Softwr

Legal · head to head

Harvey vs Relativity

Harvey logo

Harvey

Legal

AI research and drafting platform for large law firms, sold on enterprise-only seat pricing with no self-service tier and reported contracts from roughly $50,000 to $360,000 a year

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: Harvey there is no published pricing anywhere, and no self-service tier at all, so even qualifying for a quote requires an enterprise sales process most small and mid-size firms cannot justify starting.; Relativity quote-only and expensive, typically billed on data volume, so costs escalate with matter size
  • They diverge on capability: Harvey covers Legal research assistant, Relativity covers Large-scale processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Harvey and Relativity actually diverge.

Attributes where Harvey and Relativity differ
AttributeHarveyRelativity
PlatformsWebWeb, 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 Harvey

  • Legal research assistant
  • Contract analysis
  • Document drafting
  • Workflow-specific tools
  • DMS integration
  • Firm-tuned deployment

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.

Harvey

  • An AmLaw 100 or 200 firm wanting AI-assisted due diligence review across large contract setsnot Relativity
  • A large corporate legal department needing firm-tuned drafting on its own precedent librarynot Relativity
  • A litigation practice wanting AI research assistance integrated directly with its document management systemnot Relativity
  • A firm large enough to absorb a 25-seat minimum and enterprise contract cost, evaluating AI tools at BigLaw scalenot Relativity

Relativity

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

Where each one falls short

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

Harvey

  • There is no published pricing anywhere, and no self-service tier at all, so even qualifying for a quote requires an enterprise sales process most small and mid-size firms cannot justify starting.
  • 25-seat minimums put it structurally out of reach for solo, boutique and most mid-size firms regardless of interest.
  • Reported additional platform fees on top of the headline per-seat licence mean the effective total cost is materially higher than the quoted seat price alone suggests.
  • As a well-funded, fast-growing AI vendor, its product and pricing model are still evolving quickly, which is a real risk for a firm signing a multi-year enterprise contract now.
  • Being trained and marketed specifically for BigLaw workflows means smaller firms evaluating it are comparing themselves against a product that was not built or priced with them in mind.

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

Harvey

On request
  • Enterprise (BigLaw)$undefined/year
    • No self-service signup, quote-only via sales
    • 25-seat minimums commonly reported
    • Reported per-seat cost roughly $1,000-2,000/month depending on usage tier

Relativity

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Relativity review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Harvey if

  • You need legal research assistant.
  • You also want contract analysis.
Harvey 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 Harvey or Relativity better?
Neither clearly leads. Harvey 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, Harvey or Relativity?
Harvey starts at On request and Relativity at On request.
Does Harvey or Relativity run on more platforms?
Harvey runs on Web. Relativity runs on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted.
What is Harvey best used for?
Harvey is most often used for an amlaw 100 or 200 firm wanting ai-assisted due diligence review across large contract sets, a large corporate legal department needing firm-tuned drafting on its own precedent library, a litigation practice wanting ai research assistance integrated directly with its document management system, a firm large enough to absorb a 25-seat minimum and enterprise contract cost, evaluating ai tools at biglaw scale. Of those, an amlaw 100 or 200 firm wanting ai-assisted due diligence review across large contract sets and a large corporate legal department needing firm-tuned drafting on its own precedent library are not what Relativity is typically brought in for.
What can Harvey do that Relativity cannot?
Harvey covers Legal research assistant, Contract analysis, Document drafting, Workflow-specific tools. Relativity covers Large-scale processing, Review workflow, Analytics and active learning, Application ecosystem.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Harvey: Can a small firm buy Harvey?

In practice, no. There is no self-service tier, and reported 25-seat minimums and six-figure contract values put it out of reach for most small and mid-size firms.

Relativity: What does Relativity cost?

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

Harvey: How much does Harvey actually cost?

Nothing is published. Third-party reporting estimates $1,000-2,000 per seat per month and enterprise contracts from roughly $360,000 to over $1.5 million a year including platform fees.

Relativity: Is Relativity only for law firms?

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

Harvey: Does Harvey replace Westlaw or LexisNexis?

No. It is an AI research, drafting and review layer, typically deployed alongside rather than instead of a primary legal research database.

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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