Legal · head to head
Relativity vs Smokeball
Relativity
Legal
Ediscovery and legal data platform for large matters
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Smokeball
Legal
Practice management for small law firms with automatic time capture
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Relativity quote-only and expensive, typically billed on data volume, so costs escalate with matter size; Smokeball requires a Windows desktop component for automatic time capture, so it is not browser-only like its competitors
- They diverge on capability: Relativity covers Large-scale processing, Smokeball covers Automatic time capture.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Relativity and Smokeball actually diverge.
| Attribute | Relativity | Smokeball |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, Cloud, Self-hosted | 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 Relativity
- Large-scale processing
- Review workflow
- Analytics and active learning
- Application ecosystem
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.
Relativity
- Large litigation with very high document volumesnot Smokeball
- Corporate investigations requiring defensible, auditable reviewnot Smokeball
- Firms whose review process is already built around the platformnot Smokeball
Smokeball
- Firms billing hourly that lose revenue to unrecorded timenot Relativity
- Small practices replacing paper matter files and spreadsheetsnot Relativity
- Firms needing court form automation for high-volume matter typesnot Relativity
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
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
Relativity
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Relativity review.
Smokeball
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Smokeball review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Relativity if
- You need large-scale processing.
- You work on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted.
- You also want review workflow.
Choose Smokeball if
- You need automatic time capture.
- You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want matter management.
Questions people ask
- Is Relativity or Smokeball better?
- Neither clearly leads. Relativity 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, Relativity or Smokeball?
- Relativity starts at On request and Smokeball at On request.
- Does Relativity or Smokeball run on more platforms?
- Relativity runs on Web, Cloud, Self-hosted. Smokeball runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
- What is Relativity best used for?
- Relativity is most often used for large litigation with very high document volumes, corporate investigations requiring defensible, auditable review, firms whose review process is already built around the platform. Of those, large litigation with very high document volumes and corporate investigations requiring defensible, auditable review are not what Smokeball is typically brought in for.
- What can Relativity do that Smokeball cannot?
- Relativity covers Large-scale processing, Review workflow, Analytics and active learning, Application ecosystem. Smokeball covers Automatic time capture, Matter management, Document automation, Billing and trust accounting.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Relativity: What does Relativity cost?
It does not publish rates. Ediscovery is generally billed on data volume and users, quoted per matter or organisation.
Smokeball: What does Smokeball cost?
Pricing is quoted per firm and not published.
Relativity: Is Relativity only for law firms?
No. Corporate legal departments and government agencies use it for investigations as well as litigation.
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.
Relativity: Do I need trained staff?
In practice yes. Relativity certification is a recognised specialism, and that staffing cost is part of the total.
Smokeball: Does it run on Mac?
The automatic time capture component is Windows-based, which is the main platform constraint.