Side by side
LegalClaw vs Smokeball
Both stand on trust accounting software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+2
LegalClaw brings matter management, billing, trust accounting, and reporting into a self-hosted legal vertical with a free plan. Firms that need deeper court-rule calendars or broader e-filing connectors should account for the stated limitation.
Visit LegalClaw Free trial AndroidiPhoneWeb+1
Choose Smokeball if your Australian practice needs legal matter management with billing and trust accounting, and its practice area and plan options fit your work. Look elsewhere if you need a free plan or a fixed published Prosper+ price.
Visit SmokeballThe facts
| LegalClaw | Smokeball | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | A free trial |
| Open source | Yes | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web | Android, iPhone, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Bill: $59 a month |
| Plans published | 2 | 4 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | erpclaw.ai | smokeball.com.au |
| On trust accounting software | #1 of 41 | #20 of 41 |
LegalClaw: what it does well
- Free Self-Hosted plan includes every module.
- Supports SQLite or PostgreSQL.
- Three-way trust reconciliation is listed.
- Tracks billable hours by matter and attorney.
- Includes conflict screening and deadline tracking.
What to know first
- Self-hosted installation requires Python 3.10 or newer and git.
- Managed hosting price is provided only at onboarding.
- Court-rule calendars and e-filing connectors are less broad than Clio and PracticePanther.
Smokeball: what it does well
- Matter, document, email and calendar management are included.
- Archie AI supports summaries, drafting and contextual legal research.
- AutoTime tracks activity for billing and firm insights.
- Microsoft 365, MYOB and Xero integrations are listed.
- No limit on firm users or clients is listed in the pricing FAQ.
What to know first
- There is no free plan.
- Monthly prices exclude GST and are per user.
- Prosper+ requires custom pricing.
- AutoTime is a Grow add-on or included with Prosper+.
Alternatives to LegalClaw Alternatives to Smokeball The whole list