The deadline is real. FilePro, acquired by ActionStep in 2021, reaches official end of life on 31 December 2026. There are no extensions. Support ends. The software will stop receiving updates, and trust accounting compliance with an unsupported system creates regulatory risk you cannot afford to carry.
If your firm is still on FilePro, you need to have selected and contracted with a replacement by August 2026 at the latest. Here is why that timeline is tighter than it looks — and an honest assessment of every credible alternative.
What Made FilePro Unique
FilePro's distinguishing feature was its per-file pricing model. Unlike almost every other practice management system on the Australian market, firms paid per matter rather than per user. For firms with a small team handling large volumes of files, this was significantly cheaper than per-seat pricing. A two-partner firm running 400 active matters paid for 400 files, not seats.
FilePro also included full general accounting natively — not a bolt-on or integration with Xero or MYOB. Trust accounting, office accounting, and matter management lived in a single system. This eliminated double-entry, reduced reconciliation errors, and simplified end-of-year reporting.
No current alternative replicates both of these features simultaneously. Understanding which feature matters most to your firm is the first step in choosing a replacement.
Platform Comparison
| Platform | Pricing model | Australian hosted | Trust accounting | General accounting | Est. cost (5 users) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ActionStep | Per user/month | Yes (AU data centres) | Native, certified | Native (full GL) | A$16,000–22,000/yr |
| Law App | Per matter/month | Yes (100% AU hosted) | Native, certified | Native (built-in) | Varies by volume |
| LEAP | Per user/month | Yes (AU data centres) | Native, certified | Xero/MYOB integration | A$18,000–24,000/yr |
| Smokeball | Per user/month | Yes (AU data centres) | Native, certified | Xero/MYOB integration | A$9,000–14,000/yr |
| PracticeEvolve | Per user/month | Yes (AU hosted) | Native, certified | Xero/MYOB integration | A$12,000–18,000/yr |
| Wise Owl | Per user/month | Yes | Native | QuickBooks/Xero integration | A$8,000–12,000/yr |
Cost estimates are indicative for a 5-user firm on mid-tier plans. All vendors require direct quotes. Implementation, training, and data migration costs are additional and vary significantly.
Deep Dive: Each Platform
ActionStep — The Default, But Not Always the Best Fit
ActionStep acquired FilePro in 2021, which makes it the "natural" migration path. ActionStep will proactively contact FilePro firms offering migration packages. That convenience is real — but so are the downsides.
ActionStep is priced per user, not per file. The closest plan for general practice runs approximately A$109–159/user/month. For a 5-person firm that was paying per-file, this is often a significant price increase. ActionStep does include full general accounting natively, which is a genuine differentiator — you can potentially eliminate Xero or MYOB.
The critical timing issue: ActionStep's migration windows are filling from September–October 2026 as every FilePro firm in Australia converges on the same deadline. Firms that wait until mid-2026 to start conversations risk finding no migration slot before December.
ActionStep also has a history of 3-year lock-in contracts. Read the terms carefully before signing.
Law App — The Closest Structural Match to FilePro
Law App is the only platform that directly matches FilePro's per-matter billing model. You pay per active file, not per seat. For firms accustomed to FilePro's economics, Law App will produce the most recognisable cost structure of any alternative.
Law App is 100% Australian-hosted, built by an Australian company, and includes trust accounting and general accounting natively — not via Xero integration. For firms that valued FilePro's all-in-one accounting model, this is the only certified platform that replicates it.
Law App carries Law Society NSW certification for trust accounting. It is less well-known than LEAP or Smokeball, which means less peer validation — but the platform has been operating for over a decade and serves hundreds of Australian firms.
LEAP — Market Leader, High Cost
LEAP is the most widely used practice management system in Australia, with particular depth in conveyancing and property law. Its Australian standard form document automation library is the most comprehensive available.
The pricing is not publicly disclosed and requires a sales conversation. Established market pricing for LEAP runs approximately A$299–339/user/month, placing a 5-user firm at A$18,000–20,000/year before implementation. LEAP is Law Society NSW certified and has the most mature data migration tooling from legacy systems.
For conveyancing-heavy practices, LEAP's document library can justify the premium. For general litigation or family law firms, the ROI calculation is harder and Smokeball or Law App will likely produce better value.
Smokeball — Best Value, Requires Accounting Integration
Smokeball (owned by ATI Global, same parent as LEAP and PracticeEvolve) is significantly cheaper than LEAP and offers strong trust accounting. Its differentiating feature is automatic time capture — Smokeball records time spent in documents, emails, and calls without manual entry.
Smokeball requires Xero or MYOB for office accounting. If your firm wants to eliminate its separate accounting software, Smokeball is not the answer. If you are comfortable with a separate accounting package and want the best per-user price among certified options, Smokeball is the strongest contender.
Smokeball offers a 30-day free trial — one of the few Australian vendors that allows self-service evaluation without a sales call.
PracticeEvolve — BI and Reporting Focus
PracticeEvolve (also ATI Global) positions itself around business intelligence and reporting. Its dashboards and matter profitability reporting are more developed than LEAP or Smokeball. For larger firms where management reporting is a priority, PracticeEvolve offers capabilities the others do not.
Like LEAP and Smokeball, PracticeEvolve requires Xero or MYOB for full office accounting. Its per-user pricing is broadly comparable to Smokeball, though it is less commonly evaluated by small firms.
Wise Owl and Unity
Wise Owl integrates tightly with QuickBooks and Xero and positions as a lower-cost alternative for small general practice firms. Unity by Dye and Durham is focused on conveyancing and property transactions — if your practice is primarily conveyancing, it warrants evaluation.
Trust Accounting Compliance: What You Must Verify
Under the Legal Profession Uniform Law (LPUL), trust accounting software must support three-way reconciliation (trust ledger, trust bank statement, trust list), monthly reconciliation, and audit-ready reporting. Firms in NSW, VIC, and WA operate under LPUL; QLD, SA, and other states have equivalent but separately administered legislation.
Law Society NSW certification is the most commonly referenced benchmark, but you must verify that your new platform carries the relevant certification for your state's Law Society — not just NSW. Before signing any contract, ask for written confirmation of state-specific certification.
Trust accounting compliance is not optional and is not something you can retrofit after migration. Verify certification for your specific state before you sign.
Migration Timeline: 5 Phases
| Phase | Timing | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Evaluate | Now – July 2026 | Demo 3–4 platforms, shortlist 2, check state trust certification, get pricing |
| 2. Select and contract | July – August 2026 | Negotiate, review lock-in terms, sign. Do not wait — migration slots fill fast |
| 3. Data migration | August – September 2026 | Extract and clean FilePro data, test data integrity in new system |
| 4. Parallel running | September – November 2026 | Run both systems simultaneously; train staff; validate trust reconciliation |
| 5. Cutover | November – December 2026 | Full cutover, archive FilePro data, confirm trust account audit readiness |
The migration window is narrower than it looks. Every FilePro firm in Australia is converging on the same December 2026 deadline. ActionStep's migration slots are filling from September–October 2026. Firms that begin evaluation in August will struggle to complete migration safely before the deadline.
6 Questions to Ask Every Vendor
Before signing with any platform, get written answers to these questions:
- Which state Law Society certifications do you hold? Ask for the specific states, not just "Law Society certified."
- What is your FilePro migration process, and what is the timeline from contract signing to go-live? Understand the realistic timeline before you commit.
- Is general accounting (office accounts) included natively, or do I need a Xero/MYOB subscription? This affects total cost of ownership significantly.
- What are the contract terms and exit provisions? Three-year lock-ins are common. Understand what happens if you want to leave.
- How is trust accounting data migrated, and how do you validate completeness? Lost trust data is an audit problem, not just an IT problem.
- What does your support model look like after go-live — and what does it cost? Some vendors charge separately for ongoing support above a base tier.
For Firms with Cross-Jurisdiction Work
Australian firms that handle matters with US or UK elements — immigration, international commercial contracts, cross-border estate administration — face an additional consideration. Australian-only platforms are optimised for Australian practice areas but may not handle multi-currency billing, US-format engagement letters, or UK-style retainer structures well.
For this minority of Australian firms, a platform like ContractKit (Solo $49/mo, Firm $99/mo, Enterprise $249/mo) handles cross-jurisdiction contract management and billing alongside your Australian PMS — rather than trying to force Australian-only software to handle international work it was not built for.
The right platform for FilePro migration depends on your practice area, headcount, and whether per-matter or per-user pricing better reflects your cost structure. What is not negotiable is the timeline: start your evaluation now, select by August, and give yourself at least 12 weeks of parallel running before the December cutover.