How do I get a patent for my software startup without spending a fortune?
File a provisional application first. It secures a priority date for around $3,000–$5,000 in attorney fees plus roughly $65–$325 in USPTO fees depending on entity status, and buys 12 months to validate the market before committing to the full utility filing cost. Confirm micro entity status early, most first-time software founders qualify, since it cuts the USPTO's combined filing, search and examination fees to about $400, versus $2,000 for a large entity (current USPTO fee schedule).
Within that budget, scope the provisional around the one or two claims that actually differentiate the product rather than describing every feature, a tightly scoped filing costs less to draft and leaves room to expand claims later. AI-assisted drafting tools, including Lightbringer's, can also cut attorney hours on the first pass; every claim still needs a registered attorney's review before filing.