Every legal practice tracks where time is spent, but not all do so with equal ease or precision. Improving the effectiveness of time tracking across your firm pays quick dividends.
To achieve optimal time tracking requires the right software. We dived into the market for legal time tracking software to uncover the standout solutions. Which time trackers are meeting the needs of the legal industry best? After extensive comparison, we think we found out.
The Winners
It goes without saying that your law firm’s efficiency and profitability can be significantly impacted by the choice of lawyer time-tracking software. Choosing the wrong product could end up costing you a lot of money. Here are the top lawyer time tracking tools for lawyers in 2024:
- Best for Simplicity: Toggl
- Best for Passive Tracking: WiseTime
- Best for Invoicing: FreshBooks
- Best for Legal-Specific Features: Time Tracker by eBillity
- Best for Automatic Time Capture: Chrometa
1. Toggl – Best for Simplicity
Legal professionals who require efficient time tracking without a lot of bells and whistles often favor Toggl. This product is easy to use, has the features necessary for legal time-tracking, and includes seamless features such as one-click timers and intuitive calendar integration.
Pros
Toggl’s unique features include:
- User-friendly interface that is great for beginners
- Dynamic report-sharing capabilities
- Project management capabilities
Toggl also allows users to set up time-tracking reminders and alerts. This means that all billable minutes will be accounted for.
Cons
Despite its many strengths, Toggl lacks advanced legal-specific features. This may be a drawback for larger firms or those with a more complex workflow. Toggl’s limited integration can also be a drawback for some users.
Review
Toggl’s features include:
- Simple design that minimizes the learning curve
- Ability to track time offline and sync data later
- Ensures no billable hour is lost
Toggl may have limitations for more complex legal workflows. It is not easily integrated into other products, which can be an issue. However, Toggl is an excellent choice for lawyers seeking a straightforward and efficient time-tracking tool. It combines features such as ease of use with project management and dynamic reporting, making it a fine tool for many legal firms.
Price
Toggl’s pricing structure has something for everyone, including four different entry points. There is a free level that works for up to five users. The next level is the Starter plan that starts at $9 per user, per month and includes more features. The Premium plan starts at $18 per user, per month, and is designed for team usage. Finally, if you run a large firm, the Enterprise plan might be for you and its price can be customized to your needs.
2. WiseTime – Best for Passive Tracking
WiseTime is a leader in legal timekeeping software. This program stands out with its ability to automatically capture work hours and allow users to log passive time without manual input. This means that it is ideal for legal professionals who want to ensure every task is accounted for with accurate time tracking.
Pros
WiseTime offers the following benefits:
- Increases billable hours captured through its automated tracking system
- Runs unobtrusively in the background
- Streamlines timekeeping, allowing users to focus more on their legal work
WiseTime also integrates seamlessly with Clio and other products, enhancing its utility for legal professionals.
Cons
It should be stated that the initial setup of WiseTime may take some time and effort. Especially if you have an existing workflow, integration can be complicated. Data transfer of existing captured time data may also be problematic.
Review
Some of WiseTime’s features include:
- Passive tracking capabilities, ensuring that no billable hour is missed
- Integration with Clio, simplifying the billing process
- Increasing efficiency and capturing more billable hours
Most users find that despite the initial setup challenges, the overall experience with WiseTime is a good one. As long as you are prepared for a little struggle on the front end, WiseTime offers a significant advantage in passive time tracking.
Pricing
WiseTime has two different pricing tiers – Professional and Enterprise. The Professional plan costs $360 per year and comes with a free 30-day trial. The Enterprise plan’s price can be customized to your needs and provides support for multiple teams and much more.
3. FreshBooks – Best for Invoicing
Small law firms and sole proprietors have found that FreshBooks is a great way to get started in time-tracking and invoicing software. It has the basic features that they need as long as a unique combination of time tracking and robust invoicing capabilities. Its features include customizable invoices, automated billing, and seamless integration with QuickBooks Online.
Pros
FreshBooks offers the following features:
- Custom invoices
- Automated recurring billing
- Automatic payment reminders
- ePayment options
These features help to ensure that you are billing every billable hour and your payments are received as quickly as possible. The integration with QuickBooks Online makes it an even better choice for firms that are already using this technology.
Cons
While FreshBooks excels in time tracking and invoicing, its project management features are not as advanced as other legal-focused tools. This limitation might force larger law firms to choose a product that has more advanced project management capabilities.
Review
FreshBooks is the product of choice for solo practitioners and small law firms. Its combination of robust combination of time tracking and invoicing features and customizable features are all built to enhance client satisfaction.
Overall, FreshBooks offers many advantages in invoicing and billing, making it a valuable tool for legal professionals who are focused on efficient financial management.
Pricing
FreshBooks has long been known for its affordable pricing and offering multiple pricing tiers. They currently offer four different packages – Lite, Plus, Premium, and Select. These are all risk-free, with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 10% discount for an annual purchase.
The Lite package starts at $7.40 per month and supports up to five clients. The Plus package starts at $13.20 per month and allows up to 50 clients. The Premium package allows unlimited invoices and clients and starts at just $24.00 per month. Finally, the Select package’s price can be found by submitting your information to the company and customizing a plan that works for you.
4. Time Tracker by eBillity – Best for Legal-Specific Features
Time Tracker by eBillity offers a range of legal-specific features such as ABA billing codes, LEDES invoicing, and trust accounting. One of the factors that a lot of law firms appreciate about this product is that it ensures compliance with ethical standards.
Pros
Users really like the well-designed mobile app that is available for both iOS and Android devices. The conflict checker and trust accounting features are also crucial for legal practices. Finally, the two-way data sync with Clio ensures seamless data integration between platforms.
Cons
The pricing for Time Tracker by eBillity starts at $7.20 per user per month, which may be high for smaller firms or solo practitioners. However, there is a free 14-day trial available to ensure this product meets your needs.
Review
Time Tracker by eBillity is designed for legal professionals due to its specific billing features, such as ABA billing codes and LEDES invoicing. This means that your billing will always be accurate and compliant, keeping you in the clear.
The cost might be an issue for smaller firms, but the comprehensive legal-specific features make Time Tracker by eBillity a powerful tool for enhancing efficiency and compliance in legal billing.
Price
Time Tracker by eBillity is an attractive option for many companies. It offers a 14-day free trial and prices start at $7.20 per user per month along with a $12 per month base fee with an annual subscription.
5. Chrometa – Best for Automatic Time Capture
Chrometa focuses on automatic time capture and has the ability to record activities without manual input. It easily integrates with Outlook and Gmail for email-based billing so it is ideal for legal professionals who want to ensure every minute is accounted for.
Pros
Chrometa excels in capturing time spent on applications, websites, and phone calls, running seamlessly in the background. It also has the ability to work offline, ensuring uninterrupted time tracking. You can update your information the next time you have access to the internet.
The detailed timesheets and seamless integration with Clio make it an even more valuable member of your office.
Cons
Chrometa requires you to regularly review and categorize captured time entries to maintain accurate records. This is a process that can take some time and slow down billing in some cases.
Review
Many users have noted that Chrometa’s accuracy in tracking every minute spent on various tasks is simple even without manual input. The integration with Outlook and Gmail to convert emails into billable hours is also very helpful. But, the need for frequent review and categorization of entries is certainly a drawback.
Overall, Chrometa offers significant advantages in automatic time capture, making it a valuable tool for legal professionals who want to make sure all hours are billed.
Price
Chrometa has a simple pricing structure with three different tiers – Standard, Plus, and Premium. The Standard package starts at $19 per user, per month and allows data storage for up to 18 months. The Plus package starts at $29 per user, per month and includes unlimited lifetime storage and priority customer support. The Premium package is available for just $49 per user per month and includes a variety of customizable options.
How to Choose the Best Time Tracking Software for Lawyers
The process of choosing the right time-tracking software will depend on several factors such as:
- Security
- Integration capabilities
- Reporting features
- User-friendliness
- Cost-effectiveness
Ideally, the product should enhance your company’s efficiency and profitability without creating too much extra work for your staff.
Key Features to Consider
Choosing a product that is user-friendly is vital. In order for people to use a new piece of software, it is imperative that it is inviting, simple, and cuts down on manual data entry. Integration capabilities, such as Toggl Track’s integration with over 100 online apps, make a product even better. Detailed reporting functions, like those offered by FreshBooks, help in making better-informed data-driven decisions..
It is also imperative to have accuracy and security in capturing billable minutes in the legal industry, so choosing a product like FreshBooks and its 256-bit SSL encryption, are vital for safeguarding sensitive client information.
Matching Software to Your Needs
The size of your firm may also figure into the equation. Evaluate how the software supports your firm’s workflow and practice areas. An example of this would be WiseTime which has helped firms reduce time spent on administrative tasks.
It is also worth taking the time to identify specific needs, such as the requirement for legal-specific features or integration with other software. By matching software capabilities to your firm’s unique requirements, you can ensure smoother adoption by you and your staff.
Evaluating Cost vs. Benefits
It is important to compare a product’s time-tracking features and benefits to what you currently have. You should keep in mind both the short-term and long-term benefits of increased productivity and accurate billing.
For instance, pricing for FreshBooks starts at $15 per month, while Chrometa’s Standard plan starts at $19 per user/per month. These products both provide advanced features at an affordable price.
Summary
Choosing the right time-tracking software can significantly enhance your legal practice’s efficiency and profitability. Tools like Toggl, WiseTime, FreshBooks, Time Tracker by eBillity, and Chrometa all offer unique features, from simplicity and passive tracking to invoicing and legal-specific functionalities.
It is important to begin by assessing a product’s key features, matching software capabilities to your firm’s requirements, and evaluating cost versus benefits. You can then choose the best tool to streamline your time management processes and boost overall productivity.
