Softwr

Legal · head to head

NetDocuments vs Ory Kratos

NetDocuments logo

NetDocuments

Legal

Cloud document management for law firms

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ory Kratos logo

Ory Kratos

Cybersecurity

Headless identity and user management API

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Ory Kratos has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: NetDocuments quote-only pricing per user with no published rates; Ory Kratos headless means you build every screen, which is significant work compared with a hosted login page
  • They diverge on capability: NetDocuments covers Matter-centric filing, Ory Kratos covers Headless API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which NetDocuments and Ory Kratos actually diverge.

Attributes where NetDocuments and Ory Kratos differ
AttributeNetDocumentsOry Kratos
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteOpen-source self-hosted, with a paid managed network
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Windows, iOS, Android, CloudLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted
CategoryLegalCybersecurity

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 NetDocuments

  • Matter-centric filing
  • Ethical walls
  • Email management
  • Version control
  • Search
  • Retention

Only in Ory Kratos

  • Headless API
  • Self-service flows
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • Pluggable identity schemas

What people use each for

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

NetDocuments

  • Firms needing enforceable ethical walls rather than folder permissionsnot Ory Kratos
  • Capturing email into the matter record instead of individual inboxesnot Ory Kratos
  • Moving document management off on-premise serversnot Ory Kratos

Ory Kratos

  • Products needing complete control over the look and flow of authenticationnot NetDocuments
  • Applications that must not hand user identity data to a third partynot NetDocuments
  • Teams building identity as infrastructure across several servicesnot NetDocuments

Where each one falls short

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

NetDocuments

  • Quote-only pricing per user with no published rates
  • Migrating an existing document store is a substantial project, and legacy metadata rarely survives cleanly
  • Aimed at mid-size and large firms; solo practices find it heavier than needed
  • Adoption depends on fee earners filing correctly, and habits are the hard part

Ory Kratos

  • Headless means you build every screen, which is significant work compared with a hosted login page
  • More moving parts than a monolithic IAM: Kratos handles identity, and OAuth2 needs Ory Hydra alongside
  • Documentation assumes real familiarity with identity concepts and is not a gentle introduction
  • Self-hosting identity carries the security and availability burden that hosted providers absorb

Pricing, plan by plan

NetDocuments

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the NetDocuments review.

Ory Kratos

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • Full identity server
    • All flows
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose NetDocuments if

  • You need matter-centric filing.
  • You work on Web, Windows, iOS, Android, Cloud.
  • You also want ethical walls.
NetDocuments review

Choose Ory Kratos if

  • You need headless api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
  • You also want self-service flows.
Ory Kratos review

Questions people ask

Is NetDocuments or Ory Kratos better?
Neither clearly leads. NetDocuments starts at On request and Ory Kratos at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, NetDocuments or Ory Kratos?
Ory Kratos has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for NetDocuments and Free for Ory Kratos.
Does NetDocuments or Ory Kratos run on more platforms?
NetDocuments runs on Web, Windows, iOS, Android, Cloud. Ory Kratos runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
Can I use Ory Kratos for free?
Yes. Ory Kratos has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. NetDocuments starts at On request.
What is NetDocuments best used for?
NetDocuments is most often used for firms needing enforceable ethical walls rather than folder permissions, capturing email into the matter record instead of individual inboxes, moving document management off on-premise servers. Of those, firms needing enforceable ethical walls rather than folder permissions and capturing email into the matter record instead of individual inboxes are not what Ory Kratos is typically brought in for.
What can NetDocuments do that Ory Kratos cannot?
NetDocuments covers Matter-centric filing, Ethical walls, Email management, Version control. Ory Kratos covers Headless API, Self-service flows, Multi-factor authentication, Pluggable identity schemas.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

NetDocuments: What does NetDocuments cost?

It quotes per user and does not publish rates.

Ory Kratos: Is Ory Kratos free?

Yes, open source and free to self-host. Ory Network is a paid managed service.

NetDocuments: Why not just use SharePoint or Dropbox?

Neither expresses matter-centric security or ethical walls in an auditable way, which is a professional obligation rather than a preference in legal practice.

Ory Kratos: What does headless mean here?

Kratos provides identity flows as APIs and no user interface. You build the login, registration and recovery screens yourself.

NetDocuments: Does it handle email?

Yes, capturing correspondence into the matter record, which is where most legal email otherwise fails to land.

Ory Kratos: Does Kratos do OAuth2?

No. Kratos handles user identity; OAuth2 and OpenID Connect provider functionality is Ory Hydra, a separate component.

Share

Related pages

More on NetDocuments

More on Ory Kratos

Keep looking

Other head to heads