Clio Payments enables clients to pay bills online using the following methods: credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, JCB, UnionPay), digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay), eCheck (digital checks) processed within Clio Payments, and ACH payments, where clients initiate a bank transfer from their own bank.
Important: Transactions initiated on bank holidays, weekends, or after business hours will begin processing on the next business day. Settlement timelines are based solely on business days.
Credit and debit cards
The table below shows the cards your clients will typically use, depending on their location: the US, Canada, or internationally. Payments are typically processed within one business day, although in rare instances this may take longer.
The following credit and debit card limitations may apply:
- Some debit cards may restrict online or subscription payments. Advise clients to contact their bank or card provider to confirm their card's eligibility.
- Prepaid cards are accepted for one-time payments only.
- Using a card other than Visa or Mastercard may result in some location-specific limitations.
| Location | Accepted cards |
|---|---|
| United States | Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover |
| Canada | Visa, Mastercard, American Express |
| International | Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners Club, JCB, Union Pay |
eChecks
Available in the US, eCheck payments authorize your firm to pull funds from your client’s bank account into your firm’s account. Clients enter their banking details through Clio Payments, which automatically processes the eCheck. Payments are typically processed swiftly although you may need to allow 5–7 business days for certain payments to be fully processed and deposited into your account. You can accept unlimited eChecks daily. Clients are limited to five eCheck payments per day, with a transaction limit of $25,000.
Direct ACH
Important: Your firm needs a record of successful Clio Payments transactions and a low dispute rate to be eligible for Direct ACH payments.
Available in the US, Direct ACH via Clio Payments allows clients to send funds directly from their bank account to your firms account. Once received, you can link bank transfers to the appropriate invoice or trust request to allocate funds. See Record and Manage Payment to learn more about recording bill payments from trust funds.
Pay Later
With Pay Later (provided by Affirm), you receive full payment upfront, while clients pay in smaller monthly installments. This option, supported for both legal fees and trust requests, helps you maintain a predictable cash flow and reduces the risk of carrying client debt.
Note: This payment method is currently available for US Clio Payments customers for transactions ranging from $50 to $30,000 USD.
Tip: You can track and reconcile Pay Later transactions in Reporting, the Online transactions table, and the bill preview.
Client loan options
There are four loan options available to your client, pending client eligibility, based on the total invoice amount:
| Invoice | Loan options |
|---|---|
| Up to $100 | 3 months |
| $100-$700 | 3, 6, and 12 months |
| $700-$1,700 | 6, 12, and 18 months |
| $1,700-$30,000 | 6, 12, and 36 months |
Enable or disable Pay Later
Pay later is off by default. You can enable Pay Later from your Clio Manage account using the opt-in toggle. When you enable Pay Later, this option will appear as a payment method available across Clio Payments. Follow the steps below to enable Pay Later.
Note: Pay later payments are included in your firms standard Clio Payments deposits.
- Go to Settings > Online payments.
- Click Go to Payment Settings.
- Navigate to the section for payment method settings.
- Locate the Pay Later section, and click on the toggle to opt in. To disable Pay Later, simply click on the toggle once again.
Pay later refunds and disputes
You can view client refunds and disputes for Pay Later transactions through Clio Payments. Affirm supports full or partial refunds for up to 120 days after the original purchase date.
- Disputes: Pay Later is provided by Affirm, which handles all customer disputes (e.g., related to loan terms or service quality), not Clio. This means that Clio will notify you of any disputes and hold the disputed amount for up to 30 days while the evidence is reviewed.
- Fees: Standard processing fees are charged when a Pay Later payment is complete. Please note that processing fees are typically not refunded with a credit.
Digital Wallets
Clio Payments also allows clients to pay via digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.