Bill4Time and Filevine both serve law firms but anchor on different jobs. Bill4Time is legal time and billing software with published per-user tiered pricing…
Best for Bill4Time: Firms that need clear, published per-user pricing for time tracking, invoicing, and trust accounting -- Bill4Time's Legal Pro tier ($69/user/month, or $59 annually) adds trust accounting, conflict checking, contingency billing, and LEDES export.
Best for Filevine: Firms wanting a full case management system with firm-wide AI agents that can generate documents and manage deadlines across matters, plus deposition tools, contract lifecycle management, and medical record chronology -- Filevine serves 6,000+ clients and 100,000+ users.
At a Glance
Bill4Time
Filevine
Primary category
Legal
Legal
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Subscription (per user, per month)
Custom / Quote-based
Starting price
$39/user/month (Time & Billing, billed annually)
Custom pricing, contact sales
Free plan
Not documented
Not documented
Free trial
Yes
Yes
Platforms
Web, iOS, Android
Web, iOS, Android
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Yes
Public API
Not documented
Yes
Key Differences
Pricing Transparency
Bill4Time: Bill4Time publishes four tiers: Time & Billing at $39/user/month (annual), Legal Pro at $59/user/month, Time & Billing Enterprise at $69/user/month, and Legal Enterprise at $89/user/month.
Filevine: Filevine does not publish pricing; all packages are custom-built and quoted after a sales conversation.
Solo practitioners and small firms comparing billing software often need to budget precisely, which Bill4Time's published tiers allow and Filevine's custom-quote model does not.
Trust Accounting and Billing Compliance
Bill4Time: Bill4Time's Legal Pro and Legal Enterprise tiers include trust accounting for IOLTA and ABA compliance, plus conflict checking and LEDES export.
Filevine: Filevine does not document trust accounting, conflict checking, or LEDES export as features.
Firms that must comply with IOLTA trust accounting rules need this built into their billing platform rather than bolted on separately.
Case Management Depth
Bill4Time: Bill4Time's case management feature covers centralized file storage, task assignment, and client collaboration.
Filevine: Filevine adds contract lifecycle management, deposition scheduling and hosting, Vinesign eSignature, and medical record chronology on top of document management.
Firms with complex litigation or contract workflows need matter-management depth that goes beyond file storage and task lists.
AI Capabilities
Bill4Time: Bill4Time does not document AI features in its feature list.
Filevine: Filevine's firm-wide AI agents (LOIS) operate across multiple matters simultaneously, generating documents, assigning tasks, and managing deadlines, grounded in a structured legal graph built on 40M+ cases.
Firms wanting AI to actively perform case work (not just track time) will find Filevine's AI agents far more capable, while Bill4Time offers none.
Free Trial Terms
Bill4Time: Bill4Time offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.
Filevine: Filevine also offers a free trial, though the exact length and terms are not specified in this data.
Both allow hands-on evaluation before committing, but Bill4Time's explicit no-credit-card, 14-day terms are more concretely documented.
Feature-by-Feature
Billing & Financial Management
Feature
Bill4Time
Filevine
Time tracking
Available
Not documented
Invoicing and billing
Available
Not documented
Trust accounting (IOLTA/ABA)
Available
Not documented
Online payments
Available
Not documented
Conflict checker
Available
Not documented
Case & Matter Management
Feature
Bill4Time
Filevine
Document/file management
Available
Available
Contract lifecycle management
Not documented
Available
Deposition scheduling and hosting
Not documented
Available
Client portal
Available
Not documented
Medical record chronology
Not documented
Available
AI & Access
Feature
Bill4Time
Filevine
Firm-wide AI agents
Unavailable
Available
Published dollar pricing
Available
Unavailable
Free trial
Available
Available
Native mobile apps
Available
Not documented
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Bill4Time
Time & Billing — $49/user/month ($39 billed annually) Monthly or annual
Time & Billing Enterprise — $79/user/month ($69 billed annually) Monthly or annual
Legal Pro — $69/user/month ($59 billed annually) Monthly or annual
Legal Enterprise — $99/user/month ($89 billed annually) Monthly or annual
Filevine
Custom — Custom pricing Contact sales
Pros & Cons
Bill4Time
Pros
Purpose-built trust accounting for law firm compliance
Flexible monthly or annual billing with a meaningful annual discount
Free trial with no credit card required, usable with real matters
Embedded online payment processing speeds up client collections
Cons
Legal-specific features (trust accounting, conflict checker) are limited to the higher Legal Pro/Enterprise tiers
Per-user pricing can grow costly for larger firms
Smaller vendor with a narrower integration ecosystem than larger legal practice management suites
Advanced reporting and dedicated support are reserved for Enterprise-tier plans
Filevine
Pros
AI (LOIS) is deeply embedded across the entire platform rather than offered as a separate bolt-on chat tool.
Strong reputation among reviewers, with roughly a 4.8/5 rating on G2 and 4.6/5 on Capterra.
Broad module coverage (intake through depositions to signatures) reduces the need for separate point solutions.
Backed by substantial, well-known venture investors (Insight Partners, Accel), suggesting long-term platform investment and stability.
Cons
No public pricing; firms must go through a sales process to get a quote, which can slow down evaluation.
Custom, quote-based pricing makes it harder to comparison-shop against flat-rate competitors like Clio or MyCase.
Deep, module-based platform can carry a steeper learning curve for very small or solo practices with simple needs.
Some customer feedback across review sources flags inconsistent support experiences.
Use Cases
Choose Bill4Time: Firms that need clear, published per-user pricing for time tracking, invoicing, and trust accounting -- Bill4Time's Legal Pro tier ($69/user/month, or $59 annually) adds trust accounting, conflict checking, contingency billing, and LEDES export.
Choose Filevine: Firms wanting a full case management system with firm-wide AI agents that can generate documents and manage deadlines across matters, plus deposition tools, contract lifecycle management, and medical record chronology -- Filevine serves 6,000+ clients and 100,000+ users.
Need both: A mid-size firm could run Filevine as its core matter and document management system with AI-assisted case work, while using Bill4Time specifically for time tracking, trust accounting, and client invoicing -- Filevine does not document dedicated trust accounting or IOLTA compliance tools, and Bill4Time does not document contract lifecycle management, depositions, or firm-wide AI agents.
Bill4Time
Law firm time and billing — Track billable hours by matter and generate client invoices with embedded online payment links.
Trust fund compliance — Manage IOLTA-compliant client trust accounts with full audit trails of deposits and withdrawals.
Professional services billing — Track and bill time for consulting or accounting engagements outside the legal industry.
Filevine
High-volume personal injury and mass tort practices — Firms managing large caseloads of similar matter types use Filevine's Matters and Intake modules alongside LOIS to standardize workflows and speed up case evaluation and document drafting.
Government legal offices — Prosecutors, public defenders, and state or local agencies use Filevine to manage case files, deadlines, and evidence collaboration across large teams of attorneys.
Corporate and Big Law legal departments — Larger legal teams use Filevine's document assembly, contract management, and API integrations to connect case data with existing accounting and business systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, Bill4Time or Filevine?
Bill4Time publishes clear per-user pricing starting at $39/user/month (annual billing). Filevine does not publish pricing, so a direct cost comparison requires requesting a Filevine quote.
Does Filevine include trust accounting?
This is not documented for Filevine. Bill4Time includes trust accounting for IOLTA and ABA compliance on its Legal Pro and Legal Enterprise tiers.
Does Bill4Time have AI features?
No AI features are documented for Bill4Time. Filevine's firm-wide AI agents (LOIS) can generate documents, assign tasks, and manage deadlines across matters.
Can I try both before buying?
Yes, both offer free trials -- Bill4Time's is explicitly 14 days with no credit card required, while Filevine's trial terms are not fully specified in this data.
Does Bill4Time handle depositions or contract lifecycle management?
No, these features are not documented for Bill4Time. Filevine includes both deposition scheduling/hosting and contract lifecycle management.
Which tool is better for a solo practitioner focused mainly on billing?
Bill4Time's published per-user pricing and dedicated billing, invoicing, and trust accounting features are built specifically for time-and-billing workflows, which may suit a billing-focused solo practice better than Filevine's broader, custom-quoted case management platform.