanther
- You're a solo practitioner or small firm (1-10 attorneys) watching per-user costs
- Built-in two-way business texting with clients is a priority
- You want a simpler onboarding experience with a 7-day no-credit-card trial
- Trust accounting compliance and fast payment collection are the primary pain points
- You don't need AI features or e-filing, and want to avoid paying for capabilities you won't use
- Your practice is relatively straightforward and doesn't require deep customization
Bottom Line
Clio is the better platform for firms that have outgrown simple tools and need a system that will scale — its AI features, deep integrations, and enterprise-grade security justify the higher cost for firms where attorney time is the primary expense. PracticePanther is the smarter pick for cost-conscious small firms that need solid core practice management without the overhead of a platform built for larger organizations. At $99/user/month for the full Business plan, PracticePanther comes in $50 cheaper than Clio's top tier, and its built-in texting and competitive payment processing make it punchy for its price. Neither platform is wrong — the right choice depends almost entirely on firm size, budget, and whether AI-assisted workflows are worth the premium.