Gartner Says Consumption Pricing Could Drive 35% of New Legal-Tech Spend

On September 3, 2026, Gartner forecast that consumption-based pricing will account for more than 35% of net new corporate legal-technology spending with major vendors by 2028. Gartner said suppliers are moving from predictable per-user subscriptions toward combinations of licences, credits, allowances and overage charges, creating potential budget shocks for departments that successfully scale AI use. Law firm client teams should expect in-house buyers to apply the same unit-economics discipline to outside counsel, asking what activity drives cost and which outcomes justify additional consumption. The practical response is to align pricing conversations with shared value measures—cycle time, avoided work, risk reduction and scope delivered—rather than defend inputs that clients increasingly cannot forecast.