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Clio Accounting

What Clio Accounting is
Clio Accounting is legal and trust accounting software for law firms and legal professionals. It gives firms a system for financial records and automates financial workflows, transaction matching, and reconciliation. Earned and unearned funds are kept separate, and trust and operating accounts can be reconciled with ledger and reconciliation reports available. Financial tools also cover accounts receivable and payable, vendor and expense management, cash-flow oversight, and tax reports. Bank transactions are automatically matched to the firm’s books. The accounting product is included with Clio plans from Starter upward, but it cannot be bought without a Clio Manage subscription. Starter costs $49 a month, billed per user, and includes Clio Manage, legal accounting, and trust and operating reconciliation. Clio supports more than 250 app integrations, including QuickBooks and Xero, and offers an API for custom integrations and workflow automation. The product is available on web, Android, and iOS, as well as through an API. Clio reports SOC 2 Type II and SOC 1 Type II examinations and GDPR compliance, and offers hosting in Canada, the United States, Europe, and Australia.
Who it suits
Clio Accounting suits legal professionals and law firms that need trust and operating account reconciliation alongside broader firm financial management. It is designed for firms of every size and requires a Clio Manage subscription.
What it does well
- Separates earned and unearned funds.
- Automates bank transaction matching to firm books.
- Includes trust and operating reconciliation and reports.
- Covers receivables, payables, vendors, expenses, cash flow, and tax reports.
- Supports more than 250 app integrations and provides an API.
What to know first
- Cannot be purchased without a Clio Manage subscription.
- No free plan is available.
- Starter is billed per user.
Limits
There is no free plan, and Clio Accounting is unavailable as a standalone product. Starter costs $49 a month per user; Core, Signature, and Elite have pricing by quote.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | per user · Clio Manage · legal accounting built in · trust and operating reconciliation · time and expense tracking · online payments | $49 a month |
| Core | Everything in Starter · AI billing drafts · secure client portal · automated client updates | On request |
| Signature | Everything in Core · unlimited custom roles · matter stages · multi-currency billing · advanced reports | On request |
| Elite | Everything in Signature · Grow AI · online intake and scheduling · reputation and referral tracking | On request |
As clio.com lists them, read 15 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Open the Clio Accounting website.
- Choose a Clio Manage plan; Accounting is included from Starter upward.
- Start with Starter at $49 a month, billed per user, or request pricing for Core, Signature, or Elite.
- Use Clio on web, Android, or iOS, or connect through its API.
Verdict
Choose Clio Accounting if your law firm needs trust accounting and financial workflows within Clio Manage, with integrations and reporting. Look elsewhere if you need a standalone accounting product or a free plan.
Questions
How much does Clio Accounting cost?
Starter is $49 a month, billed per user. Core, Signature, and Elite are priced by quote.
Is Clio Accounting available as a standalone product?
No. It requires a Clio Manage subscription, and accounting is included on plans from Starter upward.
Is there a free plan or trial?
There is no free plan. A free trial is available.
Which platforms does Clio Accounting support?
It is available on Android, iOS, and web, and Clio also provides an API.
Does Clio Accounting integrate with QuickBooks or Xero?
Clio supports more than 250 app integrations, including QuickBooks and Xero.
Where is Clio headquartered, and when was it founded?
Clio was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.
Facts from Clio Accounting's own pages
- Accounting availability
- Clio Accounting cannot be bought separately; a Clio Manage subscription is required. · help.clio.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Accounting method
- The product is designed for cash-basis accounting. · help.clio.com, 15 Oct 2026
- API authentication
- The Accounting API uses OAuth 2.0 bearer tokens issued through the Clio API Hub and supports dated OpenAPI versions or an unstable version. · docs.developers.clio.com, 15 Oct 2026
- API licence
- The developer documentation identifies the Clio Accounting API licence as proprietary. · docs.developers.clio.com, 15 Oct 2026
- API region
- The Accounting API documentation says the service is available in the US region only and uses one production base URL. · docs.developers.clio.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Bank feeds
- Bank-feed synchronization requires a financial institution supported by Plaid. · help.clio.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Check printing
- The pricing comparison lists check printing, automatic transaction matching, cash and accrual reporting, and trust and operating reconciliation in every plan. · clio.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Company founding
- Clio says Jack Newton and Rian Gauvreau co-founded the company in 2008. · clio.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Company legal name
- Clio's website footer identifies the maker as Themis Solutions Inc. (Clio). · clio.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Compliance
- Clio lists GDPR, PCI DSS, HIPAA support, and PIPEDA compliance on its security page. · clio.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Developer access
- Clio provides an API for building custom integrations and workflow automation. · clio.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Documentation and support
- Plans include a help center, online user community, virtual training, and 24/5 live chat, phone, and email support. · clio.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Encryption and hosting
- Clio encrypts data in transit with HTTPS/TLS 1.2 or higher, encrypts stored data with AES-256, and offers hosting in Canada, the United States, Europe, and Australia. · clio.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Extensibility
- Clio supports custom integrations through its API, independent developers, consultants, and Zapier workflows. · clio.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Financial management
- Features include accounts receivable and payable, vendor and expense management, cash-flow oversight, and tax reports. · clio.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Financial workflows
- Clio Accounting automates transaction matching, account reconciliation, bank synchronization, accounts receivable, and accounts payable tracking. · clio.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2008 · clio.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Geographic limit
- The help center says Clio Accounting is currently for law firms located and practicing in the United States. · help.clio.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Headquarters
- Vancouver, Canada · clio.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Integrations
- Clio advertises more than 250 app integrations, including QuickBooks, Xero, OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, NetDocuments, Gmail, Outlook, and Zapier. · clio.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- Clio is designed for law firms of every size and is used by legal professionals in more than 130 countries. · clio.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Limit: accounting sync
- Trustpilot reviewers report problems with QuickBooks or Xero synchronization, duplicate invoices, and slow support on unresolved issues. · trustpilot.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: migration and reliability
- Gartner reviewers mention migration and app-connectivity difficulties, while some report bugs requiring slow reloads. · gartner.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: mobile functionality
- Gartner reviewers report that the mobile app lacks some desktop capabilities, including document editing and advanced report generation. · gartner.com, 15 Oct 2026
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