Actionstep vs Smokeball
Smokeball scores 8.2/10 vs 7.6/10. Best for: Small firms that want automatic time capture and a massive document template library so they can bill more hours without manual tracking.
Smokeball scores higher overall at 8.2/10 vs 7.6/10. Smokeball's automatic time tracking genuinely captures revenue that other tools miss. If your firm leaks billable hours because attorneys forget to start timers, this pays for itself. The catch: you need the $149/user Grow plan to get it.
Actionstep 
Smokeball Rank
#9 of 39
Rank
#2 of 39
Features
17/18
Features
17/18
Starting at
$69/mo
Starting at
$29/mo
User reviews
4/5 (200)
User reviews
4.8/5 (500)
What they cost
| Actionstep | Smokeball | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting at | $69 /mo | $29 /mo |
| Free trial | No | No |
| Number of plans | 2 | 3 |
What the pricing really means
At first glance, Smokeball looks cheaper at $29/month vs $69/month. But sticker price is only part of the story. Look at what is included on the base plan, how many users you get, and whether you need add-ons to get the features you actually need. The $99/month plan that requires $200 in add-ons is actually more expensive than the $250/month plan that includes everything.
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 Smokeball wins
- Automatic time tracking runs in the background and captures billable activity you'd otherwise forget to log — firms report 20-30% more captured time
- 1,000+ built-in document templates for common legal forms, which saves hours compared to building templates from scratch
- G2 and Capterra ratings (4.8/5 on both) are the highest in the category, and reviews back it up with genuine praise
- Bill plan at $29/user is one of the cheapest entry points if you just need billing and time tracking
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 Smokeball falls short
- No free trial — you have to commit based on a demo, which means trusting the sales pitch
- The Grow plan at $149/user is expensive and you need it for automatic time tracking, which is the main differentiator
- Smaller integration ecosystem than Clio — about 50 integrations vs 250+
- No mobile app — desktop-first architecture means attorneys can't access cases from their phone
- Originally built for Australian and UK markets, so some US-specific workflows feel bolted on
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.
Smokeball
Target: 1-30 attorneys
Smokeball's automatic time tracking genuinely captures revenue that other tools miss. If your firm leaks billable hours because attorneys forget to start timers, this pays for itself. The catch: you need the $149/user Grow plan to get it.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Actionstep | Smokeball |
|---|---|---|
| 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
Smokeball scores 8.2/10 vs Actionstep's 7.6/10 in our ranking. Smokeball is the better pick for 1-30 attorneys. Actionstep is better if you need 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 starts at $69/month. Smokeball starts at $29/month. Watch for add-on costs — the base price often does not include all features. Pricing last verified 2026-04-11.
Actionstep: No free trial. Smokeball: No free trial. Always test with your actual workflow before committing to an annual plan.
Actionstep covers 17 of 18 features we track. Smokeball covers 17 of 18. Both are tied on 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. Smokeball 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 Smokeball if...
Small firms that want automatic time capture and a massive document template library so they can bill more hours without manual tracking.