Clauserydocassemble alternative that needs no server
docassemble is a powerful, free, open-source platform for guided interviews, widely used in access-to-justice projects. It runs on a server you host. Clausery runs in the browser with nothing to install or host.
| Clausery | docassemble | |
|---|---|---|
| Where your documents are processed | Your browser only; nothing is uploaded | Your own server |
| Account needed | No | Depends on your setup |
| Works offline | Yes | No |
| Uses your own Word templates | Yes | Yes, plus its own formats |
| Conditional clauses and repeating lists | Yes | Yes, very advanced |
| Calculations | Yes (Pro) | Yes, with Python |
| Client questionnaires | Offline intake file you email to the client | Yes, web interviews |
| Integrations with practice management | None: files in, files out | Through code and APIs |
| Price | Free library templates, plus 3 of your own; Pro $19 per user per month | Free, open source; you pay for hosting and maintenance |
Based on public information as of 2026. Products change; check with the vendor.
Choose docassemble if
- You need public-facing web interviews at scale
- You have developers comfortable with Python and YAML
- You need logic beyond what a form designer offers
Choose Clausery if
- You have no server, no developer and no IT budget
- Your templates live in Word and should stay there
- You want a questionnaire from a template in minutes, without code
Moving a template from docassemble
- Start from the original Word version of the document, before it was converted for docassemble.
- Replace each detail that changes with a tag such as
{client_name}, and wrap optional clauses in{#has_retainer}…{/has_retainer}. Lists of parties or line items use a repeating section. - Check the file with the free template tag checker, then drop it into the app.
- Recreate any rules you built in docassemble's own editor as show-when conditions or calculations in the Clausery designer. Allow about an hour for a complex template.
What Clausery deliberately leaves out
Because nothing leaves your computer, Clausery has no hosted client portal, no built-in e-signature, no practice management integration and no cloud AI drafting. If you need those, docassemble or a similar platform may suit you better, and the two can run side by side.
Questions
Can I use Clausery and docassemble together?
Yes. Many firms keep a platform like docassemble for the workflows it does best and use Clausery for documents whose details should not leave the office. Clausery needs no integration to run alongside it.
How much does Clausery cost compared with docassemble?
Every Clausery library template is free, you can automate up to three of your own templates free with unlimited documents, and Pro is $19 per user per month. The table above summarises docassemble's published pricing as of 2026; check the vendor for current prices.
Does Clausery need IT to set up?
No. It runs in any modern browser with nothing to install, and firms that prefer can host the files on their own server.
What happens to my templates if I stop using Clausery?
They are ordinary Word files with tags, and your data exports as plain JSON. Nothing is locked into Clausery.
Try it with your own template
Open the app, drop in a Word document with tags like {client_name}, and you have a questionnaire. Or start from one of the free templates.