Updated October 29, 2026
LegalZoom is the stronger overall pick, with a fuller formation package, attorney access and tools that keep working after your LLC is filed.
By Jon Morgan · Fact-checked by Jon Tobin, Business Attorney · How we test
LegalZoom
$0 + state feeSee LegalZoom plans (opens in a new tab)Save 20% with code: venturesmarter20
Nolo
See Nolo plans (opens in a new tab)Prices checked October 29, 2026. State filing fees are extra.
Nolo undercuts it on the entry price and leans on decades of DIY legal publishing instead.
We paid LegalZoom $175 to file Maine Spoons LLC, and the checkout asked for company details only after payment cleared. Nolo's Basic package starts at $49 plus state fees, with a name check and filing included.
The gap between the two shows up once the paperwork is filed. LegalZoom layers in attorney consultations, bookkeeping tools and a document library after formation, while Nolo hands compliance off to a third-party registered agent and stops there.
The table below lines up both companies' packages, registered agent pricing and filing turnaround side by side, plus our overall rating for each.
| Feature |  | Nolo |
|---|---|---|
| Venture Smarter rating | ★★★★½ | ★★★★ |
| Entry plan | $0 + state fees | $49 + state fees |
| Mid tier | $249 (Pro) | $149 (Standard) |
| Top tier | $299 (Premium) | $299 (Express) |
| Registered agent, year 1 | $249 first year, then $249/yr, sold separately | $149, sold separately |
| Filing turnaround | 5-14 business days internal | 2-3 weeks standard, 7-10 days on Express |
| EIN service | Pro and up | Standard and up |
Payment comes first with LegalZoom. The LLC details most services collect upfront only get requested afterward, a sequence we confirmed on our own Maine Spoons LLC order.
The dashboard that follows opens on an "ACTION REQUIRED" banner asking for that same company information, shown in the screenshot below.
Nolo's terms-of-service language runs dense, with multiple upsell screens during checkout, a contrast to LegalZoom's more linear payment-then-details flow.
Neither company's checkout mentions registered agent service by default, and it surfaces instead as a separate add-on decision on both sides.
LegalZoom's Basic plan is $0 plus the state fee and covers the formation filing, a name check and a tax consult. Stepping up to Pro costs $249 a year and folds in an operating agreement alongside an EIN.
Pro also includes a one-year document library and a 30-day attorney-consultation trial that renews at $49 a month once it ends. Premium runs $299 and layers on bookkeeping tools.
Get 20% off eligible LegalZoom LLC formation and other services with Venture Smarter code venturesmarter20.
Nolo prices its Basic package at $49 plus state fees, covering only the name check and the Articles of Organization filing. Standard climbs to $149 and adds an EIN request plus business document templates.
Express jumps to $299 for one-business-day filing plus a personalized LLC kit and seal, with state expedite fees billed separately on every tier.
Internally, LegalZoom needs anywhere from 5 to 14 business days to process an order before the state even starts its own review. Nolo quotes 2 to 3 weeks on Basic and Standard, faster with Priority Rush Filing on Express.
A free first-year agent isn't part of either lineup, so that fee shows up separately no matter which package you choose. Naming an agent is a state filing requirement, though you can serve as your own for free with an in-state address.
LegalZoom prices its own registered agent service at $249 first year, then $249/yr, with mail scanning and deadline alerts built in.
Nolo outsources this to Vcorp Services for $149 a year, $100 less than LegalZoom's rate. The service scans documents to an online portal but skips physical mail forwarding.
LegalZoom sells trademark registration as a standalone service with attorney oversight, on top of the federal filing fee.
Nolo skips a trademark filing service entirely and instead sells a self-help guide on choosing and searching for a mark yourself.
LegalZoom also sells a virtual mailbox add-on for a dedicated business address, starting around $29 a month. Nolo has no equivalent product.
LegalZoom fields phone and chat questions on weekdays from 5am to 7pm Pacific and weekends from 7am to 4pm. Its service fees carry a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Nolo limits support to weekday phone hours, 9am to 6pm Eastern, and we found its support representatives knowledgeable overall.
Neither company's phone team handles legal questions directly. LegalZoom routes those to its Pro-plan attorney network, while Nolo points customers back to its guides and templates.
LegalZoom
Pros
Cons
Nolo
Pros
Cons
For the wider field beyond these two, including our overall top pick, see the full best LLC services guide.
LegalZoom is more affordable at the entry tier, with a $0 Basic plan against Nolo's $49 Basic package. Nolo pulls ahead once an EIN matters, since its $149 Standard plan bundles one for $100 less than LegalZoom's $249 Pro plan.
Yes, Nolo offers a registered agent service, outsourced to Vcorp Services for $149 a year. It covers document scanning and portal access but skips the physical mail forwarding some competitors include.
Nolo is best used as a low-cost path to a filed LLC plus a library of do-it-yourself legal templates, not as an ongoing compliance or attorney-access platform.
Between these two, LegalZoom wins. Its Pro plan adds unlimited 30-minute attorney consults for 30 days, renewing monthly unless you cancel. It also has the deepest post-formation toolkit we tested, including 150+ legal documents.
Its compliance plan ($199 for the first year) files annual reports and pays the fine or penalty if it misses anything. Pick Nolo instead if a filed LLC and a shelf of legal templates cover everything you need.
We formed Maine Spoons LLC with LegalZoom in June 2026 and paid $175 on the $0 Basic plan, which was Maine's state filing fee.
Two costs to plan for: registered agent service is sold separately, and Pro's attorney consults renew at $49 a month after the first 30 days unless you cancel. If you expect legal questions after filing, LegalZoom is the one to pick.
Our verdict
$0 + state fee. 60-day money-back guarantee.
Save 20% with code: venturesmarter20
Prices checked October 29, 2026. State filing fees are extra.