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LeanLaw

leanlaw.co

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Spec score 8.9 #3 of 42 in Trust Accounting Software

What it is

LeanLaw provides law firms with timekeeping, billing, trust accounting, payments and financial reporting built around QuickBooks Online. It supports hourly, flat-fee and contingency billing. Trust tools include three-way reconciliation, automated transfers from trust to operating accounts, sub-ledger management and IOLTA reporting. The Core plan costs $55 a month per user and includes time and expense tracking, e-payments, reporting, trust accounting, professional invoices and two-way QuickBooks Online sync. Pro costs $75 a month per user and adds custom invoice templates, LEDES files, user permissions and matter-based accounting. Contingency and Elite pricing is custom. An active QuickBooks Online subscription is required; QuickBooks Desktop is not supported. LeanLaw offers a 14-day trial without requiring a credit card, though migration and QuickStart onboarding begin with a paid subscription. The mobile app shows matter details but cannot create or edit matters. The public REST API supports programmatic access to clients, matters, time entries, expenses, invoices, users and codes.

Spec sheet

What it does
LeanLaw is cloud legal billing and financial-operations software for law firms, built around QuickBooks Online.Read 15 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
Purpose
LeanLaw provides law firms with timekeeping, billing, trust accounting, payments, and financial reporting built around QuickBooks Online.Read 3 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
Platforms
LeanLaw is available through a web browser, a Windows and Mac desktop tracker, and free iOS and Android mobile apps.Read 3 Oct 2026 · support.leanlaw.co
Trial
The free trial lasts 14 days and does not require a credit card; migration and QuickStart onboarding begin with a paid subscription.Read 3 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
API
LeanLaw offers a public REST API supporting programmatic reads and writes for clients, matters, time entries, expenses, invoices, users and LEDES codes.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.leanlaw.co
Integrations
LeanLaw describes its NetDocuments integration as syncing client and matter data, and its integrations page also names Confido Legal and Billables.ai.Read 3 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
Support
LeanLaw lists phone support at 888.882.3017 and says it typically replies to email within one business day.Read 3 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
Headquarters
Boise, Idaho, United StatesRead 28 Sep 2026 · leanlaw.co
API endpoint
The documented API base endpoint is https://api.leanlaw.io and examples use Bearer API-key authentication over HTTPS.Read 15 Oct 2026 · platform.leanlaw.io
Billing and invoicing
Billing supports WIP review, bulk rate edits, LEDES formatting, split billing and client-portal delivery.Read 15 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
Billing models
The product supports hourly, flat-fee and contingency billing workflows.Read 15 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
Billing workflows
The product supports hourly, flat-fee, and contingency billing workflows.Read 3 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
Company founded
Stanford CodeX lists LeanLaw as founded in 2014.Read 15 Oct 2026 · techindex.law.stanford.edu
Company headquarters and size
LinkedIn lists headquarters in Boise, Idaho and company size of 11–50 employees.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Company legal name
A funding database identifies LeanLaw's legal name as UserFirst Software Inc.Read 15 Oct 2026 · app.fundz.net
Compensation tracking
Reports can track origination, responsible-attorney and working-attorney allocations, plus matter profitability.Read 15 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
Desktop installation
A lightweight Windows and Mac Desktop Tracker can be installed from LeanLaw settings for time entry and timers.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.leanlaw.co
Desktop limitation
Desktop Tracker synchronization requires an active network connection and does not support offline entries.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.leanlaw.co
Developer documentation
The developer portal provides interactive endpoint documentation, authentication guidance, examples and a test function for API requests.Read 15 Oct 2026 · platform.leanlaw.io
Documentation and support
The knowledge base covers setup, clients, time, expenses, billing, payments, trust accounting, reporting, administration, integrations and API topics.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.leanlaw.co
E-payments
LeanLaw supports payment links, ACH and credit-card payments, with payment activity reconciled to QuickBooks Online.Read 15 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
Expense tracking
The product records matter expenses on desktop or mobile and can generate filtered expense reports.Read 15 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
Funding
Owler reports $7.0 million total funding, including a $4 million Series A in March 2023 and a $625,000 debt round in June 2026.Read 15 Oct 2026 · owler.com
Integration limit
The NetDocuments integration requires a Pro or Elite LeanLaw subscription and an active NetDocuments account.Read 3 Oct 2026 · support.leanlaw.co
Intended customers
LeanLaw describes its platform as designed for modern, mid-sized law firms seeking connected financial workflows.Read 3 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
Limit: mobile scope
An Apple reviewer says the mobile app is mainly for timekeeping and has much less functionality than the web product.Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Limit: QuickBooks navigation
A GetApp reviewer says the QuickBooks integration can be difficult to navigate and invoice changes may need to be made in QuickBooks Online.Read 15 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Limit: setup complexity
A G2 reviewer reports that initial setup can be challenging and time-consuming for people new to legal billing systems.Read 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Limit: Zapier directionality
LeanLaw's Zapier connector is action-only, so LeanLaw cannot initiate a Zap.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.leanlaw.co
Matter management
LeanLaw provides matter-level financial views showing billed, collected and work-in-progress amounts.Read 15 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
Mobile limitation
The mobile app allows matter viewing but currently does not allow creating or editing matters.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.leanlaw.co
Notable news
The company blog announced a CTO interview about AI features and private-beta work on September 30, 2026.Read 15 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
Other integrations
Published integrations and connectors include NetDocuments, Microsoft 365 Calendar, Zapier, MyCase, Clio, Filevine, CasePeer, Smokeball, Lawmatics and Docketwise.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.leanlaw.co
Praise: ease and support
Software Advice reviewers describe the interface as intuitive, cloud access as convenient and customer support as responsive.Read 15 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
Praise: QuickBooks integration
GetApp reviewers repeatedly praise the QuickBooks connection and trust deposits or invoice payments from trust.Read 15 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
QuickBooks integration
QuickBooks Online is LeanLaw's native general ledger, with invoices, payments and trust transactions synchronized in both directions.Read 15 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
QuickBooks requirement
LeanLaw requires an active QuickBooks Online subscription; QuickBooks Desktop is not supported.Read 3 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
Rating on Apple App Store
4.4 out of 5 from 16 ratingsRead 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Rating on Capterra
4.7 out of 5 from 92 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Rating on G2
4.5 out of 5 from 1 reviewRead 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on GetApp
4.7 out of 5 from 92 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Rating on Software Advice
4.7 out of 5 from 92 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
Rating on Trustpilot
3.9 out of 5 from 43 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
Reporting
Lean Insights provides real-time realization, collection-rate, days-to-collect and lockup reporting from live ledger data.Read 15 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
SDKs
Public documentation describes REST and curl usage but does not list official language SDK packages.Read 15 Oct 2026 · platform.leanlaw.io
Security disclosure
The Google Play listing says the developer reports no data shared with third parties, but also states that data is not encrypted.Read 15 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Self-hosting
LeanLaw documentation describes a hosted browser application and hosted API; it does not document self-hosted deployment.Read 15 Oct 2026 · support.leanlaw.co
Time tracking
Users can capture billable, non-billable and fixed-fee time through timers, calendar views, desktop tools and mobile apps.Read 15 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
Trust accounting
The platform includes IOLTA workflows with three-way reconciliation, trust-to-operating transfers, sub-ledgers and audit-ready reports.Read 15 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co

Plans and prices

Core $55 a month per user / month time and expense tracking · e-payments · reporting dashboard · trust accounting (IOLTA) · professional invoices · two-way QuickBooks Online sync Read 15 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
Pro $75 a month per user / month Core features · three custom invoice templates · LEDES files · precise user permissions · matter-based accounting Read 15 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
Contingency Priced on request custom Settlement Wizard · lien management and tracking · automated settlement statements · Contingency Insights · native QuickBooks Online sync Read 15 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co
Elite Priced on request custom Core, Pro and Contingency features · unlimited invoice templates · priority support · dedicated manager · custom reporting · compensation tracking Read 15 Oct 2026 · leanlaw.co

Every LeanLaw plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Supports hourly, flat-fee and contingency billing.
  • Includes three-way trust reconciliation.
  • Public REST API supports key firm records.
  • 14-day trial requires no credit card.

Limits

  • Requires an active QuickBooks Online subscription.
  • QuickBooks Desktop is not supported.
  • Mobile app cannot create or edit matters.
  • Core costs $55 a month per user.

Who it suits

LeanLaw suits mid-sized law firms seeking connected financial workflows around QuickBooks Online. Firms using QuickBooks Desktop or needing to edit matters on mobile should note the stated limits.

LeanLaw in depth

Read the full write-up

Overview

LeanLaw brings law-firm timekeeping, billing, trust accounting and financial reporting into a QuickBooks Online-centered workflow. It is most compelling for firms that want legal billing and trust activity connected to their accounting, rather than a general-purpose time tracker.

That focus comes with a firm boundary: an active QuickBooks Online subscription is required, and QuickBooks Desktop is not supported. Firms unwilling to use QuickBooks Online should look elsewhere.

Key features

Hourly, flat-fee and contingency billing cover firms with different fee arrangements. Time and expense tracking, professional invoices, payments and reporting support the path from recorded work to collection. Client payment, ACH and card payments are supported, keeping payment options within the legal-finance workflow.

Trust accounting is a meaningful strength for firms handling client funds. Three-way reconciliation, automated trust-to-operating transfers, sub-ledgers and audit-ready IOLTA reporting give the accounting side more depth than a simple trust-account label implies. That breadth is valuable when trust compliance is central to daily work; firms needing only time capture and invoices may be paying for capabilities they do not need.

QuickBooks Online is not just an integration option but a prerequisite. Core includes two-way sync, while the Contingency plan specifies native QuickBooks Online sync. The public REST API exposes clients and matters, time entries, expenses, invoices, users and codes for programmatic access. LeanLaw also names Confido Legal and Billables.ai as integrations. NetDocuments syncs client and matter data, but requires both a Pro or Elite subscription and an active NetDocuments account.

The mobile app can show matter details but cannot create or edit matters. That is a practical constraint for lawyers who need to maintain matter records while away from a desk. LeanLaw supports Android and iOS alongside web, macOS and Windows, and provides an API.

Pricing

LeanLaw is paid software, with a 14-day trial that does not require a credit card. There is no free plan. Migration and QuickStart onboarding start only after a paid subscription, so firms should account for that timing when evaluating the trial.

PlanPriceWhat it includesBest fitCore$55 a month, per userTime and expense tracking, e-payments, reporting dashboard, IOLTA trust accounting, professional invoices and two-way QuickBooks Online sync.Firms wanting the core billing and trust workflow without Pro’s invoice and accounting additions.Pro$75 a month, per userEverything in Core, plus three custom invoice templates, LEDES files, precise user permissions and matter-based accounting.Firms that need LEDES billing, more control over access or matter-level accounting.ContingencyCustom pricingSettlement Wizard, lien management and tracking, automated settlement statements, Contingency Insights and native QuickBooks Online sync.Firms whose settlement and lien workflows justify a specialized plan.EliteCustom pricingEverything in Core, Pro and Contingency, plus unlimited invoice templates, priority support with a dedicated manager, custom reporting and compensation tracking.Larger firms needing the full feature set and additional reporting and support.Core is the lower-cost entry point, but it does not include Pro’s LEDES files, custom invoice templates or matter-based accounting. Pro costs 20.00 USD more per user per month than Core and adds those specific controls. Contingency and Elite require a custom quote, so their cost needs to be weighed against the specialized settlement features or larger-firm requirements. The plans are billed per user where a per-user price is given.

Platforms

LeanLaw supports Android, iOS, macOS, web and Windows, as well as an API. The mobile matter-viewing limit matters for users who expect to create or edit matters on the go. QuickBooks Online is required on every platform; Desktop users cannot use LeanLaw with their existing accounting setup.

Who it's for

LeanLaw is aimed at modern, mid-sized law firms seeking connected financial workflows. It is a particularly strong fit for firms that bill across hourly, flat-fee or contingency matters, manage trust funds and already use QuickBooks Online. A firm with substantial contingency work may find the dedicated plan relevant, while larger firms may value Elite’s custom reporting and compensation tracking.

It is a weaker fit for firms committed to QuickBooks Desktop, lawyers who need full matter editing on mobile, or practices looking primarily for basic time tracking without trust-accounting needs.

Pros and cons

Pros: Three-way reconciliation, automated transfers, sub-ledgers and IOLTA reporting give trust-accounting work substantial coverage.

Pros: Hourly, flat-fee and contingency workflows, alongside supported ACH and card payments, serve varied billing and collection needs.

Pros: A public REST API covers core operational records, while the NetDocuments integration can sync client and matter data for eligible subscribers.

Cons: QuickBooks Online is mandatory, excluding firms that rely on QuickBooks Desktop.

Cons: Mobile users can view matter details but cannot create or edit matters.

Cons: Core and Pro charge per user, and migration and QuickStart onboarding begin with paid subscription rather than the trial.

Cons: Contingency and Elite use custom pricing, making their cost harder to compare with the fixed-price plans.

Alternatives

CosmoLex is worth comparing for firms seeking a paid legal accounting option with a $49 a month Launch plan, time tracking, invoicing, online payments, trust accounting and ledgers. MyCase Legal Accounting may suit firms already using MyCase: its $39 a month accounting add-on is priced per accounting user and includes three-way trust reconciliations. BHL Insight is another paid option to compare.

Smokeball is a candidate for firms comparing trust accounting with a $59 a month per-user Bill plan that includes invoicing, time and expense tracking, online payments, trust accounting and reporting; its stated price excludes GST. Wise Owl Legal is another paid option, with a monthly subscription based on simultaneous users and all modules included.

LegalClaw is the alternative to consider if a free, self-hosted option is the priority. MatterX offers a free plan capped at five matters, making it a possible fit for very small matter volumes. Open Practice is another paid alternative to compare.

For a broader shortlist, see Trust Accounting Software, Legal Billing Software, Legal Time Tracking Software, Legal Payments Software and Legal Trust Accounting Software.

Verdict

Choose LeanLaw if your firm already uses QuickBooks Online and wants legal billing, trust accounting and financial workflows joined together, especially when trust controls are a daily requirement. Its breadth across billing models and trust reconciliation is the main reason to choose it. Look elsewhere if QuickBooks Online is a nonstarter or mobile matter editing is essential; confirm the custom-plan cost and paid onboarding terms before committing.

Verdict

LeanLaw links legal billing and trust workflows to QuickBooks Online, with plan options for different needs. Check the QuickBooks requirement, mobile limits and paid onboarding terms before choosing it.

Where Specifiction places it

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