The Best Online Divorce Services

Tuesday, March 21st

2023 Online Divorce Service Reviews

Divorce Writer

• $137 one-time fee

When you first visit the Divorce Writer website, you might not think it's the best choice for an affordable, legally-compliant online divorce process. It's not the most polished site you'll see and is vaguely reminiscent of the early 2000s in look and feel. But don't let that discourage you from considering this platform for your uncontested divorce paperwork. You won't find another service priced as competitively as Divorce Writer.

Features:

• $137 for uncontested divorce with or without children
• Divorce Writer will refund the difference if you find a lower price with another service
• Available for 49 states (excluding Missouri) and Washington DC
• 100% money-back guarantee if documents aren't accepted by the court
• "A+" rated and accredited by the BBB
• Unlimited revisions for two years
• Email and phone support
• Name change notification documents included
• Documents are available for immediate download or via USPS delivery

Divorce Writer gives you the most bang for your buck, so to speak. You'll only pay $137 for a whole suite of features that their competitors charge nearly $300 (or more) to provide. These include name change notification documents if you're returning to your maiden name and need to inform various businesses and governmental offices, no extra charge for revisions to your documents for up to two years, support via email or phone, and a price guarantee if you find comparable services anywhere else. And, as with most online divorce platforms, Divorce Writer will give you a full refund if your documents aren't accepted by the court where you file for divorce.

We also appreciate that the website clearly explains the procedure for filing for divorce by mail: with so many courts having limited appointments and hours, you may not be able to submit your paperwork very quickly if you try to do so in person. Divorce Writer takes the extra step of listing which states allow for E-filing, as well as the filing/court fees you can expect depending on where you live.

One of the partner services affiliated with Divorce Writer is Total Legal. If you need help from an attorney, you can connect instantly. Some services offered by Total Legal are free, while others are offered at a discount. This helps make Divorce Writer a genuine one-stop-shop, not just for your online divorce proceedings but any other family or business legal needs.

Despite being a smaller service, Divorce Writer has an extremely strong history. They have nearly 20 years in business, as well as an "A+" rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau. Out of nearly 500 verified customer reviews, the company has an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars. The small number of negative comments were primarily from clients who didn't realize that the divorce service doesn't include court fees, or who didn't understand that Divorce Writer has no control over the time it takes for the divorce to be filed and approved by the court.

On the other hand, this provider gets plenty of compliments. Customers say that the documents received are professional and accurate, and that the paperwork can easily be filled out within an hour or two. Better yet, in states that allow for online filing of divorce documents, the process can be advanced to the next stage very quickly once the forms are filled out and downloaded.

Divorce can be extremely expensive, but with this service you can save a lot of time and money - as long as your divorce is uncontested and you live anywhere in the United States besides Missouri. Divorce Writer is the most affordable of all of the providers we evaluated, and we give Divorce Writer our highest rating.

Complete Case

• $299 one-time fee
• $24.99 monthly access fees after 30 days

Complete Case has been in business for more than 20 years and has helped more than 700,000 users to prepare their divorce documents online. You could even say that this is the original uncontested online divorce platform; no other service has been around longer than this one.

The process is extremely streamlined: choose the state where you plan to file, answer all of the questions in Complete Case's online interview, print your forms (or have them printed and sent to you), and file with the appropriate court according to the provided instructions.

Features:

• $299 one-time fee, plus $24.99/month storage and service fees after the first 30 days
• 100% court acceptance guarantee
• Unlimited revisions within first 30 days
• 30-day refund policy if you haven't access any of Complete Case's services after making payment
• 24/7 customer support via email, regular business hours via phone
• Live Lawyer service available for an extra fee
• Download documents as a PDF or receive via mail

While Complete Case is an excellent choice for completing uncontested divorce paperwork online, their Better Business Bureau rating has dropped since our last review from an A+ to an A-. That ratings drop appears to be due to nearly 70 complaints registered with the BBB in the last 3 years. More than two dozen occurred in the year leading up to our more recent evaluation.

Often mentioned in the BBB complaints is the monthly fee that Complete Case charges after the initial 30-day period of using their divorce service. After the first month of service, they charge $24.99/month as a storage and customer service fee - if you need it. While most online divorce platforms don't charge customers to safely store their information online, you may still need access to your divorce documents after 30 days. If so, you'll receive email reminders before any monthly charge, and it can be cancelled at any time.

Complete Case offers a 100% court acceptance guarantee if your forms are used in accordance with the included instructions. Many states offer e-filing of documents, so you may be able to file the same day that you begin the process.

Another plus for Complete Case is their award-winning customer care specialists. While they cannot give legal advice, they can guide you through the process and help answer any questions you may have about your online divorce.

There are hundreds of 4- and 5-star ratings from very satisfied clients who say that Complete Case made it easier than they had imagined to get things moving with their divorce proceedings. A few mentioned that they appreciated the attention this platform gives to members of the military both home and abroad, and all were very pleased with the services received at a much lower cost than working with an attorney.

We can say with confidence that Complete Case is an excellent choice for online divorce document preparation. You can be confident in the knowledge that they've already helped over 700,000 people just like you. The service is priced competitively overall, has a great track record for providing divorce documents that are accurate in all 50 states. They are among the best divorce services available today.

3 Step Divorce

• $299 flat fee; payment plans available

3 Step Divorce is a service of Divorce Source Inc., which has been in business for nearly 25 years. Using this platform to complete your divorce paperwork couldn't be easier: they estimate (and users confirm) that it should take you less than an hour to create your account, answer the questions required to fill out your documents, and print them out for submission. Should you need your paperwork mailed to you, 3 Step Divorce will deliver it via USPS Priority Mail at no extra charge.

This online divorce service sweetens the deal with a Same Day Filing rebate. If you file your completed paperwork within one business day of starting the process, you'll get $50 back! Even with an online divorce service that's already reasonably priced at $299, we think most people will be excited to save even more. And, just like most online divorce platforms, 3 Step Divorce will give you a full refund if your documents aren't accepted by your court due to any error on their part.

Features:

• $299 one-time fee; monthly installment plans are available for a slightly higher total cost
• Can have documents delivered via US Priority Mail at no extra charge
• Includes a Name Change Notification Kit for returning to maiden name
• Tools for negotiation, custody/visitation/support tracking included
• 100% guarantee of court approval or your money back
• $50 Same Day Filing rebate
• Unlimited revisions and customer support

3 Step Divorce is the only online divorce service we found that offers payment plans. You can choose to pay the one-time fee of $299, or opt to make two payments ($157 each), three payments ($109 each), or four ($84 each). As you can see, your total cost will be higher if you choose not to pay the entire fee upfront, but your divorce proceedings won't be delayed in any way if you're using a payment plan.

Your documents can be revised, downloaded and printed as often as you need: there's no extra fees for storage or customer service (which is available via email or toll-free number). Plus, your fees give you access to some unique extras like an online negotiation tool and a tracker for custody, visitation and child support payments. There's also a wealth of information provided in over 40 downloadable books and manuals related to divorce.

Divorce Source, the parent company of 3 Step Divorce, has a perfect "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau. Impressively, there were only 8 complaints registered with the BBB regarding this service over the three years prior to this evaluation. We were pleased to see how professionally and promptly the company responded to those small handful of negative comments. In general, 95% of 3 Step Divorce clients give the service a 4- or 5-star rating and praise it for being straightforward, fast, and affordable.

3 Step Divorce offers an easy-to-understand process for filling out and filing all of the required documents for an uncontested divorce. The company has a good reputation, affordable pricing, and an impressive selection of extra features you won't find when using a rival service. 3 Step Divorce earns one of our highest rankings among providers of online divorce help.

LegalZoom

• $499 (may vary depending on your state of residence)

You'll regularly find LegalZoom at the top of the rankings when it comes to straightforward legal documents. Whether you need to draft a will or do the paperwork to create your LLC for the first time, you'll find that LegalZoom is trustworthy, easy to understand, and comes with a world-class customer support team in case you run into any snags and need some help.

Features:

• 100% satisfaction guarantee
• "A+" rated by the BBB
• Priced at $499
• Fees include access to toll-free support line

To file for an uncontested divorce online using LegalZoom, you'll go through a simple three-step process:

1. Determine your eligibility for their service
2. Complete the online divorce questionnaire at your convenience
3. Print the completed forms and instructions for filing

Begin by selecting your state of residence. Next, answer a series of simple questions, such as "Do you know the location of your spouse?" and "Do you and your spouse have any children under the age of 18 from this marriage?" If your answers to those questions determine that you're eligible for LegalZoom's online divorce services, you'll be taken to a more in-depth questionnaire to help you start the process. These questions relate to children you have with your spouse, assets and debts, and current living situation.

Once those questions are complete and you've selected a password for your account, you'll have to pay the case processing fee. While that fee may vary depending on where you live, we found that for most people the cost is $499. It's worth noting that LegalZoom has decreased their fees considerably since our last review (when their fees were more than $700!), but at $499 they're still one of the more expensive providers of online divorce services.

After you've paid the fee, you'll have access to your account login and will be able to answer the remaining questions that apply in your situation. For those questions, you'll have access to help and explanations in case there's anything you don't understand. Plus, your paid fees also make you eligible for LegalZoom's support line, in case you need to speak directly with a documents specialist.

All online divorce cases through LegalZoom are protected by their 100% satisfaction guarantee. You will need to make your refund request within 60 days of purchasing their divorce services, and it's possible that you'll be issued a credit in place of a refund. Also, keep in mind that if LegalZoom has already paid fees to a third party (such as a governmental entity for filing fees), those funds are non-refundable. Naturally, this satisfaction guarantee only applies to issues related directly to LegalZoom - not any "changes to your situation or your state of mind" - and they can't guarantee the outcome of your divorce proceedings.

So, is it worth it to pay extra for LegalZoom's online divorce service? At the time of our most recent review, that was difficult to say: the company had recently stopped working with a well-respected third-party partner to facilitate the process, instead taking everything related to divorce proceedings 100% in-house. With more than 4 million customers across their spectrum of services and an "A+" rating from the BBB, LegalZoom is easily a name to trust no matter what you need - but we didn't find their divorce process to be as transparent as it was in the past. Unlike before, you won't even know which specific forms you're getting until you've paid your case processing fee.

At the end of the day, LegalZoom is reputable and easy to use for your online divorce proceedings. But at twice the price of our highest-ranked service, they might not be your most economical option.

Rocket Lawyer

• $39.95/month membership fee
• Free 7-day trial

Rocket Lawyer is one of the most popular sources of DIY legal help, ranging from rental agreements to wills and much more. The platform is very attractive to anyone trying to get legal documents on a small budget - especially since their entire document library is available free-of-charge with a one-week trial.

That's right: you can get all of the divorce-related documents offered by Rocket Lawyer without paying a dime. (Just be sure to cancel your free trial, otherwise you'll be paying $39.95/month until you contact them to suspend your membership!)

Features:

• Can get divorce paperwork for free with 7-day trial
• Affordable $39.99/month subscription fee, can be used to complete other types of legal documents (e.g. wills, real estate transactions)
• "A+" rated and accredited by the BBB
• Basic, limited help from attorneys included with membership; additional services available for an extra fee

Does it sound too good to be true? It is...and it isn't. On the one hand, you get access to six documents needed in the process of filing for divorce. Those include a Divorce Settlement Agreement, Marriage Separation Agreement, Divorce Worksheet, Document Request, Divorce Records Request Letter, and Demand for Alimony Payment. Each document is described in detail, to help you determine if you'll need to fill it out for your unique situation. Plus, once you've selected your state of residence, you can see a full preview of each document at the bottom of the page.

On the other hand, there isn't much help offered to know what you'll need to do next. In the preview Divorce Settlement Agreement for our state, it said that "other divorce documents" would need to be filed with the appropriate court - and that we could pay for the Rocket Lawyer On Call service if we wanted further help. With a paid membership, Rocket Lawyer clients get a free 30-minute consultation on every "new legal matter", and you can use the general "Ask a Lawyer" feature as well - but for a situation as potentially complex as a divorce, you're probably going to need more guidance for the court filing portion alone.

Rocket Lawyer, as a whole, maintains a very positive reputation as demonstrated by an "A+" rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau. But, most customer reviews describe satisfaction with legal processes that are far less likely to be as emotionally charged and complicated as a divorce. There are no testimonials we could find that specifically mentioned clients who used this service for divorce proceedings, making it hard to give Rocket Lawyer a strong recommendation - especially compared with platforms whose sole focus is online divorce.

If you give this online divorce resource a try, it's literally risk-free within the first week. You could create an account, use it for a week - not just for divorce paperwork but also for any other legal documents you may need - and then decide if you want to continue as a paid subscriber. However, because there are more comprehensive services available that offer guidance solely focused on divorcing couples, Rocket Lawyer only winds up in the middle of our rankings.

TOPS Divorce Kit

• $58.87 one-time fee + free shipping

You might be familiar with the TOPS brand if you've ever needed office supplies or legal forms for your business. In operation for more than 60 years, this company offers a DIY divorce kit delivered via CD.

Yes, you read that correctly: in order to use TOPS Divorce Kit, you'll need a computer with a disk drive. (Do they even make those anymore?) That alone was enough to keep this service as our lowest-ranked, since most people looking to get an online divorce want it to actually be online - accessible via smartphone, tablet or computer, with an easy-to-navigate process for completing all of the required paperwork. You'll get none of that with this service.

Features:

• One of the least expensive DIY divorce options on the market, priced at $58.87 with free shipping
• CD compatible with PC and Mac

While TOPS' price point of $58.87 might seem enticing when compared with other DIY divorce providers that charge double or triple that amount, what are you really getting for your money? That's a question that even TOPS seems reluctant to answer: there's very little on the product page to give you insights as to what the process will involve, what forms are included, or which types of divorce cases are best served by their software. The only clue we spotted was on the product packaging, where it said that this program can help users with an uncontested divorce - which is fairly standard for most online divorce platforms.

Plus, despite the time elapsed since our previous evaluation of TOPS Divorce Kit, there are still no customer reviews. There's literally no way to tell what this product does or how well it helps people complete their divorce without costly attorney fees.

Getting a divorce is complicated. Unfortunately, TOPS Divorce Kit doesn't do much to reassure customers that their service will make the process any easier. With so many easy-to-use, transparent online divorce services available today that have been reviewed by thousands of clients, we're not sure why anyone would choose to use TOPS' CD-based product. This continues to be one of our lowest-ranked options for online divorce.

My Divorce Papers

• hl>$139 one-time fee

Have you ever found a service that, from start to finish, was an absolute let-down? You'll find that to be the case if you look into My Divorce Papers. This online divorce platform is so bad, we're not even sure where to start.

At first glance, My Divorce Papers looks much like their competitors in the industry. Start by filling out your basic information to verify that you're trying to file for an uncontested divorce. The system will confirm your eligibility, then walk you through all of the questions required to fill out your paperwork. That's where we spotted our first error: despite entering Utah as our state of residence, we were assigned a representative for a California divorce. Thinking we had made a mistake on the previous page, we hit the back button - only to be taken to a page that addressed us by the wrong client name!

Features:

• Priced at $139
• Money-back guarantee

What's more disturbing is the site's claim to be an accredited, "A+" rated company with the Better Business Bureau. The listing for My Divorce Papers can be found under Divorce Place Inc: not only is the business not accredited, but at the time of our review the BBB gave the service an "F" grade with nearly 50 complaints in the preceding three years. Nearly every complaint went unanswered by My Divorce Papers. Many of those customer comments said that they were charged for a subscription they didn't want, couldn't get refunds when their paperwork was rejected by the court, or found out about extra fees after they had already paid for the divorce paperwork.

But, should we really be surprised that a site with a copyright of 2018 seems to have stopped responding to customers around the end of that year? Even the blog posts on the My Divorce Papers site don't go beyond 2016. As a last-ditch effort, we used the live chat feature to reach out to the company, to see if we could get a response. After one business day, we still got the auto-message that "My Divorce Papers will reply as soon as they can".

If you need a trustworthy online divorce service, don't waste any of your time considering My Divorce Papers. The company is unreliable and unresponsive, and we strongly recommend that you avoid using their services at all costs.