Free vs Paid Trademark Monitoring: What's the Actual Difference?

TESS and WIPO are free and real. They just answer a different question than "watch this for me."

Free search (TESS / WIPO)Enterprise monitoring (Corsearch, Markify, etc.)
Cost$0Quote-based, typically $100s–$1,000s/yr
SignupNone neededBook a demo, talk to sales
CoverageUSPTO (TESS) or international (WIPO)USPTO + international + sometimes domains/marketplaces
Runs on a schedule?No — you have to remember to re-searchYes, that's the product
Notifies you of new filings?NoYes
Minimum practical customerAnyoneLegal/brand-protection departments

The real gap

The free tools aren't weak — TESS and WIPO's Global Brand Database are genuinely comprehensive, current, public data. The limitation is entirely about who has to do the work and how often. A one-time search tells you what existed the day you searched. Catching a new filing the week it happens requires either a person who remembers to re-run the same search every week indefinitely, or a service that does it automatically — and every automated option currently on the market is priced and sold to enterprise legal teams, not a solo founder or small business.

What actually closes that gap at small-business price

MarkRadar is built for exactly this middle: $15/month, self-serve signup with a credit card, no sales call. It runs the same category of check — new USPTO trademark filings and newly registered domains against your brand name — every week, and only emails you when something matches.

See how MarkRadar works →
This article is general information, not legal advice. Consult a licensed trademark attorney before acting on a suspected conflict.