LexNebulis vs PCLaw
LexNebulis
github.comPCLaw
pclawtimematters.comSide by side
| Figure | LexNebulis | PCLaw |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Legal Practice Management Software | 8.9 (#11) | 7.6 (#94) |
| Spec score · Legal Accounting Software | 8.5 (#4) | 7.4 (#17) |
| Spec score · Trust Accounting Software | 8.5 (#11) | 7.5 (#33) |
| Spec score · Legal Trust Accounting Software | 8.5 (#12) | 7.5 (#31) |
| Billing | The wiki says the platform supports LEDES 1998B and 2000 export, UTBMS codes, and electronic invoice submission. | PCLaw tracks billable and non-billable time and supports LEDES-formatted bills and electronic billing. |
| Matter management | Matters can use custom fields, status workflows, responsible attorneys and linked documents. | PCLaw centralizes client information and files, tracks matters and calendars, and can automate precedents, forms, and documents. |
| Purpose | LexNebulis is a self-hosted legal practice management platform for small law firms. | PCLaw combines legal matter management, billing, and legal accounting in one system. |
| Security | The project describes encryption at rest and in transit, bcrypt password hashing, JWT authentication, and TOTP or WebAuthn/FIDO2 two-factor authentication. | The security policy says PCLaw | Time Matters employs industry standard security measures and cautions that internet transmissions cannot be guaranteed secure. |
| System requirements | Installation requires Docker 24 or newer, Docker Compose 2 or newer, at least 2 GB RAM and 10 GB disk. | The maker provides separate system-requirements resources for PCLaw and PCLaw Enterprise, and says requirements cover hardware, operating systems, databases, office apps, and integrations. |
| Trust accounting | Trust/IOLTA accounting includes per-client ledgers, three-way reconciliation, deposits, disbursements and overdraft safeguards. | PCLaw includes trust accounting features and supports multiple bank accounts, including client trust and IOLTA accounts. |
Plans
In their own words
LexNebulis
LexNebulis is a free, self-hosted legal practice management platform for small law firms. It handles clients and matters, documents, calendars, time tracking, billing, and trust accounting. Legal workflows include conflict checks, client intake, document templates and generation, e-signature, and a client portal. Billing supports LEDES 1998B and 2000 export, UTBMS codes, and electronic invoice submission. Listed connections cover Stripe and LawPay payments, QuickBooks and CSV accounting export, and Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, and OneDrive storage. Security features include encryption at rest and in transit, bcrypt password hashing, JWT authentication, and TOTP or WebAuthn/FIDO2 two-factor authentication. Its append-only audit log uses SHA-256 hash chaining to make tampering or deletion detectable. The software is free for commercial use under Apache License 2.0. Installation requires Docker and Docker Compose v2, at least 2 GB RAM, and at least 10 GB disk space. The guide specifies a Linux server and recommends Ubuntu 22.04 or later; macOS is specified for development. The project wiki describes a target range of 1 to 50 users.
PCLaw
PCLaw combines legal matter management, billing, and legal accounting for law firms and legal professionals. It keeps client information and files together, tracks matters and calendars, and can automate precedents, forms, and documents. Billing covers billable and non-billable time, LEDES-formatted bills, and electronic billing. Its Dashboard brings together firm financial performance, matter progress, appointments, and billable hours. PCLaw Go is a timekeeping app for Android and iOS that links recorded time to cases, clients, and matters. PCLaw Payments, powered by FeeWise, supports online client payments. The maker describes PCLaw as an on-premises solution and offers separate system-requirements resources for PCLaw and PCLaw Enterprise. It runs on Windows, Android, and iOS, with self-hosted deployment. Pricing is paid and available by customized quote. AMP Membership includes upgrades, expert support, and P|T University training; firms without active membership may lose access to upgrades, member-only features, training, and other benefits.