Softwr

Legal · head to head

Aderant vs Relativity

Aderant logo

Aderant

Legal

Practice and financial management for large law firms

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: Aderant implementation is a programme of work with consultants and data migration, so the licence fee is a minority of the real first year cost.; Relativity quote-only and expensive, typically billed on data volume, so costs escalate with matter size
  • They diverge on capability: Aderant covers Aderant Expert, Relativity covers Large-scale processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aderant and Relativity actually diverge.

Attributes where Aderant and Relativity differ
AttributeAderantRelativity
PlatformsWindows, Web, iOS, AndroidWeb, Cloud, Self-hosted

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), 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 Aderant

  • Aderant Expert
  • Conflicts and new business intake
  • Docketing and calendaring
  • Multi-currency and multi-entity billing
  • Business intelligence

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.

Aderant

  • Firms of a hundred or more fee earners needing matter financials across multiple offices and currenciesnot Relativity
  • Practices replacing an ageing time and billing system without leaving the large firm segmentnot Relativity
  • Firms needing conflicts checking and new business intake governed by an approval workflownot Relativity
  • Partnerships reporting profitability by practice group and requiring realisation analysisnot Relativity

Relativity

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

Where each one falls short

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

Aderant

  • Implementation is a programme of work with consultants and data migration, so the licence fee is a minority of the real first year cost.
  • It is designed for large firms, so a practice below roughly fifty fee earners pays for governance and reporting depth it will never use.
  • Ownership by an acquisitive holding company tends to mean predictable maintenance uplifts at renewal rather than competitive discounting.
  • The credible alternative set is effectively one other product, which weakens a firm's negotiating position because switching is genuinely expensive.
  • Nothing about pricing is published, so budgeting requires a sales engagement and useful comparisons come only from peer firms.

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

Aderant

On request
  • Aderant Expert$undefined/year
    • Enterprise licensing quoted per firm
    • Implementation, migration and consultancy quoted separately
    • Annual maintenance and support

Relativity

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Relativity review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Aderant if

  • You need aderant expert.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want conflicts and new business intake.
Aderant 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 Aderant or Relativity better?
Neither clearly leads. Aderant 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, Aderant or Relativity?
Aderant starts at On request and Relativity at On request.
Does Aderant or Relativity run on more platforms?
Aderant runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android. Relativity runs on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted.
What is Aderant best used for?
Aderant is most often used for firms of a hundred or more fee earners needing matter financials across multiple offices and currencies, practices replacing an ageing time and billing system without leaving the large firm segment, firms needing conflicts checking and new business intake governed by an approval workflow, partnerships reporting profitability by practice group and requiring realisation analysis. Of those, firms of a hundred or more fee earners needing matter financials across multiple offices and currencies and practices replacing an ageing time and billing system without leaving the large firm segment are not what Relativity is typically brought in for.
What can Aderant do that Relativity cannot?
Aderant covers Aderant Expert, Conflicts and new business intake, Docketing and calendaring, Multi-currency and multi-entity billing. Relativity covers Large-scale processing, Review workflow, Analytics and active learning, Application ecosystem.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Aderant: Who owns Aderant?

Roper Technologies acquired Aderant in 2015. Roper buys and holds vertical market software businesses, which in practice means long product support and steady renewal pricing rather than rapid change.

Relativity: What does Relativity cost?

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

Aderant: What size of firm is Aderant for?

Large firms, broadly a hundred fee earners and above. Smaller practices are better served by Clio, Tabs3 or Smokeball.

Relativity: Is Relativity only for law firms?

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

Aderant: What does it compete with?

Thomson Reuters Elite 3E is the main alternative at this size, and most large firm selections come down to those two.

Relativity: Do I need trained staff?

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

Share

Related pages

More on Aderant

More on Relativity

Keep looking

Other head to heads