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Best Free Alternatives to LexisNexis
Stop paying Expensive (Variable Tiered Pricing). Discover professional-grade tools that won't break your budget.
Category: Legal ResearchVerified for 2025
Top Recommended Replacements
CourtListener (Free Law Project)
Best for Docket & Opinion Access
Why we like it
100% free and open-source; provides a massive database of millions of legal opinions; includes the 'RECAP' archive for free access to PACER documents; features a citator for checking case authority.
Keep in mind
Search filters are less sophisticated than LexisNexis; does not include premium secondary sources like treatises or expert-authored practice guides.
Google Scholar (Legal)
FREEBest for Preliminary Case Retrieval
Why we like it
Completely free; allows users to search state and federal case law across all 50 states; includes 'How Cited' features to see subsequent treatment of a case; incredibly fast search speed.
Keep in mind
Lacks a formal citator (no Shepardizing); does not provide statutory law or regulatory codes; limited to primary case law.
Justia
FREEBest for Statutes & Regulations
Why we like it
Extensive free database of US federal and state cases, codes, and regulations; easy-to-read daily opinion summaries via newsletters; includes a lawyer directory and community Q&A.
Keep in mind
The interface is ad-supported; advanced research tools and visual data analytics are not as robust as premium platforms.
vLex Fastcase (via Bar Membership)
FREEBest for Professional Value
Why we like it
Provided for free by nearly all US State Bar associations; includes a negative citator ('Cert') and AI-powered research assistance; covers over one billion documents globally.
Keep in mind
Requires an active bar membership for free access; some specialized secondary content requires an additional paid subscription.
Legal Information Institute (LII)
FREEBest Free Legal Encyclopedia
Why we like it
The 'Wex' legal encyclopedia is the gold standard for free legal definitions and overviews; provides the cleanest online version of the U.S. Code and Federal Rules.
Keep in mind
Lacks the deep litigation analytics and 'big data' features found in Lexis+ or Westlaw.
Casetext (Basic)
FREEBest for AI-Driven Search
Why we like it
Features 'CARA AI', which allows you to upload a brief and find missing citations instantly; significantly cheaper than Lexis; offers a free trial and student access.
Keep in mind
Full AI features (CoCounsel) now require a higher-tier subscription after its acquisition by Thomson Reuters.
Caselaw Access Project
Best for Bulk Data & Research
Why we like it
A Harvard Law initiative that digitized all published US court secrets; provides a free API for developers and researchers; unlimited access to historical cases.
Keep in mind
More of a data repository than a daily research dashboard; the web search tool is basic compared to commercial interfaces.
FindLaw (for Professionals)
FREEBest for Quick Topic Summaries
Why we like it
Excellent summaries of legal topics and practice areas; provides free access to Supreme Court decisions since 1760; great for non-lawyers and initial lookups.
Keep in mind
Highly commercialized and ad-heavy; not intended for deep, technical legal brief preparation.
GovInfo
FREEBest Official Primary Source
Why we like it
The official source for US Government publications; free access to the Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, and Congressional Bills; highly reliable and accurate.
Keep in mind
Very technical interface; no 'citator' to tell you if a law has been amended or overturned.
Oyez
FREEBest for US Supreme Court Media
Why we like it
A multimedia archive of all US Supreme Court oral arguments and transcripts; provides excellent case summaries and 'plain English' explanations of outcomes.
Keep in mind
Strictly limited to the US Supreme Court; not a general research tool for lower courts or state law.
OpenProject (Legal)
Best for Research Management
Why we like it
Open-source project management; excellent for tracking research tasks and document versions within a firm; 100% free if self-hosted.
Keep in mind
Not a database of law; must be used to organize research found elsewhere.
Congress.gov
FREEBest for Legislative History
Why we like it
Official site for federal legislative information; includes bill status, committee reports, and the Congressional Record; free and updated daily.
Keep in mind
Does not include case law or state-level statutes.
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