Side by side
Legal Information Institute vs WorldLII
Both stand on legal research software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Web
LII brings legal texts, research tools, and explanatory materials together in a free web resource. It can help readers find and understand legal information, but not provide advice or personalized research help.
Visit Legal Information Institute Free plan Web
WorldLII offers free access to a broad range of legal research materials across many jurisdictions. Readers should account for differences in content depth from one jurisdiction to another.
Visit WorldLIIThe facts
| Legal Information Institute | WorldLII | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Web | Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Not published |
| Plans published | 1 | None |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | law.cornell.edu | worldlii.org |
| On legal research software | #16 of 31 | #20 of 31 |
Legal Information Institute: what it does well
- Public legal collections are available free of charge.
- Covers federal law and all 50 states.
- Includes case law, regulations, commentary, and citation tools.
- Read It Online resolves formal case citations.
- Offers free Introduction to Basic Legal Citation.
What to know first
- Does not provide legal advice or interpretations.
- Does not offer personalized research or school-project help.
- Coverage includes only selected world law.
WorldLII: what it does well
- Free access for anyone with an internet connection.
- Coverage spans more than 120 countries.
- Searches case law, statutes and regulations.
- Users can browse by country, region or literature type.
- Includes a catalogue of law-related websites.
What to know first
- Content levels vary between jurisdictions.
- Web is the only listed platform.
- No free trial is listed.
Alternatives to Legal Information Institute Alternatives to WorldLII The whole list