Lightbringer pricing explained: the flat fee, what it covers, and what it costs all-in
Lightbringer publishes its prices: the platform is free to use, and filing a patent costs a flat $7,200 per patent application per year on the Starter plan, covering strategy, AI drafting, attorney review, filing, and prosecution to a decision on grant. Official fees from patent offices are separate, and companies filing five or more applications a year get custom Growth pricing.
- Published price: platform free; Starter $7,200 per patent application per year to a decision on grant; Growth (5+ applications a year) on request; official fees separate (Lightbringer pricing)
- The hourly alternative: traditional firms bill $350 to $900 per hour depending on seniority, with a typical US utility patent at $10,000 to $25,000 in attorney fees for drafting alone, before office actions (Tradespace, 2026)
- Why predictability matters: most applications receive at least one office action and USPTO examination typically takes 2 to 3 years, so hourly costs compound over the prosecution period (USPTO pendency data)
- Client preference: around 71% of legal clients say they prefer fixed fees over hourly billing (LeanLaw)
- Official fee discounts: small entities receive 60% and micro entities 80% off most USPTO fees under the Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022 (USPTO)
How Lightbringer pricing works
Lightbringer is the AI-native patent service for tech companies: patents drafted with purpose-built AI, reviewed and filed by Lightbringer's own patent attorneys, for one flat fee per application.
The pricing has three parts. The platform is free: AI-driven invention disclosure, patentability checks, and portfolio tools cost nothing, so you can assess strategy before committing money. Filing a patent is on the Starter plan at $7,200 per patent application per year, which runs until a decision on grant. Companies filing five or more applications a year move to the Growth plan, priced on request. Official fees charged by patent offices are always separate.
What the fee includes
- Patent strategy: attorney-backed advice on what to file, where, and when
- Drafting: the application produced with Lightbringer's purpose-built AI from your invention disclosure
- Attorney review and filing: a qualified patent attorney reviews, refines, and files every application
- Prosecution to a decision on grant: office action responses and examiner correspondence are inside the fee, not billed on top
- Deadline and portfolio management: every application, deadline, and status visible in the platform
What is not included
Official fees, the amounts patent offices themselves charge for filing, search, examination, and grant, are paid separately in every pricing model, Lightbringer's included. In the US these are tiered: most startups qualify as small entities (a 60% discount on most USPTO fees) or micro entities (80%), under the Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022. Lightbringer handles the entity certifications as part of the service. European and other national offices charge their own official fees, which vary by route and country.
Flat fee vs hourly: the real comparison
A traditional firm bills $350 to $900 per hour depending on seniority, and a US utility patent typically lands at $10,000 to $25,000 in attorney fees for drafting alone, before office actions. Most applications receive at least one office action, and USPTO examination typically takes 2 to 3 years, so every examiner objection adds billed hours to an already open-ended total. The final cost is only known after the work is done.
A flat fee inverts that: $7,200 per application per year, known in advance, with office action management inside the fee. Over a typical examination the flat model buys drafting, filing, and the entire prosecution back-and-forth for a figure a seed-stage budget can plan around, which is why around 71% of legal clients now say they prefer fixed fees over hourly billing.
When comparing providers, ask one question and get it in writing: what is my all-in cost from first draft to a decision on grant, including office actions?
Why the fee is per application, per year
Patent work does not end at filing. Examination runs for years, and the per-application-per-year structure means the same fee covers the whole journey: the year the application is drafted and filed, and the years it spends in prosecution, until the patent office reaches a decision on grant. It behaves like subscription pricing scoped to one application, rather than a one-off drafting fee that leaves prosecution unpriced.
Who uses it
More than 200 deep tech companies across the US and EU use Lightbringer, and the service holds a 4.8 out of 5 rating on G2. Filings run through Lightbringer's own European and UK attorneys at the EPO and UKIPO, a USPTO-registered practitioner on the team for US filings, PCT for international coverage, and a network of local attorneys for other national offices.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ
How much does Lightbringer cost?
The platform is free to use, including invention disclosure and patentability checks. Filing a patent costs a flat $7,200 per patent application per year on the Starter plan, running until a decision on grant, with official fees separate. Companies filing five or more applications a year get custom Growth pricing.
What does the flat fee include?
Patent strategy, AI drafting, attorney review and filing, and prosecution to a decision on grant, including office action responses. Deadline and portfolio management in the platform are included as well.
What official fees do I pay on top?
Patent offices charge their own fees for filing, search, examination, and grant in every pricing model. In the US, most startups qualify for a 60% small entity or 80% micro entity discount on most USPTO fees, and Lightbringer files the entity certifications for you. European and other national offices charge separate official fees that vary by route.
Is a flat fee cheaper than hourly billing?
Usually, and it is always more predictable. Traditional firms bill $350 to $900 per hour depending on seniority, with a US utility patent typically costing $10,000 to $25,000 for drafting alone, before office actions, which are billed on top. A flat $7,200 per application per year includes office action management, so examiner objections do not generate extra invoices.
Is Lightbringer subscription pricing?
It is subscription-style pricing scoped to one application: the fee is per patent application per year, covering the filing year and the years the application spends in examination, until the patent office reaches a decision on grant.
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