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Legal · head to head

CosmoLex vs Smokeball

CosmoLex logo

CosmoLex

Legal

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

From
$89/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Smokeball logo

Smokeball

Legal

Practice management for small law firms with automatic time capture

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Smokeball requires a Windows desktop component for automatic time capture, so it is not browser-only like its competitors
  • They diverge on capability: CosmoLex covers Built-in general ledger, Smokeball covers Automatic time capture.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CosmoLex and Smokeball actually diverge.

Attributes where CosmoLex and Smokeball differ
AttributeCosmoLexSmokeball
Starting price$89/monthOn request
Pricing modelPer user per monthquote
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWindows, Web, 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 CosmoLex

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

Only in Smokeball

  • Automatic time capture
  • Document automation
  • Billing and trust accounting

Both cover

  • Matter management

What people use each for

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

CosmoLex

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

Smokeball

  • Firms billing hourly that lose revenue to unrecorded timenot CosmoLex
  • Small practices replacing paper matter files and spreadsheetsnot CosmoLex
  • Firms needing court form automation for high-volume matter typesnot CosmoLex

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Smokeball

  • Requires a Windows desktop component for automatic time capture, so it is not browser-only like its competitors
  • Quote-only pricing with no published rates
  • Aimed at small firms; larger practices with complex billing arrangements generally outgrow it

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Smokeball

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Smokeball review.

Which should you pick?

Choose CosmoLex if

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

Choose Smokeball if

  • You need automatic time capture.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want document automation.
Smokeball review

Questions people ask

Is CosmoLex or Smokeball better?
Neither clearly leads. CosmoLex starts at $89/month and Smokeball at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CosmoLex or Smokeball?
CosmoLex starts at $89/month and Smokeball at On request.
Does CosmoLex or Smokeball run on more platforms?
CosmoLex runs on Web, iOS, Android. Smokeball runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
What is CosmoLex best used for?
CosmoLex is most often used for a two to ten lawyer firm that wants to stop paying for and reconciling quickbooks alongside its practice system, a firm that has failed or fears failing a bar trust account audit and needs three-way reconciliation as standard, a solo practice with no bookkeeper that needs the books to be correct without accounting knowledge, a firm doing insurer defence work that must produce ledes invoices without a separate billing tool. Of those, a two to ten lawyer firm that wants to stop paying for and reconciling quickbooks alongside its practice system and a firm that has failed or fears failing a bar trust account audit and needs three-way reconciliation as standard are not what Smokeball is typically brought in for.
What can CosmoLex do that Smokeball cannot?
CosmoLex covers Built-in general ledger, Three-way trust reconciliation, Time and expense capture, Billing and LEDES. Smokeball covers Automatic time capture, Document automation, Billing and trust accounting. Both handle Matter management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Smokeball: What does Smokeball cost?

Pricing is quoted per firm and not published.

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.

Smokeball: How does automatic time capture work?

A desktop application observes work on matters and turns activity into billable entries, rather than depending on someone remembering to start a timer.

CosmoLex: Who owns CosmoLex?

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

Smokeball: Does it run on Mac?

The automatic time capture component is Windows-based, which is the main platform constraint.

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