Guides
Everything a first-timer needs to protect an idea.
Plain-English, no-jargon guides to patents — what to file, what it costs, what your deadlines are, and how to do it yourself. When you're ready, our tools turn what you learn into a filing-ready draft.
How to File a Provisional Patent Application Yourself: A Plain-English 2026 Step-by-Step Guide
Learn how to file a provisional patent yourself in 2026: prepare, draft, complete the cover sheet, file at Patent Center, and calendar your 12-month deadline.
Read the guide →How Much Does a Provisional Patent Cost in 2026?
Provisional patent cost in 2026, explained plainly: USPTO fees by entity size, what you can do yourself vs. hire out, and the hidden costs to watch for.
Read the guide →What Does "Patent Pending" Actually Mean?
What does patent pending mean, really? Learn what it protects, what it doesn't, how you earn the right to say it, and how long the 12-month window lasts.
Read the guide →Patent vs Trademark vs Copyright vs Trade Secret: Which Protection Your Idea Actually Needs
Confused about patent vs trademark vs copyright vs trade secret? A plain-English beginner's guide to which protection your product needs (usually more than one).
Read the guide →Provisional vs Nonprovisional Patent: What Each One Really Does
Provisional vs nonprovisional patent, explained simply: what each costs, what each does, and how the 12-month bridge between them protects your idea.
Read the guide →Public Disclosure and the Patent Clock: How Showing Your Invention Starts the Countdown
A public disclosure patent guide for beginners: how a demo, launch, or sale starts your deadlines, can forfeit foreign rights, and how to protect yourself.
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