Clio, Filevine, and MyCase are all cloud legal practice management platforms, but they diverge sharply on pricing transparency and AI depth. Clio and MyCase…
Subscription · From $49/user/month (EasyStart, billed annually)
Best for: Solo attorneys and growing multi-practice firms that want transparent, published per-user pricing, built-in trust accounting, and a large, proven integration ecosystem.
Custom / Quote-based · From Custom pricing, contact sales
Best for: Larger firms, high-volume plaintiff-side practices, and legal or government teams that want a firm-wide AI operating system (LOIS) across intake, matters, depositions, and signatures, and are comfortable with custom quote-based pricing.
Subscription · From $50/user/month (billed annually)
Best for: Small-to-midsize firms that want a built-in client portal, texting, and LawPay-powered online payments alongside standard practice management at a mid-range price point.
At a Glance
Clio
Filevine
MyCase
Primary category
Legal
Legal
Legal
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Subscription
Custom / Quote-based
Subscription
Starting price
$49/user/month (EasyStart, billed annually)
Custom pricing, contact sales
$50/user/month (billed annually)
Free plan
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Free trial
Yes
Yes
Yes
Platforms
Web, iOS, Android
Web, iOS, Android
Web, iOS, Android
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Yes
Yes
Not documented
Public API
Yes
Yes
Not documented
Standout Differences
Only Clio and MyCase build trust accounting directly into billing
Clio and MyCase both include jurisdiction-aware IOLTA/trust accounting as a native part of their billing module, while Filevine handles trust accounting reconciliation through integrations with QuickBooks Online, Xero, and LawPay rather than a built-in module.
Clio, MyCase, Filevine
Filevine's LOIS works across the entire firm, not one document at a time
LOIS is built on a legal knowledge graph drawn from more than 40 million matters and can read and write across Matters, Intake, Depositions, and Signatures simultaneously, a broader scope than Clio's Complete-tier AI drafting or MyCase's 8am IQ writing assistant.
Filevine
Clio and MyCase publish self-serve pricing; Filevine does not
Clio's four tiers run $49 to $149 per user per month billed annually and MyCase's three tiers run $50 to $130 per user per month billed annually, while Filevine's pricing page directs every prospective buyer to a custom quote built around selected modules.
Clio, MyCase, Filevine
AI features are gated behind the top tier at Clio and MyCase
Clio's AI drafting is only available on its Complete plan and MyCase's 8am IQ case assistant and OCR discovery review are limited to its Advanced plan, whereas Filevine bakes LOIS into its platform rather than reserving it for a single top tier.
Clio, MyCase, Filevine
Feature-by-Feature
Core Practice Management
Feature
Clio
Filevine
MyCase
Case and matter management
Available
Available
Available
Secure client portal and messaging
Not documented
Not documented
Available
Document templates and e-signature
Available
Available
Available
Billing and Trust Accounting
Feature
Clio
Filevine
MyCase
Native IOLTA/trust accounting module
Available
Limited
Available
Published self-serve pricing tiers
Available
Unavailable
Available
AI and Automation
Feature
Clio
Filevine
MyCase
AI drafting and case assistant
Limited
Available
Limited
Access and Integrations
Feature
Clio
Filevine
MyCase
Open/documented REST API
Not documented
Available
Limited
Native iOS and Android apps
Available
Available
Available
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Clio
EasyStart — $49/user/month annual
Essentials — $89/user/month annual
Advanced — $119/user/month annual
Complete — $149/user/month annual
Filevine
Custom — Custom pricing Contact sales
MyCase
Basic — $50/user/month annual ($60 monthly) Monthly or annual
Pro — $100/user/month annual ($120 monthly) Monthly or annual
Advanced — $130/user/month annual ($150 monthly) Monthly or annual
Pros & Cons
Clio
Pros
Purpose-built trust accounting compliance features not found in general practice management tools.
Wide adoption (400,000+ legal professionals) and a large integration ecosystem.
Tiered pricing lets solo attorneys and larger firms both find an appropriate plan.
Companion products (Clio Grow) extend the platform into client intake without switching tools.
Cons
Pricing rises significantly between tiers, with AI drafting and full intake automation reserved for the top Complete tier.
Monthly (non-annual) billing carries a notable price premium over annual billing.
Additional costs such as payment processing fees and third-party integrations add to total cost of ownership.
Feature scope may be more than very small or informal legal practices need.
Filevine
Pros
AI (LOIS) is deeply embedded across the entire platform rather than offered as a separate bolt-on chat tool.
Strong reputation among reviewers, with roughly a 4.8/5 rating on G2 and 4.6/5 on Capterra.
Broad module coverage (intake through depositions to signatures) reduces the need for separate point solutions.
Backed by substantial, well-known venture investors (Insight Partners, Accel), suggesting long-term platform investment and stability.
Cons
No public pricing; firms must go through a sales process to get a quote, which can slow down evaluation.
Custom, quote-based pricing makes it harder to comparison-shop against flat-rate competitors like Clio or MyCase.
Deep, module-based platform can carry a steeper learning curve for very small or solo practices with simple needs.
Some customer feedback across review sources flags inconsistent support experiences.
MyCase
Pros
All-in-one billing, trust accounting, and case management in one subscription
Client portal streamlines attorney-client communication
Tiered pricing lets small firms start affordably and scale up features
AI-assisted document and case tools on higher tiers
Backed by AffiniPay/8am's broader legal and payments ecosystem
Cons
No free tier; pricing is per-user and can add up for larger firms
Most automation and AI features are gated behind the Pro and Advanced tiers
Company has changed ownership multiple times, which can affect roadmap continuity
Some advanced features (open API, capacity-style reporting) are limited to the top tier
Pricing is higher than the most basic legal software alternatives
Use Cases
Choose Clio: Solo attorneys and growing multi-practice firms that want transparent, published per-user pricing, built-in trust accounting, and a large, proven integration ecosystem.
Choose Filevine: Larger firms, high-volume plaintiff-side practices, and legal or government teams that want a firm-wide AI operating system (LOIS) across intake, matters, depositions, and signatures, and are comfortable with custom quote-based pricing.
Choose MyCase: Small-to-midsize firms that want a built-in client portal, texting, and LawPay-powered online payments alongside standard practice management at a mid-range price point.
Clio
Solo attorney practice management — Solo practitioners use Clio's EasyStart plan for basic time tracking, billing, and trust accounting.
Growing multi-attorney firms — Established small-to-mid-size firms use Advanced or Complete for e-signatures, advanced reporting, and AI drafting.
Client intake automation — Firms use Clio Grow to capture and automate lead intake before matters are opened in Clio Manage.
Filevine
High-volume personal injury and mass tort practices — Firms managing large caseloads of similar matter types use Filevine's Matters and Intake modules alongside LOIS to standardize workflows and speed up case evaluation and document drafting.
Government legal offices — Prosecutors, public defenders, and state or local agencies use Filevine to manage case files, deadlines, and evidence collaboration across large teams of attorneys.
Corporate and Big Law legal departments — Larger legal teams use Filevine's document assembly, contract management, and API integrations to connect case data with existing accounting and business systems.
MyCase
Solo and small law firm management — Solo practitioners and small firms use MyCase to consolidate case tracking, billing, and client communication.
Trust accounting compliance — Firms use MyCase's built-in IOLTA trust accounting to stay compliant with bar requirements.
Client communication and intake — Firms use the client portal, texting, and intake forms to streamline new client onboarding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of these three legal practice management tools has the most affordable published pricing?
Clio's EasyStart plan starts at $49 per user per month and MyCase's Basic plan starts at $50 per user per month, both billed annually. Filevine does not publish self-serve pricing and requires a custom quote based on which modules a firm selects.
What makes Filevine's AI different from Clio's or MyCase's AI features?
Filevine's LOIS is built on a legal knowledge graph drawn from more than 40 million matters and can act across Matters, Intake, Depositions, and Signatures at once. Clio's AI drafting and MyCase's 8am IQ assistant are narrower tools reserved for each platform's top-priced tier.
Do all three tools include built-in trust accounting?
Clio and MyCase both build IOLTA/trust accounting directly into their billing module. Filevine handles trust accounting reconciliation through integrations with QuickBooks Online, Xero, and LawPay rather than a native trust accounting module.
Which tool is best suited to high-volume plaintiff-side practices like personal injury or mass torts?
Filevine has built particularly deep functionality for high-volume plaintiff-side practice areas including personal injury, mass torts, and family law, alongside serving government legal departments and large corporate legal teams.
Can I try any of these platforms before committing to a contract?
Yes. All three are tagged with free-trial availability, and Filevine's own pricing page explicitly offers a free trial period or demo booking before a firm commits to a custom quote.
Which of the three has a dedicated client communication portal?
MyCase explicitly documents a secure client portal supporting two-way messaging, document sharing, and texting. Clio and Filevine were not documented with this specific standalone client-portal feature in the available data, though Clio offers client intake through its companion Clio Grow product.