LegalZoom
Legal filings, compliance tracking, and AI document review for small businesses — without a law firm's price tag.
Independent overview by new Mantra · updated July 22, 2026
- Category
- Legal
- Pricing
- LLC formation $0 + state fees (Basic); Managed Service $249 + state fees (then $49/mo); Expert Service $299 + state fees (then $99/mo); registered agent from $249/yr
- Implementation
- Under 1 week
- Adoption risk
- Low
- Integrates with
- QuickBooks, Gusto, Stripe Atlas, DocuSign
What LegalZoom does
LegalZoom is an online legal services platform that handles the administrative and filing work involved in starting and maintaining a business. You can form an LLC, corporation, DBA, or nonprofit by answering an online questionnaire, and LegalZoom submits the paperwork to the relevant government agency on your behalf. The platform covers the full formation lifecycle, including obtaining an EIN, drafting an operating agreement, and maintaining a registered agent.
Once your business is up and running, LegalZoom offers ongoing compliance services such as annual report filing, business license research, and registered agent coverage. These services are designed to reduce the chance of missed deadlines or administrative lapses that can put a business's good standing at risk. Everything is tracked through a centralised dashboard you can log into at any time.
The platform also includes Doc Assist, a generative AI feature that lets you upload a legal document and receive a plain-English summary of its contents, including key clauses flagged for your attention. This is useful for reviewing contracts or agreements before deciding whether to involve an attorney. LegalZoom is not a law firm, but it does provide access to a network of independent attorneys for matters that go beyond self-service solutions.
Key capabilities
Business entity formation
Guides you through forming an LLC, corporation (C corp or S corp), DBA, nonprofit, or sole proprietorship by completing an online questionnaire. LegalZoom handles the government filing and backs it with a 100% accurate filing guarantee.
Registered agent service
Provides a registered agent in your state to receive official legal and government correspondence on behalf of your business, starting at $249 per year.
Ongoing compliance management
Tracks and files annual reports, business licenses, and other recurring compliance requirements so deadlines are less likely to be missed.
AI document review
Doc Assist uses generative AI to summarise uploaded legal documents and surface key clauses in plain English, giving you a faster starting point before deciding whether legal counsel is needed.
Attorney access on demand
Connects you to a network of vetted independent attorneys for business or personal legal matters, with flat-fee pricing quoted before you commit.
Integrations with business solutions
Connects with QuickBooks, Gusto, Stripe Atlas, and DocuSign, which can reduce duplicate data entry across your finance, payroll, and contract workflows.
Best for
- Founders or small business owners forming a new LLC, corporation, or other entity and wanting to handle filing without hiring a law firm
- Businesses that need a registered agent and basic ongoing compliance support at a predictable annual cost
- Owners who receive contracts or legal documents and want a quick AI-assisted plain-English summary before deciding whether to escalate to an attorney
- Teams already using QuickBooks, Gusto, Stripe Atlas, or DocuSign who want legal admin to fit into existing workflows
- Businesses across any industry — the platform is designed as a general-purpose legal services solution, not sector-specific
Worth knowing
- LegalZoom is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice through its self-service solutions; complex or high-stakes legal matters will still require a qualified attorney
- State filing fees are charged on top of LegalZoom's own fees, so the headline $0 Basic formation price does not reflect your total out-of-pocket cost — budget for both
- Doc Assist summarises documents but does not provide legal interpretation; treat its output as a reading aid, not legal advice
- If your business requires specialised legal work — litigation, employment disputes, complex contracts — LegalZoom's scope is limited and you may need a dedicated legal resource
- Registered agent and compliance services renew annually; factor recurring costs into your comparison if you are evaluating total cost of ownership over multiple years
Related solutions
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