Plan for the setup.
Then the running costs.
An intake budget has three parts. Keep them separate when you compare quotes.
The platform
Monthly or annualThe tools, seats, and usage you pay for.
The working system
One fixed projectA mapped process. A tested workflow. A trained team.
Keeping it current
Optional monthlyHelp as your team and processes change.
What does the software cost?
Some platforms charge a base subscription. Others quote by user or firm. Ask for the total at your actual headcount.
See vendor prices and seat models
| Product | Price shown | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| GoHighLevel Starter | $97 / month $970 / year | Unlimited users. Requires configuration; communications usage and optional add-ons cost extra. |
| Clio Starter | From $49 / user / month | Practice management. Does not include Clio Grow. Confirm billing terms and your full quote. |
| Clio Grow | Request pricing | Included in Elite; available as an add-on to Core and Signature. No standalone amount shown. |
| Clio Core, Signature, Elite | Request pricing | Per-user practice-management plans. Ask what Grow and any usage charges add to your total. |
| Lawmatics Essential / Premium | Custom quote | Three-user minimum shown. Confirm the full subscription and onboarding costs. |
| Lawmatics Enterprise | Custom quote | Five-user minimum shown. Ask for a written quote based on your firm. |
Sources: HighLevel pricing · Clio US pricing · Lawmatics pricing. These products cover different needs; the lowest subscription is not necessarily the right fit.
What does headcount change?
Illustrative subscription math, not a vendor quote. Replace the example rate with your actual offer.
Example difference: $2,628 per year.
Excludes installation, taxes, usage fees, add-ons, and other software you may still need. This compares billing models, not equivalent feature sets.
Already using Clio? Check what your current setup can handle before replacing it.
What does the install cost?
Mid four figures. Fixed scope.
We map the path from inquiry to signed engagement, build the agreed workflow, and train the people who will run it.
What’s included, and what costs extra?
The fixed fee covers the scope and timeline in your agreement. Changes outside that scope are billed hourly at the agreed rate. A full intake-to-delivery installation is a larger engagement, quoted separately.
Can we start with an audit?
Yes. A paid business audit runs about $1,100. It maps the current process and produces a prioritized plan without building the system.
What about ongoing support?
Firms that want help keeping the system current can add a monthly systems advisory retainer in the low four figures. This is separate from the software bill and the installation project.
Is it flat fee or hourly?
The install is a flat fee so you know what the agreed work costs. Additional requests are scoped separately, with the hourly rate set in the agreement.
About three weeks,
from map to handoff.
Map & document
Agree on the steps and who owns them.
Build the workflow
Connect forms, follow-up, and handoffs.
Test & train
Test real scenarios. Train your team.
Timing depends on scope, access to your tools, and timely feedback.
Can we begin with one case type?
Yes. Start with the highest-volume intake path, run it for a month, and use what you learn before adding others. Your agreement defines which paths are included. Later paths may reuse earlier work; their cost should be confirmed before building.
What can it return?
Start with the inquiries you receive, how many book, and how many become clients. Without that baseline, a return estimate is guesswork.
More bookings.
Less back-and-forth.
Prospects booked directly. Pre-consultation email back-and-forth fell to zero.
What these results and costs cover
The first signed phase was just under $4,000. The roughly $30,000 total includes additional work commissioned over the following months, beyond the initial intake installation.
This is one client’s reported experience, not a forecast. It does not establish how much of the change came from automation alone.
Six questions for your quote.
- What’s the full bill for our team?
- What costs more as we grow?
- Can each case type follow its own path?
- What happens after a client signs?
- Can we see which leads become revenue?
- Could a new hire run this from the documentation?
That last question tests the handoff. If the answer is no, include documentation and training in the scope.
Why are some prices only available by quote?
Packages, users, and services differ. The pages reviewed here do not explain every pricing decision, so ask the vendor for the full cost at your firm’s size. Treat amounts reported elsewhere as examples of someone else’s quote, not a guaranteed rate.
Common questions
How much does a law firm intake system cost?
Budget for the software subscription, a separate design and installation project, and optional ongoing support. GoHighLevel Starter is $97 per month before usage charges and add-ons. Other platforms may use per-user pricing or custom quotes. At Informed Tech Solutions, a fixed-scope intake install runs in the mid four figures.
Is intake automation billed flat fee or hourly?
At Informed Tech Solutions, the intake install is a flat fee with a defined scope and timeline. Changes outside the agreed scope are billed hourly at the rate set in your agreement.
How long does an intake install take?
A fixed-scope intake install typically takes about three weeks: mapping and documentation, building, then testing and training. Timing depends on access to your tools, timely feedback, and the agreed scope.
Does Clio publish its pricing?
The US pricing page checked on 14 September 2026 lists Starter from $49 USD per user per month. Core, Signature, Elite, and Clio Grow direct firms to request pricing. Grow is included in Elite and available as an add-on to Core and Signature.
Can we start with one practice area?
Yes. Start with the highest-volume intake path, run it, and use what you learn before adding others. Agree which paths are included in the fixed fee. Additional paths may reuse earlier work, but their scope and cost should be confirmed.
