Softwr

Legal · head to head

Clio vs CosmoLex

Clio logo

Clio

Legal

Cloud practice management software for law firms

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CosmoLex logo

CosmoLex

Legal

Practice management with a full legal general ledger and trust accounting built in

From
$89/month
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; CosmoLex the built-in accounting suits a single law firm entity, so practices with multiple entities, payroll or unusual revenue recognition still need an external accountant and a second system.
  • They diverge on capability: Clio covers Time and billing, CosmoLex covers Built-in general ledger.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clio and CosmoLex actually diverge.

Attributes where Clio and CosmoLex differ
AttributeClioCosmoLex
Starting priceOn request$89/month
Pricing modelPer-user subscription with published tiers; contact vendor for current ratesPer user per month
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, CloudWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Legal).

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

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

Only in CosmoLex

  • Built-in general ledger
  • Three-way trust reconciliation
  • Time and expense capture
  • Billing and LEDES
  • CosmoLex Pay

Both cover

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

CosmoLex

  • A two to ten lawyer firm that wants to stop paying for and reconciling QuickBooks alongside its practice systemnot Clio
  • A firm that has failed or fears failing a bar trust account audit and needs three-way reconciliation as standardnot Clio
  • A solo practice with no bookkeeper that needs the books to be correct without accounting knowledgenot Clio
  • A firm doing insurer defence work that must produce LEDES invoices without a separate billing toolnot 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

CosmoLex

  • The built-in accounting suits a single law firm entity, so practices with multiple entities, payroll or unusual revenue recognition still need an external accountant and a second system.
  • Document management is basic storage rather than versioned matter-centric DMS, so firms with heavy document workflow outgrow it and bolt on something else.
  • The integration catalogue is materially smaller than Clio, so niche intake, e-discovery or automation tools often require manual export instead of a native connection.
  • Ownership sits with ProfitSolv alongside Tabs3, TimeSolv and Rocket Matter, and buyers have limited visibility into which brand receives investment over a three-year contract.
  • The interface and reporting feel dated next to newer competitors, and custom reporting in particular often means exporting to a spreadsheet.

Pricing, plan by plan

Clio

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Clio review.

CosmoLex

$89/month
  • CosmoLex$89/month
    • Per user per month billed annually, higher month to month
    • General ledger and trust accounting included rather than sold as an add-on
    • Payment processing charged at card and bank transaction rates

Which should you pick?

Choose Clio if

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

Choose CosmoLex if

  • You need built-in general ledger.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want three-way trust reconciliation.
CosmoLex review

Questions people ask

Is Clio or CosmoLex better?
Neither clearly leads. Clio starts at On request and CosmoLex at $89/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clio or CosmoLex?
Clio starts at On request and CosmoLex at $89/month.
Does Clio or CosmoLex run on more platforms?
Clio runs on Web, iOS, Android, Cloud. CosmoLex runs on Web, iOS, Android.
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 CosmoLex is typically brought in for.
What can Clio do that CosmoLex cannot?
Clio covers Time and billing, Trust accounting, Client intake, Document management. CosmoLex covers Built-in general ledger, Three-way trust reconciliation, Time and expense capture, Billing and LEDES. Both handle Matter management.

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.

CosmoLex: Do I still need QuickBooks?

No. CosmoLex carries its own general ledger and trust ledgers, which is the main reason firms choose it over Clio or MyCase.

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.

CosmoLex: Does it handle IOLTA compliance?

Yes. Trust ledgers, overdraft prevention and three-way reconciliation are in the core product rather than in a paid tier.

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.

CosmoLex: Who owns CosmoLex?

ProfitSolv, a private-equity backed group that also owns Tabs3, TimeSolv, ImagineTime and Rocket Matter.

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.

Share

Related pages

More on Clio

More on CosmoLex

Keep looking

Other head to heads