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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.
Friday, December 13th
LegalZoom offers a quick and easy way to handle copyright registration. With over 20 years of legal experience, LegalZoom handles the entire process. For a single flat fee, you'll be able to put in your copyright details and let LegalZoom file for you for a totally hands-off experience. With impressive ratings from the BBB and reviewers, LegalZoom stands out as a reliable choice and is our top pick for copyright registration.
Rocket Lawyer is a site that offers a variety of legal documents including some for copyright law. However, this service doesn't help you submit your copyright registration. Instead, it has four helpful copyright-related legal documents and some tips on how to register your copyright yourself. While this may seem too hands-on, Rocket Lawyer is an affordable option to support your copyright as you move forward. With high customer ratings and an "A+” from the BBB, Rocket Lawyer earns a solid rating in our review.
MyCorporation is primarily known for helping businesses with LLCs and opening corporations, but it also offers copyright registration services. For a flat fee, you can register a copyright and allow MyCorporation to complete the process and file for you. While the refund policy is limited, MyCorporation has strong customer ratings on Trustpilot, earning it an above-average rating in our review.
The Trademark Company offers a range of copyright and trademark services that include forms and filing. It stands out as a unique option for offering NFTs, which can be useful if you're looking to make your copyrighted material more marketable. However, with mixed reviews, The Trademark Company doesn't rank as well as it could, making it a mid-tier copyright registration solution.
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.
Copyright Registration Service (CRS) offers international copyright registration through the Intellectual Property Rights Office. This is a good choice for those hoping for copyright coverage outside the US. However, with no reviews on third-party sites or the Better Business Bureau as well as no satisfaction guarantees, CRS could work a little harder to improve its overall reputation. For this reason, it earns a below-average rating in our review, but it is worth checking out if you definitely need international copyright protection.
Copyrighted is a standalone copyright registration service that offers some free registration services as well as paid options for copyrighting and takedown of copyright infringements. While the free option is appealing, the paid packages may not be worth it according to reviewers. With an average rating of 2.9 stars and reported issues with customer service, Copyrighted is not ideal - particularly for customers who want more than 5 things copyrighted.
Trademark Engine offers affordable copyright registration services with expedited processing if you need it. However, this company's satisfaction guarantee lacks any clear indication of recourse, and customer reviews are focused on complaints about failed applications. Despite its low prices, Trademark Engine earns a lower rating in our review due to these concerns.
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.
Copyright Application Online is a site that claims 90% success for copyright registration, but we don't think you should trust it. The company has an "F” rating from the Better Business Bureau due to concerns about its business practices, high costs, and a lack of guarantees or refunds. Many customers report being overcharged or feeling scammed by this site. It's probably best to avoid Copyright Application Online and choose a more reliable resource instead.
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