LegalZoom Review: Worth It for Solopreneurs in 2025?

If you’re a freelancer who’s been putting off forming an LLC, I get it. The whole process feels intimidating—all those state forms, legal jargon, and the nagging worry that you’ll miss something important and get fined later.

I’ve been there. I spent way too many hours on state websites trying to figure out which forms I needed, what order to file them in, and whether I was even doing it right. It was exhausting, and honestly, I almost gave up.

That’s when I discovered LegalZoom.

LegalZoom promises to handle all the complicated stuff for you—filing paperwork, checking name availability, getting your EIN, and even creating your operating agreement. But does it actually deliver? And more importantly, is it worth the cost for freelancers?

I decided to find out by using LegalZoom to form an LLC for one of my side projects. In this review, I’m sharing exactly what happened, what I loved, what frustrated me, and whether you should use it to set up your own business.

Short Answer: Should You Use LegalZoom?

Don’t have time for the full review? Here’s my quick take:

YES: If you’re a busy freelancer who wants the LLC formation process handled professionally without spending hours figuring it out yourself. Especially valuable if you want access to legal consultations and comprehensive support. The peace of mind is worth it for most people. [Get started with LegalZoom here](special offer available).

PROBABLY NOT: If you’re extremely budget-conscious and comfortable navigating state websites yourself, or if you don’t need any of the add-on services like operating agreements or legal consultations. There are cheaper DIY options.

What Is LegalZoom?

My Experience: Forming an LLC with LegalZoom

Let me walk you through what actually happened when I used LegalZoom to set up an LLC for a consulting side project I’ve been running.

Getting Started: The Questionnaire

The first thing you do with LegalZoom is fill out an online questionnaire. This took me about 15 minutes, and it was honestly pretty painless.

They ask straightforward questions:

• What state are you filing in?
• What’s your business name?
• Who will manage the LLC (you or a separate manager)?
• Do you need an EIN (tax ID number)?
• Do you want help with licenses and permits?

What impressed me right away was the name availability check. I entered “Horizon Creative Consulting” (the name I wanted), and LegalZoom immediately searched the Colorado Secretary of State database and confirmed it was available. No need to visit the state website myself or guess whether the name was taken.

The interface explained each question clearly without overwhelming me with legal terminology. When they asked about member-managed vs. manager-managed LLCs, they provided a simple explanation: “Most single-member LLCs are member-managed, meaning you run it yourself.” Perfect—that’s exactly what I needed to know.

Choosing a Package

LegalZoom offers three packages:

Basic ($0 + state fees): Just files your articles of organization with the state. That’s it. You handle everything else yourself.

Pro ($249 + state fees): This is what I chose. It includes:

• Articles of organization filing
• Name availability check
• Operating agreement customized for your state
• EIN filing with the IRS
• 3 months of bookkeeping software
• Unlimited e-signatures
• 150+ legal document templates
• Basic business website through Wix

Premium ($299 + state fees): Everything in Pro, plus:

• 30 days of unlimited 30-minute attorney consultations
• Help making legal changes to your LLC documents

I went with the Pro package because I definitely wanted an operating agreement (more on why this matters later) and having them handle the EIN filing was worth it to avoid dealing with the IRS website myself.

The Filing Process

After completing the questionnaire and paying, LegalZoom took over. This is where things got impressive.

Filing speed: My LLC was approved by the state in just 1 hour and 37 minutes. I ordered on a Tuesday afternoon, and by late afternoon, I had my official LLC formation documents. This was genuinely shocking—I expected it to take at least a few days.

The fast turnaround is a double-edged sword, though. Because it processes so quickly, there’s basically no window to make changes after you submit. When I realized I had typed “Horizon Creative Consulting” but actually wanted “Horizon Creative Consultants” (plural), it was already filed. Customer support told me I’d need to pay $129 to file an amendment with the state to change it.

Lesson learned: Triple-check everything before you click submit. The speed means there’s no going back without paying more.

The Operating Agreement

One of the smartest things I did was choosing a package that included an operating agreement. Here’s why this matters:

An operating agreement is a legal document that outlines how your LLC operates—who owns what percentage, how decisions are made, what happens if someone wants to leave, how profits are distributed, etc.

Technically, not every state requires an operating agreement. But here’s the thing: banks often require one when you open a business account. I found this out the hard way on a previous LLC I’d formed myself. The bank asked for it, I didn’t have one, and I had to scramble to create one using a generic template I found online.

With LegalZoom, the operating agreement was automatically created based on my answers to their questionnaire. It was customized for Colorado law, included all the standard provisions I needed, and looked professional. When I went to open my business bank account, I just handed it over—no questions asked.

This alone saved me hours of research and probably $200-300 if I’d hired a lawyer to draft one.

Getting My EIN

LegalZoom also handled filing for my EIN (Employer Identification Number) with the IRS. This is your business’s tax ID number, and you need it to:

• Open a business bank account
• Hire employees or contractors
• File business taxes
• Apply for business licenses

You can do this yourself on the IRS website for free, but it’s tedious. You have to navigate a clunky government website, fill out form SS-4, and wait for approval. LegalZoom handled all of this automatically, and my EIN arrived via email within a few days.

Was it worth paying extra to avoid the IRS website? For me, absolutely yes.

The Dashboard Experience

After everything was filed and approved, all my documents appeared in my LegalZoom dashboard:

• Articles of organization (the official state filing)
• Operating agreement
• EIN confirmation letter
• Compliance calendar (reminding me of filing deadlines)
• Digital welcome packet

The dashboard is clean and well-organized. When my bank needed proof of my LLC formation, I logged in, downloaded the PDF, and emailed it over. The whole thing took about 30 seconds.

LegalZoom also makes it easy to order certified copies of documents if you need physical versions for certain government offices or banks. Some institutions still want the old-school stamped paper copies, and LegalZoom handles ordering those for you.

What I Loved About LegalZoom

Let me highlight the things that genuinely impressed me:

Professional and Established

LegalZoom has been around since 2001. They’ve formed millions of LLCs. They know what they’re doing. This matters because LLC laws vary significantly by state, and LegalZoom’s system is built to handle those nuances automatically.

When I filled out the questionnaire for Colorado, the system knew exactly which forms to file, which state-specific requirements to include, and how to format everything correctly. I didn’t have to research Colorado LLC law myself—LegalZoom already knew it.

The Speed is Real

I cannot overstate how fast the filing happened. Under 2 hours from payment to approved LLC. This is partly because LegalZoom has relationships with state filing offices and knows how to expedite things, and partly because they’ve streamlined the process so well.

For context, when I formed an LLC myself years ago, it took me about 6 hours of work spread over several days, plus waiting a week for state approval. With LegalZoom, I spent 15 minutes on the questionnaire and it was done.

The Operating Agreement Builder

The operating agreement creation tool asked me simple questions and generated a professional, state-specific document. Questions like:

• Is this a single-member or multi-member LLC?
• How will profits be distributed?
• How are decisions made?
• What happens if a member wants to leave?

Even if you’re not familiar with legal terminology, the questions make sense. And the final document looks like something a lawyer would draft—because it’s based on lawyer-created templates.

Legal Consultation Access (Premium Plan)

I upgraded to the Premium plan for my second LLC specifically to try the attorney consultation feature. I had questions about how to structure contracts with clients and whether I needed additional licenses for my type of business.

I scheduled a 30-minute phone call with a small business attorney through LegalZoom’s portal. The attorney was knowledgeable, answered my questions clearly, and even recommended a couple of things I hadn’t thought of.

I later verified the advice with my personal attorney, and it was accurate. So this isn’t just a marketing gimmick—you’re talking to real lawyers who know what they’re doing.

The caveat: You get 30 days of unlimited 30-minute consultations. If you only have one or two questions, you might not need the full month. But if you’re launching a business and have ongoing legal questions, this access is incredibly valuable.

The Compliance Calendar

This is a small feature, but it’s helpful. LegalZoom’s dashboard includes a compliance calendar that reminds you of important deadlines:

• Annual report filings
• License renewals
• Tax deadlines
• Registered agent renewal

Staying compliant with state requirements is one of those things that’s easy to forget, and missing a deadline can result in penalties or even having your LLC dissolved. The automatic reminders help prevent that.

What Frustrated Me About LegalZoom

Nothing is perfect, and LegalZoom has some legitimate downsides:

The Upsell Emails Are Relentless

After forming my LLC, I received 18 emails from LegalZoom over 43 days. Every single one was trying to sell me something:

• Trademark registration
• Business licenses
• Website services
• Accounting software
• Tax preparation services
• BOI filing services (more on this below)

Some of these services are genuinely useful, but the constant emails felt aggressive. I had to unsubscribe from their marketing list to make it stop.

The BOI Filing Pressure Tactics

One particularly annoying thing was the aggressive messaging around BOI (Beneficial Ownership Information) filing. This is a new federal requirement as of 2024 where businesses must report who owns the company to FinCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network).

LegalZoom sent multiple emails saying my BOI filing was “overdue” and urging me to pay them $99 to file it for me. Here’s the problem: it wasn’t actually overdue.

When you form a new LLC, you have 90 days to file your BOI report. I had only had the LLC for three weeks. The “overdue” messaging was misleading and designed to create urgency.

Also, you can file BOI reports yourself for free at boifiling.fincen.gov. It takes about 5-10 minutes and is very straightforward. LegalZoom charging $99 for this felt like taking advantage of people who don’t know they can do it themselves.

Customer Support Can Be Slow

When I realized I wanted to change my LLC name (remember my “Consulting” vs “Consultants” typo?), I contacted customer support via their chat feature.

It took 15 minutes to get a response, which isn’t terrible but also isn’t great. More frustrating was the response itself: they wanted me to pay $129 to file an amendment with the state to change the name.

To be fair, that’s an actual state filing fee plus LegalZoom’s service charge. But I was frustrated because the LLC had just been filed—if there had been a brief review period before submission, I could have caught the error myself.

Other services I’ve used have a 24-hour review window before filing. LegalZoom’s speed is great until you make a mistake.

The Costs Add Up Over Time

The initial formation cost is just the beginning. LegalZoom offers ongoing services that create recurring costs:

Registered Agent Service: Every LLC needs a registered agent—someone who receives legal documents on behalf of your business. LegalZoom includes one year of registered agent service with your formation, but after that, it costs $299/year to continue.

You can be your own registered agent for free (you just need a physical address in the state), or you can hire a cheaper service. But if you stick with LegalZoom, that’s an ongoing expense.

Annual Report Filing: Most states require LLCs to file annual reports. You can do this yourself for just the state fee (usually $10-50), or you can pay LegalZoom to do it for you (typically $150-200).

Compliance services: LegalZoom offers various compliance packages that remind you of deadlines and file things for you. These can cost $200-400+ per year.

Over 5 years, sticking with LegalZoom for all these services can cost significantly more than handling some of it yourself or using cheaper alternatives.

The Basic Plan is Too Basic

LegalZoom advertises that their Basic plan is free (you just pay state fees). This is technically true, but the Basic plan only files your articles of organization with the state. That’s it.

You don’t get:

• An operating agreement
• EIN filing
• Registered agent service beyond one year
• Any document templates
• Any legal support

For most people, the Basic plan isn’t enough. You’ll need at least the Pro plan to get the essentials, which brings the cost to $249+ state fees. This isn’t unreasonable, but it means the “free” basic plan is more of a marketing claim than a realistic option.

How LegalZoom Compares to Alternatives

Let me compare LegalZoom to two popular alternatives I’ve also used:

LegalZoom vs. ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness is a newer, more affordable competitor. Here’s how they stack up:

Pricing: ZenBusiness is cheaper. Their Starter plan is $0 + state fees and includes a free year of registered agent service. Their Pro plan is $199 vs. LegalZoom’s $249.

Speed: LegalZoom is faster. My ZenBusiness LLC took 5 business days vs. LegalZoom’s under 2 hours.

Support: ZenBusiness has better, more responsive customer support. Less corporate, more helpful.

Features: LegalZoom includes more in their packages (operating agreement, EIN filing, document templates). ZenBusiness is more bare-bones unless you upgrade.

Compliance: ZenBusiness sends helpful compliance reminders without the aggressive upselling. Much less spammy.

Verdict: If you want fast, comprehensive service and don’t mind paying more, choose LegalZoom. If you want affordable, solid service with great support, choose ZenBusiness.

LegalZoom vs. Incfile (now rebranded as Bizee)

Incfile (now Bizee) is another affordable alternative:

Pricing: Incfile’s basic plan is free + state fees with a year of registered agent service included. Very similar to ZenBusiness.

Speed: Slower than LegalZoom but comparable to ZenBusiness.

Features: Less comprehensive than LegalZoom but covers the basics well.

Business banking: Incfile has partnerships with banks and can help you open business accounts more easily.

Verdict: Incfile is great if you’re budget-conscious and don’t need hand-holding. LegalZoom is better if you want more comprehensive service and legal support access.

LegalZoom vs. Doing It Yourself

You can absolutely form an LLC yourself by filing directly with your state. Here’s the breakdown:

Cost: DIY is cheapest—just state filing fees ($50-500 depending on state). LegalZoom costs $249-299 + state fees.

Time: DIY takes 3-8 hours of research and form-filling. LegalZoom takes 15 minutes.

Complexity: DIY requires understanding legal forms and state requirements. LegalZoom handles it all.

Risk: DIY has higher risk of errors or missing requirements. LegalZoom reduces that risk significantly.

Verdict: If you’re comfortable with legal paperwork and have time to research, DIY works. If you want to save time and reduce stress, LegalZoom is worth the cost.

Tips for Using LegalZoom Successfully

If you decide to use LegalZoom, here are my hard-won tips:

Double-Check Everything Before Submitting

Because LegalZoom processes so fast, you won’t have time to fix errors after submission. Review your business name, address, member information, and every detail carefully before clicking submit.

Start with the Pro Plan

Unless you’re extremely budget-conscious, skip the Basic plan. The Pro plan includes the operating agreement and EIN filing, which you’ll probably need anyway. Buying them separately later costs more.

Consider Premium Only If You Need Legal Advice

The Premium plan’s attorney consultation is valuable if you have legal questions. But if you just need basic LLC formation, the Pro plan is sufficient. Don’t pay extra for features you won’t use.

Unsubscribe from Marketing Emails

Right after your LLC is formed, go into your LegalZoom account settings and unsubscribe from marketing emails. You’ll still get important notifications about your LLC, but you’ll avoid the constant upselling.

File Your BOI Report Yourself

Don’t pay LegalZoom $99 to file your Beneficial Ownership Information report. Go to boifiling.fincen.gov and do it yourself in 10 minutes for free. It’s simple and straightforward.

Decide on Registered Agent Service Early

After your first year of free registered agent service, decide whether to continue with LegalZoom ($299/year) or switch to a cheaper alternative ($100-150/year). Or, if you have a physical address in your business state, you can be your own registered agent for free.

Use the Dashboard

LegalZoom’s dashboard is genuinely useful. Bookmark it and use it to store all your business documents. When you need to prove your LLC exists (for banks, clients, etc.), you’ll have everything in one place.

Keep Compliance Reminders On

Don’t turn off the compliance calendar notifications. Missing annual report deadlines or renewal dates can cost you penalties or cause your LLC to be dissolved. Let LegalZoom remind you.

Who Should Use LegalZoom?

After using LegalZoom for multiple LLC formations, here’s who I think benefits most:

You Should Definitely Use LegalZoom If:

You’re a busy freelancer who values time over money. If spending 15 minutes and $249 to have everything handled professionally sounds better than spending 6+ hours doing it yourself, LegalZoom is perfect.

You want comprehensive service with legal support. The Pro and Premium plans include operating agreements, EIN filing, document templates, and attorney access that would cost significantly more if purchased separately.

You want fast filing. If you need your LLC formed ASAP, LegalZoom’s speed is unmatched. This matters if you’re closing a client contract that requires an LLC or meeting a deadline.

You’re not confident handling legal paperwork. If looking at state filing forms makes your eyes glaze over, LegalZoom walks you through everything in plain English.

You want professional, established service. LegalZoom’s 20+ years of experience means they know every state’s requirements and have systems to handle edge cases.

You need ongoing business legal support. Beyond LLC formation, LegalZoom offers trademark registration, contract creation, annual compliance, and legal consultations—all in one place.

You Probably Don’t Need LegalZoom If:

You’re extremely budget-conscious. If every dollar counts, there are cheaper alternatives (ZenBusiness, Incfile) or you can do it yourself for just state fees.

You’re comfortable with legal paperwork. If you’ve formed businesses before or you’re confident navigating state websites, DIY will save you money.

You don’t need add-on services. If you just want basic LLC formation with no operating agreement, EIN filing, or legal support, the cost may not be justified.

You’re forming an LLC in a state with complex requirements. Some states have unusual requirements that might be better handled by a local attorney who knows state-specific nuances.

The Bottom Line: Is LegalZoom Worth It?

After using LegalZoom to form multiple LLCs, here’s my honest verdict:

Yes, LegalZoom is worth it for most busy freelancers and small business owners.

Is it the cheapest option? No. But it’s comprehensive, fast, professional, and significantly less stressful than doing it yourself. The time you save alone justifies the cost for most people.

The operating agreement, EIN filing, and document templates included in the Pro plan provide real value. And having attorney access in the Premium plan is genuinely helpful if you’re navigating business legal questions.

The downsides are real but manageable:

• The upsell emails are annoying (but you can unsubscribe)
• The ongoing costs add up (but you can choose not to renew services)
• The fast processing means no error correction window (but careful review prevents this)

My recommendation: Use LegalZoom’s Pro plan to form your LLC, unsubscribe from marketing emails immediately, file your BOI report yourself, and then decide year-by-year whether to continue with their registered agent and compliance services or switch to alternatives.

For the initial formation? LegalZoom delivers. It takes the intimidating process of starting a business and makes it feel manageable. That peace of mind is worth the cost for most freelancers.

Ready to get started? Check out LegalZoom and form your LLC today. Use our affiliate link below to access special offers you won’t find on their website directly.

Have you used LegalZoom or another LLC formation service? What was your experience? Drop a comment below or join the conversation in our Facebook group—I’d love to hear what worked (or didn’t work) for you!

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