Our reviewers evaluate products and services based on unbiased research. Top Consumer Reviews may earn money when you click on a link. Learn more about our process.
Friday, December 13th
Copyright Registration offers a fast and straightforward way to register your copyright. With a flat rate and no fuss, the process is simple and only requires digital uploads to complete your forms. However, since the service is new, it currently lacks a BBB rating or reviews on other third-party sites. It may be best to wait until Copyright Registration builds a stronger reputation before fully trusting it for your copyright needs.
Trademark Elite offers copyright and trademark registration services with a simple form online. However, with prices going as high as $799 for a simple US copyright registration, it is much more costly than competitors. With recent complaints of poor customer service and no refund policy to speak of, Trademark Elite doesn't stand out from the pack. With more affordable options out there, Trademark Elite comes in near the bottom of our review.
Have you ever created something and worried about sharing your genius idea, art piece, or story because it might get stolen? Copyrighting your work is one way to get some peace of mind and protection for your creative endeavors. For those who don't know, a copyright is a form of legal protection offered by the U.S. Constitution for original works created in a "tangible medium” of expression.
In layman's terms, copyrights cover any intellectual property that is an original work of authorship like a book, musical, play, song, poetry, movie, computer software architecture, and more. No matter what kind of creator you are (singer, painter, poet, web designer), you can get your work protected.
The only things not covered by copyright law are facts, ideas, systems, or methods of operation. As long as your creation is tangible in some way (yes, music counts as tangible even though it's sound), it can be registered as intellectual property for a copyright. But what are the benefits?
Your work is technically "copyrighted” from the moment you create it. However, this is just an informal copyright and won't stand up in a court of law. If you want legal protection against your work getting stolen or protections against infringement or misuse of your work, you'll need to get a copyright registration. Registered works are eligible for statutory damages and attorney's fees being covered if you need to take something to litigation. In short, copyrights give you legal protections and if you need to go after another person or entity for stealing your work, you'll need to be properly registered to make the lawsuit stick.
Further, copyrights protect your work from misuse or use by others without your permission (someone can't take your book and turn it into a movie without facing legal trouble) if your book is copyrighted. Your copyright will last for your entire lifetime and an additional 70 years past that, so the managers of your estate will handle permissions related to your work's use. You won't have to register more than once for a single work. That way you can focus on your next big creation once you've got your copyright taken care of.
If you're ready to register your work with the US Electronic Copyright Office (ECO) or Library of Congress, but you're not sure how to finish the process or fill out the paperwork, don't worry - there are tons of services out there to help. To help you get started, we've put together a list of factors to help you narrow down your options. Here's what we found:
To help you get your most recent work protected under copyright law, Top Consumer Reviews has reviewed and ranked the top copyright registration services online today. This way, you can take the stress (and uncertainties) out of the legal process, and enjoy creating your music, novels, art, and architecture with the security that your work is protected. Happy copyrighting!
Select any 2 Copyright Registration Services to compare them head to head