Overview
Actionstep is cloud-based legal practice management for midsize law firms. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, USA, it serves Australian businesses.
Cloud-based legal practice management for midsize law firms
AU Compliance Scores
BAS Lodgement0/5
STP Phase 20/5
Payday Super0/5
Modern Awards0/5
GST Handling3/5
Bank Feeds0/5
Modern Awards NoteNot applicable — Actionstep does not include HR or payroll features.
Pricing (AUD inc. GST)
All prices below are in Australian dollars (GST not included). Pricing verified as of 2026-03-20.
Actionstep (Custom Pricing)
$130/mo
AUD exc GST
Actionstep does not publish fixed AUD pricing — firms receive a custom quote based on size, features, and implementation requirements. The $130 AUD figure is an approximate conversion of the G2-reported starting price of ~$89 USD/user/month. G2 reports 3 pricing editions ranging from $89–$149 USD/user/month (~$130–$220 AUD). Implementation fees are charged separately. One Capterra reviewer reported their annual subscription increased from $1,306.80 to $5,794.80 between 2023 and 2024. Contact Actionstep directly for an accurate AU quote.
- Users: per_user
- Matters: unlimited
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Highly customisable workflow automation engine — firms can build bespoke matter templates with calculated fields, conditional logic, and automated task sequences for each practice area
- Law Society of NSW certified trust accounting (Certificate #9) with compliance across all Australian jurisdictions including ACT, QLD, WA, SA, and Uniform Law states
- Australian data sovereignty supported — firms can choose to host data in Australian AWS data centres, with SOC 2 Type 2 certification
- Strong Australian market presence through acquisitions of LawMaster (2022) and FilePro (2023), providing supported migration paths for users of those platforms
- 50+ integrations including Xero, Microsoft Office, DocuSign, InfoTrack, and Slack — more integration options than most AU competitors
- Document assembly with Builder tool uses calculated fields for automated drafting — rated slightly more powerful than competing cloud-based systems
- Multi-currency support and global platform serving AU, NZ, UK, US, and Canada — suitable for firms with international clients or cross-border matters
- Mobile app available for iOS and Android, plus browser access from any device — 100% cloud-based with no server installation needed
Cons
- No transparent pricing — custom quotes required, with estimated range of $130–$220 AUD/user/month plus implementation fees. One reviewer reported a 4.4x annual price increase between 2023 and 2024
- Steeper learning curve than competitors — Capterra rating 4.2/5 (vs Smokeball 4.8/5) and multiple reviewers cite complex initial setup
- Support is primarily ticket-based — no confirmed Australian phone support number, and a Nov 2025 Capterra reviewer noted support hasn't scaled with company growth
- Xero integration is one-way only (Actionstep → Xero) — no confirmed MYOB integration, limiting options for firms using MYOB for office accounting
- Not Australian-made — founded in NZ, now HQ'd in Denver and PE-backed by Serent Capital since 2020, which may concern firms preferring AU-owned software
- G2 rating of 3.8/5 from only 13 reviews suggests limited user feedback volume compared to LEAP and Smokeball on that platform
- No free trial confirmed — unlike Smokeball which offers a 30-day trial on its Boost plan
Who Is Actionstep Best For?
- Midsize Law Firm
- Multi Practice Area Firm
- Firms Needing Customisable Workflows
- Multi Jurisdiction Australian Firm
Actionstep may not be the best fit for:
- Solo Practitioner On Budget
- Firms Wanting Transparent Pricing
- Firms Requiring Phone Support
- Firms Preferring Australian Owned Software
Actionstep Alternatives
If Actionstep doesn’t quite fit your needs, consider these alternatives for Australian businesses:
- LEAP Legal — Australia's largest legal practice management platform. From $339/mo inc. GST.
- Smokeball — Legal practice management with automatic time recording. From $49/mo inc. GST.
- Clio — World's #1 cloud-based legal practice management platform. From $49/mo inc. GST.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Actionstep cost in Australia?
Actionstep does not publish fixed Australian pricing — firms receive a custom quote based on size, features required, and implementation needs. Third-party sources (G2) indicate three pricing editions ranging from approximately $89–$149 USD per user per month (roughly $130–$220 AUD), plus separate implementation fees. This positions Actionstep between Smokeball (from $49 AUD/user/month) and LEAP (~$339 AUD/user/month). Contact Actionstep directly for an accurate AU quote.
Is Actionstep Australian-made?
No — Actionstep was founded in Auckland, New Zealand in 2004 by Ted Jordan. However, Actionstep has a strong Australian presence with offices in Brisbane and Perth, and its 2022–2023 acquisitions of Australian companies LawMaster and FilePro give it deep local expertise. The company's global headquarters relocated to Denver, Colorado in 2022. Actionstep is backed by US private equity firm Serent Capital since 2020.
Does Actionstep handle trust accounting for Australian law firms?
Yes. Actionstep's trust accounting holds Certificate Number 9 from the Law Society of NSW. The platform complies with trust regulations across all Australian jurisdictions including ACT, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and the Uniform Law states (NSW/Victoria). Features include three-way trust reconciliation, trust transaction processing, trust requests with approval workflows, and automated trust reporting.
Where is Actionstep data hosted for Australian firms?
Actionstep is hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Australian firms can choose to have their data stored in an Australian AWS data centre. Other hosting options include the US, EU, Singapore, and New Zealand. Actionstep holds SOC 2 Type 2 certification and uses end-to-end encryption described as equivalent to internet banking standards. Automatic daily backups protect all firm data.
How does Actionstep compare to LEAP and Smokeball?
Actionstep sits between LEAP and Smokeball in both price and target market. LEAP (~$339/user/month) targets established firms wanting maximum feature depth and 5,500+ precedents. Smokeball (from $49/user/month) targets small firms prioritising ease of use and value. Actionstep (~$130–$220/user/month) targets midsize firms needing customisable workflows — its workflow automation engine is more configurable than both competitors, though it has a steeper learning curve (Capterra: 4.2/5 vs Smokeball's 4.8/5).
Does Actionstep integrate with Xero?
Yes. Actionstep integrates natively with Xero for office accounting. The integration is one-way — trust and billing transactions entered in Actionstep automatically sync to Xero, but data entered directly into Xero does not push back to Actionstep. This keeps financial records consistent across systems. Note: Actionstep does not have a confirmed MYOB integration, unlike Smokeball which supports both Xero and MYOB.