PracticePanther vs Smokeball
Smokeball scores 8.2/10 vs 7.8/10. Best for: Small firms that want automatic time capture and a massive document template library so they can bill more hours without manual tracking.
Smokeball scores higher overall at 8.2/10 vs 7.8/10. Smokeball's automatic time tracking genuinely captures revenue that other tools miss. If your firm leaks billable hours because attorneys forget to start timers, this pays for itself. The catch: you need the $149/user Grow plan to get it.
PracticePanther 
Smokeball Rank
#7 of 39
Rank
#2 of 39
Features
18/18
Features
17/18
Starting at
$59/mo
Starting at
$29/mo
User reviews
4.1/5 (850)
User reviews
4.8/5 (500)
What they cost
| PracticePanther | Smokeball | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting at | $59 /mo | $29 /mo |
| Free trial | 7 days | No |
| Number of plans | 3 | 3 |
What the pricing really means
At first glance, Smokeball looks cheaper at $29/month vs $59/month. But sticker price is only part of the story. Look at what is included on the base plan, how many users you get, and whether you need add-ons to get the features you actually need. The $99/month plan that requires $200 in add-ons is actually more expensive than the $250/month plan that includes everything.
Where PracticePanther wins
- Workflow automation lets you trigger actions (send emails, create tasks, update statuses) based on case events without manual intervention
- Built-in payment processing with PantherPayments means clients can pay from invoices directly, no third-party needed
- Interface is clean and modern compared to older competitors like Tabs3 or AbacusLaw
- 7-day free trial plus they offer live onboarding calls during the trial period
Where Smokeball wins
- Automatic time tracking runs in the background and captures billable activity you'd otherwise forget to log — firms report 20-30% more captured time
- 1,000+ built-in document templates for common legal forms, which saves hours compared to building templates from scratch
- G2 and Capterra ratings (4.8/5 on both) are the highest in the category, and reviews back it up with genuine praise
- Bill plan at $29/user is one of the cheapest entry points if you just need billing and time tracking
Where PracticePanther falls short
- No court rule deadline calendaring built in — you'll need to track jurisdiction deadlines manually or add a separate tool
- Solo plan is limited to 1 user and 50 GB storage, which makes it awkward for even a 2-person operation
- G2 rating at 4.1 is below average for the category, with some users citing occasional bugs
- Fewer integrations than Clio or Smokeball — check that your specific tools are supported before committing
Where Smokeball falls short
- No free trial — you have to commit based on a demo, which means trusting the sales pitch
- The Grow plan at $149/user is expensive and you need it for automatic time tracking, which is the main differentiator
- Smaller integration ecosystem than Clio — about 50 integrations vs 250+
- No mobile app — desktop-first architecture means attorneys can't access cases from their phone
- Originally built for Australian and UK markets, so some US-specific workflows feel bolted on
Who is each product built for?
PracticePanther
Target: 1-30 attorneys
PracticePanther hits a sweet spot between affordability and automation features. The workflow builder alone saves hours per week for firms drowning in repetitive tasks. Skip it if you need court rule calendaring or if you're a solo who wants the cheapest option.
Smokeball
Target: 1-30 attorneys
Smokeball's automatic time tracking genuinely captures revenue that other tools miss. If your firm leaks billable hours because attorneys forget to start timers, this pays for itself. The catch: you need the $149/user Grow plan to get it.
Feature comparison
| Feature | PracticePanther | Smokeball |
|---|---|---|
| Case Management | ||
| Case / matter management | ||
| Contact management | ||
| Conflict checks | ||
| Client intake forms | ||
| Client portal | ||
| Documents & Automation | ||
| Document management | ||
| Document automation | ||
| E-signatures | ||
| Email management | ||
| Billing & Accounting | ||
| Time tracking | ||
| Billing & invoicing | ||
| Trust / IOLTA accounting | ||
| Scheduling & Deadlines | ||
| Calendar management | ||
| Task management | ||
| Court rule deadlines | ||
| Platform | ||
| Reporting / analytics | ||
| Mobile app | ||
| API access | ||
Common questions
Smokeball scores 8.2/10 vs PracticePanther's 7.8/10 in our ranking. Smokeball is the better pick for 1-30 attorneys. PracticePanther is better if you need small to mid-size firms that want workflow automation and integrated payment processing without enterprise-level complexity or pricing.
PracticePanther starts at $59/month. Smokeball starts at $29/month. Watch for add-on costs — the base price often does not include all features. Pricing last verified 2026-04-11.
PracticePanther: Yes, 7-day free trial. Smokeball: No free trial. Always test with your actual workflow before committing to an annual plan.
PracticePanther covers 18 of 18 features we track. Smokeball covers 17 of 18. PracticePanther has broader feature coverage, but more features does not always mean better — pick the tool that covers what your business actually needs.
Yes, PracticePanther has a mobile app. Smokeball does not.
Yes. The main effort is migrating your data (customer lists, job history, invoices). Plan for 1-2 weeks of overlap where you run both. Most legal practice management tools can import CSV data. Ask both vendors about migration support before you sign.
The bottom line
Pick PracticePanther if...
Small to mid-size firms that want workflow automation and integrated payment processing without enterprise-level complexity or pricing.
Pick Smokeball if...
Small firms that want automatic time capture and a massive document template library so they can bill more hours without manual tracking.