Let me cut straight to the chase: Rocket Lawyer isn’t terrible for LLC formation, but they’re trying to be everything to everyone—and that approach rarely works well for focused business needs.
After testing Rocket Lawyer’s services multiple times over the past five years and helping over 200 entrepreneurs navigate their platform, I’ve got some strong opinions about where they excel and where they fall short.
Bottom line up front: Rocket Lawyer’s subscription model creates value conflicts that don’t align with most entrepreneurs’ actual LLC formation needs. You’ll likely find better value and service elsewhere.
Rocket Lawyer Overview: The Jack-of-All-Trades Problem
Rocket Lawyer has been around since 2008, starting as a general legal services platform that happens to offer LLC formation. They’re not LLC specialists—they’re legal generalists trying to compete in the formation space.
This creates fundamental issues:
- Their platform is designed around monthly subscriptions, not one-time formations
- Customer service reps aren’t LLC experts
- Their upsell pressure focuses on legal services you probably don’t need
- The user experience prioritizes subscription conversion over formation efficiency
What they do well: Clean website design, decent customer reviews, transparent pricing What they don’t do well: Specialized LLC expertise, value-focused pricing, streamlined formation process
Rocket Lawyer Pricing: The Subscription Trap
Here’s where Rocket Lawyer gets tricky. They offer two pricing structures that both have significant downsides:
Non-Subscriber Pricing
- Cost: $99 + state fees
- What you get: Basic LLC formation filing only
- My take: Overpriced for what amounts to filling out a simple state form
Subscriber Pricing
- Cost: $40/month subscription (with “free” first LLC formation)
- Hidden reality: You’re paying $40 for one month minimum, making your “free” formation cost $40 + state fees
- Additional LLCs: $74.99 + state fees (25% subscriber discount)
The subscription math doesn’t work for most entrepreneurs:
- Month 1: $40 (subscription) + state fee = Real cost of $40+ for your LLC
- If you forget to cancel: $40/month ongoing (common with auto-renewal)
- One year of “accidental” subscription: $480 for legal services you probably won’t use
How This Compares to Specialists
Quality LLC formation services charge $50-150 total with no ongoing subscriptions. Rocket Lawyer’s pricing model forces you into legal services you may not need.
The “Free Trial” Bait-and-Switch
Rocket Lawyer markets a “7-day free trial,” but here’s what they don’t advertise clearly:
Trial limitations:
- LLC formation is NOT included in the trial
- Only 3 document downloads allowed
- Only 1 attorney consultation permitted
- Auto-converts to paid subscription unless canceled
The real purpose: Get your credit card information and hope you forget to cancel
My experience: I’ve had multiple clients get charged because they missed the cancellation window. Rocket Lawyer does refund these charges when asked, but the friction is intentional.
Formation Process: Unnecessarily Complex
Rocket Lawyer’s formation questionnaire uses confusing legal terminology that actually makes the process harder than necessary.
Confusing elements I’ve encountered:
- They ask for “Primary Contact” when they mean “Organizer”
- The owner/member relationship questions are poorly worded
- Programming bugs create misleading checkout screens
- Multiple subscription prompts interrupt the formation flow
Better approach: Specialized formation companies use plain English and streamlined processes that take 10-15 minutes, not 30-45 minutes.
Customer Service: Hit or Miss
I’ve tested Rocket Lawyer’s support multiple times:
Phone support: Generally knowledgeable and honest (their best feature) Online chat: Frustrating—directs you to knowledge base first, then to tech support who can’t answer formation questions Response time: Acceptable but not exceptional
Biggest issue: Customer service reps aren’t LLC specialists. They’re trained on general legal services, not formation nuances.
Upsells and Add-Ons: Overpriced but Not Aggressive
Unlike some formation companies, Rocket Lawyer doesn’t bombard you with upsells during checkout. However, their add-on pricing is poor value:
EIN Service: $59.99
What you get: They file Form SS-4 for you What you should do: File it yourself for free on IRS.gov in 10 minutes My verdict: Complete waste of money
Corporate Kit: $99.99
What you get: Binder, certificates, seal, generic forms Reality check: You can create membership certificates yourself and order custom materials from Moo.com for $20-30 My verdict: Overpriced office supplies
Registered Agent Service: Expensive and Basic
Rocket Lawyer offers registered agent service, but the pricing is uncompetitive:
- Non-subscribers: $250/year
- Subscribers: $125/year (plus $40/month subscription)
Industry comparison: Quality registered agent services cost $100-150/year with no subscription requirements.
Service quality: Basic mail forwarding with email notifications. Nothing special that justifies the premium pricing.
Legal Services: The Real Value Proposition?
Rocket Lawyer’s legal document library and attorney consultations represent their core value proposition. But do most LLC owners need this?
Document templates: Available, but many are generic and not state-specific Attorney consultations: Limited scope, different attorneys each time Operating agreements: Available, but you can get customized versions elsewhere for less
My assessment: If you need ongoing legal services, hire a local attorney you can build a relationship with. If you need document templates, there are cheaper alternatives.
Who Should Consider Rocket Lawyer
Despite my criticisms, Rocket Lawyer might work for a small subset of entrepreneurs:
Good fit if you:
- Need multiple legal documents beyond LLC formation
- Want ongoing access to legal consultations
- Plan to form multiple business entities
- Value having all legal services in one platform
Bad fit if you:
- Just need LLC formation (most entrepreneurs)
- Want the best value for formation services
- Prefer specialized expertise over generalist services
- Don’t want ongoing subscription commitments
Better Alternatives to Rocket Lawyer
Based on my testing and client feedback, here are superior options:
For Basic LLC Formation
ZenBusiness: $49 + state fees, includes registered agent first year Northwest Registered Agent: $39 + state fees, excellent reputation Incfile: $0 + state fees, though with more upsells
For Legal Services
Local attorneys: Build relationships, get specialized advice LegalZoom: If you want national legal services (still not ideal) Nolo: Better self-help legal resources
My Professional Recommendation
After 15+ years helping entrepreneurs choose formation services, I don’t recommend Rocket Lawyer for LLC formation.
Why I prefer specialists:
- Better value proposition (no forced subscriptions)
- Deeper LLC expertise
- Streamlined processes designed for formation
- Customer service focused on formation needs
- No conflicts between formation and legal service sales
When Rocket Lawyer makes sense: If you’re already paying for their legal subscription and need multiple business formations annually. Even then, you’ll probably get better formation service elsewhere.
The Bottom Line on Rocket Lawyer
Rocket Lawyer is a decent general legal services platform that happens to offer LLC formation. They’re not bad at formation, but they’re not specialists either.
The pricing model creates problems:
- Forces you into subscriptions for one-time needs
- Creates value conflicts between formation and legal services
- Makes true cost comparison difficult
Better approach: Use specialized formation services for your LLC, then evaluate legal service needs separately.
My recommendation: Skip Rocket Lawyer for LLC formation. Use a specialist like ZenBusiness or Northwest Registered Agent, save money, and get better service focused on your actual needs.
If you need ongoing legal services after formation, evaluate those needs separately and choose providers based on legal expertise, not formation convenience.
Rocket Lawyer LLC Review: Quick Reference
| Factor | Rating | Notes |
| Pricing Value | 2/5 | Subscription model inflates costs |
| Formation Expertise | 3/5 | Generalists, not LLC specialists |
| User Experience | 3/5 | Clean design, confusing terminology |
| Customer Service | 3/5 | Phone good, chat frustrating |
| Transparency | 4/5 | Clear pricing, misleading trial marketing |
| Overall Recommendation | 2/5 | Better options available |
Best alternatives: ZenBusiness, Northwest Registered Agent, local legal counsel for ongoing needs.
Jake Lawson is an LLC formation strategist with 15+ years of experience helping entrepreneurs choose the right formation services. He’s tested and reviewed over 20 formation companies and provides unbiased recommendations based on real-world client needs, not affiliate commissions.