Best LawDepot Alternatives & Competitors [Guide]

Last Updated on June 12, 2023 by Ewen Finser

There are many different scenarios that will require you to fill out legal forms. Whether it’s a small personal matter, like changing your name, or a bigger process, like selling your car, there are legal forms to match.

There are also legal forms and packages for complex situations, like getting a divorce, and for business-related needs, like setting up an LLC.

I’ve been through more than one of these situations. Having any type of legal help on your side is invaluable. Knowing what to do and who can help you when you’re stuck means being able to move through the issue swiftly and go forward with your life.

When you’re about to embark on a legal issue, it can feel overwhelming. Finding the correct information online can take time and effort. With online legal services, though, you can search for what you need and often find it quickly.

Plus, many of those services also have expert-level help from attorneys. But which online service is right for you?

That’s what we’ll explore in this best LawDepot alternatives guide, mainly focusing on LawDepot and alternative companies that may be a better fit.

Short on time?

My Top 3 LawDepot Alternatives at a Glance

#1: US Legal — Best LawDepot Alternative Overall

With round-the-clock notary services, help for the more complicated legal documents, and a searchable library of over 85K legal documents, US Legal is a much better alternative to LawDepot for most of us.

#2: Clio — Best pick for lawyers and legal professionals who run their own offices.

Comes with practice management features, client intake forms, billing, and unlimited cloud storage. A great choice for firms who need to get up and running quickly.

#3: FormSwift — Best for small business owners.

With a ton of resources, PDF editing, and e-signature functions, this simplifies a lot of document management processes and helps with the legal needs that come with all of that!

What is LawDepot?

LawDepot is a legal document service with small businesses making up its primary user base.

There are customizable templates that you can download from LawDepot to create your own legally binding legal documents.

You can also preview your documents before purchasing them, which helps users to feel confident in their buying decisions.

One of the best features of LawDepot is the ability to pay per document instead of signing up for a recurring membership.

If you only need a single form or a small number of forms, you can opt to purchase them individually starting at $7.50 each.

There are many different scenarios that will require you to fill out legal forms. Whether it’s a small personal matter, like changing your name, or a bigger process, like selling your car, there are legal forms to match.

There are also legal forms and packages for complex situations, like getting a divorce, and for business-related needs, like setting up an LLC.

I’ve been through more than one of these situations, and having any type of legal help on your side is invaluable. Knowing what to do and who can help you when you’re stuck means being able to move through the issue swiftly and go forward with your life.

When you’re about to embark on some type of legal issue, it can feel overwhelming. Even finding the correct information online can be difficult.

With online legal services, though, you can search for what you need and often find it pretty quickly.

Plus, many of those services also have expert-level help from attorneys. But which online service is right for you? That’s what we’ll explore in this article, mainly focusing on LawDepot and alternative companies that may be a better fit.

Additionally, LawDepot doesn’t offer 24-hour support, which can be difficult for people who work on strict schedules and need to complete business and legal tasks quickly.

Freelancers like myself are often working odd hours and late into the night, so being able to get what I need when I need it is another have-to-have feature.

9 LawDepot Alternatives

There are a number of LawDepot alternatives to consider. These other options cater to people who have more advanced needs as well as those who have only the simplest legal document needs.

We’ve rounded up a varied selection of different LawDepot alternatives to suit your purposes.

US Legal

US Legal is a digital library with more than 85,000 legal forms at both state and national levels. The forms can be downloaded, edited, and either saved or printed, and they can also be sent to other parties to gather e-signatures.

In addition to a vast library of legal documents and templates, US Legal also offers expert guidance when it comes to completing certain complex forms, like those for power of attorney.

Members can also access an in-depth knowledge base with FAQs, articles, and more guidance for various legal issues.

While USLegal and Law Depot both have a large variety of legal forms and documents, there are some key differences that make US Legal a much better choice if you’re looking for some legal help!

You get more and better quality forms from US Legal. There’s just no comparison here; when it comes to a collection that allows you greater flexibility, customization, and searchability, hands down, US Legal is a far better alternative.

You get expert help with US Legal too! Nobody wants to figure out complex legal forms without some help, and that’s where US Legal is much better than Law Depot — if you are fearful of taking on more complex legal issues, but want ease and affordability, I recommend US Legal over Law Depot.

US Legal offers round-the-clock notary services as well. If you’re on a tight deadline, you’ll need this. US Legal offers notary services every hour of the day, every day of the year. After submitting your file, you’ll get on a quick video call, and you’ll be able to have your document notarized in minutes.

When I’ve had to use a notary in the past, it’s been difficult to coordinate operating hours with my schedule. This solves that problem.

LawDepot just doesn’t have the same storage options. Who wants to store tons of legal documents on their home computer? US Legal makes this easy, with in-account storage for your documents. I really appreciate this as I know I have one place to go, access my legal forms, and can easily find them again when I need to without having to organize in my computer files.

While both US Legal and LawDepot serve the same basic function of providing legal forms and documents, US Legal’s wider range of forms, expert guidance, 24/7 notary services, and in-account storage make it a better, more user-friendly alternative to LawDepot.

Pros of US Legal

• Forms can be e-signed by all parties
• Around-the-clock notary services
• Legal professionals will fill out some forms on your behalf

Cons of US Legal

• You’re not able to buy a single form
• There aren’t a lot of forms that experts can fill out for you
• Notary services require a video call

Clio

Clio is a LawDepot alternative for those with more advanced legal needs, like individuals who manage their own law office.

One of its features is document management, which is comparable to what LawDepot offers. However, Clio offers much more for law professionals who need powerful software to help run their businesses.

For example, Clio lets you create bills and send them to clients. You can also use client intake features, like automated scheduling for consultations and calendar reminders to keep your week running smoothly. While I’m not in the legal industry, I know how useful these services are.

Managing clients of any kind requires a ton of admin, and automating that when possible saves time, money, and energy.

You may end up wanting to use Clio or a similar service along with LawDepot, as Clio offers document management but doesn’t necessarily provide legal document templates.

Pros

• Helps with the daily management of clients and leads
• Unlimited cloud storage
• Mobile app is available

Cons

• Moving and managing files can be clunky
• Integrations don’t always work efficiently
• Invoicing features feel limited to some

FormSwift

FormSwift may be a good choice for small businesses that need legal guidance and forms. Catering specifically to a business audience instead of individuals, FormSwift has both business forms and legal forms that can be customized and e-signed.

There are also articles for small business owners to learn about topics like taxes, business plans, and more. Furthermore, you can edit your non-business PDFs using FormSwift, too — any PDF can be edited with this service, whether it’s business- or legal-focused or not.

I have to use, edit, and annotate all sorts of files all the time. I’m always looking for a PDF editor that lets me do everything from one place. Sometimes, annotating a PDF doesn’t mean the service lets you make changes to it too.

Even if you don’t have specific legal needs, FormSwift may be an excellent solution if you’re often working with a lot of PDF documents.

Pros

• In-depth help for small business owners
• Edit a variety of PDFs and other documents
• Get forms e-signed by participating parties

Cons

• There isn’t a way to collaborate on documents with your team
• Customer service has received bad reviews
• Only PDFs can be used with this service

Incfile

On top of creating legal documents, Incfile also helps users incorporate businesses as well as manage their businesses once they’re set up (registered agent service). For example, there are documents for contracts, dissolutions, and other company changes.

You can also access compliance services with Incfile, like trademark searches, as well as IRS filing.

Compliance services are missing from a lot of LawDepot alternatives, so I love seeing that they’re included with Incfile. Small businesses should concern themselves with compliance from the beginning to avoid problems down the road.

You have the option to pay for documents separately, or you can form your business using Incfile and sign up for a membership at the same time.

Whether you need one business document or extensive help forming a business for the first time, you may want to consider Incfile.

Pros

• Some templates can be downloaded for free
• Turn-around time is as fast as one business day for LLC filing
• Text and email notifications for updates

Cons

• The refund and cancellation policy can be hard to access
• Limited customer support
• Some users complain that the turn-around time is too long

LawDistrict

LawDistrict is an online service with legal contracts, documents, and forms that you can customize and download. After choosing your template, you’ll answer a few questions so that your legal document can be customized for you. You can then save and print the document.

This is a pretty simple and straightforward service that’s closely comparable to LawDepot. If you don’t have specific small business needs, this may be easier to navigate than LawDepot because it’s simply for legal documents.

Whenever possible, I always prefer to use a slimmed-down service instead of one that’s filled with features I won’t use.

Pros

• Easy-to-use document builder
• Straightforward explanations of different legal scenarios
• Examples help users fill out forms thoroughly

Cons

• May not have robust enough features for some users
• The free trial still requires payment
• Some users complain of being charged without their knowledge

LegalZoom

Similar to LawDepot, LegalZoom offers contractor agreements, employment contract templates, business formation support, operating agreement templates, NDAs, and similar forms. They also have trademarking services, similar to the Trademark Assignment feature from LawDepot. I really appreciate the ability to do so many small business tasks in one area.

LegalZoom stands out because it has attorneys who will draft your documents on your behalf. More than that, they’ll also file them for you. That takes a lot of the pain and guesswork out of filing legal documents.

Both LawDepot and LegalZoom have more access to legal experts than some of the other options on this list. However, LegalZoom is somewhat stronger than LawDepot in this case.

Also, unlike LawDepot, LegalZoom’s pricing is based on the services you need — you won’t pay one price for access to every feature, many of which you may not use at all.

Pros

• Have an attorney process documents on your behalf
• Business features many other services don’t include
• Feature-based pricing that can be customized to your needs

Cons

• If you’re not going to use all the features, the cost may not be worth it
• Add-ons increase the overall price
• Turn-around time varies based on the legal issue

pdfFiller

If you’re more interested in customizing and storing an assortment of documents than accessing specific legal templates, consider pdfFiller. You can edit documents, store them in the cloud, and even request e-signatures.

Any PDF form can be filled in and sent online using pdfFiller. If you already have the legal documents you need or you have other types of forms that you have to share with other parties, this may be a smart alternative to LawDepot.

For some users, it may also pay to use both LawDepot and pdfFiller to get all of their legal template and PDF editing needs satisfied.

Pros of pdfFiller

• Collaboration features to get multiple parties involved
• E-signature features are included
• Mobile support for document editing

Cons of pdfFiller

• Some users complain that their edits don’t save
• No cloud storage
• Font-matching isn’t always perfect

Rocket Lawyer

One of Rocket Lawyer’s standout features is that users can speak with an actual lawyer to have their legal questions answered & get live legal advice.

There are options to communicate over chat, email, or phone, so you can pick whichever mode works best for you. Queries are answered by a legal professional within one business day.

If you’ve ever needed to contact a lawyer fast, as I have, you know how stressful waiting can be. Knowing that you’ll be speaking with a professional who can help you within one day is a lifesaver.

On top of that, Rocket Lawyer also offers the same legal document templates as other similar services. The company also has pricing per document if you only need a small number of forms now and then.

This can be a big benefit to anyone who doesn’t want yet another monthly payment showing up on their credit card bill.

Pros

• Various options for communicating with a lawyer
• Discounted legal services
• Help for small business owners

Cons

• Cost of individual documents is high
• Membership may be too expensive if you don’t need a one-on-one lawyer
• LLC services are only available with a membership

ZenBusiness

Small business owners who are looking to save on legal services may want to consider ZenBusiness.

You’ll be able to prepare and file business documents without hiring a lawyer. I especially like that ZenBusiness plans are affordable. When you’re trying to get a business off the ground, it’s important to keep costs as low as possible.

When you’ve registered your business, you can use ZenBusiness to help grow it. For example, the Premium subscription includes a domain name and a customizable business website.

Additionally, ZenBusiness also has compliance features to make sure you’re staying on the right side of the law.

Pros

• Low-cost company formation service
• Features for both new and more established businesses
• Reputable customer service

Cons

• Add-on services can raise the cost
• The website builder has limited functionality
• EIN service isn’t included in the base price

How Do I Choose a LawDepot Alternative?

The best way to select the right LawDepot alternative for you is to first go over the features you get from LawDepot. What are the services it offers? Is there a lot that you don’t need that you’ll be paying for? And are there missing features that you feel you need but don’t have?

Also, consider the price. Is it affordable for you? For just about every online service, there are numerous alternatives at different price points. Even a phenomenal service that delivers everything you need isn’t going to be worthwhile if you can’t afford it.

Features to Look for in a LawDepot Alternative

When deciding on which LawDepot alternative to pick, consider the following characteristics:

• Convenience: Can you access your documents from different devices? Is there cloud storage? I always need to access files on the go, so this may be a deal-breaker for you.
• Cost: Can you afford individual or membership pricing? Are there add-on costs that will be required so you can access the features you need?
• Customer Service: Is there 24-hour customer service available every day of the year? You may have a situation where a business or legal document needs to be filled out and delivered ASAP. I often work odd hours, so having around-the-clock availability is necessary.
• Features: Does the service have the features you need without having too many that you don’t need? You don’t want to pay for a bunch of services you’ll never use.
• Free Trial: Is there a free trial so that you can test the service before paying for it?

Deciding what you need beforehand will make it a lot easier to determine which LawDepot alternatives are right for you. You’ll then be able to quickly determine if a service is at the right price, has a feature that’s on your must-have list, etc. Deciding what’s not right for you is a big part of finding the services that are right for you.

FAQs

Final Thoughts On the Best LawDepot Alternatives

LawDepot is an excellent online legal service for small businesses. There are a number of editable templates that you can get through LawDepot, and previewing them ahead of time makes it even easier and more convenient to decide what you need.

However, depending on the legal support you’re after, LawDepot may not have the features you’re looking for.

Whether you need access to more documents through a service like US Legal or you want to speak with an attorney and prefer a provider like Rocket Lawyer, there are a lot of similar companies to consider.