10 Best Legal Time Tracking Software for Lawyers

Lawyer time tracking represents one of the biggest pain points for law firms and corporate legal teams. Time and expense tracking is a critical task that enables law firms to adequately track billable hours, operate with transparency, and optimize profitability.  However, lawyer time tracking can be a labor-intensive process that reduces a law firm’s billable hours.

Fortunately, legal time tracking  software for law firms can resolve this long-standing problem. Legal time tracking software enables law firms to precisely track billable hours without wasting precious resources.

Finding the best legal time tracking software for lawyers can be challenging due to the sheer number of options. There are dozens of attorney time tracking software solutions on the market, all with different features and functionalities.

Some options provide passive time tracking for lawyers but do not include other practice management tools. Other attorney time tracking tools are included in comprehensive law practice management software. The question is, what type of law firm time and billing software is right for your firm?

We are highlighting ten options for attorney time-tracking software so that you can find the ideal solution for your law firm. From standalone expense tracking tools to all-in-one legal practice management software, this list includes something for law firms of all sizes.

Smokeball’s Automatic Lawyer Time-Tracking Software

At the top of the list is the most robust and dynamic expense-tracking solution: Smokeball. Passive time tracking for lawyers is a key feature in Smokeball’s legal practice management software.

Law firms can use Smokeball’s time-tracking tool to carefully document billable hours. The legal billing software’s capabilities enable law firms to track billable hours across popular business applications like Excel and Word, thanks to Smokeball’s ability to integrate with these and many other applications.

By adopting Smokeball time-tracking software, law firms can unlock numerous benefits.

Benefits of Automated Time Tracking with Smokeball

When law firms require their attorneys to painstakingly track billable hours using antiquated processes, morale will suffer. Smokeball lawyer time-tracking software enables law firms to eliminate the stigma associated with expense tracking. In turn, this will lead to higher morale.

In addition to improving workplace culture, Smokeball’s lawyer time-tracking software will yield near-immediate financial returns. Within the first few days of implementing the attorney  time tracking software, law firms will see a notable increase in documented billable hours. Naturally, this will lead to increased revenue and improved profitability.

Smokeball’s time-tracking software also facilitates unbiased reporting of billable hours. With Smokeball, law firms will no longer have to be concerned about their billable hours being inflated or underreported. The automated nature of Smokeball improves billing transparency, which helps hold remote workers accountable while also strengthening relationships with clients.

Another key benefit of Smokeball time-tracking software is that it enables law firms to enhance their pro bono profiles. For decades, law firms and attorneys have been encouraged to engage in pro bono work to give back to those in need. Some states even require law firms to report on their pro bono work.

Smokeball makes it far easier for law firms operating in these areas to comply with state regulations. Firms in states that have not enacted mandatory reporting can still benefit from Smokeball’s pro bono billable hours tracking by using this feature to demonstrate their commitment to giving back.

Cumulatively, these benefits make Smokeball the premier time-tracking software on the market.

Key Features of Smokeball’s Automatic Lawyer Time-Tracking Software

With Smokeball time-tracking software, law firms can:

• View a rundown of all time spent in Outlook, Word, and Smokeball;
• Customize which activities are added to billable hours;
• Capture all billable minutes;
• Demonstrate the value provided to clients;
• Automatically compile billing entries;
• Adjust times before finalizing bills;
• Seamlessly integrate with Smokeball billing;
• Eliminate manual entry;
• Conduct an extensive profitability analysis;
• Track key performance indicators (KPIs);
• Track work done by staff members;
• Determine profit per matter.

These features enable Smokeball time-tracking software to deliver real value for law firms by providing deep insights into billing processes.

Smokeball’s law firm time tracking software is also priced very competitively, with a basic subscription starting at just $29 per month. This price point is even more appealing when you consider that your firm will get not only a law firm time tracking software solution for lawyers but also a completely legal practice management system.

Intrigued? Book a demo and see the Smokeball difference!

Standalone Legal Billing Software

Smokeball is undoubtedly one of the top options for law firms seeking law firm time tracking software that provides automatic time tracking for lawyers. However, there are several other great standalone lawyer time tracking tools that law firms can use to track billable hours.

To provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision, we have highlighted nine of these lawyer time tracking tools:

1. Time Analytics

Time Analytics lawyer time tracking software is a user-friendly solution designed to help law firms capture every billable hour. The key features of Time Analytics are as follows:

• Comprehensive attorney time tracking;
• Billable hour analytics reporting;
• Individual time tracking;
• Real-time reporting dashboards;
• Downloadable timesheet templates.

While Time Analytics has many desirable features, its biggest value proposition is its intuitive design. This attribute makes it easy for law firms to incorporate Time Analytics into their billing processes without worrying about whether employees will adopt the platform.

2. Chrometa

Chrometa is not a standalone attorney time tracking software, nor is it an all-in-one legal practice management software. Instead, it is a more general time-tracking solution designed for documenting billable hours among remote teams. Its key features include:

• Automated time tracking;
• Project tagging;
• Invoicing;
• Project management tools;
• Team management tools.

This versatile solution includes user-friendly time-tracking software. However, it does not have any tools designed specifically for the legal industry. This shortcoming is a major concern for law firms interested in a comprehensive practice management solution.

3. Clockify.me

Clockify’s attorney time tracking software can scale with the needs of law firms. It is suitable for independent attorneys, major law firms, and every size of practice in between. Its most notable features include:

• Intuitive dashboard;
• Google Chrome extension;
• Daily and weekly reporting tools;
• Timesheets that can be updated instantly;
• Nonbillable and billable hour tracking.

With Clockify’s mobile app, attorneys can track billable hours when working from their smartphones. However, the app does have a few clunky elements that impact usability, so using the platform from desktop devices would be best for most firms.

4. Toggl Track

Toggl Track’s time tracking software for lawyers is best known for its simplicity and focused set of capabilities. Its core features include the following:

• One-click auto timer;
• Background timer;
• Calendar timer;
• An intuitive dashboard.

With Toggl Track time tracking software for lawyers, law firms can customize billable rates, estimate profits from each project or case, and improve overall billing transparency.

Toggl Track is a great all-around time tracking software for lawyers. The platform is competitively priced and can be tried for free during the trial period. While it can replace antiquated billing practices, it is not an all-in-one solution.

5. FreshBooks

FreshBooks is not purpose-built for law firms, but its versatile time-tracking software can be used to accurately document billable hours. Notable features include:

• Digestible reports;
• Easy invoicing processes;
• Collaboration tools;
• Time tracking and reporting capabilities;
• Integration with Gmail, Slack, and several other popular tools.

The platform also offers a free trial period. FreshBooks has several subscription tiers, with the most affordable option starting at just $6 per month.

The primary downside to FreshBooks is that the platform isn’t all that intuitive, which means that employees will have to navigate a steep learning curve.

6. Timely

Timely’s core offering is automated time tracking. The solution can be used to track billable hours of on-premises or remote workers. Its top features include:

• Passive time tracking;
• Team tracking;
• Project tracking;
• Planning tools;
• Integrations with Trello, Asana, Google Calendar, etc.

Per-user pricing can run as high as $26 monthly, making this one of the costlier options. Timely does offer a 14-day trial so that law firms can determine whether the attorney time tracking platform is a worthwhile investment.

The biggest advantage of Timely is its simple interface, which makes it easy for attorneys to integrate the program into their existing routines.

7. Desk Time

Law firms interested in obtaining deep insights from their time tracking software for lawyers should consider Desk Time. This attorney time tracking platform empowers organizational leaders to manage absences, track employee productivity, create customized shifts, and generate detailed reports. Desk Time’s other notable features include:

• Automatic time tracking;
• Offline or online time tracking;
• Project tracking;
• Invoicing;
• Custom report generation;
• Integrations with third-party applications.

Desk Time, like most other options, offers a free trial period. The platform also has several membership tiers, with the top option running approximately $12 per month per user.

8. RescueTime

RescueTime is a good all-around time tracking software for lawyers. Its top features include:

• Automated time tracking;
• Time reporting tools;
• Productivity reporting tools;
• Document and project billable hour tracking;
• Distraction-blocking software.

One notable feature of RescueTime is its distraction blocker. Known as FocusTime, this software is designed to keep attorneys and support staff on task so that they can improve productivity while delivering value for clients.

With a subscription fee of $12 per month per user, RescueTime is competitively priced. The lawyer time tracking platform also has a free version, but this tier only offers time-tracking capabilities. To access RescueTime’s full suite of tools, law firms will need to opt for a paid subscription.

9. My Hours

The dynamic interface offered by My Hours makes it easy to document billable hours, fill out task cards, and gain insights into a firm’s overall productivity. Core features include:

• Billing tools;
• Profitability reporting tools;
• Advanced analytics software;
• Project-, task-, and team-specific timesheets.

My Hours offers a 30-day free trial — the longest trial period of any solution on this list. The paid version of My Hours costs $7 per user per month. However, law firms will need to upgrade to a higher subscription tier to access all of the platform’s great features.

Tips to Choose the Best Legal Time Tracking Software for Your Law Firm

If you want to choose the best legal time tracking software for your law firm, you must first:

Choose between a Separate Time Tracker and Legal Practice Management Software with Time-Tracking Features

Standalone time trackers can help firms track billable hours more accurately. However, these tools have a narrow set of capabilities. Conversely, an all-in-one solution provides a wide range of features from a single platform.

When choosing between a standalone option and a more dynamic solution, you should consider your firm’s current workload, technology stack, and core business processes. Generally speaking, a legal case management system will deliver better value for your firm, regardless of its size or average caseload.

Tend to Automatic Time-Tracking Solutions

Some software systems require employees to manually complete certain time-tracking tasks. You must ensure that the solution you are considering offers automated time tracking.

Ideally, you want a solution that offers passive time tracking for lawyers, as this technology will automatically begin documenting billable hours as soon as an attorney opens an integrated application.

Consider Reporting and Analytics

By automating time tracking for lawyers, you can reduce the burden on your employees and enable them to increase their billable hours. However, if you want to get the most out of your time-tracking software, choose a solution that also offers reporting and analytics tools. Such a solution will provide actionable business insights that you can use to increase profitability and grow your firm.

Ask about Technical Support

The top time-tracking software solutions will work great most of the time. But what happens when something goes wrong?

When you experience a technical issue with your software, you need to promptly access expert support. Otherwise, you may experience costly business disruptions.

With that in mind, you should strongly consider adopting a world-class solution like Smokeball. The platform is backed by a talented support team that will help you get the most out of your technology investment.

Boost Your Law Firm’s Time Tracking Today!

Are you ready to modernize your firm’s billing processes by adopting the best automatic time-tracking software for lawyers? It’s time to explore Smokeball.

Smokeball offers the best combination of time-tracking tools, practice management software, value, and customer support. With Smokeball, you can increase the productivity of your entire team, improve billing practice transparency, build trust with clients, and grow your firm.

If you are ready to experience the capabilities of Smokeball for yourself, we invite you to book a customized demo. You can also contact our support team to learn more about our software and its robust suite of capabilities.