Choosing software
Discovery software pricing: compare the full quote
Turn seat fees, included usage and overages into a comparable quote for the work your firm needs.
On this page
Compare discovery software pricing by giving each vendor the same workload and required outputs. Add the seat fees, billable usage, storage and extras for that scope. Keep unanswered charges marked unknown.
A low seat price can become a different total when recording hours rise. An annual allowance can also behave differently from a monthly one. This guide gives criminal-defense teams a reusable quote worksheet and two fictional calculations, so you can see which questions change the total before choosing a tool.
Define the work before asking for a price
Start with an inventory your firm can describe without sharing confidential case content. Count users by what they need to do: upload, edit, review, comment or download. Record document pages, audio/video duration, file sizes, languages and the storage period. Separate material already processed from new files or revised versions.
List the outputs you need. Searchable transcripts, source-linked findings, document review, redacted clips and editable exports are different deliverables. The discovery software comparison helps define that shortlist. A lower quote for a smaller scope is not automatically a better quote for your task.
Ask vendors to price both an ordinary period and a heavier one using the same assumptions. Keep the workload aggregate; you do not need to send evidence or client identifiers to explain how many files, pages and hours you expect.
Check the billing unit and the allowance period
Public pricing pages demonstrate why the unit matters. Reduct’s pricing page, checked October 19, 2026, describes editor seats, pooled transcription allowances and additional usage. Its usage documentation distinguishes billable audio from total file duration and notes plan-dependent limits. Confirm the rules for the specific plan and billing period in your quote.
CaseMark’s current pricing page, checked the same day, describes Para seat fees credited into a usage wallet and separately points to Source pricing. That is a reason to identify the exact product and how credits offset usage, rather than adding every displayed fee together. These are examples of billing structures, not tested cost comparisons or endorsements.
A price displayed “per month” may require annual payment. Record the actual cash due, minimum term, renewal conditions and whether unused allowances carry forward. Do not divide an annual allowance by twelve and assume that is a monthly cap; do not multiply a monthly allowance and assume unused hours accumulate.
Copy this quote-comparison worksheet
Use one column per vendor. Put the quote date, plan name, source link or written confirmation alongside each answer. Leave unknown values blank with an explicit “not confirmed” note.
| Question | Record for each quote |
|---|---|
| Scope and people | Named product/plan; required outputs; number and type of paid seats; reviewer/guest permissions. |
| Base charge | Recurring amount and currency; monthly or annual billing; minimum commitment; cash due at purchase. |
| Included usage | Pages, recording minutes/hours or credits; pooling rules; reset date; rollover or expiry. |
| Additional usage | Rate and unit; what starts billing; rounding/minimums; whether different tasks consume different credits. |
| Storage and file limits | Included amount; retention period; archive charges; maximum file size; download or exit costs if any. |
| Exceptions and add-ons | Unreadable files, retries, duplicate uploads, changed versions, translation, human transcription and optional services. |
| Control and evidence | How the firm sees usage, receives a quote or alert, and approves or limits additional charges. |
| Total and unresolved items | Ordinary/heavy workload totals; taxes and one-time fees separately; unconfirmed lines and who will resolve them. |
For a simple plan with a base fee and one usage allowance, the comparison is: base fee + billable usage beyond the allowance × overage rate + confirmed extras. Use the vendor’s actual calculation for tiered rates, wallets or multiple task types. Avoid counting a prepaid credit both as a charge and as additional usage spending.
Fictional example: the lower total changes with workload
The following offers are invented. They are not prices for DiscoRev, Reduct, CaseMark or another vendor. Both hypothetical quotes provide the same required outputs for two users, 3,000 document pages and 100 GB of storage for one month. Assume those pages and storage are included. Only recording hours vary. Taxes, onboarding and other extras are excluded from both calculations.
| Assumption | Fictional offer A | Fictional offer B |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly base | 2 seats × $40 = $80 | $280 for both users |
| Included recording hours | 20 hours total per month | 60 hours total per month |
| Overage | $4 per hour | $2 per hour |
| Ordinary month: 60 hours | $80 + (60 − 20) × $4 = $240 | $280 + $0 = $280 |
| Heavy month: 100 hours | $80 + (100 − 20) × $4 = $400 | $280 + (100 − 60) × $2 = $360 |
Offer A is $40 lower in the ordinary month. Offer B is $40 lower in the heavy month. Neither is a real product recommendation. The point is to price the workload instead of ranking the base fees. If either quote leaves document processing or required exports unconfirmed, the total remains incomplete.
Keep promotions in a separate line: price before credit, eligible credit applied, and cash required now. A temporary beta credit is useful, but it does not establish an ongoing discount or how many cases it will cover.
Compare usable outputs alongside the quote
Use a small fictional or otherwise authorized sample to check the required workflow. Can a reviewer reopen a cited page or timestamp? Are missing files and incomplete processing visible? Can your team export the result in the format it needs? Our sample evaluation guide includes an answer-key approach.
Record observed review and correction time separately from vendor fees. Do not assign a time-saving percentage before testing, or call a transcript “reviewed” because processing finished. A cheap output that leaves the task incomplete is not equivalent to an output that supports the required workflow. Data handling is also a separate decision; use the vendor questions guide before sharing confidential material.
Leave with a comparable quote and a clear next step
Ask each shortlisted vendor to confirm the same scope, period and two workload totals in writing. Keep unresolved fees and capabilities visible. Choose what to evaluate next based on fit, verified output and the complete quote, rather than a headline price or an unsupported savings claim.
DiscoRev is one option for criminal-defense teams reviewing supported recordings and documents with source-linked findings. We publish this guide and have an interest in that choice. See how the Florida beta works and apply if it fits your firm. Applications are reviewed manually; the current offer appears below.
Common questions
How do you compare discovery software pricing?
Specify the same users, document pages, recording hours, storage period and required outputs for every quote. Separate recurring fees, included usage, overages, optional services and contract commitments. Compare an ordinary workload and a heavier one; leave unconfirmed amounts unknown.
Is a price per transcription hour the total review price?
Not necessarily. Confirm whether it includes the source-linked review, summaries, storage, exports and other outputs you need. Also clarify which recording minutes are billable. A transcription price alone does not establish the price or quality of a complete review workflow.
Should beta credit count as a lower ongoing price?
Show promotional credit separately from recurring or usage charges. Confirm what it covers and any conditions. Compare the ongoing quote without assuming a temporary credit will recur.