The comparison
| Tool | Main job | Who it's built for | Published pricing | What we couldn't verify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smokeball | Bill, Boost, Grow and Prosper+ plans; Archie AI add-on on Boost, Grow and Prosper+ | Bill for billing and trust accounting, Grow for firms with three or more staff | No amounts; depends on users, plan, contract term and add-ons | Prices, trial |
| 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 |
| PracticePanther | Practice management in four plans | 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) |
| Filevine | Case management with LOIS AI, intake, depositions | Firms by practice area and size, government, in-house | No amounts; custom packages; free LOIS Explore tier | Prices, package contents |
| CosmoLex | Practice management with built-in accounting and AI summaries | Solo practitioners and small teams (from testimonials) | USD 49, 99, 129 per user per month; free start, no card | Which plans include AI |
| Actionstep | Practice management and legal accounting with AI modules | Midsize firms | Not published; per user plus implementation fees | Prices, trial |
Who each is for
Smokeball. Document and matter centred. Its plans split billing (Bill), browser case management (Boost), a native desktop app (Grow) and an all-in-one platform (Prosper+). See our Smokeball review and Archie AI.
MyCase. The clearest public pricing, with AI by plan. Compare directly in MyCase vs Smokeball and see our MyCase review.
PracticePanther. Lowest published rates here and no AI listed. See MyCase vs PracticePanther.
Filevine. Another quote-only, AI-heavy option, with deposition tools. See Filevine alternatives.
CosmoLex. Accounting built in, aimed at small teams. Actionstep. Midsize firms, accounting and AI as add-on modules, implementation fees apply.
Pricing, as shown on October 21, 2026
Smokeball publishes no amounts: its FAQ says pricing "depends on the number of users at your firm, your selected plan, your contract term, and any optional products or services." Published per-user monthly prices elsewhere: PracticePanther USD 49 to 114 and MyCase USD 50 to 130 (both billed annually), CosmoLex USD 49 to 129. Filevine and Actionstep don't publish amounts.
What we couldn't verify
- Any Smokeball price or trial (the pricing page mentions neither).
- Clio's current prices (403; we didn't work around it). See Clio alternatives.
- AI quality for any vendor.
- Data export and migration terms out of Smokeball.
- Security certifications for all vendors.
How to choose
- List your must-haves: trust accounting, desktop document work, billing, intake, AI.
- Ask Smokeball for a written quote at your user count and plan, including Archie.
- Trial MyCase (10 days), PracticePanther (7 days) or CosmoLex with real, non-sensitive matters.
- Ask each vendor how they import Smokeball data and what it costs.
- Price the whole stack: AI add-ons, payments and e-signature, not only the seat.
Sources
- Smokeball pricing (page read October 21, 2026) (Vendor claims; plans, Archie add-on, FAQ on pricing, no amounts)
- MyCase pricing (page read October 21, 2026) (Vendor claims; prices, 8am IQ by plan, 10-day trial)
- PracticePanther pricing (page read October 21, 2026) (Vendor claims; prices, 7-day trial)
- Filevine pricing (page read October 21, 2026) (Vendor claims; custom packages, LOIS)
- CosmoLex pricing (page read October 21, 2026) (Vendor claims; prices, AI features)
- Actionstep pricing (page read October 21, 2026) (Vendor claims; per user plus implementation fees)
Questions and answers
What are the best Smokeball alternatives?
MyCase, PracticePanther, Filevine, CosmoLex and Actionstep are the ones we compared. We haven't tested them; fit depends on practice area, firm size and budget.
How much does Smokeball cost?
Smokeball doesn't publish amounts. Its pricing page says cost depends on users, plan, contract term and optional products, so you need a quote.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Smokeball?
We can't say, because Smokeball's price isn't public. PracticePanther starts at USD 49 and MyCase at USD 50 per user per month billed annually, so get a Smokeball quote at your user count and compare.
Does Smokeball have AI, and do the alternatives?
Smokeball offers Archie AI as an add-on on Boost, Grow and Prosper+ (not listed for Bill). MyCase has 8am IQ from the Pro plan, Filevine has LOIS and CosmoLex lists AI summaries. PracticePanther lists none.
Does Smokeball offer a free trial?
Its pricing page doesn't mention one. MyCase offers 10 days and PracticePanther 7 days, both with no credit card.
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.