Home > Legal Software > CosmoLex > CosmoLex vs Actionstep

CosmoLex vs Actionstep

Last Updated: November 18th, 2024

Our analysts compared CosmoLex vs Actionstep based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Legal Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

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Product Basics

CosmoLex is an end-to-end practice management solution that combines CRM, case management and accounting workflows. It helps maintain complete visibility over legal matters by connecting active cases to associated calendar entries, documents, contacts and emails. Businesses can automatically track time and expenses and create digital invoices with a single click. Uncover missed payments and commissions with purpose-built reports. It can manage trust and operating accounts in compliance with state and federal regulations.

Other capabilities include task management, a legal calendar with automated notifications, and a public calendar to send out firm-wide notifications, meeting announcements and alerts.

Actionstep is an end-to-end cloud-based platform designed for legal practices to manage and execute daily operations. It is scalable and easy to use with drag-and-drop functionality. Users can automate administrative practice workflows with extensive control over each step of the process. They can also build templates to automatically populate legal documents with required data. It provides seamless client onboarding and management with client conflict verification and record management modules. It can also automate matter management with custom structures and data filters, and streamline billing, accounting and time tracking.

Businesses can utilize its assortment of integrations and native iOS and Android apps to manage day-to-day operations on-the-fly. It leverages AWS to provide end-to-end data encryption, permission-based access and automated data backups. Measure performance in different practice areas with its robust reporting.

$89/User, Monthly

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$60 Monthly

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Tailored to your specific needs

Small

Medium

Large

Small

Medium

Large

Windows

Mac

Linux

Android

Chromebook

Windows

Mac

Linux

Android

Chromebook

Cloud

On-Premise

Mobile

Cloud

On-Premise

Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation

In Person

Live Online

Videos

Webinars

Documentation

In Person

Live Online

Videos

Webinars

Phone

Chat

FAQ

Forum

Knowledge Base

24/7 Live Support

Phone

Chat

FAQ

Forum

Knowledge Base

24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

Flexible Contracts: Avoid long-term contracts and cancel subscriptions without any hassle.
In-House Accounting: Offers robust accounting capabilities, and subscribers don’t need to integrate additional services.
Seamless Accessibility: Access the cloud-based platform from any device with an internet connection.
Prompt Customer Support: Get almost instantaneous live chat responses during support hours.
Data Security: Safeguard the firm from potential malpractice suits with a secure and centralized data repository.

Scale With a Customizable Platform: Personalize the system according to needs using built-in customization tools.
Access Remotely From Any Device: The platform is 100% cloud-based and accessible via web browsers.
Parse Documents With Ease: Features a range of purpose-built tools for document management, including search, merge fields and assembly. Add custom scripts to fields to run calculations for different values.
Custom Workflows For Every Task: Streamline various operational tasks by creating new workflows and customizing existing ones.
Reporting For Every Purpose: Access fully fleshed out, customizable reports for financial, accounting and operational processes, including general ledger.

Time and Expense Capture: Add timecards to relevant activities and automatically scan case records of unbilled events. Use a single timesheet to track daily billable tasks and activities. Instantly log direct and indirect expenses in compliance with regulations.
Legal Billing: Create and mail bulk invoices. Customize built-in invoice templates with relevant information, including last payment, billing cycle, legal services, the total balance due, firm’s logo and additional financial information. Supports UTBMS codes and actions.
Payments: The CosmoLexPay portal facilitates credit card processing for online invoice and trust retainer payments. Send automated reminders when the retainer balance falls below the minimum amount and add replenishment amount to invoices.
Law Office Accounting: General ledger accounting supports direct and indirect matter expenses. Automatically assign invoice payments to related general ledger accounts and create custom charts of receivables. Import bank statements and track accounts payable and write-offs. Generate preconfigured management and financial reports.
Credit Card Processing: Process payments for a flat fee. Offers bookkeeping services associated with credit card transactions. Allow clients to pay via credit card for trust retainers, fee prepayments and ongoing invoice payments.
Bank Reconciliations: Get real-time access to bank feeds and automatically match new transactions with book transactions. Automatically import and log credit card statements. Leverage adaptive mapping rules to correct payee names and post matter-cost related transactions.
Accounts Payable: A central dashboard tracks all payees, including office bills and vendor credits. Set up recurring payments for rents and utilities and differentiate client-related expenses from firm bills. Link vendor bills to associated client matters.
Fee Collection and Revenue Distribution: Specify the distribution percentage to automate payments to billers, matter owners, working attorneys and originating attorneys. Run finance productivity reports based on billing and collection data.
Calendar and Task Management: Create custom workflows with specific due dates and assign them to new or existing legal matters. Delegate tasks to team members and connect calendar entries to associated cases.
Email Management: Automatically file emails in respective client-matter folders. Set up permission-based access to safeguard sensitive information. Group billable emails into relevant categories to declutter the inbox.
Document Management: Securely store case-related documents in compliance with data protection laws. Assign role-based permissions at the matter level to protect confidential documents. Create folders with custom labels to aid document searching capabilities.
Integrations: Featured integrations include OneDrive, Google Drive, Box, NetDocuments and Dropbox.
Client Portal: Provide clients with a secure two-way communication channel. Request specific documents and get automated notifications when a document is uploaded. Send digital invoices and accept credit card payments. Add, edit and revoke viewing permissions based on requirements.
Trust Accounting: Use the built-in trust accounting feature to manage individual client ledgers and bulk invoice payments. Automatically import bank statements and perform three-way reconciliations. Run in-depth accounting reports and track third-party payments. Transfer funds from trust to general accounts and print disbursement checks.
Audit-Ready Reconciliations: Run monthly reconciliations. Maintain complete oversight over bank statements and transactions.
Trust Reports: Access numerous trust reports, including trust ledger balance, trust activity, trust client balance and more.
Security: Employs bank-grade 256-bit SSL encryption for data during transit and at rest. Secures user accounts with username and password and two-factor authentication. Assign security levels and roles at the user level.
- Data Backups: Backs up firm data every few hours. Encrypts and stores information in multiple physical locations.

Workflow Management: Automate client management, administrative processes and matter progression with configurable workflow patterns addressing individual firm requirements. Collate firm data from reporting modules and assign tasks based on recommended workflow patterns.
Accounting: Manage billables, payments, bank reconciliations, accounts and financial reporting with the UTBMS (LEDES) supported accounting portal. Automatically log client transactions and compute sales tax, GST, VAT and interest for late payments.
- Client Accounting: Create and operate 100% cloud-based trust accounts with regular reporting, audit trails and complete trust position visibility. Run reports on account reconciliations, ledgers, journals, matter balances and more.
Conflict Check: Protect the firm from conflicts of interest by checking the client database against custom data sources like emails, matters, contacts and more.
- Smart Search: Group search results on the basis of configurable datasets for faster and smarter search results. Study results in greater depth with different contexts.
- Permissions: Limit search results depending on an account’s clearance level to protect sensitive firm information.
- Import Results: Export search parameters and results to PDF documents and Excel spreadsheets including date and time stamps. Connect search results with associated matters and contacts.
Client Portal: Provide clients with a single, secure platform for carrying out correspondence in real time. Encrypts all communications, documents and matters exchanged between clients and counsels.
- Permissions: Authorize which external parties can access the client portal. Maintain confidentiality and limit client activity with account-based permissions for reading, uploading and editing documentation.
- Notifications: Get email and in-platform notifications for all document-related changes in the portal.
Data Security: Secure firm data and communication against leaks and vulnerabilities with HTTPS encryption provided by AWS. Solve data residency requirements by storing firm data in one of four AWS data centers in the United States, Australia, Singapore or Europe.
- Data Backup: Automatically backup the firm database to protect against catastrophic failures. Export firm data and files securely at any time.
Webforms: Optimize the client intake process with customizable, client-facing intake webforms. Use the form builder extension to configure it in accordance with firm requirements and website aesthetics.
- Instant Alerts: Never miss a webform submission from prospective clients with instantaneous email alerts and in-platform notifications.
- Secure New Clients: Measure firm response rates to prospective client inquiries in order to improve future performance. The response timer keeps measuring time until the webform is processed or removed.
- Data Entry and Reporting: Circumvent manual data entry by automatically converting webforms to relevant matters. Periodically export webform data for reports on the total number of inquiries received and the average firm response rate.
Time Tracking: Track billable time from any device with an internet connection. Attach relevant notes to time tracked and use multiple timers to track simultaneous activities.
- Intuitive Recording: Fill out time entries with intuitive defaults based on immediate prior activity. Edit additional details as necessary such as associated legal matter, hours worked, billing rates and more.
- Intelligent Time Sheets: Keep track of employee time records and disbursements. The “Smart Suggestions” tool recommends matters and activities to fill the daily progress bar.
- Activity Codes: Automatically log common activities like client meetings and document creation with preset activity codes.
Matter Management: Configure individual matters with independent folders including related contacts, notes, documentation, email and calendar events, time records and billing information, trust accounting, audit trails and optimized workflow pattern.
- Workflow Automation: Streamline firm processes with matter-specific workflow automation. Automatically perform default tasks like email outreach, data entry and task assignments.
- Status Reports: Get detailed reports on the status of legal matters. Customize the reports to reveal specific datasets and export the results as Excel spreadsheets or weekly/daily email reports.
Document Management: Create and edit legal documents within matter-specific folders or upload files directly from third-party integrations like Microsoft Office, Google Drive and Dropbox. The document management portal provides data encryption and permission-based access to protect against unauthorized access.
- Data Backup: Secure firm data and documentation with automated backups. Export all data at any time.
- Scan and Search: Scan documents directly into legal matters and perform full text search for specific subjects.
Client Management: Get a comprehensive 360-degree view of clients with unique contact records, associated matters, correspondence history and billing information, all in one place.
- Client Outreach: Automatically send emails and SMS messages to clients about case updates, changes in matters and upcoming events. Set tasks to remind team members about critical client touchpoints.
- Client Portal: Clients can securely upload relevant documents and provide e-signatures through the self-service portal. Increase client engagement by communicating the latest case-related updates through notifications.
- Sales Pipeline: Manage prospective clients and sales leads with the purpose-built toolkit. Automatically send follow-up emails to prospects and create reminders for employees.
Calendar Management: Stay on top of important dates, appointments, hearings and legal obligations with the integrated calendar extension. Create shared calendars, synchronize entries across multiple devices and open tasks and matters directly from the extension.
- Calendar Sync: Synchronize the calendar tool with third-party integrations for Office 365, Microsoft Exchange and Google Calendar to receive a real-time, holistic view of firm obligations. Link matters directly to the calendar to view all related events.
- Calendar Reports: Prepare custom calendar reports with logged events, appointments, transactions and matter.
- Cashflow: Link appointments with associated matters to track pending payments. Remind clients about outstanding bills and record payments through the calendar portal itself.
Reporting: Identify the firm’s most profitable practice areas, referral sources, lawyers, clients and more with powerful reporting tools. Additional reporting areas include time and fee entries, client transactions, write-offs, bill journals, aging receivables and client profitability.
Marketing: Optimize the firm’s marketing policy by integrating marketing campaigns, timeframes, expectations and budgets with the recommended workflow. Get accurate feedback on return on investment (ROI) to improve future marketing efforts.
Email Management: Manage all client and contact correspondence with the dedicated email platform. Integrate with applications like Outlook and Gmail to record notes and tasks directly from the source.
- Email Automation: Inform clients, team members and co-counsels about case developments and events with automated emails. Create perfectly worded emails with custom templates that pull data from live matters.
- Matter Linking: Organize the firm’s inbox and outbox based on associated matters. Redirect all sent messages and replies automatically to the designated matter folder.
Document Automation: Automatically situate live data from legal matters into customizable documents and email templates to eliminate manual data entry. The document assembly tool can insert a variety of data fields including names, logos, addresses and billing information.
API: Use existing applications or integrate third party extensions like Office 365, Microsoft Outlook and more as per firm requirements.
Mobile App: Manage legal calendar, tasks, appointments and deadlines from the mobile app. Stay on top of all client obligations with automated synchronization of legal calendars.
- Mobile Time Tracking: Track time, create new entries and view timesheets on the go. Add notes and descriptions to time tracked, assign it to existing legal matters and enter billing information in real time.

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#25

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Analyst Rating Summary

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User Sentiment Summary

94%

of users recommend this product

CosmoLex has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 94% when considering 620 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

87%

of users recommend this product

Actionstep has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 87% when considering 242 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

4.2 (7)

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4.71 (305)

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Awards

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Billing & Invoicing: CosmoLex streamlines the billing process, allowing users to easily generate invoices, track payments, and manage trust accounts. It also offers integrations with popular payment processors, making it easy for clients to pay their bills online.

Client Management: CosmoLex provides a centralized location for managing client information, including contact details, case files, and billing records. This can help law firms stay organized and efficient.

Time Tracking & Expense Management: CosmoLex makes it easy for lawyers to track their time and expenses, ensuring that they are accurately billing clients for their services. The software also offers features for managing reimbursements and generating reports.

Reporting & Analytics: CosmoLex provides a variety of reports that can help law firms track their performance and identify areas for improvement. These reports can be customized to meet the specific needs of each firm.

Business Accounting: CosmoLex includes features for managing a law firm's finances, such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, and general ledger. This can help firms save time and money by eliminating the need for separate accounting software.

Functionality: The platform offers robust features, according to 88% of users who reviewed this aspect.

Ease of Use: According to 70% of users who reviewed this element, the system’s customizability and UI make it easy to use.

Cost: 80% of reviewers mentioning cost said the software’s pricing is within reason and affordable.

Automation: Regarding this feature, 92% of users said automation saves a lot of time and resources.

Data Management: According to 71% of users who reviewed this feature, the platform has powerful data management tools, including document search and field merging.

Billing Issues: Some users report problems with generating bills, particularly with LEDES billing, which can cause delays and frustration.

Customer Support Concerns: There are reports of slow response times from customer support, leaving users feeling stuck with unresolved issues.

Learning Curve: The software's interface and features can be complex, requiring a significant investment of time and effort to learn effectively.

Limited Integrations: CosmoLex may not integrate seamlessly with all the tools and services a law firm uses, potentially leading to workflow disruptions.

Integrations: Integrations, especially email, accounting and invoicing, have a lot of room for improvement, according to 69% of reviewers mentioning this aspect.

Implementation: 69% of users reviewing this element said the implementation process is lengthy.

Service and Support: 56% of users who mentioned this aspect said support requests have long wait times.

Is your law firm stuck in a legal black hole, struggling to keep up with the demands of modern practice? CosmoLex might just be the legal tech savior you've been searching for. CosmoLex has garnered a reputation as a comprehensive, cloud-based legal practice management solution that streamlines operations for law firms of all sizes. Users frequently praise its robust features, including time tracking, billing, accounting, calendaring, task management, and document management, all seamlessly integrated into one platform. This eliminates the need for multiple, disparate systems, saving time and reducing errors. However, some users find the extensive functionality overwhelming, especially during the initial setup and learning curve. The interface, while generally considered user-friendly, can feel cluttered at times due to the sheer number of features. Additionally, several users have expressed a desire for more customization options to tailor the software to their specific workflows. CosmoLex stands out from its competitors by offering built-in accounting features, a rarity in the legal practice management software market. This integration simplifies financial management for law firms, eliminating the need for separate accounting software and ensuring compliance with trust accounting regulations. CosmoLex is best suited for small to mid-sized law firms seeking an all-in-one solution to manage their practice efficiently. Its comprehensive features, ease of use, and competitive pricing make it an attractive option for firms looking to streamline operations and improve productivity.

Actionstep provides a cost-effective alternative to various legal practice management solutions out there. It’s completely cloud-based with robust features designed to serve multiple practice areas. Document management, eDiscovery and automation are among its strengths with dedicated workflows, templates and search tools. However, there are tradeoffs with the most cost-effective options. Technical support can have long wait times and not always result in closure. The implementation process is lengthy, and integration options are mediocre at best. If you are on a tight budget and need a decent and reliable solution, Actionstep is a good contender.

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Head-to-Head Comparison

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FAQ

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