Comparison - updated 2026
Best court preparation software UK (2026)
An honest comparison of tools for preparing a UK court case: chronologies, witness statements, exhibits and bundles. Written by the EvidenceCanvas team - we make one of the tools below, so we have marked where each option fits best rather than pretending there is one winner for everyone.
Who this comparison is for
Litigants in person, McKenzie friends and small firms in family, small-claims and civil matters. If you run a large chambers or a discovery-heavy US litigation team, your shortlist is different - notes below explain why.
The shortlist
| Tool | Best for | Chronology | Bundles | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EvidenceCanvas | LiPs, McKenzie friends, small UK firms | Auto-built from documents, sourced | Paginated, indexed, core-bundle checks | Free plan; public pricing |
| Opus 2 | Barristers, large hearing bundles | Yes | Enterprise-grade hearing bundles | Quote-only |
| Casefleet | US-style case investigation | Strong (fact-to-source linking) | Limited UK bundle formats | Per-seat, USD |
| Everlaw / Nextpoint | US discovery teams | Yes | US litigation formats | Quote-only |
| Word + a chronology template | Very small cases (under ~10 events) | Manual | Manual pagination - breaks easily | Free |
How to choose
Three questions decide it. (1) Who is preparing the bundle - you personally, or support staff? Software that automates pagination matters far more for the former. (2) Is your hearing family/small-claims or multi-party commercial? Family and small-claims favour simple, cheap, UK-format tools. (3) Do you need e-filing or paper? If paper, any finished PDF can go to a print service - the preparation is the part worth paying for.
Why we built EvidenceCanvas instead of using the above
Every option above is either enterprise-priced, US-focused, or manual. Between a four-figure quote-only platform and a free template that collapses past ten events, there was nothing built for the person standing in front of a district judge with a box of documents. See how EvidenceCanvas works - and judge the comparison accordingly.
Methodology
Positions summarised from each vendor's public website and UK SERP presence as at October 2026. We included competitors' strengths fairly and marked our own conflict of interest. Feature sets change - check vendor sites before deciding.
FAQ
- What is the best court preparation software in the UK?
- For litigants in person, McKenzie friends and small firms, EvidenceCanvas covers chronology, statements and bundles in one affordable workspace. Barrister chambers needing heavy-duty hearing bundles typically look at Opus 2; US-style discovery teams look at Everlaw or Casefleet.
- How much does court preparation software cost?
- EvidenceCanvas publishes its pricing openly and has a free plan. Opus 2 and enterprise discovery platforms are quote-only, typically aimed at firms rather than individuals.
- Is there a ChatGPT for legal documents?
- General AI assistants can draft text but do not manage evidence, pagination or court formats - and uploading client documents to consumer AI tools raises confidentiality issues. EvidenceCanvas keeps documents in one workspace with version control instead.
Independent comparison including our own product, published with that conflict stated. Not legal advice.