What is the best online divorce service for your needs? This analysis can help you decide.
Best Online Divorce Services: 2023 Reviews
Updated:
Jul 1, 2024
If you’ve decided to file for divorce, you already know how life-changing and challenging it can be. In fact, divorce ranks second on the Homes-Rahe life stressor scale, which measures the impact of life changes on our physical well-being.
Along with the emotional and financial toll that divorce can cause, the legal process itself can be full of complications and frustrations. If you choose to file for divorce online to simplify the process, you may wonder which providers offer the best online divorce services. We at the Guides Legal Services team spent hours researching five of the top online divorce services to provide a thorough, useful comparison and help you determine which one is best for your needs.
The Bottom Line
Our team thoroughly researched and tested the online divorce process using five of the industry’s most popular companies. Of those companies, we elected Online Divorce as our pick for overall best option for seeking a divorce online.
By creating this online divorce review, our goal is to help you understand their key differences and price breakdown and ultimately choose which online divorce service is best for you. If you want to learn more about how we developed our rankings, see our methodology below.
What Does an Online Divorce Service Do?
An online divorce service will guide you through the necessary paperwork for filing a divorce that meets your state’s requirements. These services may include optional legal counsel and mediation, but users should note that the actual decree of divorce can only be received from your local court once you’ve filed.
Most services will give a questionnaire asking for information about you and your spouse, and using that information the service will generate the divorce forms for your case. Some services will go further and file the paperwork with the court on your behalf.
Online divorce services are only suited for those filing uncontested divorce cases, meaning that both parties have already come to a mutual agreement regarding the main terms of the divorce. If you fall into that category, using an online service may allow you to avoid certain factors that influence divorce costs, such as retaining an attorney. Online services also potentially expedite the filing process, an important benefit that allows couples to move forward and heal.
Learn More
Online Divorce was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Newark, Delaware. In addition to its basic filing service that’s helped more than 500,000 people, Online Divorce also offers free revisions and award-winning customer support. Though Online Divorce is not a law firm and cannot offer legal advice, its website claims that the company can save customers at least $1,700 in lawyer fees through its guided services.
Pros and Cons
- Affordable — advertised as the cheapest online divorce available
- Access to post-divorce classes on parenting and lifestyle
- Limited access to attorney help
- 235 Better Business Bureau complaints in the past three years
Online Divorce
- $159 fee is lower than most competitors
- Helped 500,000 people over the past 20 years
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Affordable Online Divorce
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Learn More
Founded in 2018 by family law attorney Erin Levine and based out of Oakland, California, Hello Divorce was created with the intention of giving couples easier, more affordable access to divorce. The company outpaces other online divorce services in terms of how many features it offers, and couples can choose to add on services like financial disclosures for $500.
Pros and Cons
- Build-your-own packages with helpful add-ons
- Free online resource library
- Only available in California, Colorado, New York, Texas and Utah
- Basic package doesn’t include filing divorce forms for you
Hello Divorce
- Plans range from $99 to $3,800
- Available team of lawyers, mediators and divorce finance experts
- Comprehensive add-ons available
Expert Legal and Financial Help
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Learn More
Founded in 1997, DivorceNet by NOLO has processed over 750,000 forms. DivorceNet works alongside its sister company, 3StepDivorce, to get your state-specific divorce forms completed quickly and accurately. Their Online DIY Divorce package starts at just $159 and guarantees 100% court approval – or your money back. Its easy-to-use website explains each step in the divorce process so you can be fully-informed along the way.
Pros and Cons
- 100% court-approved documents guaranteed
- Free online negotiation tool to resolve spousal disagreements
- Does not serve forms for you
- No Parenting Class
DivorceNet
- 100% guarantee or your money back
- File your documents when you’re ready
- Over 750,000 forms processed
Learn More
Headquartered in Pleasanton, California, 3StepDivorce and its sister company, Divorce Source, have been around since 1997. The company boasts a no-hidden-fees policy, in which customers are given a flat price of $299 to obtain filled-out divorce filing documents for both spouses. 3StepDivorce also offers a flexible monthly payment plan to help remove financial barriers to divorce.
Pros and Cons
- Paperwork ready to file in as little as 30 minutes
- Money-back guarantee
- Documents not reviewed by attorneys
- An outdated website that’s difficult to navigate
3StepDivorce
- Flat filing fee of $299 with payment plans available
- Serviced more than 10 million people
- “The Original Online Divorce”
Learn More
CompleteCase was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is one of the most experienced divorce services on the internet – claiming to have helped over 700,000 people. Their innovative site was the first of its kind to provide uncontested online divorce preparation, and allows you to prepare state-specific divorce forms online with simple directions on how to file in your state.
Pros and Cons
- No additional fees for children / assets / minor alterations
- 100% court-approved documents guaranteed
- Will only assist with uncontested divorce
- No chat feature on the site
CompleteCase
- Pricing starts at $299
- 100% satisfaction guaranteed
- Easy 3-step process
Features Offered by Online Divorce Services
Most online divorce platforms offer similar services, but some go a bit further to ensure your experience is as simple as possible. This is usually done with add-on features for which you can pay extra.
Assistance From An Attorney or Mediation
Depending on the details of your divorce, you may find yourself in need of legal assistance at any time during the filing process. Choosing a service that can pass along your information to a local divorce lawyer can help cut some of the initial consultation costs that you’d need to pay if you originally chose to work with an attorney.
Additionally, even if your divorce appears to be uncontested in the beginning, this status can change at any time in your case. Choosing a service that offers some form of mediation is a great way to get ahead of future disagreements with your spouse.
| ★ | Our experience: Don’t assume your spouse won’t contest the divorce. Before hiring an online service, you should consult with your spouse to see whether they disagree with any proposed terms of the divorce. If there are any issues that are clearly contested, you may want to start with mediation or hire an attorney instead of paying for an online divorce service. |
Parenting Classes
For many states and localities, divorcing couples who share children must complete court-approved parenting classes. Many divorce services offer classes as an add-on feature to help you get everything you need in one place.
| ★ | Our experience: Before signing up, you should check with your locality to ensure the class meets the requirement for your court. |
Guaranteed Acceptance
Divorce can be complicated — that’s why choosing a service that has a money-back guarantee is so important. Guaranteed acceptance specifically means if you file the divorce documents generated by the platform and they are rejected for some reason by the court, the service will help you correct them (at no additional charge).
| ★ | Our experience: While the service offers to re-do your rejected paperwork at no additional cost, you should know that depending on your local court you may need to pay filing fees again. |
File Paperwork For You
Generally offered for additional fees, some services will help you complete the paperwork, generate the document needed to file and will go the extra step and file the documents with the appropriate court on your behalf. This add-on, plus the guaranteed acceptance, adds a layer of comfort onto your transaction. You’ll essentially just need to provide accurate information and the service will do the rest.
| ★ | Our experience: Hiring the service to file on your behalf doesn’t necessarily get you out of going to court. If you’re filing in a locality that requires all spouses to appear before the court to finalize their divorce, you’ll still need to participate in that hearing. The only way to get out of that is by hiring an attorney to appear on your behalf and even that isn’t accepted in all jurisdictions. |
Customer Support
There’s no doubt that you’ll have questions while you’re filling out the questionnaires and reading through the numerous documents you’re required to file with the court. Many services offer chat and phone options that can connect you with a representative who can answer your questions. If you choose a service like DivorceNet, you can be connected with a local attorney if you have legal questions while completing paperwork.
Choosing an Online Divorce Service
After reviewing several services and trying them out ourselves, we have compiled a list of the top five online divorce services.
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Features ScoreWe researched common features of uncontested divorce to show you which company offers the services you may need in your situation. We found the most common and helpful features a company can offer to be paperwork filing or filing instructions, service of process, guarantee of acceptance, access to a lawyer or mediator and parenting classes for divorcing couples. We also listed which companies operate in every state, so you can be sure your state is covered. |
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Value For Money ScoreDoes the service offer the same features for a wildly different price than a competitor? We did the research so you don’t have to find out the hard way. Based on market averages, we determined which companies offer reasonable pricing and which could use improvement. This covers the initial package purchase, not necessarily the difference in prices for add-ons. |
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Customer Service ScoreWe used each company’s customer service features to determine timeliness and accuracy of their responses. We tested the phone, email and chat functions where available and rated our personal experiences. |
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Usability ScoreWe rated our experience going through the form preparation process — did we find the website easy or intuitive to navigate? Were we able to go back easily if we made a mistake or had a question? Were each company’s features clearly listed? |
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Customer Satisfaction ScoreWe looked at customer ratings across review sites and rated our own satisfaction with the process. |
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Overall Score |
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| Start Now | Start Now | Start Now | Start Now | Start Now |
Best Overall: Online Divorce
If you want a cost-effective option and know that you won’t need the assistance of an attorney, Online Divorce may be the best online divorce service for you. With the second-lowest price of the five companies we reviewed — a $159 flat fee — Online Divorce also has the fewest frills and add-ons.
Need more information? Read our review of Online Divorce.
Best for a Payment Plan: 3StepDivorce
We found that 3StepDivorce may be the best online divorce service if you want to start the divorce process but don’t have the financial means to pay several hundred dollars up front.
While ultimately 3StepDivorce’s $299 flat rate isn’t the least expensive fee on the market, the company does offer a good payment plan, with installments as low as $84 per month and the ability to still receive your paperwork right away.
To learn more, read our in-depth 3StepDivorce review.
Best for Select State Residents: Hello Divorce
If you live in California, Colorado, New York, Texas or Utah and think you might require a more inclusive range of services with a more robust support team for your divorce, Hello Divorce is likely the best online divorce service for your needs.
The Hello Divorce platform is very user friendly and is a one-stop shop for most seeking a high-quality online divorce service. The company offers tiered packages and add-ons that can cover everything from simple form filing at $99 to hourly mediation by phone or Zoom at $300 per hour.
To learn more, read our in-depth Hello Divorce review.
Best for Legal Assistance: DivorceNet
Looking for a service that offers legal consultation? You might want to check out DivorceNet first. This platform, owned and operated by Nolo, offers a free divorce case evaluation from a local lawyer. You’ll input your contact information with a summary of your case or legal question and an attorney for your area will reach out to you.
Best for Easy Use: CompleteCase
While CompleteCase is tied with 3StepDivorce for the highest cost, it offers a simple platform for users who want to have their case completely handled for them — without having to hire an attorney. The base package for CompleteCase starts at $299 for document generation based on user input.
For an additional $319 fee the service will file your papers with the appropriate court and will completely deal with your spouse and the court throughout the process. Even if you aren’t sure you want to upgrade initially, you have the option to upgrade after completing the interview if you decide later that you want the extra help.
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| Cost | $159+ | $99+ | $159+ | $299+ | $299+ |
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| Start Now | Start Now | Start Now | Start Now | Start Now |
- Service not offered.
- Free with basic plan.
- Available for extra fee.
Note that online divorce companies may offer promotional deals or additional free services.
Our Methodology
Our credentialed team of attorneys identified and evaluated the top players in the online divorce industry by examining hundreds of data points. To compare the various companies, we analyzed the value of services offered, the inclusion of free attorney consultations, turn-around time and customer support offered. We also closely evaluated customer feedback across third-party review sites to develop a customer-centric perspective on direct experiences with the businesses.
We used these rating factors to determine the best online divorce company based on customer needs.
- Attorney consultations
- Package pricing
- Speed
- Customer Reviews
- Customer Service Availability
- Geographic Coverage
Our data is monitored on a regular basis to be sure we provide you with the most up-to-date information and advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
A divorce is a court judgment that formally dissolves a legal marriage. Divorce is sometimes used interchangeably with the term dissolution of marriage.
You don’t necessarily need a lawyer to get an online divorce when your case is simple and uncontested. However, in some cases — such as when disagreements over property arise or when children are involved — using an attorney might be helpful. It’s also important to research your state and local divorce requirements to ensure that your situation qualifies for online divorce services.
If you use a reputable service that meets all the state and local court requirements, online divorces are just as official as traditional divorces filed by an attorney. You’re almost always allowed to represent yourself in a divorce case, so filing paperwork prepared by an online service shouldn’t cause any issues.
However, if you’re unsure about any aspect of your online divorce papers, it’s always a good idea to check with a lawyer. You may be able to retain an attorney for the sole purpose of ensuring your documents are ready to file, saving yourself the stress of worrying that your divorce paperwork will be rejected by the court.
In simple terms, the difference between a contested and uncontested divorce is whether the couple agrees on the terms of separation.
In an uncontested divorce, both parties agree on the main issues of separation — like alimony (aka spousal support), division of assets and child support — and will likely file a joint separation agreement for approval by the court. Alternatively, a contested divorce will require intervention by a judge, and both spouses are generally encouraged to retain an attorney.
More information regarding this subject can be found in our legal guide to an uncontested divorce.
No, each state court has its own set of rules and waiting periods, including varied residency requirements for both spouses. Divorce hearings are relegated to family law courts that are often outside of the regular circuit court system, and sometimes these courts have different filing steps depending on location.
Choosing the best online divorce service for your needs can help you file the correct forms in the right steps. However, if you want to learn more about what might be required for online divorce in your state, see our state-specific guides at the end of this article.
Legal Disclaimer: This article contains general legal information but does not constitute professional legal advice for your particular situation and should not be interpreted as creating an attorney-client relationship. If you have legal questions, you should seek the advice of an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.
Authored by: Miranda Riva, J.D. Miranda earned her Juris Doctorate from William & Mary Law School and holds a Tennessee Bar License. Before transitioning to legal content creation, she taught legal research, writing and citations to first-year law students at two different law schools. In her spare time, you can find Miranda hiking through the U.S. National Parks or spending time at the beach with her two Australian Shepherds.
Reviewed by: Laura Jackson, Esq. Laura graduated from Emory University School of Law with her Juris Doctorate and is an active member of the Georgia Bar Association. After several years of appellate advocacy and regulatory experience, Laura turned to full-time freelance legal writing. She currently writes for law firms, websites and other publications on a range of issues.
If you have feedback or questions about this article, please email the MarketWatch Guides team at editors@marketwatchguides.
