If you’re planning to form your LLC or Corporation and have decided to seek expert help, you may have considered LegalZoom. It’s one of the most popular online business formation services in the market.
It’s, however, always safe to weigh your options, so you should consider LegalZoom alternatives as well.
While LegalZoom has excellent customer service and robust features, the platform has shortcomings that may make it unsuitable for your business. For instance, their services can get pretty expensive compared to other alternatives.
This post reviews the top 11 LegalZoom alternatives that you can explore before making your decision.
But first, we’ll briefly review LegalZoom’s services, pricing, strengths, and weaknesses to help you compare it with its alternatives.
About LegalZoom
If you’re looking to start a business, whether an LLC, a freelance LLC or Nonprofit, or Corporation, LegalZoom would make the process easier for you. It’s a user-friendly, convenient business formation service that offers great expertise and support.
Besides business formation, LegalZoom also provides online legal services to customers at an additional fee. The platform has an experienced team of attorneys that you can access even for your private legal matters.
LegalZoom has three major pricing packages for LLC formation including the Basic plan ($0 + state filing fees), the Pro plan ($249 + state filing fees), and the Premium plan ($299 + state filing fees).
Pricing fees for forming Corporations start at $149 while that of Nonprofits starts at $99 (plus state filing fees).
What We Love About LegalZoom
Here are some features that make LegalZoom an excellent business formation platform compared to LegalZoom alternatives:
Free Plan
LegalZoom provides a free plan for your LLC formation which includes the following services:
- Filing your Articles of Organization
- Free name-check
- Customizable website
- Step-by-step digital welcome packet when your LLC is formed
Most other services that offer free packages do not offer a free customizable website.
Additional Expert Services
LegalZoom offers a wide range of legal services from expert attorneys as well as professional guidance from tax consultants.
Other additional services you can apply for include Doing Business As filing, Employee Identification Number filing, Operating Agreement drafting, and annual report filing.
Customizable Website
LegalZoom partners with Wix to help businesses establish their online presence. They provide a free customizable website that businesses can build to fit their needs.
This is unlike what most LegalZoom alternatives offer. It’s especially useful for new businesses that do not have an official website yet.
Ease of Use
It’s easy to contact LegalZoom’s team of attorneys and customer support through their phone contacts. This means that you can access all their services, including hiring attorneys, online.
60-Day Refund
With LegalZoom, you can get a 60-day refund for some paid services if certain external actions have not been taken with your order. For instance, if your documents have not been submitted to a government agency.
This gives you a chance to cancel an order in case anything comes up on your end.
Where We Think LegalZoom Falls Short
While LegalZoom offers excellent business formation and legal services, the pricing packages do not include some vital services. You’d need to pay for them as add-ons and this can get pretty expensive.
These include Registered Agent services which cost $249 a year, or annual report filing which costs $99 a year.
The pricing is also confusing, as business formation services and legal services are priced separately.
For these reasons, you may need to consider some LegalZoom alternatives. We’ll discuss a few of the top ones in this next section.
Top 11 LegalZoom Alternatives
Here are the top 11 LegalZoom alternatives that you can consider in case LegalZoom isn’t your first choice.
1. Tailor Brands
Image via Tailor Brands
Tailor Brands is one of the leading LegalZoom alternatives that offer entrepreneurs a full suite of services to set up their business ideas.
With over 500,000 companies successfully registered and a strong 4.5-star rating on Trustpilot, Tailor Brands has built a trusted reputation for delivering reliable, comprehensive business solutions.
Here are some of Tailor Brands’ features that make it one of the top LegalZoom alternatives:
- Business formation services
- Compliance support
- Employer Identification Number (EIN) application assistance
- Logo maker and branding tools
- Operating agreement templates
- Business website, domain name, and email address
- Business card services
- Business licenses and permits acquisition
- Invoice and bookkeeping service
Tailor Brands offers three flexible pricing plans to suit a range of business needs. The Lite plan is free, requiring only state filing fees, while the two paid options—Essential ($199/year + state filing fees) and Elite ($249/year + state filing fees)—provide enhanced features and services.
In addition, Tailor Brands offers business tools and services for small businesses, including bookkeeping and accounting, business insurance, and business banking services, helping entrepreneurs manage every aspect of their business efficiently.
Why Choose Tailor Brands over LegalZoom
When comparing LegalZoom alternatives, Tailor Brands’ key features include affordability, ease of use, and focus on branding. However, here is what makes Tailor Brands stand out as one of the best LegalZoom alternatives:
- Comprehensive Branding Suite: Tailor Brands goes beyond traditional business formation by integrating powerful branding tools, including logo creation and website building—features not offered by LegalZoom or many other LegalZoom alternatives. This makes it an ideal choice for startups looking to establish a strong business identity.
- Expedited Filing: Tailor Brands offers expedited business filing, completing the process in just 2 days. This expedited service is significantly faster than most LegalZoom alternatives and is available for all paid plans.
- Transparent Pricing: With clear and upfront pricing, Tailor Brands ensures there are no hidden fees, enabling businesses to budgets effectively.
- Customer Support: Tailor Brands offers 24/7 email support, so users have access to reliable assistance whenever needed.
- Simplified Compliance Management: Tailor Brands’ compliance tools make it easy to manage filing deadlines, ensuring your business remains in good standing.
Why Choose LegalZoom Over Tailor Brands
While Tailor Brands is one of the leading LegalZoom alternatives, some users may prefer LegalZoom for its legal advisory services and customizable packages.
LegalZoom’s add-ons, such as intellectual property services and specialized legal documents, might appeal to businesses with specific legal needs.
2. ZenBusiness
Image via ZenBusiness
One of the top LegalZoom alternatives in the market is ZenBusiness. The platform has great customer reviews on Trustpilot, with a 4.8-star rating from over 18k reviews.
ZenBusiness is best known for its feature-packed pricing packages. It uses a chatbot that you can interact with in addition to its live chat and phone support options.
Here are some of ZenBusiness’s features making it an excellent LegalZoom alternative:
- Business filing services for LLC, forming and S-Corp, and a C-Corp
- Worry-Free Compliance
- Business name check
- Access to a tax expert
- Registered Agent services
- Operating Agreement
- Online access to business documents
- Filing for an Employee Identification Number (EIN)
- Business website, domain name, and email address for premium plans
- Expedited filing for premium customers
ZenBusiness provides a free package, just like LegalZoom, as well as two paid ones. The paid plans include the Pro plan ($199/year + state filing fees) and the Premium plan ($299/year + state filing fees).
There are also optional add-ons such as Registered Agent services, business website formation, and business banking services.
Why Choose ZenBusiness over LegalZoom
Here is how ZenBusiness excels as an alternative to LegalZoom:
- Worry-Free Compliance: Unlike LegalZoom, ZenBusiness provides this package both as an add-on and as part of the paid business packages. You also get free compliance services for the first year. This feature ensures that you don’t have to worry about filing your annual reports.
- Registered Agent services: You can get Registered Agent services from ZenBusiness for an extra $199/year. This is slightly less expensive compared to LegalZoom’s fee of $249/year.
- Expedited filing: ZenBusiness offers to file your business and submit your formation documents in days on the paid plans, unlike LegalZoom.You can also get a rush filing add-on, regardless of your plan, for a one-time fee of $79 for even faster filing speed. LegalZoom does not offer this option.
Why Choose LegalZoom Over ZenBusiness
Overall, choosing between ZenBusiness and LegalZoom depends on your business needs as both platforms offer varying features for each plan.
You may choose LegalZoom over ZenBusiness since their free package offers a digital welcome package and a customizable website which ZenBusiness lacks. Or if you’re looking for affordable legal services besides business formation.
Also Read:
- What Are the Benefits of Having Multiple LLCs for Your Business?
- S-Corp Dissolution: How to Dissolve an S-Corp in 2024
2. Rocket Lawyer
Image via Rocket Lawyer
Just like LegalZoom, Rocket Lawyer provides legal services to small businesses at a more affordable price than hiring an attorney. It provides business formation services as well, making them more similar to each other LegalZoom alternatives discussed.
Rocket Lawyer is among the best LegalZoom alternatives if you’re looking to get legal advice on an ongoing basis.
The main difference between Rocket Lawyer and LegalZoom is their pricing models. With Rocket Lawyer, you can get a membership or choose the services you need a la carte.
There are two membership plans, RocketLegal ($39.99/month billed monthly) and RocketLegal+ ($19.99/month billed annually). With each membership, you’ll get all the business formation and legal services Rocket Lawyer provides.
These include:
- Access to customizable legal documents
- Online signatures
- Document defense to protect your contracts
- Professional lawyer services
- Professional tax preparation and filing
- Business registration for LLCs, Corporations, and Nonprofits
- Trademark registration
- Registered Agent services
Alternatively, you can get each of the above services separately.
As mentioned, LegalZoom offers tiered pricing that includes a free plan (+ state filing fees) and two paid plans.
Why Choose Rocket Lawyer Over LegalZoom
Here’s why Rocket Lawyer makes for one of the best LegalZoom alternatives:
- Affordability: Getting a Rocket Lawyer membership seems more affordable as it also includes legal services. This is unlike LegalZoom which has separate legal service and business formation plans.You’ll also get cheaper Registered Agent services on the RocketLegal+ plan at $124.99/year.
- Legal documents: Unlike LegalZoom, Rocket Lawyer gives you access to legal documents through your online portal without limitation.
- Simple pricing: Rocket Lawyer’s pricing is straightforward, unlike LegalZoom. You also get the option to get a membership or purchase services a la carte.
- Excellent mobile app reviews: Both platforms provide a mobile app but Rocket Lawyer has near-perfect reviews for it. Its rating on the Apple Store is 4.9 out of 5 for 7.7k reviews so far, while LegalZoom’s rating is 4.3 stars out of 5 for 1.1K reviews.
Why Choose LegalZoom Over Rocket Lawyer
Unlike LegalZoom, Rocket Lawyer does not offer a free business registration service, making it less suitable for those looking to start their business at no cost compared to other LegalZoom alternatives.
4. Northwest Registered Agent
Image via Northwest Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent is yet another one of the top LegalZoom alternatives that has made it to this list. The business has been around for over two decades and is known for its personalized customer support and Registered Agent services.
Here are some of this platform’s
features that make it one of the top LegalZoom alternatives:
- Business state filing services
- Online library for business formation documents
- Registered Agent services
- Annual report reminders
- EIN services
- Annual compliance filing
- Trademark registration services
- Certificate of good standing
Northwest Registered Agent does not offer tiered pricing. If you’re looking to open an LLC, a Corporation, or a nonprofit, they’ll provide all the documents in an affordable package. You need to do it yourself in a free account.
If you decide to hire their team of experts, it’ll cost you $39 in service fees, $125 for Registered Agent services, and your respective state filing fees.
Why Choose Northwest Registered Agent Over LegalZoom
Here’s why you should consider Northwest Registered Agent vs LegalZoom as an alternative.
- Personalized customer support: One of the reasons Northwest Registered Agent makes for an excellent LegalZoom alternative is because of its customer support network.Once you choose this platform, you’ll be assigned a knowledgeable customer support agent to see you through your business formation process.
- Free Registered Agent services: The company also focuses on providing Registered Agent services at a more affordable fee of $125 per year. Also, unlike LegalZoom, Northwest Registered Agent provides free Registered Agent services for a year.
- Privacy: This platform offers privacy for businesses that access Registered Agent services through their Privacy by Default feature. Northwest Registered Agent lists their business address on your public listings instead of your own so you can keep your business’s information private.
- Simple pricing: Northwest Registered Agent has simple pricing for business formation services. It includes filing, Registered Agent services, Operating Agreements, free forms, and tools. There are also other optional add-ons with separate pricing that you can choose if need be.
- DIY formation: You can register with Northwest Registered Agent and get access to their online list of business formation documents and other resources to help you form your business on your own.
Why Choose LegalZoom Over Northwest Registered Agent
Unlike LegalZoom, Northwest Registered Agent does not offer a free package with state filing, business name checks, and other services. It also does not provide legal services from certified attorneys like other alternatives.
Also Read:
- What Are the Benefits of Having Multiple LLCs for Your Business?
- Difference Between Copyright and Trademark: Which One Is Right for Your Business?
5. Inc Authority
Image via Inc Authority
Inc Authority is an established online business formation platform and one of the best registered agent services worth considering as one of the top LegalZoom alternatives. The business has been in operation for over 30 years, providing excellent LLC formation services to its customers.
Just like LegalZoom, Inc Authority offers a free plan (plus state filing fees), two paid plans, and many additional services. The prices of the paid plans are not provided on the website, and you’d have to contact them to find out.
Inc Authority features that make it one of the top LegalZoom alternatives include:
- Business registration and name check
- Registered Agent services and EIN application
- Online documents library
- Inc Care support
- Articles of Organization
- Operating Agreement
- Tax and business advisory services
- Business funding and credit analysis
- Official website design and marketing services
- Business plan preparation
- Trademark application
Why Choose Inc Authority Over LegalZoom
Here are some reasons why Inc Authority is among the top LegalZoom alternatives:
- Generous free plan: While both business formation services offer a free plan, Inc Authority’s free plan has more features even compared to some LegalZoom alternatives. This includes tax planning consultation, business credit and funding analysis, digital document storage, and more.
- Free Registered Agent and EIN acquisition: If you register your LLC or Corporation for free with Inc Authority, you’ll get free EIN acquisition and Registered Agent services for a year. On LegalZoom, tax ID acquisition only comes with the paid packages if you’re forming an LLC.
- Turnaround: Inc Authority offers a competitive turnaround compared to LegalZoom. While you can pay for expedited filing, the time it takes mostly depends on the state rather than their speed. With LegalZoom, it will depend on the package you’re on, with some applications taking up to 30 business days.
- Excellent customer reviews: Inc Authority has over 35k five-star reviews on Trustpilot. Customers seem to love how responsive and knowledgeable their customer service team is. LegalZoom has a little over 9k reviews so far, though most are positive.
Why Choose LegalZoom over Inc Authority
Unlike LegalZoom, Inc Authority does not provide formation services for non-profit organizations. It also does not offer services from expert attorneys like other LegalZoom alternatives.
6. Incfile (Now Bizee)
Image via Incfile
Incfile (now Bizee) is another one of the top LegalZoom alternatives best known for its affordability and ease of use. It offers free registration services and is suitable if you’re looking for a budget-friendly service.
Incfile (now Bizee) has been in operation since 2004 and within this time, the platform has helped over 1 million businesses get started.
Here are some of its features compared to other LegalZoom alternatives:
- Business incorporation
- Registered Agent services
- Doing Business As
- Articles of Amendment
- Certificate of Good Standing
- EIN and IRS form 2553
- Banking resolutions
- Online access dashboard
- Business banking and tax consultation
- Lifetime company alerts
Bizee offers a free plan (Basic) which includes basic filing features, name search, and free Registered Agent service for a year.
There are two paid plans: Standard ($199 + state filing fees) and Premium ($299 + state filing fees). You also get an extensive list of additional services.
Why Choose Incfile Over LegalZoom
Here’s why Incfile would be a great LegalZoom alternative
- Registered Agent: It offers free Registered Agent services for a year, and $199/year thereafter.
- Ease of use: Compared to LegalZoom, Incfile offers more straightforward business formation and management services without getting subjected to constant upsells.
Why Choose LegalZoom Over Incfile (Bizee)
LegalZoom offers expert advice from both qualified attorneys and tax experts, which is one of its main upsides when weighed against most LegalZoom alternatives.
Also Read:
- Business Legal Name vs. Trade Name: Key Differences
- Starting a Consulting Business Checklist: Everything You Need to Know
7. MyCorporation
Image via MyCorporation
Founded in 1998, MyCorporation is a top choice among LegalZoom alternatives, offering entrepreneurs comprehensive business formation and maintenance services across all 50 states.
With over two decades of experience and over one million business formations, MyCorporation helps customers confidently navigate the complexities of business compliance.
Here are some of MyCorporation’s features that make it one of the top LegalZoom alternatives:
- Business incorporation services, including professional corporation formations for consulting businesses and other licensed professionals
- Name availability check
- Annual reports
- Registered agent services
- Compliance assistance
- Foreign qualification
- Assistance to obtain a certificate of good standing
- Documents amendments
Similar to other LegalZoom alternatives, MyCorporation features a tiered pricing structure to meet diverse business needs. The Basic Package starts at $99 plus state fees, offering articles of incorporation and a name availability search.
The Standard Package, priced at $124 plus state fees, includes bylaws, minutes, waivers, and annual report services. The Deluxe Package is available for $224 plus state fees, while the Premium Package, at $324 plus state fees, provides a full range of comprehensive services.
Why Choose MyCorporation over LegalZoom
Here’s what sets MyCorporation apart from LegalZoom as well as other LegalZoom alternatives:
- Annual Report Services Included: Unlike LegalZoom and other LegalZoom alternatives, MyCorporation includes annual report services in its higher-tier packages, from Standard to Premium.
- Competitive Registered Agent Services: MyCorporation offers registered agent services at $120 per year, which is more affordable compared to LegalZoom’s fee of $249 per year.
- Experience and Track Record: With over 20 years of experience and over one million business formations, MyCorporation has established itself as a trusted leader and one of the best LegalZoom alternatives. This extensive track record of reliability and expertise inspires confidence in clients in need of a dependable partner for their business needs.
Why Choose LegalZoom Over MyCorporation
While MyCorporation stands out as one of the top LegalZoom alternatives, some may still prefer LegalZoom for its broader range of legal services, extending beyond business formation.
8. Filenow
Image via Filenow
Filenow was created by entrepreneurs, tax experts, and legal professionals with experience forming businesses. It was meant to simplify the business formation process for small business owners and is one of the top LegalZoom alternatives.
Some of Filenow’s features include:
- Articles of Organization
- Business name check
- Electronic alerts for compliance
- Online order tracking
- Tax consultation and business bank account
- 24-hour processing
- Registered Agent service
- Business contract templates
Like most LegalZoom alternatives, the platform has two paid plans, Starter and Premium, each priced differently for LLC, Corporation and S-Corp formation services. For LLC formation, the prices are $49 + state filing fees and $199 + state filing fees, respectively.
Other additional services, such as EIN application and Registered Agent services, are also available.
Why Choose FileNow Over LegalZoom
- Registered Agent services: Filenow offers free one-year Registered Agent services which can be helpful for new entrepreneurs.
- Fast turnaround: Compared to LegalZoom, Filenow offers faster internal processing for customers on the Premium plan.
- Affordability: Filenow’s paid packages are affordable compared to LegalZoom’s. For instance, the Premium package is feature-packed and includes free Registered Agent services for one year and EIN application at $199/year.
Why Choose LegalZoom Over FileNow
Like most of the above LegalZoom alternatives, LegalZoom sets itself apart its competitors by providing exemplary legal advisory services.
Also Read:
- Best States to Form an LLC for Your Online Business
- Low-Cost Online Businesses for Beginners to Start
9. Swyft Filings
Image via Swyft Filings
Swyft Filings is one of the best LegalZoom alternatives if you’re looking for affordable LLC formation services. It’s been in business since 2015, in which time they’ve formed over 300K businesses.
Swyft has over 6.8k customer reviews on Trustpilot with a 4.7–-star rating. The platform provides a wide variety of business formation and management services and a few additional services.
Here are some of Swyft Filing’s that make it one of the top LegalZoom alternatives features:
- Articles of Incorporation
- Registered Agent services
- Business name verification
- Legal document templates
- EIN application
- Customer support
- Digital corporate kit
- Business website package
- Company alert system
Swyft Filings provides three plans: the Basic plan ($0 + state filing fees), the Standard plan ($199 + state filing fees), and the Premium plan ($299 + state filing fees).
Why Choose Swyft Filings Over LegalZoom
- Affordability: While both platforms offer a free plan and fairly affordable additional packages, Swyft Fillings’s paid packages are cheaper than those of LegalZoom.
- Faster turnaround: Swyft guarantees that they send your paperwork to the state in the shortest time possible. The free plan takes 10 business days while the premium plan offers same-day filing and expedited shipping.While this doesn’t guarantee a faster turnaround from the state, it ensures your documents aren’t held up on their end. With LegalZoom’s cheaper plans, your application can take up to 30 days in the pipeline.
- Customer reviews: Positive customer reviews are one of Swift Fillings’s strengths. On Trustpilot, Swyft has a higher rating of 4.7 for more than 6.8k reviews compared to LegalZoom which has a 4.4 rating from over 9.6k reviews.
Why Choose LegalZoom Over Swyft Filings
LegalZoom has more experience in the market having been formed in 2001 and with 2 million business formations under their belt. Swyft has been in the market since 2015 and has formed fewer businesses.
Also, LegalZoom offers services from qualified attorneys, unlike Swyft and other LegalZoom alternatives.
10. BizFilings
Image via BizFilings
BizFilings—a Wolters Kluwer company— is one of the leading LegalZoom alternatives that provide comprehensive business formation services for entrepreneurs to establish their LLCs, Corporations, S-Corporations, or Nonprofits with ease.
With over 500,000 businesses served, BizFilings is one of the reliable LegalZoom alternatives for professional incorporation assistance.
Here are some of BizFilings’ features:
- Compliance kit and services
- Registered agent services
- Business license application support
- Foreign qualification and dissolution service
- Annual report service
- Business filing services
- Beneficial Ownership Information report
- Federal Tax ID (EIN) application
- Sales Tax Registration
In terms of pricing, BizFilings offers several packages. The Basic package starts at $99 plus state fees and includes three months of registered agent service for free.
The Standard and Complete packages vary in price depending on the state, with the Standard package typically around $229 plus state fees, and the Complete package around $359 plus state fees.
Why Choose BizFilings over LegalZoom
Choosing BizFilings over LegalZoom as well as LegalZoom alternatives comes with several advantages:
- Registered Agent Services: BizFilings includes three months of free registered agent service with all formation packages, whereas LegalZoom charges separately for this service.
- Rush Filing: When compared to most LegalZoom alternatives, customers on all BizFilings’ plans can benefit from faster processing times within 1 hour but this comes at a cost of $249.
- Transparent Pricing: BizFilings provides clear pricing structures with fewer upsells, making it one of the cost-effective LegalZoom alternatives.
Why Choose LegalZoom Over BizFilings
While BizFilings stands out as a strong competitor among LegalZoom alternatives with its comprehensive offerings, LegalZoom’s free plan and flexible pricing options make it attractive for budget-conscious entrepreneurs.
Also Read:
- Low-Risk Business Ideas to Start Your Own Venture
- How to Start a Virtual Bookkeeping Business: Steps & Guide
11. Clerky
Image via Clerky
As one of the most recognized LegalZoom alternatives, Clerky distinguishes itself by helping startups handle their legal needs with precision.
Trusted by thousands of startups, including major companies like Coinbase and Gusto, Clerky ensures legal paperwork is handled efficiently and accurately.
Here are some of Clerky’s features:
- Name availability check
- Customizable legal documents
- Collaborative team setup
- Automated filing reminders
- Stock plan adoption
- EIN application for non-US founders
- Premium filing and evidence service
- Best-practice 83(b) election support
- BOI report compliance assistance
Unlike other LegalZoom alternatives, Clerky offers a unique pricing structure involving a one-time fee and a lifetime package.
For just $427, you can access the Pay-Per-Use plan, which includes essential features like expedited filing fees, registered agent fees, and others. Alternatively, the Company Lifetime Package for $819 provides additional benefits, such as post-incorporation setup.
Why Choose Clerky over LegalZoom
Clerky has earned its reputation as one of the best LegalZoom alternatives for several reasons:
- Customization Options: Clerky allows users to customize legal documents extensively, accommodating the diverse needs of different startups. This level of flexibility is often lacking in most LegalZoom alternatives.
- Comprehensive Post-Incorporation Support: Clerky offers a comprehensive range of post-incorporation services, including issuing stock to founders, electing directors, and appointing officers. Few LegalZoom alternatives provide this level of ongoing support, which is crucial for helping startups thrive after formation.
- High-Quality Legal Advice: Startup attorneys create and maintain Clerky’s tools and services, ensuring that you receive expert advice and support throughout the process. This level of legal expertise sets Clerky apart from other LegalZoom alternatives.
Why Choose LegalZoom Over Clerky
While Clerky is one of the reliable LegalZoom alternatives for startups, LegalZoom still offers benefits that some business owners may prefer. LegalZoom provides a broader range of services, including options for personal legal needs like wills and family law. It also has a longer track record and brand recognition, which some entrepreneurs may feel more comfortable with.
Also Read:
How to Identify the Right LegalZoom Alternatives for You
If you decide to look for LegalZoom alternatives, there are some crucial business formation features that you’ll need to consider while making your decision. These include:
Affordability
Most business owners, especially those who are new to business formation, will have cost as one of their top priorities.
If you’re on a budget, there are LegalZoom alternatives that offer free formation services and affordable business management packages.
Ease of Use
This ranges from how easy the company website is to navigate, to their formation process and online dashboard.
You’d want an LLC formation service that provides an online portal where you can access all your business contract templates and registration documents. It’d also help if you can track your filing progress through their dashboard.
Turnaround Time
Different LLC formation services have varying timelines for their incorporation services. In some cases, like with LegalZoom, it takes longer to file paperwork for applicants on the free plan than it does for those on paid plans.
For instance, LegalZoom alternatives, like ZenBusiness, have rush filing as an additional service, allowing businesses to expedite their application processes at an extra fee.
Depending on your business needs, this would be an important factor to consider when picking LegalZoom alternatives.
Customer Support
It’s important to ensure that the LegalZoom alternatives you consider have a responsive and helpful customer service team. Check online for customer reviews and see what their customers say about them.
Also, ensure that the open communication channels of the LegalZoom alternatives you chose suit your needs.
For instance, if they have a phone or live chat support, check when their human agents are available. Also, check how long it takes to get a response if you reach out to them via email and so on.
This way, an expert will guide you through your business formation process as needed.
Registered Agent Services
Most states require LLCs and Corporations to have a Registered Agent to receive legal documents and correspondence on their behalf.
This makes Registered Agent services one of the most crucial features to consider when choosing a business formation service. Choose LegalZoom alternatives that offer this service at an affordable rate.
Also Read:
- The Differences Between LLPs and LLCs You Should Know
- How to Start Your Own Roofing Business: An Effective Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Can I start an LLC without a business formation service?
You can complete your incorporation process on your own and submit it to your secretary of state without expert help. However, it can get difficult to track all the moving pieces involved.
For instance, each state has its regulations; in some states, the local governments have separate specifications. You’ll need to know all these, and more before getting your business up and running.
As such, it’s advisable to seek expert help during formation and professional platforms like LegalZoom or LegalZoom alternatives can help.
Q2. Who are LegalZoom’s competitors?
Some of the top LegalZoom alternatives include:
- Tailor Brands
- ZenBusiness
- Rocket Lawyer
- Northwest Registered Agent
- Inc Authority
- Incfile (Now Bizee)
- MyCorporation
- Filenow
- Swyft Filings
- BizFilings
- Clerky
Q3. Is LegalZoom or Incfile better?
It depends on the functionality you’re looking for. Incfile (Bizee) is an excellent choice for businesses that are looking for an affordable service to help primarily with business formation.
LegalZoom, on the other hand, offers more robust business formation and management services and is great if you’re looking for legal expertise for both personal and business purposes.
Q4. Is LegalZoom legitimate?
LegalZoom is a trustworthy business formation platform offering customers incorporation, business management, and legal services.
The platform has been in operation for over two decades and is responsible for the formation of over 2 million businesses. They also offer a 60-day fee refund if you’re unhappy with their services.
Q5. Does LegalZoom require a subscription?
LegalZoom has subscription-based plans, membership plans, and a la carte services. Incorporation plans are subscription-based, while other business management services are priced separately.
LegalZoom’s legal advisory services are membership-based and you can choose either a 12-month business plan or a 6-month one.
Also Read:
- Sole Proprietorship vs Partnership: How Are They Different?
- Low-Risk Business Ideas to Start Your Own Venture
LegalZoom Alternatives: Wrap Up
LegalZoom is an excellent business formation service, especially if you’re looking for legal expertise as well. However, if you think it’s not ideal for your business, the above LegalZoom alternatives are worth checking out.
For instance, you may prefer more affordable LegalZoom alternatives such as Inc Authority, ZenBusiness, Bizee, or an option with more direct pricing packages like Rocket Lawyer.
Before picking any LegalZoom alternatives, consider all the crucial factors, such as customer support, Registered Agent services, and turnaround time. Finally, check if they provide services even once your company is formed. This can help you run your business smoothly.