Rocket Lawyer reviews in 2024: Where to get free and cheap legal documents

Most family lawyers require a retainer up-front in the thousands of dollars, and an hourly rate of $200 to $1,000 per hour.

If you’re in the market for legal assistance but want to save money, consider an online divorce company like Rocket Lawyer, which costs just several hundred dollars to finalize your divorce.

Is Rocket Lawyer reputable?

RocketLawyer has a Better Business Bureau rating of A+, and a free 7-day trial, then costs:

• $39 for most documents
• $49.99 for an attorney answer to a legal question
• 30-min phone consultation $59.99 
• If your issue is too complex to be solved in half an hour, you can keep working with your attorney at the pre-negotiated Rocket Lawyer On Call price of 40% off their regular fee, 10% off their flat fee, or $125/hr, whichever is greater.

Increasingly, online divorce services like Rocket Lawyer, as quality online information and technology improvements in the courts means that in many cases, couples can agree on terms of the divorce, create the legal documents online, and then either file the papers themselves, hire a local attorney to file the divorce papers in the courts, or some of the online, DIY divorce products include filing in their fee.

• Rocket Lawyer: How does it work?
• Is Rocket Lawyer free?
• How much Does Rocket Lawyer cost?
• Who is Rocket Lawyer best for?
• Rocket Lawyer reviews: What others say

Rocket Lawyer: How does it work?

First off, it’s important to understand the type of advice and help you can hire via this platform.

While you may not be able to use Rocket Lawyer’s online portal for complex legal issues or litigation, you can use it to connect with a lawyer for hire in your area.

Rocket Lawyer is a goldmine for contracts, divorce, separation and other legal documents, estate planning, and filing for divorce — all for a fraction of the cost it would take to hire an attorney to do this work for you.

They can also help you incorporate your business and create and sign legal documents online.

The website is simple and very easy to navigate.

Not only can you pay for access to legal help and resources, but you can also read articles about common topics like divorce and estate planning.

Rocket Lawyer offers a deep library with many commonly used legal documents, as well as articles to answer questions about relevant legal topics.

The website is also set up to help you fill out the documents you need online via a simple question and answer format.

If you want to create a will for estate planning, for example, you will follow the prompts and answer numerous questions.

Rocket Lawyer will then use the answers you’ve provided to create your document for you.

Some of the services Rocket Lawyer provides are offered for free.

You can ask questions via online chat without paying a fee, for example. You can also email a question for free.

There are FAQ pages with a variety of questions and answers available as well, and these resources can help you figure out the type of help you need.

Rocket Lawyer also offers discounts when you need to hire an attorney, which you may need to do depending on the complexity of your situation.

Is Rocket Lawyer free?

No, Rocket Lawyer is not free. HOWEVER, there is a great 7-day free trial.

What is Rocket Lawyer’s free trial? What’s included?

RocketLawyer's free trial includes:

• Rocket Lawyer’s entire library of legal documents
• Document Defense protection on all of your contracts
• Secure cloud storage
• Reduced rates for your incorporation
• Free 30-minute consultations on each new legal issue
• Quick legal advice from their on-call lawyer network

How much does Rocket Lawyer cost?

After the 7-day free trial is over, you can join Rocket Lawyer as a premium member for just $39.99 per month.

With this level of membership, you will receive access to all the inclusions received above with unlimited use.

You will also get a 40% discount when you hire a lawyer through their network, and 25% off affordable registered agent service for your business.

Keep in mind, however, that you don’t have to join Rocket Lawyer as a premium member to access their services.

You can also pay for only the products or services you use a la carte:

• $39.00 for most documents
• $49.99 for an attorney answer to a legal question
• 30-min phone consultation $59.99 

Many members choose the monthly memberships at $39.99 / month, which includes:

• Unlimited access to hundreds of legal document templates that you can customize, sign, print, and download
• Unlimited access to a lawyer to legally respond to any disputed contract you create with the Rocket Lawyer plan
• Answers to your basic questions from lawyers
• A 30-minute consultation session with each new legal issue
• If your issue is too complex to be solved in half an hour, you can keep working with your attorney at the pre-negotiated Rocket Lawyer On Call price of 40% off their regular fee, 10% off their flat fee, or $125/hr, whichever is greater.

If you ultimately need a lawyer to represent you or work with you individually on complex legal matters, Rocket Lawyer’s discounts on legal help can really pay off.

With this program, you can pay 40% off your lawyer’s hourly rate or $125 per hour, whichever is higher.

This discounted rate could be extremely advantageous if lawyers in your area charge especially high fees.

Keep in mind that lawyer’s average hourly rates typically fall between $250 and $500.

Rocket Lawyer: Where it falls short

Online legal advice for a discounted rate may sound ideal, but there are a few areas where Rocket Lawyer is lacking.

One example is the 30-minute consultation you get with a lawyer for each “new” legal issue you need to cover.

While 30 minutes may be plenty of time to get your question addressed, keep in mind you can’t use this Q&A time to ask questions about more than one issue.

This allotment of time may also be inadequate if you have a complex situation to address and need time to explain it.

Will Rocket Lawyer keep your data safe?

Before you hire an online lawyer or legal service, it’s important to understand how your data will be protected.

According to Rocket Lawyer, they secure your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure “in a controlled, secure environment, protected from unauthorized access, use or disclosure.”

And, when personal information (such as a credit card number) is transmitted to other websites, it is protected through the use of encryption, such as the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol.

On the flip side, the legal service notes that you are responsible for safeguarding and preventing access to your username and password.

By accessing their services, you agree not to disclose your password to any third party.

Who is Rocket Lawyer best for?

At the end of the day, Rocket Lawyer can be extremely helpful for a certain type of consumer — but not everyone.

The ideal customer for Rocket Lawyer includes:

• Consumers with common legal issues that can mostly be handled themselves
• People who need to speak with a lawyer for basic legal advice only occasionally
• People going through a divorce that is mostly amicable, and are close to a DIY divorce settlement 
• Business owners creating new contracts
• People who are capable of doing some legal research on their own

Who should skip Rocket Lawyer?

People who should probably skip this service include:

• Customers who need full legal support and don’t know how to get started on their own
• If you have a complicated divorce, custody or other important issue that requires a local attorney

Can Rocket Lawyer help with a legal separation?

Before your divorce is final, you likely want to live apart from your spouse, in which a legal separation is a good idea. A legal separation documents that you are now living separately, and provides legal guidelines for how you will divide expenses, share time and responsibility for co-parenting, and protects each party from the other relocating with the kids or cleaning out the retirement and bank accounts.

If you and your soon-to-be ex are on decent terms, RocketLawyer's separation agreement is a good and affordable document you can use to formalize a legal separation.

Is Rocket Lawyer a good choice for a divorce settlement?

If you have a relatively simple breakup, you can likely DIY your divorce, along with some help creating legitimate legal documents to be filed with your state. 

Rocket Lawyer is a solid resource, thanks to:

1. Rocket Lawyer’s divorce settlement agreement can help with child custody, visitation, and child support, as well as property division, spousal support, debt division and other divorce checklist matters.
2. Access to Rocket Lawyer's 30-minute phone consultation and/or the question answering service. Common divorce questions that can be quickly answered include:

• What should a woman ask for in a divorce settlement? [What every mom should ask for in divorce negotiations]
• What to ask for in a divorce settlement with children?
• How long does it take to get a divorce settlement?
• Can a divorce settlement be reopened?
• Can a divorce settlement be changed?

For the vast sum of divorces, you can do most of the work yourself, along with some guidance for proper filing — so you can do it right the first time and get on with your life!

How to file for divorce online yourself with RocketLawyer

1. Check to make sure you can file for your divorce online in your district. Your local courthouse should have that information on their website, or you can call and ask a clerk.
2. Go to RocketLawyer.com, navigate to ‘Divorce Settlement Agreement' and your state. Download all the documents required.
3. Fill them out — either online (recommended) or print them out and complete them with a pen. Questions? Call and speak to a RocketLawyer attorney for an additional fee of $59.99 for 30 minutes for each new issue, or email a question for $49.99.
4. Get your documents signed and notarized (online notaries are approved in most states), then file online in your local courts, along with local filing fees.
5. Celebrate / cry / move on.

Why you get one year to be a hot mess after divorce

Can you find a divorce lawyer on Rocket Lawyer?

While RocketLawyer does not match you with a local attorney in your area, RocketLawyer's lawyers will answer your questions and review your documents.

While RocketLawyer does not match you with an estate planning lawyer near you, RocketLawyer's lawyers will answer your divorce and separation questions and review your documents within the allotted 30-minute timeframe included in the RocketLawyer program.

If the issue is too complex to be solved in half an hour, the attorney can choose to keep working with you at the pre-negotiated Rocket Lawyer On Call price, which is 40% off the attorney's hourly rate, or 10% off their flat fee. This price will be disclosed to you ahead of any billing.

This can be a good and affordable hybrid way of finalizing your divorc

How does Rocket Lawyer on Call service work?

RocketLawyer's on Call service, or Ask a Lawyer, is included in the free trial, as well as the $39.99 monthly fee, which includes one free 30-minute consultations on each new legal issue.

If your issue is too complex to be solved in half an hour, you can keep working with your attorney at the pre-negotiated Rocket Lawyer On Call price of 40% off their regular fee, 10% off their flat fee, or $125/hr, whichever is greater.

What kinds of questions can I ask an attorney?

Anything as long as it is related to your legal issue!

How much does the Ask a Lawyer service cost?

If you choose to continue consultations with your RocketLawyer attorney, the fee is either 40% off their regular fee, or $125/hr, whichever is greater.

Is Rocket Lawyer’s Ask an Attorney service legit?

Yes, RocketLawyer's Ask an Attorney service is legit.

Rocket Lawyer is an A+ Better Business Bureau rated company, and requires any attorney joining its On Call program maintain:

• Graduate from an accredited law school
• Licensed and in good standing in their state
• No disciplinary history
• Malpractice insurance
• A transparent and predictable billing model
• Be accessible via phone or email for ease of communication
• Pass a Rocket Lawyer training orientation

Is Rocket Lawyer right for you?

Rocket Lawyer was created to make legal services less expensive and easier to access.

Based on their success, it appears they are achieving that goal — at least part of the time.

It’s nice to know there’s an online portal you can use to create legal documents or get real legal advice from a lawyer.

This is obviously a huge improvement over the days when you had to call a lawyer’s office, make an appointment, and potentially pay large fees whether your problem gets solved or not.

The fact that Rocket Lawyer offers a free trial is also a huge boon.

Having seven days to tinker around with the website and its offerings can be advantageous if you’re thinking of joining the service but afraid to commit.

A week may also be enough time to get your important legal questions answered or create a simple document you need, which could mean you get your legal issue taken care of for free.

Even at $39.99 per month, RocketLawyer can pay for itself.

Also, keep in mind that no commitment is required so you can cancel at any time.

Make sure to compare all your options before you decide which way to go.

As you move forward, focus on self-care, and healthy co-parenting for your children, as well as the future of yourself. Read our Rules for co-parenting successfully — even with the most toxic ex, like trying a co-parenting app.

With the right legal program and help, you can get unlimited legal documents and assistance for a price you can afford.

Rocket Lawyer reviews: What others say

RocketLawyer has high ratings and customer reviews from sites like Better Business Bureau, TrustPilot and ConsumerAffairs.com:

Rocket Lawyer reviews on the Better Business Bureau website

Rocket Lawyer has been accredited with the BBB since 2006, and has a rating of 4/5 stars, and an A+ rating based on more than 100 Better Business Bureau reviews.

Rocket Lawyer reviews on ConsumersAffairs.com

RocketLawyer.com has a Consumer Affairs rating of 4/5 stars, based on hundreds of reviews:

RocketLawyer reviews on Trustpilot.com

Nearly 4,000 people have reviewed Rocketlawyer.com on Trustpilot, earning the site an average 4.7/5 rating.

Rocket Lawyer vs. LegalZoom

LegalZoom is a respected provider of online legal forms. In fact, WSM founder Emma Johnson has used LegalZoom for estate and business planning.

It’s a great place to find legal documents online; you’ll pay about $95 a year for unlimited downloads. Those who need ongoing legal advice can sign up for LegalZoom’s prepaid legal plans; individuals pay $9.99 to $11.99 per month, and businesses pay  $31.25 and up per month.

However, ongoing legal advice is included in Rocket Lawyer’s $39.99-per-month membership. Or you could use Rocket Lawyer’s a la carte option, paying $39 per document, about $50 for a question or about $60 for a half-hour consult.

Note: If you’re looking just for a divorce, LegalZoom’s costs $499 – much more expensive than other leading online divorce providers.

Rocket Lawyer vs. LegalShield

LegalShield (formerly Pre-Paid Legal) does not provide legal advice. Instead, it puts subscribers in touch with a network of attorneys who will draft and review documents, provide legal advice and represent individuals or businesses.

Depending on the plan, the cost is anywhere from $24.95 to $149 per month. LegalShield also sells supplemental coverage for home businesses, gun owners and trial defense; these cost an extra $9.95 to $12.95 a month. If an issue isn’t fully covered under the plan, or if the attorney reaches the limits of coverage (for example, after making one phone call or writing one letter), members can get a 25% discount off the attorney’s regular rates.

Note: LegalShield has been a multi-level marketing company since 1983.

Rocket Lawyer costs about $14 more per month than LegalShield’s personal plan, and is about the same price as its small business plan. However, Rocket Lawyer’s plan includes having basic questions answered by an attorney plus a 30-minute phone consultation for each legal issue; if you need more help than that, you’ll get as much as 40% off an attorney’s fee.  

Rocket Lawyer vs. Incfile

Incfile helps entrepreneurs get their businesses registered and also provides related services like bookkeeping, banking, tax consultation and annual reports. The initial cost depends on your state’s filing fees; subsequent services vary in price.

Rocket Lawyer can also help you incorporate an LLC, S-corp, C-corp or nonprofit. It offers some business-related paperwork as well, such as articles of amendment, trademark registration, business contracts and buy-sell agreements. Unlike Incfile, it won’t do things like help keep the books or provide tax consults.

If you’re focusing on multiple business-related documents and want help with running a business, Incfile might be a better choice.

Rocket Lawyer vs. LawDepot

Like Rocket Lawyer, LawDepot has hundreds of legal documents and offers a free 7-day trial. Unlike Rocket Lawyer, LawDepot offers no legal advice – just documents. (Except for divorce documents; all it has is a separation agreement.)

With Rocket Lawyer’s free trial, you get to ask an attorney one question for free. After that, the monthly membership fee includes attorney access, or you can get advice on as-needed basis.

If you need legal advice as well as documents, Rocket Lawyer is the way to go.