You have a name, maybe a logo, and a filing fee of $350 per class that you would rather not lose (USPTO fee schedule). Before you pay it, you want to know whether something already on the register, or already in use, could stop you. Plenty of tools promise to answer that. Each one answers part of it.
This guide sorts the main options by what they can find: names, logos, unregistered use, and marks outside the US. This comparison is based on published provider documentation and pricing, checked on October 1, 2026. We did not benchmark search accuracy or completeness. One disclosure up front: we make LogoVerify, which is on this list. It gets the same treatment as the others, limits included. If you only want the summary, jump to the side-by-side table.
What a pre-filing search has to cover #
The USPTO publishes its own list of places to check before you file. It runs from the USPTO's search system and the Trademark Official Gazette through state trademark and business registries, domain name registries, WIPO's Madrid Monitor and Global Brand Database, EUIPO's TMview, and the internet. Its minimum is shorter: "At a minimum, be sure to check our database and the TMOG for federal applications and registrations, and also search the internet for common-law use" (USPTO: comprehensive clearance search).
In practice that comes down to four questions, and the rest of this guide uses them to compare the tools:
- Names. Is the same or a similar name registered or pending for related goods or services, including names that sound alike?
- Logos. Is a similar design registered or pending for related goods or services, even under a different name?
- Unregistered use. Is someone using the name without a federal filing? In the US, rights can come from use alone.
- Abroad. If you plan to sell outside the US, is the mark taken in those markets?
Free search tools and official databases #
1. USPTO Trademark Search #
USPTO Trademark Search is the official database of US federal trademark applications and registrations. It replaced the old TESS system on November 30, 2023 (USPTO). It is free, and the USPTO recommends logging into a USPTO.gov account for a better search experience, especially when the system is busy (USPTO).
Basic mode offers searches by general term, wordmark, goods and services, owner, serial or registration number, and mark description, with checkboxes to filter live and dead records. Expert mode adds design code and design description searches and filters by coordinated and international class (USPTO getting-started guide).
For logos, the USPTO added a beta image search on April 2, 2026 (USPTO announcement). To use it, you log in to your USPTO.gov account, select "Image search" from the drop-down menu, and upload an image; the results show similar trademarks. The USPTO calls it "a supplemental strategy" that "doesn't replace a traditional clearance search," and adds that "using design search codes may deliver different results than the AI image search, so it's best to use both methods" (USPTO: search system updates). How to Check If a Logo Is Trademarked: A US Search Guide walks through both.
Finds: US federal marks by wording, by image (beta, sign-in required), and by design code. Misses: unregistered use and marks outside the US. You judge every result yourself.
2. WIPO Global Brand Database #
WIPO's Global Brand Database is a free public service (WIPO terms) that searches trademark collections from national and international offices. WIPO counted 89 data sources as of April 14, 2026 (WIPO), and its user guide lists the United States among the national collections (WIPO user guide). You can search by keyword, name, number, goods and services, and image similarity, and the "Find by brand logo" option takes an uploaded image (WIPO FAQ).
Finds: marks in many national registers, including the US, by name or by image. Misses: unregistered use. Check any US hit against the USPTO's own record before you rely on it.
3. EUIPO TMview #
TMview, run by the EU Intellectual Property Office, is free to search (EUIPO). EUIPO describes it as connecting over 136 million trade marks from 80 countries, and since November 2025 its image search works for every office connected to it (EUIPO). USPTO trademark images have been part of TMview since May 15, 2023 (EUIPO).
Finds: marks from connected offices, including the USPTO, by name or by image. Misses: unregistered use. It works as another image search next to the USPTO's and WIPO's, and it is the natural starting point if you plan to sell in the EU.
4. Google search by image #
Google is not a trademark database, but it covers a gap the registers leave: use that never reached a trademark office. On a computer, Google's instructions are to go to google.com, click "Search by image," and upload a file (Google Search Help). A match can reveal possible use of a similar design. Check the original page, seller, products, and dates before treating it as evidence of trademark use; a hit can just as easily be a repost, a mockup, or a commentary page. A clean result says nothing about the register.
For a name, the equivalent is an ordinary web search for the name plus your product category, along with state trademark and business registries, which the USPTO lists among the places to check.
Paid and commercial tools #
5. Trademarkia #
Trademarkia offers a free search that it says covers "12 million+" trademarks, and it lets you upload a logo "to search for visually similar trademarks" (Trademarkia). It also sells what it calls an "attorney-led advanced trademark search service," with an attorney's opinion on the results (Trademarkia: search packages). The packages listed there:
- Federal Search, $199: similar names, logos, and slogans in the USPTO database.
- Federal and Common Law Search, $299: adds an internet search for businesses using the mark (it names Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Wikipedia, and Instagram) and a domain search.
- Global Comprehensive Search, $1,599: adds Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and WIPO.
Trademarkia also sells filing packages, listed at $499 to $699 plus government fees (Trademarkia).
Finds: US federal marks by name and by image in the free search; common-law use from the $299 package up. Fits: a free first look, or a reviewed report when you want common-law coverage and an attorney's read in one purchase.
6. LegalZoom #
LegalZoom lists two search-only packages and one that includes filing (LegalZoom):
- Federal, $199: a "complete search of existing and pending trademarks with the USPTO, including exact and phonetic matches."
- Federal, State & Common Law, $299: adds a search for common-law use.
- Comprehensive Search & Registration, $899 plus federal fees: the search plus attorney preparation and filing of the application.
LegalZoom asks for "the name, logo, or slogan you want to register," but its package descriptions don't say how designs are searched.
7. Full-service search firms: CompuMark and Corsearch #
Clarivate's CompuMark and Corsearch run full availability searches. CompuMark's US full search covers "USPTO and state trademark databases and other primary sources," along with online sources such as domain names and search engines (Clarivate). Corsearch describes "clearance searches across registered and unregistered marks using expert analyst review," and device and logo searches that combine similarity analysis with "expert interpretation" (Corsearch). The entries here describe provider-run search services; confirm the ordering workflow, deliverables, and any self-service features with each provider. Neither publishes prices on these pages; both ask you to contact them.
This is the kind of search the USPTO has in mind when it says that for a more in-depth search "you may choose to use a trademark screening service or work with an experienced U.S.-licensed attorney" (USPTO).
8. LogoVerify (our tool) #
LogoVerify is the tool we make, so read this entry with that in mind. It searches US federal trademark images for visually similar marks and returns preliminary risk indicators, including a risk score and a plain-English verdict, for further review. It compares the image itself, so it can surface a similar design registered under an unrelated name, and it also reads the text and design style in your logo, which feed the ranking of results. Our published pricing is a free trial of 3 visual checks, then one-time packs of 5 checks for $8.99 or 15 for $14.99, or Pro at $19.99 a month for 200 checks (LogoVerify product facts).
Finds: US federal marks with images similar to your logo. Misses: state registrations, unregistered use, and marks outside the US. It does not file applications and does not give legal advice.
Side by side #
| Tool | What it searches | Logo search | Unregistered use | Price (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USPTO Trademark Search | US federal applications and registrations | Image upload (beta, USPTO.gov login required) and design codes | No | Free |
| WIPO Global Brand Database | 89 national and international collections as of April 2026, including the US | Image upload | No (registers only) | Free |
| EUIPO TMview | Marks from 80 countries, including the USPTO | Image upload | No (registers only) | Free |
| Google search by image | The public web | Image upload | Possible web use only | Free |
| Trademarkia | US federal marks; packages add common law or global | Image upload (free search); logos in paid reports | From the $299 package | Free search; attorney-led reports $199 / $299 / $1,599 |
| LegalZoom | USPTO; the $299 package adds state and common law | Accepts logos; method not stated | In the $299 package | Search only: $199 / $299. Search and registration: $899 plus federal fees |
| CompuMark, Corsearch | USPTO, state and other sources; registered and unregistered marks | Corsearch: analyst-run logo searches | Yes | Quote only |
| LogoVerify | US federal trademark images | Image upload | No | 3 free visual checks; packs from $8.99; $19.99/month |
A search plan by stage #
You don't need every tool. A sensible order runs from free to paid, and you stop when the stakes no longer justify the next step.
- Before you settle on a name (free). Search the name and its variant spellings in USPTO Trademark Search; How to Check If a Brand Name Is Trademarked in the US covers the variants. Run the logo through the USPTO's image search and its design codes, as the USPTO recommends, and add WIPO's Global Brand Database or TMview if you want another image search. Then look through recent issues of the Trademark Official Gazette, which the USPTO publishes each Tuesday with the marks it has published and lists of cancelled and renewed registrations; it is part of the USPTO's stated minimum.
- Before you buy the domain or print anything (free). Search the web and marketplaces for the name in your category, check state business and trademark registries, and run Google's search by image on the logo. This is the common-law check in the USPTO's minimum.
- Before you file or spend real money (paid). If the free steps turn up nothing alarming but a lot rides on the name, order a report that covers common-law use, or have a trademark attorney run or review a full search. If you are domiciled outside the US, you will need a US-licensed attorney to file in any case (USPTO: do I need an attorney?).
What no tool decides for you #
Automated results and scores are screening aids. Whether a mark actually blocks yours is a question of likelihood of confusion: how similar the marks are in sight, sound, and meaning, and how related the goods or services are, weighed with other factors. Trademark Likelihood of Confusion: Factors and Examples explains how examiners and courts weigh them. Similarity scores and risk labels, ours included, help you read results; they are not legal conclusions. Attorney-led services may also provide a legal opinion, but no search or opinion guarantees registration or freedom from a dispute.
The same goes for a clean result. A search that finds nothing tells you what that search covered and nothing more. It is not a clearance opinion and does not guarantee registration.
Frequently Asked Questions #
Is the USPTO trademark search free? #
Yes. USPTO Trademark Search at tmsearch.uspto.gov is free. The USPTO recommends logging into a USPTO.gov account for a better experience, especially when the system is busy, and its beta image search requires that login (USPTO).
Can I search USPTO trademarks by image? #
Yes, since April 2, 2026, through a beta image search: log in to your USPTO.gov account, choose "Image search," and upload the image. The USPTO treats it as a supplement and recommends also searching design codes, because the two methods can return different results (USPTO). WIPO's Global Brand Database and EUIPO's TMview also take image uploads and include US trademark data.
What happened to TESS? #
The USPTO retired TESS on November 30, 2023 and replaced it with the current Trademark Search system (USPTO).
Do I need a paid trademark search before filing? #
The USPTO does not require one. Its stated minimum is a search of its database and the Official Gazette plus an internet search for common-law use, and it suggests a screening service or a US-licensed attorney for a more in-depth search (USPTO). Whether to pay depends on how much you are about to spend on the name.
What does a common-law search add? #
It looks for signs of use that federal registration databases don't fully reflect, such as businesses using a name they never registered. The USPTO treats it as a separate step from searching its database. At both Trademarkia and LegalZoom, adding it moves the published price from $199 to $299 (Trademarkia; LegalZoom).
Does a clean search mean my trademark will be registered? #
No. The USPTO's examining attorney decides likelihood of confusion, which the USPTO calls "the most common reason for refusing registration," along with any other grounds for refusal (USPTO). A clean search lowers your risk; it does not guarantee the outcome.
Related reading #
- How to Check If a Brand Name Is Trademarked in the US, a step-by-step name search.
- How to Check If a Logo Is Trademarked: A US Search Guide, including image search and design codes.
- Trademark Likelihood of Confusion: Factors and Examples, on reading what a search turns up.
This is general information, not legal advice. Features and prices change, so check each provider's page before you rely on them. For a decision about a specific mark, talk to a qualified trademark attorney.
External resources #
- USPTO: Comprehensive clearance search for similar trademarks, the USPTO's own list of places to search.
- USPTO Trademark Search, the official federal database.
- USPTO: Trademark search system updates, including how to use the beta image search.
- USPTO: Design search codes, for searching design elements by code.
- USPTO: Trademark Official Gazette, published each Tuesday.
- WIPO Global Brand Database, a free multi-register search with image similarity.
- EUIPO: Check availability with TMview, a free search across connected offices.
