Rocket Lawyer
Legal Made Simple
Inc Authority
100% Free Business Formation Services
Side-by-side comparison. Data as of 2026-02-16.
Company Background
Rocket Lawyer
HQ: San Francisco, California (182 Howard Street #830)
Ownership: Private (VC-backed; $290M+ funding)
Employees: 201-500
Formations: 1,000,000+ businesses (millions of documents created)
Key Milestones
- Founded 2008 in San Francisco
- Launched Rocket Lawyer On Call® attorney network
- Raised $290M+ funding
- Expanded to business formation + RA
- Hit 1M+ business customers
Inc Authority
HQ: Reno, Nevada (3773 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Suite 500S)
Ownership: Private (independent)
Employees: 120+
Formations: 250,000+ entities
Key Milestones
- Founded 1989 in Reno, NV
- Pioneered free formation model
- Hit 250,000+ formations
- Partnered with Daymond John (Shark Tank) in 2021
- Inc. 5000 ranking for multiple years
Core Services
Rocket Lawyer Services
Formation types:
- ✓ LLC
- ✓ Corporation (C-Corp, S-Corp)
- ✓ Nonprofit
- ✓ Foreign Qualification (limited states)
- ✓ Change of Registered Agent
Differentiators:
- Bundled membership ($39.99/mo) with attorney access
- Thousands of legal forms & templates
- Rocket Lawyer On Call® (discount attorney advice)
- e-Signature & document storage
- Free 7-day trial
Inc Authority Services
Formation types:
- ✓ LLC
- ✓ Corporation (C-Corp, S-Corp)
- ✓ Foreign Qualification (limited)
- ✓ Change of Registered Agent
Differentiators:
- Truly free formation ($0 service fee + state fees only)
- Free 1-year RA + EIN
- Tax-deductible state fees
- Worry-free guarantee
- High-volume upsell support (credit, funding)
Both offer nationwide RA coverage. Compare differentiators above to see where each shines.
Pricing & Value
| Category | Rocket Lawyer | Inc Authority | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Year Total | ~$99.99 + state fees + $479.88 membership (full value) | ~$0 + state fees (free formation + RA) | Inc Authority |
| RA Annual Fee | $149.99/year (add-on; discounted for members) | Free Year 1; $99/year renewal (or higher bundles) | — |
| Value Score | 8.0/10 | 8.5/10 | Inc Authority |
Speed & Performance
Rocket Lawyer
Avg formation: Instant docs + 1-5 business days filing
Expedited: Available (add-on)
Inc Authority
Avg formation: 24 hours processing + state time
Expedited: Free 24-hour (standard)
Pros & Cons
Rocket Lawyer — Pros
- ✓ Unlimited attorney calls
- ✓ Legal form library
- ✓ Membership discounts
- ✓ e-Signature included
- ✓ 1M+ customers
Rocket Lawyer — Cons
- ✗ Membership required for value
- ✗ RA $149.99 extra
- ✗ Auto-renew issues
- ✗ Not formation-focused
- ✗ Higher ongoing cost
Inc Authority — Pros
- ✓ 100% free service fee
- ✓ Free 1-year RA + EIN
- ✓ 24-hour fast processing
- ✓ Tax & funding analysis
- ✓ #1 rated on Trustpilot
Inc Authority — Cons
- ✗ Heavy marketing/upsells
- ✗ Persistent emails/calls
- ✗ Billing disputes
- ✗ BBB complaints
- ✗ Limited add-on depth
The Verdict
Choose Rocket Lawyer if: Perfect for businesses needing more than just formation—attorney access and forms make the membership worthwhile. Ideal if you value legal support beyond setup.
Choose Inc Authority if: The ultimate free formation option—ideal for bootstrappers ignoring upsells. Delivers value if you want zero-cost startup with pro perks.
Higher rating: Inc Authority (8.4/10)