Both Trademark Engine and LegalZoom might sound like affordable and easy trademark registration options, but they are not. They become super expensive over time!
It’s very important to keep in mind that you should never use LegalZoom, Trademark Engine, or any non-attorney-backed companies for your trademark registration. They are the puppy mill equivalent of legal services. Whatever money you save upfront will cost you ten times once you have an issue.
For example, if there’s already a brand called X Cration and you want to trademark the name X Creation, both Trademark Engine and LegalZoom will proceed with your application. If you are lucky, you will get your mark accepted.
But in the future, after your business starts to gain momentum, the owner of
X Cration will sue you in court with the assumption that your business name is confusing their customers.
Whether you will win this lawsuit or not, both Trademark Engine and Legal Zoom will not get involved in this case and you will end up spending a whole lot of money. You could even lose your business name and be forced to rebrand.
There are hundreds of extra things that could go wrong if you mess up your trademark registration. It’s always a good idea to use a reputable firm backed by attorneys. This is why I recommend Trademark Factory. Read this post to the end to learn why I arrive at this conclusion.
This is an in-depth Trademark Engine vs LegalZoom comparison.
If you’ve ever tried to trademark your new business, you might have heard of Trademark Engine and LegalZoom. So you might be wondering, are they worth it or which one should you choose?
Then read this debate to the end. I have a special message towards the end of this article that you can’t afford to miss.
Trademark Engine vs LegalZoom Overview
What is Trademark Engine?
Trademark Engine is a firm in the U.S that helps business owners protect their brands and business worldwide. They help you legally claim ownership of a brand name, logo, packaging, or sound before someone else does.
The firm is made up of a legal team and technologists who give efficient services to small businesses. They target consumers who cannot afford or don’t need a full-service intellectual property attorney.
As a side note, Trademark Engine is not a law firm and doesn’t give legal advice. But on the other hand, the team uses legal knowledge and technology to help you obtain your trademark. They are also focused on getting you everything you need for the searching, filing, and maintaining of your trademark.
Trademark Engine is known to be fast, simple, economical, and focused on small businesses.
Read the full Trademark Engine review here.
What is LegalZoom Trademark?
What LegalZoom does is help you prepare legal documents. They prepare a range of legal documents for which you would need to hire a legal practitioner — including trademark application documents.
You can think of them as a template bank for legal documents, except that they attach more features to their service.
It’s known that LegalZoom will help you reduce paperwork and better your time management. They provide you with an online questionnaire form that mirrors the official United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) trademark application form.
The mirrored official USPTO trademark application form they provided will be used to collect the required information for your trademark application. Alongside a small payment, they will prepare your application and submit it through the USPTO electronic filing system.
But on the flip side, LegalZoom is not a legal firm even though they have “legal” attached to their name. This means that it’s not guaranteed that they will offer you any legal advice, guidance, suggestions, or strategies regarding your trademark application.
For this reason, LegalZoom will not represent you if you ever get sued for trademark infringement. Also, they will not help you pursue a lawsuit against anyone infringing upon your trademark. And again, if a trademark cancellation is filed against your trademark registration, it is likely that they won’t show up for you.
Read the full LegalZoom Trademark review here.
LegalZoom vs Trademark Engine Trademark Services Breakdown
Trademark Engine Service Review
Trademark Engine offers a quick and easy way to register your brand name or logo.
Registering your mark (an element, symbol, visual image, or art design that helps people immediately recognize a certain company) gives you ownership and the right to use the brand worldwide. And, you also stand the chance of enjoying wider protection in courts.
Plus it will also attach the ® symbol to your brand logo, name, or slogan. It also presents your business as a well-established and trusted platform. Also, your business may see an increase in value.
You can get your brand trademarked using Trademark Engine’s 3-step approach and a simple online questionnaire. Most people finish the steps in minutes!
The 3 steps you are going to follow through for your trademark registration are:
Step 1: Answer a few questions
Trademark Engine will like to get information about you and your business. The questionnaire could include questions like:
- What name would you like to use on the registration application?
- Will there be more than one owner?
- What is the address of the owner of the mark?
- What type of entity is the owner of the mark?
- Describe the services or products that will have the mark.
- Has the look of the mark been finalized?
- What does the mark look like?
- Are you trying to trademark the use of a specific color?
- What type of product will use the mark?
Step 2: Compile the application and search
After answering all the required questions, the next step is compiling your application and searching the database. In this stage, you have to search to see if the mark you have chosen is already in use by another business.
If you find out that your mark is taken, you have the opportunity to make changes. Failure to do so before filing your application will incur a rejection from the USPTO. Unfortunately, if your application is rejected, the fees you pay to Trademark Engine and the USPTO won’t be refunded.
Searching will avoid mark duplication and save you from rejection. And also save you from losing your money. Trademark Engine offers comprehensive trademark searches that cover the common law, federal, state, and global levels.
Step 3: Application filing
You can proceed to step 3 after you are sure that you have fulfilled the above steps. In this stage, you have nothing to do than to sit back and watch Trademark Engine file your application.
Your application will be filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Certification is usually issued in about 12 – 18 months.
Read also: Trademark Plus Review
LegalZoom Trademark Service Review
Just like many other trademark firms, LegalZoom uses the same approach in registering your trademark. Their processes are broken down into 3 simple steps.
Step 1: Introduce your Trademark
Introducing your trademark is the first step of the process. Before moving forward with the registration, you need to tell LegalZoom about your trademark. This could include your slogan, color, logo, or sound you have chosen or forged yourself.
Introducing your trademark starts with the first “hello!” to a representative. Don’t know where to start? LegalZoom puts up its phone number on its page and urges people to call them.
You could call to discuss the trademark over the phone or set up a physical meeting with one of their representatives.
Step 2: Research and Reporting
After introducing your trademark, the next step in the process is to sit back and watch LegalZoom do its thing. At this stage, they will perform a comprehensive trademark search to find anything similar to yours.
If they find one, that’s a red flag indicating that you can’t proceed with the Mark registration. This is because it can cause confusion and you can be sued for infringement.
Regardless of the outcome of the comprehensive trademark search, they will report back to you with their results.
Step 3: Filing and Paperwork
If you have reviewed the report and given a go-ahead signal, the next stage will be the filing and paperwork. They will prepare your application and submit it through the USPTO electronic filing system.
In about 3 – 6 months, you will get a decision from the USPTO if your trademark application was accepted or rejected.
Trademark Engine and LegalZoom Price Comparison
Both Trademark Engine and LegalZoom have almost similar pricing systems.
Trademark Engine offers 3 packages with the higher tiers having extra features and more cost.
The 3 packages are the:
- Basic package
- Standard package
- Deluxe package
A. Basic Package
The basic package is the smallest in Trademark Engine’s trademark registration service. It goes for $99 plus the USPTO filing fee.
The basic package contains, obviously, the basic perks that would aid you to register your mark. If you purchase this package, during registration, you will have access to the following:
- Direct-hit search: You will be able to search the USPTO database for registered and filed trademarks that match your mark.
- Federal E-Filing with USPTO: Your application will be filed electronically. This takes out all the limitations and delays with paper filing.
- Electronic Delivery: Your trademark application will be delivered electronically. This will enable you to get your application delivered as soon as possible.
B. Standard Package
The standard package is the medium package in the trademark registration service. It goes for $149 plus the USPTO filing fees.
The standard package has all the features that the basic package has. Plus, it has additional perks that make it a tier higher than the basic package.
If you choose this package, you will stand to benefit the following:
- All the perks in the basic package
- Cease & Desist Letter: You have access to a customizable cautionary letter that you can send to an alleged wrongdoer trying to mess with your trademarked property. The letter describes their misconduct and demands that they stop immediately. It also puts up a notice that legal action will be taken if the misconduct in question continues.
- Transfer/Assignment: Trademark Engine lets you have access to custom assignment templates. You can use them if you choose to transfer/assign the ownership of your trademark to another company or person.
- Trademark Monitoring: Trademark Engine will keep an eye on infringers who may rise to impersonate your mark and notify you on when to take action against infringement. This perk is a $175 quarterly renewable feature.
C. Deluxe Package
The deluxe package is the top-tier package among the packages in the trademark registration service. It goes for $199 which also includes the USPTO filing fees.
The deluxe package has all the perks the standard package has. And its own additional perks to make it stand out from the rest of the packages.
If you purchase the deluxe package, you will benefit the following:
- All the perks in the standard package
- Private Registration: Trademark Engine offers data protection and privacy to your personal details such as email, phone number, or address, on the USPTO online database. This way, your details will not be displayed as a public record for random people to view.
- 24-hour Expedited Processing: The reviewing, preparing, and filing of your trademark application will be done in 24 hours compared to the other packages that take up to 5 business days.
On the other hand, LegalZoom’s trademark registration service cost $599. They offer only one pricing package for their trademark registration service. Purchasing this service will open you up to the process of registering a trademark.
The trademark registration cost doesn’t include federal fees that are charged upon filing, you will have to pay does fees separately.
Purchasing LegalZoom’s trademark service automatically sets you up with an attorney. Your attorney will help deal with minor roadblocks that may limit your trademark from being registered.
Aside from getting help from an attorney, you would also be considered for a free trademark search if the first one had an issue. And if your first trademark application gets rejected, you can always apply for the second time for free.
Why I Don’t Recommend Trademark Engine and LegalZoom Trademark Services?
For some people, LegalZoom and Trademark Engine offer great trademark services while for others like myself, they don’t. Before you think I’m a party pooper, check out the reasons why I think these trademark services are whacks.
1. No Legal Backing
Of course, LegalZoom partners with attorneys to help you prepare and file your trademark application while Trademark Engine only helps you file your application online. But on the other hand, they both do not have any legal team that will give you legal protection if you ever get sued for trademark infringement or something similar.
Also, they will not help you pursue a lawsuit against someone who is infringing upon your trademark.
It is important to keep in mind that they are NOT legal firms and do not have any legal team. Instead, LegalZoom partners with attorneys who render services like a third party. Services that only include helping you research, review, and prepare your trademark application.
So, if you ever face problems that would require an attorney to defend you, you’re definitely on your own. All you can do is hire an attorney who will offer you full service in that regard.
This is a big deal-breaker in my book because you are likely going to need the support of an attorney at some point. At that point, you will then regret filing your trademark with cheap companies that don’t offer legal protection.
2. Office Action Not Included in Both Services
It’s likely to receive a response from the USPTO requesting additional information or pointing out a problem with your trademark application. Unfortunately, LegalZoom’s trademark and Trademark Engine services do not include responding to office actions.
This means that if you ever get stuck because the USPTO is asking for additional information or to fix something in your application, they will not cover you with their trademark packages.
However, LegalZoom does have an Office Action Response package that cost between $200 to $800 while Trademark Engine owns costs $149. This makes both trademark services to become more expenses because the chances of needing to respond to an office action are high.
USPTO, in most cases, usually needs more information about a brand before trademarking it. In this scenario, you will end up purchasing one of their additional services.
However, other trademark firms have this covered in their trademark services without charging additional fees.
3. They Don’t Tell You If Your Mark Is Ineligible
Another major reason I don’t recommend LegalZoom and Trademark Engine is that they won’t tell you if your mark is ineligible. The USPTO will not register your trademark if:
- It has names belonging to a chemical element or other exclusive names.
- It has a name, phrase, sound, or color that has already been trademarked.
- It has a generic name e.g Wine for a wine company or Pear for a fruit company.
- It has words that merely describe the business
- It causes confusion, deceives the public, hurts religious beliefs, or goes against the morality of communities.
Even with a trademark name like Cakes for a cake brand, LegalZoom and Trademark Engine are eager to take your money to start the trademark application process. Meanwhile, we all know that a trademark such as Cakes for a cake brand will likely get rejected by the USPTO.
On the other hand, a trademark attorney would have pointed out that your mark would be rejected. That initial information would save you money from performing a search.
4. No Trademark Search Opinions
When doing a trademark search, you are likely to get over a hundred pages of hits. Those hits or raw data that you get in return show you similar marks that are in existence.
A lot of times, people don’t know what to do with the tons of search returns they get from trademark searches and would like an opinion from a professional.
Unfortunately, LegalZoom and Trademark Engine do not offer any legal opinion. This means that you will likely be getting your trademark search report as it is.
Without an opinion from a professional, you would be staring at a bunch of data like a 6-year-old trying to read a chemistry textbook.
Going through a trademark search report which spans over a hundred pages is time-consuming and stressful. Duh, isn’t it supposed to be included in the payment plan?
Without an opinion from a trademark attorney, you might end up making the wrong decision since you weren’t cut out for the job in the first place.
It’s very important to keep in mind that you should never use LegalZoom, Trademark Engine, or any non-attorney-backed companies for your trademark registration. They are the puppy mill equivalent of legal services. Whatever money you save upfront will cost you ten times once you have an issue.
If Not Trademark Engine or LegalZoom, Then What?
I think it’s pretty clear that if you are serious with your business, you need more than what Trademark Engine and LegalZoom trademark services have to offer. And if you need a better alternative that protects your business for life, I highly recommend Trademark Factory.
Trademark Factory’s mission is to help growth-minded entrepreneurs build amazing brands. Thing is, you can’t build an amazing brand unless you OWN the brand you’re building. And the only way to own your brand is to trademark it.
And if you are wondering why Trademark Factory is worth checking out, here are a few reasons:
1. All-Inclusive Service
Unlike Trademark Engine and LegalZoom, Trademark Factory has a full legal team and advisors that take care of all your trademark processes. These experienced attorneys and trademark agents won’t let you break a sweat or worry about anything.
You will only be contacted when necessary for some required information or document.
After sharing the necessary information with the team, they go on to draft and file your application. All necessary legal requirements will be met for your trademark to be registered.
To me, this is what makes them unique. Once you choose to work with them, it’s a 100% done-for-you service. Just sit back and watch your brand get trademarked without paying any additional fee.
To be clear, you will get all the services that Trademark Engine and LegalZoom offer on Trademark Factory and more with only a one-time fee. No recurring payment!
And if you ever had any issues with your mark, their attorneys will swing into action.
2. One Flat Fee
One thing that makes Trademark Factory stand out is their one flat fee. Other trademark firms will likely charge you per hour and demand another payment if an objection is raised against your application or further actions need to be taken by them.
But with Trademark Factory, you only need to make a one-time payment, which covers the cost of the Trademarking process from start to finish. Even if your brand trademarking process requires a full legal team, you won’t be charged an hourly rate.
Trademark Factory does not incur hidden costs or other demands for payment. No matter how many objections are raised against your application, additional payment will not be incurred.
For the records, and depending on the plan you paid for, your one-time fee should include a comprehensive trademark search, application filing, response to all office actions, etc.
Most of the services you will get with one payment on Trademark Factory are charged individually or hourly by other trademark firms like LegalZoom and Trademark Engine.
3. Guaranteed Results
Trademark Factory has a 99.3% success rate. This means that there is a high chance that your brand will be trademarked. But if things should swing sideways, they follow a 100% money-back guarantee policy.
So, if you don’t get what you paid Trademark Factory for, you will get a full refund even after the rigorous process the legal team has gone through.
The refund could come in two ways. You can get a full refund before filing. This means if Trademark Factory identifies any problem with trademarking your brand after you already paid, you will get a 100% refund Or they keep searching until they help you find a brand you can own.
They also offer a full refund after filing. So after their comprehensive search, if they find your brand suitable for trademarking and they filed it but get disapproved by the Trademarks office, you get your full refund, regardless of how many office actions they have responded to.
And because they have been in operation for over 9 years, and filled 2885 trademarks with over 99 success rates, you can be rest assured they will deliver on their promises.
4. Large Team
Another reason to trust Trademark Factory is the fact that they have a huge team. They are currently over 30 team members working in this firm, with each proving their expertise in different areas.
This means you will get the right specialist to work on different aspects of your brand trademarking process. This is why Trademark Factory can handle all the activities themselves; because they have a complete team.
5. Free Call with a Specialist
Finally, unlike many trademark firms that are only after your money, Trademark Factory will require to know more about your business before they decide you are a great fit for them.
You will first need to request a free call with one of their advisors (click here to request the call), who will try to understand your business goal and then recommend the best package for you. This free consultation will also shed more light on certain things you don’t know about your business model.
This is completely risk-free, so I see no reason why you won’t request a free call now. (click here to request the call now) or read this in-depth review of Trademark Factory to know how they work.
Conclusion
In this Trademark Engine vs Legalzoom debate, I believe you’ve seen why you should avoid both services. The future expenses and stress are not worth it, and you will surely regret it.
I recommend you use an affordable firm like Trademark Factory. They got you covered for life. Click here to request a free call with one of Trademark Factory Advisors.
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