Legal

Entity Formation: Tools for incorporating your business (typically as a Delaware C-Corp), filing necessary paperwork, creating bylaws, and establishing your legal structure.

Fundraising Documentation: Standardized templates and automated workflows for SAFEs, convertible notes, equity rounds, and investor agreements with legally-sound terms.

Cap Table Management: Systems for tracking equity distribution, managing stakeholder information, and modeling dilution scenarios through funding rounds.

Template Libraries: Collections of lawyer-approved templates for common legal documents including NDAs, employment agreements, and commercial contracts.

Compliance Assistance: Features to help maintain corporate governance requirements, track filing deadlines, and manage regulatory obligations in relevant jurisdictions.

Your Incorporation Jurisdiction: Most platforms specialize in specific jurisdictions (particularly Delaware for US startups or UK for British companies). Ensure the solution supports your target incorporation location and company structure, especially if you're forming outside standard startup hubs.

Fundraising Plans: Different platforms excel at different funding stages and instruments. If you're planning a SAFE round, convertible note, or priced equity round, look for platforms with strong template libraries and workflow support for those specific instruments.

Standard vs. Custom Needs: Most legal platforms excel at standard, well-established startup scenarios but offer limited flexibility for unusual structures or complex arrangements. Assess whether your needs fit within standard templates or require more customized legal support.

International Considerations: If you're operating across multiple countries or have international founders, check whether the platform can handle multi-jurisdiction requirements, international tax concerns, and appropriate governance structures.

Integration with Banking & Finance: Many legal formation tools now integrate with banking, payment processing, and financial services. Consider whether bundled banking services, tax support, or financial integrations would benefit your startup's early operations.

Growth Stage Support: Your startup's legal needs will evolve rapidly. Evaluate whether the platform can support your company beyond formation through fundraising, hiring, commercial contracts, and potential future rounds—or if you'll need to transition to traditional legal services.

Assuming one-size-fits-all: Many founders choose platforms based solely on popularity without considering their specific scenario. What works for a standard Silicon Valley startup might not suit international teams or specialized business models. Research whether the platform has successfully supported companies with similar structures to yours.

Overlooking future financing compatibility: Some platforms create documents that might face scrutiny from institutional investors in later rounds. Check whether the platform's templates are regularly accepted by top VCs and if they stay updated with evolving market standards.

Neglecting compliance beyond formation: Many startups focus only on incorporation and miss ongoing compliance requirements. Ensure the platform helps you maintain good standing with annual filings, tax deadlines, and corporate governance requirements.

Choosing platforms with limited expert support: While self-service is cost-effective, having access to legal experts for questions is valuable. Look for platforms that offer some form of expert guidance, review services, or clear escalation paths when you encounter complex scenarios.

Ignoring cap table management needs: Formation is just the beginning—equity management becomes increasingly complex with each hire and funding round. Consider whether the platform offers robust cap table tools or integrates with specialized equity management software for growing teams.

Most startup Legal software solutions use either fixed-fee or subscription models, with incorporation packages typically ranging from $200 to $700 as a one-time cost, while ongoing legal platforms range from $25 to $100+ monthly for access to document templates and basic services.

Formation Packages: Basic incorporation services typically cost $200-400 for standard Delaware C-Corp setups, while more comprehensive packages including EIN filing, initial agreements, and post-formation support might range from $500-700.

Platform Subscriptions: Monthly access to legal document platforms generally starts around $25-50 for basic template access and scales to $100+ for advanced features like unlimited document generation, cap table management, and funding tools.

Bundled Services: Some platforms offer formation combined with banking, registered agent services, or compliance support as bundled packages. These might appear more expensive initially ($600-800) but can offer better value than purchasing services separately.

When comparing costs, consider what's included beyond the basic incorporation—particularly registered agent fees, state filing costs, banking setup, and ongoing compliance support. The most cost-effective solution depends on your specific requirements, growth timeline, and anticipated fundraising activity. Compared to traditional law firm services ($3,000-5,000+ for standard formation), these platforms typically offer savings of 70-80% for standard startup scenarios.