BetterLegal Review: BetterLegal is one of the top business formation services in the USA. This Texas-based company is quite a dish for the ones looking to establish their business in the USA. BetterLegal is one of those few companies that offer LLC formation within 2 days. The best part of appointing BetterLegal for business formation is their price. Most of their services come at a flat price.
In this BetterLegal review, our editorial team covered all the points you need to know before you jump and buy their service. You’ll also know whether BetterLegal is suitable for you or not. In general, when you search for a professional service, you look for their service, price, and turnaround time. BetterLegal serves almost all the essential services to form an LLC at a single rate in the quickest time.
BetterLegal Review: Quick Summary
The Good👍
- Fastest turnaround time
- Formation within 10 minutes to 2 days
- Flat price with no hidden charges
- Basic business filing services
- Single formation package for incorporation
- Positive customer review
- A+ BBB Accredited
The Bad👎
- Limited customer care service
- No refund
- Additional cost for EIN
- No package includes registered agent service
- No legal advice or attorney
- Service Quality: 3.5/5
- Turnaround Time: 4.5/5
- Pricing: 3.5/5
- Customer Feedback: 4/5
- User Friendly: 3.5/5
Overall Rating: 3.8/5
BetterLegal Review: About Company
BetterLegal was founded in the year 2016 in Austin, Texas. It is an online business formation company that talks about speed and transparency. That means they profess to be the fastest business formation company with transparent pricing. If we talk about the formation package offerings, BetterLegal offers a single package at a single price.
The company started with a small team, and in all these years it didn’t bother to increase its circle. However, even though it is a small company, it has achieved big by serving more than thousands of customers in the last few years. Because it is a small team, it has transparent pricing and fast service. However, due to its small size, it has limited customer care service options. There is a lack of service reps to attend when you need them the most. Their customer service includes online chat service and on-call support. However, their customer service line is almost always busy as they don’t have enough people to sit behind the phone.
Note: In comparison with competitors, BetterLegal is a small company in the business formation industry. But, their online LLC filing service is top-notch. Customers receive their documents within 2 days.
BetterLegal is an LLC formation service company that offers a single package with a lot of services at a single rate. You will get basic formation services along with some unnecessary services that might not be useful for your LLC. On the other side, the company provides a corporation formation service as well. For the corporation formation, they too have a single package. Hence, it is a bit less to pay for services you don’t need at all.
The company offers al-a-carte services though. In their add-on menu, you may get what you need outside their package by paying the single cost. You can cancel their service at any point in time you want. All you have to do is write an email to them stating the reason and cancel your service. If there is any subscription fee due, you need to pay that before you cancel your service. It is easy. Although, they don’t have any refund policy. All of their sales are final and no refund will take place.
Note: BetterLegal does not provide an Attorney service because it is not a law firm. It only provides LLC and corporation formation services to its customers.
BetterLegal Review: Packages and Pricing
Services | Package | Add-Ons |
---|---|---|
Registered Agent | ❌ | ✔️ |
LLC filing | ✔️ | ❌ |
EIN | ✔️ | ❌ |
Operating Agreement | ✔️ | ❌ |
Banking resolution | ✔️ | ❌ |
License Search | ❌ | ✔️ |
State compliance service | ❌ | ✔️ |
As I mentioned above, BetterLegal has one lean package to offer to its customers. This standard formation package is for all levels of business owners. Whether you are going to start an LLC or a corporation, this formation and incorporation package is there for you. The package pricing is $299 + State filing fee. As there are no separate packages here, you can add services from their add-on menu. If you are looking for different packages for different services, then you can go for other companies. Read the Northwest Registered Agent LLC review on this site. Below are the service offerings BetterLegal has under their single package,
Package Pricing: $299 + State filing fee (Tax deduction may apply)
Service Description:
- LLC filing
- Employer Identification Number (EIN)
- Operating Agreement Draft
- Banking Resolution & other documentation
These services are available for both LLCs and corporations. Along with these services, their package includes some free services. They are Insurance service, business website builder service, business checking, and business tax analysis. These services come for free with the package along with Payroll, benefits, and HR platform services. Their package does not offer registered agent service unlike other companies like Incfile and ZenBusiness. If you want to know about their services and pricing, read my take on Incfile Review and ZenBusiness Review.
Before you buy their formation service, you need to have a bank account. It is mandatory for both LLC and corporation to have a business or a personal bank account before start filing the documents.
Add-ons By BetterLegal
BetterLegal, like other LLC service providers, offers add-on services. You can select any of these services (or all of them) according to the needs of your LLC or corporation. You can add them to the existing package. The final bill would be calculated based on the services you have selected to add. Here is a list of add-ons BetterLegal offers,
- Registered Agent Service – $10/month or $90/year
- State Annual compliance services – $10/month or $90/year
- Permit & License Search Service – $125
- Amendment & document research – Free with the core formation service package
Unlike other companies that have diverse formation package tiers, BetterLegal’s package pricing is quite straightforward. They do not have any hidden costs or several price layers.
BetterLegal Review: Whether You Need It or Not
While I compare BetterLegal with other biggies in the market, BetterLegal stands out a little behind. The reason is its age and experience. It started in 2016 with a small team that is still not as big enough to serve more than a thousand users. It sums up to very little experience the company has. However, even with very little experience and a small team, it has managed to compete with the biggies in the formation industry.
One of the essential features of this company is its formation turnaround time. It forms a business within a maximum of 2 business days which is the fastest for any service provider. Other service providers charge an additional price to speed up the process. But BetterLegal offers it without any additional cost. It does not have a list of business formation packages. It only offers a single package along with additional services. On the service side, BetterLegal has again fewer options than others. For example, Incfile offers a free 1-year registered agent service whereas BetterLegal costs $90/year. Also, this service is not included in their business formation service plan.
Some of the services like website building, insurance service, virtual tax service and analysis, and business checking, are done by the partners. BetterLegal outsources these services. Though they mention that these services come for free with the package, anyhow you are paying $299 for these services along with the basic ones. For companies like ZenBusiness, Incfile, and Northwest Registered Agent the registered agent service is included in their standard formation package. But for BetterLegal it is not a part of their essential services.
BetterLegal’s additional services include EIN. This service is basically useless as it can be obtained for free if applied directly on the IRS website. However, services like Operating Agreement are available in this plan which is a plus for the users.
On the other side, customer support is not as swift as others. With a small team, it is difficult for them to serve their all customers on time. However, their online chat feature is quite a catch. Even if you do not get someone on call, you will surely get a response from their chat window. The website has their contact details that include a phone number and a chatbox. You can either call them or leave a message in their chatbox. They also have a form where you can add the relevant info and submit it.
As a whole, in my view, BetterLegal is a young yet growing company. It may not have a series of packages or plans, but its impressive turnaround times are enough to gain more attention. Apart from the document filing services, BetterLegal has additional features that help an LLC to set up and grow.
When Should You Hire BetterLegal
If you want your LLC to form in no time then BetterLegal should be your choice. Depending on the state and nature of the business, the company can file your documents within 10 minutes. That’s what the company claims. Comparatively, BetterLegal has an expensive formation package that does not include registered agent service. Hence, this package is apt for a mid-sized company.
When Should You Not Hire BetterLegal
In my honest opinion, BetteLegal does not offer anything that any other LLC formation service does not offer. Other than the fast processing times, BetterLegal does not have any services that are not available with other services. The pricing of the same services with other companies is much lower than what BetterLegal offers. So, if you are a small business or a larger one then BetterLegal is not your choice.
BetterLegal Review: Available Alternatives
If you’re looking for an alternative to BetterLegal service, then ZenBusiness is your answer. With ZenBusiness one can start an LLC at $0. The mandatory state filing fee must be paid though. Although ZenBusiness does not have a lot of legal advising services like BetterLegal, it does offer a full set of business formation services to establish any business.
F.A.Qs
Yes, BetterLegal is 100% legit. This company was started in 2016 and continue serving their customers. It is BBB accredited and has incredible positive customer reviews.
It is not mandatory to have a registered agent for your LLC. But, it is highly advisable to have one for proper & timely filing of various documents & taxes. So that you don’t have to bear late fees or penalties.
Users can discontinue the Registered Agent service from BetterLegal at any point in time. To discontinue or cancel their service you can log in to your account and cancel your service. Or you can send an email to [email protected]. One can cancel RA service over the phone call as well by calling them on this number (855) 612-0480.
Unfortunately, all the sales they made are final. There is no refund policy for BetterLegal. If you or BetterLegal cancels the RA service, the service will be discontinued finally once the dues are cleared by the user.
To form an LLC with BetterLegal, one has to spend $299 + State fee. Besides, users can purchase additional filing services.
How to Use BetterLegal
You need to set up your account by providing all the necessary details. You can use the BetterLegal services for business name search, registered agent services, LLC filing tax planning, etc.
One of the key factors to consider when using BetterLegal is the type of legal services you require. BetterLegal offers a wide range of services, from business formation to trademark registration to registered agent services. Before getting started, it is important to assess your specific needs and determine which services are most relevant to you. This will help streamline the process and ensure you are getting the most out of the platform.
In addition, it is important to be proactive when using BetterLegal. While the platform is designed to make the legal process more convenient, it still requires some level of participation from the user. Make sure to thoroughly review all information and instructions provided by BetterLegal, and to actively engage with the platform to ensure your legal needs are met in a timely manner.
Furthermore, it is essential to have a basic understanding of legal concepts and requirements when using BetterLegal. While the platform provides guidance and support throughout the process, having a foundational knowledge of legal matters can be beneficial in navigating the system and making informed decisions. If you are unsure about certain aspects of the process, don’t hesitate to reach out to BetterLegal’s customer support for clarification and assistance.
Another crucial aspect of using BetterLegal effectively is to ensure all information provided is accurate and up to date. The platform relies on the information you provide to generate legal documents and facilitate transactions, so it is essential to double-check all details before proceeding. Inaccurate information can lead to delays, errors, or even legal issues down the line, so take the time to review and verify all information you provide.
Lastly, communication is key when using BetterLegal. Whether it’s communicating with customer support, legal experts, or other parties involved in the process, staying informed and engaged will help ensure a smooth and successful experience. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, seek clarification, and provide feedback throughout the process to make sure your legal needs are being addressed effectively.
In conclusion, BetterLegal is a valuable resource for individuals and businesses looking to navigate the legal landscape more efficiently. By understanding how to use BetterLegal effectively, taking a proactive approach, having a basic understanding of legal matters, ensuring accuracy in all information provided, and maintaining open communication throughout the process, users can maximize the benefits of the platform and achieve their legal objectives with ease.
In Conclusion
Compared to other service providers, BetterLegal is a new establishment. They operate with a smaller team compared to companies like LegalZoom and ZenBusiness. However, they have immense online operations that make work easier for their users.
With BetterLegal’s add-on services, it is easy to pick the services you need and customize your budget. On the other side, their single package makes it a bit difficult for people to get what they want as there is no variety of plans they offer. If anyone is looking for diverse services at a reasonable price, BetterLegal might not be a good option for them. In that case, ZenBusiness would be a wise choice for its three elaborate formation plans. Besides, they offer LLC formation at $0.
BetterLegal offers almost all the basic filing services including Annual Reports, compliance services, and other filing services. Their partner services include website, tax analysis, and business checking. To sum it up, BetterLegal is a growing company but has yet to reach the top.