Actionstep vs. Referent Comparison Chart

8am™ is business management software for professional service firms designed to help law firms, accounting firms, and other professional services organizations run more efficiently from client intake to payment. Bringing together trusted products like LawPay, MyCase, CasePeer, DocketWise, CPACharge, and ClientPay, the platform delivers a unified solution for practice management, case management, document management, billing and invoicing, payment processing, accounting, and financial reporting. With enterprise-grade security, seamless integrations, and award-winning support, the platform empowers professional service firms to work smarter—not harder. Over 260,000 professionals and 175+ associations trust 8am technology to power their practices, simplify operations, and drive sustainable growth.

Canopy is an all-in-one accounting practice management platform built for tax, bookkeeping, advisory, and CPA firms. It centralizes everything your firm needs—workflow, documents, billing, and client communication—so you can stop toggling between tools and start working smarter. Key features include customizable task templates, time tracking, client CRM, secure document sharing, eSignature, and integrated payments. Canopy’s Smart Intake and Engagements tools help streamline client onboarding with AI-driven questionnaires and branded proposals. The built-in client portal keeps your team and clients aligned in one secure place. With automation, AI, and real-time collaboration, Canopy helps firms reduce admin work, eliminate scope creep, and deliver an exceptional client experience. Whether you're a solo practitioner or a growing team, Canopy scales with your firm—helping you run a more efficient, connected, and modern practice.

Save 90% for 4 months on Xero's award-winning accounting and online bookkeeping platform for businesses of all sizes and stages of growth. Beautifully simple, Xero covers a wide range of features that help businesses manage their finances effortlessly, including invoicing, inventory, bank connections, payroll, reporting and more. Xero also offers users free online support 24/7. Xero offers a robust ecosystem of connected apps and integrations with banks and financial institutions, enabling small businesses to access a wide range of solutions within Xero's open platform to streamline operations and manage finances. Additionally, accounting and bookkeeping firms benefit from efficient compliance tools, advanced practice management software, and a cloud-based unified accounting ledger for all clients, centralized in one place.

Shape is purpose-built sales and marketing automation software that comes with pre-built features that can be configured for any business. The easy-to-use interface empowers your teams and consolidates all aspects of your business in one AI platform. Shape provides a collaborative space for your teams to stay aligned and efficient in everything they do, whether it's streamlining your sales pipeline, engaging more prospects with marketing sequences and digital ads, nurturing customer relationships, communicating seamlessly, or tracking projects. Start growing your revenue with Shape's suite of services today.

Filevine, powered by LOIS, is an AI-driven legal intelligence platform designed to provide a unified system of truth for modern legal practices. It connects data, documents, workflows, and teams into a single, cohesive environment. The platform enables legal professionals to verify facts, prepare depositions, and manage cases more efficiently. LOIS delivers contextual insights by analyzing the entire matter lifecycle in one place. It supports functions such as document management, contract management, and billing within a centralized workspace. The system is built to enhance decision-making by providing accurate and actionable intelligence. Its AI capabilities help automate workflows and streamline legal operations. Overall, Filevine empowers organizations to improve productivity and achieve better legal outcomes.

LegalEdge is a comprehensive case management software platform designed specifically for government legal organizations. It offers dedicated solutions for prosecutors, public defenders, and agency or municipal attorneys. The platform supports the full lifecycle of legal cases, helping teams manage case data, documents, people, and workflows efficiently. LegalEdge is built as a fully server-side application, allowing secure access from any device without client-side installations. Mobile access enables attorneys and investigators to work seamlessly from courtrooms, offices, or remote locations. Integrated data capabilities reduce duplicate data entry across criminal justice systems. LegalEdge focuses on delivering robust functionality while helping agencies control costs.

Creatio is a global vendor of an agentic AI-native CRM and workflow automation platform that combines no-code development and AI to automate customer journeys and business processes with maximum flexibility. The platform includes Creatio Studio, enabling users to build applications and AI agents with natural language and visual tools, alongside a full AI CRM suite for marketing, sales, and service with embedded AI agents. Organizations can design and automate end-to-end workflows, leverage analytics, and accelerate development with up to 10× faster time-to-value. Creatio also offers industry-specific solutions, including Financial Services CRM, and workflows across 19+ industries, supported by a marketplace of add-ons and integrations. Recognized by Gartner and Forrester and highly rated on G2, Creatio serves thousands of customers globally with a strong partner ecosystem.

Act! Advantage is a full front-office CRM solution with all-new functionality that unites sales, marketing, and customer management in one intuitive, affordable platform to help you stay organized, attract new customers, and turn relationships into results. Act! Advantage includes Interactive Quotes and Payments, Website Chat, Accounting Integration, Appointment Scheduling, Project Management, Web Forms, Online Surveys, and more, broadening Act!'s footprint across your entire front office, and reducing your need for costly, third-party tools. Additionally, you can select the perfect fit, cost-effective tier to meet your current needs with peace of mind knowing that Act! will grow with you. For 38 years, Act! has partnered with small and midsize businesses - listening, learning, and building alongside them and Act! Advantage is the culmination of nearly four decades of their feedback. Every feature is designed to reflect how today’s SMBs run their businesses.

QuickFee (ASX: QFE) is a leading provider of payments, financing, and accounts receivable automation solutions for professional services firms, including 40% of the IPA Top 300 firms. Our platform is designed to streamline the Accounts Receivable process and accelerate revenue growth by integrating multiple online payment options and powerful invoicing tools within your practice management system. With QuickFee, firms can significantly reduce aging receivables, improve cash flow, and increase client spending. Clients can easily make payments using credit or debit cards, ACH/EFT transfers, or QuickFee's exclusive financing solution that allows them to spread payments over 3 to 12 months—while firms receive full payment upfront without incurring additional costs. Operating in the United States and Australia, QuickFee focuses on delivering scalable and affordable solutions backed by exceptional customer service.

Pipedrive is a web-based sales CRM (customer relationship management) software that lets sales teams track pipelines, optimize leads, manage deals and automate their entire sales process to focus on selling. Pipedrive’s simple interface empowers salespeople to streamline workflows and unite sales tasks in one workspace. Unlock instant sales insights with Pipedrive’s visual sales pipeline and fine-tune your strategy with robust reporting features and a personalized AI Sales Assistant. Reach the right contacts at the right time with intelligent lead segmenting and activity reminders that tell you when to take action. When it’s time to seal the deal, compose instant, irresistible sales emails in just one click. With Pipedrive, winning has never been easier.