Actionstep vs Smokeball (2026): which should you pick?
As of Oct 24, 2026, we pick Smokeball: it is third in our ranking of law practice software, and it grades higher too, 2.0 against 1.8.
Checked Oct 24, 2026 · graded Oct 24, 2026 by ToolGPA
Smokeball grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Actionstep
Practice management and legal accounting for midsize law firms
Paid
Smokeball
Practice management with automatic time capture and court forms
Paid
Which one is for you
Pick Actionstep if
- Fits if you run a midsize firm and want matter workflows built around each practice area
- Works for firms in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand or Canada
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: there are no published prices, and each product and add-on is per user plus implementation fees, by quote
- Skip it if you want to try it yourself, as there's no trial and setup runs through certified partners
- Not for you if you're outside North America and want the Legal Accounting suite, which isn't sold there
- Pricey if you need document automation, intake forms, AI time capture or analytics, as each is an add-on module
- Watch out: AI workflow automation is listed as coming soon, so it isn't there yet
Pick Smokeball if
- Fits if your firm files lots of court and agency forms, in areas like family law or personal injury
- Works for lawyers who want time logged against the matter without running timers
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: there's no published price, and a quote depends on users, plan, contract term and add-ons
- Skip it if you want to try it first, as there's no free plan or trial on record, only a demo
- Pricey if you want AutoTime, intake or workflows below Prosper+, as they cost extra on Grow, and Archie AI is an add-on from Boost up
- Not for you if your firm runs on Macs, as the desktop app is Windows only and Boost runs in the browser
- Watch out: online payments and eFiling carry fees, and eSignature runs through InfoTrack
How we grade them
| 1.8GPAActionstepWeak | 2.0GPASmokeballFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price is published. Actionstep gives a price only on a sales call: each product and add-on is priced per user, plus implementation fees. | CNo price is published. Smokeball gives a price only on a sales call, depending on your number of users, the plan, the contract term and any add-ons. |
| Free plan and trial | FNothing free on record: no free plan and no trial, just a demo or a call with sales. | FNothing free on record: no free plan and no trial, only a demo with the sales team. |
| Features | CMatters, configurable workflows, calendaring, time capture, billing and trust accounting, with accounting, document automation, intake and AI as extras. The gaps the listing shows: no client portal on record, and the Legal Accounting suite is North America only. | BMatters, tasks and calendars, more than 20,000 court and agency forms, AutoTime, invoicing, online payments, a trust ledger, intake, workflows and the Archie AI assistant across its plans. That's the whole job, though the general ledger sits in QuickBooks Online. |
| Ease of use | CWe have no store rating on file for it. It's built for midsize firms and set up through Actionstep's certified partners rather than a sign-up, with implementation fees to match. | CWe have no store rating on file for it. It's a whole firm system with matters, form templates, trust accounts and a QuickBooks link to set up, and you can't sign up yourself: it starts with a demo. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with Outlook, Word, Microsoft 365 and Lexidesk. No desktop app, and only four integrations on record. | BWeb, a Windows desktop app on Grow and Prosper+, and iPhone and Android apps, with Outlook, Word, QuickBooks Online and InfoTrack. No Mac app, and no API or Zapier on record. |
| Best for | midsize firms that set their own workflows | small firms that file many court forms |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Actionstep and Smokeball. How we grade
Where they differ
- Actionstep also covers workflow automation and bookkeeping.
- Smokeball also covers templates.
In commonWebiOSAndroidAI featuresTime trackingInvoicingCase managementTrust accounting
At a glance
| Actionstep | Smokeball | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Actionstep | Smokeball |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Actionstep
- Actionstep publishes no prices: each product and add-on is priced per user plus implementation fees, by quote.
- It is built for midsize firms and set up through Actionstep's certified partners rather than self-serve sign-up.
- The Legal Accounting suite, with the general ledger and payables, is sold only in North America.
- Document automation, intake forms, AI time capture and analytics are separate add-on modules; AI workflow automation is listed as coming soon.
Smokeball
- Smokeball publishes no prices: a quote depends on the number of users, the plan, the contract term and add-ons.
- Boost runs entirely in the browser; Grow and Prosper+ add the native desktop app, which Smokeball's site lists for Windows.
- AutoTime, Intake and Workflows come with Prosper+ only and cost extra on Grow; Archie AI is an add-on on Boost, Grow and Prosper+.
- Online payments and eFiling carry fees, and eSignature runs through InfoTrack.
Key features
Actionstep
- Matters and workflows
- Matter and case management with task and process management, advanced calendaring and workflow automation that a firm shapes to each practice area.
- Time, billing and trust accounting
- Time capture with time suggestions and timesheets, billing, and trust and client accounting are included with practice management.
- Legal Accounting
- A multi-currency general ledger, bank reconciliation, payables and receivables, P&L statements, budgeting, forecasting and revenue recognition. North America only.
- Builder and Capture
- Builder fills letters, forms and contracts from matter data with conditional fields and a Word integration. Capture adds branded intake forms that can be embedded on a firm's site.
- Actionstep Intelligence
- Trace passively records billable work across Actionstep, Outlook and Word and drafts time entries; Acumen answers plain-language questions about firm performance.
- Mobile app
- iOS and Android apps to see appointments and tasks, run timers and create time entries, add file notes by voice, and search matters and contacts.
Smokeball
- Matters, calendars and tasks
- Each matter holds its documents, tasks, events and contacts, with Microsoft 365 Outlook and calendar integration from Boost and iOS and Android apps for checking matters on the go.
- TemplateLab forms and documents
- A library of more than 20,000 court and agency forms and document templates that fill from the matter, with practice-area templates and calculators from Grow.
- AutoTime
- Logs each action against the matter being worked on, so time entries do not have to be started or written up. Included in Prosper+ and an add-on on Grow.
- Billing, payments and trust
- Invoicing, time and expense tracking, online payments and a trust ledger kept current as entries are made, with QuickBooks Online holding the general ledger.
- Archie AI
- An AI assistant that works inside a matter to draft, review documents and answer questions, sold as an add-on from Boost upward.
- Intake and lead management
- Intake forms are an add-on on Boost and Grow; Prosper+ includes them along with lead management, inquiry intake, custom workflows and profitability reporting.
Plans
Actionstep
Pricing could not be confirmed. See actionstep.com.
Smokeball
Pricing could not be confirmed. See smokeball.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Actionstep or Smokeball?
As of Oct 24, 2026, Actionstep has no price we could confirm, and Smokeball has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Actionstep or Smokeball?
As of Oct 24, 2026, neither Actionstep nor Smokeball has a free plan.
Which platforms do Actionstep and Smokeball run on?
As of Oct 24, 2026, only Smokeball lists a Windows app. Both list a web app and iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.