7 Best Ironclad Alternatives for Legal and Ops Teams

Ironclad is a contract lifecycle management (CLM) platform designed for legal teams at large companies to manage contracts more effectively. It allows organizations to design and deploy digital contracts, collaborate across teams, and analyze contract data for insights using AI-driven tools.

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Despite Ironclad’s popularity, organizations sometimes seek alternatives. This can happen when their current CLM provider is no longer able to meet their evolving needs, or when they encounter challenges managing the entire contract lifecycle. There could also be other internal reasons, such as wanting to achieve faster time-to-revenue, better oversight of contract risks and obligations, improved cross-team collaboration, and reduced manual work in the contracting process.

In this article, we’ll explore some reasons behind organizations not wanting to continue working with Ironclad. To help such organizations, we have compiled a list of seven top alternatives to Ironclad. We’ll highlight key features, pricing insights, pros, and cons for each. We’ll also outline what criteria to consider when evaluating CLM software, so you can make an informed choice.

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Why Consider an Ironclad Alternative?

While Ironclad is one of the most recognizable CLM solutions, it may not be the perfect fit for everyone. Organizations may consider switching from Ironclad for several reasons, some of which we’ve looked into.

• Ironclad is often priced for the enterprise segment, with custom quotes that can be cost-prohibitive for smaller teams or constrained budgets. Its pricing (based on users and add-ons) can escalate rapidly as business needs grow.
• Implementing Ironclad can require significant time and training. New users sometimes struggle with the steep learning curve. Given that the setup process could drag on for a while, many users might want to just abandon it midway and look for a better alternative.
• Ironclad provides powerful workflow automation, but it may not cover every need out of the box. Users have reported minor customization restrictions.
• For companies heavily invested in certain ecosystems, Ironclad’s integration options might fall short.
• Teams looking for a data-first contract solution might want to evaluate alternatives built around structured contract data from day one.
• Lastly, internal adoption is a critical factor. Contract management software that is clunky or not intuitive for business users can hurt company-wide usage.

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The Best Ironclad Alternatives At a Glance

Before we get into detailed profiles, here’s a quick overview of the seven Ironclad alternatives we’ll cover:

• Avokaado
• ContractZen
• LinkSquares
• Juro
• ContractWorks
• Conga CLM
• DocuSign CLM

Feature Comparison Overview

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1. Avokaado: Data-First, AI-Powered Contract Intelligence for the Entire Lifecycle

Avokaado is a contract management platform positioned as a contract intelligence solution for legal and business teams. Founded in Estonia, Avokaado’s mission is to replace legal chaos with clarity by treating contracts not just as files but as live data assets.

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Key Features and Capabilities

Avokaado offers a comprehensive feature set covering the entire contract lifecycle. Let’s go over some of the key capabilities that are part of the platform.

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Automated Contract Generation

Avokaado provides a powerful template-based document automation engine. Legal teams can build dynamic templates with clauses, conditional logic, and smart fields (variables) to auto-generate contracts with zero copy-paste within Avokaado’s proprietary aDoc document format. Even complex templates and workflows can be managed by legal or ops users without writing a single line of code.

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Collaboration and Negotiation

Teams can collaborate in real-time on Avokaado, thanks to version tracking and centralized comments. It supports in-app commenting and discussions for internal reviews, as well as secure sharing with counterparties.

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E-Signature and Approvals

Avokaado integrates electronic signatures directly into its workflows and also batch signing. Approval workflows are customizable, ensuring each contract gets the necessary internal sign-offs. The Compliance Center further enforces policies and approval tracking automatically.

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Structured Data Repository

Avokaado’s “data-first” architecture means key details (party names, dates, values, clause selections, etc.) are captured as structured data points, not buried in PDFs. Contracts are organized in a secure repository with party management and a data registry that links contract data across workflows, making them fully searchable and reportable.

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An AI-powered OCR is also available for imported documents, so even third-party contracts can have data extracted.

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AI Contract Intelligence

Avokaado is AI-powered at its core. Its AI engine can automatically tag clauses and extract key terms from contracts for monitoring. It offers extensive contract analytics and dashboarding. Avokaado’s contract intelligence platform provides predictive insights and advanced reporting based on the structured data captured.

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Avo (Launching Q1 2026)

Avokaado’s upcoming product, Avo, is an AI-native infrastructure built to automate legal work beyond traditional CLM. Unlike add-on AI tools that analyze documents after creation, Avo is designed to generate, review, negotiate, and manage contracts autonomously yet under your organization’s rules and playbooks. Each AI agent (for example, an NDA Agent or MSA Agent) follows structured contract logic, ensuring every output is verifiable and compliant through built-in checks and scorecards.

Avo will extend Avokaado’s current contract intelligence capabilities by turning routine legal tasks into governed, auditable workflows that teams can rely on. It aims to deliver measurable time savings and faster deal cycles while maintaining full control.

The feature is in development and will officially launch in Q1 2026.

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Integrations and API

Avokaado supports integration with popular third-party systems, like Salesforce (CRM), BambooHR, and Personio (HRIS), via its API. This means contracts can be connected to sales deals, HR onboarding, procurement processes, etc., syncing data bi-directionally. It also offers an open API for custom integrations.

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Security and Compliance

Avokaado is built with enterprise security and compliance in mind. The platform is hosted in the EU on secure cloud infrastructure, is GDPR-compliant, and offers end-to-end encryption. Other security aspects include role-based access and audit trails through its Security Center, and on-premises deployment for custom plans.

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For regulated industries, Avokaado provides compliance checks and policy enforcement.

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Additional Features

In addition to the extensive feature list above, Avokaado also offers:

• Secure and private Workspaces to segregate projects or teams
• Bulk send/sign capability
• Template repository and clause library
• Automated reminders and task notifications
• Governance module for corporate records

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Pricing

Avokaado’s pricing can be as flexible as your business. There are no restrictive packages or vaguely defined tiers. Your organization gets a tailored plan built from the modules and tools you actually need. Choose a combination of contract automation, AI tools, compliance, e-signing, or other add-ons and integrations that fulfil your exact business use cases, and you will get a solution that aligns perfectly with your requirements.

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Why Choose Avokaado Over Ironclad

• Unlike many CLMs that focus on managing documents, Avokaado stands out for being one of the few CLMs that treat contracts as structured data from day one.
• Users have noted that Ironclad excels at standard contracts (NDAs, MSAs) but can become “clunky” for more complex or non-standard agreements. Avokaado, on the other hand, can handle complex use cases with more flexibility, thanks to customizable workflows, data mapping, and other capabilities.
• If Ironclad’s implementation timeline (often several months) is a concern, Avokaado offers a smoother start, with as little as 8 weeks. It’s a modern, intuitive application that doesn’t require IT to set up templates or workflows. Everything can be configured via a user-friendly interface.
• Avokaado leverages a lot of AI for the platform, with much more advanced AI features launching in 2026.
• For many mid-to-large organizations, Avokaado can deliver better value for the spend compared to Ironclad. Ironclad’s pricing tends to scale with expensive enterprise packages and add-on costs for integrations or extra support. Avokaado, by contrast, offers transparent pricing that is modular and thus scalable.

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Potential Downsides of Avokaado

• Some users feel that while Avokaado gives all the tools needed to build templates, it could offer a larger library of pre-built templates and clauses.
• The Avokaado interface is intuitive, but a few reviewers noted confusion in finding certain items at first, such as locating new contracts in the workspace. The good news is these issues tend to be short-lived once you learn the system, which is not as complicated as several other CLM systems in the first place.
• Avokaado is a web-based platform, and while it can be accessed via browser on tablets, certain features might not be fully optimized for small screens.

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Ideal Use-Cases and Customer Success

Avokaado is particularly well-suited for in-house legal teams and legal operations professionals in data-driven organizations. It is aimed at companies that want to manage the entire contract lifecycle with exceptional visibility and control while keeping speeds up.

Avokaado would be an excellent fit for:

• Legal teams in heavily regulated sectors, such as BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, Insurance)
• Tech/IT and telecom companies, especially fast-growing ones
• Sales operations and commercial teams that need to close deals faster
• HR and procurement operations
• Organizations aiming to create a single contract hub that serves multiple departments

See how one customer, Tele2, improved their NDA turnaround time from 50 hours to 50 minutes with Avokaado. Similarly, Avokaado also helped equipment rental company Ramirent effortlessly automate 300 HR documents in 3 months.

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2. ContractZen: Turnkey Governance Suite With Contract Management and More

ContractZen is an all-in-one governance software suite, with contract management being one of its main modules. It is a cloud-based platform that centralizes contracts and corporate records with quick searches and easy usability.

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Key Features and Pricing

• Centralized contract repository
• Contract management tools and integrations for basic workflows
• Board meeting management tools, including meeting invitations, document packs, and voting tools
• Legal entity governance
• Virtual data rooms

Pricing

ContractZen has tiered plans on a per-user, per-month basis. The Standard plan, priced at $9.50 per user per month, unlocks core features, such as board meeting management, 50GB document storage, and email reminders. The other two plans are Advanced, priced at $27 per user per month, and Custom, for enterprise clients who might have higher requirements. The contract management feature is available with all three plans.

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Pros, Cons, and Fit

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ContractZen is best for startups and SMBs (maybe 10 to a few hundred employees) that need a secure repository for contracts and corporate documents with excellent search and ease of use. It’s aimed at companies that want a simple, affordable solution to manage contracts and things like board meetings and entity documents in one secure hub without purchasing additional software.

It might not be great if you need a heavy-duty CLM that automates negotiation or integrates deeply with sales processes.

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3. LinkSquares CLM: AI-Powered Contract Analytics and Lifecycle Management for Enterprises

Founded in 2015, LinkSquares initially gained fame for its AI tool that could analyze large volumes of executed contracts to pull crucial insights. It has since expanded into a full CLM covering pre-signature drafting and approvals as well.

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Key Features and Pricing

• End-to-end CLM workflow
• AI-powered contract analysis (LinkAI)
• Central repository and dashboard
• Open API and integrations
• Analytics module with reporting and visualization
• Compliance and audit tools

Pricing

LinkSquares, like many enterprise CLMs, hasn’t officially published a public price list. It doesn’t have any details about pricing components up on its website either. All we know is that it offers a yearly subscription model, with a Basic tier – the only one on LinkSquares’s Capterra profile and some other directories – priced at $10,000 per year.

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Pros, Cons, and Fit

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LinkSquares is ideal for legal teams in medium to large enterprises that have a significant volume of contracts and are particularly interested in leveraging contract data. If your company has thousands of contracts and multiple departments involved in contracting, LinkSquares is a great option. It can also fit well if you already use Salesforce, DocuSign, etc., and want a CLM that will integrate smoothly.

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4. Juro: Contract Automation Platform With a Focus on Ease of Use and Speed

Juro is an all-in-one, browser-based contract management platform that emphasizes a smooth, collaborative experience for legal and business teams. The AI-native platform enables users to create, negotiate, approve, sign, and manage contracts in one unified digital workspace.

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Key Features and Pricing

• Browser-native rich text editor
• No-code workflow builder
• Unlimited templates and native eSignature
• Collaborative negotiation and redlining
• ChatGPT integration

Pricing

Juro hasn’t published any specifics about their pricing structure, but their website does mention that they build custom plans according to organizational needs. Pricing is based on contract volume and not on the number of users.

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Pros, Cons, and Fit

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Juro is best for high-growth and high-volume companies and modern legal teams that value speed and user experience. Additionally, if sales, HR, and legal teams all need to use the CLM, Juro is great because it’s intuitive for all.

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5. ContractWorks: Simple, Secure Contract Management With Quick Deployment

ContractWorks (an Onit company) is a contract management platform known for its simplicity and value-driven pricing. It is focused on secure document storage, milestone tracking, and ease of use, making it ideal for teams seeking a quick-to-implement CLM.

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Key Features and Pricing

• Centralized, secure repository for contracts and related documents
• Metadata filters and full-text search
• Alerts and milestone tracking
• Integrated e-signature tool
• User permissions and enterprise-grade security audits

Pricing

ContractWorks offers two tiers for its CLM: Standard and Premium. Both come with unlimited users, so prices are determined by contract volume, number of eSignature licenses, and whether or not you require any advanced features. You can also request a free trial.

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Pros, Cons, and Fit

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ContractWorks is ideal for small and mid-sized legal teams that need a secure, organized contract repository and basic management without complexity. For such companies, cost is a big factor, and ContractWorks delivers critical functionality at a much lower price than other enterprise CLMs. Also, unlimited users means legal can involve other departments without exorbitant costs adding up.

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6. Conga CLM: Salesforce-Integrated CML for Complex Contracting Processes

Conga (which merged with Apttus in 2020) has a long history in CLM and CPQ (configure-price-quote) software. Conga CLM is an enterprise-grade contract management platform that automates complex contract processes. It offers deep CRM integration and robust document generation capabilities.

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Key Features and Pricing

• Salesforce-native CLM
• Advanced document generation and templates
• Negotiation and version control with collaborative commenting
• Workflow approvals and e-signature
• Integration with Conga CPQ for revenue and billing

Pricing

Conga CLM is typically priced per user with tiered editions, but the website does not contain any specific details. According to their Salesforce AppExchange profile, the lowest tier, the CLM Default Plan, is priced at $35 per user per month.

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Pros, Cons, and Fit

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Conga often targets mid-to-large organizations. It’s designed to handle high-volume contracting and intricate approval rules, making it popular with sales operations and legal teams at large companies, particularly those using Salesforce. It would also be a great choice if your contract process is tightly linked with quoting and revenue management. If you already use any other Conga tools, their CLM would be a natural extension and thus integrate well.

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7. DocuSign CLM: A Contract Management Platform From the eSignature Leader

DocuSign CLM is an end-to-end contract management solution that automates document generation, approvals, and storage. The platform is tightly integrated with DocuSign eSignature and other business systems, with the aim to extend to pre- and post-signing stages of the CLM process.

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Key Features and Pricing

• Document generation and template library
• Powerful workflow automation engine
• Integration with eSignature and CRM
• Searchable unified repository
• Obligation management and alerts
• Reporting and dashboard with custom report creation

Pricing

The DocuSign website lists various packages for its eSignature service, ranging from $15 to $65 per user per month, with custom quotes available for Enhanced plans. But there’s no mention of the CLM module and whether or not it is a part of the listed price plans.

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Pros, Cons, and Fit

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DocuSign CLM is a great fit for companies that have outgrown manual contracting but aren’t so large to require heavily tailored solutions yet. Also, if you currently use DocuSign for hundreds of users, adding the same brand’s CLM to the stack makes sense because users may be able to get started with the new functionality easily on a platform they already log into regularly.

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What to Look for in a CLM Platform and How to Make the Right Choice

Choosing the right contract lifecycle management platform involves evaluating several key criteria to ensure it fits your organization’s needs. You should generally prioritize a CLM that offers:

• Comprehensive functionality (drafting, workflow, e-sign, repository) to cover the entire lifecycle
• Automation and integration to fit your business processes and tools, reducing manual work
• Ease of use and industry compliance, so adoption is high, and risk is managed
• Data-centric design and future-ready tech that encourage proactive and intelligent management

It often helps to run a pilot or proof-of-concept with top vendors, using a sample workflow, to see which one really matches your team's day-to-day contracting process. The right CLM should not only solve today’s problems (like cutting an NDA from 5 days to 5 minutes) but also position your legal and ops teams for tomorrow’s challenges.

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Final Thoughts

Choosing the right Ironclad alternative largely depends on your team’s priorities. Are faster approvals what you want? Or would you rather achieve better contract data visibility, or perhaps improved collaboration across departments? Do you have any other goals?

Each provider on our list has its strengths, but if you’re looking for a data-first, AI-powered platform built for the entire contract lifecycle, Avokaado stands out. It’s designed to help legal and business teams act proactively with automation, compliance, and real-time insights built in.

If your goal is to turn contracts into a source of strategic value rather than administrative work, it’s worth seeing what Avokaado can do. Book a personalized demo with Avokaado and experience how contract intelligence can transform your team’s workflow.

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