Firms searching for a CollBox alternative are usually looking for someone else to follow up on past-due invoices so the attorney doesn’t have to. Price, contract terms, billing system and how much control the firm keeps differ between providers. This page sets CollBox’s published pricing next to ARCounsel’s and explains how ARCounsel works.
What is a CollBox alternative?
A CollBox alternative is another way to get past-due law firm invoices followed up without your staff making the calls. Options include other done-for-you AR services such as ARCounsel, the reminder tools in your billing software, collections software, and collection agencies for accounts that have stopped responding.
CollBox’s published pricing
These figures come from CollBox’s public pricing page (collbox.co/pricing, read October 2026). Check the page for current pricing.
- Flat monthly subscription, priced by how many clients a firm bills each month. The pricing page states there is no percentage of what is collected.
- At the first client-count tier: $599/mo on a 12-month plan or $729/mo month to month, plus a one-time $999 setup fee.
Published pricing, side by side
Both companies publish flat monthly pricing by client count. The table uses each company’s published figures (CollBox: collbox.co/pricing, read October 2026; ARCounsel: arcounsel.com pricing).
| CollBox (published) | ARCounsel (published) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat monthly fee by client count | Flat monthly fee by client count |
| Entry tier | $599/mo on a 12-month plan or $729/mo month to month | $519/mo, 1 to 50 clients a month, annual plan billed monthly |
| Other tiers | Shown by client count on its pricing page | $779, $949 and $1,199/mo up to 300 clients a month |
| Setup fee | $999 one time | $625 one time |
| Percentage of collections | None | None |
First-year cost at the entry tier
Using published prices for a firm billing up to 50 clients a month on an annual plan:
- CollBox: $599 × 12 + $999 setup = $8,187
- ARCounsel: $519 × 12 + $625 setup = $6,853
The difference is $1,334 in year one at published entry-tier prices.
How ARCounsel works
ARCounsel connects read-only to QuickBooks Online, LeanLaw and Clio, or works from a CSV or Excel aging export, and follows up on past-due invoices in the firm’s name.
- Live, read-only connections to QuickBooks Online, LeanLaw and Clio. ARCounsel never edits the firm’s books.
- Reminder emails go out in the firm’s name, then ARCounsel AR specialists follow up by phone, email or text for about 90 days.
- The firm approves every template and the outreach plan before anything goes out.
- The firm can lock specific clients or matters so they are never contacted.
- Flat monthly fee, never a percentage. Clients pay the firm directly, and money never passes through ARCounsel.
- Accounts still open after about 90 days go back to the firm with a full activity log. Referral to a collection agency happens only if the firm chooses.
ARCounsel is a done-for-you accounts receivable follow-up service for law firms that connects read-only to QuickBooks Online, LeanLaw and Clio. Every touch is logged, and the firm gets a weekly one-page summary. Disputes pause outreach and come straight back to the firm. See how ARCounsel compares with other options on the homepage.
Other CollBox alternatives worth knowing
Besides staffed services, the main alternatives are billing-software reminders, collections software and collection agencies. Each fits a different stage of a past-due account. For more on what a staffed service covers, see our guide to accounts receivable services for law firms.
| Option | Typical cost | A person follows up? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Done-for-you AR service | Flat monthly fee | Yes, in the firm’s name | Steady follow-up for 90 days |
| Billing-software reminders | Usually in your plan | No | Clients who forgot |
| Collections software | Monthly subscription | No | Automated sequences |
| Collection agency | Often a percentage of recoveries | Yes, usually in the agency’s name | Former clients who stopped responding |
- Reminders in your billing software. Clio, QuickBooks Online and LeanLaw can all send automated reminders. They work well for clients who simply forgot. Nobody follows up by phone.
- Collections software. Automated email or text sequences, usually priced lower than a staffed service. Same limit: no person on the account.
- A collection agency. Usually paid as a percentage of what is recovered, often under the agency’s name. Best kept for former clients who have stopped responding, where your state’s rules allow it.
For a do-it-yourself version of the process, see how to collect unpaid legal fees in 7 steps. To check whether your aging report justifies outside help, see what’s normal in law firm accounts receivable.
Questions to ask any AR follow-up provider
Ask every provider the same questions about total cost, term, data access and control. Copy this list into an email or bring it to a call with any provider, including ARCounsel.
Template: Provider questions
1. What is the full first-year cost, including setup, at our client count? 2. Is there a minimum term? What notice is needed to cancel? 3. Do you take any percentage of what is collected? 4. Do payments ever pass through your accounts? 5. Do you connect directly to our billing system? Is the connection read-only? 6. Can we approve every email template and call script before outreach starts? 7. Can we exclude specific clients or matters? 8. What happens when a client disputes a bill? 9. What do we receive at day 90 for accounts still open? 10. Who are the people calling our clients, and where are they based? 11. How do you confirm a client has paid before sending another reminder?
Frequently asked questions
How much does CollBox cost?
CollBox’s pricing page shows $599 a month on a 12-month plan or $729 a month month to month at its first client-count tier, plus a one-time $999 setup fee (read October 2026). Price rises with the number of clients a firm bills each month. Check collbox.co/pricing for current figures.
Does CollBox take a percentage of collections?
CollBox’s pricing page describes a flat monthly subscription and states there is no percentage of what is collected. ARCounsel also charges a flat monthly fee and no percentage.
What’s a good alternative to CollBox for a small law firm?
Compare done-for-you services such as ARCounsel on total first-year cost, contract term and which billing systems they connect to. ARCounsel’s published entry tier is $519 a month on an annual plan plus a $625 setup fee, and it connects read-only to QuickBooks Online, LeanLaw and Clio.
Is ARCounsel a collection agency?
No. ARCounsel handles the early, courteous part of getting an invoice paid, for roughly the first 90 days past due. It does not file suits or report to credit bureaus. If the firm decides an account needs escalation, ARCounsel can refer it to an agency the firm chooses.
A note on ethics rules. Rules on fee collection vary by state, including when a firm may charge interest on a late bill or refer an account to a collection agency. Check your state’s rules of professional conduct and ethics opinions, or ask your ethics counsel, before setting a collection policy. This article is general information, not legal advice.
Hand off the follow-up
ARCounsel’s AR specialists follow up on past-due invoices in your firm’s name, on templates you approve. Flat monthly fee, and clients pay you directly.
Book a consultClio, QuickBooks, LeanLaw and CollBox are trademarks of their respective owners. ARCounsel is not affiliated with, partnered with or endorsed by them.