The short version: Actionstep shows no price on its own NZ pricing page or anywhere else, "priced per user plus implementation fees" only after a quote call. LEAP and Smokeball are the closest comparisons, and neither publishes a New Zealand price either. A Microsoft 365 build is the other option, provided trust accounting stays in a compliant product.
Why firms look beyond Actionstep
Actionstep's own site states plainly it's "priced per user plus implementation fees", with the number itself surfacing only after a conversation with a certified partner, even with New Zealand selected on its own region dropdown. That's a defensible way to price a category this variable, matter volume, integrations and legacy data migration don't fit a rate card, but it also means a firm can't shortlist Actionstep on price in an afternoon. The other documented gap sits in trust accounting specifically: Actionstep's own site states its Legal Accounting trust module is North America only, so an NZ firm considering it has to plan for trust accounting to live somewhere else regardless of which other module it buys.
The alternatives, and where the rest live
All figures are as published on each vendor's own site, checked 22 September 2026.
| Alternative | Published price | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| LEAP | No pricing page at all; demo booking only | A firm that values LEAP's NZ-specific integrations, LawY, InfoTrack, By Lawyers and LawConnect, more than seeing a number first. |
| Smokeball | AUD $59 to $249 a user a month, Australian site only, no NZD figure | A firm that wants at least one real published price to anchor a conversation, provided it confirms NZ billing, GST and trust compliance directly. |
| Clio, OneLaw and Infinitylaw are covered in the full law practice management cost hub, since none of the three publishes a New Zealand price either. | ||
| Build on Microsoft 365 | Dataverse NZ$32.40 a user a month, Power BI Pro NZ$22.60, typically $8,000 to $18,000 to build | A firm that wants matter intake, document handling and fee tracking priced up front, with trust accounting left exactly where it's regulated to be. |
Matter intake, document handling and fee tracking can be built directly on the Microsoft 365 licence a firm already pays for: a register on Dataverse at NZ$32.40 a user a month, with Power BI Pro at NZ$22.60 for the partners who read the report. A build like that runs $8,000 to $18,000, a number you know before you start, which is more than any of the vendors above will tell you unprompted. It does not replace trust accounting. A Power Platform build covers matters, time, documents and reporting; the trust ledger has to stay in a product that meets the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Trust Account) Regulations, whether that's one of the vendors above where it applies, or a dedicated trust accounting system.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Actionstep for a small NZ law firm?
LEAP and Smokeball are the two most directly comparable, though neither publishes a New Zealand dollar price either. Clio, OneLaw and Infinitylaw are worked through in the wider law practice management hub. All five are quote-driven in New Zealand, so shortlisting on price alone isn't possible without picking up the phone.
Does any alternative to Actionstep publish a New Zealand price?
No. LEAP's New Zealand site carries no pricing page at all. Smokeball's nearest number is Australian dollars, Bill from AUD $59 a user a month, not a New Zealand price, and Smokeball has no New Zealand site of its own.
Can a Microsoft 365 build replace Actionstep?
It covers matters, time, documents and reporting well: a register on Dataverse, NZ$32.40 a user a month, with Power BI Pro at NZ$22.60 for the partners who read it, typically runs $8,000 to $18,000. It does not replace a trust account ledger that meets the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Trust Account) Regulations; that stays in a compliant practice management or dedicated trust accounting product.
Get a straight comparison for your firm
Book a free 30-minute call. Bring your fee-earner count and which vendor conversations you've already had; I'll tell you honestly whether a Power Platform build fits alongside what you land on, or not.