We researched and considered 13 online and prepaid legal services before arriving at the final list below.
Compare the best online and prepaid legal services
A closer look at the best online and prepaid legal services
1. Bizee: Best for low-cost business formation
Bizee Bizee
Promotion
Free registered agent service
What Bizee offers
When to use Bizee
Bizee is a great option if you need quick and simple business formation. You can use its free plan to prepare and file your formation paperwork, plus get the free year of registered agent service. You can add on additional paperwork or services at prices that are consistently lower than competitors’.
Bizee pricing
Here’s the pricing for Bizee’s three business formation packages:
🤓 Nerdy Tip
Don’t bother paying for an online service to apply for an EIN on your behalf. You can apply for yourself quickly and easily on the IRS website. And it’s free!
Bizee pros and cons
Pros
Free incorporation services (just pay state filing fees).
Registered agent services included for free for the first year.
Includes free business tax consultation.
One-time fee rather than ongoing monthly or annual fees.
Cons
No weekend customer support.
Doesn’t offer legal advisory services.
2. ZenBusiness: Best for long-term compliance
ZenBusiness ZenBusiness
Promotion
50% off worry-free compliance
What ZenBusiness offers
ZenBusiness is another full-service online business formation service. The company can help you form your LLC, S corp or C corp. It also offers a few package options, one of which is free outside of the state fees. Plus, you can opt for add-on services like a registered agent, compliance alerts and access to business document templates. Most of ZenBusiness’s services do come at a higher cost than Bizee’s similar offerings. But unique to ZenBusiness is its proprietary bookkeeping software, a mobile app and lifetime customer support included in all of its plan options, even the free one.
When to use ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness may be a better fit for you than Bizee or some of the other formation services if you’re concerned about keeping on top of compliance deadlines such as your annual report filing. If you’re willing to pay extra for the peace of mind not to have to track these sorts of deadlines and manage the filings yourself, then ZenBusiness’s Worry-Free Compliance offering may be a good fit for you. You get 50% off the first year of Worry-Free Compliance, meaning you’ll pay $99 instead of $199.
ZenBusiness pricing
Unlike similar competitors in this space (Bizee, LegalZoom and Swyft Filings), ZenBusiness charges its formation package fees annually. The plans auto-renew. So if you only want the services for your first year, set an alert well ahead of the auto-renewal date to remind yourself to cancel the subscription.
Here’s the pricing for ZenBusiness’s three business formation packages:
Like Bizee and other prepaid legal services, ZenBusiness lets you add services as needed. The company’s prices are on the higher end, however, for add-ons. For example, you can have ZenBusiness file your EIN for $99, get access to an operating agreement template for $99 and use the company’s registered agent service for $199 per year.
ZenBusiness pros and cons
Pros
All-inclusive business formation.
Variety of add-on products.
Alerts for recurring filing deadlines.
Cons
Pricey compared with some competitors.
Packages auto-renew yearly vs. a one-time fee.
3. CorpNet: Best for customer service
CorpNet Start Your Business Now
Promotion
Free registered agent service
What CorpNet offers
When to use CorpNet
If you’re looking to get your business fully operational as quickly and painlessly as possible, and you don’t mind paying for that convenience, CorpNet offers an extensive range of services that go beyond registering your business with the state. Especially if you’re looking to form an entity type outside of an LLC or corporation, CorpNet may be a strong choice.
CorpNet pricing
The company’s pricing structure is less straightforward than others on this list. It offers three packages, each with varied pricing depending on whether you choose standard, express or rush processing. Here’s how that pricing breaks down:
-
Basic: $99 / $249 / $349.
-
Deluxe: $219 / $369 / $469.
-
Complete: $269 / $419 / $519.
You’ll pay state fees on top of CorpNet’s package pricing plus a 3% convenience fee. Then there’s a full range of add-on services for sales and payroll tax registration ($199 to $399), compliance and filing services ($25 to $649), licensing services ($169 to $899) and more.
This all adds up to CorpNet being one of the priciest options out there. But if you’re looking for a hassle-free, end-to-end service to get you operating and keep you operating, the cost could be worth it for you.
CorpNet pros and cons
Pros
Can help you form any business entity type.
Extensive range of services and add-ons.
A period of free registered agent service is included in all packages.
Free compliance alerts included in all packages.
Superior customer support.
Cons
Complex pricing structure.
Higher fees than most competitors.
Charges additional convenience fee.
4. LegalZoom: Best for standard legal needs
LegalZoom LegalZoom
What LegalZoom offers
LegalZoom is one of the largest players among online legal services, with more than 4 million businesses and consumers using its site. It provides a range of services, including:
-
Access to a network of vetted attorneys for legal advice and document review.
-
Business formation services.
-
Trademark registration, copyright application and patent application.
-
Legal forms, articles and other resources.
You can use LegalZoom on a one-time basis; for example, to download a specific legal form or set up an LLC. Or you can sign up for a monthly legal plan called the Business Attorney Plan. This lets you tap into legal help whenever you need it.
When to use LegalZoom
LegalZoom’s Business Attorney Plan is a great choice for businesses that don’t have in-house legal counsel and foresee needing regular legal assistance. It can function like having your very own business attorney “on call.”
The plan includes:
-
Unlimited 30-minute phone consultations with an attorney for each new legal issue.
-
Access to a large library of legal forms.
-
Annual business consultation.
-
Legal review of contracts and documents (up to 10 pages).
-
One copyright registration per month.
-
Discounts on other LegalZoom services.
LegalZoom pricing
LegalZoom has a similar three-tier pricing model to many of the other prepaid legal services. Package pricing varies depending on the type of entity you’re forming:
-
LLC Basic: $0 + state fees.
-
LLC Pro: $249 + state fees.
-
LLC Premium: $299 + state fees.
-
Corporation: Starts at $149 + state fees.
-
Nonprofit: Starts at $99 + state fees.
-
12-month Business Attorney Plan: $39.09 per month, billed annually.
-
6-month Business Attorney Plan: $43.17 per month, billed every six months.
LegalZoom pros and cons
Pros
Variety of small business legal services.
Option to add business attorney services.
Customer support available seven days a week.
Cons
Business attorney phone consultations are limited to 30 minutes.
Legal document review is limited to 10 pages before incurring extra charges.
5. Swyft Filings: Best for first-time entrepreneurs
What Swyft Filings offers
When to use Swyft Filings
Swyft Filings stands out from the competition in offering lifetime customer support in all of its plan tiers, including the free one. This level of support that extends beyond your first year of business is not unique among prepaid legal services. However, Swyft takes its level of customer care one step further by giving you a dedicated support specialist to serve as your single point of contact for any support needs. This is not standard practice in the industry, and it could make a huge difference for a first-time business owner. You can run with the free plan, get personal support anytime and pay for additional services only as needed.
Swyft Filings pricing
Like most on this list, Swyft lets you choose from three package options that are priced as follows:
Common add-ons are reasonably priced compared with some others on this list. Get an EIN for an additional $70, an LLC operating agreement for $35 and faster processing for $50.
Swyft Filings pros and cons
Pros
Straightforward pricing model.
Add-on options available.
Access to legal support in addition to formation services
Receive a dedicated support specialist with all pricing plans, including the free one.
Cons
Not as transparent with pricing as other online legal services.
Newer and less established than some competitors.
6. Rocket Lawyer: Best for legal forms with attorney review
What Rocket Lawyer offers
Rocket Lawyer is another big player among prepaid legal services providers. The company offers:
-
Access to a network of vetted attorneys for legal advice and document review.
-
Business formation services.
-
Legal forms, articles and other resources.
Rocket Lawyer’s membership plans include unlimited contract reviews, legal advice and phone consultations and deadline reminders.
When to use Rocket Lawyer
Rocket Lawyer is a great option for businesses that use a lot of legal forms. It has an intuitive form builder that lets you easily customize a legal document for your business’s needs. As you’re building your form, you’ll see helpful pop-ups about the legal norms and rules in your state, which is key to making sure your forms are enforceable if you’re ever taken to court.
Rocket Lawyer pricing
Rocket Lawyer operates on a subscription membership pricing model. You can choose from three membership tiers with the following pricing:
You can trial any plan free for seven days. You also have the option to purchase a yearly membership at a 50% discount.
Rocket Lawyer pros and cons
Pros
Strong on legal support services.
Intuitive document builder adjusts based on your state laws.
Free seven-day trial of membership plans.
Cons
Membership model plus add-on costs make it one of the pricier options.
7. LegalShield: Best for prepaid legal consultations
What LegalShield offers
LegalShield lets you be proactive about legal help. For a monthly subscription fee, you get regular access to a lawyer and document review. One unique feature is that LegalShield assists businesses with debt collection. If customers aren’t paying you, LegalShield can help you recover what you’re owed.
When to use LegalShield
If you’re looking for an affordable way to regularly access a lawyer, LegalShield is a great option. For a reasonable monthly fee, you’ll be connected with a lawyer at a specific law firm and be able to work with them to receive assistance on the issues that relate to your business, including debt collection, contracts, business licenses and more.
LegalShield pricing
LegalShield has three subscription plans that vary in the number of lawyer communications, document reviews and collection letters you’re allowed on a monthly or yearly basis. These are the plans:
If you want access to any of LegalShield’s flat-fee services (e.g., trademarking or custom contracts) or IRS audit services, then you’ll need to pay for a Plus or Pro plan.
LegalShield pros and cons
Pros
Affordable monthly fee for access to business attorney (always within the same law firm).
Debt collection assistance included.
Option to add on trial defense services.
Cons
Each plan includes certain limits (e.g. three phone consultations per year on special legal issues).
Additional online legal resources
These additional resources can offer you valuable business legal assistance.
Legal website Nolo has a vast repository of articles about everyday legal topics written by attorneys. These can be accessed for free and serve as an excellent resource if you need to know general information. Articles cover a wide range of legal topics related to starting and operating a business.
You can access Nolo’s information articles and guides, as well as their lawyer network, for free.
LegalMatch is a service that helps you find local lawyers who can help you with your legal issues. First, you submit a “case” on LegalMatch’s website. LegalMatch distributes the details to its network of pre-vetted attorneys. Lawyers matching your business’s location and case’s subject matter will contact you, and you can choose the best fit for your needs. Since lawyers charge their own rates and have their own fee structures, pricing will vary.