What is LegalZoom?
LegalZoom is an online legal services provider founded in 2001. Its main goal is to make legal help accessible to everyone, especially small business owners and individuals who don’t want to pay high attorney fees.
Instead of drafting complicated forms from scratch, you can answer simple questions on their website, and LegalZoom will prepare and file the necessary paperwork on your behalf. The platform covers everything from forming a business and protecting intellectual property to personal legal needs like wills, trusts, and divorce papers.
Over the years, LegalZoom has served more than 4 million customers, which shows just how widely it’s used.
Who Is LegalZoom For?
LegalZoom is designed for people who need legal help but don’t want the hassle or cost of hiring a traditional lawyer. It’s a great fit for:
Small business owners starting an LLC, corporation, or nonprofit.
Freelancers and entrepreneurs who need contracts or compliance help.
Individuals looking to create a will, living trust, or power of attorney.
Anyone applying for a trademark or patent who wants guidance with paperwork.
If you need courtroom representation or highly complex legal advice, LegalZoom won’t replace a full attorney. But for standardized documents and filings, it’s a convenient option.
LegalZoom Services at a Glance
Here’s what LegalZoom offers:
1. Business Formation
- LLC formation
- Corporation (C-Corp, S-Corp) setup
- Nonprofit registration
- DBA (Doing Business As) filing
2. Business Management
- Annual reports and compliance alerts
- Registered agent services
- Operating agreements and corporate bylaws
3. Intellectual Property
- Trademark registration
- Copyright filing
- Patent application assistance
4. Personal Legal Services
- Wills and trusts
- Divorce papers
- Power of attorney
- Real estate deed transfers
5. Attorney Consultations
Through subscription plans like LegalZoom Business Advisory or LegalZoom Legal Protection Plan, you can speak to licensed attorneys at discounted rates.
How the Process Works
Using LegalZoom is pretty straightforward:
1. Choose a service
- Let’s say you want to form an LLC. You pick the LLC formation option.
2. Answer questions online
- LegalZoom guides you with step-by-step questions. Example: company name, business address, owners, etc.
3. LegalZoom prepares documents
- Based on your answers, the system generates the right forms and submits them to the state (or prepares them for you to file).
4. Track progress online
- You’ll get updates as filings move forward, and final documents are mailed or uploaded to your account.
LegalZoom Pricing
LegalZoom is often criticized for being more expensive than some of its competitors, but it’s also one of the most transparent platforms in terms of costs.
forming an LLC starts with a Basic Plan at $0 plus state fees. This covers only the essentials like name availability checks and standard filing. The Pro Plan, priced at $249 plus state fees, adds useful extras like an operating agreement, EIN, and compliance alerts. The Premium Plan, at $299 plus state fees, includes everything from the Pro Plan along with a 30-minute attorney consultation and expedited filing.
Other services are priced separately.
Registered agent services cost $249 per year. Wills start at $89, while living trusts are around $279. Trademark registration costs $599 plus government filing fees. These figures put LegalZoom on the higher side compared to alternatives, but customers often pay for the convenience, reputation, and support.
Strengths of LegalZoom
One of LegalZoom’s strongest points is its brand reputation. With more than 20 years in business and millions of customers served, it has established itself as one of the most reliable names in online legal services.
The platform is also easy to use. The guided questionnaires make the process less intimidating, even for people with no legal background. Another advantage is the range of services. Unlike some competitors that focus only on business formation, LegalZoom covers both personal and business needs, making it a one-stop shop.
LegalZoom also provides compliance support. Many small business owners overlook annual filings and deadlines, but LegalZoom’s reminders and filing services help prevent costly mistakes. For those who want additional peace of mind, the option to bundle in attorney consultations adds another layer of security.
Weaknesses of LegalZoom
While LegalZoom has plenty of strengths, it isn’t perfect. The most common criticism is its pricing. Competitors like Incfile and ZenBusiness offer similar services for less, often throwing in free extras like a year of registered agent service.
LegalZoom is also known for its upsells. As you go through the checkout process, you’ll see multiple offers for add-ons, which can make the final bill much higher than you anticipated.
Turnaround time is another issue. If you choose the basic package, filing can take weeks unless you pay extra for expedited service. Finally, while LegalZoom offers attorney consultations, the level of personalized legal advice is still limited compared to having your own lawyer.
Customer Experience
Customer reviews of LegalZoom are mixed but lean positive. Many users praise the simplicity of the platform and the helpfulness of customer support. On review sites like Trustpilot, LegalZoom typically scores around four stars, with people appreciating how much stress it saves them.
However, some customers express frustration over high prices, upsells, and slower processing times. The general consensus is that LegalZoom delivers on what it promises, but at a cost. For customers who value convenience over price, it remains a solid choice.
Final Verdict
LegalZoom isn’t the cheapest or the fastest legal service available, but it’s one of the most established and trusted. For many business owners and individuals, the peace of mind that comes with using a recognized brand outweighs the higher price tag.
If you’re forming an LLC, applying for a trademark, or drafting a will, LegalZoom offers a guided, reliable experience. It saves you from the stress of figuring out complex legal forms on your own. That said, if your top priority is affordability or speed, competitors like Incfile or ZenBusiness may be better suited.
Overall, LegalZoom is best for people who want a trusted, all-in-one platform for both personal and business legal needs, even if it means paying more. It may not replace the role of a lawyer entirely, but it makes routine legal processes simpler, safer, and far less overwhelming.
