LegalZoom vs. LegalShield

Here are the pros and cons of LegalZoom vs. LegalShield and how to tell which company is best for your legal needs.

If you are looking for legal advice online, you are probably worried about what companies you can trust. Not only who you can trust with your personal information and documentation, but trust with your services. 

You want to know the business you choose will provide you with the correct information, good services, and the best outcome depending on your situation.

To decide which of these two businesses is right for you, we will take a deep dive into their services, prices, and what situations each company is best suited to handle. 

LegalZoom

LegalZoom offers online legal services at an affordable price without the need to hire a lawyer. LegalZoom is there to help you prepare documents, start up a business, prepare a will. 

LegalZoom is a company that states everyone has a right to a lawyer even when you may not have a high budget for one. 

When you use LegalZoom, you will be paying per service, not hourly, like you would a lawyer or other professionals. 

When using this site, you are offered a licensed practicing lawyer and advice from professional and knowledgeable staff.

LegalZoom Services

Whether you are a small business owner looking for help with annual reports or a go-getter trying to start your non-profit organization, LegalZoom is there to help with many different legal services.

Services Offered by Legal Zoom (to see the complete list of services, visit Legalzoom.com)

• Business formation
• Business changes and filing
• Taxes, contracts, and licensing
• Registered agent services
• Trademark Registration
• Copy right
• Non-profit
• Wills and Testimonies
• Divorce
• Power of Attorney

Pro’s and Con’s of Using LegalZoom

Here is a list of the essential pros and cons we could develop for using LegalZoom services.

  Pros

•  Has been in service for a long time
• 100% money-back guarantee- refunds can be given within 60 days of filing dates
• Budget-friendly legal plans
• Offers easy and quick access to a licensed attorney
• Flat rate for each service rendered

Cons

• Must purchase plans for many options
• Services are a bit more costly than other companies
• Has low rates and reviews compared to many other companies

 LegalZoom Prices

The prices included with the LegalZoom website are per service, and service prices are based on the package categories they fall under.

Economy Package ($79.00+ State filing fees)

Services available with this package:

• Name check and business filing
• Articles of organization
• LLC Next Steps Guide
• “Peace of Mind” review
• Lifetime customer support
• Financial account authorization letter

Standard Package ($329+ State filing fees)

Services available with this package

Economy services, plus:

• Deluxe organizer
• Official certificates and seal
• LegalZoom VIP processing

Express Gold ($349+ State filing fees)

Economy and standard services, plus:

• Rush processing with Secretary of State
• Express shipping

Legal Sheild

LegalShield offers quick and easy access to attorneys that are able to help anyone in an array of different legal services. The company has partnered with over 900 attorneys across the United States and Canada to provide the public with professional and experienced lawyers to help them whenever needed.

LegalShield isn’t limited to specific topics or concerns. Once you are a registered user, you can contact a lawyer at any time to get advice and legal counsel on any matter. The plans are very affordable and easy to access. You will never pay by the hour for a lawyer; you can access legal assistance 24/7 with a monthly fee.

Legal Sheild Services

LegalShield offers a variety of services that include online and in-person legal help, advice, and legal protection.

Services Offered by Legal Sheild (For a complete list of legal services, please visit LegalShield.com)

• Provides advice and consultations
• Represent you in court
• Unlimited advice ; consultations
• Help to draft Last Will ; Testament
• Help to resolve financial disputes
• Calls ; letters on your behalf
• Legal document reviews
• Help reducing fines on auto tickets
• Continued legal protection

Pros and Cons of Using LegalShield

Here is a list of the most important pros and cons we could come up with for using LegalShield services.

  Pros 

•   They offer more services than many other companies
• Unlimited access to attorneys
• Plans are affordable and reasonable
• They offer many benefits or “member perks” to LegalShield members

Cons

• They are an MLM business that can outsource your service
• You do not choose your own attorney 
• The lack of firms partnered with LegalShield could limit the resources available in your area.

LegalShield Prices

LegalShield offers monthly plans for families, businesses, and more. Each of these plans has its own services that are available to the customers.

Family Plan ($24.95 each month)

Services available with this plan:

• Uncontested Adoption Representation
• Will, Living Will ; Power of Attorney
• Trial Defense Services
• Durable Power of Attorney
• Uncontested Name Change
• Collections, Warranties, and Guaranties
• Residential Loan Document Assistance
• Uncontested Divorce or Separation
• IRS Audit Legal Services
• Unlimited Contract Review (Up to 15 pages each)
• Unlimited Consulting
• Demand Letters ; Phone Calls
• 24/7 Emergency Assistance
• Speeding Ticket Assistance

Small Business Legal Plan ($49.00 each month)

Services available with this plan:

• Advice, Consultation ; Research.
• Collection Letters.
• Letters or Phone Calls.
• 25% Member Discount.
• Designated Consultation.
• Document Review.
• Flat Fee Services.

Commercial Driver Plan ($32.95 each month)

Services available with this plan:

• Hazmat violations and Spills
• Logbook ; Inspections
• Defense of non-moving violations including:
• Covers member ; spouse
• Traffic Accident Representation
• Overweight/length
• Moving Violations Defense

Identity theft plan ($13.95 each month)

Services available with this plan:

• 24/7 Access to Customer Support
• 1-Bureau Credit Monitoring and Alerts
• $1M Identity Theft Protection Coverage
• 12 Month Credit Score Tracking History
• Unlimited Consulting

Each plan offers add-on services that you can request for an additional cost.

Differences Between LegalZoom vs. LegalShield

As you have probably already noticed, there are a lot of differences between these two companies. However, they are both easy to access, online legal service providers. LegalZoom is not a company you can go to for legal troubles and advice for things like tickets, custody battles, etc. 

LegalZoom is more geared towards small business services like start-up businesses, limited liability documentation, and business operations. It is perfect for those looking for a bit of support and backup when they just aren’t sure they are making the best choices for their company.

LegalShield does seem to have better prices and offers a lot more services to their customers. Unfortunately, because LegalShield does not have a large number of firms partnered with them, their services do not reach nearly as far as those of LegalZoom who has access to almost 1,000 attorneys.

To sum it up nicely, neither company is better or worse than the other. Because they are two completely different companies offering their services in different ways, choices should be made on preference and what services it is they are looking for. 

To find which company is right for you, figure out what services you need, and then take your time visiting each site to make sure you are making the best decision within your budget and makes you feel comfortable.

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of different reasons someone might look online for legal help; never trust any random sites to get the information you need. Make sure you are working with a professional and reputable company that is known for getting results and not taking money and leaving their customers in the dust.