LegalZoom and LegalShield are both online legal services, but their approaches are quite different. LegalZoom focuses on business formation documents, legal forms and add-on services, while LegalShield is built around subscription-based access to attorneys for ongoing legal support. For small-business owners deciding between the two, the choice largely depends on whether you need one-time help getting started or more consistent access to legal guidance.
LegalZoom vs. LegalShield features
LegalShield and LegalZoom offer most of what you’ll need from a legal perspective to start and run your business.
Here’s a breakdown of features on each platform:
LegalZoom features | LegalShield features |
|---|---|
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LegalZoom vs. LegalShield pricing
Both platforms offer fixed-price packages. LegalZoom also has individual fees for specific services, like trademark registration and business formation documentation. To decide which online service works for you, think about whether you need a one-time document versus ongoing legal support.
LegalZoom business formation pricing
Service | LegalZoom Cost |
|---|---|
Business formation | LLC: $0 (plus state filing fees). S corp and C corp: $149+ (plus state filing fees). Nonprofit: $99+ (plus state filing fees). |
Registered agent service | $249 per year. |
Legal forms | Single form: $59. Unlimited access to form library: $99 per year, or included with Business Attorney Plan. |
Business Attorney Plan | $39.09 per month for 1-year plan. $43.17 per month for 6-month plan. Includes:
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Trademark registration | $899 (plus federal filing fees). |
Copyright application | $114 (plus federal filing fees). |
Initial patent application | $299 (plus federal filing fees). |
Read our full LegalZoom review.
LegalShield pricing
LegalShield Plan | Cost | Features |
|---|---|---|
Essential | $49 per month. |
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Plus | $99 per month. |
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Pro | $169 per month. |
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Business Plus supplement |
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Read our full LegalShield review.
LegalZoom vs LegalShield: Pros and cons
Determining which services are your non-negotiables will help you decide whether LegalZoom or LegalShield is better for your business.
LegalZoom pros and cons
Pros
60-day money back satisfaction guarantee
Customer service is accessible with quick response times.
Competitive pricing with free options for base plans.
Free document review using Doc Assist, an AI-powered platform that summarizes documentation.
Cons
There are no free trials available for flagship services.
LegalZoom may try to upsell you to a more expensive product during registration.
LegalShield pros and cons
Pros
Ongoing access to business attorneys for a low monthly fee.
One of the only platforms to offer debt collection assistance.
Provides trial defense services and trial preparation work.
Cons
No trial membership.
No money-back guarantee.
Limits on lawyers’ time, as well as page limits for document review.
Customer reviews
Customers found LegalShield attorneys to be responsive and helpful when they needed legal services, but some users said it was difficult to cancel their plan when they no longer needed it.
LegalZoom comes with mixed reviews. People said that LegalZoom was able to get them the legal information they needed quickly and for a fraction of what they would have paid at a law firm. However, some users describe delays in receiving refunds, canceling services and unexpected changes to their account.
Generally speaking, LegalShield has stronger customer reviews. Take a look at how the two fare in online review platforms:
Review Platform | LegalZoom | LegalShield |
|---|---|---|
Better Business Bureau | A+. | A+. |
TrustPilot | 4.6 out of 5. | 4.6 out of 5. |
Consumer Affairs | 4.0 out of 5. | 4.6 out of 5. |
SmartCustomer | 2.9 out of 5. | 4.4 out of 5. |
A version of this article was first published on Fundera, a subsidiary of NerdWallet
