LegalZoom Review 2027: Pros, Cons and Verdict

Who LegalZoom is for (and who should skip it)

LegalZoom fits you if you want attorney or advisor support at the start and a large library of legal forms. LegalZoom's $249 tier (shown as Pro or as Managed Service; its pricing page currently carries both versions) adds the EIN and operating agreement, plus 30 days of support that renews at $49 a month. In the Pro version that support is attorney consults; in the Managed Service version it is a business advisor, and attorney access moves to the $299 Expert Service, which renews at $99 a month (LegalZoom LLC pricing). Both versions include 150+ legal documents and unlimited eSignatures.

Skip it if price matters most. LegalZoom's registered agent is $249 a year with no free first year, among the highest here, and the EIN and operating agreement need the $249 tier (LegalZoom registered agent).

This review is based on research of LegalZoom's own pages, terms and public reviews, checked on November 12, 2026, and not on a purchase. Prices below exclude the state filing fee.

The three packages

Package	Price	What you get
Basic	$0	Articles of organization only
Pro or Managed Service	$249	Adds EIN, operating agreement, 30 days of attorney (Pro) or advisor (Managed Service) support, 150+ documents
Premium or Expert Service	$299	Premium: Pro plus 6 months of bookkeeping. Expert Service: attorney, tax expert and advisor for 30 days

Prices are from LegalZoom LLC pricing, which currently shows both sets of names for the paid tiers. Basic files your LLC and stops there. You can get an EIN yourself for free from the IRS (IRS EIN page), but you would still need an operating agreement from somewhere else.

What you pay in year one and year two

For an LLC that uses LegalZoom as its registered agent and needs the EIN and operating agreement:

Item	Year one	Year two
$249 tier	$249	$0
Registered agent	$249	$249
$49 monthly plan, if not cancelled	$49 a month after 30 days	$49 a month
Total if you cancel the $49 monthly plan	$498	$249

That $498 is the highest typical first-year cost among the companies on this site with published prices. The $49 monthly plan is the part to watch: it starts free with the $249 tier, then bills $49 a month after 30 days unless you cancel (LegalZoom LLC pricing). Left running, that adds hundreds of dollars a year.

Renewals and checkout traps

Every paid tier carries a subscription that turns paid. The $249 tier's support bills $49 a month after 30 days. In the Pro version, Premium's bookkeeping bills $9.99 a month after 6 months; in the Managed Service version, the $299 Expert Service bills $99 a month after 30 days (LegalZoom LLC pricing).

The registered agent auto-renews at $249 a year, and cancelling it may require proof that you've named a new agent with the state (LegalZoom registered agent). So switching agents is a two-step job: file the change with the state first, then cancel.

Compliance help costs extra. A one-off annual report is $99 plus the state fee, or $119 for rush (LegalZoom annual report pricing). The compliance plan starts at $199 a year, or $299 a year with licenses and permits, and it auto-renews (LegalZoom compliance). A virtual mailbox is $39 a month with 5 scans (LegalZoom virtual mail).

Refunds

Filed products can be refunded within 60 days, but only before LegalZoom submits your filing to the state. Subscriptions can be refunded within 30 days, and government fees never are (LegalZoom guarantee).

One real strength: if LegalZoom makes an error in your filing, its 100% Accurate Filing Guarantee covers the fix for free (LegalZoom LLC overview).

Reputation and non-US founders

LegalZoom has 4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 33,990 reviews (Trustpilot). It also forms LLCs for non-US founders with no SSN or US residency required (LegalZoom for UK founders), and the Pro version lists US bank setup through partners.

Bottom line

If you expect to need a lawyer or an advisor early on, the $249 tier's support (or the $299 Expert Service for attorney access in the Managed Service version) and document library can be worth the higher price. If you only need the LLC filed and kept in good standing, the $249 agent with no free year makes LegalZoom one of the most expensive ways to do it, which is why it ranks ninth.