LegalZoom is an online service for guided legal documents, business filings, and access to attorneys through certain plans. Before you order, separate the service fee from the state fee, decide whether your task is routine, and check whether you need a licensed attorney for facts or decisions specific to you.
Disclosure: Heads up, some links on this page are affiliate links. When you purchase through them, we may be paid a commission.
Also searched as “legal zoom,” LegalZoom is designed for people who want a structured way to prepare documents or start a filing without beginning with a law firm.
What does LegalZoom do?
LegalZoom says it provides self-service tools, document services, and access to independent attorneys. Its terms say LegalZoom is not a law firm and that using its document service does not create an attorney-client relationship with LegalZoom; the company says attorney services may be available through its subsidiary law firm where authorized, legal plans, directories, or limited-scope arrangements.
For a routine task, the value is the guided workflow: you supply the facts, choose a package, and review the purchase before it is submitted. For a decision involving a dispute, unusual ownership, a major deadline, or a fact-specific legal question, direct attorney access is the part to look for—not merely a document questionnaire.
| Task | What LegalZoom says it offers | What you still control |
|---|---|---|
| LLC formation | Guided formation, self-service tools, and package options | Your state, entity choices, information, state charges, and ongoing filings |
| Estate documents | Estate-plan products and document tools | Your choices, signing steps, and whether your situation needs tailored advice |
| Attorney access | Independent-attorney access and certain legal-plan services | Whether the plan covers your question and whether an attorney-client relationship begins |
| Trademark filing | Trademark-related services | The filing details, government fee, and whether to retain trademark counsel |
| Product Page | Product Page | Review the selected package before payment |
Is LegalZoom legit and how trustworthy is it?
LegalZoom identifies itself as LegalZoom.com, Inc. in its privacy policy and publishes customer-care contact details, account terms, refund terms, and subscription terms. That gives you concrete places to check before paying: the exact package, renewal language, refund window, contact route, and the attorney arrangement attached to the service.
The company’s privacy policy says it may collect information such as identifiers, account details, uploaded information, and, depending on your interaction, other sensitive information. Use the account and document-sharing choices carefully, especially where a task involves personal, financial, or business records.
The practical trust check is simple: read the checkout total line by line, save the confirmation, download completed documents, and calendar any renewal date. If the charge on your card does not match the receipt, start with the order record and customer care; for a chargeback or refund dispute, keep the receipt, cancellation record, and messages together.
Why did LegalZoom charge me $249?
The LegalZoom pages here do not identify what a $249 charge covers. Check your order confirmation and account for the product name, billing cadence, and any government fee. LegalZoom’s LLC page says its Managed Service package includes 30 days of Business Advisor Plan and then renews at $49 per month; its Expert Service package includes 30 days of Expert Service Plan and then renews at $99 per month. Those are separate from government filing fees and may not explain every $249 transaction.
LegalZoom’s subscription terms say you are responsible for government fees, including applicable late and processing fees. Check the receipt for the product name, billing cadence, and state fee before you cancel or request a refund.
What do LLC packages include, and what does the state charge?
LegalZoom’s LLC page presents self-service and service packages, while its package notes describe optional plan access and automatic monthly renewal after the included 30-day period for the Managed and Expert packages.
LegalZoom’s fee is separate from that state charge. For example, Delaware says a registered agent must maintain a Delaware street address and office open during normal business hours to accept service of process, and the agent must consent before filing. Its Delaware registered-agent page also says the state does not regulate registered agents, so compare the service terms yourself.
| Cost item | Who sets it | What to do first |
|---|---|---|
| LegalZoom service package | LegalZoom | Review the package and renewal terms at checkout |
| LLC formation fee | Your filing state | Use the state business-filing route to see the current fee |
| Registered agent | You and the chosen provider | Confirm the state’s eligibility rules and the provider’s renewal price |
| EIN | IRS | Apply directly when eligible |
| Annual reports and compliance filings | Your state and any service provider | Track the due date and distinguish government fees from service fees |
The IRS EIN application is available directly from the IRS for free for eligible domestic organizations; the IRS says you never have to pay a fee for an EIN. If you use a paid service for convenience, treat that as a separate service purchase, not an IRS charge.
For a plain-language overview of entity choices and the recurring tasks after formation, see small business legal essentials.
Can you form an LLC yourself, use LegalZoom, or hire a lawyer?
For a straightforward formation, you can file through the state’s route, use an online document-and-filing service, or retain a lawyer. State rules differ, so start with the state that will receive the filing. A paid service can make the questionnaire and submission process easier; filing yourself keeps you closest to the government fee; a lawyer is the route for tailored analysis and representation.
| Route | Fits best when | Key check |
|---|---|---|
| File directly with your state | You are comfortable following state instructions for a routine filing | Use the current state form, fee schedule, and due dates |
| LegalZoom | You want a guided workflow and are comfortable comparing packages | Identify every service fee and renewal before purchase |
| Licensed attorney | You need tailored advice, a negotiated document, representation, or a complex arrangement | Confirm the attorney’s license, scope, and fee arrangement |
Signs the attorney route may be worth the cost include multiple owners with nonstandard rights, investor arrangements, regulated activities, a dispute, or a document that must address unusual family or business circumstances. That is not about doing anything wrong; it is about getting decisions matched to your facts.
What about wills and estate documents?
LegalZoom’s terms describe estate-plan products as non-filed products and say an estate plan can be refundable up to seven days after the first estate-plan product is completed. LegalZoom says its self-service tools are not a substitute for an attorney and that laws vary by jurisdiction. For a will, verify the applicable state’s execution requirements or consult a licensed attorney for fact-specific questions.
For an overview of the topic, see our power of attorney guide.
Do LegalZoom documents include legal advice?
LegalZoom’s terms say it does not review answers for legal sufficiency, draw legal conclusions, provide legal advice, or apply law to the facts of a particular situation through its self-service tools. The company separately says it provides access to independent attorneys and, where authorized, through LZ Legal Services, LLC. When your question needs an attorney’s legal judgment, confirm that the product you selected actually provides an attorney consultation and ask what the consultation covers.
Are LegalZoom trademark services enough?
For a U.S.-domiciled applicant, the USPTO attorney guidance says an attorney is not required, although a foreign-domiciled trademark applicant or registrant must have a U.S.-licensed attorney. The USPTO says an attorney can advise on clearance searching, preparing an application, responding to correspondence, and maintaining trademark rights.
Before choosing a filing service, separate three questions: who will prepare the filing, who will give legal advice, and who will communicate with the USPTO if an issue arises. The USPTO also says private filing companies are not the same as law firms and that their service fees are separate from USPTO fees.
LegalZoom versus LegalShield and similar services
There is no single best online legal service for every task. LegalZoom is built around document tools, business and personal legal products, and optional attorney access. For any other provider, compare its written terms for the exact task in front of you, including the service scope, price, cancellation steps, and whether attorney access is included.
A provider may suit you when its workflow matches a routine document or filing and its price is clear. For a small business, compare the direct state route, the document-service route, and an attorney quote using the same task list. For help finding lower-cost lawyer support, see how to find free legal aid.
What are the downsides to watch for?
The main tradeoff is that a guided document service is not the same as a lawyer analyzing your whole situation. LegalZoom’s own terms say its tools are not a substitute for attorney services and that laws differ by jurisdiction and court interpretation.
For a purchase decision, focus on these practical points:
- Package and add-on choices can change the total beyond the initial task.
- Managed and Expert LLC package notes describe automatic monthly renewal after 30 days.
- Government charges are separate from the company’s service charge.
- Self-service documents require accurate answers and state-specific execution steps.
- Attorney access is a distinct service to confirm, rather than something to assume comes with every document.
How do refunds, cancellations, and attorney conversations work?
For non-filed products that are completed and available for download or received by mail, LegalZoom says you have seven days from completion to request a refund. For subscription services, the company says you can chat or call to request a refund within 30 days of the initial subscription purchase, subject to listed conditions; legal-plan subscription fees are refundable unless you have completed an attorney consultation.
Keep the conversation with an attorney focused on the complete, accurate facts needed for the task. Ask about scope, conflicts, fee terms, deadlines, and what documents the attorney needs. Do not assume that information given to LegalZoom’s general site is protected by attorney-client privilege: the LLC page says information provided to LegalZoom is not protected by that privilege.
Comparing LegalZoom with other options
Free court self-help, legal aid and other online legal services are compared side by side in our online legal services guide. Read it before you order if you want to see how LegalZoom compares with those routes.
Before you order
- Write down the exact job: form an LLC, prepare a will, review a contract, or file a trademark.
- Compare the LegalZoom service fee with the state or agency fee.
- For an EIN, use the IRS’s free route if you are eligible.
- Read the renewal and refund terms for the exact package you select.
- For a trademark, check whether your domicile requires a U.S.-licensed attorney.
- For any court notice or deadline, use the notice itself and your court’s rules; organize the dates with our legal deadline organizer.
By LegalHelpOnline.org Legal Research & Editorial Team