Clio runs the firm.
CaseFile drafts the work.
Clio is a genuinely strong platform — for running a practice: matters, billing, trust accounting, calendars. But that's not usually what's stealing your evenings. The drafting is. The client letter, the intake form, the case summary — typed from scratch, again. CaseFile does that in under 60 seconds, for a flat $49/month for the whole firm. Here's the fair, no-spin comparison.
Most firms looking for a Clio alternative don't dislike Clio.
That's the honest starting point. Clio is the category leader because it does the operations half of a law practice well — matters, time tracking, billing, trust accounting, calendaring, a client portal. If you need a full system of record to run the firm, that's exactly what Clio is for, and CaseFile isn't trying to replace it.
So why look for an alternative? Two reasons, usually. First, per-seat pricing — every person you add is another monthly fee, and a growing solo or small firm feels that fast. Second, and bigger: the suite doesn't actually do the thing that costs you the most hours. Drafting is still manual. You're still typing the demand letter, rebuilding the intake form, and writing the case summary by hand.
CaseFile is built for exactly that gap. It drafts client letters, intake forms across 40+ practice areas, and case summaries in under a minute — for a flat $49/month, whole firm, no per-seat fee. It is not a practice-management or trust-accounting system, and every draft is reviewed by the attorney. It's the fast drafting layer, not a replacement for how you run the firm.
Who each one is actually for.
⚖️ Clio is for you if…
You need a full system of record to run the firm — matters, billing, trust accounting,
calendaring, client portal.
You want a large integration ecosystem and don't mind paying per user as you add staff.
Operations, not drafting, is the problem you're solving.
📝 CaseFile is for you if…
Your evenings disappear into drafting — letters, intake forms, case summaries — and you
want that in seconds.
You'd rather pay a flat $49/month for the whole firm than per seat.
You're happy to keep your current system (or a simple calendar) for operations and just fix the drafting.
CaseFile vs. Clio, for a solo or small firm.
They barely overlap — one runs the practice, the other drafts the documents. Here's where each genuinely wins.
| For a solo / small firm | CaseFile | Clio |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $49/mo flat — whole firm | ~$49–$149 per user/mo* |
| What it's built for | AI drafting — letters, intake, summaries | Full practice management |
| Drafts client letters in <60s | Yes — core | Via Clio Draft (suite feature) |
| Intake forms for 40+ practice areas | Yes | Intake via Clio Grow |
| Case summaries in <60s | Yes | Not a core feature |
| Billing & time tracking | No — keep your system | Yes — its strength |
| Trust accounting | No | Yes — its strength |
| Matter management & calendaring | Light | Yes — comprehensive |
| Per-seat fees | None — flat | Per user |
| Best fit | Killing the drafting that eats your evenings | Running the whole firm's operations |
*Clio is priced per user per month — roughly $49 (EasyStart) to $149 (Complete), billed annually; month-to-month is higher. Plans, modules (Clio Manage, Clio Grow, Clio Draft), and pricing change frequently — always verify current details on clio.com. Clio is a trademark of its respective owner; CaseFile is an independent product and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Clio.
How CaseFile drafts — with you in control.
Pick the document
A client letter, an intake form for your practice area, or a case summary. CaseFile already knows the shape of solo and small-firm work across 40+ practice areas.
It drafts in under a minute
A clean, structured first draft in your firm's style appears in seconds — the part that used to mean a blank page and an hour you didn't bill.
You review & send
You edit, finalize, and approve. CaseFile is a drafting tool, not legal advice — the attorney reviews every draft and stays responsible for the final document.
Flat pricing. The whole firm, not the seat.
Pro
- Unlimited AI drafting
- Letters, intake (40+ areas), summaries
- No per-seat fees
- Month-to-month, cancel anytime
Pricing shown is CaseFile's current pricing as of mid-2026. See full pricing for the latest plan details.
Clio alternative — questions answered.
Is CaseFile a full Clio alternative?
Honestly, no — and it's important to be clear. Clio is a complete practice-management platform: matters, time tracking, billing, trust accounting, calendaring, and a client portal. CaseFile does not replace those. CaseFile is the AI drafting layer — client letters, intake forms for 40+ practice areas, and case summaries in under 60 seconds. If drafting is what's eating your evenings, CaseFile fixes that for a flat $49/month, and you keep your existing system for billing and trust accounting.
How much does Clio cost compared to CaseFile?
Clio is priced per user per month — roughly $49 (EasyStart) to $149 (Complete), billed annually, with month-to-month higher. That scales with every seat. CaseFile is a flat $49/month for the whole firm, no per-user fees. They aren't priced against each other because they do different jobs — always verify current pricing on each vendor's own site.
Does CaseFile handle billing and trust accounting like Clio?
No. Billing, trust accounting, and full matter management are exactly what Clio is built for, and CaseFile does not try to replace them. CaseFile focuses on drafting and pairs with whatever system you already use to run operations.
Does an attorney still review what CaseFile drafts?
Always. CaseFile is a drafting productivity tool, not legal advice and not a substitute for professional judgment. Every draft is a starting point the licensed attorney reviews, edits, and is responsible for. The point is to turn a 60-minute first draft into a 60-second one, not to remove the lawyer.
Can I use CaseFile alongside Clio?
Yes, and many firms do. Keep Clio for matters, billing, and trust accounting, and use CaseFile as the fast drafting layer on top. If you don't need a full suite at all, CaseFile plus a simple calendar may be enough for a lean solo practice. Start free to see which fits.
Get your evenings back.
Start CaseFile free and draft your next client letter, intake form, or case summary in under a minute. Keep the suite you run the firm on — CaseFile just makes the drafting disappear.
Built with solo & small-firm attorneys.
We don't ship invented testimonials or fabricated firm counts. Real attorney quotes will appear here once our early users opt in to share their results. Want to be one of them? Start free and tell us what you draft most.