Legal · head to head
NetDocuments vs Smokeball
Smokeball
Legal
Practice management for small law firms with automatic time capture
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: NetDocuments quote-only pricing per user with no published rates; Smokeball requires a Windows desktop component for automatic time capture, so it is not browser-only like its competitors
- They diverge on capability: NetDocuments covers Matter-centric filing, Smokeball covers Automatic time capture.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which NetDocuments and Smokeball actually diverge.
| Attribute | NetDocuments | Smokeball |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, Windows, iOS, Android, Cloud | Windows, Web, iOS, Android |
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 NetDocuments
- Matter-centric filing
- Ethical walls
- Email management
- Version control
- Search
- Retention
Only in Smokeball
- Automatic time capture
- Matter management
- Document automation
- Billing and trust accounting
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 Smokeball
- Capturing email into the matter record instead of individual inboxesnot Smokeball
- Moving document management off on-premise serversnot Smokeball
Smokeball
- Firms billing hourly that lose revenue to unrecorded timenot NetDocuments
- Small practices replacing paper matter files and spreadsheetsnot NetDocuments
- Firms needing court form automation for high-volume matter typesnot 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
Smokeball
- Requires a Windows desktop component for automatic time capture, so it is not browser-only like its competitors
- Quote-only pricing with no published rates
- Aimed at small firms; larger practices with complex billing arrangements generally outgrow it
Pricing, plan by plan
NetDocuments
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the NetDocuments review.
Smokeball
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Smokeball review.
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.
Choose Smokeball if
- You need automatic time capture.
- You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want matter management.
Questions people ask
- Is NetDocuments or Smokeball better?
- Neither clearly leads. NetDocuments starts at On request and Smokeball at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, NetDocuments or Smokeball?
- NetDocuments starts at On request and Smokeball at On request.
- Does NetDocuments or Smokeball run on more platforms?
- NetDocuments runs on Web, Windows, iOS, Android, Cloud. Smokeball runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
- 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 Smokeball is typically brought in for.
- What can NetDocuments do that Smokeball cannot?
- NetDocuments covers Matter-centric filing, Ethical walls, Email management, Version control. Smokeball covers Automatic time capture, Matter management, Document automation, Billing and trust accounting.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
NetDocuments: What does NetDocuments cost?
It quotes per user and does not publish rates.
Smokeball: What does Smokeball cost?
Pricing is quoted per firm and not published.
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.
Smokeball: How does automatic time capture work?
A desktop application observes work on matters and turns activity into billable entries, rather than depending on someone remembering to start a timer.
NetDocuments: Does it handle email?
Yes, capturing correspondence into the matter record, which is where most legal email otherwise fails to land.
Smokeball: Does it run on Mac?
The automatic time capture component is Windows-based, which is the main platform constraint.