Actionstep Alternative

The Actionstep alternative
built for the AI era.

Actionstep was great — in 2010. If you've been waiting for a modern interface, built-in AI, real automation, and an API that actually works, MatterFirst is the switch your firm has been planning.

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Encrypted at rest and in transit Australian data residency Hosted on AWS No lock-in contracts Guided setup available Your data exportable on request

Last reviewed

What are the alternatives to Actionstep for an Australian law firm?

The main practice management platforms available to Australian firms are LEAP, Clio, Smokeball, Actionstep, FilePro and MatterFirst. MatterFirst is the Australian-built option, with matters, documents, billing, trust accounting and a client portal in one workspace plan and data held in the region the firm chooses.

Practice management platforms available to Australian firms
Platform Origin Notes
MatterFirst Australia Workspace pricing from $149/month, AI document extraction and client portal on every plan
LEAP Australia The incumbent in Australian small-firm practice, with the largest local install base
Clio Canada The global market leader, strongest ecosystem of third-party integrations
Smokeball Australia and United States Known for automatic time capture and a large document automation library
Actionstep New Zealand Highly configurable workflow engine, which is also what makes setup a project
FilePro Australia Long-established Australian vendor, strong in conveyancing

Origin and positioning only. We do not publish competitor pricing or feature comparisons we cannot verify from their own public pages; where we do compare, see the /vs pages, which carry a review date.

Why MatterFirst

What you get when you switch.

What modern actually looks like

  • Modern UI, zero learning curve. Clean, fast, and designed this decade. Your team picks it up in days, not months.
  • AI that Actionstep can't match. Built-in AI assistant, document intelligence, and AI time capture. Not a bolt-on — native from day one.
  • Automation that actually works. 11 triggers, 12 actions, conditional logic, visual builder. Build what Actionstep's 'automation' promised but never delivered.

Native AI and automation — not bolt-ons.

Switching without the risk

  • Full REST API + webhooks. Every mutation fires a webhook. Every resource has an API endpoint. Build integrations in hours, not weeks.
  • Migration support when you need it. Move matters, contacts, documents, and workflows with a structured migration package instead of a risky DIY weekend.
  • Workspace pricing, more included. Practice includes 4 users, 3,000 Document AI credits, portal, automations, API, and webhooks in one workspace plan.

A structured migration, an open API and one workspace plan.

What this actually does

MatterFirst offers a Migration Package that moves matters, contacts, documents and templates across from Actionstep, so a firm switching does not have to rekey its history by hand.

Migration is a scoped piece of work we quote per firm against your actual data volume. Smaller teams can start manually and add migration support later.

7 days

guided trial shaped around how your firm works

4 integrations

Xero, Stripe, Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, plus PEXA set up with you

100%

of your data and AI processing stays in your chosen AWS region

MatterFirst is a legal practice management platform for Australian law firms, built by NorthCape Technology, covering matters, documents, trust accounting, billing and a client portal, with data hosted in the AWS region the firm chooses.

Moving from Actionstep suits firms that found its configurability turned into a maintenance burden and want less to administer. It is a weaker fit if you rely on a heavily bespoke Actionstep workflow that genuinely reflects how you work, because rebuilding that is real effort, and a migration package covers the data rather than the design.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can I import my data from Actionstep or LEAP?
Yes. We offer a Migration Package for firms moving matters, contacts, documents, and templates into MatterFirst. Smaller teams can also start manually and add migration support when the rollout needs it.
Is pricing per seat or per firm?
MatterFirst uses workspace pricing. Each plan includes a set number of users and pooled Document AI credits; extra users are billed only when you go beyond the included seats.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. You can start with a 7-day guided trial on Solo, Practice, or Firm so your team can test real workflows before committing.
What happens when my trial ends?
You can continue on Solo, Practice, or Firm, or speak with us about Enterprise. If you do not continue, your account is paused rather than deleted so your data stays safe while you decide.
Where is my data stored?
In the AWS region your firm chooses. Sydney (ap-southeast-2) is the default for Australian firms. Matter data, documents and Document AI processing all stay in that region: documents are not moved to another region to be OCRed or analysed.
How much does MatterFirst cost?
Pricing is per workspace rather than per seat, starting at $149 per month for Solo. Each plan includes a set number of users, a monthly pool of Document AI credits, the client portal and automations. Extra users are billed only past the included seats. Full plan inclusions are on the pricing page.
Can I get my data out if I leave?
Yes. Your matters, contacts, documents and time records are exportable on request, and there is no lock-in contract. We would rather you were able to leave and chose not to.
Who builds MatterFirst?
NorthCape Technology, a Melbourne-based software company. MatterFirst is built in Australia for Australian legal practice, which is why trust accounting and Xero are first-class rather than regional add-ons, and why PEXA and InfoTrack are on the roadmap rather than absent from it.
Is MatterFirst suitable for a firm of my size?
It is designed for solo practitioners up to firms of roughly twenty seats. Below that, Solo carries the full platform for one user. Above it, the platform works but you should expect to talk to us about migration and rollout rather than signing up online.

Make the switch your firm has been planning.

We migrate your matters, contacts, documents and workflows with a structured migration package — no risky DIY weekend.

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