Rocket Lawyer and LegalZoom can both file an LLC. The harder question is what you will pay afterward and which subscriptions may follow you into the second year.
LegalZoom treats LLC formation as the main purchase, then offers related tools. Rocket Lawyer treats formation as one benefit inside a legal membership. The first suits a simple filing. The second fits recurring contracts and legal questions.
My short answer: LegalZoom Basic is the better pick for a straightforward $0 service-fee formation. Rocket Lawyer offers better ongoing legal value, but only if you use the membership. Neither company includes state filing fees, and neither replaces a lawyer for a complicated ownership, tax, or investor arrangement.
Prices were checked in September [year]. Review the checkout page before paying.
Brand Overview: Rocket Lawyer and LegalZoom
Rocket Lawyer was founded in 2008. Its identity has always been broader than LLC filing. The platform is built around legal documents, electronic signatures, attorney questions, contract help, and business services. Its Standard, Plus, and Pro annual memberships each include a first business registration without a separate formation fee. State charges still apply.
This model can be good value for a landlord, consultant, agency, or growing small business that regularly needs agreements. It is less attractive if you only want someone to submit Articles of Organization and never plan to return.
LegalZoom: A large formation brand with a wider service menu
LegalZoom launched in 2001 and became one of the best-known online legal service companies in the United States. It handles formations, trademarks, legal documents, attorney plans, and other services. Basic costs $0 plus the state fee, Pro costs $249 plus the state fee, and Premium costs $299 plus the state fee. The experience is polished, but the order path contains several extras.
LegalZoom has scale and a recognizable name. That does not automatically make every add-on good value. Its strongest option is often the Basic plan, especially for owners willing to obtain an EIN and prepare a simple operating agreement themselves.
Pricing and Packages
The two brands do not line up neatly. Rocket Lawyer sells annual memberships. LegalZoom sells LLC packages and introduces recurring services within or alongside them.
| Service level | Rocket Lawyer | LegalZoom | Main value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry level | Standard: $149/year | Basic: $0 | Filing preparation and submission; state fee extra |
| Mid level | Plus: $249/year | Pro: $249 one time | More operating and legal support |
| Top level | Pro: $349/year | Premium: $299 one time | Broader ongoing tools or bookkeeping features |
| State filing fee | Extra | Extra | Paid to the state, not the formation company |
| Trial or included subscription | Seven-day membership trial | Pro and Premium include 30 days of a business attorney plan | Can renew automatically if not canceled |
Rocket Lawyer packages explained
Standard costs $149 per year. It includes personalized documents and e-signatures, legal reminders, 12 written attorney questions, access to three paid services, and the first business registration. Later registrations cost $99 each plus state fees. It works best for someone who can handle an EIN and registered agent separately.
Plus costs $249 per year. It allows 36 written attorney questions and 12 short live consultations. An EIN costs $70, and registered agent service costs $125 per year.
Pro costs $349 per year. It offers unlimited written questions and live consultations. Annual report and DBA filing each cost $100, while dissolution filing costs $125. Government charges may still be added.
Do not mistake “access” for “included at no charge.” Some premium services carry a separate fee even after you buy the membership. That distinction matters.
LegalZoom packages explained
Basic costs $0 plus state fees. It includes preparation and filing of the Articles of Organization, a name check, a digital welcome packet, and a third-party tax consultation. It does not include an operating agreement, EIN, or registered agent.
Basic is the strongest bargain in this comparison if formation is all you need. The state fee would be due even if you filed directly.
Pro costs $249 plus state fees. It adds an operating agreement, EIN application, one year of legal-document access and e-signatures, and a website offer. It includes 30 days of a business attorney plan, which renews at $49 per month unless canceled.
Premium costs $299 plus state fees. It contains the Pro features and adds six months of bookkeeping tools. After that period, the bookkeeping subscription renews at $9.99 per month unless canceled. Premium does not provide a major formation upgrade over Pro. You are mainly paying $50 more for temporary access to bookkeeping features.
LegalZoom’s package prices are one-time charges, but that does not mean the complete order is one-time. Watch the attorney-plan and bookkeeping renewal terms.
Key Features Head-to-Head
Ease of use and dashboard
Both services guide you through questions about the LLC name, state, address, ownership, management, and registered agent. LegalZoom has the cleaner formation-first journey, and its dashboard shows whether documents are being prepared, submitted, or accepted. The downside is the sales flow. You need to separate required filing information from optional products.
Rocket Lawyer’s dashboard is more useful after formation. Contracts, e-signatures, legal questions, and business documents live in one account. The tradeoff is that an owner seeking only LLC formation may find the membership structure less direct.
Speed of formation
Neither company controls the Secretary of State. Processing varies by state, season, and expedite availability. “Fast filing” may describe how soon the company sends documents, not when the LLC becomes active. Compare internal handling time, state processing time, and expedite charges separately.
LegalZoom has a mature filing operation and gives status updates through its dashboard. Rocket Lawyer also prepares and submits the formation, but its main advantage is not speed. It is the legal toolkit surrounding the filing.
Registered agent services
A registered agent receives lawsuits and official state mail for the LLC. You can often serve as your own agent if you meet state rules. That saves money, but your address may become public and you must be reliably available. A commercial agent offers privacy and continuity.
Rocket Lawyer currently lists registered agent service at $125 per year for Plus and Pro members. LegalZoom sells registered agent service separately from all three LLC packages. Its price can vary by offer and state, so it should be confirmed in the order flow rather than assumed from the package price.
LegalZoom’s Basic plan does not include an agent, and paying for Pro or Premium does not make it free. This can become one of the largest recurring costs.
Operating agreement
An operating agreement sets ownership, voting, profit distribution, authority, and exit rules. Even a single-member owner may need one for a bank or to show that the company is treated as a separate entity.
LegalZoom includes an operating agreement in Pro and Premium, but not Basic. Rocket Lawyer members can create personalized legal documents, including an LLC operating agreement. This is one of Rocket Lawyer’s best advantages because the membership supports later contracts as well.
For a simple LLC, either template may work after careful review. Hire an attorney if ownership is uneven, investors are involved, or members have special rights.
EIN service
An Employer Identification Number is a federal business tax ID. You may need one to hire, open a bank account, file taxes, or keep your Social Security number off business paperwork.
The IRS issues an EIN for free. Paying a service makes sense mainly if you are uncomfortable with the form, cannot use the online process, or want the task handled.
LegalZoom includes an EIN in Pro and Premium. Rocket Lawyer lists EIN service at $70 for Plus and Pro members. Standard does not show that benefit. Since LegalZoom Pro costs $249, you should not buy it only for an EIN. The IRS option costs nothing.
Customer support quality
LegalZoom offers phone and chat support. Reviews praise helpful representatives and easy ordering, while critical reviews mention billing confusion, cancellation trouble, unwanted renewals, waits, and filing delays.
Rocket Lawyer provides email, chat, weekday phone support, and varying levels of attorney access. Support staff can explain an order, but they are not your personal lawyer.
Rocket Lawyer earns praise for convenient documents and legal help. Complaints often concern trial conversions, recurring charges, and cancellations. Save the checkout confirmation and cancel unused subscriptions promptly.
Pros and Cons
Rocket Lawyer pros
- First business registration is included with an annual membership; state fees remain due.
- Strong library of customizable business contracts and documents.
- Attorney questions are included at every level, with live consultations on higher plans.
- Registered agent member price is clearly listed at $125 per year on eligible plans.
- Better fit for owners with recurring legal-document needs.
Rocket Lawyer cons
- No true $0 formation tier because membership costs at least $149 per year.
- Seven-day trial can turn into a paid subscription if it is not canceled.
- Some “premium” services still require separate fees.
- EIN and registered agent pricing shown for Plus and Pro add to the membership cost.
LegalZoom pros
- Basic LLC formation has a $0 service fee, plus the mandatory state charge.
- Pro includes both an operating agreement and EIN application.
- Phone and chat support are available.
- Accurate-filing guarantee provides some protection against LegalZoom-caused errors.
LegalZoom cons
- Frequent add-on offers make the final price harder to judge.
- Registered agent service is not included in the LLC packages.
- Pro’s attorney-plan access renews at $49 per month after 30 days unless canceled.
- Premium’s bookkeeping tools renew at $9.99 per month after six months unless canceled.
- Customer complaints often center on billing, renewals, cancellations, and delays.
Hidden Costs and Upsells
The state filing fee is not a hidden charge. Every formation service excludes it because the amount depends on the state. The real traps are optional services, automatic renewals, and products that can be obtained free elsewhere.
With LegalZoom, watch the attorney plan, registered agent, compliance products, tax offers, and bookkeeping subscription. The attorney plan renews at $49 per month after 30 days. Leave it active for a year and that is $588. Premium bookkeeping can add $119.88 over 12 paid months after the included period.
Rocket Lawyer is a membership, so value depends on continued use. Plus at $249, an EIN at $70, and registered agent service at $125 total $444 before the state fee. That can work for a business using the legal benefits, but not for a founder who only wanted Articles of Organization.
Before paying, remove anything you do not understand, save the final cart, record renewal dates, and set cancellation reminders.
Real User Verdict: What Industry Reputation Tells Us
Both are established, but neither replaces a lawyer for a complex matter. LegalZoom is known for scale and a refined process. Criticism concerns sales pressure and misunderstood recurring services.
Rocket Lawyer offers better value when legal work continues. Its weak point is the subscription model. Treat reviews as signals and compare them with the checkout terms.
Final Comparison Table
| Category | Rocket Lawyer | LegalZoom | Better choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest formation service | $149/year Standard membership | $0 Basic, plus state fee | LegalZoom |
| Pricing model | Recurring annual membership | One-time LLC package plus optional subscriptions | Depends on usage |
| Operating agreement | Available through document membership | Included in Pro and Premium | Rocket Lawyer for ongoing documents |
| EIN | $70 on Plus and Pro | Included in Pro and Premium | LegalZoom package; IRS for best value |
| Registered agent | $125/year on Plus and Pro | Separate paid service | Rocket Lawyer |
| Attorney access | Written questions; live calls on higher plans | 30 days included with Pro/Premium, then $49/month | Rocket Lawyer |
| E-signatures | Included with membership | One year in Pro and Premium | Rocket Lawyer |
| Formation guarantee | Standard service support | Prominent accurate-filing guarantee | LegalZoom |
| Best for | Recurring contracts and legal questions | Simple LLC filing and first-time founders | Depends on need |
| Main risk | Paying for an unused membership | Upsells and automatic renewals | Read checkout terms |
The Verdict: Which One Should You Choose?
Choose LegalZoom Basic for a straightforward filing if you can handle the remaining tasks. You can obtain a free EIN, act as your own registered agent if appropriate, and create an operating agreement separately. For a simple single-member business, service costs can stay close to zero.
Choose LegalZoom Pro if you want the agreement and EIN handled in one $249 order. Review the attorney subscription before 30 days pass. Premium only makes sense if you want its bookkeeping tools and accept the later charge.
Choose Rocket Lawyer Plus or Pro if you expect to use contracts, e-signatures, attorney questions, and legal tools throughout the year. Standard is the lower-cost choice if written questions and documents are enough.
For pure LLC formation, LegalZoom wins. Its Basic plan charges no service fee, while Rocket Lawyer requires an annual membership. For ongoing legal support, Rocket Lawyer wins because documents and attorney access are central to the product rather than temporary add-ons.
Do not choose either company based only on the first number you see. Price the first year and the renewal year. Include the state fee, registered agent, EIN, attorney plan, compliance tools, and any subscriptions left in the cart. The better service is the one whose ongoing model matches the way you will actually run your business.