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Thursday, January 23rd
Trademark Engine is a site that promises to "take the registration worries off your shoulders.” Providing a range of trademark-related services, Trademark Engine covers everything you might need to protect your intellectual property. You can also find extras like trademark monitoring and maintenance, as well as copyright registrations for parts of your business that won't fall under trademark law. Plus, with affordable packages, you can choose what you do and don't need.
Start with a questionnaire
To get started, just click the "Register my trademark” button on the top of the screen. From there, you'll be asked to pick from the packages based on what services you need. You can choose from a package that only gives you the basics for filing, a package that includes registration and enforcement of your trademark, or an attorney-led registration process. Once you select what you need, you'll be taken to a page where Trademark Engine will ask a few quick questions about your trademark. You can choose a name, slogan, or logo, and you'll need to type in the name and declare if it has a living person's name in it. The site will also ask if your mark includes non-English or non-Latin characters and whether you are currently using the mark or logo in your business. You'll also be asked to provide the details of the owner of the LLC or corporation before you can pay and jump into your trademark registration process.
Three packages for different needs
There are three total packages offered by Trademark Engine. These include:
Pricing from $99 to $399 per filing
The prices are flat rates that do not include the USPTO filing fees. So expect to add anywhere from $250 to $350 in addition to the cost of Trademark Engine's costs. Here's what you can expect by package:
There aren't any extra costs included unless you decide to subscribe to monitoring. This is included as a free trial in the Attorney-Led package but will expire if you don't want to continue with it.
Legal consultations only in the top-tier
Only the top-tier package includes assistance from a lawyer before filing. Otherwise, the process is based on the questions you answer, and you leave the final result up to the USPTO. However, you can expect support from Trademark Engine in general, just not from an attorney unless you pay for the top-tier package.
Add on monitoring or copyright registration
If you want to grab monitoring for your trademark, the cost is $99 per quarter. You'll need to sign up with an already registered trademark with your full name and details to see pricing. As an extra add-on, you can explore copyright registration through Trademark Engine. This comes in two packages: Basic and Deluxe. The Basic package costs $99 and includes extras like a web domain for your copyrighted material. The Deluxe package costs $199 and includes services through Trademark Engine like assistance with copyright issues, issuing cease and desist letters, and more.
Only a guarantee for copyright
Currently, Trademark Engine does not offer a satisfaction guarantee for the trademark registration process. You can find a guarantee for copyright registration, but for trademarks specifically, there is still some chance that the USPTO will not allow the trademark to be filed. You have a higher chance with the top-tier package where you get legal review, but Trademark Engine makes no specific guarantees at this time.
Not a top pick according to reviews
Regrettably, Trademark Engine holds an "NR” rating on the Better Business Bureau and 2.2 stars out of 5 on reviews left with the BBB. The scores are similar on Sitejabber where Trademark Engine also holds a 2.2-star average. There are tons of more recent reviews that show customers complaining about their trademark registrations being rejected by the USPTO. Reviews repeat phrases like "wasted my money” or "application was denied.” Yikes! Further, customers were signed up for services they had declined, like lawyer review or monitoring, after the free trial ended, so they received unexpected charges from Trademark Engine.
Not worth your money
If you're looking for a service that will give you the best chance at scoring an application approval from the USPTO, Trademark Engine isn't the one. According to reviewers, the company has a pattern of giving you details to help you apply but doesn't actually help register the trademark at the end of the process. With no recourse or guarantee, you're out anything you spent to register your trademark. You'd be better off trying a site with a better reputation instead.
Are you getting started with a new business or planning a rebrand? Registering for a trademark is one of the most important steps in protecting your money-making venture. Registering for a trademark protects your intellectual property and grants you exclusive rights to the name within your industry. So, if you're the first one to think of Airbnb, for example, then that name can be trademarked within the hospitality industry.
There are plenty of things you can trademark too, not just your business name. According to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), a trademark is defined as a "word, phrase, symbol, and/or design that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others.” There are trademarks out there for slogans, logos, company designs, words, phrases, and sounds.
Brand names are some of the most popular trademarks, but there are plenty of ways to protect your property depending on what you're most worried about. And, you don't need to be working on a new company to trademark. If you've been in business for years and want to stand out from the pack, you can trademark your existing logo or brand slogan any time.
If you're thinking this sounds very in-depth, don't worry. The process is pretty simple. A trademark application is just a matter of doing research, filling out the forms, and submitting it to the USPTO. The hard part is waiting. Some trademarks can take six months (or more) to go through the review process. And, there are some pitfalls with applications that can be stressful.
For example, researching to figure out if your chosen business name is in use (or something too similar) can be a time-consuming and frustrating step. Since any marks or slogans that are too similar to existing trademarks will be rejected, you don't want to skip the research. If the USPTO rejects your application, you'll lose the fee you paid to apply. On the bright side, if you find an online trademark registration service, they'll do the work for you, and you don't have to stress at all.
Online trademark registration services can help you or your business protect your intellectual property without all the worry. These services offer faster and more convenient application processes that keep you from running into the pitfalls of applying directly through the USPTO yourself. Services for registering a trademark offer higher success rates, since getting your trademark is not guaranteed. A good trademark registration company will support you through the process. Many online trademark registration companies offer guarantees that ensure you get your trademark or get your money back.
If you're ready to jump into your trademark registration but don't know where to start, we've got you. Here are a few factors that can help you narrow the field as you choose the best online trademark registration company to get your logo, slogan, or design mark protected:
To help you get your next company name listed for your exclusive use, your new slogan registered, or your beautiful logo legally protected, Top Consumer Reviews has reviewed and ranked the top trademark registration companies online. This way, you can take the stress (and uncertainties) out of applying for your trademarks. You can hand the hard parts off to trained legal professionals and enjoy the more exciting parts of creating something new for your business or brand!
Select any 2 Trademark Registration Services to compare them head to head