Home > Legal Software > CARET Legal > CARET Legal vs AbacusLaw

CARET Legal vs AbacusLaw

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Our analysts compared CARET Legal vs AbacusLaw based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Legal Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Overview Pricing Benefits & Features Analyst Ratings Comparison Charts User Ratings Analyst Summary Screenshots
CARET Legal Software Tool
SelectHub Award Winner
AbacusLaw Software Tool
SelectHub Award Winner
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Product Basics

Analyst Rating

86 Detailed Analysis

User Sentiment

Excellent User Sentiment (345 Reviews)

Analyst Rating

83 Detailed Analysis

User Sentiment

Good User Sentiment (766 Reviews)
CARET Legal (formerly Zola Suite) is a cloud-based practice management solution with integrated matter management, CRM, time tracking and billing capabilities. Businesses can centralize all firm and client data, track time and expenses, and manage operating and trust accounts. It helps prepare digital invoices, run financial reports and connect legal matters with associated contacts, documents, communications and tasks to get complete visibility over active cases. The built-in legal calendar tracks important events and touchpoints in real time.

It complies with SOC 2 auditing standards and secures sensitive information via military-grade encryption and user permissions. Companies can expedite client onboarding with trigger-based workflows and intelligent forms. It integrates with third-party applications for continued scalability.
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AbacusLaw is a legal practice administration and accounting PSA tool ideal for all types of law practices. It’s a suitable option for specialized law practitioners that focus on things like personal injury, criminal defense, civil litigation, estate planning, family law, insurance law and elder law.

Users receive crucial case and client intel, ensure deadlines are met and gain total transparency in their practice. A few of AbacusLaw's capabilities include time tracking, case administration, form creation, billing and scheduling.
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$150/User, Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
$69/Feature, Monthly
Free Trial is unavailable →
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
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Mac
Linux
Android
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Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Easier Data Management: A centrally accessible data repository provides a single source of truth for all employees and team members. 
  • Prompt Customer Support: Offers multiple support options to clients with quick response times. 
  • Flexible Accounting: Provides in-house accounting tools and integration with QuickBooks. 
  • Onboarding Support: Minimize time to market with dedicated onboarding and data migration support. 
  • Better Insights and Decisions: Comprehensively diagnose the firm’s financial health, productivity, profitability and efficiency metrics with powerful built-in reports. 
  • Global Reach: The mobile app provides unrestricted access to all features, including time tracking, matter management, emails, payment portal, billing and OCR capabilities. 
  • Seamless Integration: CARET Legal seamlessly integrates with your existing systems, streamlining workflows and eliminating data silos.
  • Enhanced Efficiency: Automated processes and intuitive dashboards empower your team to work smarter, saving time and resources.
  • Improved Collaboration: Secure document sharing, real-time communication, and collaborative workspaces foster seamless teamwork.
  • Advanced Analytics: Data-driven insights provide actionable intelligence, empowering you to make informed decisions and optimize operations.
  • Exceptional Security: Industry-leading security measures protect sensitive data, ensuring compliance and safeguarding your clients' information.
  • Tailored to Your Needs: Customizable settings and flexible configurations adapt CARET Legal to the unique requirements of your practice.
  • Enhanced Client Experience: Client portals and self-service options provide transparency and empower clients to actively participate in their cases.
  • Timely Reporting: Automated reporting capabilities deliver real-time visibility into key metrics, enabling proactive decision-making.
  • Expert Support: Our dedicated team of legal experts provides ongoing support, ensuring a smooth implementation and maximizing your ROI.
  • Future-Proof Innovation: CARET Legal is continuously updated with the latest technologies and best practices, ensuring your firm remains at the forefront of legal innovation.
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  • Stay Organized: This program provides users with critical case details and dates so they can always stay on top of their tasks and deadlines.  
  • Effective Communication: Never miss out on emails, phone calls or client meetings thanks to this solution's built-in tracking abilities. Tracking is also included in the mobile app and the integration for Outlook.  
  • Aligns with Various Legal Departments: Users can employ AbacusLaw for various types of law such as criminal defense, civil litigation, insurance law and more. It offers tailored reports, automation principles and accurate terminology for a user's specific area of expertise.
  • Work In Private Cloud: This solution has private cloud deployment that enables users to host and supervise their firm's vital information. It's conveniently available on any device with internet access from virtually any area at any time.  
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  • Matter Management: Use the matter dashboard to track active cases in real time. Create custom fields with check-boxes, dates, pick lists and currency and record all matter-specific activities, including time entries. Limit access to sensitive information on a per-matter basis and categorize matters based on practice area, responsible attorney, custom fields and open date. 
  • Intelligent Email: Automatically file emails to associated case files and add time entries for sent emails. The proprietary smart suggest feature locates associated contacts. Convert emails to tasks, matters and billable hours. 
  • Integrations: Supported integrations include G Suite, Exchange, Microsoft 365, RPost, Outlook, Google Calendar, NetDocuments, OneDrive, LawPay and QuickBooks. 
  • Calendar: Send ICS invites, create time entries, set private events, mark recurring events and follow up on team obligations. Set up daily, weekly or monthly schedules for report delivery. 
    • Rules-Based Calendaring: Integrate with LawToolBox to automatically track procedural, administrative and regulatory deadlines. 
    • Date Calculator: Factor in days out, federal holidays and weekends while calculating dates for templates and deadlines. 
  • Legal Contacts: Create cards and lists for various legal contacts, including clients, prospects, witnesses, opposition counsels and referral sources. Generate custom fields and categorize them based on contact role, created by and contact type. 
  • Legal Documentation: Store multiple legal documents depending on the subscription plan. Access instant preview of documents, in-document search, complete version history and file locking and tagging capabilities. Create matter-specific document folders and securely share files via the Caseway portal. 
    • Word Ribbon Plugin: Create, open and save documents directly from Microsoft Word. 
  • CRM: Filter leads by source, practice area and potential revenue and convert them to matters. Identify successful referral sources with intelligent metrics. Embed intake forms into the firm’s website. Automatically create lead entries and generate retainer agreements and standard documents.  
  • Task Management: Tag, sort, filter and create sub-tasks based on requirements. Implement standardized procedures using task templates. Delegate tasks to team members, turn on notifications and assign deadlines. 
  • Client Portal: Allow clients to exchange case-related documents via a 256-bit encrypted channel. The payment portal can process both debit and credit card transactions. Request and approve eSignatures instantly. 
  • Mobile App: Available for both Android and iOS users. Insurers can design custom logos, send and receive documents, share invoices and receive payments. Secures access via fingerprint authentication and Apple TouchID. 
  • Time and Billing: Choose from over 11 ways to create time entries. Build custom invoices with support for UTBMS codes and LEDES format. Run financial reports, develop accounts payable and trust checks, process payments and more. Manages vendor bills and supports split, consolidated and separate billing frequencies. 
    • Time Entry: Create automated time entries and assign “no charge” and “no charge don’t show” labels. Designate round-up increments and log time entries in decimals or HH:MM format. 
    • Rate Cards: Create rate cards with custom user rates. Allow clients to inherit rate cards and set matter-specific discount rates. 
    • Expenses: Automatically track all expenses. Charge soft costs and import copy activities from photocopier devices via the uniFLOW importer. 
  • Business Accounting: Earmark part of payments for expenses and to timekeepers. Set up firm-wide budgets to predict revenue on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis. Run year-end reconciliations and add time entries for individual transactions. 
    • Reports: Run built-in client, compensation, productivity, accounting, trust and vendor reports. 
  • Trust Accounting: Manage trust accounts separately. Accept payments via checks and debit and credit cards. Administrators can withdraw money from trust accounts to avoid overdrawing from operating accounts. 
    • Retainer/Trust Fund: Create retainers for trust and operating accounts and get notifications when the balance falls below the minimum. View and print ledgers and trust account summaries with sub-ledgers. Run three-way reconciliation reports. 
  • Smart Settlement: Intelligently manage settlement workflows, including percentages and memo generation for all involved parties. Create a settlement statement for every settlement memo. Capture expenses incurred by the firm, clients and third parties in a detailed value list.  
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  • Useful Integrations: Users can integrate AbacusLaw with other apps to execute routine jobs they face in their legal practices. These apps include Microsoft Office 356, Salesforce, APX PayNow, HotDocs, Infusionsoft, and more.
  • Case Management: This software's technological experts evaluate users' requirements to devise and employ personalized solutions for top-notch outcomes. The case management tool enables users to keep all of their case and client information protected.
  • Time Tracking: Users can use the time tracking module to accurately and naturally bill time without bottlenecks. This feature runs in the background as users perform their daily routines.
  • Instant Billing: AbacusLaw's billing accessory promptly crafts a variety of professional fee settlements or billing plans. Users can adjust templates with the ideal presentations and the software will take care of the rest including a chart of accounts and monitoring bill schedules.  
  • Rules-Based Calendar: Users can utilize the calendar accessory to immediately and properly plan out valuable deadlines. This tool also keeps up with short-notice modifications. 
  • Develop Proper Forms: This program permits users to swiftly draft proper, signature-ready forms and documents based on information already entered into their database. This accessory contains autofill smart forms, flexible templates and documents for specific regions, states or law practices.
  • Mobile-Friendly: AbacusLaw is available as a mobile app with a user's data, calendar, contacts, notes, emails, and crucial files. The app also tracks billable moments like unexpected phone calls, urgent emails or anything else.  
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Product Ranking

#46

among all
Legal Software

#50

among all
Legal Software

Find out who the leaders are

Analyst Rating Summary

86
83
100
99
90
92
99
100
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Billing and Payments
Task Management
Time and Expense Management
Dashboard and Reporting
Matter/Case Management
Dashboard and Reporting
Billing and Payments
Client and Contact Management
Matter/Case Management

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

CARET Legal
AbacusLaw
+ Add Product + Add Product
Billing And Payments Calendaring And Legal Docketing Client And Contact Management Dashboard And Reporting Document Management Matter/Case Management Mobile Capabilities Task Management Time And Expense Management 100 90 99 65 92 67 100 100 99 92 100 67 88 78 82 79 0 25 50 75 100
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92%
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8%
83%
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100%
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64%
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36%
69%
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31%
89%
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11%
89%
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11%
67%
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33%
78%
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22%
100%
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83%
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17%
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

86%
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14%
57%
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43%
75%
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25%
75%
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25%

User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 345 reviews
Good User Sentiment 766 reviews
94%
of users recommend this product

CARET Legal has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 94% when considering 345 user reviews from 3 recognized software review sites.

77%
of users recommend this product

AbacusLaw has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 77% when considering 766 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

n/a
1.3 (2)
4.8 (114)
3.6 (72)
4.64 (119)
3.8 (324)
4.6 (112)
3.9 (365)
n/a
4.5 (3)

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated CARET Legal and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Billing and Payments and Task Management. CARET Legal stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award
Billing and Payments Award
Task Management Award

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated AbacusLaw and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Dashboard and Reporting.

Dashboard and Reporting Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Robust Legal Case Management: CARET Legal offers a comprehensive suite of tools for managing cases, including document management, calendaring, and time tracking, streamlining legal operations.
Excellent Collaboration Features: Its intuitive interface fosters collaboration among team members, allowing seamless sharing of documents, notes, and tasks, enhancing teamwork.
Customized Reporting: CARET Legal's customizable reporting capabilities provide tailored insights into case progress, resource allocation, and billing, enabling data-driven decision-making.
Automated Workflows: The software automates repetitive tasks such as document generation and approval processes, freeing up lawyers to focus on higher-value work.
Improved Efficiency and Productivity: By centralizing legal operations and automating tasks, CARET Legal helps firms improve efficiency, reduce turnaround times, and enhance productivity.
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Easy-to-Use Interface: Precisely 80% of users said AbacusLaw has a user-friendly interface.
Responsive Customer Service: Nearly 53% of users reported AbacusLaw has helpful and knowledgeable customer service.
Bountiful Features: AbacusLaw has plenty of robust features such as accounting, document management, billing, calendars, time management and more, according to 59% of users.
Well-Integrated: Approximately 72% of users say AbacusLaw integrates efficiently with Outlook, Microsoft Office, Adobe, WordPerfect and other business systems.
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Limited Customization: Many users find that CARET Legal's customization options are limited, making it difficult to tailor the software to their specific needs.
Steep Learning Curve: The software's complex interface and lack of user-friendly features can make it challenging for users to navigate and use effectively.
Expensive: CARET Legal's pricing model is often seen as expensive, especially for small to medium-sized law firms with limited budgets.
Integration Issues: Users have reported difficulties integrating CARET Legal with other software applications, leading to workflow disruptions and data management challenges.
Limited Support: Some users have experienced slow response times and inadequate support from CARET Legal's customer service team, leading to frustration and delays in resolving issues.
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Overall Performance Drags: Of the users who discussed AbacusLaw's overall performance, 68% of users said it was slow, glitchy or experienced freezes.
Non-Effective Mobile App: Nearly 75% of users were dissatisfied with the mobile app because it wasn't as efficient as the desktop version.
High Price Tag: Precisely 100% of users believe AbacusLaw has a high price and some have to pay extra for extra support.
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CARET Legal has garnered significant user praise over the past year, with reviewers consistently highlighting its strengths in legal research and document automation. One user remarked that CARET Legal's "research tools are top-notch, making it easy to find relevant case law and statutes." Another reviewer lauded its "intuitive document automation features, which have saved me countless hours drafting contracts and pleadings." Compared to similar products, CARET Legal stands out for its user-friendly interface, comprehensive research capabilities, and robust automation tools. Users have noted that its "clean and organized interface makes it a breeze to navigate," while its "deep integration with legal databases provides access to a wealth of information." The software's ability to automate repetitive tasks has also been a major differentiator, with one reviewer stating that "CARET Legal has streamlined my workflow, freeing up more time for high-value tasks." In summary, CARET Legal is highly recommended for legal professionals seeking a comprehensive and user-friendly legal software solution. Its strengths in research, document automation, and user experience make it an ideal choice for lawyers, paralegals, and legal teams looking to enhance their productivity and efficiency.

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Overall, AbacusLaw is a productive PSA tool that contains an abundant amount of features such as accounting, document management, billing, client management and a handy calendar amongst others. Its interface is easy to use and the customer support team is responsive in rectifying issues. It also integrates with Outlook and other Microsoft Office suites, Adobe and other business platforms. However, some users find the mobile app is not as effective as the desktop version. The desktop version comes with a hefty amount of system crashes and glitches while running at a sluggish pace. Most users, especially those who own small businesses, find the pricing unreasonable. But AbacusLaw is still a proactive solution.

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Screenshots

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Head-to-Head Comparison

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