Whether you’re starting a new business or running a small one, you need to have the most cost-effective methods at hand to help your company grow as smoothly as possible. Every dollar counts at the start of a new venture, and it’s crucial to find ways to cut some costs that may seem necessary. Legal matters don't seem like they would offer many opportunities for this, but it turns out you don’t need to keep an expensive lawyer on retainer just in case. Unless you’re going to court, choosing online legal services over a brick-and-mortar law firm can be very profitable, or at least a cost-effective means of doing legal grunt work. Let’s take a look at some of the companies on the market and how they can aid you in your entrepreneurial endeavors.
1. Rocket Lawyer
EXCELLENT
GOOD
EXCELLENT
- Legal form specialists
- Flexible pricing options
- Affordable subscription
2. LegalShield
GOOD
EXCELLENT
EXCELLENT
- Excellent general legal services
- Online legal consultation
- Experienced lawyers
3. IncFile
EXCELLENT
FAIR
N/A
- LLC establishment
- Free services
- Great for startups
4. LegalNature
EXCELLENT
GOOD
EXCELLENT
- Massive library of legal forms
- Plenty of additional services
- Great user reviews
Related Products & Services
What are online legal services?
Online legal services are a cost-effective way to get through personal and business matters without having to hire an expensive lawyer from a brick-and-mortar firm. The main advantage of using these services is that they bypass many of the costs associated with lawyers, thus presenting an excellent solution for new companies. Take note that if your business should come across some severe legal hurdles, it would be smarter to turn to a business lawyer instead. After all, one of the problems with online legal services is that they aren’t well-equipped to take on complex legal matters – instead, they serve a different purpose.
Online legal services take a more standardized approach to legal issues to address general and administrative affairs. This includes creating and filing legal forms, helping you start your business, writing legal letters, and conducting calls. Some do offer in-depth legal consultations and can even represent you in court, but think carefully before choosing them for such purposes: Local specialist firms can generally provide better and more personalized aid in these cases.
However, for straightforward matters, the best online legal services for businesses provide more than enough value. Our mission at SmallBizGenius is to offer proven solutions for small and new firms. As such, we believe online legal services can greatly aid in cutting through much of the small-business red tape without breaking the bank. Read through our methodology below to see what we look for when reviewing these services.
Our Methodology
Any legal matter requires serious consideration. After all, the stakes are high when choosing where to get your legal advice, and any mistake can land you in hot water. Thus, even the best legal services online are appropriately investigated and reviewed before being added to our list.
Your Requirements
As with any service, the first thing to think about is your needs: Are you looking to open a startup and just want the legal forms to be created or looked over by professionals? Then yes, an online legal service could likely be majorly beneficial to you. You’ll probably save some money, too, since you won’t be hiring a specialized lawyer. Legal forms for starting a company aren’t particularly complex and don’t require great expertise - in other words, seeking legal services online for such tasks is very appropriate.
Likewise, if you need help putting together standard business contracts or could use some day-to-day legal advice, choosing an online legal service is recommended. Consider what they offer: Many of them are subscription-based, so you’ll be allocated a certain amount of legal help each month. If you own a business that is likely to handle multiple small contracts or NDAs, make sure to ascertain how many of those you’re entitled to each month. Many top online legal services provide a given number of contracts to each client on a monthly basis, which could be suitable for your firm.
However, some circumstances call for dedicated professional help, i.e., hiring a lawyer. If your business contracts or NDAs contain clauses that could lead to future legal issues, then we recommend using a lawyer instead of one of these companies. The same advice goes if someone is threatening to sue you, as these companies rarely cover trials and pre-trial prep. Some online legal services offer to represent you in court but think carefully before taking them up on that. Given the potential consequences of losing a case, only the best will suffice in serious legal matters, and a proper law firm is your best bet.
Frequency of Use
Take into account how often you’ll be using the service. Many are subscription-based for those who need regular help. Suppose you just need it to take on the odd-legal form or help start your business and aren’t in the market for online attorney virtual legal services. In that case, it’s best to opt for a service that offers well-priced one-off arrangements and doesn’t tie you down with an unnecessary subscription.
Business Size
You also need to consider the size of your business and how that interacts with the online legal service you choose. If you have yet to form your enterprise, entities with expertise in forming LLCs are what you need. Many of them advertise these services as their primary selling point, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding one.
Price
As a rule, offers of free online legal services should be avoided. Solving legal issues is essential, and any services offered free of charge are likely to be subpar. Instead, a paid option is advised if you’re trying to do serious business. Don’t be disheartened, though - paid online legal services are still substantially cheaper than their brick-and-mortar counterparts. And while they may not go into great depth, they will get the basics right.
Of course, since these services are geared towards standardized procedures, you shouldn’t be paying exorbitant prices. Compare prices between small-business legal services and see what extras the expensive ones are offering. If those extras aren’t vital to your needs, the ones on the cheaper end of the spectrum should be just fine. However, a suspiciously low price can be cause for concern - you could fall into the same trap as those who go for the free options and end up with subpar legal services. As mentioned before, if you only need a one-off task to be completed, don’t opt for a subscription-based service, and instead, choose a single-use deal.
Customer Service
Pay keen attention to online legal services reviews to see how they fare with dealing with customers. Of course, with an online legal service, you won’t get anywhere near the level of interaction or customer support that you would with a professional lawyer. That’s part of why lawyers are so expensive - they have to dedicate so much personal time to your case.
The opposite applies to online legal services: They are catch-all companies specializing in legal contracts for thousands of businesses and individuals, so you can’t expect them to pay attention to every little detail for you.
Nevertheless, as a paying customer, you should expect a decent degree of support with small-business legal services. If you need a more in-depth consultation regarding the contracts they’re making for you, some companies do offer this for an extra charge. On the other hand, if a mistake or misunderstanding has occurred, you should be able to contact them promptly and get a relevant answer. Be sure to look into the official level of customer interaction the service offers, and compare it to customer reviews to avoid getting yourself into a serious pickle, considering that this is a legal service you’re receiving.
Best Online Legal Services
- Rocket Lawyer
- LegalShield
- IncFile
- LegalNature

Online Legal Services: Reviews
Rocket Lawyer Review
EXCELLENT
GOOD
EXCELLENT
- ⦿ Great legal consultation service
- ⦿ Excellent subscription benefits
- ⦿ 40% off discounts on lawyer services
LegalShield Review
GOOD
EXCELLENT
EXCELLENT
- ⦿ Superb legal letters
- ⦿ Retained lawyer option
- ⦿ 24-hour emergency hotline
IncFile Review
EXCELLENT
FAIR
NONE/FAIR
- ⦿ Free registered agent for a year
- ⦿ Paid packages for admin tasks
- ⦿ Great for essential legal services
LegalNature Review
EXCELLENT
GOOD
N/A
- ⦿ Free registered agent for a year
- ⦿ Paid packages for admin tasks
- ⦿ Great for essential legal services
The answer to this question depends on how much and what type of support you require. Having reviewed some of the field’s leading players, we believe that the strongest candidates for this title lie with both LegalZoom and Rocket Lawyer. They both have a wide range of features available to subscribers and non-subscribers alike. The primary purpose of both companies is helping startups get past much of the red tape of getting a business up and running, as well as continuing to aid with legal affairs afterward, so it’s only fair to say they’ve both been providing the best online legal services in 2021.
Yes, there are online lawyers that you can talk to for free. Bear in mind that free services often come with strings attached, and the lawyer’s word may not be very trustworthy, considering that they’re not getting paid for it. That’s not to say it can’t turn out well, but remember that a paid service will get you better results. It is worth going for but remember that a paid service will get you better results.
LegalNature and Rocket Lawyer were our top picks for the best online legal services. Both of them offer great one-off and subscription services, making them one-stop shops for all of your small business needs. Not only that, but they will also set you up with experienced lawyers with expertise in the laws of your state, should you need them.