how does legalzoom compare to a attorney?

by Prof. Josie Satterfield I 8 min read

LegalZoom is not a law firm, and the employees of LegalZoom are not acting as your attorney. LegalZoom’s legal document service is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.... LegalZoom cannot provide legal advice and can only provide self-help services at your specific direction.

LegalZoom Pricing
LegalZoom is a more affordable option than traditional law firms, but it's comparatively more expensive than Rocket Lawyer. Instead of their a la carte pricing or a legal firm's hourly rate, this site charges flat fees for most legal services.

Full Answer

What are the best online alternatives to LegalZoom?

Jul 27, 2021 · If you want access to legal advice from LegalZoom, that does come in two different packages: Legal Advantage Plus (starting at $9.99 per month) Business Advisory Plan (starting at $31.25 per month)

Should you use LegalZoom?

Jan 05, 2019 · Finally, a number of reviewers mention that using LegalZoom is more affordable and simpler than hiring and paying for an attorney every time you need legal assistance. Negative Reviews Although there are many reviews talking about LegalZoom’s professional service, most negative reviews actually center around poor customer service.

Is LegalZoom a law firm?

Rocket Lawyer gets a better customer review rating from Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau, and with 81% percent of the people reviewing them on Trustpilot giving them a rating of excellent compared to the 65% who give LegalZoom a rating of excellent, Rocket Lawyer wins this category. The Verdict: Rocket Lawyer Wins.

Is an attorney and a lawyer the same thing?

Similar to Rocket Lawyer, LegalZoom is another online legal service designed to be a “one-stop-shop” for a business’s legal needs. Small businesses pay a low fixed rate for several types of legal work. Founded in 2001, LegalZoom has helped over 4 million customers with business registration, legal documents, and lawyers’ advice.

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Why you shouldn't use LegalZoom?

LegalZoom Admits Its Limitations in Helping You LegalZoom's legal document service is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. LegalZoom cannot provide legal advice and can only provide self-help services at your specific direction. LegalZoom is not permitted to engage in the practice of law.

Is LegalZoom cheaper than a lawyer?

Finally, a number of reviewers mention that using LegalZoom is more affordable and simpler than hiring and paying for an attorney every time you need legal assistance.May 6, 2021

Is LegalZoom a good way to do a will?

Today LegalZoom is a reputable company that serves thousands of clients. It is accredited with the Better Business Bureau with an exceptional rating of A+. Out of many estate planning services that LegalZoom offers to its customers, the main ones are Basic Last Will, Comprehensive Last Will, and Estate Plan Bundle.

Can LegalZoom be trusted?

LegalZoom doesn't just offer LLC services, it's a full-service legal platform designed to help individuals, families and businesses with all sorts of legal needs. LegalZoom is one of the most trusted online legal services due in part to its longevity—it's one of the oldest legal help platforms online.Oct 28, 2021

Is LegalZoom public?

Among the flood of recent IPOs is LegalZoom.com ( LZ 1.81% ). This legal services platform went public on June 30 with the IPO pricing at $28.00 per share.Jul 22, 2021

Can I cancel LegalZoom?

To cancel your LegalZoom account: Call (800)773-0888 or email your cancellation request to [email protected]. Keep a record of the person you spoke with on the phone and/or any confirmation regarding your member cancellation.

Does a will have to be notarized?

A will doesn't have to be notarized to be valid. But in most states, you'll want to add a "self-proving affidavit" to your will, which must be signed by your witnesses and notarized.

Should a will be handwritten or typed?

Although a will is a legal document, there isn't any prescribed form it must take. For instance, you don't need to write a will on stamp paper and it can be either typed or handwritten. However, a handwritten will is preferred as it is more difficult to refute.Apr 11, 2016

Is the Free will Kit legitimate?

Are Free Will Kits Legit? A free Will Kit may be legally binding if it is completed accurately and: Signed by your hand in the presence of two witnesses. Signed by two witnesses in your presence and each other.Jan 3, 2022

Is LegalZoom profitable?

LegalZoom has been operating profitably until the most recent quarter. The Company generated $408 million in 2020 with a $46 million operating profit. In 2020, the Company continued to increase revenues by 18% despite the pandemic to $470 million with $49 million in operating profits.Aug 3, 2021

Why is an LLC good?

Probably the most obvious advantage to forming an LLC is protecting your personal assets by limiting the liability to the resources of the business itself. In most cases, the LLC will protect your personal assets from claims against the business, including lawsuits. ... There is also the tax benefit to an LLC.Apr 16, 2019

Does LegalZoom give refunds?

LegalZoom promises a 100% satisfaction guarantee. You can get your money back as long as you request a refund within 60 days of your purchase.Jun 11, 2021

Who is the closest competitor to LegalZoom?

If you think your small business will need legal help on multiple issues or on multiple occasions over several months, then you should consider Rocket Lawyer. Rocket Lawyer is the closest competitor to LegalZoom. They offer many of the same services, such as business formation and a legal form library.

How much does LegalZoom cost?

LegalZoom is costlier than competitors for business formation. Prices start at $79 plus state filing fees for business formation, whereas competitors like IncFile charge as little as $0 plus government filing fees.

What is legal zoom?

LegalZoom is an online legal service designed to be a “one-stop-shop” for all of a small business’s legal needs. Businesses can pay a low fixed rate for many types of legal work—including a Business Advisory Plan, which offers ongoing access to attorney consultations and legal reviews. LegalZoom is a great option for small businesses ...

What is Upcounsel website?

UpCounsel is a legal website that’s designed to match you up with an experienced business lawyer. Unlike LegalZoom and Rocket Lawyer, UpCounsel’s business model does not involve low-cost business formation services or monthly memberships.

How much does Rocket Lawyer charge?

Rocket Lawyer charges $99.99, plus state filing fees for business formation—making them slightly costlier (by $20) than LegalZoom to form an LLC, the same cost to form a nonprofit, and less expensive (by $50) to form a corporation. Like LegalZoom, Rocket Lawyer also has a business legal plan that is charged monthly.

Is LegalZoom cost effective?

If you’re just looking to incorporate a new business, then LegalZoom isn’t the most cost-effective option. Instead, you’ll want to opt for IncFile, a service that’s focused solely on business formation.

What is Priyanka's job?

Priyanka specializes in small business finance, credit, law, and insurance, helping businesses owners navigate complicated concepts and decisions . Since earning her law degree from the University of Washington, Priyanka has spent half a decade writing on small business financial and legal concerns.

Jump to The Winning Service

LegalZoom is one of the older and more respected online LLC formation services out there. However, that doesn’t mean that the more fresh-faced company of Rocket Lawyer isn’t an option to consider.

Our 5 Criteria to Evaluate Both Companies

In order to see whether LegalZoom or Rocket Lawyer offers the better service, we are going to need some criteria to compare the two. Here are the five criteria we are going to use to measure these contenders.

Quick LegalZoom & Rocket Lawyer Comparison

Not everyone has the time to go into depth, considering which LLC formation service they are going to use. We get it; business owners are busy! That’s why we have a quick comparison to let you see how these companies do without all the details.

Price and Features: LegalZoom vs. Rocket Lawyer

Price and features are likely the most important things you are looking for when you compare these two companies. Rocket Lawyer offers one membership plan with a seven-day free trial or an option to simply pay for LLC formation without a membership.

Customer Service: LegalZoom vs. Rocket Lawyer

Customer service between these two companies is generally likely to be positive. After all, both support large customer service departments, and both have received vast numbers of positive reviews. But, quality does still vary, so let’s take a look at what both have to offer.

Ease of Use: LegalZoom vs. Rocket Lawyer

Rocket Lawyer and LegalZoom are both exceptionally easy to use and among the easiest to use out there. It makes it very difficult to choose which of these services offers the easier to use platform.

Turnaround Times: LegalZoom vs. Rocket Lawyer

When you’re forming your LLC, you’re probably anxious to get the job done quickly. This is quite possibly why you would use an LLC formation service in the first place.

What is legal zoom?

Similar to Rocket Lawyer, LegalZoom is another online legal service designed to be a “one-stop-shop” for a business’s legal needs. Small businesses pay a low fixed rate for several types of legal work. Founded in 2001, LegalZoom has helped over 4 million customers with business registration, legal documents, and lawyers’ advice.

What time does LegalZoom open?

LegalZoom is available Monday to Friday from 10 am to 8 pm ET and weekends from 10 am to 7 pm ET . Rocket Lawyers representatives are available from 9 am to 9 pm ET on weekdays.

What is Rocket Lawyer?

Rocket Lawyer is an all-encompassing legal service that offers all the essentials ranging from legal advice to legal documents and business registration. Rocket Lawyer has a monthly subscription model, which means that for a low monthly fee you gain access to business attorneys and unlimited legal documents.

Is Rocket Lawyer the best?

If your business requires continuous legal services to operate, such as attorney advice or legal documents, Rocket Lawyer is the best, most affordable option. Rocket Lawyer’s platform is very intuitive, so don’t expect to have any major complications when creating legal documents.

What is LegalZoom?

The LegalZoom website includes a section where users can submit questions, and read answers submitted by other users. This can be helpful in situations where your legal matter may be similar to that of another member, allowing you to learn from the other member’s experience.

Is LegalZoom a BBB?

LegalZoom holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, although the 26 reviews on the BBB website were 92% negative at the time of this writing. There were also 268 LegalZoom complaints on the BBB website.

When did LegalZoom start?

Since opening in 1999, LegalZoom has built its brand to be the most well-known LLC formation service available. There are dozens of service providers that will form an LLC for you online, but LegalZoom is by far the most recognizable brand, thanks to its millions of customers and extensive advertising campaigns.

How much does it cost to amend an LLC?

Amendments ($129): If you need to amend your LLC’s formation documents to reflect important changes made to your business, LegalZoom will file amendments for $129 each, plus the state fee. This price is a bit higher than most competitors charge, as the industry standard is around $100.

Do you have to reserve your name before forming an LLC?

In general, this is only necessary if you aren’t yet ready to enter the LLC formation process. If you’re ready to start your business, there’s no reason to reserve your name before forming your LLC with LegalZoom.

What is a DBA name?

DBA Name ($99): A DBA (doing business as) name is an alternative to forming a business entity, as it gives you the legal right to use an assumed business name. The $99 price point is roughly the industry standard. Annual Report ($55): Most states require some sort of annual or biennial report from entrepreneurs.

Does LegalZoom have a money back guarantee?

LegalZoom offers a 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee that you can leverage at any time within 60 days of your purchase.

Features

ZenBusiness is all about business formation; therefore, its services are there to help you do just that. LegalZoom, while offering many documents for business formation, also offers other services to help you continue to run your business.

Pricing

Pricing for online legal services can be hard to determine, especially since LegalZoom offers a pricing structure where each service and document is priced differently.

Pros and cons

Both ZenBusiness and LegalZoom have plenty of pros and cons for you to consider when choosing between the two legal services. Keeping in mind what your business needs most from this type of service will help you determine which are deal-breakers.

Customer reviews

Customer reviews are a mix of good and bad for both ZenBusiness and LegalZoom.

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Concerns About Using LegalZoom vs. Lawyers

  • As a licensed attorney, I feel the need to point out a few concerns about using legal document management software or online legal forms. Some of my major concerns are: 1. The documents may not always be state-specific – Each state has its own unique set of laws, so what works in …
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Advantages of Legal Doc Software vs Attorneys

  • I’ve had my share of experience in using various types of document management software; I’ve even written a few reviewson some of these products. But as a licensed attorney, I’m pretty much always going to advise seeking legal assistance from a lawyer for any legal problem. There’s just something different about having a licensed attorney talk to you in person, understand your lega…
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Legal Document Management Software Comparison

  • Not all law management software programs are created equal, so it’s important that you know how to pick one if you decide to go this route. Some of the different factors to consider include:
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