Clio vs CloudLex (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Clio if

• Fits if you want trust reconciliation and the firm's books in the same tool as billing
• Works for firms that plan to add intake and legal AI from the same vendor later

Look elsewhere if

• Watch out: only Starter has a published price, and Core, Signature and Elite are quoted on request
• Tight if you're on Starter, which has no client portal, texting, conflict checks, document templates, custom fields or integrations
• Pricey if you want workflows, custom reports or SSO, which need Signature or Elite, and Clio Grow intake is an add-on on Core and Signature
• Watch out: card payments cost 2.95% (3.75% for Amex), eCheck 1% and Affirm 4.95%, and court e-filing is paid per filing
• Skip it if you want a long trial, as it's 7 days and there's no free plan

Pick CloudLex if

• Fits if you run a personal injury firm and want to work from a phone
• Works for firms that also want medical record retrieval from the same vendor

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you need a price to plan with, because the vendor does not publish one
• Skip it if you practise outside personal injury, as it is not aimed at other areas
• Tight if you want lead forms on the lowest tier, since they start at Advanced
• Watch out: medical records retrieval, paralegal services and the call center are separate services
• Watch out: no trial is offered

Clio

• Clio publishes a price only for Starter; Core, Signature and Elite are quoted on request or after a demo.
• Starter leaves out the client portal, texting, conflict checks, document templates, custom fields and third-party integrations, which start on Core.
• Card payments cost 2.95% (3.75% for Amex), eCheck and ACH 1%, and Affirm pay-later 4.95%; court e-filing is paid per filing.
• Automated workflows, custom reports and SSO need Signature or Elite, and Clio Grow intake is an add-on on Core and Signature.

CloudLex

• No prices are published; the pricing page lists Professional, Advanced and Enterprise tiers and sends buyers to a call.
• Lead management and website forms start at Advanced, and the chatbot, QuickBooks Online and AI fuzzy search start at Enterprise.
• It is built for personal injury and is not aimed at firms in other practice areas.
• Medical record retrieval, paralegal services and the call center are separate services from the software.

Clio

Matters, documents and calendars

Every plan stores contacts, matters and unlimited documents, with calendaring, tasks, a firm dashboard and Clio's iOS and Android apps.

Billing and online payments

Hourly, flat-rate and contingency billing, payment plans, UTBMS and LEDES codes, and online payment by card, eCheck, Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Legal accounting built in

Bank sync, a chart of accounts, trust and operating reconciliation, check printing and cash or accrual reports on every plan, with a free licence for the firm's accountant.

AI inside Clio Manage

From Core, AI drafts bills on a schedule, writes client updates from matter activity, turns documents into calendar events and tasks, and ranks tasks.

Clio Work

A legal AI workspace that reads a matter's files to build timelines and spot gaps, finds jurisdiction-matched authority checked by a citator, and drafts in Clio Work or Microsoft Word.

Client portal and texting

From Core, clients use the Clio for Clients portal and app to message, share documents, pay and follow their matter, and the firm can text reminders.

CloudLex

Personal injury matter management

Each matter gets an overview, parties, running notes, an injury narrative, medical records and bills, insurance coverage and liens.

Settlement tracking

Negotiation rounds, lien resolution and settlement calculations are tracked inside the matter instead of in separate spreadsheets.

Calendars, tasks and workflows

Deadlines sync with Office 365, tasks can be assigned and tracked, and repeated steps can be automated with workflows the vendor's team helps set up.

Lexee AI

Built-in AI features include intake capture, medical summaries, demand drafting and asking questions of a case. The vendor says demand and summary drafts get expert review.

Mobile apps

iOS and Android apps give access to matters, documents, tasks, intakes and the calendar, and can turn voice notes into tasks.

Integrations and e-signature

Connects with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, QuickBooks Online, DocuSign, Adobe Sign, Dropbox and RingCentral, and includes native e-signatures.

Clio

• Starter$49

  per user / month; monthly or annual billing not stated

  Matters, contacts, unlimited document storage, time and billing, online payments, trust accounting and built-in legal accounting. Three eSignatures.

• CoreCustom

  Adds AI billing and client updates, conflict checks, client portal and texting, document templates, integrations and 15 eSignatures. Price on request.

• SignatureCustom

  Adds matter stages, automated workflows, split and multi-currency billing, custom reports, SAML SSO and unlimited eSignatures. Price on request.

• EliteCustom

  Signature plus the Clio Grow intake suite: AI lead handling, intake forms, online booking, review requests and a website builder. Price on request.

CloudLex

Pricing could not be confirmed. See cloudlex.com.

Clio

• Other savings

  Elite bundle saving

  Clio's pricing page labels Elite, which bundles Signature with the Clio Grow intake suite, as saving over 17%.

CloudLex

No public discounts listed.