Comparing practice management software on the headline price is like comparing mortgages on the monthly payment alone. The number that matters is the total cost over the years you will use it, and much of that is hidden in the detail.
Whether you are budgeting for a new firm or reviewing what an established practice pays today, these are the questions worth asking.
Is the price published, or do you need a quote?
Published per-user pricing lets you work out your costs before a sales call. Quote-only pricing often means the price depends on how the vendor sizes up your firm, and that can cut both ways at renewal time.
What is included, and what is an add-on?
Many systems price core practice management separately from the features you actually need to run a firm. Check whether these cost extra:
- SRA client accounting and reconciliation
- Document templates and automation
- E-signatures
- A client portal
- Email integration
- Online payments
- AI drafting or analysis
If you buy these as separate tools instead, add each subscription to the total, and allow for the time spent moving information between them.
Are there set-up, training or migration fees?
One-off charges for onboarding, training or importing your existing data can add up to several months of subscription. Ask for them in writing.
How long is the contract?
A multi-year contract can lock you in at a price that rises at renewal. Monthly billing costs a little more in flexibility terms but lets you leave if the software doesn’t work for your firm.
What does leaving cost?
This is the question most firms forget. Ask exactly what you can export if you leave: matters, contacts, documents, time records and your full client and office ledgers, in a usable format. Limits on exports can make switching so expensive that you are effectively locked in.
What hardware and IT does it need?
Desktop software that depends on a particular computer or a locally installed add-in brings hidden costs: IT support, remote-access set-ups for working from home or court, and hardware upgrades. Web-based software runs in a browser on any device.
A worked example
A three-solicitor firm on Matterly’s Growth plan pays 3 × £69 = £207 a month plus VAT. That includes the client portal, e-signatures, SRA trust accounting, AML case records, email sync, the intake CRM and 50 AI drafts a month, with a one-click full data export on every plan. There is a 14-day free trial and billing is monthly.
Whatever you choose, put every cost for three years side by side, including the cost of leaving. See Matterly’s published pricing.