Clio Payments

Clio Payments is an online payment processor built into Clio Manage, aimed at law firms that want collections tied to their billing and accounting workflow. Its strongest case is for firms already using Clio; firms elsewhere should weigh the transaction charges against the value of that integration.

Overview

Clients can pay by card, eCheck, digital wallet, or Pay Later with Affirm, using a firm website, secure client portal, text, tap to pay, or QR code. That range gives clients several ways to settle a bill, while firms can set payment plans and recurring payments for ongoing work.

Payments are linked to client bills, recorded in Clio, and synced to the firm’s accounting platform. This connection can cut down on manual payment-to-bill handling for Clio Manage users; firms that do not use Clio have less reason to choose a processor centered on its workflows.

Key features

• Payment plans and Autocharge: Firms can store card and eCheck details and trigger Autocharge according to fee agreements. This suits recurring work and agreed schedules, but firms should consider whether storing those payment details fits their practices.
• Trust-account handling: Clio says payments can be directed to the proper trust or operating account, earned and unearned fees stay separate, and processing fees are not debited from IOLTA accounts. Those controls address important law-firm accounting needs.
• Security: Clio describes the service as PCI compliant and says card-data processing, transmission, and storage meet the payments industry’s highest certification level.
• Support: Clio provides a Help Center for Payments guidance and support, plus phone and email contact.

Pricing

Online payments are included in every Clio Manage subscription, with fixed transaction rates and no separate price for the Payments feature itself. Processing fees still apply: eCheck and ACH are 1%, credit and debit cards are 2.95% (3.75% Amex), and Pay Later with Affirm is 4.95%. Firms should compare the mix of methods they expect clients to use, since card and Affirm transactions cost more than eCheck and ACH.

Clio Manage has a 7-day trial and no free plan. It includes Clio Manage and online card, eCheck, Apple Pay, and Google Pay payments, with processing fees applying. The mobile app for iOS and Android is included across Clio Manage plans. The included Payments access makes sense for firms already subscribing to Clio Manage, but does not remove per-transaction charges.

Platforms

Clio Payments is listed for Android, iOS, web, and API. Clio Manage’s mobile app is available for iOS and Android. The product is offered in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and Puerto Rico, but eCheck is limited to US customers.

Who it's for

Clio Payments is best suited to law firms using Clio Manage that want client collections connected to bills, trust-account handling, and accounting sync. Firms outside the United States that need eCheck should look elsewhere for that payment method, and firms not using Clio have less reason to pay for a processor built around its billing workflow.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Payments are included with all Clio Manage subscriptions, and bills and accounting records stay connected. Multiple payment methods and channels, recurring plans, and fee-agreement-triggered Autocharge support varied collection routines.
• Cons: Transaction charges apply to all payment activity, with card and Affirm rates higher than eCheck and ACH. eCheck is unavailable outside the US, and the value of the billing integration is narrower for firms not using Clio Manage.

Alternatives

Browse Legal Payments Software for more options. 8am MyCase is worth considering for firms seeking case and contact management, time entry, invoicing, and trust accounts, with a free trial and a free plan not stated in its summary; its MyCase Basic plan is $50 a month billed annually. CaseFox suits readers who want a free tier: Solo is free, free forever, with access to 4 cases and 2 users, while Professional is $45 a month.

Orion ePay is another paid payments option, with pricing handled by contacting Orion. Bill4Time offers a free plan and a Time & Billing plan at $49 a month billed monthly, including time tracking, task and client management, a client portal, and expense management. LawGro may suit firms looking for a paid practice tool with a Starter plan at $29 a month billed yearly, covering 3 team members, 15 hours of time per week, and 3 custom rules.

LeanLaw is a paid alternative whose Core plan is $55 a month per user and includes e-payments and trust accounting. CosmoLex offers a paid Launch plan at $49 a month billed monthly per user, including online payments and trust accounting. Lawcus is another paid option.

Verdict

Choose Clio Payments if your firm uses Clio Manage and wants client payments to flow directly into billing, trust-account, and accounting workflows. Its payment flexibility and automation are useful strengths, but transaction fees remain part of the cost, and US-only eCheck access can rule it out for firms that depend on that method elsewhere.