The Tabs3 Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Tabs3 in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Tabs3
The Insider’s Guide
Legal billing, trust accounting and case management for law firms
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among law practice software, read from Tabs3’s own pages.
Made by Tabs3 Software · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Tabs3’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Tabs3’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.8
GPA, above 4 of the 25 other law practice software we grade
Tabs3 is a suite for law firms that combines time and billing, financials with trust accounting, and an optional matter-management module called PracticeMaster. It is sold as a cloud subscription or as an on-premises subscription, priced per user. The vendor says it began in 1979 as a time-tracking and billing program.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Tabs3, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Web, with an on-premises version too, and a mobile app called Connect.
- 1
Best for legal billing and trust accounting
Tabs3 does legal time billing, trust accounting and financials, from $69 a user a month on your own servers or $89 hosted.
- 2
Paid plans start at $69 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $69 per user / month (OnSite); $89 per user / month (Cloud).
- 3
You can try it first
10 days of Tabs3 Cloud access, arranged after a call with the vendor
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Time and billing
Tracks time and costs, sets flexible rates and fees, and produces customized client statements and management reports.
- 6
Trust accounting
The trust module supports unlimited trust accounts and up to 99 bank accounts, with a three-way reconciliation report and low-balance alerts.
- 7
Financials
General ledger, accounts payable and bank reconciliation are part of the same system, so trust balances show on client statements and billing records.
- 8
A 1.8 GPA, above 4 of 25
That is against the other law practice software we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Tabs3 you would be making client trust accounts kept the way bar rules require. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Tabs3 at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $69 per user / month (OnSite); $89 per user / month (Cloud)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 10 days of Tabs3 Cloud access, arranged after a call with the vendor
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Tabs3 Software, since 1979
- Category
- Law Practice Software
- Our grade
- 1.8 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for legal billing and trust accounting
Tabs3 does legal time billing, trust accounting and financials, from $69 a user a month on your own servers or $89 hosted. The catch is that matter management is a separate add-on, so the whole suite costs more than the headline, and you can't try it without talking to the vendor first.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | $89 a user a month for Cloud, and matter management is another $35, so $124 for the full suite. Law-practice tools start at $49 for the cheaper quarter and the dearest tenth begins at $90. |
| Free plan and trial | D | A 10-day trial, but it starts only after a conversation with the vendor's team. No free plan. |
| Features | C | Billing, trust accounting and financials are there. Matter management, online payments and CRM are all paid add-ons, which is the gap. |
| Ease of use | C | Web, with an on-premises version too, and a mobile app called Connect. No store rating on record, and a billing and trust system takes some setting up. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web and a mobile companion, with six integrations listed. No desktop app on record. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Tabs3 is for
- Fits if billing and trust accounting are the part of the firm you most need sorted
- Works for firms that want the choice of running it on their own servers
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you want the full suite: $89 plus $35 for matter management is $124 a user a month
- Skip it if you want to try it today, since the 10-day trial starts after a call
- Watch out: online payments and CRM are separate paid add-ons, with CRM from $147 a month
- Watch out: prices are 'starting at', volume discounts apply, and a user is anyone who tracks time or works in the software
Good to know
Good for
- Firms that want billing and trust accounting from one vendor
- Firms that prefer to run their own servers (OnSite edition)
- Smaller firms that need billing now and can add case management later
Worth knowing
- PracticeMaster matter management is an extra $35 per user / month on cloud, so the full suite costs more than the headline $89.
- Prices are listed as starting figures with volume discounts, and a user means anyone who tracks time or works in the software.
- The vendor says the free trial runs 10 days and starts only after a conversation with its team.
- Online payments and CRM are separate paid add-ons; CRM starts at $147 per month for up to 3 PracticeMaster users.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$69
A month to start, for each person
Tabs3 is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $69 per user / month (OnSite); $89 per user / month (Cloud).
Tabs3 OnSite
$69
per user / month, starting at
On-premises subscription for firms that run their own servers and backups. Includes billing, financials and Tabs3 Connect; volume discounts may apply.
Tabs3 Cloud
$89
per user / month, starting at
Hosted version with billing, financials, Tabs3Pay payments and Tabs3 Connect mobile access. Volume discounts may apply.
PracticeMaster add-on (Cloud)
$35
per user / month, added to Tabs3 Cloud
Adds matter management, document automation, calendars and conflict checks to the cloud subscription.
PracticeMaster add-on (OnSite)
$32
per user / month, added to Tabs3 OnSite
The same matter-management module for the on-premises subscription.
Trying it first
10 days of Tabs3 Cloud access, arranged after a call with the vendor
Read from tabs3.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Legal billing, trust accounting and case management for law firms. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: workflow automation, time tracking, invoicing, reports, case management, trust accounting.
Billing, trust accounting and financials are there.
- Time and billing
- Tracks time and costs, sets flexible rates and fees, and produces customized client statements and management reports.
- Trust accounting
- The trust module supports unlimited trust accounts and up to 99 bank accounts, with a three-way reconciliation report and low-balance alerts.
- Financials
- General ledger, accounts payable and bank reconciliation are part of the same system, so trust balances show on client statements and billing records.
- PracticeMaster matter management
- A paid add-on that keeps each matter's contacts, emails, documents, fees and calendar together, with a conflict checker and document assembly.
- WorkFlows
- PracticeMaster can trigger routine steps such as follow-up emails, appointments or document generation when set conditions occur.
- Tabs3 Connect mobile access
- Included with each cloud license, it lets users enter time, view matters and check the firm calendar from a phone, tablet or laptop.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- LawPay
- LexCharge
- iManage
- Copitrak
- Taskbill
- Outlook
Tabs3 is made by Tabs3 Software, and has been around since 1979.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
4/25
Other law practice software it is graded above
Tabs3's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 4 of the 25 other law practice software we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 4 of 25) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $69 a month for each person, against a middle price of $59 for the category: 6 of the 10 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 26 law practice software we grade, cut by the letter each got. Tabs3’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 25
- DFree plan and trialAbove 13 of 25
- CFeaturesAbove 3 of 25
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 25
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 4 of 25
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 11 law practice software. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Tabs3 is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Tabs3 you would be making client trust accounts kept the way bar rules require. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 13 of the 25 other law practice software grade higher. It costs $828 a year.
What you could make
- Invoicing, time tracking, case management and reports: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Client trust accounts kept the way bar rules require.
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
What this rests on. Tabs3’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Clio, MyCase, PracticePanther, CosmoLex and CARET Legal
The 5 tools Tabs3 is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Clio
Free trial · from $49/mo
Practice management, legal accounting and legal AI for law firms.
- Only Clio lists iOS and Android apps.
- Tabs3 also covers workflow automation and reports.
- Clio also covers bookkeeping.
- 2.2GPA
MyCase
Free trial · from $50/mo
Case management, billing and client portal for small law firms.
- Only MyCase lists iOS and Android apps.
- Tabs3 also covers workflow automation and reports.
- MyCase also covers forms and business texting.
- 2.2GPA
PracticePanther
Free trial · from $49/mo
Law practice management with built-in payments and accounting.
- Only PracticePanther lists iOS and Android apps.
- Tabs3 also covers workflow automation and reports.
- PracticePanther also covers forms and business texting.
- 2.2GPA
CosmoLex
Free trial · from $49/mo
Law practice management with trust and business accounting built in.
- Only CosmoLex lists iOS and Android apps.
- Tabs3 also covers workflow automation and reports.
- CosmoLex also covers bookkeeping.
- 2.2GPA
CARET Legal
Free trial · from $79/mo
Cloud practice management with billing and accounting for law firms.
- Only CARET Legal lists iOS and Android apps.
- Tabs3 also covers reports.
- CARET Legal also covers bookkeeping and dashboards.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Tabs3 free?
No, Tabs3 is a paid product, but you can try it first. 10 days of Tabs3 Cloud access, arranged after a call with the vendor.
How much does Tabs3 cost?
Tabs3 lists 4 plans. Tabs3 OnSite: $69 per user / month, starting at.
What platforms does Tabs3 work on?
Tabs3 is available on Web.
Does Tabs3 have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Tabs3 is listed for Web.
Does Tabs3 have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Tabs3 is listed for Web.
Is Tabs3 open source?
Tabs3 is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
What does Tabs3 integrate with?
Tabs3's listing names LawPay, LexCharge, iManage, Copitrak, Taskbill and Outlook.
Who makes Tabs3?
Tabs3 is made by Tabs3 Software. It dates from 1979.
What are the alternatives to Tabs3?
The closest alternatives to Tabs3 in our directory are Clio, MyCase, PracticePanther, CosmoLex and CARET Legal.
How does Tabs3 compare with other law practice software?
Tabs3's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 4 of the 25 other law practice software we grade, and level with 8.
Is Tabs3 good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Tabs3 D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $69 a month for each person, against a middle price of $59 for the category: 6 of the 10 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Tabs3?
To replace Tabs3 you would be making client trust accounts kept the way bar rules require.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Tabs3’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Tabs3's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Tabs3 Software. Prices change, so check tabs3.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Tabs3, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/tabs3
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Tabs3: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/tabs3
Know someone choosing between law practice software?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/tabs3/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded law practice software after Tabs3, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Law Practice Software Insider's GuideEvery one of the 26 law practice software we grade, compared
- Clio Insider's GuidePractice management, legal accounting and legal AI for law firms2.8 GPA
- CARET Legal Insider's GuideCloud practice management with billing and accounting for law firms2.2 GPA
- CosmoLex Insider's GuideLaw practice management with trust and business accounting built in2.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Tabs3’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Tabs3 is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Tabs3 Software. Prices and plans change: check tabs3.com before you buy.