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Legal · head to head

Clio vs Harvest

Clio logo

Clio

Legal

Cloud practice management software for law firms

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Harvest logo

Harvest

Professional Services

Time tracking software for teams that care about where their time goes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Harvest has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Clio priced per user per month, so cost scales directly with headcount and adds up for growing firms; Harvest the free plan is one seat and two projects, so it suits a solo freelancer and nothing larger
  • They diverge on capability: Clio covers Matter management, Harvest covers Time tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clio and Harvest actually diverge.

Attributes where Clio and Harvest differ
AttributeClioHarvest
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer-user subscription with published tiers; contact vendor for current ratesfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, CloudWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
CategoryLegalProfessional Services
FoundedUnknown2006

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Clio

  • Matter management
  • Time and billing
  • Trust accounting
  • Client intake
  • Document management
  • Integration directory

Only in Harvest

  • Time tracking
  • Expense tracking
  • Invoicing
  • Project budgets
  • Team capacity
  • Detailed reports
  • Mobile apps
  • Browser extension

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Clio

  • Small and mid-sized firms replacing spreadsheets and paper matter filesnot Harvest
  • Firms needing compliant trust accounting without a separate systemnot Harvest
  • Practices billing hourly that lose revenue to uncaptured timenot Harvest

Harvest

  • Time tracking against projects and clientsnot Clio
  • Turning tracked time into invoicesnot Clio
  • Expense capture alongside billable hoursnot Clio
  • Team capacity and utilisation reporting on the paid plansnot Clio
  • Feeding billed time into QuickBooks or Xeronot Clio

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Clio

  • Priced per user per month, so cost scales directly with headcount and adds up for growing firms
  • Advanced features including some automation and reporting sit in higher tiers rather than the entry plan
  • Aimed at small and mid-sized firms; large firms with complex matter structures often need heavier systems
  • Strongest in North America, with less depth in other jurisdictions’ compliance requirements

Harvest

  • The free plan is one seat and two projects, so it suits a solo freelancer and nothing larger
  • Team reporting and unlimited projects require the Teams plan at $9 per seat per month
  • Profitability reporting, timesheet approvals and custom reports need Enterprise at $14 per seat per month
  • SAML single sign-on is Enterprise only
  • QuickBooks, Xero and Stripe integrations are withheld from the free plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Clio

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Clio review.

Harvest

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 seat
    • Time tracking
    • Invoicing
  • Teams$9/month
    • Unlimited seats
    • Team reporting
    • Accounting integrations (Stripe, QuickBooks, Xero, Deel)
  • Enterprise$14/month
    • Unlimited seats
    • Unlimited custom reports
    • Profitability reporting

Which should you pick?

Choose Clio if

  • You need matter management.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Cloud.
  • You also want time and billing.
Clio review

Choose Harvest if

  • You need time tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want expense tracking.
Harvest review

Questions people ask

Is Clio or Harvest better?
Neither clearly leads. Clio starts at On request and Harvest at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clio or Harvest?
Harvest has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Clio and Free for Harvest.
Does Clio or Harvest run on more platforms?
Clio runs on Web, iOS, Android, Cloud. Harvest runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
Can I use Harvest for free?
Yes. Harvest has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Clio starts at On request.
What is Clio best used for?
Clio is most often used for small and mid-sized firms replacing spreadsheets and paper matter files, firms needing compliant trust accounting without a separate system, practices billing hourly that lose revenue to uncaptured time. Of those, small and mid-sized firms replacing spreadsheets and paper matter files and firms needing compliant trust accounting without a separate system are not what Harvest is typically brought in for.
What can Clio do that Harvest cannot?
Clio covers Matter management, Time and billing, Trust accounting, Client intake. Harvest covers Time tracking, Expense tracking, Invoicing, Project budgets.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Clio: What does Clio cost?

Clio sells per-user subscriptions across several tiers. Rates change and vary by region, so check the vendor’s current pricing page rather than relying on a third-party figure.

Harvest: How much does Harvest cost?

Harvest offers a free plan for 1 user and Teams plan starting at $9/seat/month (billed annually at $108/seat for 20% savings). Enterprise plan starts at $14/seat/month.

Source
Clio: Does Clio handle trust accounting?

Yes, and it is one of the main reasons firms adopt it, because client fund rules are strict and mishandling them is a regulatory matter.

Harvest: Is there a free version of Harvest?

Yes, Harvest's free plan includes 1 seat with time tracking, invoicing, expense tracking, and 2 projects.

Source
Clio: Is Clio suitable for a large firm?

It is aimed at small and mid-sized practices. Large firms with complex matter and billing structures usually evaluate heavier enterprise systems.

Harvest: What is included in the Enterprise plan?

The Enterprise plan includes unlimited custom reports, profitability reporting, timesheet approvals, activity logs, and SAML-based SSO at $14/seat/month.

Source
Clio: Does Clio integrate with existing tools?

Yes. Its integration directory is the largest in legal practice software, covering Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, QuickBooks and many others.

Harvest: Does Harvest offer a discount for annual billing?

Yes, annual billing provides 20% discount, reducing the Teams plan to $108/seat/year and Enterprise plan to $168/seat/year.

Source
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