Best Online Legal Services

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The days when legal services would cost your business thousands of dollars every year in maintenance are over. These days, those same services can be gotten for a fraction of the initial price. And you also have far more flexibility plus the convenience of processing everything online.

The best online legal services help even small businesses to get around their legal requirements and be compliant with regulations. They also file the necessary documents in a timely fashion, all while maintaining the budget. 

There is a lot of competition in this industry, starting from membership-based services to one-on-one professional attorney consultation. That is why small businesses that plan to save money on legal fees usually go for these online legal service providers. 

If you want to use an online legal service provider for your business, ensure that you are signing up with a credible service. Find a company that provides the services you need, offers competitive rates, and has efficient processing times. The company should also provide a good amount of legal educational resources. 

Are you going to have a hard time finding a company with these features? Then check out my list of the best online legal services. 

1. Rocket Lawyer

Business legalese in plain English at last

Rocket Lawyer

Rocket Lawyer uses modern-day ideas for providing legal services. It offers those businesses that are distressed and confused an easy-to-use, properly explained, and extensive system for meeting each of their legal requirements by themselves. 

Whether it is to put together legal documents, begin a limited liability company, incorporate your business, or prepare legally-binding business contracts such as non-disclosure agreements or release of liability forms, Rocket Lawyer provides an easy avenue to do these online. 

The best part is that since you do these things by yourself. There are two main benefits: the first is that you’ll get your documents immediately. As soon as you fill in the required information, your documents will be prepared instantly and are available for you to immediately download, share, and/or print. That’s an amazing turnaround timing. 

Secondly, you’re going to pay hundreds of dollars less for the overall services since you’re doing away with traditional legal fees. It’s a new era for business legal filings, therefore reach out to Rocket Lawyer now. You will discover how easy it is for modern-day business owners like you to get legal services. 

Pros

  • It offers Document Defense that connects you to legal protection
  • There are on-call attorneys for fast, reliable answers
  • It offers instant legal document creation

Cons

  • You have to file your legal documents by yourself
  • There is no background information on the lawyers available 

2. Inc Authority

Get free LLC formation without a catch

Inc Authority

This is something different you probably wouldn’t expect from a legal services provider. Inc Authority will assist you in setting up your limited liability company or corporation without you paying anything. That’s right, Inc Authority offers this service for free. 

It comes complete with the preparation and filing of all entity-formation documents, a five-point name check, Registered Agent Service for the whole of the first year of your business, secure digital storage that is accessible for all your startup documents, digital delivery, S-corp election form (Form 2553), and business checking accounts.

You also get INC CARE customer support through phone or email, preparation and filing with the IRS, tax planning consultation, and business funding analysis. 

I know it sounds too good to be true, but it’s the real deal. Inc Authority offers you these services as a gesture of good faith. It also has other services that you can pay for. 

Services like record book and company seal operating agreement and bylaws, ownership certificates, initial meeting minutes and resolutions, tax consultation, IRS tax ID number (EIN), business license report, business credit coach, website domains, and Dun & Bradstreet registration are available for you to go for in a paid plan 

Pros

  • Totally free LLC & corporation formation 
  • Provides free one year of Registered Agent Services
  • Offers a-la-carte upgrade options

Cons

  • Customers must call for expedited filing times/pricing
  • It is not available for international companies

3. Northwest Registered Agent

Simple instructions for everything

Northwest Registered Agent

This legal service provider goes around the frustrating legal processes and offers corporate guides, data, and privacy security with zero legal jargon.

Northwest Registered Agent aims at making business matters simple for everyone, including business founders who are abroad, those who are interested in filing for US-based businesses. 

It serves to assist you in filling in the legal gaps and get your business rolling without anything, most especially confusing paperwork, preventing you.

It is a great legal partner for both new and existing businesses for services like annual reporting and company formation for LLCs, corporations, and non-profits. Northwest provides a free Registered Agent Service for the first year of your business when you register your business through it. 

Each service it offers has a separate price, meaning that it does not have subscription plans. You won’t have to pay for services you don’t want or need.

It also has excellent customer service for both American residents and business owners who are abroad and want to open US LLCs. Its customer service personnel are easy to contact by email or phone, and the response time is less than 24 hours. 

Pros

  • You can form a company and get 1 year of Registered Agent Service free
  • It has strong customer service from the in-house team of professionals
  • A small business that gets small businesses

Cons

  • There is no support for sole proprietorships or partnerships
  • Lack of customer reviews (e.g., no TrustPilot reviews)

4. CorpNet

Fast turnaround and great customer service

CorpNet

This legal service provider was founded by a group of small business advocates and entrepreneurs. This means that CorpNet is the legal service provider for the little guys. More than half a million small age medium–scale enterprises started their businesses with CorpNet’s affordable and clear legal guidance.

Whether you are interested in incorporating your business, forming an LLC, or growing your current business, CorpNet can assist you in making that a reality.

It has an upfront pricing system, warm customer support, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. This shows that CorpNet is focused on helping small business owners like you in growing their businesses. 

Some of the affordable services that CorpNet provides include filing a DBA sole proprietorship, forming an LLC, and registering with the appropriate state revenue departments.

One of the unique features of CorpNet is it is starting a business checklist. This feature will help you run through everything you need to know about starting a business, obtaining a federal tax ID number, and lots more. 

Pros

  • It has a proactive BizAlerts software that sends due date and filing alerts
  • Provides easy, secure, mobile-accessible on-location file storage
  • Has a 24-hour document prep

Cons

  • It is not a legal or financial firm
  • Refunds must be requested within 60 days

5. ZenBusiness

Completely personalized service

ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness truly simplifies the process of starting a business, making it straightforward and clear. It does this by providing better services, products, and support every step of the way. 

ZenBusiness makes use of technology and automated processes in providing entrepreneurs with a quick, cheaper way of forming and managing their businesses. More than 50,000 new enterprises trust ZenBusiness for the formation of their businesses. 

It has an all-in-one online platform that keeps legal documents such as EINs and Operating Agreement templates, which can be easily accessed in one place. As an extra benefit, all the plans of this company include their Registered Agent Service, which obeys all the legal requirements set by your state. 

These features, coupled with their 100% accuracy guarantee, are why ZenBusiness is an excellent choice for business formation. I am confident that they will help you get your business started and running in no time. 

Pros

  • Provides live chat support
  • 100% accuracy guarantee
  • Rush and expedited filing options
  • There is upfront pricing with no hidden fees

Cons

  • There is no cancellation once your documents have been submitted to the state
  • Lack of non-profit filing options

6. IncFile

No contracts. No hidden fees 

This company was included in the list of the Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America of Entrepreneur Magazine in 2020. And it surely lives up to expectations. It has a $0 and state fees starting point, but there are other benefits that far exceed this low price point. 

Whether you are interested in forming an S-corporation, an LLC, another kind of corporation, or a non-profit, IncFile will take care of it for you. All its plans come with name verification, filing of articles, one year of free Registered Agent Service, free business tax consultation, and online order tracking. 

In addition to that, IncFile offers next business day processing, and a lifetime customer support guarantee, including lifetime alerts, so you won’t ever have to worry about how, where, or when you need to file any document. 

For people who are just starting the journey of their new business, IncFile provides business checklists that will guide you through every step of the way, plus business license requirements and startup guides. 

Its service is totally transparent and you’ll always be notified about what is happening, what’s due when, and what to expect. 

Pros

  • You’ll have online access to documents
  • Provides lifetime alerts and customer support
  • It has an attractive pricing system 

Cons

  • Additional features require additional fees
  • It is less informative for established businesses

7. Swyft Filings

Fast, affordable legal services in your state

Swyft Filings is a top dog in the business of legal services. It offers a wide variety of legal services for much less than it would have cost if you had hired a lawyer. 

Even with its basic plan, which you can get for $49, you’ll get access to lots of legal services such as document filing with the secretary of state, preparation of articles of organization, online access to your incorporation documents, free statement of the organizer, and lifetime customer support through email or phone. 

Also, you’ll receive 30 minutes of free business tax consultation with a lawyer and alerts on the ComplianceGuard company. This is an amazing set of services that would normally cost you from hundreds to thousands if you went through the traditional legal processes. 

There are also more advanced plans which come with even more services. You can get services like obtaining your federal tax ID number including custom LLC operating agreements, the electronic delivery of state documents, custom banking resolutions, customized digital corporate kit, and free business website plus web hosting plans.

Pros

  • Expedited services available
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee
  • You can form a corporation or LLC for less than $50

Cons

  • Registered Agent Services not included in LLC formation plan
  • Has only been around since 2012

8. MyCorporation

Friendly and knowledgeable legal assistance

Do you need help with filing some legal documents? Or maybe you’re still planning to launch your company and you need to understand the various types of corporations and their advantages. No matter the stage you are in the process, MyCorporation can help you with all of the processes. 

It provides legal services to suit your every business need, from starting a corporation and everything that is involved with it such as bylaws, articles of incorporation, stock certificates, and sample minutes, to simpler tasks such as checking the availability of a business name. 

This company offers some unique a helpful business features. For instance, it provides a large vault document storage for keeping securely sensitive documents online. Additionally, it provides current contact information, annual reporting for business locations, and business activities. 

MyCorporation has an auto-renewal feature that simplifies these tedious but necessary tasks. 

Pros

  • It has over 20 years of experience with over 1 million customers
  • Gives insightful l advice for new and newly forming businesses
  • It has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau

Cons

  • Its basic plan leaves much to be desired
  • It does not provide Registered Agent Services with the basic plan 

9. LegalNature

Reliable and fast LLC formation

LegalNature is the company to go to for quick, reliable, and easy legal services of all kinds. LegalNature will complete the whole formation process and prepare the documents while communicating with the state of your choice, and filing the order for you. 

It does these for limited liability companies and forming of corporations, to individual services such as bills of sale, last will and testaments, and even advanced healthcare directives. It has a mobile-friendly service, plus a great user-friendly dashboard, and works with different companies without restrictions. 

LegalNature also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. This means that if you are not satisfied with the services you received, you’ll get a refund without any questions asked. 

Another impressive feature is that LegalNature offers a 7-day free trial, and this means that you can use its services completely free for a whole week. This is such an amazing and generous offer you won’t get with other legal service providers. 

Pros

  • The state filing times and fees will be calculated for you
  • Offers a 7-day free trial
  • It has an A+ rating on Better Business Bureau for safe and secure services

Cons

  • There aren’t a lot of free legal advice available
  • No 24/7 customer support

10. Nolo

Professional lawyers affordable for everyone

A lot of legal service providers out there will assist you in LLC formation, checking your business name, and filing your legal documents. But with Nolo, things have been taken one step further. This is done by linking you to the right legal professional for your needs. 

You have to commence by describing your specific business situation and needs to an expert, and Nolo will pair you with an experienced legal practitioner who will exclusively handle your case.

This company is good at matching business owners with lawyers in their area who are experts in the legal requirements of that area. 

In addition to these, Nolo provides lots of online resources and educational tools, plus a vast library of legal articles that are written in simple English with clear and concise explanations of legal terms, processes, and legal requirements.

This means that you will get a real understanding of what you’re required to do without having to pay those high lawyer fees. 

Pros

  • Has 48 years of legal authority
  • Provides 30,000 local attorneys in the network
  • Offers a do-it-yourself legal filing process 

Cons

  • The self-help services might be overwhelming for some
  • Formation services are outsourced

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the best online legal service?

ZenBusiness is the top legal services provider and a well-known choice amongst people with many types of legal needs. There are other top legal service providers like IncFile and Swyft Filings. 

2. Where can I get legal advice online?

Online legal service providers advise on personal and business issues. Nowadays, there are lots of legal services that provide a variety of solutions ranging from helping you to launch your business to filing tax paperwork. 

Most times, these services are provided along with tutorials, helpful tips, legal consultations. 

3. Where can I get free legal divorce advice?

Some law firms and online legal service providers provide tools and advice that will help you understand the process of divorce. More in-depth services on divorce will most likely not be free of charge. 

4. What are legal services?

A way of thinking of legal services is to see them as an alternative to traditional law firms. An online legal service website links you with independent legal personnel who provide expert legal services as you need them. 

However, if you are not interested in hiring an attorney, a legal services website can assist you in finding a qualified legal expert who will help you to create contracts, apply for licenses, and/or submit documents without your having to make any commitments or paying any of the fees associated with the traditional law firms. Also, some of these legal experts offer services on personal legal matters. 

5. Online legal services pricing

I’m sure you must have noticed that the prices of online legal service providers vary widely. The main factor that affects this is the different types of services that are included in the plans. 

A company that provides Registered Agent Services within a plan is usually going to be more expensive. This service is usually worth the price tag affixed to it because most businesses need to have a registered agent of some kind involved in it. 

Generally, you can expect to spend in the range of around $80–$150 for the standard limited liability company services. Then if you want to form a corporation, the price will be slightly higher. Below is a list of the typical pricing system, although these prices will vary depending on the company:

Monthly price range: Typically includes LLC formation and filing ($39-$349) 

Doing Business As (DBA) filing: You usually get name search, DBA filing, and publication ($99) 

Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN): Includes filing of your employer tax ID ($70-$79) 

Trademark registration: Search for conflicts with your trademark, registration of your trademark, and more ($199-$400) 

Ask a lawyer: Consult with a lawyer on a legal matter ($31.25-$59.99) 

Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA): Pay per legal document or get a subscription for access to all legal forms, but filing is handled by you in most situations ($7.50-$39.99) 

Patent: Some services search for patent conflicts, offer patent documents and file for you ($39.99-$299) 

6. How do they work? 

It’s a very simple process. And that’s the main point of it all. After you submit a form describing the service(s) you need, you’ll be matched to a legal expert who will discuss the details involved in that specific task. A lawyer can research, complete, and submit your documents, or can simply give you the template forms, and then guide you through the steps of submitting them. 

The process will be slightly different depending on the particular task at hand, but the main purpose of it all is to reduce your legwork, whether it is by hiring a professional to help you to get started or by getting a step-by-step guide to help expedite the whole process. 

7. What services do they provide? 

Most of the legal service websites are aimed at meeting the needs of small or emerging businesses. Their services vary from drawing up contracts to filing LLCs, registering trademarks, researching bylaws, and applying for permits. 

With that being said, there are online legal service providers that also help you with your personal matters, and that, as such, link you with legal professionals who are experts in mortgage agreements, power of attorney, matters of immigration, living wills, and lots more. 

8. What is an S Corp, C Corp, and LLC?

One of the initial choices a business owner has to make is deciding what kind of business entity to open, whether it’s an LLC, a C corporation, or even A corporation (just for fun), which isn’t really the name of a business type. Below are the things you need to know about each entity. 

LLC: A limited liability company is an appealing concept for business owners. This is because it offers some personal financial protections from unforeseen circumstances in business, as well as flexibility in management and taxation. 

Although it can be taxed as a multi proprietorship or sole proprietorship, business owners can avoid corporate taxes and separate their personal bank accounts from the business bank accounts. 

The owners of LLCs are usually seen as self-employed and are subject to self-employment taxes. But these owners may not be able to issue stocks, and their businesses will not be recognized outside of the United States. 

Also, these business owners will not be subject to double tax. Therefore they pay only personal taxes, which is good because it saves them a lot of time in filling out paperwork. 

C Corporation: A corporation is a company that is recognized as a separate legal entity in the eyes of the government. It is owned and controlled by shareholders. The stocks of the company belong to the founders of the company or the individual investors or both. Just like an LLC, it’s an official business that is separate from personal assets and personal liability. 

Due to the fact that it is taxed as a separate legal entity, the shareholders are “doubly taxed”—one on personal income and one on business income. Using this structure, businesses can make money or form partnerships outside of the United States using investor funds to get businesses started and running. 

In addition to that, corporations must have a Board of Directors. Also, there are considerably more bookkeeping and reporting requirements than with an LLC. 

S Corporation: An S corporation means a small business corporation. It is not actually a type of business. It is, instead, an IRS tax classification. Your business can be registered as either an LLC or C corp. But it can then qualify for the status of an S corp. 

The requirements for your business is qualified to be and corp include: it must be based in the United States, it has fewer than 100 members, and (if the business is a corporation), it has one class of shares. 

For an S corp, the corporation doesn’t pay tax on its profits. Therefore the business is taxed only in terms of individual shareholders. This system saves owners from the double taxation that usually befall C corps. 

S corps also have to perform less frequent reporting. This is more beneficial than the traditional C corp tax classification. Also, S corps are subject to more scrutiny by the IRS. This isn’t a great thing for companies looking for venture capital funds. 

9. How to choose the right legal services site for your business 

The first thing you have to do when choosing a legal service website is to decide how involved you want to be in the whole process. Some legal services websites provide legal forms and templates for you to fill out by yourself. They also include step-by-step instructions, expert guidance, and real-time edits to assist you. But other services take care of everything themselves. 

Do you want more extensive projects, especially those that require field research like copyright and patent filing? The best advice is to find legal service providers that are experts in the field and specialize in the intricacies of the legal maze involved. 

Additionally, if you want to launch a new business, it’s best to find a legal expert who understands licensing, taxation, and state and local laws. 

It’s most important that you find a trustworthy and professional company. Regardless of your reason for using the service, there’s a high chance that you’ll share sensitive and confidential information that deals with important matters. 

Also, take a look at the company’s reviews and reputation and ensure that the website is professionally designed and has working contact information. You can check how active they are on various social media platforms like Facebook. All these are important indicators when it comes to selecting the right legal services provider. 

10. How will the best online legal services help your business? 

To start with, legal services will assist you, the business owner, and this in turn will help your business to start off on the right foot and continue to thrive and grow. Legal services providers can remove hurdles that could have prevented you from starting your business, or distracted you from your business plan. These hurdles could have also led to fines and other violations of the law. 

They do these by taking care of the tough legal processes such as parsing licenses and permits, forming an LLC, and researching bylaws. 

Also, they can help you save money on hiring a personal attorney. This will leave you to focus your attention on other necessary issues that concern the growth and success of your business plan.