Want to jump straight to the answer? The best online legal service for most people is definitely Rocket Lawyer or Incfile.
Online legal services can be crucial.
Lawyers help with everything from setting up your business entity to settling disputes and reviewing contracts.
But not everyone has a lawyer on retainer. For those that do, your lawyer might not specialize in the type of legal practice you need for all of your business and personal needs.
That’s why online legal services are so helpful. With just a few clicks, you can access legal documents, find an attorney nearby, set up your business, and seek legal counsel.
Whether you need an attorney now or you’re planning for the future, I’ll show you how to find the best online legal service for your business and personal needs.
The 7 Best Online Legal Services of 2021
After extensive research, these are the top seven online legal services that I’d recommend:
- Rocket Lawyer — Best online legal service for legal documents.
- Incfile — Best online legal service for business formation.
- LegalZoom — Most diverse legal service.
- LegalNature — Best for self-service legal documents and forms.
- Avvo — Best directory of lawyers by practice area.
- UpCounsel — Best for outsourced legal departments and complex needs.
- LegalMatch — Best online legal service for finding an attorney near you.
I’ll highlight the top features, benefits, use cases, and considerations for each one as we continue through this guide.
Best Online Legal Services Reviews
Rocket Lawyer (Best for legal documents)
- Specializes in legal documents
- Monthly & single doc prices
- Fast access to your documents
- Exceptional mobile app
Rocket Lawyer specializes in legal documents. This online legal service helps individuals and business owners create legal documents for a wide range of use cases.
Here are a few documents they help you create and process:
Business
- Non-Disclosure Agreement
- LLC Operating Agreement
- Independent Contractor Agreement
- Business Contract
Real Estate
- Lease Agreement
- Eviction Notice
- Intent to Purchase Real Estate
- Quitclaim Deed
Their service can also help with more personal matters such as estate planning and healthcare directives.
Rocket Lawyer offers two ways to pay: You can pay a monthly membership fee of $39.99 per month to access free services and discounted documents. Alternatively, you pay per use based on what you need. Think of it like the a la carte offering.
For example, Rocket Lawyer charges $39.99 per document. So the monthly membership pays for itself with just one of these.
If you know you’re going to need multiple documents at once or need legal documents created on an ongoing basis then the monthly membership is definitely worth it.
Rocket Lawyer comes with a fantastic mobile app. This gives you fast access to your documents from anywhere. You can even sign agreements directly from the app.
Click here to get a free 7 day trial.
Incfile (Best for business formation)
- Specializes in business formation
- In business since 2004
- Multiple packages to choose from
- Customized by state
Incfile offers an online legal service that specializes in business formation. Since launching back in 2004, they’ve helped over 250,000 business owners get started.
Simply choose your entity type (LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, or Nonprofit) and select your state of formation to proceed. The best part: They help you choose the best entity type if you’re unsure.
Incfile has three different packages. The rates for each one vary by state.
All plans include:
- Company name availability verification
- Preparation and filing
- Registered agent service (free for one year)
- Lifetime company alerts
- Online status tracking
- Free business tax consultation
- Lifetime support
- Online access to your incorporation documents
- Next day business processing
The basic plan is $0. That’s right. All you have to pay is your state’s registration fee.
However, you’ll have to pay extra for things like that EIN/Tax ID, IRS From 2553, operating agreements, and more. But they’ll also help you with long-term assistance with compliance and trademark registration.
I recommend going with the Gold or Platinum packages. They come with all those extras along with unlimited phone and email support, express shipping, expedited filing, and FedEx Delivery.
To find the exact cost for your startup, just select an entity type and choose your state. You can get a quote in seconds.
LegalZoom (Most diverse legal service)
- Diverse online legal service
- Attorney advice
- Legal documents
- Wills & estate planning
LegalZoom is the most diverse online legal service on the market today. This website can accommodate your personal, professional, and business needs.
More than four million people have used LegalZoom’s services and more than two million of those people trust LegalZoom to help start or run their business. The platform has facilitated 500,000+ attorney consultations as well, with a network of lawyers in all 50 states.
LegalZoom’s online legal services can be segmented into four main categories. I’ll give you a quick summary of some of the top legal services and features within those categories below.
Business
- Business formation
- Corporate changes and filings
- Business compliance
- Business names
- Trademark, patent, and copyright
- Real estate
- Taxes, licensing, and permits
- Legal forms and agreements
Intellectual Property
- Trademark search
- Trademark registration
- Copyright registration
- Design patent
- Utility patent
- Provisional patent application
Wills, Trust, and Family
- Estate planning
- Marriage and divorce
- Residential lease
- Property lease
- Financial power of attorney
Attorney Advice
- Business consultation
- Personal consultation
- Contracts and agreements
- Website terms and conditions
Where LegalZoom really shines is their IP services. They’re one of the most comprehensive services for finding prior art, patent/trademark/copyright searching, and filing utility and design patents, including lesser-known tools like provisional patent applications.
In addition to these categories for specific needs, LegalZoom offers six-month and annual plans for businesses and individuals. Individual plans start at $9.99 per month with an annual contract, and business plans start at $31.25 per month with a one-year commitment.
Overall, LegalZoom is a top choice to consider for one-time services as well as ongoing legal needs. Learn more at LegalZoom.com.
LegalNature (Best for self-service legal documents and forms)
- Personal & business documents
- Wide range of legal forms
- Step-by-step instructions
- Create, download, & print
LegalNature gives you all you need for legal filings and templates. It’s fast, reliable, and easy for anyone to use.
LegalNature’s platform offers a lot of great templates too. They have legal documents for businesses, landlords, and individuals. Here’s a quick overview of some of LegalNature’s top categories:
- Business
- Business formation
- Commercial property
- Estate planning
- Healthcare
- Human resources
- Marriage and divorce
- Landlord and tenant
- Personal affairs
- Property
Choose the legal document you’d like to create and LegalNature walks you through step-by-step through the entire process. Easily download and store your documents when you finish.
Let’s take a closer look at the plans and pricing options for LegalNature:
Single Document
- Prices range from $34.95 to $78.95 per document
- Unlimited updates and edits
- No subscription required
Standard Plan
- $38.95 per month (or $82 per year with annual contract)
- Single version of each document
- Access to all documents
Professional Plan
- $58.95 per month (or $499 per year)
- Unlimited versions of each document
- Access to all documents
As you can see, there’s a plan available for everyone. Whether you need legal documents for a single use or an ongoing basis, LegalNature gives you an easy way to draft offer letters, NDAs, and other HR forms that are a regular need for a growing business.
You can try LegalNature for free with a 7-day trial.
Avvo (Best directory of lawyers by practice area)
- Extensive lawyer directory
- Legal questions answered online
- Tons of free articles
- Get multiple lawyer responses
Avvo is a bit unique compared to some of the other online legal services on our list.
The platform has an extensive lawyer directory to help you find an attorney in your area. But it also serves as a way to get free legal questions answered online.
You can browse questions that were asked by other people or post your own question and get responses from multiple lawyers.
Popular questions and legal advice on Avvo are related to:
- Business
- Child custody
- Criminal defense
- DUI
- Divorce
- Employment
- Immigration
- Landlord and tenant
- Personal injury
- Prenuptial agreement
- Traffic violations
This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds of legal topics that Avvo covers that they can help you out on.
In addition to the lawyer directory and free Q&A, Avvo also has tons of free articles, resources, and guides with legal advice. For those of you who need legal questions answered online but don’t want to spend money on an attorney consultation, Avvo will be your best option.
UpCounsel (Best for outsourced legal departments or complex needs)
- Network of 5,000+ lawyers
- Used by 10,000+ businesses
- Strictly confidential
- Collaborate with a lawyer online
UpCounsel is another well-known online legal service. It has a network of more than 5,000 lawyers to meet all of your needs.
From one-time personal legal consultations to an entire freelance legal department for your business, UpCounsel has it all.
Over 10,000 businesses trust UpCounsel for legal needs. It’s used by top brands like Airbnb and Visually.
Popular legal categories offered on UpCounsel include:
- Business formation
- Agreements
- Patents
- Trademarks
- General counsel
- Labor and employment
- Securities and finance
Here’s how it works.
Take a minute to post the job related to your business and legal needs. All of the information you share on UpCounsel is strictly confidential.
The UpCounsel algorithm will automatically match you with qualified attorneys to handle your specific needs. Those lawyers will send you proposals, and you can schedule a free consultation without any obligation.
Once you’re ready to proceed, you can hire your lawyer. All of the pricing is straightforward, so you never have to worry about hidden fees. Collaborate with your lawyer online, directly through the UpCounsel platform.
UpCounsel makes it easy for you to manage all of your communications in one place. The platform offers time-tracked phone calls and free document management.
You’ll also be able to manage all of your invoices, track your spending, and benefit from flexible payment options. If you worked with a lawyer in the past that you liked, you UpCounsel makes it easy for you to connect with them again.
LegalMatch (Best for finding an attorney near you)
- Get matched with a local attorney
- High-rated licensed lawyers
- Responses within 24 hours
- In business 20+ years
As the name implies, LegalMatch is a platform designed to match you with an attorney. It’s the best choice for those of you seeking legal counsel in your local area.
The process is simple, quick, and straightforward. Just provide your location and choose a category from the following list of options:
- Family
- Employment
- Criminal defense
- Real estate
- Business
- Immigration
LegalMatch will automatically connect you with a high-rated licensed lawyer near you. The best part? The entire process is free to you.
More than four million cases have been posted on this legal website. LegalMatch has been helping people find local lawyers for the last 20 years.
You’ll have a response within 24 hours of posting your case. So it’s a great option for those of you with a time-sensitive matter.
After you’ve been matched, you’ll have full access to the attorney’s profile and background information. You’ll also have access to user ratings and reviews from previous clients to help you make a decision. LegalMatch provides a complete breakdown of each lawyer’s fee structure.
It’s an ideal option for finding lawyers without any pressure. Simply choose which lawyer is best for your needs after reviewing the options provided by LegalMatch.
You’re never under any obligation to hire a lawyer or sign a contract when you’re matched with an attorney through this platform.
How to Choose the Best Online Legal Service For Your Business
With so many different online legal services to choose from, it can be tough to narrow down your options. How can you find the best online legal service provider for you?
This is the methodology that we use here at Quick Sprout. I’ll go through each factor in greater detail so you can understand what matters the most as you’re going through this process.
Legal Practice Category
There are certain online legal services that specialize in specific areas of law. It’s important to find one that has a category based on your needs. For example, someone going through a divorce wouldn’t need the same attorney as a business owner drafting legal documents.
Some platforms offer online legal services for both businesses and individuals. Others specialize in one or the other.
Business Stage and Size
If you need an attorney for your business, the size and stage of your organization will play a significant role in your decision.
For those of you who are launching a startup, you could benefit from an online legal service like Incfile for registering your company. But for larger organizations that need an entire legal team or outsourced department, you’d be better off with something like UpCounsel.
Frequency of Use
Some of you might need an attorney for just one event. Whether it’s filing paperwork, drafting a contract, or settling a dispute. In these instances, you can find an online legal service with options for this purpose.
Others need ongoing legal assistance. This is especially true for business owners. You might want the ability to contact a lawyer on-demand whenever a problem or question arises. If you fall into this category, look for an online legal service with ongoing plans.
Location
In many cases, online legal services can stay online. Meaning you’ll never have the want or need to meet with an attorney in person.
However, that’s not always the case. Some of you might need to find an attorney near you. Getting matched with a lawyer that’s across the country won’t be ideal in these scenarios. So look for a platform that allows you to find a qualified lawyer based on your zip code or state.
Price and Process
The pricing structures for online legal services vary from platform to platform. Some charge an ongoing fee for a membership, while others charge on a per-case or per-use basis.
There are even some online legal services that offer free legal consultation and matching.
You’ll also need to consider how time-sensitive your matter is. Some platforms will match you with an attorney within a few hours. Others can take 24+ hours.
Getting your question answered for free on an online legal forum isn’t the best option for those of you who need to speak with a lawyer within the next few hours. Make sure you find a platform that’s easy to use and allows you to choose a lawyer without any pressure or obligation.
Conclusion
Online legal services are growing in popularity. These platforms give you access to legal help without having to leave your home or office. Plus, you won’t always be limited to attorneys in your area.
If you need to find a lawyer, start a business, or get legal advice, these are the top platforms to consider:
- Rocket Lawyer — Best online legal service for legal documents.
- Incfile — Best online legal service for business formation.
- LegalZoom — Most diverse legal service.
- LegalNature — Best for self-service legal documents and forms.
- Avvo — Best directory of lawyers by practice area.
- UpCounsel — Best for outsourced legal departments and complex needs.
- LegalMatch — Best online legal service for finding an attorney near you.
No matter what kind of situation you’re in, there’s an online legal service for everyone on this list.
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