Softwr

Legal · head to head

Clio vs Tenable

Clio logo

Clio

Legal

Cloud practice management software for law firms

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tenable logo

Tenable

Cybersecurity

AI-powered exposure management platform for unified security visibility

From
$3500/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Clio priced per user per month, so cost scales directly with headcount and adds up for growing firms; Tenable pricing starts at $3500/year for Tenable One VM, expensive for small organizations
  • They diverge on capability: Clio covers Matter management, Tenable covers Unified attack surface mapping.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clio and Tenable actually diverge.

Attributes where Clio and Tenable differ
AttributeClioTenable
Starting priceOn request$3500/year
Pricing modelPer-user subscription with published tiers; contact vendor for current ratessubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, CloudCloud, Web
CategoryLegalCybersecurity

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Tenable

  • Unified attack surface mapping
  • Exposure intelligence enrichment
  • Tenable Hexa AI orchestration
  • Cloud Exposure (CNAPP)
  • OT Exposure
  • Identity Exposure
  • Vulnerability Management
  • Attack Surface Management

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 Tenable
  • Firms needing compliant trust accounting without a separate systemnot Tenable
  • Practices billing hourly that lose revenue to uncaptured timenot Tenable

Tenable

  • Comprehensive vulnerability scanning for enterprise networksnot Clio
  • Cloud security monitoring and compliance for AWS, Azure, GCPnot Clio
  • Identity and access management risk assessmentnot Clio
  • Operational technology security for industrial systemsnot Clio
  • Attack surface management for third-party risknot 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

Tenable

  • Pricing starts at $3500/year for Tenable One VM, expensive for small organizations
  • Many enterprise features require custom quote and sales engagement
  • Cloud Exposure, OT Exposure, and other modules have no published pricing
  • Multi-year contracts common, limiting flexibility
  • Setup and configuration complexity for enterprise deployments

Pricing, plan by plan

Clio

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Clio review.

Tenable

$3500/year
  • Tenable One Vulnerability Management$3500/year
    • Per 100 assets
    • Multi-year discounts available
  • Tenable One Web App Scanning$3578/year
    • Per 5 FQDNs
    • Annual subscription
  • Nessus Professional$4790/year
    • Vulnerability scanning
    • Multi-year discounts available
    • Optional advanced support: $400/year
  • Nessus Expert$6790/year
    • Advanced vulnerability scanning
    • Multi-year discounts available
    • Optional advanced support: $400/year

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 Tenable if

  • You need unified attack surface mapping.
  • You work on Cloud, Web.
  • You also want exposure intelligence enrichment.
Tenable review

Questions people ask

Is Clio or Tenable better?
Neither clearly leads. Clio starts at On request and Tenable at $3500/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clio or Tenable?
Clio starts at On request and Tenable at $3500/year.
Does Clio or Tenable run on more platforms?
Clio runs on Web, iOS, Android, Cloud. Tenable runs on Cloud, Web.
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 Tenable is typically brought in for.
What can Clio do that Tenable cannot?
Clio covers Matter management, Time and billing, Trust accounting, Client intake. Tenable covers Unified attack surface mapping, Exposure intelligence enrichment, Tenable Hexa AI orchestration, Cloud Exposure (CNAPP).

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.

Tenable: How is Tenable One pricing structured?

Tenable One Vulnerability Management costs $3500/year per 100 assets. Web App Scanning is $3578/year per 5 FQDNs. Multi-year discounts are available.

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.

Tenable: What is the difference between Nessus Professional and Nessus Expert?

Nessus Professional costs $4790/year and provides core vulnerability scanning. Nessus Expert costs $6790/year and offers advanced scanning capabilities.

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.

Tenable: Are custom support and training available for Tenable?

Yes. Optional advanced support is available for $400/year. Training courses range from $275-$385/year.

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.

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