16 Attorney Time Tracking Tools for Accurate Billable Hours

Timesheet management has been a difficult task for attorneys since day one. However, with modern technology, there are now more resources than ever before that make the process easier – and much more accurate!

In this blog post, we’ll go over the best attorney time tracking tools out there to help streamline your billing process. So, read on if you want to learn about our top 16 picks – each one is guaranteed to help streamline your lawyer’s workflow.

16 Attorney Time Tracking Tools for Accurate Billing

	actiTIME	Practice Panther	Clio	eBillity	Bill4Time
Automatic time tracking
Cost tracking
Mobile app
Free version

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1. actiTIME

Key features:

• Mobile app
• Calendar view
• Automatic time tracking
• Client billing
• Time off management
• Integrations

actiTIME is time tracking software for lawyers that helps to answer the following questions: 

• Are my lawyers working efficiently?
• How much time do lawyers spend on each task, case, client, or practice area?
• How profitable are particular tasks, cases, clients, or practice areas?
• How to review the profitability of the whole legal business?
• How to improve the productivity of lawyers?

First of all, you can track time in multiple ways. One of the key interfaces is an online timesheet that you can populate with tasks, manage displayed task parameters, including estimates and deadlines, add comments to each time entry, track work and leave time, track overtime manually or automatically, and more.

Online timesheet interface in actiTIME where every user can select task parameters
they want to see in their timesheets.

Another time tracking interface that you might enjoy more is a weekly timeline view, where you can track hours by recording start and end times and review your work efforts visualized as time blocks throughout the week:

• Drag the borders of the block to change their duration, and move them across the board to change their time and date.
• See your overtime hours calculated automatically if you specify the start of the working day and its duration and add overtime manually.

Weekly timeline interface in actiTIME where you can track time by entering start and end times of tasks, manage and review time blocks across the week.

Automated time tracking features include a browser extension that allows you to capture hours across websites and mobile apps that capture your billable hours when you are away from your desk.

actiTIME stands out from other software by allowing you to build custom work structures, like a Client – Matter/Case – Task one or any other that fits your needs. For instance, you can create such custom fields as Litigation Code (UTBMS coding) or Practice Area to sort tasks according to activities or areas of law, and review and sort your data using reports.

actiTIME’s Custom Fields Report – define practice areas, litigation codes, and more.

To automate most of your time tracking, billing, and reporting routines, you can use actiTIME integrations. With QuickBooks accounting system integration, you can import your timesheet data and use it for invoicing, tax calculations, and payroll. Or use Zapier to connect actiTIME with 2000+ apps without any coding skills.

Pros:

• Provides super accurate time tracking data thanks to automation.
• Simple to use, even for non-technical users.
• Highly customizable settings allow you to tailor the platform to your workflow.
• The mobile app allows attorneys to track their time on the go, which is perfect for lawyers who travel often.

Cons:

• Tracks time in granular detail and provides very thorough reports, which may not be that useful for everyone.
• Doesn’t have functionality for real-time collaboration.

Integrations:

QuickBooks, 2000+ Zapier integrations, API, and more.

Deployment:

Web-based, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS.

Pricing:

actiTIME offers a free version with basic features for up to 3 users. The price for the full version starts at $6 per user a month.

 

actiTIME helps us in data analysis and international reporting

actiTIME is pretty easy and understandable even for a layman. The app requires no big technical know-how. Simple user interfaces and stylish reporting became vital factors in making a decision on the application.

It helps us a lot in data analysis, client billing, and international reporting. There has been a tremendously positive impact on the process since we’ve been using the product!

Try actiTIME

2. Practice Panther

Key features:

• Contact management
• Internal chat
• Mobile app
• Automated payment reminders

Practice Panther is a cloud-based law practice management software that helps attorneys streamline their daily tasks and foster better client relationships.

With Practice Panther, you can effortlessly manage your cases, track your billable hours, and even get paid faster with its sleek billing features and automated payment reminders. On top of that, the software also provides a collaborative platform for you to work and communicate with your team regarding your daily tasks.

Practice Panther has advanced reporting functionality. You can group the data on time and expenses by various parameters, compare the results for specific time periods or employees, and export it to Excel for processing in other applications.

Pros:

• Offers a centralized platform for managing everything related to your legal practice.
• Enables you to tailor your workflow to your specific needs.
• Automated reminders keep everyone on track and ensure that your practice runs smoothly.

Cons:

• It may take some time to get used to the interface and all the features Practice Panther offers.
• Not the cheapest solution out there.

Integrations:

QuickBooks, Dropbox, LawPay, Zapier integrations, and more.

Deployment:

Web-based, Android, and iOS.

Pricing:

$49 for the Solo plan, $69 per user a month for the Essential plan, and $89 per user a month for the Business plan.

3. Clio

Key features:

• Online payments
• Calendaring
• Task management
• Client portal

Clio is a cloud-based practice management software designed to streamline the day-to-day operations of law firms and solo practitioners alike.

With Clio, you can track your time and expenses, manage your calendar, create and store documents, and even generate bills and invoice your clients all in one platform. This software is a true time-saver, giving you more time to do what you do best – practicing law.

But that’s not all – Clio also offers integrations with other popular legal tools such as QuickBooks and Microsoft Office, making it easy to seamlessly integrate with your existing systems.

Pros:

• Robust and flexible time tracking with multiple ways to enter time.
• Easy integration with other tools lets you streamline your workflows and avoid duplicate data entry.
• Advanced reporting and analytics help to spot patterns and trends, and make informed decisions.

Cons:

• Although Clio is user-friendly, it has a steep learning curve.
• Clio stores sensitive legal and financial data in the cloud, which raises concerns about data breaches, hacks, or unauthorized access.
• Expensive.

Integrations:

QuickBooks, Outlook, Dialpad, and more.

Deployment:

Web-based, Android, and iOS.

Pricing:

The prices for the four available plans range from $39 to $129 per user a month depending on the number of features included.

4. eBillity

Key features:

• Robust invoicing
• Expense tracking
• Scheduling
• Online payments

eBillity is a cloud-based time tracking and invoicing solution with the mission to save businesses drowning in a sea of paperwork. With its help, you can track time on the go, effortlessly manage client billing, and generate professional-looking invoices in a jiffy.

With eBillity’s advanced features, you can create custom rate cards for different clients, set up automatic reminders for overdue payments, and even generate detailed reports that give you insights into your productivity and profitability.

Plus, eBillity integrates seamlessly with popular legal software like Clio and Practice Panther, so you never have to worry about data entry errors or duplicate efforts.

Pros:

• Allows you to generate invoices in the legal format and keep track of your billable hours quickly and efficiently.
•  Integrations with third-party software to make your life easier.

Cons:

• May not have all the features that a law firm may require.
• The lack of customization options can be frustrating.

Integrations:

ADP, Gusto, Clio, Jira, and more.

Deployment:

Web-based, Android, and iOS.

Pricing:

The prices for time tracking functionality by eBillity range from $9.60 to $15 per user a month + monthly base fee. The plan for legal practitioners – LawBillity – will cost you $30 per user a month.

5. Bill4Time

Key features:

• One-click timers
• Invoice templates
• Online payments
• Client management

The tool helps centralize legal practice management and keep track of employees’ time. Its attorney time tracking module provides a simple way to capture time spent on clients’ cases in real time.

The tool allows tracking both billable and non-billable time, and separately record non-clients’ time. To speed up and automate the attorney time tracking process, Bill4Time converts appointments to time entries.

To get billable summaries for customers and see the profitability of your practice’s activities, run built-in reports on time data and billable amounts. Customize activity types and work code lists to increase the accuracy and efficiency of resulting data.

Pros:

• Highly customizable.
• Makes it easy to generate and send invoices.
• Has built-in functionality for online payments.

Cons:

• Doesn’t have fully automated time tracking features, just one-click timers.
• High prices make Bill4Time an unviable option for smaller law firms or solo practitioners with limited budgets.

Integrations:

QuickBooks, Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and Box.

Deployment:

Web-based, Android, and iOS.

Pricing:

The prices range from $27 to $89 per user a month depending on the functionality included.

	iTimeKeep	OneAdvanced	Chrometa	Time Miner	TimeSolv
Automatic time tracking
Cost tracking
Mobile app
Free version

Try actiTIME

6. iTimeKeep

Key features:

• Handy integrations
• Multi-device compatibility
• User-friendly interface

iTimeKeep is a part of a large suite of apps for legal firms and attorneys. It can be integrated with Microsoft Outlook, as well as billing and accounting software you already use.

This tool, like many other solutions, is designed for keeping time at the desk and on the go – but its specific feature is the ability to track the “invisible” time (i.e., billable hours completed on the go in small increments). They tend to result in significant time expenses on a larger time scale, so they are worth recording.

For that purpose, the app is available not only for desktop and mobile but also for smartwatches. With it, it’s convenient to start the timer and count hours that you work from anywhere – and not lose valuable data again.

Pros:

• Available both on Android and iOS platforms, making it easy for attorneys to enter their time on the go.
• Integrates well with many billing systems, which allows for a seamless invoicing process.
• Has a user-friendly interface that requires minimal training.

Cons:

• Some users have reported technical glitches, such as slow loading times.
• Requires an internet connection to function.

Integrations:

Microsoft Outlook.

Deployment:

Web-based, iOS.

Pricing:

No info available.

7. OneAdvanced

Key features:

• Billing
• Reports
• Flexible approach to time tracking

OneAdvanced is a suite of productivity-boosting apps that help businesses in the service industries take full control of their day thanks to robust time tracking and work management tools.

The unique feature of OneAdvanced’s time recording module is the “time finder,” which is designed to locate any missing time via intelligent prompts. The tool also allows users to populate timesheets based on their digital footprints and includes powerful reports that give attorneys data and insights into how they spend their time.

Pros:

• Available in the cloud, on-premise, and on mobile platforms.
• Supports time recording in both online and offline modes.
• Offers a comprehensive set of valuable features for legal practitioners.

Cons:

• There’s a learning curve to using OneAdvanced effectively.
• More suitable for resourceful businesses and large enterprises.

Integrations:

No info available.

Deployment:

Web-based, on-premises, Android, iOS.

Pricing:

No info is available.

8. Chrometa

Key features:

• Billable time tracking
• Project management
• Team management
• Integrations

Chrometa is an automatic background attorney time tracking solution that is developed to make the time tracking process effortless and increase the accuracy of the collected data. It captures time spent on various activities, categorizes it by clients and cases using special rules, and allows you to export the received data into billing systems.

Chrometa mobile apps are available for Android and iOS. They automatically track calls and meetings, so you don’t need to remember and calculate how much time you’ve spent speaking to each client. The desktop app can also be configured to track time spent away from the computer as meetings.

Pros:

• Fully automated time tracking ensures 100% accuracy.
• Categorizes the tracked time based on client and project, making it simpler to handle invoices and data reports.
• Lets you set performance metrics and track time against them.

Cons:

• Doesn’t have a built-in expense tracking feature.

Integrations:

Clio, Salesforce, Cosmolex, Xero, etc.

Deployment:

Web-based, Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.

Pricing:

Prices range from $19 to $49 per user a month.

9. Time Miner

Key features:

• Retroactive time tracking
• Integrations
• Activity reports

This app for Android and iOS devices “mines” your phone for calls, text messages, and emails and converts them into billable time records. This way, it prevents time spent on communication with customers from being left unrecorded – and unbilled.

Image source

The tool searches for new time records automatically and on-demand: you don’t need to start and stop timers before and after the call. The app’s users report that this solution is bringing them significant amounts of money by preventing under-billing.

Pros:

• Eliminates the need for manual time tracking by integrating directly with your email and calendar.
• Allows attorneys to focus on the actual work instead of spending valuable time on manual time tracking.
• Fully automated billable time tracking minimizes the risk of underbilling or overbilling clients.

Cons:

• Time Miner accesses the attorney’s email and calendar data, which raises potential privacy issues.
• Although Time Miner is impressive in its accuracy, it is not bulletproof. It might miss some time entries, especially if they are not contained in emails or calendar events.

Integrations:

Clio, MyCase, Microsoft 365 Outlook, RingCentral, etc.

Deployment:

Web-based, Android, and iOS.

Pricing:

The monthly price is $24.99, the annual price is $ 239.88, and enterprises pay a custom price for their subscriptions.

10. TimeSolv

• Location tracking
• Cost tracking
• Capacity reports
• Billing

TimeSolv is a handy time tracking and billing solution for legal professionals. It offers easy and intuitive time entry, accurate billing, budget planning, and rich reporting. Available on almost all devices (PC, Mac, iOS, Android), it allows time recording from anywhere both online and offline.

The tool has built-in ABA task codes that are used for LEDES billing and allows categorizing tasks by them. To stay on budget, it allows configuring time limits for specific tasks. After your time is recorded, the tool provides a summary of hours spent in any specific period: day, week, month, etc.

Pros:

• Allows you to customize your billing rates, invoices, and time entries according to your unique needs.
• Accessible through mobile and desktop devices + works offline.
• Can sync with QuickBooks and other legal practice management software, reducing the burden of double entry.

Cons:

• Does not offer a free plan, which could be a deal-breaker for some solo practitioners or small firms.
• Does not offer tools for real-time team collaboration.

Integrations:

Law Rules, QuickBooks, Xero, etc.

Deployment:

Windows, Mac, iOS, Android.

Pricing:

The monthly price for TimeSolv Legal starts from $47.50 per user a month, while the starting price for TimeSolv Pro is $26.99 per user a month.

11. FreshBooks

Key features:

• Mobile apps
• Integrations
• Billing & Invoicing
• Reporting

FreshBooks is one of the accounting, invoicing, and time tracking apps for lawyers.

Start a timer and get down to business, fill in timesheets manually, use mobile apps or Chrome extension timer – bank every billable hour the way you like. Review your team’s timesheets in a few clicks and get a quick summary of their daily activities with a simple and intuitive calendar dashboard.

With FreshBooks, you can track time against a specific client or project and use your time logs to build billings and invoices and send them to your clients.

Pros:

• FreshBooks allows lawyers to create professional-looking invoices that reflect their brand.
• Plus, the ability to accept online payments means clients can settle their bills quickly, which can improve cash flow.
• FreshBooks enables you to capture receipts, categorize expenses, and even track billable expenses easily, so you can seamlessly integrate them into your invoices.

Cons:

• While FreshBooks is great for invoicing and basic accounting, it lacks some of the more advanced features that larger firms need, such as complex reporting or trust accounting functionalities.
• If you’re running a firm with employees, keep in mind that FreshBooks doesn’t offer payroll features. You’ll need to integrate a separate payroll solution, which can complicate your financial management.

Integrations:

Shopify, Squarespace, Zoom, Gusto, SSuite, Fundbox, Stripe, Bench, and more.

Deployment:

Web-based, Android, and iOS.

Pricing:

Starting at $5.70 per month + 30-day trial period.

12. TimeCamp

Key features:

• Mobile apps
• Integrations
• Billing & Invoicing
• Reporting

TimeCamp is one of the best time tracking software for lawyers and law firms that deliver products and services to their clients and require smart billing and invoicing features.

 

Time tracking with TimeCamp is fully automated. When you switch between tasks and matters, the software looks for project-specific keywords and logs your time accordingly. If you need to add, adjust, or delete time entries, TimeCamp allows you to do that too.

Set up billing rates to measure the cost of your work. Define project time or cost budgets to stay notified when they are about to overrun.

If you’d like to invoice your clients right from the app, you need to feed it your time data, set up tax rates, and send out invoices via email or a private link. You can also export your invoices to Xero or QuickBooks.

Pros:

• With TimeCamp’s automatic tracking feature, you’ll never miss a billable hour again.
• TimeCamp offers robust reporting features that give you insights into your work patterns and efficiency.
• Integrations with various legal software and tools are a major win.

Cons:

• The mobile app lacks some functionality compared to the desktop version. This could be a drawback for lawyers who are always on the go and prefer to manage their time from their smartphones.
• Although TimeCamp generally has satisfactory support, some users have reported that response times can be slow during peak hours.

Integrations:

Xero, QuickBooks, Google Calendar, iCal, Trello, Evernote, and more.

Deployment:

Web-based, Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS.

Pricing:

Starting at $2.99 per user per month + free 14-day trial.

13. Timely

Key features:

• Mobile apps
• Integrations
• Billing & Invoicing
• Reporting

Timely is one of the best automatic time tracking apps for lawyers that records all the time you spend on different clients and cases.

It tracks your web and desktop activity, mobile calls, and GPS location as a mobile app and syncs all the data into a single timesheet for billing. If you manage a legal team, you can see what case your people are working on, and how much time is spent on different clients or internal communication.

Timely integrates with multiple accounting systems, so you can export your time logs and create bills and invoices seamlessly.

Pro:

• Lawyers often juggle multiple cases, and having a tool that captures time spent on tasks without manual entry is a game-changer.

Cons:

• Being primarily web-based means you need a reliable internet connection to access your time logs and invoices.
• Certain facets of this time tracking software for lawyers might feel rigid, particularly if you want specific features tailored to niche legal practices.

Integrations:

FreshBooks, QuickBooks, Xero, Wave, Stripe, Trello, Wrike, and more.

Deployment:

Web-based, Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS.

Pricing:

Starting at $9 per user a month + 14-day trial period.

14. AccountSight

Key features:

• Expense tracking
• Project estimates
• Invoicing
• Reports

AccountSight is time tracking software for lawyers and other professional services companies. It allows you to quickly and easily keep a record of your time so that you can bill your clients accurately.

With AccountSight, you can also track your expenses, which is important for staying on budget and avoiding cost overruns. Plus, with AccountSight’s online invoicing, you can create error-free invoices in a matter of seconds and get paid faster.

Overall, if you’re looking for a way to save time and increase your billable hours as a lawyer, then AccountSight is an excellent choice for you.

Pros:

• Free version for solo practitioners.
• You can send out professional-looking invoices that not only reflect your services but also resonate with your firm’s identity.
• AccountSight offers detailed reporting tools that help lawyers analyze their productivity and profitability.
• The client portal enhances communication by allowing clients to view invoices and make payments online.

Cons:

• While the basic functions are user-friendly, some advanced features may have a learning curve.
• Though the invoicing is customizable, other aspects of the software can feel rigid. Those looking for absolute flexibility in their attorney time tracking tools might find this a tad frustrating.
• Feedback on the quality of customer support varies.

Integration:

QuickBooks.

Deployment:

Web-based, Android, and iOS.

Pricing:

Free version for 1 user. Paid plans start at $39 per user a month + 30-day trial period.

15. Amberlo

Key features:

• Matter management
• Expense tracking
• Billing
• Legal calendaring

Amberlo is designed to streamline a variety of processes in legal professionals’ practice, making it more efficient to work with clients and keep everything in check.

This free legal time and billing software offers a number of features that are helpful for lawyer time tracking, including a stopwatch for keeping an accurate record of every billable second and detailed performance reports.

Additionally, Amberlo can be integrated with a variety of other software programs – calendars and emailing systems – streamlining your workflows even more.

Pros:

• Comprehensive feature set.
• Suitable for non-tech-savvy users.
• Great and many features for collaboration in teams.

Cons:

• Amberlo requires a reliable internet connection.
• Limited customization options.

Integrations:

Gmail, Outlook, Google Calendar, SharePoint Online.

Deployment:

Web-based, Android, and iOS.

Pricing:

Free solo version. Paid plans start at the price of $30 per user a month + a 7-day trial period.

16. LexZur

Key features:

• Case management
• Time tracking
• Financial management
• Litigation management

LexZur is a specialized software tool for law professionals, and it offers a number of features to help lawyers manage their time.

The software includes a timer, which can be used to keep an accurate track of the amount of time spent on tasks. Plus, it has a financial management module, which can be used to monitor expenses, generate invoices, and bill clients.

Pros:

• This time tracking software for lawyers offers robust case management features that help streamline the workflow.
• With traditional legal management tools often costing a fortune, LexZur provides a more budget-friendly alternative.
• Regular updates introduce new features and improvements based on user feedback.

Cons:

• Understanding some advanced features can be somewhat overwhelming at first.
• There are limitations on how much you can customize the platform to fit your unique needs.

Integrations:

Outlook, Google Apps.

Deployment:

On-cloud, on-server, mobile.

Pricing:

Starting at $6 per user a month for LexZur Core + a free 2-week trial period.

Pick the Best Time Tracking Software for Lawyers!

Now, we have seen all the top 10 tools that attorneys can use to make tracking their time easier and more accurate. The choices range from full-on robust solutions like Clio to less expensive yet still effective options like eBillity.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to determine which tool is right for you. However, if you’re looking for an efficient yet affordable time tracking software for lawyers, actiTIME should be your go-to choice.

Besides allowing you to track time in a fully automated way via the browser extension, actiTIME has a totally free plan! So if you want to make attorney time tracking accurate without spending a fortune, actiTIME has your back.

Sign up for a free trial today to check it out firsthand.