Top 10 Best Free Legal Billing Software of 2026

Dolibarr is a free, open-source ERP and CRM platform that excels as a legal billing solution through its invoicing, project time tracking, and client management modules. It enables legal professionals to log billable hours, create detailed invoices for services rendered, and manage payments efficiently. The modular design allows customization for small firms, integrating CRM, accounting, and contracts without licensing fees.

Odoo is a modular open-source ERP platform with free Community Edition that includes timesheets, projects, invoicing, and accounting modules suitable for legal billing. It enables tracking billable hours on client matters, automatic invoice generation from timesheets, and integrated payment processing. While highly customizable, it requires setup to tailor for legal-specific needs like matter management.

ERPNext is a free, open-source ERP platform that provides accounting, project management, and timesheet features adaptable for legal billing. It enables tracking billable hours via timesheets linked to client projects (acting as matters), automated invoice generation from time entries, and comprehensive financial reporting. While versatile for general business use, it requires customization to fully meet specialized legal needs like trust accounting or case management.

Invoice Ninja is an open-source invoicing and billing software that enables users to create customizable invoices, quotes, track time and expenses, and manage client payments efficiently. It supports features like recurring billing, task management, and multi-currency support, making it adaptable for legal billing needs such as hourly tracking for clients. The self-hosted version is completely free with no client limits, while the cloud-hosted option offers a limited free tier. Though not specialized for law firms, it provides a solid foundation for solo practitioners handling basic billing workflows.

Zoho Invoice is a cloud-based invoicing tool from Zoho that offers a robust free plan for creating, sending, and tracking professional invoices, with built-in time tracking and expense management ideal for basic legal billing. It supports project-based billing, retainers, and online payments, making it suitable for solo practitioners or small law firms. While versatile for general use, it lacks specialized legal features like trust accounting or case management integration.

Wave is a free cloud-based accounting and invoicing platform that enables small businesses, including solo legal practitioners, to create professional invoices, track expenses, and manage basic financial reports without any subscription fees for core features. It supports online payments and automated reminders, making it accessible for straightforward billing tasks. However, it lacks specialized legal tools like time tracking or trust accounting, positioning it as a basic option rather than a comprehensive legal billing solution.

Akaunting is a free, open-source, self-hosted accounting software that provides core invoicing, expense tracking, client management, and financial reporting functionalities suitable for basic legal billing needs. It enables small law practices to generate professional invoices, record payments, and monitor accounts receivable without any licensing fees. While extensible via modules, it lacks native time tracking or legal-specific tools like matter management or trust accounting out of the box.

Crater is a free, open-source invoicing and billing software designed primarily for freelancers and small businesses, offering tools to create professional invoices, track time via timers, manage expenses, and handle payments. It supports features like recurring invoices, multi-currency, taxes, and PDF exports, all accessible through a modern web interface. Self-hosted on your own server, it provides full data control but requires technical setup. While functional for basic legal billing needs like time-based invoicing, it lacks specialized legal features such as case management or trust accounting.

Manager.io is a free, open-source accounting software designed for small businesses, offering invoicing, expense tracking, time logging, and financial reporting. For legal billing, it supports billable hours via timers and projects, customizable client invoices, and basic trust-like accounts through categories. While versatile and cost-free for self-hosting, it requires setup and lacks specialized legal tools like IOLTA compliance or case management.

GnuCash is a free, open-source double-entry accounting software designed for personal finance and small businesses, including basic invoicing and time tracking capabilities. It allows users to track billable hours via timers, generate invoices, and produce financial reports, making it adaptable for simple legal billing needs. However, it lacks specialized legal features like case management or trust accounting compliance out-of-the-box.