Clio Manage review

Clio Manage is the strongest choice when trust accounting has to live inside the same system that tracks matters and sends bills. Each deposit, transfer and disbursement is logged against the client and matter it belongs to, trust and operating funds stay on separate ledgers, and a bill can draw down a client's available trust balance while showing what was applied and what remains. Retainers are easier to keep funded: evergreen alerts warn when a balance drops below your threshold, clients can pay a trust request by link, QR code or portal, and a card payment plan can deposit into trust weekly or monthly. With accounting in Clio Manage, reconciliation runs three ways against bank records, client ledgers and trust liabilities, and Clio provides reports designed for specific jurisdictions. Firms whose CPA works in QuickBooks Online or Xero can sync trust transactions on select plans. The catch is pricing clarity: only Starter at $49 per user is published, so get a quote for the tier that includes the accounting features you need.

Who it is for

Firms that want trust accounting, billing and matter management in one widely used platform.

Price

Starter from $49 per user per month; Core, Signature and Elite prices on request.

STARTING AT $49/USER Starter CLIO MANAGE
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 11, 2026.

Key features

• Separate trust and operating ledgers with every application, transfer and refund recorded
• Three-way reconciliation with accounting in Clio Manage
• Trust reports and statements, including jurisdiction-specific reports
• Evergreen trust alerts when a client balance drops below a threshold
• Trust requests paid by link, QR code or the client portal

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Trust records sit next to bills, so trust applied to an invoice shows on the bill
• Strength: QuickBooks Online and Xero sync on select plans
• Strength: Retainers can be funded by a scheduled card payment plan
• Weakness: Only the Starter price is published
• Weakness: Some accounting integrations are limited to select plans
• Weakness: Trial is 7 days

Key facts

• Free trial: 7 days
• Reconciliation: Three-way, with accounting in Clio Manage
• Accounting sync: QuickBooks Online, Xero (select plans)
• Plans: Starter, Core, Signature, Elite

Where it ranks

Clio Manage is No. 2 in our Best Trust Accounting Software verdict.