10 Best Time Tracking Software for Lawyers

Time is your most valuable commodity as a lawyer. You could lose 30% of billable time due to poor timekeeping. Yet most attorneys still manually track their time or rely on inefficient methods. Getting a clear picture of how you and your team spend each day is the first step to boosting productivity and maximizing revenue, and that starts with time-tracking.

Fortunately, modern software options now make time tracking far simpler. Platforms integrating with calendars, documents, and communication channels allow attorneys to log their work and client engagements, reducing inefficiency. Most companies, us at Grow Law Firm included, track their time to make sure our time is spent wisely, not wasted.

This guide highlights 10 top-rated time-tracking solutions that are perfect for legal professionals.

Top 10 Legal Time Tracking Software

Are you a lawyer tired of wasting precious billable hours dealing with tedious time entries? If manual time tracking has you missing critical project deadlines and leaving money on the table, it's time to consider one of the 10 best time-tracking solutions we discuss below.

1. ClickUp

ClickUp is more than just a time-tracking software; It’s an all-encompassing productivity platform designed to boost team collaboration and efficiency. This platform creates a centralized workspace where legal professionals can plan, organize, and track their work.

Clickup’s time-tracking features are smarter and more intuitive than traditional methods. You can easily record time spent on tasks, set estimates, and add detailed notes. The software allows you to track time from any device, making it convenient and flexible.

Key benefits:

• Track time from any device with a global timer
• Integrate with other time-tracking apps like Toggl and Harvest
• Organize time with labels, filter views, and edit entries
• Generate custom reports by filtering tracked time
• View estimates vs. actual time spent on tasks
• Sync time entries to ClickUp for teams to access

Pricing: ClickUp offers a free basic plan ideal for solo practitioners and small legal teams. For paid plans, the Unlimited plan is priced at a competitive $7 per user per month and a Business plan is also available for $12 per user per month, offering further customization and integration options. To get information on the Enterprise plan, you need to contact the ClickUp team.

2. Clio

Clio is a cloud-based legal practice management software with robust time-tracking capabilities. In addition to matter management, calendaring, and document storage, Clio offers specialized time and expense tracking tools for lawyers. It allows users to capture time and track expenses from anywhere, making it ideal for dynamic legal practices.

Key benefits:

• Track time from a mobile app, browser extension, or web portal
• Record time directly from calendar, email, and other sources
• Set timers to run concurrently across devices
• Add or adjust entries after the fact for accuracy
• Categorize and filter entries for analysis and reporting
• Integrate time entries seamlessly into invoices

Pricing: Their pricing plans start at $39 per user per month for the Easy Start plan, which is suitable for small legal teams. The highest plan, Complete, is priced at $139 per user per month and provides advanced features for larger firms.

3. MyCase

MyCase is a cloud-based legal practice management solution that includes time-tracking functionality. The platform is a cloud-based legal practice management solution that includes time-tracking functionality.

Key benefits:

• Track time across devices with running timers
• Detects common billable activities for time entry
• Connects entries directly to corresponding matters
• Consolidates entries onto polished, accurate invoices
• Monitor flat fee and pro bono cases with non-billable time

To ensure billable time is captured, MyCase employs Smart Time Finder technology. This innovative feature provides an itemized list of common billable activities, helping you create time entries for any missed actions.

Pricing: MyCase is competitively priced, with pricing plans starting at $39 per user per month for the Basic plan. The Advanced plan, suitable for larger firms, is priced at $99 per user per month.

4. Bill4Time

Bill4Time is a simple yet powerful solution for legal professionals seeking an accurate way to track time. With a focus on recovering lost billable time, Bill4Time ensures that every minute is accounted for. The software offers flexible time tracking, allowing you to record billable and non-billable time. You can also track time spent on internal activities and monitor staff, contractors, and consultants.

Key benefits:

• Run multiple timers simultaneously
• Review daily/weekly time summaries for productivity
• Increase efficiencies with custom activity types
• Integrates with Outlook, QuickBooks, and other tools

Pricing: Their pricing plans are competitive, starting at $27 per user per month for the Time & Billing plan. The Legal Enterprise plan, which is the highest, is $80 per user per month and offers advanced features for larger firms.

5. Toggl Track

Toggl Track is versatile time-tracking software used across various industries. It caters to diverse time-tracking needs, from independent contractors to large corporations. Law firms find Toggl Track invaluable for tracking billable and non-billable hours. The software simplifies the creation of accurate invoices and provides valuable insights into time usage. With Toggl Track, legal professionals can analyze time spent on tasks and improve productivity.

Key benefits:

• Flexible online/mobile time entry from browser extensions
• Tag entries automatically to various attributes
• Insightful reporting dashboard for analysis
• 100+ integrations, including major project tools
• Automated time-tracking from common applications
• Detailed yet easy-to-use interface

Pricing: Toggl Track offers a free basic plan that you can use indefinitely. Paid plans start at $9 per user per month for the Starter plan, while the Premium plan is priced at $18 per user per month. For customized Enterprise plan pricing, you'll need to contact their team.

6. FreshBooks

FreshBooks is an all-in-one accounting and invoicing solution with robust time-tracking functionality. It offers specialized tools for time tracking in addition to expense management, reporting, and payments. The software provides valuable insights into your time usage. You can view a breakdown of the hours spent on tasks, helping you identify areas where you can work more efficiently. FreshBooks ensures you stop worrying about time spent on projects and focus on your work.

Key benefits:

• Track time globally from any device
• Log hours against clients, projects, and colleagues
• Add notes for more context to time entries
• Billing is made simple with one-click invoicing
• Monitor team productivity with reports
• Integrates with common work platforms

Pricing: FreshBooks offers four pricing plans, with the Lite plan starting at a competitive $9.50 monthly. The Premium plan is priced at $30 per month, while the highest plan, Select, is tailored to your specific needs and requires you to contact a specialist.

7. TimeBro

TimeBro and its companion tool, Memtime, offer a unique legal time-tracking approach. The software focuses on accuracy and efficiency and aims to help businesses improve time recording accuracy. 

TimeBro emphasizes that manual time tracking is both time-consuming and inaccurate. Instead, they provide an automatic time-tracking solution that records your time spent on various projects. Memtime, the offline tool that works seamlessly with timeBro, tracks every computer activity down to the second.

Key benefits:

• Fully automated time tracking without start/stop timers
• Visual timeline of daily computer activities
• Integrates with 25+ project management tools
• Increased billing accuracy and efficiency
• Tracked activities are stored locally and cannot be accessed by anyone

Pricing: The Basic plan starts at a reasonable $14 per user per month, while the Premium plan is priced at $30 per month. You'll need to contact the TimeBro team for customized Enterprise plan pricing.

8. WiseTime

WiseTime is a legal timekeeping software that uses AI-driven automation to increase billable hours captured and improve productivity. Developed by attorneys for attorneys, WiseTime understands the unique challenges that legal professionals face when it comes to timekeeping and billing.

The software also offers detailed billing reports, allowing attorneys to accurately manage fixed fee arrangements and gain invaluable time management insights. With accurate time-tracking software, attorneys can make smarter decisions and boost productivity.

Key benefits:

• Completely passive time tracking without disruptions
• Automatic case detection and tagging using AI
• Generates billing narratives using Narrate GPT
• 100% private and secure with individual controls
• Integrates with major legal software

Pricing: WiseTime offers a 30-day free trial and two pricing plans: Professional and Enterprise. The Professional plan is $360 per user per year, while the Enterprise plan requires contacting the company for a quote.

9. Harvest

Harvest is an online time and expense tracking tool designed for teams and projects of all sizes. It is a user-friendly and intuitive software that simplifies time tracking and expense management. Harvest allows users to track time and expenses, create and send invoices, manage projects, and generate reports.

Key benefits:

• Intuitive timesheets and timers for all devices
• Customizable reports and analytics
• Project management features
• Seamless billing and invoicing
• Integrations with major collaboration tools

Pricing: The software offers a free plan for single users indefinitely, and a monthly subscription to Harvest Pro is $10.80 per person per month.

10. TimeSparrow

TimeSparrow is a lawyer time-tracking software tailored for legal professionals. It aims to streamline timekeeping and offers a simple and affordable solution for capturing employee time to run payroll, invoice clients, and manage productivity.

TimeSparrow's standout feature is its flexibility in time entry options. Employees can choose the best method for them, whether it's manual entry, timers, email, text messaging, Amazon Alexa, or scheduled phone calls. 

Key benefits:

• Multiple ways to seamlessly enter time
• Works from any device for mobility
• Integrates with practice management systems
• Stress-free tracking without start/stop timers

Pricing: TimeSparrow offers a free 30-day trial, after which the price is $25 per lawyer per month. This makes it affordable for small to medium-sized law firms looking for a reliable time-tracking solution.

How to Choose the Right Time Tracking Software for Attorneys?

Selecting the right software can significantly impact your law firm's efficiency and productivity. With so many options available, it's essential to consider several critical features and red flags that may impact your selection.

Must-have features:

• Accuracy: Opt for software with robust time-tracking capabilities to capture every billable minute accurately. This feature is crucial for legal professionals, as accurate time recording directly impacts how they bill clients.
• Flexibility: Choose a solution that allows you to track time spent on various tasks and projects. The ability to record billable and non-billable hours is essential for legal work, as it caters to the diverse nature of legal cases.
• User-friendliness: A user-friendly interface is paramount for a seamless user experience. Intuitive and easy-to-navigate software will save you time and effort in training and daily use.
• Integration: Look for software that integrates with your existing tools, such as calendar and project management applications. This ensures a seamless flow of data and reduces manual entry.
• Reporting: Comprehensive reporting capabilities are valuable for analyzing your time usage and making informed decisions. Select a time-tracking tool that offers detailed reports and insights into your time entries.
• Privacy: Ensure the software prioritizes individual privacy, especially when dealing with sensitive client information. Select a solution that allows you to control and manage your data securely.

What to avoid:

• Lack of specialization: Avoid software designed for general use rather than specific legal time-tracking requirements. A specialized solution is best, as legal practices have unique needs.
• Inefficient time entry: Software that relies heavily on manual time entry can be a burden. Look for tools with automatic time-tracking features to save time and effort.
• Limited reporting: Insufficient reporting capabilities won't provide the insights you need to manage your time effectively. Ensure the software offers customizable and detailed reporting options.
• Data security risks: Data breaches can compromise sensitive client information. Select a provider with a robust security infrastructure and GDPR compliance.
• High cost: Price should not be the primary determinant, but excessively priced software may strain your budget. There are many affordable and feature-rich options available.

How Time Tracking Software Helps Lawyers Track Billable Hours

Time-tracking software is valuable for legal professionals, offering numerous advantages that streamline their work and enhance productivity. These solutions are designed to help lawyers and legal firms manage their time effectively, ensuring no billable minute goes unaccounted for.

Benefits of time tracking software:

• Improves accuracy: Manual logging often leads to errors or forgotten time entries. The software automatically tracks time spent in applications, documents, emails, and more without disruptions, ensuring billable hours are accurately recorded.
• Saves time: Automated tracking eliminates the time spent on start-stop timers, manual entry, and timesheet preparation. Lawyers can spend more time on core responsibilities than on time administration.
• Avoids billing errors: Precisely tagged time entries leave no room for incorrect allocations to clients or cases. This prevents charging errors and maintains customer transparency.
• Facilitates invoicing: Exporting time reports directly into invoices saves considerable time drafting bills. Automatic narratives also reduce manual writing workload.
• Simplifies reporting: Comprehensive dashboards and reports offer real-time insights into time utilization, staff performance, unbilled work, and more for better decision-making.
• Supports remote teams: With integrated workflows, dispersed legal teams can seamlessly collaborate on cases while tracking hours across locations.
• Improves productivity: By streamlining the time-tracking process, lawyers can focus maximum efforts on core responsibilities, bringing more value to clients and increasing revenues for firms.

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Improve Your Law Firms Time Tracking!

We've covered a comprehensive range of time-tracking software ideal for legal professionals- and now it's time for you to pick one! As you implement new time-tracking practices, we recommend partnering with a specialist legal marketing agency that can further boost your firm's success. Growing client demand requires optimizing both internal operations and external visibility.

Our expertise in digital marketing for law firms will help you increase your visibility and establish your firm as a trusted authority. At Grow Law Firm, we tailor our services to your law firm's unique goals and objectives. We offer a comprehensive range of digital marketing services, including SEO, PPC advertising, and web design that will maximize your ROI and drive growth. Our team also stays up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies to ensure our approaches are effective and deliver tangible results.

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