Centerbase vs Clio Payments
Centerbase
centerbase.comClio Payments
clio.comSide by side
| Figure | Centerbase | Clio Payments |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $19/mo | $49/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Legal Payments Software | 8.4 (#13) | 8.9 (#3) |
| Headquarters | A Centerbase announcement identifies the company in Dallas, Texas. | Vancouver, Canada |
| Mobile apps | Yes | Clio's pricing page lists a mobile app for iOS and Android across its plans. |
| Purpose | Centerbase describes itself as an AI-powered performance platform purpose-built for midsize law firms. | Clio Payments is a payment processing solution built for law firms to collect client bills and trust payments. |
| Security | Centerbase says data is protected with 256-bit AES encryption in transit and at rest, and backups are encrypted and replicated to a mirrored disaster recovery site. | Clio says its payment processing uses bank-grade protection and proactive fraud detection, and that payments are PCI compliant. |
| Support | The company offers dedicated support specialists and customer success managers, along with self-service support resources. | The page lists Clio support by phone and email and says sales is available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST. |
| Trust accounting | Yes | Clio says it separates earned and unearned funds and protects trust account funds from processing fees and chargebacks. |
Plans
In their own words
Centerbase
Centerbase is an AI-powered platform for midsize law firms, bringing billing, accounting, matter management, and firm intelligence into one system. Its firm operations tools cover timekeeping, billing, trust and firm accounting, document and matter management, and workflow automation. Client intake, intake forms, a client portal, document automation, time tracking, billing and payments, and trust accounting are listed capabilities. Centerbase IQ lets users ask questions about firm data in plain language and returns answers with the underlying records identified. Microsoft Office, QuickBooks Online, LawToolBox, NetDocuments, iManage, and Plaid are listed integrations. Connections to Outlook, Word, and SharePoint support email, document, and file workflows. Mobile apps for iOS and Android let users record time and access bills, matters, contacts, and documents; SecureChat is a premium feature. The web application recommends Google Chrome. Pricing is available on request. Centerbase Payments is listed at $19 a month, billed Monthly Pricing; processing fees also apply.
Clio Payments
Clio Payments is an online payment processor built into Clio Manage for law firms. Clients can pay by credit or debit card, eCheck, digital wallet or Pay Later with Affirm through a firm website, secure client portal, text, tap to pay or QR code. Firms can set payment plans and recurring payments, store client card and eCheck details, and configure Autocharge triggers based on fee agreements. Payments are associated with client bills, recorded in Clio and synced to the firm's accounting platform. Clio says payments can go to trust or operating accounts, earned and unearned fees stay separate, and processing fees are not debited from IOLTA accounts. Listed transaction rates are 1% for eCheck and ACH, 2.95% for cards (3.75% for Amex), and 4.95% for Pay Later with Affirm. Online payments are included in Clio Manage subscriptions, with transaction fees applying. Availability is listed in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and Puerto Rico; eCheck is limited to US customers. A seven-day trial is available.