eDiscovery Software Cost for a Small Law Firm at 10, 50 and 200 GB
Ediscovery software costs gigabytes times months times the rate. A worked 50 GB example across GoldFynch, Logikcull, Everlaw, DISCO, Relativity and a flat reading plan.
Ediscovery software costs a small law firm anywhere from about $27 a month for a 3 GB case to $2,000 a month for 50 GB at per GB rates, and several vendors print no price at all. The number you pay is gigabytes times months times the rate, plus whatever the quote adds for processing, AI and support.
This article puts published and reported prices side by side for the same matter, so you can see why two quotes for the same case can differ by a factor of six. Every figure is attributed. Reported numbers are third-party estimates, not offers.
How much does ediscovery software cost?
Ediscovery software is billed three ways: per GB hosted per month, per user per month, or per case plan by size. Per GB is the most common and the most expensive for a matter that stays open. GoldFynch prints a plan table from $27 for 3 GB to $652 for 100 GB with users and processing included. Logikcull's own blog announced $40 per GB per month on pay as you go. Everlaw, DISCO, Casepoint and Relativity quote after a call.
What does a 50 GB matter cost on each tool?
A 50 GB commercial case held open for six months is a realistic small firm example. Here is the bill at each vendor's published or reported rate, hosting only unless noted.
| Tool | Rate used | Per month at 50 GB | Six months at 50 GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| GoldFynch | Published 50 GB plan | $342 | $2,052 |
| Logikcull pay as you go | $40 per GB per month (its blog) | $2,000 | $12,000 |
| Everlaw (hosting only) | Reported $18 to $35 per GB | $900 to $1,750 | $5,400 to $10,500 |
| Relativity (hosting only) | Reported $15 to $30 per GB | $750 to $1,500 | $4,500 to $9,000 |
| DISCO | Illustrative $10 to $16 per GB | $500 to $800 | $3,000 to $4,800 |
| Nextpoint | Flat per user, no price printed | Quote | Quote |
| CaseClerk Professional | Published, per account by pages | $249 | $1,494 |
Two cautions. The Everlaw, Relativity and DISCO rows are reported or illustrative figures from third parties, and the vendors do not confirm them. And the CaseClerk row measures something different: it is priced by pages read (10,000 pages on Professional), not by gigabytes hosted, so it only substitutes when your task is reading rather than processing. See the sources on GoldFynch pricing, Logikcull pricing, Everlaw pricing and DISCO pricing.
How does ediscovery cost change at 10, 50 and 200 GB?
Volume moves a per GB bill linearly. A printed plan table flattens it.
| Hosted data | GoldFynch (published) | Logikcull at $40 per GB | Relativity hosting at $15 to $30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 GB | $76 a month | $400 a month (the minimum) | $150 to $300 a month |
| 50 GB | $342 a month | $2,000 a month | $750 to $1,500 a month |
| 200 GB | $896 a month at 150 GB, then $275 per extra 50 GB above 300 GB | $8,000 a month | $3,000 to $6,000 a month |
The 200 GB column shows why quote negotiation matters. At $40 per GB, 200 GB is $8,000 a month. Per GoldFynch's table, 150 GB is $896 a month, and each additional 50 GB above 300 GB is $275. A firm with a data-heavy case should compare billing models before it compares vendors.
What do ediscovery quotes leave out?
Ask for these items in writing, because they separate a $2,000 month from a $4,000 one.
- Processing. Relativity processing is reported at $25 to $75 per GB, once, on top of hosting.
- Onboarding and project management. One Everlaw estimate adds $5,000 to $20,000 of onboarding, which conflicts with Everlaw's own "no setup fees" description. Get it written either way.
- AI. Everlaw prices AI credits separately, while DISCO states its AI is included.
- Months open. Hosting runs until you delete or archive the data.
- Export and archive. Ask what leaving costs.
Do you need to pay per GB just to read documents?
Often not. If you received a production or hold a client file and need to learn what it says, hosting 50 GB at $2,000 a month to answer three questions is an expensive way to read. A flat reading plan costs $99 for 2,500 pages, $249 for 10,000 or $499 for 30,000, and every answer cites the document it came from. It does not process, redact or produce, so keep a platform for those jobs. Compare the options on ediscovery software for small law firms or read how legal document review software works.
The American Bar Association's materials on technology competence under Model Rule 1.1 are a useful reference for why firms should understand what they are buying; see the ABA Model Rule 1.1 comment on competence.
Firms that also run their own client portal or internal tools can ship updates with a deploy tool such as Deployment, which keeps the non-case software side simple.
Which billing model fits which small matter?
A short matter with a big production favors a per case plan, because you pay for the size once and can delete the case. A long matter with little data favors per GB, because the bill stays small. A matter with several reviewers and large data favors per user, because data stops being the meter. A matter where one lawyer mostly reads favors a pages-read plan.
The mistake small firms make is comparing headline rates. A $9 per GB rate on 3 GB is $27. A $40 per GB rate on 50 GB is $2,000. The rate matters less than the size and the months, so write those two numbers down before you open a vendor's pricing page.
A short buying checklist
- Decide whether you must process and produce, or only read.
- Estimate gigabytes and months open.
- Ask each vendor for the same total in writing.
- Test sourced answers on a closed matter before you commit.
- Calendar the delete or archive date so hosting stops.
Frequently asked questions about ediscovery software cost
How much does ediscovery software cost per GB?
Published and reported rates range from about $5 to $9 per GB a month on GoldFynch plans to $40 per GB on Logikcull pay as you go, with Everlaw and Relativity hosting reported at $15 to $35 per GB. Quote-only vendors may differ, so get the total in writing.
What is the cheapest ediscovery software for a small firm?
GoldFynch is the cheapest published option, from $27 a month for a 3 GB case, with unlimited users and processing. If you only need to read documents, CaseClerk starts at $99 a month for 2,500 pages with no per GB charge.
Is ediscovery software billed per user or per GB?
Both exist. Nextpoint bills a flat rate per user with unlimited data. Logikcull, Everlaw and Relativity bill by data volume. GoldFynch bills by case plan size. Per user suits large data with few reviewers, per GB suits small data.
Can I try ediscovery software before paying?
GoldFynch offers a free 512 MB trial case for 90 days, and CaseClerk gives 25 pages across up to 5 files after signup with no card. Other vendors lead with a demo or a sample matter, so ask before you commit.
Ready to test the reading side? Start a CaseClerk trial and upload a closed matter. Compare it with DISCO alternatives and Everlaw alternatives before you sign a hosting term.