# Actionstep vs Smokeball

The clearest difference is rating: Smokeball at 3.1 against Actionstep's 2.0. Smokeball also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (40% vs 27%). Actionstep's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.8). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Smokeball holds the better App Store score, 3.1 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Smokeball has 39 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of Actionstep's written reviews are positive against 40% of Smokeball's.

Actionstep ships an update every 3 months, Smokeball monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Actionstep | Smokeball |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/actionstep/id1327575429/reviews) | **[3.1 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smokeball/id1453634223/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **39** |
| Positive reviews | 27.3% of reviews | **40.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 6 MB | 276 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.8 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ActionStep New Zealand Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/637287170) | [Smokeball](https://appshunter.io/developer/894597286) |

## What reviewers say

### Actionstep

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/actionstep/id1327575429)

Manage your legal practice on the go. Create file notes, tasks, and time entries, or view your calendar and active matters. This app extends your desktop experience with essential firm management tools.

**Highlights:** Create file notes, Create tasks, Create time entries, View calendar, View active matters, Manage contacts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Smokeball

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smokeball/id1453634223)

This mobile app empowers small law firms to manage client matters and enhance productivity on the go. Access case details, track tasks, and stay organized with daily digests and calendaring tools, ensuring better client service even when away from the office.

**Highlights:** Manage client matters, View matter details, Track phone messages, Daily task and event digests, Calendaring for team availability, Task and to-do list management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Actionstep free?

Actionstep is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Smokeball free?

Smokeball is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Actionstep or Smokeball?

Smokeball is rated higher. Actionstep averages 2.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Smokeball averages 3.1 from 39 ratings.

### Do Actionstep or Smokeball have ads?

Neither Actionstep nor Smokeball shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Actionstep or Smokeball?

Actionstep ships an update every 3 months, and Smokeball monthly. Most recently, Actionstep was updated on September 26, 2026 and Smokeball on October 7, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*