Start eDiscovery In Just 10 Minutes With the Right Pricing Plan!

26 May 2021 by Anith eDiscovery pricing

Takeaway: Complex pricing plans slow down eDiscovery because they force you to call or email vendors and waste time bargaining. Instead, choose software with a simple, clearly listed, flat rate. You should be able to select a plan and start working in under 10 minutes.

The latest eDiscovery applications can – in theory – get you started on eDiscovery in minutes. But it doesn’t always work that way.

eDiscovery software is so easy to use nowadays. You don’t have to spend hours with a user manual or waste time troubleshooting technical issues. You’ll log in to the software via your web browser and start working. Sounds simple enough, right? But that isn’t the whole story. What ends up happening is that you’ll be stuck decoding complicated pricing plans to calculate your monthly bill. Or you’ll be trapped in annoying email (or phone) exchanges with vendors to sort out details like per-seat licensing costs, processing fees, and overage.

Complicated pricing plans aren’t just annoying. They’re a sign of a poorly planned product.

Aside from being frustrating to decipher, a complicated pricing plan throws up a few red flags. First, why all the complexity? Because simple plans are easy to design (here’s an example of a simple pricing plan). Next, if the plan forces you to call the vendor to figure out details, it’s a sign that they’re pushing the ‘hard sell’ to get you on board. You’re not being allowed to decide for yourself if the software is a good fit for your law firm. And finally, vendors with complicated pricing plans often create complicated eDiscovery software. These plans are a valuable sneak peek at their design priorities.

So, what does a smart pricing plan look like? (Hint: It lets you start eDiscovery in 10 minutes or less.)

Here are some eDiscovery pricing basics to keep in mind.

The best pricing plans charge a flat monthly rate instead of billing you for each part of eDiscovery.

Traditionally, vendors used à la carte pricing. They’d take the Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM) and charge piecemeal for each part of the process. So, you’d pay separately for data collection, processing, review, and production. Granted, you’d get an impressive array of features – like Optical Character Recognition (OCR), deduplication, search filters, and even TAR – but it would be hard to predict what your final eDiscovery bill would be. Nowadays, you have the option of paying a flat monthly rate instead. Flat-rate pricing is much easier to understand, so you won’t need to contact your vendor for details. Just go to their pricing page, choose the package you want, and start working!

But flat rates alone aren’t enough. Ideally, you want the rate to be calculated based on storage space.

Paying a flat rate is a great first step, but how you calculate the rate is also important.

Option 1: Pay for what you upload. Here, you pay per gigabyte (GB) of data you upload. And you might choose to pay a default base rate, adding extra only if you cross a predetermined upload limit.
Option 2: Pay for what you store. Here, instead of tracking what you upload, your provider will charge for the storage space you use. So, you’ll choose a plan (e.g., 3 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB, etc.) and pay only for that much storage. For example, if you choose a 3 GB plan, you can upload and delete as much data as you want as long as you’re finally left with a maximum of 3 GB of storage. (Note: If you need to cross this 3 GB limit, that’s fine, too. Your software will automatically upgrade you to the next higher plan.)

Paying for storage instead of uploads makes billing so much simpler.

Paying for uploads might seem more flexible because you don’t have to decide in advance how much storage space you’ll need. But when case sizes keep fluctuating (and they do for most small and midsize law firms), paying for uploads becomes complicated. For example, say you upload 2.8 GB of data, delete 1 GB after a couple of weeks, and then upload 1 GB more. If you’re paying for storage, you’d have got yourself a 3 GB plan – which would have absorbed all the uploading and deleting. But if you’re paying for uploads, instead, all the deleting and extra uploading adds up. You’ve already uploaded a total of 3.8 GB of data in 2 weeks. Imagine your calculations at the end of the month and across all your cases!

Another great thing about paying for storage is that it’s also very fair.

Good eDiscovery plans offer prorated pricing so that you’re never paying for storage space you don’t use. Say you’re on an 8 GB plan for 3 days and then you downgrade to a 5 GB plan for the rest of the month. With prorating, your bill will be adjusted to account for this shift, so you won’t be charged for a whole month of 8 GB storage. This wouldn’t be an option if you’re paying for uploads.

Whichever pricing plan you choose, make sure you read the small print.

Ideally, you want software with a simple, clearly listed flat rate. But whatever software you choose, crafty eDiscovery vendors can promise predictable pricing but slip in sneaky pricing traps. For example, they might charge per GB for uploads but tack on hidden ‘extras’ like charges for audit logs or behind-the-scenes databases. Remember, the more complicated the pricing plan, the more likely it is that you’ll miss the small print.

Want quick eDiscovery with simple pricing? Try GoldFynch.

GoldFynch is an easy-to-use eDiscovery service that’s perfect for small- and midsize law firms and companies.

It costs just $27 a month for a 3 GB case: That’s significantly less than most comparable software. With GoldFynch, you know what you’re paying for exactly – its pricing is simple and readily available on the website.
It’s easy to budget for. GoldFynch charges only for storage (processing is free). So, choose from a range of plans (3 GB to 150+ GB) and know up front how much you’ll be paying. It takes just a few clicks to move from one plan to another, and billing is prorated – so you’ll pay only for the time you spend on any given plan. With legacy software, pricing is much less predictable.
It takes just minutes to get going. GoldFynch runs in the Cloud, so you use it through your web browser (Google Chrome recommended). No installation. No sales calls or emails. Plus, you get a free trial case (0.5 GB of data and a processing cap of 1 GB), without adding a credit card.
It’s simple to use. Many eDiscovery applications take hours to master. GoldFynch takes minutes. It handles a lot of complex processing in the background, but what you see is minimal and intuitive. Just drag-and-drop your files into GoldFynch and you’re good to go. Plus, you get prompt and reliable tech support.
Access it from anywhere. And 24/7. All your files are backed up and secure in the Cloud.

Want to find out more about GoldFynch?

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