LegalShield vs LegalZoom ― Which Is the Best Online Legal Service and Advice?

With big names in online legal services, it’s only natural to wonder which is better for your specific needs: LegalShield or LegalZoom. Both companies offer a variety of legal services, but LegalShield and LegalZoom are not identical. Check what real customers are saying about the companies when you compare LegalShield with LegalZoom.

Through reviews, we can see what the companies really offer customers and get a good look at LegalShield vs LegalZoom. Our analysis of the LegalZoom and LegalShield pros and cons broke down along the following categories:

• Customer service experience
• Product and service offering
• Discounts and savings

Our full comparison of LegalShield vs LegalZoom is below.

LegalShield vs LegalZoom Customer Service Experience

The comparison between LegalZoom and LegalShield customer service revealed that there are obvious similarities and a few differences in how the legal companies treat their customers. Customers had concerns about how the companies operate and their respective levels of support.

The hundreds of LegalShield and LegalZoom complaints on PissedConsumer tell us the experiences and perspectives of real customers. We have assembled a breakdown of LegalShield and LegalZoom complaints in the chart above in order to compare the two companies.

132 LegalShield reviews have been left on the PissedConsumer website. These LegalShield complaints have been compiled using the algorithm to give the company a rating of 1.9 out of a possible 5 stars. LegalShield customer service has earned 2 stars out of a possible 5 in the product quality and service category. 

In a LegalShield complaint #1365536, one customer explained his/her frustration with the LegalShield customer service number. In the LegalShield review, the person stated “...I was with legal shield 30 years and never filed a claim so when i did file one i was denied...”

The LegalShield complaint continued by explaining that he called the LegalShield phone number “...many times and was disconected often, put on hold and was given different info every time...”

The final thought in his LegalShield review was “...They did however pay my attorney 50$ for a free consultation.(how cracy). Do not get mixed up with this company...”

If you have a question or concern about LegalShield member services or you would like to speak with a LegalShield associate, you can call the LegalShield phone number at (800) 654-7757.

A total of 138 LegalZoom complaints and reviews have been compiled according to PissedConsumer algorithm and created a rating of 1.4 out of a possible 5 stars. Both LegalZoom customer service and staff scored only 1 star out of a possible 5 according to our analysis of LegalZoom reviews.

In the LegalZoom review # 1578954, one customer explained his/her frustration with the company after calling the LegalZoom phone number to ask about concerns setting up her LLC. She started her LegalZoom review by stating “...Using LegalZoom to form my LLC was the biggest mistake I have ever made as a legal professional…They sat on my SS4 application for over 2 weeks after submittal, only to claim that they never received it...”

After the person called the LegalZoom phone number, the customer “...attempted to speak to team leads and supervisors multiple times and escalate the issue over the phone, only to be hung up on or placed on hold for over 30 minutes in 4 separate calls....”

Her LegalZoom review concluded with “...I would NEVER use them had I known how bad this company actually was...”

In this case, the company representative did respond to this LegalZoom complaint on the PissedConsumer website with a message that read, “We're truly sorry about what occurred with your order and with your customer care experience. We’d like to try to make things right. Please contact a manager directly via help@legalzoom.com.”

If you have questions about LegalZoom prices or services, call the LegalZoom phone number at (800) 773-0888.

LegalShield or LegalZoom Product and Service Offering

The LegalShield website offers pre-paid legal services for individuals and businesses. According to the LegalShield homepage, you will “pay a small monthly fee and get access to experienced attorneys that can help you with any legal issue.”

LegalShield plans break down across three categories:

• Individuals and Families,
• Small Business,
• Start a Business.

These plans offer paid LegalShield membership that provides access to legal services tailored to the specific needs of your plan.

The company’s perks for a family membership include legal document services and representation when you need it. According to the Family Membership page, the key features of the prepaid LegalShield plan are:

• legal advice,
• representation through phone and letters,
• document review
• document drafting including wills
• power of attorney documents.

LegalShield business solutions are tailored to companies rather than families. The services offered to small business owners include:

• legal consultation,
• specific legal advice including taxes and patents,
• contract and document review
• debt collection assistance.

The LegalShield business solutions also include trial support and the drafting of letters and placing phone calls on your behalf.

The company also offers legal services to those who are starting a new business. A LegalShield contract for this type of coverage offers clients specific services including consultation with an attorney, business document creation and filing and an optional kit and seal for your business including an embosser for official documents. 

As LegalShield is a pre-paid legal plan, you are obligated to make regular payments in order to take advantage of the legal services provided by the company. For those who wonder, is LegalShield worth it, customer reviews can offer you greater insight into how others have used the services provided.

If you decide that the company is not well-suited for your family or business, you can sort out a LegalShield cancellation of services by sending written notice to the company via email at support@legalshieldcorp.com or through traditional mail. The LegalShield FAQ page that addresses cancellation also notes that you will continue to receive membership benefits and pay for your services until the written notice is received.

The LegalZoom website also offers a variety of legal plans, but unlike LegalShield, LegalZoom offers legal services for a flat rate rather than a monthly one.

The services offered by the company break down across multiple categories including:

• business services like forming LLCs and corporations,
• family matters like wills and divorce documents,
• intellectual property,
• contracts
• legal advice.

Each of the services offered by LegalZoom has additional information accessible through the website including a specific set price or a breakdown of the pricing structure. This allows customers to purchase legal services on an al a carte basis.

In addition to specific legal services, LegalZoom also offers prepaid legal plans similar to those offered by LegalShield. The LegalZoom prepaid plans are offered in two categories: a Business Advisory Plan and a Legal Advantage Plus for individuals.

Both plans offer services and advice tailored to the needs of the customer. The business plan offers advice on:

• contracts,
• copyrights,
• trademarks,
• business formation.

The Legal Advantage Plus plan offers advice on:

• estate planning,
• family matters,
• employment issues.

If you find you are not satisfied with the services purchased from the company, LegalZoom also offers a Satisfaction Guarantee for their services. For those wondering if LegalZoom is worth it, you might be offered assurances by the company satisfaction guarantee which states “If you're not satisfied, simply call us toll-free at 1-888-203-7652 during our normal business hours. All requests made under this guarantee must be made within 60 days of purchase.”

LegalShield vs LegalZoom Pricing and Discounts

LegalShield offers a variety of services for families and small businesses. Family memberships are $24.95 per month and offer a variety of coverages for households.

There are additional services that can be added to the Family and Individual plan. For an additional $9.95 per month, you can add on a Home Business supplement or Trial Defense supplement. For an additional $12.95 per month, you can also add on a Gun Owners supplement to your monthly plan.

LegalShield's small business pricing plans range from $39 per month to $149 per month. The larger your business, the higher the monthly rate. The top rate of $149 per month covers companies with fewer than 100 employees but more than the 50 employees covered by the middle plan offered by the company.

Payment policies and prices to use to start a new company with LegalShield vary. The website page for getting started with a new company states that the service “starts at $145” but does not provide additional details about how additional costs might be incurred.

There are no LegalShield discounts available on the company’s website at the time of writing.

The various services provided by LegalZoom all have their own descriptions and pricing structure. For example, according to the LegalZoom FAQ section that accompanies the divorce services, the documentation required for a divorce will cost $499. This payment includes “unlimited access to all resources and award-winning customer care via phone, email and online chat.” You will be required to pay additional filing fees as well.

LegalZoom has different price structures for wills and estate planning. Estate planning offers a range of service options at different prices. Basic wills with a digital download are $89. Adding attorney advice will bump the price to $99 and a full estate planning bundle including a financial power of attorney and a living will be purchased for a lump sum of $179 according to the website page dedicated to wills.

LegalZoom does also offer prepaid service plans for families and individuals as well as small businesses. The family plan, called the Legal Advantage personal legal plan, starts at $9.99 per month.

It is possible to add a LegalZoom promo code when you are checking out with a Legal Advantage Plus Membership purchase. The website does not offer any LegalZoom coupons or promo codes to use, however, which means referral codes must be obtained somewhere other than the website.

According to the LegalZoom FAQ section about the membership plans, you can enjoy additional savings on other services provided by your attorney or on legal documents. With a membership package, you can save 10% on LegalZoom legal documents and 25% on any other service provided.

Lawyers are expensive, and if you can save some money and still achieve peace of mind, why wouldn’t you? Legal services are not all created equally, and when you compare LegalShield vs LegalZoom, you realize that there are differences between the two companies. Look closely at the company websites as well as reviews and you can easily see the LegalShield and LegalZoom pros and cons before making a decision that will almost certainly affect your future. 

By Rebecca Garland
Business and Education Expert
Rebecca Garland, M.S. is a business and education writer. She holds secondary teaching certifications in six areas, has a degree in Business, and earned a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science. As an expert, Rebecca has been working with international clients since 2005.

*The company ratings on the PissedConsumer website are calculated using a mathematical algorithm that evaluates the information in the company’s profile. The algorithm parameters are: users’ rating, the number of resolved issues, the number of company responses and more. The PissedConsumer algorithm is also subject to change in the future.