LexDraft vs CoCounsel
Comparing affordable drafting with Thomson Reuters' enterprise platform
Feature Comparison
| Feature | LexDraft | CoCounsel |
|---|---|---|
| Contract Drafting | ✓ Core feature | ✓ Yes |
| Word Integration | ✓ Native add-in | ✓ Word add-in |
| Legal Research | ○ No | ✓ Westlaw integrated |
| Document Review | ✓ Basic | ✓ Advanced |
| Due Diligence | ○ No | ✓ Yes |
| Email Management | ○ No | ✓ Yes |
| Case Management | ○ No | ✓ Yes |
| Time Tracking | ○ No | ✓ Yes |
| Billing Integration | ○ No | ✓ Yes |
| Redline & Markup | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Pricing Comparison
LexDraft
Free
$0
2,000 words/month
Professional
$99/month
100K words/month
Enterprise
$199/month
Unlimited words/month
CoCounsel
Starter
~$300/month
Limited features
Standard
~$400/month
Full features
Enterprise
$500+/month
Custom pricing
Note: CoCounsel is typically bundled with Westlaw subscriptions, which adds additional cost. Total cost depends on your existing Westlaw/Thomson Reuters ecosystem.
Key Differences
LexDraft
Focus: Specialized contract drafting in Word
Firm Size: Solo to mid-sized practices
Integration: Word-only (focused integration)
Target User: Lawyers who primarily draft contracts
CoCounsel
Focus: Comprehensive legal work platform with drafting
Firm Size: Mid-sized to enterprise firms
Integration: Westlaw, Word, email, case management
Target User: Firms using Thomson Reuters ecosystem
Pros & Cons
LexDraft Strengths
- ✓ Extremely affordable — $0-$199/mo vs $300+/mo
- ✓ Simple onboarding — Get started in minutes
- ✓ Native Word integration — Works where you already write
- ✓ No learning curve — Intuitive for any Word user
- ✓ Standalone tool — Works with your existing stack
LexDraft Limitations
- ✗ Drafting only — No research, time tracking, billing
- ✗ Limited scope — Can't replace a full practice platform
- ✗ No case management — You need separate tools
- ✗ No Westlaw integration — Use separate research tools
- ✗ No email management — Separate email workflow needed
CoCounsel Strengths
- ✓ Comprehensive platform — Drafting + research + case management
- ✓ Westlaw integration — Seamless research within the platform
- ✓ Practice management — Time tracking, billing, email management
- ✓ Enterprise-ready — Built for large firms
- ✓ Established platform — Backed by Thomson Reuters
CoCounsel Limitations
- ✗ Expensive — $300+/mo is significant for small firms
- ✗ Bundled pricing — Often requires Westlaw subscription
- ✗ Complex implementation — Requires integration setup
- ✗ Steep learning curve — Many features to learn
- ✗ Not ideal for drafting-only — Overkill if you only draft
Who Should Choose Which?
Choose LexDraft If You:
- ✓ Are a solo or small firm
- ✓ Primarily draft contracts
- ✓ Want to minimize costs
- ✓ Don't use Westlaw/Thomson Reuters
- ✓ Prefer simple, focused tools
- ✓ Want quick implementation
Choose CoCounsel If You:
- ✓ Are a mid-to-large firm
- ✓ Use Westlaw/Thomson Reuters
- ✓ Need practice management tools
- ✓ Handle diverse legal work
- ✓ Want centralized platform
- ✓ Have IT support for integration
Frequently Asked Questions
Not necessarily. CoCounsel is better for enterprise firms needing comprehensive tools bundled with Westlaw. LexDraft is better for small firms and solo practitioners needing affordable, focused contract drafting. Choose based on firm size, budget, and needs—not just features.
Yes, if you only need contract drafting. You can save $200+/month by using LexDraft ($99/mo) instead of CoCounsel ($300+/mo). However, you'll lose case management, Westlaw integration, and practice management features. It's a trade-off.
CoCounsel can work standalone, but it's most valuable with a Westlaw subscription. If you already have Westlaw, adding CoCounsel makes sense. If not, you may want to consider LexDraft or evaluate the total cost of adding both.
Yes. Some firms use LexDraft for fast, simple contract drafting and CoCounsel for complex transactions, research, and case management. This hybrid approach can be cost-effective if you don't need CoCounsel's full suite all the time.
LexDraft. Install from the Microsoft AppSource, sign up, and you're drafting in minutes. CoCounsel requires IT integration with your existing systems and may take weeks to set up. If you need something immediately, LexDraft is faster.