The comparison
| Tool | Main job | Who it's built for | Published pricing | What we couldn't verify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MyCase | Practice management with 8am IQ AI by plan | Law firms of several sizes | USD 50, 100, 130 per user per month billed annually (USD 60, 120, 150 monthly); 10-day trial, no card | AI accuracy, what each plan's AI really covers |
| PracticePanther | Practice management in Solo, Essential, Business, Business Pro | Solo to mid-sized firms | USD 49, 69, 89, 114 per user per month billed annually (USD 59, 79, 99, 124 monthly); 7-day trial, no card | AI features (none listed), integrations |
| Smokeball | Bill, Boost, Grow and Prosper+ plans; Archie AI as an add-on | Firms by size; Grow is for three or more staff | No amounts; depends on users, plan, term and add-ons | Prices, trial |
| Filevine | Case management with LOIS AI, intake, depositions, signatures | Firms by practice area and size, government, in-house | No amounts; "All packages are custom built"; free LOIS Explore tier | Prices, package contents |
| CosmoLex | Practice management with built-in accounting; AI summaries, filters, intake form builder | Solo practitioners and small teams (from testimonials) | USD 49, 99, 129 per user per month (Launch, Core, Pro); free start, no card | Which plans include the AI features, annual prices |
| Actionstep | Practice management and legal accounting, with Trace and Acumen AI modules | Midsize firms | Not published; "Priced per user plus implementation fees" | Prices, trial |
Who each is for
PracticePanther. The lowest published per-user rates here and no AI on its pricing page. A fit if you want core practice management at a clear price. See MyCase vs PracticePanther.
Smokeball. Document and matter centred, with a desktop app on the Grow plan and AI sold as an add-on. No prices to compare. See MyCase vs Smokeball and our Smokeball review.
Filevine. Custom packages and a broad AI suite, for firms of every size and for government. Expect a sales process rather than a self-serve trial. See Filevine alternatives.
CosmoLex. Accounting is part of the product, which matters if trust accounting is your main pain. It lists AI features but doesn't say which plans include them.
Actionstep. Aimed at midsize firms, priced per user plus implementation fees, with AI in add-on modules.
Pricing, as shown on October 21, 2026
Published per-user monthly prices: PracticePanther USD 49 to 114 (billed annually), MyCase USD 50 to 130 (billed annually), CosmoLex USD 49 to 129. CosmoLex's page says "Save $120 per user with yearly" without annual prices per plan, so don't compare it directly. MyCase's Discovery Assistant includes 5,000 pages per user each month, shared across the firm, and extra pages cost USD 30 per 5,000 on the MyCase page. Smokeball, Filevine and Actionstep don't publish amounts.
What we couldn't verify
- Clio's current prices (site returned 403; we didn't work around it). Compare with our Clio alternatives page.
- Any Smokeball, Filevine or Actionstep price.
- AI quality for any vendor.
- Data export and migration terms out of MyCase.
- Security certifications for all vendors.
How to choose
- List your must-haves: trust accounting, billing, intake, client portal, AI, your practice area.
- Get written quotes at your user count from Smokeball, Filevine and Actionstep.
- Trial PracticePanther (7 days), CosmoLex or MyCase (10 days) with real, non-sensitive matters.
- Ask each vendor how they import MyCase data and what it costs.
- Price the whole stack: AI add-ons, payments and e-signature, not only the seat.
Sources
- MyCase pricing (page read October 21, 2026) (Vendor claims; plan prices annual and monthly, 8am IQ by plan, 10-day trial, Discovery pages)
- PracticePanther pricing (page read October 21, 2026) (Vendor claims; four plans, prices, 7-day trial)
- Smokeball pricing (page read October 21, 2026) (Vendor claims; plans, Archie add-on, no amounts)
- Filevine pricing (page read October 21, 2026) (Vendor claims; custom packages, LOIS, free LOIS Explore)
- CosmoLex pricing (page read October 21, 2026) (Vendor claims; Launch, Core, Pro prices, AI features, free start)
- Actionstep pricing (page read October 21, 2026) (Vendor claims; per user plus implementation fees, Trace and Acumen)
Questions and answers
What are the best MyCase alternatives?
PracticePanther, Smokeball, Filevine, CosmoLex and Actionstep are the ones we compared. We haven't tested them; fit depends on practice area, firm size and budget.
Which MyCase alternative is cheapest?
On published prices, PracticePanther starts at USD 49 per user per month billed annually and CosmoLex at USD 49 per user per month, against MyCase at USD 50 billed annually. Cheapest on the sticker isn't cheapest in use, since AI and accounting sit in different plans.
Does any MyCase alternative have AI?
Yes. Smokeball sells Archie AI as an add-on, Filevine has LOIS, CosmoLex lists AI summaries, filters and an intake form builder, and Actionstep has Trace and Acumen. PracticePanther's pricing page lists none. See Smokeball Archie AI.
Is MyCase worth it?
MyCase is the most transparent on price and AI by plan among these, with AI starting on Pro (USD 100 per user per month billed annually). Whether it's worth it depends on your workflow, so trial it on real matters. See our MyCase review.
Which alternative offers a free trial?
PracticePanther gives 7 days with no card and CosmoLex lets you start free with no card. Filevine has a free LOIS Explore tier that doesn't include case management. Smokeball and Actionstep don't mention a trial on the pages we read.
Operational information, not legal advice. Tool descriptions are each vendor's own claims, read October 21, 2026; we did not test any product. Prices change; check the vendor page before you decide.