A lawyer costs $200–$500 an hour. Most small business legal needs don't require a lawyer — they require the right document, filed correctly.
Online legal services handle the 80% of business legal work that's routine: forming an LLC, drafting contracts, creating employee agreements, writing a will. Here's how the top options compare.
Quick Comparison
| Service | Best For | Starting Price | Key Strength | Free Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LawDepot | Legal documents & forms | Varies | 120-day cookie, huge template library | Yes |
| WillMaker (Nolo) | Wills & estate planning | ~$130 | 90-day cookie, trusted Nolo brand | No |
| Simply Business | Business insurance quotes | Free quotes | $30 per quoted RFQ | N/A (quotes free) |
| Hiscox | Small business insurance | Free quotes | $15 per quote, established insurer | N/A (quotes free) |
| Everplans | End-of-life planning | Free–$75/yr | Free signup tier | Yes (free tier) |
1. LawDepot — Best Legal Document Library
LawDepot is the closest thing to having a paralegal on retainer. Thousands of attorney-drafted templates: LLC operating agreements, NDAs, independent contractor agreements, lease agreements, bills of sale, loan agreements.
What you get:
- Fill-in-the-blank legal documents for every common business need
- Guided questionnaires (answer plain-English questions, get a finished document)
- E-signature built in
- New documents as laws change
Pricing: Subscription or per-document. The free trial lets you test the full library before committing — and they pay $6.50 per free trial signup, which tells you the trial converts well.
Best for: Any business that regularly needs contracts, agreements, or HR documents. If you're paying a lawyer $300 to draft a basic NDA, LawDepot pays for itself the first time you use it.
Watch out for: Templates are starting points, not finishing points. For high-stakes contracts (major partnerships, IP assignments, anything over $50K), have a lawyer review the final version. LawDepot saves you 90% of the cost; spend the last 10% on review.
2. WillMaker by Nolo — Best for Wills & Estate Planning
Every business owner needs a will. If you die without one, your business assets go through probate — slow, expensive, public. Nolo's WillMaker is the gold standard of DIY estate planning software, from the publisher that's been explaining law in plain English for 50 years.
What you get:
- Legally valid will (all 50 states)
- Living trust documents
- Healthcare directives and power of attorney
- Final arrangements planner
Pricing: Around $130 for the complete package — versus $1,000+ for a lawyer-drafted will. They pay 15–25% commission, reflecting strong conversion.
Best for: Business owners, parents, anyone with assets. Especially valuable if your business would need to keep running (or wind down cleanly) without you.
Watch out for: Complex estates (multiple properties, blended families, business succession with partners) still need a lawyer. WillMaker handles straightforward situations perfectly.
3. Simply Business — Best Small Business Insurance Quotes
Here's what most "best legal services" lists miss: the #1 legal expense that blindsides small businesses isn't a lawsuit — it's operating without insurance when something goes wrong.
Simply Business is a quote-comparison platform for small business insurance: general liability, professional liability, workers' comp, commercial property. Fill out one form, get quotes from multiple carriers.
What you get:
- Side-by-side quotes from top-rated insurers
- Coverage tailored to your industry (they cover 100+ business types)
- No obligation — quotes are free
Why it matters legally: If a client sues you, your insurance company's lawyers defend you. No insurance = you pay for your own defense at $300+/hour. A $500/year general liability policy is the cheapest legal protection a business can buy.
Watch out for: Don't underinsure to save $20/month. Match your coverage to your actual risk — if clients visit your office, if you handle client data, if you give professional advice, you need the relevant coverage.
4. Hiscox — Best Established Business Insurer
Hiscox has been insuring small businesses for over 100 years. Where Simply Business compares quotes, Hiscox is a direct carrier — you buy from them, and their policyholders get their claims team.
What you get:
- Direct small business insurance (no middleman)
- Professional liability / errors & omissions
- General liability and business owner's policies
- Fast online quotes ($15 per completed quote shows they convert)
Best for: Consultants, freelancers, agencies, and professional services — anyone whose advice or work product could trigger a claim.
Watch out for: Get quotes from both a comparison site and a direct carrier. Sometimes the direct price wins; sometimes the marketplace finds a better fit. Ten minutes of comparison can save hundreds per year.
5. Everplans — Best End-of-Life Organization
Not strictly a "business" service, but every business owner needs it: Everplans is a secure digital vault for your will, insurance policies, account passwords, business succession instructions, and final wishes.
What you get:
- Free tier: basic document organization
- Premium ($75/year): full vault, deputy access, guided planning
Why it matters: If something happens to you, does anyone know where your business bank accounts are? Your domain registrar logins? Your client contracts? Everplans makes sure your family (or business partner) isn't locked out of everything.
Best for: Business owners who are the single point of failure for passwords, accounts, and institutional knowledge. (That's most of us.)
The Small Business Legal Checklist
If you're starting or running a business, here's the minimum legal setup, in order:
- Form the entity. LLC in your state ($50–$500 filing fee). Separates your personal assets from business liability.
- Get an EIN. Free from the IRS. Takes 5 minutes online.
- Open a business bank account. Never mix personal and business money.
- Get insured. General liability at minimum. Professional liability if you give advice.
- Template your contracts. NDA, client agreement, contractor agreement — have them ready before you need them.
- Write a will. Name someone to handle your business affairs if you can't.
- Organize everything. Vault your documents where your family can find them.
Total cost using the services above: under $500 for the legal foundation. Total cost of skipping it: potentially everything.
DIY vs. Hiring a Lawyer
Use online services for:
- Standard contracts and agreements
- LLC formation paperwork
- Basic wills and estate documents
- Insurance shopping
- Document organization
Hire a lawyer for:
- Anything involving a dispute or lawsuit
- Complex partnerships or equity splits
- Intellectual property filings (trademarks, patents)
- Regulatory compliance in licensed industries
- Anything where the downside exceeds $50,000
The smartest businesses use both: online services for the routine 80%, a lawyer on speed-dial for the critical 20%.
Red Flags: When "Cheap" Legal Help Costs More
Not all online legal services are equal. Watch for:
"Free LLC formation" offers. The formation is free; the $300/year "registered agent service" auto-renews forever. Read what's actually included. Your state's Secretary of State website lets you file directly for the filing fee only.
One-size-fits-all operating agreements. A generic LLC operating agreement that doesn't address profit splits, buyout terms, or what happens if a partner leaves is a lawsuit waiting to happen. Customize the template.
Legal insurance that isn't insurance. Some "prepaid legal" plans are discount clubs, not insurance. They get you 25% off a lawyer's hourly rate — which still leaves you paying $225/hour. Real business insurance (liability, E&O) pays claims. Know the difference.
No attorney review option. The best online services offer an add-on attorney review. If a service won't let a real lawyer look at your document at any price, that's a red flag.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are online legal documents actually valid?
Yes, if done correctly. LawDepot and Nolo's documents are drafted by attorneys and updated for all 50 states. A correctly completed template is just as enforceable as one a lawyer typed. The risk isn't the template — it's filling it out wrong for your situation.
Should I form an LLC or S-corp?
For most new businesses: LLC. It's simpler, cheaper, and gives you liability protection. S-corp election can save on self-employment taxes once you're profitable (roughly $60K+ net), but adds payroll complexity. Talk to a CPA when you cross that threshold.
How much business insurance do I need?
Minimum: general liability ($1M/$2M is standard and costs $300–$600/year for most small businesses). Add professional liability if clients rely on your expertise. Add cyber liability if you store customer data. When in doubt, get quotes — they're free.
Can I write my own contracts?
You can, but shouldn't from scratch. Start with a vetted template (LawDepot), customize it for your situation, and have a lawyer review anything high-stakes. A bad DIY contract is worse than no contract — it gives you false confidence.
The Bottom Line
Documents: LawDepot — the template library every business needs.
Wills: WillMaker (Nolo) — the gold standard, 50 years of trust.
Insurance: Get quotes from Simply Business and Hiscox — compare, then buy.
Organization: Everplans — make sure someone can find everything.
Under $500 total. The most cost-effective legal protection a small business can buy.
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