Most attorneys searching “Clio vs MyCase” have already narrowed their choice to two platforms and want one honest answer. Here it is: MyCase is the better value for most small law firms in 2026. Clio is the better choice if integration breadth or intake CRM is the deciding factor.
Everything else in this guide explains why — with verified pricing, honest limitations for both platforms, and a decision guide that covers every realistic firm situation.
Who This Comparison Is For
This guide is written for attorneys and managing partners at small law firms — typically 1 to 20 attorneys — who are evaluating Clio and MyCase and want an independent comparison from neither vendor.
A Note on Bar Compliance and Data Security
Both Clio and MyCase meet the baseline required by ABA Rule 1.6 and ABA Formal Opinion 477R: data encryption at rest and in transit, role-based access controls, SOC 2 Type II certification, audit trails, and enforceable data processing agreements. Storing client data in either platform is ethically permissible under current bar guidance.
Both platforms also include IOLTA-compliant trust accounting — MyCase on all plans at no extra cost, Clio from the Essentials tier ($89/user/month) upward. The EasyStart plan ($49/user/month) excludes trust accounting entirely — a critical detail for any firm holding client funds.
Always verify current terms with each vendor and check your specific state bar’s guidance as requirements vary by jurisdiction.
The Fundamental Difference
Clio and MyCase cover the same core territory — matter management, time tracking, billing, trust accounting, document storage, and client portal. The meaningful differences are in three areas:
Integration ecosystem: Clio has 250+ integrations. MyCase has significantly fewer. If your firm relies on specific third-party tools, Clio’s ecosystem is a genuine advantage.
Intake CRM: Clio Grow is the strongest legal CRM available. MyCase has no equivalent — intake automation requires a separate tool like Lawmatics.
Price: MyCase is meaningfully less expensive at every comparable tier. A 5-attorney firm on MyCase Basic pays $250/month. The equivalent Clio Essentials plan costs $445/month — $195/month more for similar core functionality.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | Clio Essentials | Clio Complete | MyCase Basic | MyCase Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price (annual) | $89/user/mo | $149/user/mo | ✓ $50/user/mo | $100/user/mo |
| Trust accounting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| QuickBooks required | Yes (~$30–$100/mo extra) | Yes (~$30–$100/mo extra) | ✓ No | ✓ No |
| Client portal UX | Good | Good | ✓ Best in category | ✓ Best in category |
| Intake CRM | ✗ Separate tool needed | ✓ Clio Grow included | ✗ Separate tool needed | ✗ Separate tool needed |
| Third-party integrations | ✓ 250+ | ✓ 250+ | Fewer than Clio | Fewer than Clio |
| AI features | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ Included |
| Two-way texting | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ Included |
| Free trial | 7 days | 7 days | ✓ 10 days, no CC | ✓ 10 days, no CC |
| 5-attorney firm monthly | $445/mo | $745/mo | ✓ $250/mo | $500/mo |
Pricing verified June 2026. Always confirm current pricing directly with each vendor before purchasing.
Clio — What It Actually Does
G2 Rating: 4.7/5 (1,500+ reviews) | Capterra Rating: 4.7/5 | Setup time: 1–2 weeks
Best for: Firms of 2–20 attorneys that need the largest integration ecosystem in legal tech, or firms that want intake CRM (Clio Grow) and practice management bundled together
What Clio does well
The integration ecosystem is unmatched. 250+ integrations connect Clio to QuickBooks, Outlook, Zoom, NetDocuments, DocuSign, LawPay, and virtually every other tool in a firm’s stack. For firms with specific software dependencies, Clio is the only platform that connects everything.
Clio Grow is the best legal intake CRM available. When bundled as Clio Complete ($149/user/month), firms get automated intake, e-signatures, appointment scheduling, conflict checking, referral tracking, and seamless handoff to Clio Manage — all in one subscription. No equivalent exists at MyCase.
Trust accounting depth is strong. Three-way reconciliation, client ledgers, IOLTA compliance, and audit trails are all included from the Essentials tier upward — rated highly by practitioners with complex trust accounting needs.
The Clio community and ecosystem are the largest in legal tech. 150,000+ attorneys use Clio globally. The support resources, user community, and third-party integrations reflect that scale.
Clio Payments now handles payment processing natively — important context given the May 2026 sunset of the Clio/LawPay integration. Firms currently using LawPay with Clio need to plan their transition now.
What Clio doesn’t do well
The EasyStart plan is misleadingly named. At $49/user/month it excludes trust accounting — making it unsuitable for most law firms. The realistic starting price for a firm holding client funds is $89/user/month (Essentials), not $49.
Client portal UX rated lower than MyCase in direct comparisons. G2 and Capterra user reviews consistently rate MyCase’s client-facing experience higher than Clio’s for ease of client use.
QuickBooks dependency adds cost and friction. Clio requires QuickBooks or Xero for full accounting — adding $30–$100/month and creating sync errors that users regularly report. Clio Accounting launched February 2026 as a built-in alternative at $29/user/month, but it is cash-basis only — accrual-basis firms and contingency practices should not rely on it.
Loading performance is cited as a weakness. Multiple G2 reviews flag slow load times on document-heavy matters.
Clio/LawPay integration is being discontinued. Announced May 2026 — firms must transition to Clio Payments before the sunset date.
What it actually costs (verified June 2026)
- EasyStart: $49/user/month (annual) — no trust accounting
- Essentials: $89/user/month (annual) — recommended minimum for most firms
- Advanced: $119/user/month (annual)
- Complete (includes Clio Grow): $149/user/month (annual)
- Clio Accounting add-on: $29/user/month — cash-basis only
- Clio Payments: 2.8–2.95% per credit card transaction
What a real firm actually pays:
- Solo attorney on Essentials: $89/month
- 5-attorney firm on Essentials: $445/month
- 5-attorney firm on Complete: $745/month
- Hidden costs: QuickBooks ~$30–$100/month (unless using Clio Accounting); $399 Grow onboarding fee on some plans
Pricing verified June 2026 from Clio’s official pricing page.
MyCase — What It Actually Does
G2 Rating: 4.6/5 | Capterra Rating: 4.7/5 | Setup time: 1–2 weeks
Best for: Solo practitioners and firms of 1–15 attorneys that want Clio’s core features at a lower price with a stronger client portal experience and built-in trust accounting on all plans
What MyCase does well
Built-in trust accounting on every plan — no extra cost. IOLTA compliance, three-way reconciliation, and client ledger management are included from the $50/user/month Basic plan. No QuickBooks required. No add-on fee. This is the single biggest structural advantage MyCase has over Clio for most small firms.
Best client portal UX of any practice management platform. Users consistently rate the MyCase client portal higher than Clio’s for ease of client use. Clients can view case status, upload documents, pay invoices, send secure messages, and sign documents from one interface — without needing a tutorial.
Meaningfully lower price at every tier. Solo on Basic: $50/month vs $89/month for Clio Essentials. 5-attorney firm: $250/month vs $445/month. Over a year that’s $2,340 in savings for a 5-attorney firm on comparable core tiers.
Two-way texting with clients on Pro plan. Reaches clients who ignore portal notifications or email. No separate tool required.
AI features included on Pro plan. Document drafting assistance and matter summaries built in at $100/user/month — no separate AI subscription needed.
10-day free trial with no credit card. The easiest platform to evaluate before committing.
What MyCase doesn’t do well
No intake CRM equivalent to Clio Grow. Firms that need automated intake, lead pipeline management, and marketing automation require a separate tool — Lawmatics or HubSpot — alongside MyCase. This adds cost and integration complexity that Clio Complete avoids.
Fewer third-party integrations than Clio. MyCase integrates with the major tools most firms use, but Clio’s 250+ integration directory is significantly larger. Firms with specific software dependencies should verify MyCase supports them before switching.
LEDES billing less robust than Clio’s. Firms with corporate clients requiring LEDES invoice formats should verify MyCase’s current LEDES capabilities meet their specific requirements before committing.
Batch billing can be cumbersome. High-volume invoice generation for many clients simultaneously draws negative feedback from some users.
Reporting less detailed at lower tiers. Realization rate and collection rate reporting requires Pro or Advanced — not included on Basic.
What it actually costs (verified June 2026)
- Basic: $50/user/month (annual) — includes trust accounting
- Pro: $100/user/month (annual) — adds AI, two-way texting, advanced workflows
- Advanced: $130/user/month (annual)
- Monthly billing adds $10/user/month to all tiers
What a real firm actually pays:
- Solo attorney on Basic: $50/month (vs $89 for Clio Essentials)
- 5-attorney firm on Basic: $250/month (vs $445 for Clio Essentials)
- 5-attorney firm on Pro: $500/month (vs $745 for Clio Complete)
- Hidden costs: Full accounting add-on $39/month; payment processing fees apply
Pricing verified June 2026 from MyCase’s official pricing page.
The Total Cost of Ownership — 5-Attorney Firm, Year One
| Plan | License (annual) | QuickBooks | Onboarding | Year-one total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clio Essentials | $5,340 | ~$360 | $0 | ~$5,700 |
| Clio Complete | $8,940 | ~$360 | $399 | ~$9,700 |
| MyCase Basic | $3,000 | ✓ None | $0 | ✓ ~$3,000 |
| MyCase Pro | $6,000 | ✓ None | $0 | ~$6,000 |
5-attorney firm estimates. Pricing verified June 2026. Always confirm current pricing directly with each vendor before purchasing.
Which Should Your Firm Choose?
Choose MyCase if:
- Budget is a meaningful factor — you save $2,340–$2,940/year on comparable tiers
- Client portal experience is a priority — MyCase’s client UX is rated higher than Clio’s
- You want trust accounting included without a QuickBooks subscription
- You don’t need Clio Grow’s intake CRM — your firm runs primarily on referrals
- You want the lowest-risk evaluation — 10-day free trial, no credit card
Choose Clio if:
- Your firm depends on specific third-party tools that Clio’s 250+ integration directory supports and MyCase doesn’t
- You want Clio Grow’s intake CRM bundled with practice management (Clio Complete)
- You need LEDES billing for corporate clients and want to confirm robust support
- You’re already deep in the Clio ecosystem and migration cost outweighs savings
Choose neither if:
- You need built-in legal accounting without QuickBooks — consider CosmoLex ($99/user/month)
- You need automatic time capture — consider Smokeball (~$99–$149/user/month)
- Budget is the absolute priority for a solo practitioner — consider PracticePanther Solo at $59/month
Free Trials and Next Steps
| Platform | Free trial | Starting price (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| MyCase | ✓ 10-day free trial, no credit card | $50/user/month |
| Clio | 7-day free trial | $49/user/mo (Essentials: $89/user/mo) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MyCase really cheaper than Clio?
Yes — significantly at comparable tiers. A 5-attorney firm on MyCase Basic pays $250/month. The same firm on Clio Essentials pays $445/month — $195/month more. Over a year that’s $2,340 in savings. At the bundled CRM tier, Clio Complete costs $745/month vs MyCase Pro at $500/month — a $2,940/year difference. MyCase also includes trust accounting on all plans with no QuickBooks subscription required, eliminating an additional $30–$100/month cost that Clio firms typically carry.
Can I switch from Clio to MyCase without losing data?
Yes — MyCase offers data migration support. The migration typically covers matter data, contacts, documents, and billing history. Time entries and trust accounting records may require manual review. MyCase’s onboarding team assists with migration — ask specifically about your data types before signing. Budget 1–2 weeks for the transition and expect a brief productivity dip during the switchover period.
Does MyCase include trust accounting?
Yes — IOLTA-compliant trust accounting is included on all MyCase plans including Basic at $50/user/month. No QuickBooks subscription required. No add-on fee. Three-way reconciliation and client ledger management are included. This is one of MyCase’s clearest advantages over Clio, where trust accounting requires the Essentials plan ($89/user/month) or above, with QuickBooks still needed for full accounting.
What happened to the Clio and LawPay integration?
Clio announced in May 2026 that it will discontinue its integration with LawPay. Firms currently using Clio and LawPay together must transition their payment processing to Clio Payments before the integration sunset. Clio Payments processes at 2.8–2.95% per credit card transaction. If your firm uses Clio + LawPay, contact Clio support for the specific sunset timeline and migration steps.
Which platform is better for a solo attorney?
MyCase Basic at $50/month is the better starting point for most solo attorneys — it includes trust accounting, billing, time tracking, client portal, and matter management without requiring QuickBooks. Clio EasyStart at $49/month is $1/month cheaper but excludes trust accounting, making it unsuitable for firms holding client funds. Clio Essentials at $89/month is the realistic Clio starting point for most solos — $39/month more than MyCase Basic for similar core functionality.
Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you sign up through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This does not affect our recommendations — this comparison was written independently with no commercial relationship with either Clio or MyCase. Pricing information is verified as of June 2026 and subject to change; always confirm current pricing directly with each vendor before purchasing.
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