PracticePanther vs Smokeball

by Gralio Feb 04, 2025

PracticePanther and Smokeball are both practice management software for law firms, but they cater to different needs. PracticePanther is better for firms prioritizing transparent pricing and diverse integrations, while Smokeball suits those valuing automated time tracking and robust document automation features within a legal context.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 649 reviews and 60 websites, saving 4 hours, 6 minutes of reading.

PracticePanther

Smokeball

About

PracticePanther is a cloud-based practice management software designed for law firms of all sizes. It offers a suite of features to help manage cases, clients, billing, and daily operations. PracticePanther aims to streamline workflows through automation, from client intake to document management and e-signatures. Key features include time tracking, online payments, automated reminders, and a client portal for secure communication. Its intuitive interface and robust functionality make it a popular choice for legal professionals seeking to boost efficiency and improve client service.

Smokeball is a cloud-based legal practice management software designed for small to midsize law firms. It offers a suite of features like automatic time tracking, legal billing and accounting, document automation with over 20,000 forms, and case management, all within a single platform. Smokeball aims to increase law firm profitability by improving efficiency and organization while providing data-driven insights to make better business decisions. They are highly rated and stand out with their dedicated customer support.

Summary

Main difference

PracticePanther offers transparent pricing and a wider range of integrations, while Smokeball excels in automated time tracking and document automation specifically designed for legal practices.

Relative strengths of PracticePanther (compared to Smokeball)

Transparent pricing with defined plan options.
Integrates with various tools, expanding its functionality.
Strong reporting features for tracking billable hours and managing invoices.

Relative weaknesses of PracticePanther (compared to Smokeball)

Customer support response times can be slow.
Mobile app navigation and functionality are less intuitive.
Microsoft Outlook integration has known issues.

Who should use PracticePanther VS. Smokeball

PracticePanther is a user-friendly practice management solution for law firms seeking to streamline their operations. It offers robust features like client portals, automated reminders, and time tracking. While the mobile app has limitations and customer support can be slow, users praise its comprehensive functionality and ease of use.

Smokeball is a cloud-based legal practice management software streamlining tasks like time tracking, billing, and document automation. It integrates over 20,000 legal forms and offers a client portal for seamless communication. Smokeball helps small and midsize law firms boost profitability and is praised for dedicated customer support.

Best fit for small law firms.
Specifically designed for the legal industry.

Best fit for small to midsize law firms.
Ideal for legal practices.

PracticePanther and Smokeball features

Supported

Partially supported

Not supported

Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

Client communication

Supported

PracticePanther enables client communication via secure messaging and a client portal, as confirmed by the provided materials.

Supported

Smokeball offers built-in secure messaging and a client portal called Communicate.
Document sharing

Supported

PracticePanther enables secure document sharing between clients and attorneys through features like a secure client portal, integrated communication, and cloud storage integration.

Supported

Smokeball enables document sharing between clients and attorneys through its Communicate Client Portal.
Form auto-population

Supported

PracticePanther allows creation of custom intake forms. The information is then synced into the system and used to populate other forms.

Supported

Smokeball automatically fills legal forms with client and case data.
Deadline management

Supported

PracticePanther satisfies the requirement for deadline management with features like automated court rule dates, customizable calendaring, and deadline calculation.

Partially supported

Smokeball manages deadlines via integration with LawToolBox.
Track payments

Supported

PracticePanther allows tracking payments made by clients and provides payment history for contacts and matters. It also supports online payments and custom payment reports.

Supported

Smokeball allows logging and tracking client payments, including automatic payment plans and online payments.
Document management

Supported

PracticePanther allows users to upload, store, organize documents and enables version control.

Supported

Smokeball allows uploading, storing, and organizing case-related documents.

Qualities

Value and Pricing Transparency

+0

Neutral sentiment

-0.43

Rather negative sentiment
Customer Service

No data

+0.76

Strongly positive sentiment
Ease of Use

+0.6

Rather positive sentiment

+0.83

Strongly positive sentiment
Reliability and Performance

+0.5

Rather positive sentiment

+0.17

Neutral sentiment
Ease of Implementation

No data

+0.25

Neutral sentiment
Scalability

No data

+0.33

Rather positive sentiment

PracticePanther and Smokeball Pricing

PracticePanther offers a Solo, Essential and a Business plan. All plans include features such as contact and matter management, time and expense tracking, world-class support, secure client portal and unlimited data storage. A free trial is also available.

Plans

See full Pricing page

Smokeball offers four pricing plans: Bill, Boost, Grow, and Prosper+. The specific pricing details for each plan are not listed on the website and require contacting sales or booking a demo. Smokeball also offers a 30-day free trial for its Boost package.

Plans

User sentiment

Rather negative

-0.43

See full Pricing page

PracticePanther and Smokeball review insights

629 reviews analysed from and

Users love

PracticePanther is praised for its user-friendly interface and ease of use, even for non-tech savvy users.
The platform receives positive feedback for its robust reporting features, particularly for tracking billable hours and managing invoices.
The customer support, while sometimes slow, is generally regarded as helpful and responsive.
Many users appreciate the platform’s comprehensive features, covering most aspects of law practice management.

Centralized case management, keeping all case details in one place.
Easy-to-use interface and integration into daily operations.
Extensive form automation with pre-existing templates and easy customization.
Responsive and knowledgeable customer support.
Automatic time tracking for efficient billing.

Users dislike

PracticePanther suffers from slow customer support responses, often taking more than 24 hours.
Many users find the mobile app difficult to navigate and lacking in functionality.
Issues with Microsoft Outlook integration, especially calendar and contact syncing, are frequently reported.
Some users have experienced discrepancies with billing and payment plans not being applied correctly.

Lack of split billing option for invoices shared between parties.
Lacks autocorrect and some formatting features in integrated Word and memo areas.
The "Experts" settings are not ideal.
No Mac compatibility or web browser version.
Difficult to track aging receivables/unpaid invoices.

PracticePanther and Smokeball Ratings

G2

4.2/5

(100)
TrustPilot

2.9/5

(20)
Glassdoor

4.2/5

(15)

G2

4.8/5

(270)
Capterra

4.8/5

(259)
Glassdoor

3.7/5

(94)

Company health

Employee growth

2% decrease in the last year

1% decrease in the last year

Web traffic

28% decrease in the last quarter

8% increase in the last quarter

Financing

July 2021 - $0

June 2021 - $30M

How do PracticePanther's and Smokeball's client portals compare in terms of user experience?

Both PracticePanther and Smokeball offer client portals for secure communication and document sharing. While both aim to improve client engagement, Smokeball's client portal, called Communicate, is explicitly highlighted for its communication features. PracticePanther mentions secure messaging and access to case information within their portal but doesn't provide the same level of detail. Therefore, based on the provided information, Smokeball may offer a slightly more robust communication experience within its client portal, although both ultimately facilitate client interaction and document exchange.

Which product offers better automation for form creation and population workflows?

Smokeball offers better automation for form creation and population workflows. It features over 20,000 pre-built legal forms and automatic population with client and case data, while PracticePanther, though offering custom intake forms and syncing, doesn't specify the extent of its automated population capabilities or the availability of pre-built forms.

What are the advantages of PracticePanther?

PracticePanther offers transparent pricing with three defined tiers, unlike Smokeball's opaque custom quoting. Users highlight PracticePanther's user-friendly interface and robust reporting features as key advantages. While customer support responsiveness is a noted area for improvement, PracticePanther's comprehensive feature set addresses most law practice management needs.

What are the disadvantages of PracticePanther?

PracticePanther's disadvantages include slow customer support response times, a mobile app that lacks functionality and is difficult to navigate, problematic Microsoft Outlook integration (especially with calendar and contact syncing), and occasional billing discrepancies with incorrect application of payment plans.

Is PracticePanther cheaper than Smokeball?

PracticePanther's pricing is transparent, starting at $49/month. Smokeball's pricing is not publicly available, requiring contact with sales. Therefore, it is impossible to definitively state whether PracticePanther is cheaper without more information from Smokeball.

Alternatives to PracticePanther and Smokeball

Legistify

Legistify is a legal software solution designed for larger companies to manage all their legal needs in one platform. It streamlines and automates tasks like contract management, intellectual property tracking, and legal case management. This software helps businesses save time, minimize risks, and improve efficiency in their legal operations. It also offers data insights and analytics to inform business decisions.

Clio

Clio is a widely-used, cloud-based legal practice management software designed for law firms of all sizes. It offers a suite of tools including case management, billing, client intake, document storage, and calendaring, enabling you to manage your entire practice from one central platform. Clio integrates with popular tools like Microsoft Outlook and Quickbooks, and is lauded for its strong security features and user-friendly interface.

Rocket Matter

Rocket Matter is a cloud-based legal practice management software designed for law firms of all sizes. It offers tools for case management, time tracking, billing, and client intake, helping firms streamline operations and increase revenue. Rocket Matter stands out with its user-friendly interface, robust features, and award-winning customer support.

CASEpeer

CASEpeer is a cloud-based software designed specifically for personal injury law firms. This easy-to-use platform helps manage cases from intake to settlement, offering tools for task management, reporting, billing, and client communication. CASEpeer aims to streamline law firm operations, improve efficiency, and provide data-driven insights to improve client outcomes. Their focus on user-friendliness and dedicated customer support makes them a popular choice for personal injury attorneys.

MyCase

MyCase is legal practice management software that helps law firms organize case details, communicate with clients, and manage billing. It provides tools like calendaring, document storage, time tracking, and client portals. MyCase aims to increase efficiency, streamline operations, and improve client relationships for legal professionals. It is a popular choice for law firms of all sizes and integrates with other common software tools.

Firm Central

Firm Central is a cloud-based practice management software designed for law firms. It offers tools to manage cases, track time and billing, schedule appointments, and automate document creation. Firm Central aims to streamline a law firm's operations, improve efficiency, and reduce the risk of errors. It is accessible from any location and prioritizes data security.

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