BarBooks

BarBooks is cloud-based legal practice management software built around barristers and clerks. It is designed for barristers, sole practitioners, and clerks, with tools for organising matter details, linking contacts to matters, and setting hourly or fixed fees. Users can create and customise invoices, apply interest automatically to late payments, and review aged receivables. Listed reports cover profit and loss, GST, financial year-end tax, aged debtors, turnover, work in progress, cashflow, and activity statements. BarBooks can sync barristers’ calendars and make its calendar available through existing calendars and mobile apps. It runs on Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, and the web. Bank transaction syncing and reconciliation are available as a Bank Rec add-on, listed at A$12 a month. The Sole Practitioner plan is listed at A$60 a month, with tax excluded; BAS Service is listed at A$99 a quarter. A 14-day trial includes all features, but continued use requires a licence or stopping use and uninstalling the software.

BarBooks brings matter management, invoicing, reporting, and calendar syncing together for legal practices focused on barristers. Its 14-day trial is temporary, and ongoing use requires a licence.

BarBooks suits barristers, sole practitioners, and clerks who need matter, billing, calendar, and financial reporting tools. It is available across desktop, mobile, and web platforms.

Overview

BarBooks is cloud-based practice software for barristers and clerks, with tools for matter billing and legal finances. It is strongest for barristers and sole practitioners who want trust accounting and practice reports alongside invoicing; firms looking for a wider case-management suite should compare other options.

The 14-day trial includes all features, but continued use requires a licence. Bank reconciliation and BAS services add separate costs, so the core subscription is not the whole picture for practices that need those services.

Key features

Users can organise matter details, link contacts and set hourly or fixed fees. Matter-level billing and client ledgers make this more relevant to legal practices than a general invoicing tool, particularly where fees vary by matter.

Invoices can be customised, with interest applied automatically to late payments. Aged-receivables reporting helps practitioners follow overdue balances. Other reports cover profit and loss, GST, financial year-end tax, aged debtors, turnover, work in progress, cashflow and activity statements. That range is useful for a practitioner managing both billing and financial oversight, though the emphasis is on practice finances rather than broader case workflows.

Calendar syncing makes the BarBooks calendar accessible from existing calendars and mobile apps. Bank transaction syncing and reconciliation require the Bank Rec add-on, while BAS completion and lodgement are a separate service. Amaka appears as a business-trackers integration link.

BarBooks says data is backed up automatically and stored both on each device and its server. It says it will not access or otherwise use financial data in the software. Support is offered through live chat and a help desk, and new users can receive one hour of on-site training.

Pricing

BarBooks has no free plan. The 14-day trial includes all features; after it ends, users must buy a continuing licence or stop using and uninstall the software.

The Sole Practitioner plan suits an individual needing the full platform, while the monthly and annual offerings describe onboarding and support but have custom pricing. Bank Rec is the clearest extra cost for anyone who wants reconciled bank transactions; the separately priced BAS service is for users who want help completing and lodging BAS.

Platforms

BarBooks is available on Android, iOS, macOS, the web and Windows. The trial includes all features, and the maker names Windows, Mac and iOS on its download page as well as Android in its pricing FAQ.

Who it's for

Barristers, clerks and sole practitioners are the natural audience, especially those who need matter-level billing, client ledgers, trust accounting and financial reporting in one product. Practices that primarily need broader case-management workflows should look elsewhere.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Matter-level hourly or fixed fees, client ledgers and trust accounting suit legal financial work.
• Pro: Custom invoices, automatic late-payment interest and a broad set of financial reports support day-to-day billing oversight.
• Pro: The 14-day trial includes all features, with support through live chat and a help desk.
• Con: Continued use requires a licence, and most plan prices are custom pricing.
• Con: Bank reconciliation and BAS are separate from the A$60 a month Sole Practitioner plan.
• Con: The product is focused on barristers and practice finances, making it a less natural fit for teams prioritising broader case-management workflows.

Alternatives

• Actionstep is worth comparing for firms seeking matter and case management alongside client intake, forms and document management; its paid plan is priced per user plus implementation fees.
• Aderant Expert Sierra is another paid option, with pricing available by demo request.
• CosmoLex suits readers comparing a per-user monthly plan that includes time tracking, invoicing, online payments, trust accounting and ledgers; Launch is $49 a month.
• Dye & Durham Legal Accounts is another paid legal accounting option to consider.
• LawPracticeZA offers a paid subscription with a quote after a demo.
• Orion ePay is another paid option with pricing available by contacting Orion.
• Account Legal is an alternative with a one-month plan at $19.94 a month and unlimited access, multiple trust accounts and unlimited clients.
• Lexis+ is a paid alternative whose subscription pricing varies by organization and configuration.

For broader category comparisons, see Legal Accounting Software, Legal Trust Accounting Software and Legal Practice Management Software.

Verdict

BarBooks is a strong fit for barristers and sole practitioners who want matter billing, trust accounting and financial reporting in a focused platform. Its financial tools and 14-day full-feature trial are the main reasons to choose it; custom pricing for several plans and separate charges for bank reconciliation and BAS are reasons to compare alternatives before committing.