Brief Accounting

At a glance

• Editor score
  5.3 / 10
• Pricing
  Paid
• Best for
  Established firms needing desktop accounting depth
• Paid from
  $30/mo
• Founded
  1985 · Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
• Facts checked
  21 Sep 2026

• Where it wins

  • Trust ledgers, statements, checks, and liability reporting
  • Billing, time entry, receivables, and payment allocation in one system
  • Runs on both Windows and macOS

• Where it doesn't

  • Modules can be purchased separately
  • Brief Accounting Pro uses contact-sales pricing
  • Focused on law-firm accounting rather than general business use

Our verdict on Brief Accounting

Brief Accounting is an integrated billing, trust-accounting, and office-accounting application from Brief Legal Software Inc. It is designed for law firms that need time entry, prebills, invoicing, accounts receivable, trust transactions, and financial reporting in one desktop-oriented system. The software runs on Windows and macOS and is positioned for solo practitioners, small and medium-sized firms, and larger firms using the Brief Accounting Pro client/server edition.

The published plans show a $30-per-month Brief Office Accounting add-on, billed monthly, with general office accounting and complete financial reporting. Brief Accounting Pro adds a client/server setup with simultaneous access for multiple bookkeepers or office administrators, and its pricing is handled through contact with sales. Modules can be purchased separately, which gives firms a way to shape the system around their accounting needs, while also making the overall buying decision dependent on the required combination of modules. Firms comparing options should distinguish the Office Accounting add-on from the broader Brief Accounting product.

Its strongest fit is for practices that need detailed trust-accounting workflows alongside everyday firm finance. Key capabilities include trust check posting and printing, applying trust funds to invoices, trust ledgers and statements, bank reconciliation, trust journals, trust liability reporting, general ledgers, financial statements, accounts payable, and vendor invoice tracking. The product also includes timekeeper slip entry with a start/stop timer, prebilling, invoicing, and payment allocation. Larger firms may prefer the Pro edition for shared access, while firms seeking a narrowly focused or simpler accounting tool may find this broader law-firm workflow unnecessary. Vendor-provided setup, training, telephone support, email support, and a knowledge base add assistance around implementation.

Brief Accounting pricing

All 2 Brief Accounting plans and prices →

Brief Accounting fact sheet

Alternatives to Brief Accounting

• MatterXA Microsoft-native legal finance platform with deep trust-accounting controls.8.8
• MyCase Legal AccountingA mobile trust accounting add-on with reconciliation, compliance safeguards, and firm reporting.8.7
• CAClio AccountingA focused accounting option for Clio firms managing trust and operating accounts.8.6

See all Brief Accounting alternatives →

Also listed in

• Law Firm Accounting Software

Featured on iTechGuides

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update