Accountants Direct vs Lawpath: which should your business use in 2026?
Lawpath is Australia’s largest legal-tech platform: 550+ legal document templates, eSignatures and AI tools, with tax and accounting plans added on top. Accountants Direct is a registered tax agent firm: a dedicated accountant handles your company tax, books and registrations over phone or video.
Both will register your company for free (you pay only ASIC’s $636 fee). The real difference is what happens afterwards: a subscription platform, or an accountant you can call.
How we compared
This page is published by Accountants Direct, so read it knowing that. Every Lawpath figure below comes from Lawpath’s own published pricing pages, checked on 14 July 2026, linked in the sources. Where Lawpath is the better fit, we say so.
Last updated: 14 July 2026
Accountants Direct vs Lawpath at a glance
| Feature | Accountants Direct | Lawpath |
|---|---|---|
| Company registration | Free service fee; you pay only the $636 ASIC fee. No subscription attached | Free service fee; you pay only the $636 ASIC fee. The entry point to paid legal and tax plans and partner offers |
| Company tax return | From $549, one-off, quoted first | Tax Compliance Plan: $225 a month on an annual contract ($2,700 a year) or $325 month-to-month |
| Sole trader tax | From $399 per return | From $59 a month as a subscription |
| Bookkeeping | From $20 an hour, package pricing | From $399 a month |
| Legal documents | Not a legal provider | 550+ templates, eSignatures and AI tools; their genuine strength |
| Who does the work | A dedicated accountant with you on phone or video | Platform-first; a tax agent is assigned after you subscribe, with advice in 30-minute consultation blocks |
| Revenue limits | No revenue cap | Tax plan is only for businesses under $400,000 revenue |
| Past-year lodgements | Included in the quoted scope | Not included; quoted separately |
| Billing model | Per job or per year, quoted before you commit | Auto-renewing subscriptions; cancellation is handled through support, not online |
| Credentials | Registered tax agent TPB 2243 3005, ASIC agent, IPA member | Tax Agent 26256935, ASIC Agent 38902 |
| Customer rating (independent listings) | 4.9 stars, 1,200+ Google reviews | 3.2 stars on ProductReview (93 reviews); about 4.0 on Trustpilot (~270 reviews) |
| Best for | Businesses that want an accountant relationship and one-off quoted work | Businesses that mainly need DIY legal documents, with tax bolted on |
Rating note: Lawpath’s own site reports 4.6 stars across 20,871 reviews collected through its platform. The figures in the table are the independent public listings we could verify live on 14 July 2026.
Where Accountants Direct pulls ahead
- You know your accountant before you pay. Lawpath assigns your tax agent after you subscribe. Accountants Direct starts with a conversation with the accountant who will do the work.
- One-off quoted work, no subscription mechanics. A company return from $549 is a job with a price, not a $2,700 annual contract. Nothing auto-renews.
- No revenue cap, no exclusions. Lawpath’s tax plan is limited to businesses under $400,000 revenue and excludes past-year lodgements. Accountants Direct quotes whatever your situation actually is, including catching up late years.
- Bookkeeping at package rates. From $20 an hour packaged, against Lawpath’s from $399 a month.
- Free company setup with an accountant attached. Registration is free either way; here the person who registers the company is the accountant who then runs its tax and first-year books.
Where Lawpath remains strong
- Legal documents are their home ground. 550+ templates, eSignatures and legal plans. If your main need is contracts, policies and legal paperwork, that library is genuinely useful and Accountants Direct does not offer it.
- Scale. Lawpath reports more than 650,000 Australian users since 2014.
- Everything in one dashboard. If you like managing documents, registrations and workflows yourself in one platform, that is the product they built.
- Partner offers at registration (bank credits, software trials) that a traditional firm does not bundle.
Who each option suits
Choose Lawpath if your main need is legal documents and you are happy with platform-based tax in a subscription, inside their revenue limits.
Choose Accountants Direct if you want an accountant who knows your business, quoted one-off work, and tax done with you rather than through a dashboard.
If you are registering your first company
Price is a tie: free plus the $636 ASIC fee at both. Decide on what you need next. Contracts and legal templates point to Lawpath; an accountant handling registration, tax and first-year books in one place points to Accountants Direct.
If your business is growing past $400k revenue
Lawpath’s Tax Compliance Plan stops at $400,000 annual revenue. Accountants Direct has no cap; the quote just reflects the work.
If you have unlodged past years
Lawpath’s plans cover future lodgements only and quote past years separately. Accountants Direct scopes the catch-up into the same engagement.
Trust and registration
Accountants Direct has been a registered tax agent since 2012 (Tax Practitioners Board registration 2243 3005, ABN 16 155 811 448), is an ASIC agent and a member of the Institute of Public Accountants, and holds a 4.9-star Google rating from more than 1,200 reviews. Lawpath publishes its credentials as Tax Agent 26256935 and ASIC Agent 38902. Both are legitimate registered providers; the difference is the service model.
Common questions
Is Lawpath really free for company registration?
Yes. Lawpath charges no service fee; you pay only ASIC’s $636 government fee. Accountants Direct’s company setup works the same way. The difference is what each attaches afterwards: Lawpath’s plans and partner offers, or Accountants Direct’s accountant doing the company’s tax.
What is the main difference between Accountants Direct and Lawpath?
Lawpath is a legal-tech platform that added tax subscriptions. Accountants Direct is an accounting firm. One gives you software and metered consultations; the other gives you an accountant on the phone.
How much does Lawpath’s tax plan cost?
$225 a month on an annual contract ($2,700 a year) or $325 month-to-month, for businesses under $400,000 revenue, covering future lodgements only. Accountants Direct prices the same work as one-off jobs: company returns from $549, sole trader returns from $399.
Does Lawpath use real accountants?
Yes. Lawpath is a registered tax agent (26256935) and assigns you an agent after you subscribe, with advice delivered in 30-minute consultation blocks. The model is platform-first rather than relationship-first.
Which is better for a new company?
Registration costs the same at both (free plus ASIC’s $636). If your next need is legal documents, Lawpath. If your next need is an accountant running tax, BAS and books from day one, Accountants Direct.
Can I move my company’s tax from Lawpath to Accountants Direct?
Yes. You appoint the new tax agent through a short nomination step in ATO online services, which the accountant walks you through, and they take over lodgements with your full history visible.
Sources
Lawpath figures checked 14 July 2026 from Lawpath’s own pages: company registration, tax compliance plan and pricing, plus ProductReview.com.au and Trustpilot’s live listing. ASIC fee from asic.gov.au. If any figure here is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.
Want an accountant, not another subscription?
Book a phone or video call about your company’s tax, books or registration. Book online or call 1300 829 746.