MARQ vs. Trademark Engine
A Trademark Engine alternative that is attorney-led, not a form filer: comprehensive attorney search, flat $499 registration + USPTO fees at cost, and office-action responses at $499/$999.
Filing services are built to move an application through a form quickly and cheaply. That is fine right up until the USPTO pushes back — and more than half of applications draw at least one office action. MARQ is an attorney-led practice: the search is a real clearance opinion, the identification of goods is drafted with refusals in mind, and if an office action lands, the same attorney answers it.
The short answer
Trademark Engine is an online trademark filing service. MARQ Trademarks is an attorney-led law practice. With MARQ, a licensed U.S. trademark attorney runs a comprehensive clearance search (not a knockout search), prepares and files the application, and answers any office action. Federal registration is a flat $499 legal fee plus USPTO government fees of $350 per class, billed at cost — $849 all-in for a single class. No packages, no add-ons, no subscriptions.
| MARQ Trademarks | Trademark Engine | |
|---|---|---|
| Who does the work | A licensed U.S. trademark attorney | A filing service; attorney services are typically an upgrade or referral |
| Search depth | Comprehensive clearance search + written attorney opinion ($49) | Typically an automated knockout-style search |
| Legal fee | Flat $499 for federal registration | Low base package price, with paid tiers and add-ons |
| USPTO fees | $350 per class, at cost | Government fees charged separately |
| Office actions | Handled in-house: $499 procedural, $999 substantive | Usually a separate purchase or referral |
| Status visibility | Client portal with real-time status and attorney messaging | Order-status dashboard |
When Trademark Engine may be the better fit
If your mark is plainly distinctive, you have already cleared it, you sell in one obvious class, and you are comfortable handling a refusal yourself, a cheaper filing route can work. Being honest about that is part of being a law practice rather than a sales funnel.
When attorney-led is worth it
Choose an attorney when the name is close to something already out there, when the mark is descriptive of what you sell, when you need Amazon Brand Registry and the class has to be right, when you are filing intent-to-use before launch, or when an office action has already landed. Those are the moments when judgment — not a form — decides whether you end up with a registration.
Comparison reflects each provider’s publicly described service model as of July 2026. Competitor pricing and packages change — check their site for current terms. MARQ’s prices are stated in full on our pricing page. Company names are the trademarks of their respective owners; MARQ is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any company named here.
DIY Search
- Instant USPTO federal search
- Availability signal & close matches
- No account or card
Pro Search Report
- Attorney-reviewed comprehensive search
- Likelihood-of-confusion analysis
- Submit your name & logo
- Clear go / no-go guidance
Complete Registration
- Full federal application, filed by an attorney
- Comprehensive search included
- USPTO filing & status monitoring
- Client portal access
- USPTO fee $350/class, at cost
Office Action Response
- $499 procedural responses
- $999 substantive refusals
- Attorney-drafted & filed
- Upload your office action
Trademark Monitoring
- Automated USPTO watch service
- Alerts on conflicting new filings
- Annual subscription — cancel anytime
- No manual back-and-forth
Ready to register your mark?
Start with the free search — no card, no account. Then file with a real attorney for a flat $499 + USPTO fees.
Run a free searchSee full pricing