Overview
Clio is world's #1 cloud-based legal practice management platform. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, it serves Australian businesses.
World's #1 cloud-based legal practice management platform
AU Compliance Scores
BAS Lodgement0/5
STP Phase 20/5
Payday Super0/5
Modern Awards0/5
GST Handling3/5
Bank Feeds0/5
Modern Awards NoteNot applicable — Clio does not include HR or payroll features.
Pricing (AUD inc. GST)
All prices below are in Australian dollars (GST not included). Pricing verified as of 2026-03-20.
EasyStart
$49/mo
AUD exc GST
Entry-level plan with time tracking, case management, basic documents, online payments, and e-signatures. Suitable for solo practitioners getting started, but lacks client portal, document templates, and most integrations.
- Users: per_user
- Matters: unlimited
Most Popular
Essentials
$219/mo
AUD exc GST
Most popular plan for small firms. Includes everything in EasyStart plus client portal, secure messaging, document templates, and app integrations (Xero, QuickBooks, etc.). The realistic starting point for most Australian law firms.
- Users: per_user
- Matters: unlimited
Advanced
$249/mo
AUD exc GST
Everything in Essentials plus workflow automation, advanced reporting, Clio Draft AI document drafting included, unlimited e-signatures, and priority support. Best for firms wanting AI-powered efficiency.
- Users: per_user
- Matters: unlimited
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Transparent published AUD pricing with month-to-month flexibility — no multi-year contract lock-ins, cancellation fees, or penalties unlike LEAP and Actionstep
- Largest integration ecosystem in legal tech with 250+ apps including native Xero, QuickBooks, MYOB, Microsoft 365, and Google Workspace connections
- 100% cloud-based with native Mac, PC, iOS, and Android support — no virtual Windows environments needed unlike LEAP
- Law Society of NSW trust accounting certification (Certificate #21) compliant with Legal Profession Uniform General Rules 2015
- Strongest security credentials of any reviewed legal platform: SOC 2 Type II, SOC 1 Type II, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, with confirmed AWS AU data hosting
- 7-day free trial with no credit card required — LEAP offers no trial at all
- Highest user ratings among reviewed legal platforms: 4.7/5 on Capterra from 1,606 reviews, with 9.1 NPS score
- AI-powered Clio Draft for document drafting, backed by $1 billion vLex acquisition — signals major investment in legal AI
Cons
- Relatively recent entrant to Australia (Sydney office opened 2023) compared to LEAP (1992) and Smokeball (2012) — less established local presence
- EasyStart plan ($49/month) is very limited — most firms will need Essentials at $219/month, narrowing the price gap with Smokeball's mid-tier plans
- Smaller Australian legal precedent library than LEAP's 5,500+ templates covering all states and territories
- Monday support limited to 9am–3pm AEST only — unusual schedule compared to consistent weekday hours from competitors
- Canadian-headquartered company — not Australian-made, which may matter to firms preferring locally-owned software
- Trust accounting certification is NSW-specific — lacks the detailed state-by-state jurisdiction documentation that Actionstep provides for ACT, QLD, WA, SA, and Uniform Law
- Clio Grow CRM requires a $499 one-time setup fee plus $69/month — adds significant cost for client intake functionality that some competitors include by default
Who Is Clio Best For?
- Small Business
- Sole Trader
- Medium Business
Clio may not be the best fit for:
- Enterprise
Clio Alternatives
If Clio doesn’t quite fit your needs, consider these alternatives for Australian businesses:
- LEAP Legal — Australia's largest legal practice management platform. From $339/mo inc. GST.
- Smokeball — Legal practice management with automatic time recording. From $49/mo inc. GST.
- Actionstep — Cloud-based legal practice management for midsize law firms. From $130/mo inc. GST.