Can Smokeball really capture 1-2 extra billable hours per day?

This is Smokeball's most commonly cited statistic and is supported by firm testimonials. The actual increase depends on your current time tracking discipline. Attorneys who are already meticulous about manual time entry may see smaller gains. Attorneys who regularly forget to track time or reconstruct entries at the end of the week see the largest improvements.

Is MyCase's client portal available on all plans?

Basic client portal features are available on all plans, but the full portal experience with secure messaging, document sharing, and e-signatures requires the Pro plan ($69/user/month) or higher. The Basic plan ($39/user/month) includes limited client-facing features.

Does Smokeball work on Mac?

Smokeball's automatic time tracking requires a desktop application that has historically been Windows-focused. Smokeball has expanded Mac support, but some features may have differences between platforms. Check Smokeball's current system requirements before committing if your firm uses Mac.

Which platform is better for real estate practices?

Smokeball has a notable advantage for real estate practices due to its 700+ document template library, which includes extensive real estate closing documents. Combined with automatic time tracking, real estate firms using Smokeball report significant time savings on both document preparation and billing. MyCase works for real estate practices but requires firms to build their own document templates.

Smokeball vs MyCase (2026): Honest Comparison for Law Firms

Smokeball, originally founded in Australia and now headquartered in Chicago, has built its brand around a simple promise: you will bill more hours without working more hours. The automatic time tracking feature runs in the background, capturing every email, document, phone call, and research session associated with your matters. Firms report capturing 1-2 additional billable hours per attorney per day. Smokeball also includes over 700 pre-built legal document templates with smart field automation, making it particularly strong for transactional practices. MyCase, acquired by AffiniPay in 2022, has built its brand around the client journey. Its portal gives clients a branded, mobile- responsive interface for viewing case updates, messaging their attorney, sharing documents, signing engagement letters, and paying invoices. MyCase also includes built-in text messaging, automated payment reminders, and intake forms with e-signatures. The platform consistently earns high marks for ease of use and client satisfaction. Both platforms serve the 1-15 attorney market effectively. Smokeball focuses on firm revenue through time capture; MyCase focuses on firm growth through client experience. The right choice depends on which metric drives your practice.

Feature	Smokeball	MyCase
pricing	Bill $39/user/mo, Boost $89/user/mo, Grow $149/user/mo (billed annually)	Basic $39/user/mo, Pro $69/user/mo, Advanced $89/user/mo (billed annually)
bestFor

Smokeball's automatic time tracking fundamentally changes the economics of time-based billing. Instead of manually starting timers or reconstructing time at the end of the day, attorneys review a timeline of activities the software captured automatically. Every email sent, document drafted, phone call made, and research session conducted is logged with the associated matter, duration, and activity description. The revenue impact is measurable. If an attorney bills at $300/hour and Smokeball captures 1.5 additional hours per day that would otherwise go untracked, that is $450 per day or approximately $9,000 per month in recovered revenue per attorney. At $89/month for the Boost plan, the ROI is substantial. MyCase uses traditional manual time tracking with timers and batch entry. The time tracking is well-designed and includes mobile tracking, but it relies entirely on the attorney's discipline to initiate tracking. For attorneys who are diligent about time entry, MyCase's approach works fine. For attorneys who chronically under-bill, Smokeball's passive capture addresses the root cause.

MyCase's client portal is its competitive moat. The portal presents a branded, consumer-grade interface where clients can track their case progress, exchange secure messages, upload and download documents, sign documents electronically, and pay invoices with one click. MyCase also supports text messaging directly within the platform, meeting clients on the communication channels they prefer. Smokeball offers a client portal on Boost and Grow plans with document sharing and messaging capabilities, but it does not match MyCase's polish or feature depth. Smokeball does not include built-in text messaging or the same level of e-signature integration within the portal experience. For practices where client satisfaction directly drives business -- family law, personal injury, estate planning, criminal defense -- MyCase's portal provides a tangible competitive advantage. Clients who can easily access their case information, message their attorney, and pay invoices are measurably more satisfied and more likely to refer others.

Smokeball includes over 700 pre-built legal document templates covering family law, real estate, estate planning, immigration, and other common practice areas. These templates use smart fields that pull data from matter records to auto-populate documents, reducing preparation time from hours to minutes for standard documents. MyCase offers document templates with merge fields but does not include a pre-built template library. Firms must create their own templates or import them. Document management covers storage, version control, and sharing but without Smokeball's automation depth. For practices that generate high volumes of standard documents -- real estate closings, estate plans, immigration petitions -- Smokeball's template library delivers immediate time savings. For practices with specialized or custom documents, the pre-built library is less relevant.

Choose Smokeball if your firm's primary revenue challenge is untracked billable time. If attorneys in your firm consistently bill fewer hours than they work, Smokeball's automatic time capture can recover thousands of dollars per attorney per month. The document template library adds value for transactional practices. Choose MyCase if your firm's primary growth driver is client experience. If referrals and client satisfaction directly impact your revenue, MyCase's polished portal, built-in messaging, and streamlined payment experience create competitive advantages that translate to business growth. InstaThink complements both platforms with AI-powered automation for intake processing, document generation beyond templates, and adaptive client communication workflows.

Smokeball vs MyCase: Automatic Time Capture vs Premium Client Experience

Two Philosophies for Small Firm Success

Quick Comparison Overview

Time Tracking and Revenue Impact

Client Portal and Communication

Document Automation

The Verdict: Which Is Right for You?

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Smokeball really capture 1-2 extra billable hours per day?

Is MyCase's client portal available on all plans?

Does Smokeball work on Mac?

Which platform is better for real estate practices?

Capture Time and Delight Clients with AI