Quillio vs CoCounsel
For Australian and New Zealand practitioners, Quillio is the better choice. CoCounsel is a mature legal AI platform owned by Thomson Reuters, now used by over 1 million professionals across 107 countries, and tightly integrated with Westlaw — a powerful combination. Thomson Reuters launched Westlaw Advantage with Deep Research in Australia in March 2026 with local data hosting, which is a meaningful step. But Quillio is purpose-built exclusively for AU/NZ law, trained weekly on all AU jurisdictions, offers transparent per-user pricing with a free trial, and integrates with the practice management systems Australian firms actually use — without requiring a Westlaw subscription.
Two AI legal platforms with different origins and approaches. CoCounsel was acquired by Thomson Reuters in 2023 and launched in Australia in March 2026 via Westlaw Advantage with Deep Research — with local data hosting. Quillio is purpose-built exclusively for AU/NZ law, trained weekly on all Australian jurisdictions, and available with transparent pricing and a free trial. For practitioners working primarily on AU or NZ matters, the differences in jurisdictional depth, pricing model, and integration ecosystem matter.
Platform Overview
Purpose-Built for AU/NZ Quillio is an AI legal assistant purpose-built for Australian and New Zealand lawyers. It is trained weekly on AU/NZ legislation, case law, and regulatory updates across all states, territories, and federal jurisdictions. Features include document review, legal research, automated chronology creation, drafting assistance, and voice-to-text dictation. Quillio holds SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certifications with full Australian data sovereignty — your data is processed and stored entirely within Australia.
CoCounsel is a legal AI assistant originally built by Casetext and acquired by Thomson Reuters in June 2023 for US$650 million. CoCounsel is being rebuilt on Anthropic's Claude Agent SDK (as of May 2026), alongside other models, and is tightly integrated with Westlaw and Practical Law, Thomson Reuters' legal research products. CoCounsel is offered in tiers — Essentials, Westlaw Advantage + Essentials, and CoCounsel Legal — with skills including legal research, contract analysis, document review, and deposition preparation. It is used by over 1 million professionals across 107 countries and holds ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification. In March 2026, Thomson Reuters launched Westlaw Advantage with Deep Research in Australia, with data hosted and processed locally.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
A fact-based look at how the two platforms differ across 17 features that matter most to Australian legal practitioners.
| Feature |
Quillio
| CoCounsel |
|---|---|---|
| Australian case law coverage | Quillio leads Comprehensive — updated weekly across all AU jurisdictions | Available via Westlaw Advantage with Deep Research (launched AU March 2026) |
| NZ law coverage | Quillio leads Full coverage — NZ legislation, case law and regulations | NZ expansion planned within 12 months of March 2026 AU launch |
| Jurisdiction-aware research | Quillio leads All 8 AU jurisdictions + NZ + Federal courts | US federal and state courts + AU via Westlaw Advantage (March 2026) |
| Westlaw integration | Not integrated | CoCounsel leads Yes — deep Westlaw and Practical Law integration |
| Document review | Equal Contracts, briefs, legislation, affidavits, leases | Contracts, regulatory filings, deposition transcripts |
| Legal research | Quillio leads AU/NZ case law, legislation, regulations, practice notes | US and AU case law and legislation via Westlaw (AU from March 2026) |
| Chronology creation | Quillio leads Automated chronologies from uploaded documents | Limited dedicated chronology support |
| Drafting assistance | Equal Letters of advice, submissions, contracts, affidavits | Contracts, memos, briefs, deposition outlines |
| Voice-to-text dictation | Quillio leads Yes — dictation converted to structured notes | Not a documented feature |
| Data sovereignty | Equal Australian-hosted — data never leaves AU soil | AU local hosting available (Westlaw Advantage with Deep Research, March 2026) |
| Security certifications | Equal SOC 2 Type II + ISO 27001 | SOC 2 Type II + ISO/IEC 42001:2023 (AI management system) |
| AU practice management integrations | Quillio leads Multiple AU PMS integrations — see integrations page | No dedicated AU PMS integrations |
| Microsoft Word add-in | Equal Yes — draft and review inside Word | Yes — Word integration available |
| Mobile app | Quillio leads Yes — iOS and Android | Limited mobile presence |
| Pricing transparency | Quillio leads Per-user pricing, published on website | Enterprise pricing through Thomson Reuters sales |
| Free trial | Quillio leads Yes — no credit card required | No public free trial — sales-led demo only |
| Target market | AU/NZ — solo practitioners to mid-size firms | Global — 1M+ professionals across 107 countries, including AU (March 2026) |
Australian Law Coverage
Thomson Reuters launched Westlaw Advantage with Deep Research in Australia in March 2026, bringing CoCounsel's capabilities to the AU market with local data hosting. That is a meaningful development. The distinction now is depth and focus. Quillio has been purpose-built exclusively for AU/NZ law from day one — trained weekly on all eight Australian jurisdictions plus federal courts and NZ, including practice notes, tribunal decisions, and regulatory updates. When you research a Queensland District Court sentencing question or a Victorian commercial leasing dispute, Quillio understands the local statute, the leading authorities, and the practice directions that apply. CoCounsel's AU coverage is delivered through the Westlaw Advantage platform, which requires a Westlaw subscription.
Data Sovereignty
Data sovereignty is increasingly central to AU legal compliance. Multiple state law societies have issued guidance recommending that AI tools used in legal practice store and process data within Australia. Both Quillio and CoCounsel now offer Australian data hosting — Quillio on Australian-owned infrastructure from inception, and CoCounsel via its Westlaw Advantage with Deep Research platform launched in Australia in March 2026 with data hosted and processed locally. For firms evaluating data sovereignty, the relevant questions are now about the specific hosting arrangements, the corporate jurisdiction of the provider, and the terms of data processing — both platforms have made meaningful commitments to AU data residency.
Practice Management Integrations
Australian law firms overwhelmingly use practice management systems built for the AU market. Quillio integrates directly with a growing number of these platforms, so AI-assisted document review, research, and drafting happen inside your existing workflow. Visit our integrations page for the full and up-to-date list. CoCounsel's integration ecosystem is anchored to Westlaw, Practical Law, and KeyCite — powerful tools within the Thomson Reuters ecosystem, but a different starting point from the AU PMS platforms most Australian firms rely on daily. CoCounsel does not currently offer dedicated integrations with those AU practice management platforms.
View all integrationsKey Differences That Matter
Where Quillio Leads
- Quillio is purpose-built exclusively for AU/NZ law and trained weekly on Australian and New Zealand legislation and case law across every state, territory, and federal jurisdiction — including recent practice notes, tribunal decisions, and regulatory updates. CoCounsel's AU coverage arrived in March 2026 via Westlaw Advantage; Quillio has been AU-focused from day one.
- Full Australian data sovereignty on Australian-owned infrastructure. Multiple state law societies have issued guidance recommending or requiring AI tools used in legal practice keep data within Australian borders.
- Purpose-built integrations with the practice management systems Australian firms actually use. CoCounsel does not currently offer dedicated AU PMS integrations.
- Transparent per-user pricing with a free trial that requires no credit card and no sales call. CoCounsel requires a Westlaw subscription and is sold through Thomson Reuters' enterprise sales channel — Quillio is accessible to sole practitioners and small firms without a multi-month procurement cycle.
- Features designed for Australian legal workflows: automated chronology creation from uploaded documents, voice-to-text dictation that converts spoken notes into structured file notes, and jurisdiction-aware research that understands the difference between NSW and Victorian authority.
- No Westlaw subscription required. Quillio works as a standalone legal AI platform — you do not need to be part of the Thomson Reuters ecosystem to access AU/NZ legal AI.
Where CoCounsel Has Strengths
- CoCounsel's tight integration with Westlaw, Practical Law, and KeyCite is a genuine differentiator. For firms already paying for the Thomson Reuters ecosystem, CoCounsel's ability to ground its answers in Westlaw's authoritative legal content gives it credibility and depth that few competitors can match.
- CoCounsel is backed by Thomson Reuters — a global legal publisher with decades of relationships — and is now used by over 1 million professionals across 107 countries. For large enterprise procurement teams, Thomson Reuters is a known and trusted vendor with mature support and implementation operations.
- Thomson Reuters launched Westlaw Advantage with Deep Research in Australia in March 2026 with data hosted and processed locally in Australia. This is a meaningful commitment to the AU market and addresses data sovereignty concerns for firms within the Thomson Reuters ecosystem.
- CoCounsel holds ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification — the international standard for AI management systems — in addition to SOC 2 Type II. This demonstrates a serious commitment to responsible AI governance.
- CoCounsel is being rebuilt on Anthropic's Claude Agent SDK (as of May 2026) and offers tiered products — Essentials, Westlaw Advantage + Essentials, and CoCounsel Legal — giving firms flexibility in how they adopt legal AI within the Thomson Reuters ecosystem.
Which Platform for Your Practice?
Real scenarios showing which platform suits different types of Australian legal practice.
You run complex commercial disputes involving Australian and occasionally cross-border matters. You need AI that can analyse pleadings, build chronologies from briefs of evidence, and find relevant Federal Court and state Supreme Court authorities quickly.
Quillio. Its automated chronology feature and AU-jurisdiction research depth are built for exactly this work, with weekly training across all AU jurisdictions. CoCounsel is now available in Australia via Westlaw Advantage, but Quillio offers this without requiring a Westlaw subscription, integrates with AU practice management systems, and has been AU-focused from day one.
You handle property settlements, parenting matters, and child support disputes. You need a tool that understands the Family Law Act, knows current Family Court and Federal Circuit Court authority, and can draft consent orders that comply with current court requirements.
Quillio. Its weekly updates include the latest Family Court and Federal Circuit Court decisions, and it integrates with the practice management systems Australian family lawyers commonly use. CoCounsel is now available in Australia via Westlaw Advantage, but Quillio's transparent pricing and free trial make it accessible without an enterprise sales process — important for smaller family law practices.
You manage a small in-house team handling commercial contracts, employment matters, IP, and regulatory compliance across multiple Australian states. You need AI that respects your customers' data sovereignty expectations and fits a lean budget.
Quillio. Transparent per-user pricing without a sales call, AU jurisdiction depth, and full Australian data sovereignty all matter for an in-house team where every cost and compliance decision is scrutinised. CoCounsel now offers AU data hosting via Westlaw Advantage, but requires a Westlaw subscription and enterprise procurement — Quillio is the more accessible path for a lean in-house team.
Who Should Choose CoCounsel
CoCounsel is a strong fit for firms already invested in the Thomson Reuters ecosystem — Westlaw, Practical Law, and KeyCite — who want AI that integrates directly with those tools. It is also a natural choice for large firms with established Thomson Reuters relationships and enterprise procurement processes, or for firms doing significant cross-border work who value CoCounsel's scale across 107 countries and its ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification.
Who Should Choose Quillio
If you practise Australian or New Zealand law — whether you are a sole practitioner in regional WA, a mid-size commercial firm in Melbourne, or an in-house legal team in Wellington — and you want a legal AI you can start using today without a Westlaw subscription or enterprise sales cycle, Quillio is the clear choice. It is purpose-built for AU/NZ law with weekly training across all jurisdictions, full Australian data sovereignty, AU PMS integrations, transparent per-user pricing, and a free trial so you can test it on your own matters before committing.
Built for Australian law, from day one
The best way to see the difference is to try it yourself for free. Start your free trial — upload your first document and test it on your own matters. No credit card required.
Start Free TrialFrequently Asked Questions
Is CoCounsel available in Australia?
Yes. Thomson Reuters launched Westlaw Advantage with Deep Research in Australia in March 2026, with data hosted and processed locally in Australia. CoCounsel is now officially available to Australian firms through the Thomson Reuters ecosystem. The key differences from Quillio are accessibility and focus: CoCounsel requires a Westlaw subscription and is sold through enterprise sales, while Quillio is purpose-built exclusively for AU/NZ law, offers transparent per-user pricing with a free trial, and integrates with AU practice management systems without requiring any other subscription.
Does CoCounsel cover Australian case law?
Since March 2026, CoCounsel offers Australian legal research through Westlaw Advantage with Deep Research, which draws on Westlaw Australia's content. Quillio takes a different approach — it is trained weekly on decisions from all Australian courts and tribunals across every state, territory, and federal jurisdiction, and is purpose-built exclusively for AU/NZ law rather than being an extension of a global platform.
How does CoCounsel pricing compare to Quillio?
Quillio offers transparent per-user pricing published on its website with a free trial that requires no credit card. CoCounsel is offered in tiers — Essentials, Westlaw Advantage + Essentials, and CoCounsel Legal — and is sold through Thomson Reuters' enterprise sales channel, typically as part of a broader Westlaw arrangement. For solo practitioners and small to mid-size AU/NZ firms, Quillio's pricing model is significantly more accessible.
Can I use CoCounsel if I need Australian data sovereignty?
Yes. Since March 2026, CoCounsel's Westlaw Advantage with Deep Research in Australia hosts and processes data locally in Australia. Quillio's infrastructure is also entirely Australian. Both platforms now offer AU data residency — the choice between them comes down to other factors like pricing model, AU PMS integrations, and whether you want a standalone legal AI or one tied to the Thomson Reuters ecosystem.
Does CoCounsel integrate with Australian practice management systems?
CoCounsel's integrations are built around Westlaw and Thomson Reuters' US legal stack. It does not currently offer dedicated integrations with the practice management systems Australian firms typically use. Quillio integrates with a growing number of AU PMS platforms — see our integrations page for the full and up-to-date list.
Is CoCounsel's Westlaw integration useful for Australian firms?
CoCounsel's Westlaw integration is its biggest differentiator. Since the March 2026 launch of Westlaw Advantage with Deep Research in Australia, this integration now draws on Westlaw Australia's content as well — making it more relevant for AU firms than before. For firms already subscribing to Westlaw Australia, CoCounsel's tight integration with that content is genuinely valuable. Quillio offers AU/NZ legal AI without requiring a Westlaw subscription, which matters for firms not in the Thomson Reuters ecosystem.
Can I try Quillio before committing?
Yes. Quillio offers a free trial with no credit card required. You can upload your own documents, run research queries, and test all features on your real matters before making any commitment. CoCounsel is sales-led — access typically begins with a demo through Thomson Reuters.
Which platform is better for legal research in Australia?
Both platforms now offer Australian legal research. CoCounsel provides it through Westlaw Advantage with Deep Research (launched AU March 2026), drawing on Westlaw Australia's content. Quillio is trained weekly on Australian legislation, case law, and regulatory updates across all jurisdictions and has been purpose-built for AU/NZ law from inception. The choice depends on your ecosystem: if you are already a Westlaw subscriber, CoCounsel integrates naturally. If you want a standalone AU-focused legal AI with transparent pricing, a free trial, and AU PMS integrations, Quillio is the better fit.