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Legal · head to head

Actionstep vs Relativity

Actionstep logo

Actionstep

Legal

Configurable legal practice and accounting management platform sold as two separate products, priced per user with no published rate

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Relativity logo

Relativity

Legal

Ediscovery and legal data platform for large matters

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Actionstep no pricing is published beyond a rough $60 a month starting figure; real cost including implementation and add-ons requires a sales quote and can rise substantially, as one documented case showed a fourfold increase within a year.; Relativity quote-only and expensive, typically billed on data volume, so costs escalate with matter size
  • They diverge on capability: Actionstep covers Configurable workflows, Relativity covers Large-scale processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Actionstep and Relativity actually diverge.

Attributes where Actionstep and Relativity differ
AttributeActionstepRelativity
Pricing modelPer user per monthquote
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Cloud, Self-hosted

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Legal).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Actionstep

  • Configurable workflows
  • Legal Accounting
  • Builder
  • Capture
  • Trace
  • Acumen

Only in Relativity

  • Large-scale processing
  • Review workflow
  • Analytics and active learning
  • Application ecosystem

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Actionstep

  • A firm whose matter types do not fit standard case management templates and wants to build its own workflow structurenot Relativity
  • A US firm needing trust accounting compliance built into the same system as matter managementnot Relativity
  • A firm using AI time capture to reduce billing leakage from unrecorded worknot Relativity
  • A growing mid-size firm wanting embedded analytics on matter profitability without exporting to a separate BI toolnot Relativity

Relativity

  • Large litigation with very high document volumesnot Actionstep
  • Corporate investigations requiring defensible, auditable reviewnot Actionstep
  • Firms whose review process is already built around the platformnot Actionstep

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Actionstep

  • No pricing is published beyond a rough $60 a month starting figure; real cost including implementation and add-ons requires a sales quote and can rise substantially, as one documented case showed a fourfold increase within a year.
  • The configurability that is the main selling point means implementation is a genuine project requiring firm time to design workflows, not a same-day signup like more templated competitors.
  • Legal Accounting is sold as a separate North America-only product, so international firms cannot get the full accounting feature set through the same purchase.
  • Reviewer base skews heavily toward small firms, and Actionstep itself is candid that most of its reviews come from small businesses, which is a signal about where the product is proven at scale.
  • Add-on modules (Builder, Capture, Trace, Acumen) are each additional cost, so a firm comparing Actionstep to an all-in-one competitor needs to price in modules separately to get a fair comparison.

Relativity

  • Quote-only and expensive, typically billed on data volume, so costs escalate with matter size
  • Complex enough that certified specialists are a job title, which is a real staffing cost
  • Considerable overkill for small matters, where lighter self-service tools are far cheaper

Pricing, plan by plan

Actionstep

On request
  • Practice Management$undefined/month
    • Starts around $60 per user per month, quote required for exact rate
    • Implementation fees charged separately
    • Priced per user, varies by region (US, UK, AU, NZ, CAD)
  • Legal Accounting$undefined/month
    • North America only
    • Sold separately from or combined with Practice Management
    • Add-on modules (Builder, Capture, Trace, Acumen) priced separately

Relativity

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Relativity review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Actionstep if

  • You need configurable workflows.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want legal accounting.
Actionstep review

Choose Relativity if

  • You need large-scale processing.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted.
  • You also want review workflow.
Relativity review

Questions people ask

Is Actionstep or Relativity better?
Neither clearly leads. Actionstep starts at On request and Relativity at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Actionstep or Relativity?
Actionstep starts at On request and Relativity at On request.
Does Actionstep or Relativity run on more platforms?
Actionstep runs on Web, iOS, Android. Relativity runs on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted.
What is Actionstep best used for?
Actionstep is most often used for a firm whose matter types do not fit standard case management templates and wants to build its own workflow structure, a us firm needing trust accounting compliance built into the same system as matter management, a firm using ai time capture to reduce billing leakage from unrecorded work, a growing mid-size firm wanting embedded analytics on matter profitability without exporting to a separate bi tool. Of those, a firm whose matter types do not fit standard case management templates and wants to build its own workflow structure and a us firm needing trust accounting compliance built into the same system as matter management are not what Relativity is typically brought in for.
What can Actionstep do that Relativity cannot?
Actionstep covers Configurable workflows, Legal Accounting, Builder, Capture. Relativity covers Large-scale processing, Review workflow, Analytics and active learning, Application ecosystem.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Actionstep: Is Actionstep pricing published?

No. The pricing page gives no rate card; you must request a quote, and cost is per user plus implementation fees, varying by region.

Relativity: What does Relativity cost?

It does not publish rates. Ediscovery is generally billed on data volume and users, quoted per matter or organisation.

Actionstep: Can I buy just the accounting product?

Yes, Legal Accounting is sold separately from Practice Management, though it is limited to North America.

Relativity: Is Relativity only for law firms?

No. Corporate legal departments and government agencies use it for investigations as well as litigation.

Actionstep: Does it work like Clio or MyCase out of the box?

Not exactly. Actionstep leans on firm-configured workflows rather than fixed templates, which means more setup but a closer eventual fit to how the firm works.

Relativity: Do I need trained staff?

In practice yes. Relativity certification is a recognised specialism, and that staffing cost is part of the total.

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