minicounsel vs CanLII Search+

How each tool actually works

The key difference is what happens after you type your question.

Feature comparison

Boolean conversion vs true AI search

CanLII Search+ uses AI to generate a Boolean query from your question, then runs that query through CanLII's traditional keyword search. The quality of your results depends on how well the AI translates your intent into Boolean terms. If important concepts don't appear as keywords in a decision, you won't find it.

minicounsel Plus uses true semantic search that understands legal concepts, not just keywords. It finds cases based on meaning — even when the exact terms in your query don't appear in the decision text. And because it works inside ChatGPT and Claude, you can ask follow-up questions, refine your research, and upload your own client documents for analysis — all without leaving your conversation.

When to use each

Common questions

What is CanLII Search+ and how does it work?

CanLII Search+ is a free AI tool from CanLII that takes your natural language question, converts it into an elaborate Boolean query, applies relevant search filters, and searches CanLII's database. It then scores the top 25 results for relevance and extracts key passages. It's a smarter front-end for CanLII's existing keyword search — not a true AI search engine.

How is minicounsel Plus different from CanLII Search+?

minicounsel Plus uses true AI-powered semantic search — it understands legal concepts, not just keywords. It works inside ChatGPT and Claude, so you can have follow-up conversations about cases, upload your own client documents for analysis (minicounsel never sees them), and research judges and lawyers. CanLII Search+ converts your question into a Boolean query and scores results, but doesn't support conversation, document uploads, or people research.

Is CanLII Search+ really free?

Yes, but with daily limits: 4 analyses per day (each analyzing up to 25 documents, so 100 documents total) and 10 search query generations. If you hit those limits, you're done for the day. minicounsel Plus has no daily limits — search as much as you need for $99/month.

Can I upload my own documents to either tool?

With minicounsel Plus, you upload documents directly in your ChatGPT or Claude account — minicounsel never sees your files, so client confidentiality is fully preserved. CanLII Search+ lets you upload documents to myCanLII, but its Analyze feature only works on CanLII's public database, not your uploaded files.

Does CanLII Search+ cover more jurisdictions than minicounsel?

Yes. CanLII Search+ searches all of CanLII's database, covering every Canadian jurisdiction. minicounsel focuses on Ontario courts (OCJ, SCJ, ODC, OCA) and the Supreme Court of Canada. If you regularly need case law from other provinces, CanLII Search+ has broader coverage. For deep Ontario research with AI, minicounsel Plus is more capable.

Which tool is more accurate?

minicounsel Plus has a verified 99.9% accuracy rate — every case it returns is real and correctly cited. CanLII Search+ acknowledges 'risk of errors and inaccuracies' in its own FAQ and warns that 'only the original legal documents are authoritative.' Because CanLII Search+ generates Boolean queries from your question, the results depend heavily on how well the AI translates your intent into keywords.