LegalZoom
Smokeball
| Feature | LegalZoom | Smokeball |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $0/mo | From $39/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.1 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | new-businesses, entrepreneurs, individuals, llc-formation | small-law-firms, mid-size-firms, litigation-practices, billable-hour-firms |
| Founded | 1999 | 2007 |
| Business Formation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Trademark Registration | ✓ | ✗ |
| Estate Planning | ✓ | ✗ |
| Compliance Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Attorney Access | ✓ | ✗ |
| Operating Agreements | ✓ | ✗ |
| Automatic Time Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Document Automation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Matter Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Billing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Reporting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Microsoft Integration | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ LegalZoom Pros
- Trusted brand with millions of customers served
- Comprehensive business formation packages
- Attorney network for complex legal needs
- Compliance calendar and alerts
✗ LegalZoom Cons
- Upselling can make services expensive
- Processing times can be slow
- Customer service quality varies
✓ Smokeball Pros
- Automatic time recording
- Deep Microsoft Office integration
- Strong document automation
- Excellent for billing accuracy
✗ Smokeball Cons
- Windows-only desktop app
- Higher price point
- Learning curve for automation
The Verdict
LegalZoom is built for new businesses and entrepreneurs, with a focus on business-formation and trademark-registration. Smokeball targets small law firms and mid size firms and leads with automatic-time-tracking and document-automation.
On pricing, LegalZoom is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $0/mo compared to $39/mo for Smokeball. That $39/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Neither tool offers a free plan, so factor the subscription cost into your decision from the start.
Smokeball edges out on user ratings (4.5 vs 4.1). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Bottom line: Smokeball has a slight overall edge — but if trusted brand with millions of customers served matters most to you, LegalZoom may still be the right call.