Most personal injury firms compare lead vendors on the wrong number. They look at the price per lead, pick the cheapest option, and then wonder why their cost per signed case is brutal. The real choice in 2026 is not which vendor is cheapest, it is which pricing model fits how your firm actually runs intake. Pay-per-lead rewards firms with fast, disciplined intake. Done-for-you, where you pay per signed case, rewards firms that would rather buy outcomes than manage a lead pipeline. This guide breaks down both models, the cost-per-signed-case math behind them, and how to tell which one will cost you less.
TL;DR: Pay-per-lead is cheaper per unit and gives you volume control, but your intake speed decides whether it is actually cheap. Done-for-you (pay-per-signed-case) costs more per case and removes the conversion risk, since you only pay for cases that sign. Fast-intake firms usually win with exclusive pay-per-lead. Firms without the staff or speed to work leads in under a minute usually get a lower true cost per case from a done-for-you model.
The two models, defined
Pay-per-lead means you pay a fixed price for each qualified lead delivered to your CRM, whether or not it ever signs. You control the volume, you own the intake, and you carry the conversion risk. Pricing ranges widely by exclusivity and state. See our MVA lead cost breakdown for current ranges by lead type.
Pay-per-signed-case, in its compliant form, is a done-for-you model. A marketing contractor runs the ads and the intake funnel, qualifies the prospect, and you pay only when a case is actually signed onto your firm. You carry almost no conversion risk, but you pay more per case because the provider is absorbing the cost of every lead that did not convert.
The trap is comparing the two on sticker price. A signed case will always look more expensive than a single lead. The honest comparison is cost per signed case after your intake reality is factored in.
Pay-per-lead: cheap units, real risk
Pay-per-lead is the right model when your firm has the intake muscle to convert. The math only works if you contact leads fast and follow up relentlessly. As we cover in speed to contact, contacting a lead in the first 60 seconds can lift conversion dramatically versus waiting even ten minutes.
Here is the leverage point. Take an exclusive lead at $250.
- A firm that contacts fast and signs 8 percent pays roughly $3,125 per signed case.
- A firm with slow intake that signs 3 percent on the same lead pays roughly $8,333 per signed case.
Same lead, same price, nearly 3x difference in cost per case, driven entirely by intake. This is why two firms can buy identical leads and reach opposite conclusions about whether they "work."
Exclusivity matters just as much as speed. Shared leads are sold to several firms at once, so you are racing competitors to the phone the moment the lead lands. Exclusive leads go to one firm only. They cost more per lead but, as we break down in exclusive vs shared MVA leads, the higher close rate usually produces a lower cost per signed case than cheap shared leads.
Pay-per-lead fits you if: you have intake staff or automated dialing, you contact leads in under a minute, you can run a 6-to-8 touch follow-up cadence over two weeks, and you want direct control of volume and spend.
Done-for-you (pay-per-signed-case): outcomes, not pipeline
The done-for-you model flips the risk. Instead of buying raw leads and hoping your intake converts them, you buy signed cases. The provider runs the campaigns and the qualification, and the cost of every lead that does not sign is the provider's problem, not yours.
In a compliant version of this model, the provider acts as the firm's marketing and intake contractor. The firm stays the firm of record, the client signs the firm's own retainer, and the firm pays for a marketing service rather than for a referral. That distinction is what keeps the arrangement inside ABA Model Rules 7.1 and 7.2 and state advertising rules. Confirm the structure against your own bar before signing anything.
The cost per case is higher and more predictable. You are not gambling on intake. You know what a signed case costs before you commit. The tradeoff is less granular control and a higher per-case price, because someone else is carrying the conversion risk you would otherwise carry yourself.
Done-for-you fits you if: your intake is slow or understaffed, you would rather pay for outcomes than manage a lead pipeline, you want a predictable cost per case, and you are comfortable handing the marketing and first-touch qualification to a contractor.
Side by side: cost per signed case is the only number that matters
| Factor | Pay-per-lead (exclusive) | Done-for-you (per signed case) |
|---|---|---|
| Who carries conversion risk | Your firm | The provider |
| Price per unit | Lower | Higher |
| Cost per case if intake is fast | Often lowest | Predictable, higher |
| Cost per case if intake is slow | Can balloon | Stays fixed |
| Control over volume | High | Lower |
| Staff and dialer required | Yes | Minimal |
To compare any two offers honestly, track four numbers for 30 to 60 days: contact rate, qualified rate, signed rate, and total spend. Then divide total spend by signed cases. Our guide on calculating your true cost per signed case walks through the full formula. Do this before you judge any vendor, because the cheapest lead and the cheapest case are rarely the same thing.
How Claim Supply runs both models
We built Claim Supply around exclusivity and risk transfer, because those are the two levers that move cost per signed case the most.
- Exclusive by default. Every lead goes to one firm. No race to the phone, no auction against three other firms calling the same accident victim.
- We run the ads and the funnels. You pay per qualified lead, not for ad spend, and you never touch an ad account.
- Prepaid, fixed price per lead. You know the unit cost before you order, with no retainer and no long-term contract.
- Bad-lead credit. Flag a lead that does not meet the criteria within 72 hours and it is credited to your next order.
- Done-for-you signed cases. For firms that want outcomes instead of a pipeline, we run the marketing and intake as your contractor and you take signed cases. This tier is by application.
Pricing varies by state and exclusivity. You can see local pricing and crash data on any state page, for example Texas MVA leads or Ohio MVA leads.
So which should you choose?
Choose exclusive pay-per-lead if you have fast intake and want the lowest cost per case plus full control of volume. Choose done-for-you signed cases if your intake cannot reliably work leads in the first minute and you would rather buy predictable outcomes than manage a pipeline. The wrong choice is defaulting to the cheapest price per lead without doing the cost-per-signed-case math first, because that is how firms end up paying more per case for "cheap" leads than they would have for premium ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between pay-per-lead and pay-per-signed-case?
Pay-per-lead means you pay a fixed price for each qualified lead delivered, whether or not it signs. Pay-per-signed-case (a done-for-you model) means a marketing contractor runs the campaigns and intake and you pay only when a case is actually signed onto your firm. Pay-per-lead is cheaper per unit and gives you volume control. Done-for-you costs more per case but shifts the conversion risk off your firm.
Which model has a lower cost per signed case?
It depends on your intake. Pay-per-lead can produce a lower cost per signed case if your firm contacts leads in under a minute and signs at a strong rate. If your intake is slow or understaffed, pay-per-lead waste drives your true cost per case up fast, and a done-for-you signed-case model often ends up cheaper per actual case because you only pay for outcomes.
Are exclusive leads worth it over shared leads?
For most PI firms, yes. Exclusive leads are sold to one firm only, so there is no race to the phone against three other firms calling the same accident victim. Exclusive leads cost more per lead but typically close at a meaningfully higher rate, which usually lowers the cost per signed case despite the higher unit price.
Is pay-per-signed-case the same as paying a referral fee?
No. A compliant done-for-you signed-case model is a marketing and intake service: the provider runs ads and qualifies clients, the firm remains the firm of record, and the client signs the firm's own retainer. The firm pays for marketing services, not for a referral, which is what keeps it inside ABA Model Rules 7.2 and state advertising rules. Always confirm the arrangement with your own bar rules.
How do I compare lead vendors on cost per signed case?
Ignore the headline price per lead. Track four numbers for each vendor over at least 30 to 60 days: contact rate, qualified rate, signed rate, and total spend. Divide total spend by signed cases to get your true cost per signed case. A $70 shared lead that signs at 2 percent can cost more per case than a $250 exclusive lead that signs at 8 percent.