Running the practice
Smokeball describes itself as legal practice management software for Australian firms, for sole practitioners and small and mid-sized firms. Briefi is not practice management software.1
Advisor, head to head
Briefi vs Smokeball
These two do different jobs, and many firms could use both. Smokeball is legal practice management software for Australian firms: it runs the matter. Briefi is the client side around it: the meeting, instructions and forms signed online, document requests and the client portal. If you need one system for matters, time and billing, that is Smokeball. If your gap is what happens with the client before and after, look at Briefi.
ReviewedLast reviewed 15 October 2026. Smokeball facts checked 15 October 2026
Choose Smokeball if
Choose Briefi if
- You want client meetings prepared, written up and followed up on one record
- You want instructions, forms and fee agreements signed online, with a firm countersignature
- You want to ask clients and third parties for documents and see what has come back
At a glance
Briefi Advisor and Smokeball, side by side
What each does today. Every line about Smokeball links to the page it came from.
| Briefi AdvisorPlans from A$89 a month | Smokeball | |
|---|---|---|
| Clients | ||
| Client portal | Briefi AdvisorAdvisor plansOff by default for each workspace; switch it on where you want it | SmokeballBoost and aboveDocument sharing, in-matter messaging and intake forms sent to the client’s to-do list52 |
| Intake forms | Briefi AdvisorYour own formsStart from a Word or PDF you already use. One short pre-meeting form ships ready to send. | SmokeballYesA drag-and-drop builder with conditional logic and AI form generation; sold as an add-on on some plans62 |
| Online signing | Briefi AdvisorYesDrawn or typed signature, templates, Word or PDF import, a certificate page on the signed PDF | SmokeballWith feesFees apply to eSignatures on their pricing page; we read no description of the feature2 |
| Meetings | ||
| Recording and transcription | Briefi AdvisorYesA bot on Zoom, Teams and Google Meet, browser recording, and a recorder for face-to-face meetings | SmokeballVia Archie AppsArchie AI summarises a document or matter, including meetings, deadlines and tasks. A tool that turns a recording into a transcript sits in its Archie Apps marketplace.4 |
| Data | ||
| Where your data is held | Briefi AdvisorStored in SydneySome processing uses providers overseas. The Security page lists them. | SmokeballRegion not named on the page we readIt says it is hosted on Amazon Web Services7 |
Yes, todayPartly, or on another planNoNot stated
Smokeball runs the matter. Briefi runs the client conversation. A row appears only where Smokeball’s own pages say something we could check.
Where Smokeball wins
When Smokeball is the better choice
If any of these decides it for you, Smokeball is likely the better fit today.
Word and Outlook
Smokeball lists Word and Outlook integrations on its home page.1
Time tracked for billing
Smokeball’s AutoTime tracks activity to power billing and insights. Briefi has no time recording or billing.32
A certified organisation
Smokeball says it is an ISO 27001 certified organisation.7
Where Briefi is different
The meeting, the instructions and the signed copy on one record.
Briefi covers the client side of the practice. It does not replace your practice management system.
- Meetings prepared and written upMeetings
A brief before you meet, a recap after with decisions and actions that have an owner, and a follow-up drafted for you to check and send from your own mailbox.
- Instructions and fee agreements signedSign
Each person signs on their own link, or together on one device, and a named member of your firm can countersign. The signed PDF carries a certificate page with a SHA-256 digest.
- Document requestsAdvisor
Ask a client, or a third party by upload link, for the files you need. A person on your team accepts or waives each one.
Briefi does not do trust accounting, time recording, billing or matter management, and it has no matter register or diary. It has no connection to Smokeball; a person on your team keeps the two in step. Identity checks are not available yet.
Pricing
Pricing compared
Briefi is priced per plan, not per user. Smokeball’s figures are as shown on its pricing page, in dollars per user a month, excluding GST, with no currency named. Its billing period and trial length are not stated there.
Advisor Solo
From A$89 a month
- 100 form requests per user each month
- 10 capture hours each month
- Monthly or annual billing
Figures from Briefi’s live price list
Smokeball
From Bill from $59 per user a month, excluding GST, as shown on their pricing page
- Bill: from $59
- Boost: from $129
- Grow: from $249
- Prosper+: custom
- Add-ons: Intake $29 on Boost and $59 on Grow; AutoTime $39 on Grow; Archie AI price not shown
- Fees apply to eFiling and eSignatures, and Stripe card fees are extra
Checked on 15 October 2026. Source 2
Briefi prices are in AUD and are read from the same price list as the pricing page, so they change when it does.
Questions
Briefi and Smokeball, asked often
Can Briefi replace Smokeball?
No, and it is not meant to. Smokeball runs your matters. Briefi handles the client meeting, forms, signing, document requests and portal around them. It does no trust accounting, time recording or billing.
Can we use both?
Yes. Briefi has no connection to Smokeball, so a person on your team keeps the two records in step.
Does Briefi protect legal professional privilege?
Briefi makes no claim about privilege. Whether a record is privileged, and whether sending client content to outside processors affects that, is for you to decide. The sub-processors page lists every service that receives content.
Where is my clients’ data stored?
In Briefi, stored in Sydney. Some processing uses providers overseas. The Security page lists them.
Does Briefi check a client’s identity?
Not yet. Today you can ask for ID documents in a document request, and a person on your team accepts each one.
Try it
Take one client through a meeting, a form and a signed copy.
Start free trial Advisor Solo from A$89 a month
Sources and review
Last reviewed 15 October 2026. Facts about Smokeball come from its own published pages on the dates shown. Each product named here is a trademark of its owner, and Briefi is not affiliated with them.
Seen something out of date? Write to support@briefi.sh and we will check it.
- 1Smokeball, home page. https://www.smokeball.com.au Checked 15 October 2026.
- 2Smokeball, pricing. https://www.smokeball.com.au/pricing Checked 15 October 2026.
- 3Smokeball, features. https://www.smokeball.com.au/features Checked 15 October 2026.
- 4Smokeball, Archie AI. https://www.smokeball.com.au/archie Checked 15 October 2026.
- 5Smokeball, client portal. https://www.smokeball.com.au/features/client-portal Checked 15 October 2026.
- 6Smokeball, intake. https://www.smokeball.com.au/features/intake Checked 15 October 2026.
- 7Smokeball, security. https://www.smokeball.com.au/security Checked 15 October 2026.
Briefi’s own pages
- B1briefi.sh/for/lawyers. https://briefi.sh/for/lawyers
- B2briefi.sh/advisor. https://briefi.sh/advisor
- B3briefi.sh/sign. https://briefi.sh/sign
- B4briefi.sh/security. https://briefi.sh/security