Actionstep vs Legal Files
Actionstep scores 7.6/10 vs 6.2/10. Best for: Firms that want to standardize their workflows with step-by-step matter templates so every case follows the same process regardless of who handles it.
Actionstep scores higher overall at 7.6/10 vs 6.2/10. Actionstep is the right pick if you want to systematize your firm's workflows so every matter follows the same playbook. The workflow builder is genuinely powerful. Skip it if you want a simple, pick-up-and-go tool — the setup investment is real.
Actionstep 
Legal Files Rank
#9 of 39
Rank
#35 of 39
Features
17/18
Features
12/18
Starting at
$69/mo
Starting at
Custom
User reviews
4/5 (200)
User reviews
3.8/5 (20)
What they cost
| Actionstep | Legal Files | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting at | $69 /mo | Contact for pricing |
| Free trial | No | No |
| Number of plans | 2 | Custom |
What the pricing really means
Actionstep publishes their pricing upfront, which is a good sign. Legal Files requires you to contact sales for a quote. When a company hides pricing, it usually means the cost is high enough that they want a salesperson to justify it before you see the number. Always ask for total year-one cost, not just the monthly subscription.
Where Actionstep wins
- Workflow automation is the core feature, with step-by-step matter templates that ensure nothing falls through the cracks
- Strong in conveyancing and property law workflows, which few competitors handle well
- Built-in trust accounting with compliance checks for multiple jurisdictions (US, UK, AU, NZ)
- API is robust enough to build custom integrations without hitting walls
Where Legal Files wins
- Purpose-built for in-house legal departments with matter management, spend tracking, and outside counsel management
- Litigation hold and legal hold management for e-discovery compliance
- Contract lifecycle management included
- Trusted by government agencies and universities
Where Actionstep falls short
- No free trial — you commit based on a demo
- G2 rating of 4.0 is below average, with users citing a steeper learning curve than competitors
- Interface looks dated compared to Clio or PracticePanther
- Originally built for the Australian/NZ market, so some US-specific features feel like afterthoughts
Where Legal Files falls short
- No billing or trust accounting — this is for in-house teams, not billable-hour firms
- No public pricing and enterprise sales process
- No client portal, mobile app, or eSignature
- Very limited reviews make it hard to assess independently
Who is each product built for?
Actionstep
Target: 2-50 attorneys
Actionstep is the right pick if you want to systematize your firm's workflows so every matter follows the same playbook. The workflow builder is genuinely powerful. Skip it if you want a simple, pick-up-and-go tool — the setup investment is real.
Legal Files
Target: 10-500+ users
Legal Files serves a different market than most legal PM tools — in-house legal departments, not law firms. If you're corporate counsel managing outside legal spend and litigation holds, it's worth a demo. Law firms should look elsewhere.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Actionstep | Legal Files |
|---|---|---|
| Case Management | ||
| Case / matter management | ||
| Contact management | ||
| Conflict checks | ||
| Client intake forms | ||
| Client portal | ||
| Documents & Automation | ||
| Document management | ||
| Document automation | ||
| E-signatures | ||
| Email management | ||
| Billing & Accounting | ||
| Time tracking | ||
| Billing & invoicing | ||
| Trust / IOLTA accounting | ||
| Scheduling & Deadlines | ||
| Calendar management | ||
| Task management | ||
| Court rule deadlines | ||
| Platform | ||
| Reporting / analytics | ||
| Mobile app | ||
| API access | ||
Common questions
Actionstep scores 7.6/10 vs Legal Files's 6.2/10 in our ranking. Actionstep is the better pick for 2-50 attorneys. Legal Files is better if you need corporate legal departments and government agencies that need matter management, contract tracking, and litigation hold capabilities across large teams.
Actionstep starts at $69/month. Legal Files uses custom pricing (contact sales). Watch for add-on costs — the base price often does not include all features. Pricing last verified 2026-04-11.
Actionstep: No free trial. Legal Files: No free trial. Always test with your actual workflow before committing to an annual plan.
Actionstep covers 17 of 18 features we track. Legal Files covers 12 of 18. Actionstep has broader feature coverage, but more features does not always mean better — pick the tool that covers what your business actually needs.
Yes, Actionstep has a mobile app. Legal Files does not.
Yes. The main effort is migrating your data (customer lists, job history, invoices). Plan for 1-2 weeks of overlap where you run both. Most legal practice management tools can import CSV data. Ask both vendors about migration support before you sign.
The bottom line
Pick Actionstep if...
Firms that want to standardize their workflows with step-by-step matter templates so every case follows the same process regardless of who handles it.
Pick Legal Files if...
Corporate legal departments and government agencies that need matter management, contract tracking, and litigation hold capabilities across large teams.