If you are weighing legal time tracking tools, Tempello and Lawgbook solve different slices of the same problem. Tempello is built to turn emails into time entries inside Clio or MyCase. Lawgbook is API-based time tracking software for lawyers that turns client communications (email, calls, meetings, messaging) into draft time entries with a privacy-first posture and transparent pricing. Here is how they compare so you can choose the right fit.
Tempello for Law Firm Time Tracking
Tempello positions itself as automated email billing for law firms. The promise is straightforward: keep using Outlook or Gmail, and let Tempello convert email traffic into billing entries in your practice management system.
Capture. Tempello focuses on email. It connects to Microsoft 365 (Outlook) or Google Workspace (Gmail), then uses email metadata (sender/recipient, subject line, and related context) to match messages to the right client and matter in Clio or 8am MyCase.
AI and processing. Tempello uses AI to detect and match emails, then creates time entries using your default billing increment (commonly a 0.1 hour entry). You can customize billing logic and exclusions so internal email and non-billable messages do not generate entries.
Target market and pricing. Tempello is aimed at small-to-medium law firms (it explicitly calls out firms up to ~40 attorneys). Pricing is usage-based and published: $0.39 per billable email processed, with no monthly fees and no per-user charges.
Integrations and deployment. Tempello works by connecting to the email and practice management tools you already use—Outlook or Gmail for email, and Clio or MyCase for your case files. There's no software to install on your computer. Instead, you authorize Tempello to access your email and practice management system through logins. Once set up, Tempello runs in the background and automatically converts eligible emails into time entries.
Security and data handling. Tempello states it uses encrypted processing and SOC 2 compliant practices, and that email content is processed ephemerally (not stored permanently beyond what is needed to process). In the MyCase workflow, Tempello also describes saving email body and attachments into the matter record so the communication is preserved in the PMS.
Lawgbook: Time Tracking Software for Lawyers
Lawgbook is a purely API-based, privacy-focused timekeeping solution. It captures a larger slice of the problem: all communications. Email (Gmail, Outlook), video (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet), phone (e.g., RingCentral, VXT), and messaging (e.g., WhatsApp, iMessage) become draft time entries matched to matters. No desktop monitoring, no document or web capture. Built for solo and mid-size firms that want transparent pricing and clear control over what is captured and how it is used.
Capture. Everything runs over APIs. The tool connects to the communication platforms you already use and pulls activity (sent/received emails, call duration, meeting length and participants). No screenshots, no app-level or desktop tracking. Capture is narrow and predictable: every client email, call, and meeting can become an entry. Matter matching uses participants and content so the right matter is suggested or flagged for you to choose.
Privacy first. Data is encrypted; communication content is removed from Lawgbook's systems after 30 days. Each firm has a separate data instance. Timekeepers control what gets published or pushed to the PMS. You see what is captured and where it goes. No black-box processing.
Target market and pricing. Lawgbook is built for solo practitioners and small-to-mid-size law firms that want time tracking for attorneys without enterprise pricing or desktop surveillance. Pricing starts at $29.99/user/month while the option for on-premises self-deployment is also available. You can evaluate cost and fit without a sales call. The product slots into Clio timekeeping workflows as an enhancement, not a full replacement of your workflows.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Tempello | Lawgbook |
|---|
| What is captured | Email activity for billing (email-to-matter matching and time entry generation) | Client communications: email, Zoom/Teams meetings, calls, messaging |
| Capture method | Integrations with Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace + Clio / 8am MyCase | Purely API-based; no desktop monitoring |
| Processing | AI email matching; automatic time entries (often 0.1 hour) using your billing increment | Transparent capture; you review draft entries; 30-day retention of communication content |
| Pricing | Usage-based: $0.39 per billable email; no per-user fees; no monthly fees | From $29.99 per user per month; predictable per-seat pricing |
| Target | Small-to-medium firms (Tempello cites up to ~40 attorneys) focused on email billing | Solo and mid-size firms that want comms-first capture without surveillance |
| Security | Encrypted processing; SOC 2 compliant practices (per Tempello); states email content is processed ephemerally | Encryption; no desktop surveillance; privacy-focused with 30-day retention |
| Integrations | Clio, 8am MyCase, Microsoft 365/Outlook, Google Workspace/Gmail | Gmail, Outlook, Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp, VoIP; Clio; custom for others |
When to Choose Which
Consider Tempello if most of your missed time is hiding in email, and your firm lives in Clio or MyCase. Tempello is purpose-built for one channel: it matches emails to matters and creates time entries automatically. The pricing model can be attractive if you want unlimited users and would rather pay per billable email than manage per-seat subscriptions.
Consider Lawgbook if you are a solo practitioner or mid-size firm and want to capture missed time in client communications without desktop monitoring, black-box processing, or enterprise pricing. Lawgbook is purely API-based and privacy-focused, with listed pricing from $29.99 per user per month. It fits firms that want transparent capture, clear data handling, and a tool that slots into existing PMS workflows without a large rollout or custom quote.
The main choice is scope and pricing: email-only automation priced per billable email vs. broader communications capture priced per user/on-premises deployment with a licensing fee.
What to Do Next
If your “leak” is primarily email, start by auditing one week: how many client threads never became an entry? If that is your pain, Tempello is designed for that workflow: email-to-matter matching and automatic time entry creation inside Clio or MyCase.
If your missed time spans email plus calls and meetings, Lawgbook is the cleaner fit: API-based capture across communications, privacy-first data handling, and transparent per-user pricing from $29.99 per user per month.
