time tracking

How Much Does Legal Billing Software Cost?

April 24, 2025 By Dan Bowman Leave a Comment

Attorney time and billing software can cost around $30 per month per user to hundreds of dollars per month per user, depending on the provider. There are a variety of legal e-billing vendors to choose from, each with their own sets of features, all of which are around a similar price point. But if you really want to know how much a billing software will cost you per month, you’ll need to consider more than price; it’s also about worth.

The true value of billing software is in saved time, smooth workflows, and an overall easier collection process. With that in mind, the best software will feel less like an expense, and more like an essential piece of your practice — one that runs things behind the scene so you can focus more attention on your clients and billable tasks.

What Factors Affect the Cost of Legal Billing Software?

The main factors that affect billing software’s price are the features they offer, the size of your firm, any unique needs of your practice, and the provider’s payment plans. You will commonly see multiple ‘tiers’ of pricing with scaling offerings of features, support, and integrations. Depending on the provider, there may also be added fees to look out for, particularly if their software does not have its own payment processor.

Regardless of the numbers, providers typically price on a per-user, per-month basis. Sometimes, they will offer a slight discount for paying annually versus monthly; for example, Bill4Time’s basic plan comes at a lower rate when paid annually and includes more within its base pricing than many others at a similar level.

Another factor for pricing is whether the software is cloud-based or uses on-premise technology. Typically, cloud-based software is almost always the best option; it’s cheaper due to using less hardware and requires far less maintenance from you, the end user. Additionally, cloud-based billing software is far more flexible, particularly those that come with mobile app support.

Cloud technology also saves money by letting you incorporate smart devices your business already has, cutting down upfront investment even further. On top of that, cloud technology has consistent pricing and can easily scale up as your business grows and gains new, loyal clients.

Is Free Legal Billing Software an Option for Law Firms?

That depends on how you define ‘option.’ Free tools may seem like a smart move, but in reality, they will end up costing you more than they ‘save.’ So, when it comes to legal billing software, free is less of a green light and more of a red flag.

The word free is pretty tempting, especially for a small law firm owner. But free software rarely offers any security, support, or meaningful features. Even if the software does happen to have good features, they will most likely be sitting behind a paywall. On top of that, you’ll likely be stuck figuring it out solo, with no guidance on ways to actually improve your billing process.

Rather than asking, “What’s the cheapest billing tool I can get by with?” ask: “What software is actually going to help my practice thrive?” The right billing solution won’t feel like an expense; it’ll be momentum to your firm’s success. If it doesn’t feel like that, then it’s not the right choice.

With that in mind…

**What’s the Right Legal Billing Software Budget for Your Firm?**

The right budget strikes a balance between price and value: a price you can afford, with a value that you want. So to find the right fit, start by asking: what is most valuable to your firm?

Are you looking to save time?
Do you want support for compliance?
Want to simplify the invoicing process?
Need to speed up collections?
Seeking a better billing workflow overall?

Any or all of these can be answered with legal billing software. But finding the right software for your firm’s practice matters more than picking something with trendy features. A solid way to evaluate cost is to consider how many billable hours you could recover by using the software. If it saves even a few hours a month on invoicing, follow-ups, or reconciling payments, the time regained may outweigh the monthly fee.

Before committing to any software, make sure to do a free trial — regardless of who the provider is. Just because a platform has high marks and five-star reviews doesn’t mean it will work well with your firm. Plus, since most software is cloud-based, free trials don’t require tons of setup.

How Much Should Billing Software Cost for a Small Law Firm?

Billing software pricing can vary widely depending on the provider, the size of your firm, and the features included. Most platforms offer tiered plans to accommodate different needs. For instance, Bill4Time’s entry-level plan starts at $27 per user, per month when billed annually.

But price is just one of many factors that determine the true “cost” of billing software. The “cheapest” option might cost less money, but it also might end up costing you missed hours, clerical errors, and unpaid invoices.

If the software doesn’t actively save you time, stress, and energy, then it’s not worth the price. Look for software that’s both affordable and helpful. Good providers offer software that’s user-friendly, flexible, and efficient — and that’s what we provide at Bill4Time.

Bill4Time strikes a keen balance between cost and value. For less than $30 per month, you’ll have a simple, efficient, streamlined way of handling your billing. From initial time tracking to collecting the final payment, everything goes into one single source — including a native law firm payment processor, which means more secure collections for you and your clients. Firms of all sizes use Bill4Time for case management, time tracking, trust accounting, and much more.

You’ve probably seen plenty of threads discussing the best legal billing software on Reddit and other forums — and it’s smart to look at what other attorneys are saying. Once you’ve done your research, the next move is to see how platforms like Bill4Time perform in real life. Start a free Bill4Time trial today, or click below to schedule a demo tailored to your firm. Let us show you how billing software can boost your firm’s operations and be an excellent return on investment.

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What Is the Best Attorney Time and Billing Software?

April 16, 2025 By Allison Lemasters Leave a Comment

The best attorney time and billing software supports the natural rhythm of your practice: accurately tracking hours, sending polished invoices, and getting you paid on time without taking more of your time.

In the practice of law, a few minutes can be the difference between profitability and burnout. Every tool you choose matters, even those that track your work. But the “best” software for your practice doesn’t always mean the most popular or even the one with the most features.

The real question is: which software works the same way you do?

If you’re looking for a solution that’s simple to run and gets the job done, this article is for you. Below, you’ll find tips for finding software that fits how you bill time as an attorney, so you can focus on your practice knowing the essentials are, quite literally, accounted for.

How to Choose the Best Attorney Time and Billing Software for Your Firm

To find an ideal billing software, start by looking at how you keep track of billable hours today.

What kind of billing do you do? (hourly, flat fee, contingency, a hybrid model, etc.)
How many people need access to billing features and data?
Are you frequently out of the office?
How much help would you need with learning new software?

All of these factors are essential for figuring out how to maximize billable hours with software. Let’s look at each of these questions individually and how software should help answer these questions.

What Kind of Billing Do You Do?

Most firms don’t rely on a single billing model. You may bill hourly for litigation, use flat fees for estate planning, or negotiate contingency arrangements for plaintiff-side work. Many practices even mix their approaches based on matter type or client preference.

The billing software you use should handle that complexity without added friction. Whether you’re toggling between fee structures in the same matter or managing hybrid arrangements across multiple attorneys, flexibility is non-negotiable. For example, software like Bill4Time allows for customized billing setups that reflect real practice demands, down to rate changes, matter-specific rules, and detailed audit trails, so your billing adapts as your matters do.

How Many People Need Access To Billing Features and Data?

That number might be more than you expect. Even if you’re the only one sending invoices, billing touches nearly every aspect of your firm. Your paralegals and attorneys log time, your admin staff follows up on payments, your partner reviews reports, maybe you even have a billing specialist… the list goes on.

Effective billing software supports this division of labor without compromising data integrity. Look for platforms that allow granular, role-based access so each user can view or manage only what they need. That kind of structure helps protect sensitive financial data while still keeping your team productive and aligned.

Are You Frequently Out of the Office?

Mobility adds another layer to the timekeeping challenge. If your practice takes you from the courtroom to client sites to depositions in different cities, logging time from your desk isn’t realistic. Writing things down to enter later increases the risk of forgetting the details or misallocating time entirely.

The best providers of legal software also have a mobile app for time tracking, so you can log time in real time. Being able to capture time entries on the spot, switch matters mid-task, or review what’s unbilled while you’re still in motion helps you stay accurate without disrupting your schedule.

How Much Help Would You Need With New Software?

No matter what you choose, software will only be as effective as your knowledge of it — and that comes back to onboarding. Having support staff to help, as well as additional learning resources to access on your own time, ensures you know what the software can do. More importantly, it helps you integrate the software into how you practice, rather than adjusting your practice to match the software.

After you consider the needs of your firm, you next want to figure out which features are the most important to you. You can focus on evaluating these as you test different platforms to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

What Features Set the Best Attorney Billing Software Apart?

The most critical features of billing software include:

Matter-Based Time Entry | You need to link time to the right matter with precision, especially when multiple matters exist for the same client.
Native Payment Processing | Using one system to track time, another to generate invoices, and a third to collect payment is inefficient and risky. When payments run through the same system that generated the bill, reconciliation is simpler and cleaner.
Multiple Timers Option | Your software should let you easily switch between timers without breaking stride.
Editable, Flexible Invoicing | You’ll want to be able to adjust language for clarity, redact internal notes, or break down line items differently for a client with specific preferences.
Invoice Customization | Branded invoices signal professionalism and help set expectations with clients. You should be able to control how your bills look without hiring a designer or fighting a formatting tool.
Insightful Analytics and Reporting | Time and billing reports should help you spot trends, track write-offs, and evaluate staff performance, not just show how many hours you worked.
Batch Invoicing Capabilities | When you’re billing dozens of clients at the end of the month, sending invoices one at a time burns hours you’ll never get back. Your software should let you generate and send multiple invoices in one go.

For billing software, the most important traits overall are accuracy, efficiency, and security. A software that addresses the above factors will help you print accurate invoices the first time, at a much quicker rate, within a much safer framework. If your billing process is simple, clean, and secure, that creates a better experience for you and your clients.

How Should Attorneys Keep Track of Their Time With Billing Software?

Here’s what an ideal day-to-day could look like with the right software to assist your billing:

Start each day with a fresh timer, or view upcoming calendar events and tasks to see what needs to happen first. From there, you can set up different timers for each task.

Your timer runs in the background as you work; at any moment you can pause or switch timers if you change to a new task, keeping each timer linked to the right matter.

Once you finish a task, you can stop the timer and add quick notes about what you did. You can also enter time manually, if you missed logging something earlier in the day.

Speaking of missing things… ever worry about forgetting to invoice for something? Good software will have easy ways for you to see what tasks you haven’t billed for yet.

Once your time entries are approved, they’ll automatically populate the invoice template connected to that matter. From there, you can easily make edits.

Sending the final invoice is as easy as an email or message via the client portal. Then, you can collect payment with that same software, keeping it all in a secure, closed loop.

Make Your Practice Run Smoother With Time and Billing Software

Your billing process is the engine that keeps your practice running. And when your tools are clunky, slow, or hard to collaborate with, that engine sputters and your practice suffers. But with the right software, your firm doesn’t just keep up; it sails smoothly.

At Bill4Time, we understand the rhythm of running a law firm. With us, you can simplify the tedious, automate the repetitive, and get back more time to focus on your clients. Whether you’re a solo attorney or a small team, Bill4Time has the flexibility, transparency, and security to keep your billing as professional as the work behind it. Our software is especially efficient when multiple parties are working on the same cases, making collaboration that much easier.

Ready to run a tighter ship without running yourself ragged? Bill4Time might be the smoothest move you make this year. Sign up for a free trial, or click the button below to set up a free demo customized for your firm.

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What Is the Best Time Tracking Software for Lawyers?

March 6, 2025 By Taylor Dahlem Leave a Comment

Legal time tracking software is the best way for lawyers to track their time. This software specifically caters to the complex nature of billable hours, with numerous features to help you organize your time and quickly generate accurate invoices. And the best legal time tracking software will be one that’s simple to use, easy to learn, supports your billing process, and has secure remote access.

Want to learn more about time tracking software? Keep reading as we examine what the best apps for keeping track of billable hours have in common. We’ll also take a detailed look at some of the options out there to see how they stack up against each other.

Let’s start with some key criteria you should be looking for in a quality legal time tracking software.

What Should You Look for When Choosing Legal Time Tracking Software?

When reviewing what the best app is for keeping track of your billable hours, the most important qualities are security, simplicity, and support. The software should comply with legal ethics rules, be easy to integrate into your practice, and provide ample support — both to your operations and to you as you learn how to use the software. Let’s look at each of these in further detail.

Security

Above all, the software you choose must protect your firm’s data and your client’s information, per Rule 1.6 of the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct. This is potentially the main reason you should be skeptical of using free or very cheap legal billing software: it likely lacks the safety measures to warrant ethical use. As you’re browsing options, make sure to ask about the provider’s security measures. Some examples of questions you could ask the provider might be:

Are your security measures compliant with Rule 1.6 and similar legal standards?
How do you protect your customers’ data?
Who will have access to my data — and how will they gain access?
How do you ensure the right people have access (and bad actors do not)?

Simplicity

Second to security is simplicity: how easy the software is to learn, and whether or not it simplifies your time tracking process. This applies not only to logging billable hours but also to your entire billing process, as the best software should be able to handle both.

On that note, time tracking works best when it’s part of a complete legal practice management solution; this way, when it’s time to create invoices, you don’t have to transfer your timesheets to another source. As you browse options, here are some questions you can ask the provider to ensure their software fulfills this need:

Are there any parts of the billing and invoicing process your software doesn’t handle?
Will I need any third-party integrations for any part of the tracking and billing process?
How will this software save me time compared to doing it manually with a spreadsheet?
Do you offer free demos and/or trials so I can see firsthand how your software works?
How easy is it to log hours, generate invoices, and send them out with your software?

Support

The main benefit of using time tracking software is the assistance it provides and the structure it gives to your operations. For example, using software for task and workflow automation can help cut down time spent on the most repetitive tasks.

But support isn’t just about the software itself; it’s also about how much help the software provider gives you as you’re learning. Training resources, how-to videos, and live customer support are important because they give you the best chance to make the software work for your firm. Make sure to ask providers questions like:

What resources do you have to help me learn your software?
Where do I go if I have questions or don’t know how to do something in the software?
Is there a dedicated account manager or support rep for my firm?

Attorney Time Tracking Software Options

Several providers exist, each with their own spin on software solutions. Here are a few of the most common options out there and some of the benefits they provide to users.

Bill4Time

Bill4Time makes tracking billable hours simple and efficient, with a cloud-based system that allows you to log time from anywhere. Its invoicing feature turns timesheets into invoices instantly, reducing the time spent on this administrative work. You can also customize your invoices with your own branding to keep your firm name top-of-mind.

And unlike many competitors, Bill4Time includes a built-in payment processor, so you can track time, invoice clients, and accept payments — all in one system, without relying on third-party integrations.

Legal professionals also praise Bill4Time’s easy-to-navigate interface and its wealth of legal-specific features, like LEDES or UTBMS formatting. Users also have access to live support, how-to guides, and training materials to get up to speed quickly — which doesn’t take long, as it’s an intuitive, easy-to-use software.

Clockify Time Tracker

Clockify is a general-purpose time tracking app designed for freelancers and businesses, with small-to-medium-sized companies as its primary users. It offers basic time tracking features, letting users log hours, share timesheets with clients, and generate invoices automatically. Clockify also includes productivity monitoring, allowing supervisors to track employee activity.

While Clockify works well for simple time tracking, it isn’t built specifically for legal professionals. That means it lacks law firm-specific features, such as built-in trust accounting compliance, legal billing codes, and client confidentiality safeguards required under ABA rules.

Google Workspace Options

Google offers a few time tracking solutions — namely, their Time Tracking app. This app focuses on simplicity and collaboration between multiple parties while tracking time. The time tracking components are not necessarily compliant with ethical practice standards, and you will most likely run into security and support issues if you decide to use them.

Does Google have a free time tracker? Technically, yes — some users rely on Google Sheets to create manual timesheets. While this might work in a pinch, spreadsheets can be difficult to organize, prone to errors, and time-consuming when it comes to turning tracked hours into invoices. These inefficiencies are precisely why many attorneys look for dedicated time tracking software instead.

Timesolv

Timesolv is another option that offers a way to track hours anywhere and streamline your billing process. Many of its features are useful for the billing process, but it lacks certain functions that help generate detailed, easy-to-read reports. Another drawback is the high cost of data migration — a necessary step for many firms switching from other case management or billing systems.

While it covers basic billing needs, Timesolv’s branding options are limited, and there are fewer pre-built invoice templates compared to other platforms. For firms that need fast, professional-looking invoices, this could be a roadblock.

Toggl Track

This time tracking software prioritizes generating customized data reports to help with finances and revenue growth. Although it calls out law firms as one of its clients, Toggl is not specific to the legal world, meaning it lacks components critical for legal billing, such as LEDES or UTBMS formatting.

Additionally, Toggl is solely for tracking time and cannot be used as a case management software. And while the low cost of a platform that just does time tracking may sound appealing, you’re likely going to end up spending even more money piecing together your legal workflow tech stack. Time tracking, after all, is just one part of practice management.

Track Your Time — and Your Practice — With Bill4Time

Most time tracking platforms aren’t built for the way law firms work. Even fewer offer the full support and practice management features that attorneys need. Bill4Time does both. It makes tracking billable hours simple and accurate while also providing a complete practice management solution to keep everything organized in one place.

Want to see how Bill4Time could improve your firm’s time tracking and workflows? Sign up for a free trial, or click the button below to schedule a free demo customized for your firm. We look forward to saving you time (and money)!

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What Do Lawyers Use to Track Billable Hours?

February 14, 2025 By Dan Bowman Leave a Comment

Legal time tracking software is typically how lawyers calculate their billable hours and keep track of everything. According to the American Bar Association, nearly 9 out of 10 firms were already using time tracking software by 2021, and for multiple reasons. The complex nature of time tracking requires methods that keep lawyers organized and accurate — two goals time tracking software helps facilitate.

This software can be, for an attorney, like a “billable hours calculator” that works based on start-and-stop timers and custom hourly rates. This reduces potential errors and speeds up the billing process, as you track time in the same software that generates your invoices.

Finding the best legal time tracking software for your firm can make a world of difference in your efficiency, whether you’re a solo practitioner or running a large corporate practice. But with a ton of options on the market, it’s helpful to know what you’re looking for. Read on to learn more about effectively tracking time and how exactly time tracking software can work for your firm.

How to Keep Track of Billable Hours Effectively

Generally, there are two ways you can track time: manually and digitally. Let’s examine both.

Manual Tracking

Various methods of tracking by hand have emerged over the history of practicing law, all of which have their own pros and cons. Some of the most common methods include:

Real-Time | Writing down time spent on tasks as they occur — for example, spending a half-hour answering a client’s email and then immediately writing down the time spent.

Intervals | Rather than tracking things as they happen, attorneys may opt to do all of their tracking in regular intervals, typically daily or even weekly.

Delegated | An attorney passes their entries to a paralegal or assistant, who enters the times into the firm’s tracking system of choice (e.g., spreadsheets, paper charts)

Calendaring | Many attorneys will simply reference their calendars to calculate billable hours. Events, emails, meetings, and court dates are reference points for this method.

Manual tracking methods like the ones above come with several pros: they’re simple, easy to understand, and follow some sort of consistent timing that easily slots them into a routine. Essentially, they are a “quick and dirty” way to get a close estimate of billable hours.

Unfortunately, manual methods are often subject to human error — through flawed arithmetic, mistakes while entering data, or simply not being exact enough.

Sometimes, simply forgetting to bill for certain tasks can happen as well. Even the best attorneys with the sharpest memories might forget to bill for tasks, especially if there is a gap of time between completing tasks and recording them. Recent studies show that the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve theory still rings true today, which more or less means if you don’t write something down right away, you’re very likely to lose it!

Digital Tracking

While manual methods have been around for decades, software built specifically for tracking billable hours has become the preferred choice for many attorneys. Unlike spreadsheets, which were adapted for timekeeping but not designed for it, legal time tracking software allows lawyers to log their hours as they work, apply custom billing rates, and generate invoices with ease.

A recent TechReport by the American Bar Association highlighted a growing reliance on digital time tracking across the legal field:

Roughly two-thirds (66%) of firms use time tracking software.
Nearly 85% of lawyers reported personally using remote-access software.
Seven out of 10 firms are using cloud-based software in their operations.

Additionally, there is a clear trend towards using digital tracking in favor of manual tracking, especially via cloud-based software. Solo lawyers, for example, nearly tripled their usage rate from the previous year.

Ultimately, while manual tracking methods have improved over the years, digital methods are quickly becoming the norm for practicing attorneys. Time tracking software is far easier to do in real time — regardless of where you are — which gives you an easy, efficient way to record your time right after completing a task.

Is There a Tool to Track Billable Hours for Different Practice Areas?

A high-quality legal time tracking software will have multiple ways to account for different practice areas. Some features that work great for unique situations in various practice areas include the following:

Customizable Billing Structures

Every practice area has its own way of handling fees. A family law attorney working on a divorce case might bill by the hour, while a personal injury lawyer works on contingency. Some firms also use blended billing, charging different rates for partners, associates, and paralegals. Good legal time tracking software can (and should) provide settings that accommodate any billing structure you use.

Mobile Access

If you’re in a practice area that takes you away from the office often, it’s great to have a way to record billable hours while you’re on the move. The best time tracking software will come with a mobile time and billing app that you can run on any smart device, so you don’t miss a minute of work you put in.

Detailed Reporting

No matter how a firm bills, reporting features provide valuable insights into time management, case progress, and profitability. Running reports on pending invoices, total hours worked per case, or time spent on specific tasks can help firms identify inefficiencies and adjust workloads accordingly.

For firms that bill hourly, reports can highlight unbilled time and compare billable targets to actual hours worked. Those handling flat-fee matters can track how much time is spent on each case type to assess whether their pricing is truly profitable. Contingency firms can analyze case timelines to better estimate how long similar cases will take in the future.

Auto-Text Abbreviations

Clear and consistent billing makes invoices easier for clients to understand and reduces the chances of disputes. Auto-text shortcuts help attorneys in any practice area log time faster by filling in commonly used descriptions with just a few keystrokes. Instead of typing out “Reviewed and responded to client email regarding…” every time, an attorney can use a preset abbreviation, like “RR,” to generate the first part of the entry instantly. Over time, these small efficiencies add up, making billing faster and more accurate across the board.

As a final note, time tracking software works best when it’s part of a complete legal practice management software. This cuts down on the amount of software you need to manage your billing and invoicing process, making the entire process simpler and more accurate.

What Is the Tool for Tracking Billable Hours for Free?

Truthfully, there aren’t any free tools that track billable hours — at least, not any that were designed for it. You could possibly try using free tools like Google Sheets or other open-source platforms, but ultimately, they won’t have enough function to be worth your time (literally).

Quality time tracking software costs money because it’s maintained by service providers who not only keep your data secure but also help you maximize the software’s potential. Even if there is time tracking software that’s free to use, you should proceed with caution. Some providers try to lure you in with a “freemium” option, which sounds like a good idea until you see why it’s free.

Free-to-use time tracking software typically is lacking in one or more areas: security, function, usability, customer support, you name it. And if it is usable, it will likely come with heavy restrictions designed to frustrate you into purchasing the full, paid version. So, really, it’s just a ploy to hook you in and get you to spend money.

Using time tracking software should create processes that are better than doing it by hand, “better” meaning faster, more efficient, more accurate, and ultimately more profitable. Free software is free for a reason, and paying for software is not a downside; in fact, with the right time tracking software, you can capture more billable time, reduce errors, and spend less time on administrative work — ultimately increasing revenue.

What Percentage of Lawyers’ Hours Are Billable with Software vs. Without?

On average, about a third of the hours lawyers work (30%) qualify as billable hours. This may seem like a small number if you’re not an attorney, but lawyers know firsthand how much time they spend on non-billable work, from business development to tedious admin tasks. Thankfully, there is a way lawyers can improve that percentage right away: by using time tracking software.

Time tracking software makes tracking billable hours easier, quicker, and more efficient. It also leads to a far more accurate representation of your day-to-day workflow as an attorney. Tracking in real-time helps reduce forgotten entries, and small increments of work are easier to capture; even a quick email to a client that takes five minutes can quickly be recorded. Plus, with software formulas calculating the final invoice based on your hourly rates, there is much less room for error.

Using time tracking software also saves you time on billing and invoicing. You can set up automated workflows for the most repetitive, rote tasks that go into your job — for example, the steps you go through for client intake, or the different workflows for different types of cases. With less time spent on repetitive work, you can spend more time connecting with your clients. And with a written record of the tasks you accomplish for each case, it’s much easier to make sure you didn’t miss anything when you’re drafting the invoice.

Bill4Time: The Ultimate Attorney Billing Cheat Sheet

Are you tired of manually adding up billable hours in a spreadsheet, asking yourself, “How many billable hours is 45 minutes?” yet again? If so, maybe it’s time for Bill4Time to help you out. This software is the most efficient way to track billable hours, especially because time tracking is only one part of Bill4Time’s complete practice management solution. You can capture your entire workflow in one place, eliminating several points of transferring data and cutting down on potential billing errors.

We welcome you to try Bill4Time yourself and see how much it can help your practice. Sign up for a free trial today, or click the button below to schedule a free demo. We look forward to helping you save effort, time, and money in your practice!

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How to Find the Best Legal Time Tracking Software in 2025

January 29, 2025 By Allison Lemasters Leave a Comment

How do you keep track of your billable hours? Many lawyers have switched from paper to software, and some have even found time tracking software specifically tailored to the practice of law.

Legal time tracking software is becoming all but essential for today’s attorneys. This is especially true when it comes to billing practices, where many lawyers mistakenly leave money on the table. Even back in 2019, the American Bar Association was citing timekeeping and invoicing as the top two reasons lawyers lose money, and these tasks aren’t getting any easier. How lawyers track their time is often a difference maker for running quick, accurate billing processes that clients can trust.

For any attorney, time tracking software plays a critical role in their success — and choosing the right software matters. But what is the best time keeping app for lawyers to use, and why does it matter which software you pick? And why not just stick with a desk timer? A lawyer’s job is already complicated; won’t software just make it more complicated?

Time tracking software today is not just a digital version of what lawyers did in the past; it’s a virtual assistant that supports the entire billing process, all the way to accepting the client’s last payment. Below, you’ll find more information about what this software does and what features make up the best legal time tracking software for lawyers.

How Do Attorneys Keep Track of Billable Hours Using Software?

Attorneys using time-tracking software start and stop digital timers for each billable task, with the software automatically recording the time and linking it to the appropriate client or matter. You can also present hourly rates for tasks, allowing the software to categorize billable hours by attorney, case, or other criteria. Switching between tasks is easy as well, as you can pause and resume timers throughout the day, reflecting the realities of a lawyer’s multitasking workflow.

Software like Bill4Time greatly simplifies the repetitive, rote steps of the billing process, particularly when creating invoices. For example, the software automatically translates minutes into decimal increments — like making 9 minutes a 0.2 of an hour — so you don’t have to convert the time to decimals manually.

It also lets you use shortcuts like auto-text, where you set up shortcuts for commonly used phrases. For instance, you could set up ‘disc’ to expand it into ‘Drafted and reviewed discovery responses,’ making it easier to record detailed descriptions without retyping the same phrases repeatedly. Auto-text also encourages continuity in phrasing across your firm’s invoices, making billing descriptions uniform and professional.

What To Look for in Time Tracking Software for Law Firms

Time tracking software should be more than a glorified stopwatch. At its best, this software acts as a support system for your entire billing process. And the most important features for doing that come back to three concepts: security, flexibility, and organization. The best software for time tracking, then, will embody all three of these qualities.

Here are a few common features of high-quality time tracking software that adhere to these qualities:

Encrypted data storage for confidentiality and compliance with legal standards
The ability to assign different hourly rates based on the user, client, or matter
Easy ways to manually edit your past recorded entries
Options to pause and resume timers for accurate tracking during interruptions
Built-in tools to generate customizable reports, offering insights into time allocation
Design fit specifically for use in law firms — for example, LEDES or UTBMS formatting
Separate tracking for billable and non-billable tasks to give insights into firm operations
Seamless integration into your billing system for easy invoicing and accepting payment

How Should Lawyers Keep Track of Their Hours Out of the Office?

The best way for lawyers to track their hours out of the office is by using legal time tracking software with a corresponding mobile app. A mobile app ensures that everything you log while on the go syncs with your primary system, so you can pick up right where you left off when you return to your desktop or laptop. This approach eliminates the hassle of manually transferring notes or reconstructing your workday later.

A good mobile app lets you start, stop, and pause timers for specific tasks directly from your phone. For example, if you’re attending an off-site client meeting, you can start a timer as soon as you walk in and stop it when the meeting concludes. Once you’re back at your desk, that entry will already appear in your time log, along with any notes or details you added at the time.

Offline functionality is another feature to consider. In some situations, like visiting a client in a remote area or working in a courtroom with poor cell service, you may not have internet access. A mobile app that works offline lets you log your time and then sync your entries when you reconnect.

Having mobile access to your time records is also wonderful for fostering healthy timekeeping habits. Poor timekeeping habits, such as waiting until the end of the day/week to record billable hours all at once, can cost you as much as 50% of your billable time through guesstimating and forgetting individual tasks you worked on. When you can enter your time right away on a mobile device, you’re more likely to capture all of your billable time accurately.

What Is the Best Invoicing Software for Law Firms Specifically?

While there are a lot of options for time tracking software, most of them don’t cater to the complex nature of billing for a law firm. Legal-specific software must not only account for varying rates but comply with strict ethics and formatting processes. Ideally, the software should also be connected to a firm’s billing and invoicing system, minimizing the steps needed to go from a timesheet to a finished invoice.

Eliminating manual data entry is one of the most important parts of using time tracking software. Rather than transferring data from software to software (or worse, paper to software), it’s best to have an all-in-one, enclosed system for billing. Not only does this save time, it makes for a more secure and accurate billing process.

In addition to the things above, other key features that make for the best software include:

Invoice templates: Pre-set designs make creating invoices faster, so you don’t have to start from scratch every time. You can even customize them to fit your firm’s brand.
Client communication portals: These give clients a place to log in, check their bills, and send payments without needing to go back and forth over email or the phone.
Native e-payment processor: Clients can pay you right through the system, whether they prefer a credit card or an ACH transfer. No extra tools needed.
Batch invoicing capabilities: If you’re billing multiple clients at once, this feature helps you send out all the invoices in one go instead of doing them one by one.
Automatic payment reminders: These alerts nudge clients to pay overdue invoices, so you don’t have to spend extra time chasing payments.

How Much Does Legal Time Tracking Software Cost?

Prices for legal time tracking software generally range from $30 to hundreds of dollars per month / per user, depending on the provider. Each software has its own set of features and benefits, so you’ll need to do some comparing and contrasting to find what’s best for you. Keep in mind that price is not necessarily an indicator of function or quality; the best software is not necessarily the most expensive one, and vice versa. That said, you should avoid any free or freemium options — the best legal time tracking software will not be free.

Most legal time tracking software providers will have a tiered subscription plan, with each higher tier providing access to more and more features of the software. For example, Bill4Time offers four tiers of pricing plans depending on user needs.

To illustrate, a solo attorney might prefer a plan that covers basics like tracking hours and creating invoices, while a midsize firm might need additional features like customizable fields or advanced reporting. Larger firms might prioritize options for batch invoicing or compliance-friendly billing formats like LEDES. The best plan will always depend on the size of your practice and the specific tools you rely on daily.

What Is the Best Free Legal Time Tracking Software?

Unfortunately, a free time tracking app for lawyers is almost certainly not going to be worth your time or effort to use. Attorney time tracking requires high-functioning software that’s secure, well-designed, and tailored specifically to the needs of the legal industry. And no software is going to provide any of these traits for free, much less all three of them. They certainly won’t provide much in the way of customer support (if at all), which is more or less critical to ensure you make the most of using the software.

Even if free software does offer some use for attorneys, it’s most likely going to be a “freemium” version of the provider’s software, which is typically designed to frustrate you into paying for the software. The freemium version will limit your usage — either by blocking essential features, limiting data storage, or removing security measures that are required to maintain compliance. Many free options will ultimately require pairing with other software to make them work at all, which defeats the purpose of not paying for software in the first place.

You should expect to pay for legal time tracking software. But you should also expect to make that money back, and much more, in the time and effort you save for your billing process. Paying for this software is not an expense, but an investment — one that’s well worth making if you want to run a successful, efficient, ethical practice.

Practice More And Manage Less With Bill4Time

An efficient, streamlined process for billing can make all the difference in running a successful practice — and with the right software, that’s more than achievable.

Bill4Time not only offers the best in time tracking but also a complete practice management solution. Keeping your billing and case management in one system means your time entries and case details are always connected, making it much easier to create accurate invoices. There’s no need to transfer data between programs, which reduces the chances of mistakes and saves time. And thanks to Bill4Time’s native payment processor, collecting payments can be just as easy and secure, for both you and your clients.

Ready to spend less time billing and more time practicing law? Check out Bill4Time today with a free trial, or click the button below to schedule a free demo. Once you see how Bill4Time works, you’re going to want it in your firm — and we’ll be there to help every step of the way!

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Lawyer Time Tracking Tips to Boost Efficiency

December 17, 2024 By Nina Lee Leave a Comment

Time is of the essence for law firms. Not only is accurate lawyer time tracking vital for record-keeping and tracking billable hours, but wasting time on manual tasks and following archaic processes distracts from what’s important: practicing law and growing your firm.

Many lawyers choose to track time the old-fashioned way: manually recording their time in logs and calendars. But this introduces the possibility of inaccurate timekeeping, missed billable hours, and — especially if your firm is large or growing — inconsistent record-keeping habits amongst your staff. As a result, you lose time, money, and even clients.

To assist with this problem, this blog explores how outdated time tracking methods hold firms back and offers practical tips to modernize the process. From understanding the importance of six-minute increments to leveraging legal time tracking software, you’ll learn how to boost accuracy, reduce missed income, and avoid common mistakes.

What Are the ABA Guidelines on Time Tracking?

Legal time tracking is when a lawyer records how much time they’ve spent working for a client — whether it’s in the office, in a courtroom, or on the go. The American Bar Association (ABA) sets guidelines for legal time tracking. First-timers, especially, should:

Regularly check their bills. That way, you can avoid getting accused of padding hours (i.e., rounding up and overcharging clients).
Charge reasonable fees in accordance with Model Rule 1.5 or your state’s equivalent. This number can help monitor your hours and share if you over or undercharged someone.
Use time tracking tools to help ensure accuracy and organization. You can log your hours via your phone, computer, or tablet.

What Are Lawyers Using to Track Their Time?

Legal time tracking has evolved in the past several years and moved away from handwritten notes on notebooks or sticky notes. Some continue to use Excel spreadsheets, but even these are prone to error due to manual entry and a host of other issues. Overall, the busier you get, the more difficult it is to stay organized and stay on top of logging.

Nowadays, many attorneys are switching to automated time tracking software solutions. This technology allows you to log your hours right away and track how long you’ve spent in meetings, making phone calls, writing and sending emails, and going from website to website, among other tasks.

By the end of the day, you can easily figure out what you did and how long you spent on each client. It’ll give your administration team less of a headache when you submit your hours and send clients’ invoices.

How Does Legal Time Tracking Software Work?

Legal time tracking software is a simple and efficient way to accurately log your time working for your clients. Bad timekeeping is the culprit for up to 50% of lost billable time, and legal time tracking software is the best way to combat this. All you need to do is start a timer on your computer, phone, or tablet and enter how much time you spent on a task.

You may think, “Well, yeah, but why do I need software to do that when I can do it on my own?”

You’d be interested to know that that’s just one benefit of having legal time tracking software, as it also offers:

Flexible time tracking: This feature covers recording billable and non-billable time, separating tasks unrelated to internal non-client time and keeping track of staff, consultants, and other colleagues.
Staying on top of your time spent on clients: With legal time billing software, you can check your weekly time summaries, so you can gauge your firm’s financial status and productivity.
Easy time entry: This feature allows you to run multiple timers on one screen and account for appointments as time entries.

These features can make every billable hour count so you can charge your clients and get paid fairly.

How Does Legal Time Tracking Software Work

What Should I Look for in Legal Time Tracking Software?

There are multiple legal time tracking apps to choose from, so it may be overwhelming to find one that best fits your needs. To start, ask yourself which features would be most important to you. While you’re doing your research, see if the time and billing software offers:

Convenience: Hours, tasks, phone calls, meetings, upcoming events, and every document you can think of. Do you have to be in the office at your computer to log this information, or can you do it anywhere?

Accuracy: Accuracy should be one of your firm’s highest values, and the software you choose must reflect that. Does the software help your firm cut back non-billable hours? Does it allow you to go back and make a correction if you didn’t stop your timer or need to update a client profile? If the answer is no, you may want to keep looking for technology that leaves wiggle room for human error.

Accessibility: See if the software produces periodic reports on timekeeping. Knowing what you’re dedicating your time to and for how long helps you make more well-informed decisions about the direction of your firm.

There’s more to a legal software app than just timekeeping, so check out the other features the software offers that keep all aspects in check. That includes case, task, and documentation management, trust accounting, invoice template customization, and system integration.

Bill4Time is the way to go if you want to get to a point where you’ll barely have to think about legal billing. It’ll do the work for you, so you can focus on what’s most important: your clients. Within the first few hours of use, you’ll be convinced that it’s the best time tracking software.

Common Mistakes Lawyers Make with Time Tracking and Tips to Fix Them

Below are some of the most common mistakes lawyers make with time tracking — and how to avoid them:

Waiting Too Long to Log Hours: Delaying time entry until the end of the day — or worse, the end of the week or month — leads to forgotten tasks, miscalculated hours, and lost billable time. Keeping track of hours as you go is the best solution
Overlooking Small, Billable Tasks: Emails, quick client calls, and short research sessions often go unrecorded, leading to significant revenue leakage over time. Track everything, no matter how small.
Failing to Differentiate Billable vs. Non-Billable Hours: Without a clear system, non-billable administrative work can blend in with client hours, skewing your records and firm productivity metrics. Use time tracking software to separate billable and non-billable tasks automatically.
Losing Track of Time Spent Across Devices: Lawyers often switch between phones, laptops, and tablets while working, leading to gaps in tracked time. Choose software with cross-device compatibility so you can log hours seamlessly wherever you work.
Not Reviewing Time Entries for Accuracy: Even with a strong tracking system, errors happen — like timers left running or entries logged under the wrong client. Pick a regular review schedule and stick to it.
Ignoring Client Transparency: Vague or incomplete time entries raise client doubts and can escalate into billing disputes. Clearly document your time with task descriptions and use detailed reports to back up your invoices.

The best way to resolve all of these issues is using time tracking software. Having a legal time tracking app can save you time (and panic) when you have to charge your client. That way, you can easily pull up what tasks you performed and for how long when you bill your client. If there’s ever a dispute, you’ll have the evidence of your work to back up your claim right in your pocket.

The key to lawyer time tracking is making it simple. Tracking your time should be something that flows seamlessly throughout your day, no matter how many cases you’re working on. Bill4Time keeps your time tracking and legal billing in a centralized location to give you better insight into how and where your time and money are being allocated. To see how Bill4Time can do the heavy lifting for your firm, you can schedule a demo today by clicking below to see the platform’s time-saving features in action.

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