Top 9 Clio Alternatives for Client Portal Solutions

We are living in times when technology is reinventing professions, and the legal one is no exception.

A law firm has always been associated with a huge amount of paperwork and lots of hard copy documents that are continuously prepared, analyzed, shared and submitted to various state establishments.

Specialized legal practice management software tools have emerged that are designed to meet the specific needs of modern law firms. And the undisputed solution in the field has long been Clio.

What is Clio?

Clio is the leading web-based case management software. Originally developed for solo practitioners and small law firms, Clio has now introduced a cloud-based offering, making it suitable for law businesses of all sizes. The main idea behind Clio is to provide a single solution for document management, law practice management, calendar management, legal billing and accounting to cover all the possible needs of a law firm.

Clio has definitely set a high standard in the field and has thousands of happy users. However, some law firms may find its certain features or aspects less suited to their specific needs or practice areas and thus they may need to explore alternatives.

Drawbacks of Clio

• Poor integration with accounting software
• Non-intuitive customer portals
• Cumbersome and inefficient document sharing system
• Somewhat unsatisfactory customer support
• Reporting functionality with limited customization options

Best 9 Client Portal Alternatives to Clio

At the heart of a good legal management tool lies the customer portal, essential for facilitating secure, efficient communication and document exchange between lawyers and their clients. In this article, we will explore the best alternatives to Clio currently available in the modern market, with a particular focus on the customer portal feature, which is crucial for this type of software. Ready to dive in? Let’s get started.

Comparative Table of Legal Case Management Software Solutions

	Solution	Starting price	Trial	Core features	Best for
1	FuseBase	Free plan is available. Paid plans start at $9 per month. Contact sales for a customized pricing quote	Free trial is available.	Client portals Document management Knowledge base Collaboration and communication	Client-oriented law firms of all sizes that require an integrated solution
2	Smokeball	Smokeball is priced starting at $39.00 per user per month.	Free trial is available.	Legal calendar Accounting functionality Legal billing Client intake and lead management	Small to mid-sized law firms and legal practitioners
3	The Tussman Program	One-time fee of $695.00.	Free trial is available.	Legal billing General Ledger Calendar management Document import	Legal professionals and law firms seeking an efficient and comprehensive legal billing software solution
4	Actionstep	Pricing is available upon request.	Free trial is unavailable.	Client and matter management Document management Billing and Accounting	Midsize law firms
5	SmartAdvocate	Pricing is available upon request.	Free trial is unavailable.	Client portals Document management Automated workflows Custom dashboards and reports	Personal injury law firms and attorneys
6	Assembly Trialworks	Free version is available. Pricing is available upon request.	Free trial is unavailable.	Case management Client intake Document management Invoicing and billing	Law firms and legal professionals involved in trial preparation and case management
7	CARET Legal	Starts at $79 per user per month when billed annually.	Free trial is available.	Case management Billing and payments Document management Prospect and contact management	Law firms seeking comprehensive document management capabilities.
8	TimeNet Law	One-time fee of $299.00.	Free trial is available.	Law firm management Time tracking Invoicing Accounting Reporting	Mac-using attorneys, private investigators, solo practitioners, and small-to-medium law firms.
9	Rocket Matter	Starts at $39 per user per month when billed annually.	Free trial is available.	Practice management Billing and payments Legal CRM Calendars and tasks	Solo practitioners and small firms.

Let’s now look at each solution in more detail.

1. FuseBase

FuseBase (formerly known as Nimbus) ranks as number one on our list of top alternatives to Clio and here’s why. FuseBase is an AI-powered, universal client collaboration platform designed for client-oriented businesses across various industries. To be frank, it brings to the table much more than just legal practice management features, and this is the primary reason for its high position on our list.

FuseBase boasts a rich set of essential tools for running literally any business: customer portals, knowledge bases, documents creation and sharing, data collection and analytics, project management and communication and, and much, much more.

Key features

• Client portals

Legal practice management companies can greatly benefit from FuseBase’s client portals, which serve as a centralized platform for communication, data sharing and service access. Portals provide a secure and efficient way for a law firm to interact with its clients—just imagine, you can easily create a one-click access branded portal with a custom-made home page.

• Document management

FuseBase comes with a powerful document management software that allows you to create digital documentation, websites and more, all within a single collaborative workspace. The platform enables the creation of searchable knowledge bases and FAQs that can greatly assist your clients and staff in searching for information.

• Task management

FuseBase has everything a law company needs to manage tasks, schedules, approvals and workflows efficiently. The platform allows you to consolidate cases within project management dashboards and workflows for better transparency and collaboration. 

Capterra rating: 4.6 (163 reviews).

G2 rating: 4.7 (81 reviews).

2. Smokeball

Next on our list of the top alternatives to Clio is Smokeball, a legal practice management software designed to simplify daily operations of law firms. It comes with comprehensive case management tools that allow lawyers to efficiently organize and track cases, matters and related documents.

Key features

• Legal calendar

Say goodbye to the stress of missing meetings, arriving late to court hearings or being late for appointments. The legal calendar makes everyone’s life in the firm easier, from secretaries to top executives.

• Trust accounting software

Smokeball comes with fully integrated legal trust accounting tools that allow you to effectively manage invoicing, payments, trust accounts and retainers.

Capterra rating: 4.8 (208 reviews).

G2 rating: 4.8 (251 reviews).

3. The Tussman Program

Continuing our exploration of Clio alternatives, we now turn our attention to the Tussman Program which is a legal billing software for attorneys created by attorneys. The software tool aims to simplify legal work and practice by offering tools for case management, client communications, accounting, reports, etc.

Key features

• General Ledger

The General Ledger module, which seamlessly integrates with the Tussman program, enables you to print and record checks for client expenses and office overheads, as well as post client expenses to the bookkeeping section of the tool.

• Docket/Calendar module

A calendar with user-friendly interface allows you to manage all the appointments, meetings and events in a weekly and monthly view. Additionally, you can set event codes and thus schedule an entire series of events that will be triggered by a single master event.

• Document import

With the Tussman Program law practice management software, you can easily import legal documents and time records into the system.

Capterra rating: 4.8 (33 reviews).

G2 rating: 3.5 (1 review).

4. Actionstep

Let us move to the next solution on our list of Clio alternatives—Actionstep. It is an adaptable cloud-based legal practice management software for law firms and compliance-focused businesses. Actionstep is a flexible case management platform with easy-to-use interface and world class support. It allows lawyers to create space for delighting clients while streamlining inner processes.

Key features

• Client and matter management

Actionstep makes law practice management more effective with tasks automation, time management and invoicing. Actionstep will definitely make everyone’s job in the firm easier.

• Document management

Actionstep’s robust document management system enables you to securely store files of various formats within individual matters. Each matter has its dedicated file system that allows you to create folders, quickly download files and seamlessly upload them using drag-and-drop functionality.

Capterra rating: 4.3 (128 reviews).

G2 rating: 3.8 (13 reviews).

5. SmartAdvocate

Moving down the list of Clio alternatives, we have SmartAdvocate as the next option. It is an award-winning, fully customizable legal case management software with one of the best client portals specifically designed for law firms. Its main customers are law firms across such practice areas as personal injury, mass torts, workers’ compensation, veteran affairs and social security.

Key features

• Document management

The software provides a centralized repository for storing and managing documents, making it easy to access, share and collaborate on case-related files.

• Custom dashboards & reports

With the SmartAdvocate law practice management software, you can generate client dashboards with charts and graphs built on case data, including crucial deadlines, medical records, pending tasks and even team activity.

• Texting integration

SmartAdvocate allows you to directly send text messages, which appear from a unique phone number. The tool saves all sent and received messages within the associated case.

Capterra rating: 4.8 (97 reviews).

G2 rating: 4.7 (80 reviews).

6. Assembly Trialworks

Progressing through our list of Clio alternatives, we come to Assembly Trialworks powered by Assembly Software. It is the next-generation cloud-based legal practice management software with robust functionality. Assembly TrialWorks was designed to enhance law practice management efficiency. It has been an industry leader for a long time and evolved into a more powerful platform—Neos, renowned for its process automation, communication and health insights features.

Key features

• Case management

Assembly Trialworks allows its users access important documents and case details from wherever they are. All case information is securely stored in Microsoft Azure’s database, allowing the ability for easy access even for geographically dispersed teams. Furthermore, by storing documents in the cloud, the risk of losing critical documentation, which frequently occurs with physical paperwork, is significantly reduced.

• Client intake

With Assembly Trialworks, legal firms can develop their own intake forms to capture every detail of the case. Efficient intake will help you save time, limit mistakes, fasten client onboarding and improve customer satisfaction. And enhanced client happiness leads to increased profitability and higher revenue.

Capterra rating: 4.4 (87 reviews).

G2 rating: 4.0 (16 reviews).

7. CARET Legal

The next entry in our selection of Clio alternatives is CARET Legal, previously known as Zola Suite. It is a leading SaaS legal practice management platform. It is designed to assist a law business in automating critical processes, effectively managing all practice areas and maximizing billable time.

Key features

• Case management

Users of CARET Legal claim that they can efficiently manage more cases, streamline their routine processes and enhance client communication. When software manages all aspects of a case, it frees you to focus on what truly matters: collaborating with colleagues and clients and allows you to manage more cases in less time.

• Invoicing and payments

Accounting can be a real headache but not with CARET Legal. This legal case management software tool enables you to enhance cash flow with fully integrated payments, accurately record billable hours and access important financial metrics.

Capterra rating: 4.5 (128 reviews).

G2 rating: 4.5 (164 reviews).

8. TimeNet Law

TimeNet Law is legal time tracking and billing software for Mac that offers features for hours tracking, invoicing, client management and document management.

Key features

• Invoicing

Users highly value TimeNet Law’s invoicing features. It has everything legal professionals might need to manage their work: evergreen retainers, LEDES billing, customizable advanced billing settings for attorneys and remote access.

• Law firm management

TimeNet Law places clients and matters at the center of your workflow, enabling you to efficiently manage contacts, leads, tasks, fees and expenses. It also provides conflict avoidance through automatic notifications and allows customization of settings and rules on a per-client or per-matter basis.

Capterra rating: 4.8 (21 reviews).

G2 rating: 4.3 (2 reviews).

9. Rocket Matter

The next law practice management solution on our list of Clio alternatives is Rocket Matter. Rocket Matter, a pioneer in cloud-based legal practice management, offers a comprehensive suite of tools for case management, time tracking, invoicing and client communication. It’s particularly favored by mid-sized law firms for its robust feature set and ease of use.

Key features

• Legal CRM

The primary goal of Rocket Matter’s CRM is to assist its users in building strong relationships with their clients. By sending personalized follow-up messages via email or text, a law business can directly engage with both existing and potential clients, thereby enhancing customer retention.

• Organizational tools

Rocket Matter boasts a powerful set of organizational features that includes task tracker, calendar and contact management utilities. With Rocket Matter, it has never been easier for a legal business to efficiently manage its daily operations.

Capterra rating: 4.4 (200 reviews).

G2 rating: 4.3 (168 reviews).

Conclusion

Today, with advancements in technology, legal companies are slowly but steadily changing the way they run their practices. They are automating routine tasks, transferring documents and information sharing to the cloud, utilizing secure client communication tools and much, much more.

In the article, we have reviewed popular law practice management tools that can be used as an alternative to Clio, which has long been a leading solution in the area. Out of nine solutions analyzed, FuseBase sets itself apart by providing a single platform for professional services. Its robust client portals functionality allows for leveling up client interactions and streamlining routing processes.

Ready to try it yourself? Get started for free and begin enhancing your client communications today!

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