Top 10 Legal Hold Software: Features, Pros, Cons & Comparison

Introduction

Legal hold software is a vital tool for any organization that needs to manage the process of preserving information for potential lawsuits or investigations. At its most basic level, these tools help companies send out “hold notices” to employees, telling them not to delete specific emails or documents because they might be needed for a legal case. In the past, this was done with simple spreadsheets and manual emails, but that method is very risky. Modern legal hold software automates the entire process, tracking who has seen the notice and making sure no important evidence is accidentally lost. It acts as a central control center for the legal team, ensuring that every step taken is documented and can be proven in court if necessary.

The importance of these tools cannot be overstated in today’s digital world. When a company realizes it might be sued, it has a legal duty to keep all relevant data. If they fail to do this, they can face massive fines or lose their case entirely. These tools are used in real-world scenarios like employee disputes, intellectual property cases, or government audits. When choosing a tool, you should look for how well it connects with your current email system, how easy it is to use, and whether it can “lock” data in place so it cannot be changed. Security is also a top priority since the software handles sensitive legal matters.

Legal hold software is designed to take the manual labor and human error out of the preservation process. It allows legal teams to identify “custodians”—the people who have the data—and send them clear instructions on what needs to be saved. Instead of hoping people follow instructions, the software provides a clear trail of who acknowledged the notice and when. This is called a “defensible audit trail,” and it is the most important part of any legal hold. Without it, a company cannot prove it did the right thing to protect evidence.

these tools are used for everything from small internal investigations to massive, multi-year lawsuits. For example, if an employee leaves a company and there is a concern about stolen trade secrets, the legal team can immediately put a hold on that employee’s emails and cloud storage. The software ensures that even if the employee tries to delete things, the data is preserved in a secure “vault” or kept in its original place with a “lock” on it.

When evaluating which tool is best for your team, you should consider the weighted scoring rubric we will provide later in this article. Key criteria include the depth of the core features, how easily it integrates with your existing IT systems (like Microsoft 365 or Slack), and the quality of customer support. You want a tool that makes a complex job feel simple and routine, rather than adding more technical work to your plate.

Best for:

• Corporate Legal Departments: Large companies with many ongoing legal matters that need a centralized system.
• Compliance Officers: Professionals who need to ensure the company meets strict regulatory requirements.
• IT Departments: Teams that are often tasked with the technical side of data preservation and need an automated way to handle it.
• Law Firms: Firms that manage litigation for multiple clients and need to ensure their clients are meeting their preservation duties.

Not ideal for:

• Very Small Businesses: If you have only a few employees and almost no legal risk, the cost of specialized software might not be worth it.
• Static Organizations: Companies that never deal with litigation or audits may find that simple manual processes are sufficient.
• Budget-Constrained Teams: Those who cannot afford a dedicated subscription and are willing to take the risk of manual tracking.

Top 10 Legal Hold Software Tools

1 — Relativity Legal Hold

Relativity is a giant in the legal technology world, and their Legal Hold tool is a part of their larger e-discovery platform. It is designed for large organizations that need to manage very complex and high-volume legal matters. It focuses on providing a completely defensible process from the moment a hold is triggered until the case is closed.

• Key features:
  • Automated hold notices and reminders to ensure custodian compliance.
  • Deep integration with the full Relativity e-discovery suite for a smooth data transition.
  • Highly customizable questionnaires to gather info from employees.
  • Advanced reporting and dashboards to track the status of all holds.
  • Ability to manage “silent holds” where data is preserved without notifying the user.
  • Direct sync with Active Directory to keep employee lists up to date.
  • Robust “what-if” planning tools for legal strategy.
• Pros:
  • Incredible scalability for the largest and most complex legal cases.
  • Part of a single platform that handles everything from hold to trial.
• Cons:
  • The system is very complex and usually requires a trained administrator to run it.
  • It is one of the more expensive options on the market.
• Security & compliance: SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, HIPAA, and ISO 27001 compliant.
• Support & community: Extensive training through Relativity University, a huge global user community, and 24/7 enterprise support.

2 — Zapproved (ZDiscovery)

Zapproved is well-known for being very user-friendly while still being powerful enough for big corporations. Their ZDiscovery platform is built specifically for in-house legal teams who want to manage their own holds without relying on outside vendors or IT experts.

• Key features:
  • Modern, intuitive interface that is easy for legal teams to navigate.
  • “Preserve-in-place” technology for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace.
  • Automated custodian tracking and acknowledgement logs.
  • Simple templates for creating professional hold notices quickly.
  • Integration with HR systems to automatically update when people join or leave.
  • Clear dashboards that highlight any risks or missing acknowledgements.
  • Easy “release” workflows to lift holds when they are no longer needed.
• Pros:
  • Famous for its ease of use; legal teams can get up and running very fast.
  • Exceptional customer service that is highly rated by real users.
• Cons:
  • May lack some of the deepest “technical” features found in massive enterprise platforms.
  • Primarily focused on the corporate market, so it might not fit small law firm needs.
• Security & compliance: SOC 2 Type II, GDPR compliant, and uses strong data encryption.
• Support & community: High-touch onboarding, a dedicated success manager, and a helpful online knowledge base.

3 — Everlaw

Everlaw is a modern, cloud-native platform that has gained a lot of fans for its speed and clean design. Their legal hold tool is built to be simple yet effective, focusing on getting notices out and data preserved with as few clicks as possible.

• Key features:
  • Unlimited hold notices and custodians with no extra “per-hold” fees.
  • Automated reminders and escalation notices for non-responsive employees.
  • Direct preservation-in-place for Microsoft 365 environments.
  • Clear visibility into which custodians have been released and which are still active.
  • Secure, cloud-based platform that requires no local software installation.
  • Easy promotion of a “matter” to a full review database when needed.
  • Strong collaboration tools for legal teams working together on a case.
• Pros:
  • The pricing is often more transparent and predictable than older competitors.
  • The software is very fast and works well on modern web browsers.
• Cons:
  • Being newer, it may have fewer legacy integrations than some of the older giants.
  • The legal hold tool is powerful but feels more like a feature of their review tool than a standalone product.
• Security & compliance: FedRAMP authorized, SOC 2 Type II, and HIPAA compliant.
• Support & community: 24/7 support, extensive video tutorials, and a very responsive engineering team.

4 — Logikcull

Logikcull is all about “instant” e-discovery. They have made a name for themselves by allowing legal teams to start a hold or a review in minutes rather than days. It is a great choice for teams that want a “self-service” model where they can do everything themselves.

• Key features:
  • Simple “click and go” setup for legal holds and notices.
  • Automated reminders and tracking through a very clean dashboard.
  • Direct integrations with Slack, Microsoft 365, and Google Vault.
  • Ability to search across all your holds to find specific data quickly.
  • Secure “closed-loop” platform that keeps data safe from start to finish.
  • Clear audit trails that are ready to be presented in court.
  • Transparent pricing that is easy for SMBs and mid-market teams to understand.
• Pros:
  • Probably the easiest tool to set up on this entire list.
  • Excellent for small and medium-sized teams who don’t have a big IT staff.
• Cons:
  • For massive, multi-petabyte cases, some users find it less robust than Relativity.
  • The “simplicity” means you have fewer customization options for complex workflows.
• Security & compliance: SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, and uses enterprise-grade encryption.
• Support & community: Fast chat-based support, a large “Cullmunity” of users, and great documentation.

5 — Exterro

Exterro is a very comprehensive platform that handles not just legal holds, but also data privacy and cybersecurity. It is built for the “all-in-one” user who wants to manage all their data risks in a single place.

• Key features:
  • AI-powered tools to help identify which data is most important to a case.
  • Deep “in-place” preservation across a wide variety of data sources.
  • Automated “employee change monitor” to track when custodians move roles.
  • Advanced custodian interviews and questionnaires to gather deep facts.
  • Integration with IT ticketing systems to manage physical device imaging.
  • Highly defensible workflows that have been tested in major court cases.
  • Comprehensive reporting on every step of the preservation process.
• Pros:
  • Offers the most complete “data risk” package, going beyond just legal holds.
  • Very strong for international companies dealing with complex privacy laws like GDPR.
• Cons:
  • The software can be very complex and has a steeper learning curve than others.
  • The cost is high, reflecting its status as a top-tier enterprise solution.
• Security & compliance: FedRAMP, SOC 2, HIPAA, and GDPR certified.
• Support & community: High-end enterprise support, a professional services team, and regular user conferences.

6 — Onna

Onna is unique because it focuses on “knowledge management” as much as it does on legal holds. It is designed to connect all your cloud apps—like Slack, Zoom, and Jira—into one searchable index, making holds across these modern tools much easier.

• Key features:
  • Special focus on unstructured data from apps like Slack and Confluence.
  • Real-time indexing of data so it is always ready for a hold.
  • Simple, unified interface for managing holds across multiple platforms.
  • Powerful search that can find information across dozens of different apps.
  • Secure, cloud-native architecture that is built for modern IT teams.
  • Clear audit logs that track every search and every hold action.
  • “Connect. Find. Act.” workflow that simplifies complex data gathering.
• Pros:
  • Hands down the best tool for companies that use a lot of modern “workplace” apps.
  • Very fast at finding data across different platforms in seconds.
• Cons:
  • It is not a traditional e-discovery review tool, so you may need another app for the final review.
  • Can be expensive as you add more data sources and users.
• Security & compliance: SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliant with detailed privacy controls.
• Support & community: Technical support team, a comprehensive help center, and partner-led onboarding.

7 — Mitratech (LegalHold)

Mitratech’s LegalHold tool is built for the enterprise legal department. It focuses on taking a standardized, repeatable process and making it as efficient as possible. It is a very reliable choice for companies that have a high volume of routine legal matters.

• Key features:
  • Intuitive four-step process for creating and managing a legal hold.
  • Automated sync with Active Directory and HRIS tools.
  • Consistent and reportable processes that reduce risk by up to 75%.
  • Advanced questionnaire tools for gathering custodian info.
  • Clear and simple dashboards for tracking acknowledgement rates.
  • Highly customizable templates for different types of legal matters.
  • Strong “defensibility” focus to ensure every action is documented.
• Pros:
  • Very efficient for teams that need to run many holds at the same time.
  • Integrates well with other Mitratech products for a complete legal suite.
• Cons:
  • The user interface can feel a bit more “corporate” and less modern than some rivals.
  • Some users find the setup process to be a bit overwhelming at first.
• Security & compliance: SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, and uses standard enterprise encryption.
• Support & community: Dedicated client success team, extensive documentation, and a long history in the market.

8 — OpenText (Core Legal Hold)

OpenText is a massive name in information management, and their Core Legal Hold tool is a powerful cloud-based solution. It is designed to be quickly deployed and easy to use for legal, HR, and IT teams alike.

• Key features:
  • Cloud-based deployment that can be up and running in just a few days.
  • Automation of the entire hold cycle, from notice to release.
  • Integration with Microsoft 365 for automated in-place preservation.
  • “Silent holds” that empower admins to preserve data without notice.
  • Exiting employee supervisor to alert teams when a custodian leaves.
  • Wizard-style screens that guide users through every step of the process.
  • Expert-suggested workflows for various legal scenarios.
• Pros:
  • Very fast to deploy with no need for hardware or local software.
  • Excellent for large companies that already use other OpenText products.
• Cons:
  • It may feel a bit “rigid” if you want to create highly non-standard workflows.
  • The pricing can be complex depending on the number of users and features.
• Security & compliance: FedRAMP, SOC 2, HIPAA, and GDPR compliant.
• Support & community: Global 24/7 support, professional training services, and a deep knowledge base.

9 — Consilio (Sightline)

Sightline by Consilio is a modern enterprise legal hold tool from one of the global leaders in legal solutions. It focuses on being more than just software by providing a consultative approach to how you manage your legal holds.

• Key features:
  • Visualization tools that let you see your entire workflow at a high level.
  • Flexibility to manage communications and preservations together or separately.
  • Powerful templating system to speed up the creation of new matters.
  • Integration with Microsoft Purview for advanced preserve-in-place.
  • Dashboards that promote transparency across the whole organization.
  • Ability to add custom data fields to capture unique case information.
  • Detailed logging and reporting for a perfect audit trail.
• Pros:
  • You get the expertise of a major legal services firm behind the software.
  • Very flexible for organizations that have unique or complex needs.
• Cons:
  • Might be “too much” software for a small company with simple needs.
  • The service-heavy model can make the overall cost higher.
• Security & compliance: Private hosted infrastructure with SOC 2 and GDPR compliance.
• Support & community: Sightline Care client experience, dedicated project managers, and expert training.

10 — DISCO Hold

DISCO is known for using AI to make legal work faster. Their DISCO Hold platform is an intuitive tool designed to reduce manual effort and mitigate risk through high-level automation and a single, centralized interface.

• Key features:
  • Up to 85% more efficient than manual solutions through automation.
  • Seamless integration with Slack, Microsoft 365, Box, and Okta.
  • AI-powered tools to help reduce the amount of data that needs to be reviewed.
  • Automated custodian tracking and customizable approval workflows.
  • Defensible audit trails with extensive reporting capabilities.
  • “Public or silent” hold designations depending on the case needs.
  • Simple implementation with a versatile template library.
• Pros:
  • The user interface is very clean and modern, making it easy to learn.
  • Excellent at handling modern data sources like Slack and Box.
• Cons:
  • Does not currently offer a dedicated mobile app for on-the-go management.
  • Some of the more advanced AI features are still in development for the hold tool.
• Security & compliance: SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliant with security best practices.
• Support & community: Responsive customer support, a helpful resource center, and proactive training.

Comparison Table

Evaluation & Scoring of Legal Hold Software

Which Legal Hold Software Tool Is Right for You?

Deciding on the right tool is a big decision that depends on your company’s size and how many legal cases you deal with. For solo users or very small businesses, you might not need a specialized tool at all. A simple spreadsheet and manual emails can work if you only have one case a year. However, for Small to Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs), a “self-service” tool like Logikcull is often the best fit. It is easy to set up and doesn’t cost as much as the massive enterprise systems.

For mid-market and enterprise companies, you need something more robust. If you are a corporate legal team that wants to be self-sufficient, Zapproved is a top choice because it is built just for you. If you already have a big IT team and a lot of complex litigation, Relativity or Exterro might be the way to go because they offer the most power and flexibility, even if they take longer to learn.

If your company uses modern chat apps like Slack every day, a tool like Onna is almost essential. It specializes in finding and holding data in those types of apps, which older software sometimes struggles with. On the other hand, if you are looking for budget-conscious options, Everlaw often provides a very modern feel with pricing that is easier to predict than the older giants.

Finally, always think about security and compliance. If your company does business in Europe, you absolutely must have a tool that is GDPR compliant. If you work with the government, you should look for FedRAMP authorization like you find with Everlaw. Make sure the tool you choose today will be able to grow with you as your company gets bigger and your legal needs become more complicated.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What exactly is a legal hold?

A legal hold is a process where a company tells its employees to stop deleting data because it might be needed for a lawsuit. The software automates this so you don’t have to do it by hand.

2. Why can’t I just use a spreadsheet to track my holds?

You can, but it is very risky. If you make a mistake or someone deletes data, you can’t prove in court that you tried to stop them. Software provides a “defensible audit trail” that protects you.

3. Do these tools connect to Microsoft 365?

Yes, almost all the top tools like Zapproved and Everlaw connect directly to M365. They can “lock” emails in place so they can’t be deleted, even by the user.

4. How much do these tools usually cost?

The price varies a lot. Some charge per user, some per hold, and some by the amount of data you have. It can range from a few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands for large companies.

5. Is the data safe in the cloud?

Yes, most professional tools use high-level encryption and have certifications like SOC 2 and GDPR to ensure your most sensitive legal data is protected.

6. Can I use these tools for internal HR investigations?

Absolutely. Many companies use legal hold software to preserve data during employee disputes or internal audits, even if there isn’t a lawsuit yet.

7. How long does it take to set up?

Some tools like Logikcull can be set up in a few minutes. Others like Relativity are more complex and might take a few weeks to fully configure for your company.

8. What happens when a legal hold is over?

The software makes it easy to “release” the hold. This sends a notice to the employees that they can go back to their normal data deletion policies.

9. Do I need an IT expert to run this software?

For “self-service” tools like Zapproved or Logikcull, you don’t need to be an expert. For larger systems like Exterro or Relativity, having an IT or legal ops person is usually helpful.

10. What is the most common mistake companies make with legal holds?

The most common mistake is waiting too long to start the hold. Software helps you act quickly the moment you realize a legal issue is coming.

Conclusion

In summary, choosing a legal hold software tool is one of the most important things a legal team can do to protect their company. These tools take a stressful, manual process and turn it into a routine, automated one. Whether you are a small team that needs the simplicity of Logikcull or a massive corporation that needs the power of Relativity, there is a tool out there that fits your specific needs. The key is to find a solution that balances features, ease of use, and cost.

What matters most when you are choosing is that the tool provides a defensible audit trail. This is your “insurance policy” in court. You also want a tool that makes life easier for your employees—the custodians—by making the notices clear and simple to acknowledge. By choosing the right platform, you are not just buying software; you are building a stronger, more compliant, and more legally secure organization.

Remember that there is no single “best” tool for everyone. The right choice depends on your budget, your technical skills, and the types of data you need to preserve. Take your time to look at the different options, try a few demos, and pick the one that feels like the best partner for your legal team. With the right software in place, you can face any legal challenge with the confidence that your data is safe and your process is perfect.