Trademark watch service cost and trademark monitoring pricing

What drives the price of a trademark watch

Two quotes for "a trademark watch" can differ by a factor of ten because they are not quoting the same thing. These are the items that move the price, roughly in order of impact.

• Number of marks. Nearly every provider prices per mark, so a brand with a name, a logo and two product lines is four watches, not one.
• Countries. A USPTO only watch is the cheapest. Adding the EUIPO, the UK or Canada is usually priced per office, and worldwide coverage costs the most.
• Classes. Some providers include two or three Nice classes and add a supplement for each extra class.
• Word or logo. Design watches that compare images cost more than word watches.
• Common law and state records. Watching websites, marketplaces and the 50 state registers is sold as a separate tier by several providers.
• Attorney review. A report of raw hits is cheap. Having an attorney read each hit and advise on risk is billed by the hour or per report at most firms.

Trademarking monitoring cost per watched mark

Monitoring is part of every plan, together with availability searches, filing preparation and a portfolio with deadlines. The per mark figure below assumes you use every watch slot on the plan; it falls further on the bigger plans because the slots are shared across the whole workspace.

Extra costs to ask about before you buy a watch

The yearly fee is rarely the full bill. Ask every provider these questions in writing before you sign, then compare the totals rather than the headline price.

• How often does it renew and at what price? A quarterly renewal at 175 USD is four times the cost of a yearly one at the same number.
• Is attorney review of each hit included, or billed per report or per hour?
• Are extra classes, extra countries or a logo version charged separately?
• How fast do alerts arrive? The USPTO gives 30 days from publication to oppose, so a monthly PDF can leave you only a couple of weeks to act.
• What does acting on a hit cost? A Notice of Opposition at the USPTO is 600 USD per class in office fees, plus counsel if you use one. Check the current USPTO fee schedule before you file.
• Can you cancel online, and do you keep access until the end of the paid period?

Is a paid trademark watch worth it for your brand

A watch pays for itself the first time it catches a conflicting application inside the opposition window. Stopping a mark at the opposition stage costs a filing fee and some paperwork. Removing it after registration means a cancellation proceeding, which is slower and usually far more expensive, and in the meantime the other mark is on the register.

The case for a watch is strongest when you sell in a crowded category such as apparel, cosmetics, supplements, software or food, when you sell on Amazon or other marketplaces where copycat brands are common, or when you have more than one mark to protect. If your mark is still only an idea, run a trademark clearance search first, then start the watch the day you file.

How to start a watch in a few minutes

1. Step 1

   Check the mark

   Run the name through the check at the top of this page to see the closest existing marks and the classes that fit what you sell.

2. Step 2

   Pick a plan

   Choose Founder for up to 3 marks, Business for 25 or Agency for 250, monthly or yearly on the pricing page.

3. Step 3

   Add marks and thresholds

   Add each mark, its classes and the offices to watch, then set the minimum similarity that should trigger an alert.

4. Step 4

   Act inside the window

   Each alert shows the office, class and the date the opposition window closes, and the opposition workflow helps you prepare the notice.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a trademark watch service cost?

In the US a watch costs about 108 to 700 USD per mark per year from online filing services and watch software, depending on yearly or quarterly billing, and roughly 450 to 1,000 USD per mark per year from law firms, before attorney review of hits. Subscription software lowers the per mark cost when you watch several marks; on Trademarking it is about 24 to 196 USD per mark per year depending on the plan.

Is a trademark watch service worth it?

Yes, if you sell in a crowded category, sell on marketplaces or own more than one mark. A watch catches similar applications while they can still be opposed for a filing fee. Without one, the usual route is a cancellation after registration, which takes longer and costs considerably more.

Does the USPTO monitor trademarks for you?

Not in the way a watch does. The USPTO examiner searches the register when a new application is examined and may refuse a confusingly similar mark, but examiners miss conflicts and the office never notifies you. Spotting a published mark and opposing it within 30 days is up to you.

Is trademark monitoring the same as a trademark watch?

Yes. Trademark watch and trademark monitoring are two names for the same service: comparing new filings with your mark and alerting you to similar ones. Some providers use monitoring for broader coverage that includes websites and marketplaces, so check what each plan actually covers. See trademark monitoring for what our alerts contain.

How often should a trademark be monitored?

As often as the registers publish. The USPTO publishes the Official Gazette weekly and opens a 30 day opposition window, so a monthly report can arrive late in that window. Daily checks with an alert digest give you the most time to decide and act.

Are official office fees included in the plan?

No. Official fees, such as USPTO filing or opposition fees, are paid by you directly to the office. Your plan covers search, monitoring, filing preparation and portfolio tools.

Keep reading

• Trademark registration
• Trademark monitoring
• Availability search
• Clearance search
• Trademark renewal
• Trademark opposition