Bill4time

What is bill4time

Bill4Time is a cloud-based time tracking and billing platform focused on professional services firms, particularly legal practices and consultants. It centralizes billable time capture, expense logging, and invoice generation so firms can convert recorded time into accurate invoices quickly. The product combines time and expense entry, client and matter management, trust accounting, and reporting into a single web and mobile application.

Bill4Time is often used by solo practitioners, small law firms, accounting firms, and service-based businesses that bill by time or handle client retainers. It supports compliance and billing requirements such as activity-based billing, configurable rate schedules, and trust (IOLTA) accounting for jurisdictions that require separate client funds handling.

The platform is available as a hosted SaaS product with browser access, native mobile apps for time capture on the go, and integrations for accounting systems and calendar/email tools. Administrators get centralized controls for users, billing rules, and access levels to manage firm-wide billing policies.

Bill4Time features

What does bill4time do?

Bill4Time streamlines time capture, expense tracking, and invoicing for firms that bill by the hour. Users can record time entries tied to clients and matters, apply different hourly rates by user or engagement, add expenses, and create customizable invoices that reflect hourly, flat-fee, or blended billing arrangements. The software also supports trust accounting workflows so firms can manage retainer balances and track disbursements.

The platform provides work timers, manual time entry with multi-day editing, and time entry approval workflows to ensure accuracy before billing. Bill4Time includes a library of invoice templates and configurable billing formats (line-item details, narrative entries, and summarized invoices). It also supports recurring invoices, retainer draws, and batch invoicing to reduce administrative overhead.

Reporting and analytics are built into the platform: revenue by client, unbilled time reports, productivity dashboards, and trust accounting ledgers. Administrators can export reports or schedule recurring report delivery. The system also includes rate management, write-off controls, and permissions to separate billing, administrative, and accounting responsibilities.

Other notable features include integration with third-party accounting systems, payment processing options, calendar and email imports for time capture, and a mobile app that preserves entries offline and syncs when a connection is restored. Security features typically include role-based access, data encryption, and audit trails for billing and trust transactions.

Bill4Time pricing

Bill4Time offers these pricing plans:

• Starter: $24/month per user with core time and billing features and basic reporting
• Professional: $39/month per user with advanced invoicing, trust accounting, and expanded reporting
• Business: $59/month per user for multi-user firms with batch invoicing, dedicated support, and enhanced integrations
• Enterprise: Custom pricing for large firms requiring SSO, custom onboarding, and advanced security

Check Bill4Time's current pricing for the latest rates and enterprise options.

How much is bill4time per month

Bill4Time starts at $24/month per user for the Starter plan. Monthly billing is offered for teams that prefer short-term commitments; higher-tier plans cost more per user but add features like trust accounting, automated invoicing, and priority support.

Many firms switch from monthly to annual billing when they commit to the platform because annual billing often reduces the effective monthly cost. If you need add-ons such as payment processing or third-party integrations, those can add to the monthly expense depending on usage.

How much is bill4time per year

Bill4Time costs approximately $288/year per user for the Starter plan when billed annually at the list monthly rate (12 months x $24/month). Annual billing is usually discounted by the vendor in promotional offers or for larger seat counts; consult the vendor for exact annual rates and enterprise discounts.

For firms with larger seat counts, enterprise packages and custom quotes will reflect volume discounts and implementation fees. Additional costs to budget for include payment processing fees, optional training, and setup for trust accounting workflows.

How much is bill4time in general

Bill4Time pricing ranges from around $24/month per user to custom enterprise pricing. Small firms and single practitioners typically pay at the lower end for basic time tracking and invoicing, while law firms that require trust accounting, matter-level controls, and integrations will often select higher-tier plans. Expect to budget separately for payment processing (transaction fees), additional support options, and any required integrations with your accounting or practice management systems.

What is Bill4Time used for

Bill4Time is used primarily for capturing billable hours, converting those hours into invoices, and managing client retainers and trust balances. Legal professionals use it to track time by matter, ensure compliance with trust accounting rules, and produce itemized invoices that meet legal billing guidelines. Consultants and service firms use it to standardize time entry, apply different billing rates by client or project, and generate financial reports that show utilization and realization metrics.

Beyond billing, firms use Bill4Time for operational visibility—knowing who is working on what, which matters are profitable, and where unbilled time is accumulating. Managers can identify bottlenecks, monitor outstanding invoices, and schedule recurring billing tasks. The platform’s reporting capabilities make it easier to forecast revenue by client or matter and to prepare month-end billing cycles.

Bill4Time is also used for client service workflows: tracking expenses tied to matters, capturing time from mobile devices after client visits, and supporting secure online payments so clients can pay invoices electronically. For firms that need to manage client funds, Bill4Time’s trust accounting features ensure retainer tracking, disbursement logging, and audit-ready ledgers.

Pros and cons of Bill4Time

Pros:

• Centralized time capture and billing workflows that reduce manual invoice preparation
• Support for trust accounting and retainers, which is critical for law firms
• Mobile apps and offline time capture make billing accurate for users who travel
• Detailed reporting for utilization, revenue, and unbilled time helps managers run the practice

Cons:

• Feature set tailored to billable-hour firms may be overkill for fixed-fee or product businesses
• Additional costs can accrue for payment processing and premium support tiers
• Firms with complex custom integrations or enterprise-grade security requirements may need an enterprise plan and separate implementation

Operational considerations:

• Training: Adequate onboarding for staff is important to ensure time is entered consistently and invoices are accurate
• Integration setup: Accounting synchronization and payment gateway setup require administrative time up front
• Compliance: Firms must configure trust accounting and reconciliation procedures to meet jurisdictional rules

Bill4Time free trial

Bill4Time typically offers a time-limited trial so firms can evaluate core features such as time entry, invoicing, and reporting before committing. The trial period is intended to let billing administrators test workflows, import a sample client/matter dataset, and generate a few invoices to verify formats and tax settings.

A trial is also useful for testing integrations with accounting packages and payment gateways in a sandbox mode. During the trial, you should exercise trust account workflows and run reconciliation reports to confirm the platform meets your compliance needs before migrating live client data.

If you need hands-on help, Bill4Time offers onboarding services and support packages; these services are commonly offered as paid options or included with higher-tier plans. Check the vendor’s onboarding and trial details to confirm what support is available during the evaluation period.

Is bill4time free

No, Bill4Time is not generally offered as a permanently free product. The platform usually provides a free trial period but requires a paid subscription for ongoing use. Pricing depends on the plan and the number of users, and enterprise-class features are available via higher-tier or custom plans.

Bill4Time API

Bill4Time exposes programmatic access to core billing and time data through API endpoints designed for integrations and automated workflows. Common API use cases include syncing invoices and payments with accounting systems, exporting time and expense entries to data warehouses, and building custom dashboards that combine Bill4Time data with other business systems.

The API supports CRUD operations for clients, matters, time entries, expenses, invoices, and users. Authentication typically uses API keys or OAuth flows depending on the integration model supported by the vendor. Rate limits and pagination are standard considerations when designing integrations to avoid throttling during large data exports.

For integration details, authentication methods, and endpoint reference material, consult Bill4Time’s developer documentation and integrations pages. If you plan to connect Bill4Time to your accounting system, check the vendor’s list of supported integrations and their recommended setup steps; see Bill4Time’s integrations and API documentation for specifics and code samples.

10 Bill4Time alternatives

• Clio — Legal practice management with time tracking, trust accounting, and client intake features
• TimeSolv — Time and billing software for law firms and consultants with strong reporting capabilities
• QuickBooks Online — Accounting platform that, when paired with time-tracking add-ons, covers small-firm billing needs
• Harvest — Time tracking and simple invoicing aimed at agencies and consultants
• FreshBooks — Invoicing and expense tracking for small service firms with integrated payment processing
• PracticePanther — Practice management software for law firms that includes billing, calendaring, and document management
• MyCase — Legal practice platform combining case management with billing and payments
• Xero — Cloud accounting software that integrates with time and billing tools to manage invoicing
• Bill4Time (self-comparison entry for feature mapping) — use as a baseline to compare matter-centric billing and trust accounting
• TimeCamp — Time tracking with billing features for teams needing lightweight invoicing

Paid alternatives to Bill4Time

• Clio — Comprehensive legal practice management with deep legal market features, extensive integrations, and specialized trust accounting workflows that compete directly with Bill4Time.

• TimeSolv — Focuses on time and billing with advanced reporting and invoice customization; often chosen by firms that prioritize cross-client reporting and multi-rate scenarios.

• PracticePanther — Offers case management, document automation, and billing, with a strong emphasis on workflow automation for law practices.

• MyCase — Combines case management with client communication tools and billing; often selected for integrated client portals and simple billing workflows.

• QuickBooks Online — When used with time-tracking and third-party billing apps, QuickBooks supplies accounting strength and financial reporting for firms that prioritize bookkeeping alongside billing.

Each paid alternative has different strengths: some focus on practice management and legal workflows (Clio, PracticePanther, MyCase), while others emphasize flexible time and billing with strong reporting (TimeSolv, Harvest).

Open source alternatives to Bill4Time

• Kimai — Open source time-tracking application that supports invoicing and reporting; suitable for teams that can self-host and customize features.

• TimeTrex — Workforce management and time-tracking software with payroll modules; hosted and community editions are available for firms that need broader HR features.

• ERPNext — Full open source ERP with time tracking, project billing, and accounting modules; useful for firms that want a single self-hosted platform for operations and billing.

Open source solutions often require more technical effort to host, secure, and adapt to legal trust accounting requirements, but they provide flexibility and cost control for technically capable teams.

Frequently asked questions about Bill4Time

What is Bill4Time used for?

Bill4Time is used for time tracking, invoicing, and trust accounting for professional services and law firms. Firms use it to record billable hours, generate client invoices, manage retainers, and produce financial and utilization reports. It's optimized for hourly billing workflows and compliance with matter-level accounting.

Does Bill4Time integrate with QuickBooks?

Yes, Bill4Time integrates with QuickBooks. The integration allows invoices and payment data to be pushed to QuickBooks for accounting, reducing double-entry between billing and bookkeeping systems. Confirm the required mapping and sync direction in Bill4Time’s integrations documentation.

How much does Bill4Time cost per user per month?

Bill4Time starts at $24/month per user for the Starter plan. Higher-tier plans that include trust accounting, advanced reporting, and priority support increase the per-user price; enterprise pricing is available by quote.

Is there a free trial for Bill4Time?

Yes, Bill4Time typically offers a free trial period. The trial lets firms test time entry, invoicing, and reporting functionality before purchasing, and it’s a recommended way to validate workflows such as trust accounting and payment processing.

Can Bill4Time handle trust (IOLTA) accounting?

Yes, Bill4Time supports trust accounting features. It provides retainer management, trust ledgers, and disbursement tracking that help firms reconcile client funds and meet jurisdictional compliance requirements.

Does Bill4Time have a mobile app?

Yes, Bill4Time provides mobile apps for iOS and Android. The apps enable on-the-go time capture, expense entry, and offline entry synchronization so users can record billable activities while traveling or working remotely.

Can I import existing time and client data into Bill4Time?

Yes, Bill4Time supports data import routines for clients, matters, and time entries. Most firms import CSV or Excel exports from legacy systems; Bill4Time’s onboarding guides document the field mappings and recommended import sequence.

How secure is Bill4Time?

Bill4Time uses standard enterprise security practices such as encrypted data transport and role-based access controls. The platform includes audit trails for billing and trust transactions, and enterprise plans offer additional security and compliance features. Review Bill4Time’s security resources for the latest certifications and controls.

Does Bill4Time integrate with payment processors for online payments?

Yes, Bill4Time integrates with common payment gateways. Clients can pay invoices online, and payment records sync back to invoices and accounting systems to help maintain accurate receivables.

What reporting capabilities does Bill4Time offer?

Bill4Time provides built-in reporting for billing, utilization, and trust ledgers. Reports include unbilled time, revenue by client or matter, and invoice aging; administrators can export reports to CSV or schedule recurring report delivery for stakeholders.

Bill4Time careers

Bill4Time hires across product, engineering, customer success, and sales roles depending on growth and product roadmap. Candidates interested in SaaS billing, legal technology, or cloud product development should check the vendor’s careers pages for openings and the required qualifications.

Bill4Time affiliate

Bill4Time may offer partner or reseller programs for consultants, implementation partners, and accountants who refer clients or offer onboarding services. Check the vendor’s partner program page for details about referral fees, partner tiers, and certification requirements.

Where to find Bill4Time reviews

You can find user reviews and ratings on software marketplaces and legal technology review sites. Search platforms that catalog practice management software for detailed user feedback on billing accuracy, reporting, mobile time capture, and customer support. Also review Bill4Time’s case studies and testimonials on their website to see vendor-curated client examples.