BetterLegal Review (2024) Is It Legit or a Big Scam?
If you're on the hunt for a top-tier service to launch your business, BetterLegal stands out as an exceptional choice.
Drawing from my extensive seven-year expertise in the LLC formation industry, I've had the privilege of utilizing and evaluating their services firsthand.
For this review, I collaborated with a group of seasoned entrepreneurs to delve deeper and offer a more thorough analysis.
I will present a detailed review of BetterLegal, encompassing an overview of their service packages, pricing, advantages, and a comparative analysis with leading competitors in the field.
What Is BetterLegal?
BetterLegal is a business formation service that helps customers form an LLC or corporation.
It was founded in 2016 and promises transparency and fast filing. The company is small but has helped over 750,000 companies since they were in business, according to their website.
The platform provides a comprehensive package for $299, which includes state formation filing, generating operating agreements or bylaws, express processing, and obtaining an EIN (Tax ID) [1].
Approximately 85% of businesses report finding the process of obtaining an EIN straightforward and quick, successfully completing the application without needing additional help, according to IRS feedback collected in 2024.
They pride themselves on their rapid turnaround and straightforward pricing.
"BetterLegal is an online business formation company that focuses on speed and transparent pricing."
- Brette Sember, J.D., Former New York State Attorney & Author of Law Books
BetterLegal
BetterLegal
BetterLegal Review Ratings
We conducted an in-depth analysis of BetterLegal, examining multiple facets of their offerings to deliver a balanced critique.
Venture Smarter assessments are grounded in direct experience and detailed scrutiny, aiming to offer our audience a clear and precise depiction of BetterLegal's services.
Support - 4.7/5
BetterLegal's customer support is exceptional, earning a 4.7 out of 5 rating.
Their team is known for being courteous and responsive, with various contact methods including email, live chat, and phone.
The representatives are knowledgeable and easily reachable, contributing to a positive customer experience.
In my experience, when I encountered an issue with my document filing, their team resolved it within hours, truly living up to their promise of exceptional support.
Price - 4.0/5
Venture Smarter rated BetterLegal's pricing at 4.0 out of 5. Their services are competitively priced at $299 plus state filing fees for a comprehensive business formation package.
While not the cheapest in the market, their transparent pricing with no hidden fees offers significant value, balancing cost with quality of service.
Comparing their $299 package to other services, and considering it included state filing fees and additional resources, I found it to be a cost-effective solution that matched my budget expectations.
Ease of Use - 4.6/5
BetterLegal scores a high 4.6 out of 5 for ease of use, thanks to their intuitive and user-friendly platform.
The process of forming an LLC was straightforward and quick, taking less than 15 minutes to complete.
The clear, step-by-step guidance provided on their website ensured a hassle-free experience, which was particularly beneficial when navigating the complexities of business formation for the first time.
Features - 4.4/5
BetterLegal's features score a 4.4 out of 5. The company offers a range of services essential for business formation, including EIN acquisition, operating agreements, and express processing.
When I navigated their site to form my LLC, the process was intuitive and straightforward, validating their claim of a hassle-free experience.
Their additional services like registered agent and state compliance further enhance their offering, making them a versatile choice for businesses.
User Ratings - 4.7/5
BetterLegal has earned a commendable user rating of 4.7 out of 5, highlighting their exceptional customer service.
The support team is praised for being courteous, responsive, and easily reachable via email, live chat, and phone.
In my personal experience, when I encountered an issue with document filing, their team resolved it within hours, demonstrating their efficiency and commitment to customer satisfaction.
Turnaround - 4.7/5
The turnaround time of BetterLegal is impressive, meriting a 4.7 out of 5 rating. They promise same-day filing for business documents and a two-business-day turnaround for document delivery.
My LLC was fully processed and documents received in just under 48 hours, confirming their claim of efficiency.
This efficiency is a significant advantage for businesses looking to get started quickly and is a standout feature of their service.
Service Features And Prices
After navigating their platform, I learned that BetterLegal offers one business formation package.
- LLC Formation package ($299 plus the state filing fee): This flat fee includes an Employer Identification Number (EIN), an operating agreement, a banking resolution to form a business bank account, a free website, a business tax analysis, filing of a Certificate of Formation, amendment or document search, and compliance services like filing annual reports.
Additional Services
BetterLegal offers additional services, including:
- Registered agent services for $10 a month or $90 per year
- State compliance services for $10 per month or $90 per year
- Business permit and license search for $12
- Corporation formation services at $299 plus state fee
In the screenshot below, you can see all supplementary services you can avail of in their platform.
Benefits
Since I've worked with multiple online formation services, I can personally attest to the following benefits offered by BetterLegal.
- Customer Support: BetterLegal's courteous and prompt customer support is accessible via email, live chat, or phone. The team's response is quick and representatives knowledgeable.
- Streamlined Process: BetterLegal offers state compliance services, HR platform services, and legal advice, emphasizing the ease and speed of their process. This is in line with their streamlined process for LLC business formation services and legal aid.
- Turnaround Time: BetterLegal is transparent in turnaround times, same-day filing for business documents and a two-business-day document delivery.
- Easy To Use: BetterLegal's platform is simple and user-friendly, with accessible tutorials and guidelines for creating business documents.
- No Hidden Fees: BetterLegal offers an affordable plan with no hidden fees, and there were no upsells or surprise charges during the LLC formation.
- Secure Website: BetterLegal uses 256-bit encryption on their website for data protection.
- Business Templates: BetterLegal offers over 100 customizable business templates, which are highly valuable for business formation.
Downsides
One hiccup I faced with BetterLegal was their lack of a money-back guarantee or refund policy. It's something I hope they consider in the future.
However, the fact that you can pay for the service monthly and cancel anytime makes this business stand above other services.
Who Should Hire BetterLegal?
Anyone looking for a fast and reliable LLC service provider to handle every aspect of their LLC formation should hire BetterLegal.
BetterLegal can also offer legal or tax advice in addition to an LLC or corporation.
Other User Testimonials
"I'd been putting off forming an LLC for months because I was afraid. I thought the process would be intimidating and extensive. Forming an LLC through BetterLegal was unbelievably simple. In under 15 mins, I had an LLC being processed and realized it was super easy to set up. I recommend BetterLegal for forming your first or next LLC!"
- KLF, Trustpilot
"After looking at 3 or 4 different companies to build my LLC, I decided on BetterLegal based on reviews, price, and what was included in the price. They weren't the most expensive service, but they were not the lowest cost either. The process online was quick and straightforward. Within probably two or so hrs, I got a notification that it was already submitted to the state. The next morning, less than 24 hrs. later, I had my LLC and paperwork. Very pleased."
- Todd, Trustpilot
"They have a clear and easy process to incorporate my business, and I received the documents for my LLC application in less than two days. There weren't unnecessary upsells and the price is way lower than some of the so-called big names doing the same thing that takes a couple of weeks or over a month to deliver. I'm very pleased that I chose BetterLegal to register my LLC. It could not be easier than that."
- Rozana, Trustpilot
"I started another LLC with LegalZoom a month before I submitted one with BetterLegal. Legal zoom has yet to even submit my paperwork to the state as far as I know because they never update you, and their website/dashboard is useless. With better legal, the whole process was complete, and I had all my paperwork and business fully formed in eight (8) business days! I'm completely satisfied with Better Legal. It worked exactly as I suspected it should. Thank you, Better Legal."
- Alvin, Trustpilot
Comparison To Other Services
Here’s how BetterLegal compares to some of the leading names in the industry.
1. ZenBusiness
Both ZenBusiness and BetterLegal offer LLC formation services within the business formation industry. They provide similar services, but where ZenBusiness excels is the cost.
ZenBusiness's services start at $0; however, their packages don't include legal services that BetterLegal includes.
A BetterLegal LLC includes the same services as ZenBusiness, such as expedited filing, expert filing, support, annual report filing and worry-free compliance that is free for first year, and educational resources.
2. Northwest Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent and BetterLegal have a lot of aspects in common, including offering security to their customers, a quick turnaround time, no hidden fees, and more.
However, there are some significant differences between these two services.
BetterLegal's website is simple to use and quick for LLC formation, while Northwest Registered Agent's onboarding can be overwhelming.
Northwest Registered Agent also charges to file annual reports, while BetterLegal doesn't. You must also pay extra for an EIN, free with BetterLegal LLC.
One thing that Northwest Registered Agent has that BetterLegal doesn't is registered agent service included.
BetterLegal makes up for this by providing additional services that other LLC services don't, such as legal advice, free resources, free compliance filing, a leading virtual tax service, and more.
3. Bizee
Bizee (formerly IncFile) is known for offering the lowest cost LLC Formation among LLC service providers.
BetterLegal is more expensive than Bizee but offers other services that Bizee doesn't.
BetterLegal offers a banking resolution, a free website setup, an operating agreement, and an EIN. They also offer a quicker turnaround time than Bizee.
Related article: BetterLegal vs LegalZoom
FAQs
Does BetterLegal Help With Filing Taxes?
While BetterLegal doesn't help you with filing your taxes directly, they can help with tax planning, S corp tax election, C corporation tax election, and an EIN for your business taxes.
How Long Does BetterLegal Take To Process Your LLC?
BetterLegal takes up to three days to process your LLC. They send your formation documents to the state within one business day and take about two business days to ship your formation documents to you. The time that the state takes to process your application varies based on the state.
What Is Cheaper, BetterLegal Or LegalZoom?
BetterLegal is overall cheaper than LegalZoom and includes more features than Legal Zoom. BetterLegal also doesn't have as many upsells as LegalZoom.
Venture Smarter Verdict on BetterLegal LLC Service
Having personally used BetterLegal for my business needs, I can vouch for its efficiency and comprehensive offerings. But, there's a hiccup- they don't offer a money-back guarantee or a refund.
Thankfully, this is where ZenBusiness shines. From my own journey, ZenBusiness not only offers competitive pricing but also boasts stellar customer service. Their formation process is swift, and they even throw in perks like expense tracking.
While BetterLegal has its merits, ZenBusiness just feels like a more rounded choice for budding entrepreneurs like me
Looking for more in-depth information about this organization? Don't miss Venture Smarter detailed review of ZenBusiness.
We Recommend This Instead
ZenBusiness
- They offer various formation packages to choose from
- The prices of each package are reasonable
- They provide a worry-free compliance
- They make business formation as quickly as possible
- Has a lot of positive customer feedback
- Get the BEST PRICE until the end of October
- Non-profit business formation is unavailable
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