Last reviewed on October 3, 2026.
Clio (founded 2008, Canada) and MyCase (founded 2010, US; owned by AffiniPay since 2020) both cover the core of running a firm: matters, contacts, calendars, documents, time tracking, billing, trust accounting and a client portal. The differences are in breadth, ecosystem and how each vendor bundles add-ons.
At a glance
| Clio | MyCase | |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | Independent, venture-backed; acquired vLex/Fastcase (completed Nov 2025) | Part of AffiniPay (also owns LawPay) |
| Product family | Clio Manage, Clio Grow (intake/CRM), Clio Draft (document automation), Clio Payments, legal research via vLex | MyCase practice management with built-in intake, payments and document tools |
| Integrations | Very large app directory | Smaller set of core integrations |
| AI | Clio's AI assistant features and vLex's Vincent AI | MyCase IQ AI features |
| Plans | Several tiers (EasyStart up to Complete at the time of review) | Several tiers (Basic, Pro, Advanced at the time of review) |
| Typical fit | Firms that want a broad ecosystem and room to grow | Small firms that want an all-in-one setup with fewer moving parts |
Plan names and feature splits change often; check both vendors' pricing pages for the current tiers.
Choose Clio if
- You rely on many other tools (accounting, document management, e-signature) and want them integrated.
- You want intake/CRM, document automation and legal research from one vendor family.
- You expect to grow and want a platform used by firms of many sizes.
Choose MyCase if
- You want most features in one product without assembling add-ons.
- You already use LawPay or another AffiniPay product.
- Your team values simplicity over configurability.
What to test in a trial
- Trust accounting: run a three-way reconciliation report with test data.
- Billing: produce the exact invoice formats your clients expect (including LEDES if needed).
- Client portal: send a document and a payment request to a test client and see what they see.
- Data export: confirm you can get all matters, documents and time entries out if you leave.
About pricing. We do not publish price figures for these products. Both vendors quote on a case-by-case basis or change list prices often, and what you pay depends on seats, data volume, modules and contract term. Ask each vendor for a written quote on the same scope.
Also consider PracticePanther, Smokeball and, for litigation-heavy firms, Filevine. Our small-firm technology roadmap explains how practice management fits with the rest of a firm's stack.
Frequently asked questions
Is Clio or MyCase better for a solo lawyer?
Both work for solos. MyCase suits lawyers who want an all-in-one product with few add-ons; Clio suits those who want a larger ecosystem and integrations. Use the free trials with your own workflow.
Who owns MyCase?
MyCase is part of AffiniPay, which also owns the LawPay payment service.
Did Clio buy vLex?
Yes. Clio completed its acquisition of vLex, including Fastcase and the Vincent AI assistant, in November 2025.