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.

Thoughts to Paper Review

Sunday, May 18th

2025 Patent Application Service Reviews

Thoughts to Paper Review 3 Star Rating

Thoughts to Paper

3 Star Rating
  • Pricing at $990 to $4,300 for non-provisional patents
  • Pricing at $199 to $799 for a provisional patent
  • Patent search for $299
  • All patent documents included
  • Files for you
  • "A+” rating and accreditation from the BBB

Thoughts to Paper is a site designed to help you prepare and submit patent applications at a reasonable cost. Unlike competitors that either charge extremely high fees or offer DIY kits that might not provide enough help if you've never done a patent application before, Thoughts to Paper aims to strike a balance. This service keeps its attention strictly on patents, making it a solid choice for those who want expert support without breaking the bank.

Costs $199 to $799 for a provisional patent

Thoughts to Paper offers four different patent applications for you to choose from: a provisional patent, a utility patent, a design patent, and a PCT international patent. The provisional patent has three tiers of services to choose from, including Basic which is $199 and includes a 12-month provisional patent and an email consultation to help you fill out your documents; Essentials, which costs $499 and includes your 12-month patent, professional drafting and writing, and a phone and email consultation; and the Professional plan which includes all of the features of Essentials plus professional drafting for drawings for $799 total.

Best Patent Application Services

Costs $990 to $4,300 for non-provisional patents

For the non-provisional patent applications at Thoughts to Paper, the prices differ based on what you're buying. Here's how the costs shake out:

  • Utility Patent and PCT international applications: each includes a 20-year patent, full preparation, consultations, and filing for you.
    • Mechanical invention: $3,300
    • Software invention: $3,800
    • Biology/chemistry invention: $4,300
  • Design Patent application: includes a 20-year patent, full preparation, up to 7 professional drawings, consultations, and filing for you.
    • Cost: $990

Flat fee for patent search

On top of the patent applications, Thoughts to Paper offers extras like a patent search or trademark registration. The patent search is a reasonable flat fee of $295, which includes full copies of similar inventions found, written reports on similarities and differences, and a patentability analysis, so you have a better chance of getting your patent approved.

See previous patents

One of the features we love is that you can see the list of patent applications that have already been filed and secured through Thoughts to Paper. In two months alone, Thoughts to Paper secured over 30 different patents for different individuals. You can see patents going back as far as when the company first opened, and the list includes the patent information, date of patent, and the patent number. So, if you're wondering if Thoughts to Paper is reliable, there's hard proof right on the website.

Best Patent Application Services

Lack of communication is a new problem

Thoughts to Paper has an outstanding reputation with the Better Business Bureau, where it holds a top-tier "A+” rating and accreditation. However, on third-party review sites, Thoughts to Paper's reputation has fallen in recent years. It used to hold a 4.8-star average on third-party review sites, but now Thoughts to Paper's rating on Trustpilot is just 3.2 stars out of 5. This is due to increasing negative reviews regarding slow service, being ignored by the customer service team, and a general lack of communication across the board. The most recent reviews we could find were from 2024, showing that there might be fewer people using Thoughts to Paper for patent applications than in previous years. While it may still be worth a look, this service needs to work harder on its communication to be more competitive.

Recent concerns lead to a mid-tier rating

Thoughts to Paper used to be one of our top picks, but with the steadily decreasing ratings on third-party review sites and issues with communication, it now ranks as a mid-tier service overall. While the prices are good, make sure that you feel comfortable with the level of communication from Thoughts to Paper (maybe by reaching out to customer service before paying) as you consider its patent application services.

Where is the Best Place to Do Your Patent Application?

Have you created something new and exciting? A novel invention or a new process for a company? The next step after creating your groundbreaking invention is to protect it from being stolen by someone else.

The best way to do that? Get a patent for it. In the United States, completing a patent application successfully means that the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) legally stops anyone who isn't the inventor (you) from making, using, or selling the product unless you have authorized it.

The Best Patent Application Services Compare Patent Application Services Compare Patent Application Service Reviews What are the best Patent Application Services Best Patent Application Service Reviews

Patent Application Service FAQ

A patent gives you rights to an invention for a certain period of time. It prevents other people from "making, using, offering for sale, or selling the invention...or importing it into the United States” once the patent has been publicly disclosed. A patent has to be granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office to be legal and valid.
There are two types of patents: utility and design. Utility patents can be granted for a process, machine, article of manufacture, composition of matter or any improvement of those things that is "new, nonobvious and useful”. Design patents cover how an invention looks, not how it works. You can't get a patent for a physical phenomenon, abstract idea, laws of nature, or inventions which are "offensive to public morality”.
Copyrights cover literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works. Trademarks protect words, phrases, symbols or designs that differentiate goods and services. Patents generally relate to inventions rather than anything covered by a trademark or copyright.
The USPTO charges $320 for the filing fee on a utility patent and $220 for a design patent. However, there's a long list of additional fees that may or may not apply to your application; you can find that list on the USPTO website.
Brace yourself: according to the USPTO, the average timeframe is about 25 months. There are options for expediting the process and reducing the time to 6-12 months, but you'll pay upwards of $1000 for the rush job. And, if you've made any mistakes in your application, expect it to take longer.
It can be tricky to navigate the process of applying for a patent, and every misstep can cost you time and money. Patent application services can eliminate a lot of the guesswork and help you get it right the first time.
Not necessarily. You can get expert help for less than $200, plus the standard fees required by the USPTO. If you want concierge-level assistance, you'll probably pay closer to $700 from start to finish. There are also extra services like patent searches, patent valuation, professional illustrations and more that you can consider adding to your package.
You're not going to find a provider that guarantees your patent will be accepted (after all, this is the government we're ultimately dealing with here). However, many will provide a refund within the first 30 or 60 days of using the service, though your patent process won't be even close to complete within that timeframe. The best indicator of a reliable application service isn't a satisfaction guarantee - instead, look through the provider's site to see case studies of customer patents that were granted after using the service.
Compare the Best Reviews

Continued from above...

Typically, a patent will last for 20 years after you've filed your application. There are three different patents depending on what kind of invention you're trying to protect. Utility patents cover inventions related to machines, manufactured objects, physical items, and/or improvements to these things. Design patents are for the ornamental or physical design of an item, and plant patents are for any distinct or new variety of growing plant including mutants, hybrids, or seedlings.

There are two ways to get a patent too: provisional and non-provisional. A provisional patent application lets you get the ball rolling to protect your invention in the short term. It's less formal, but it does expire after one year, and you must complete a non-provisional patent application in the interim. The non-provisional form will require more substantial details from you and an examination from a patent examiner at the USPTO. However, your patent does remain protected during the review period.

So, once you've got something to patent, how do you complete the process? For most people, patent applications can require a lot of research, details about your invention, filing procedures, and waiting. The process of submitting your patent application can be very tedious, especially the research portion. To successfully secure a patent, your invention will need to be novel (it needs to be something new or not too close to another invention that's already got a patent). But researching every other patent out there can take time (and money).

This is where patent application services come in. In most places, your paperwork will be completed by experts, so you don't have to worry about boring research and details. While a few services offer a low-cost DIY approach, the best patent application providers will give you the documents, complete the patent research for you, and provide guidance on best practices for filling out your patent application the right way the first time. Choosing a patent application service takes the guesswork out of the process and offers secure document sharing, helpful updates, and sometimes guarantees of application success.

If you're ready to get your new invention protected, there are plenty of patent application services to assist you in safeguarding your ideas. To that end, we've put together a few factors to help you choose the best service:

  • Price. Pricing for submitting and getting your patent application together can be costly. It's important to know if you're comfortable with a lower-cost DIY approach or if you want to shell out for the full package. Some services let you pick and choose what you pay for, which can help keep costs down.
  • Patent type. Not all patent application services offer the same patent support. Some specialize in utility patents, while others have more assistance for design patents. Make sure that your chosen service offers the type of patent application you need so you can get your invention protected pronto.
  • Hands-on. If you're easily stressed out by the process, you may want to look for services that will do most of the patent application work for you. If you're more comfortable or have submitted a patent before, you might prefer one of the DIY-style services instead. Different services offer various levels of assistance, so make sure you get the amount of help you need.
  • Reputation. Always check third-party reviews to see how a particular patent application service stacks up against its competitors. Seeing how well (or badly) the process went for another inventor can help you make a final decision. It's helpful to check the company's BBB rating as well, for an unbiased look at the company and its process.

To help you become the next Thomas Edison, Top Consumer Reviews has researched and ranked today's most popular patent application services online today. This way, you can focus on adding new inventions to your list instead of worrying about protecting your intellectual property!

Compare Patent Application Services

Select any 2 Patent Application Services to compare them head to head

best-patent-application-services
See the Best Patent Application Service
The Best Reviews of Patent Application Services