The table below compares the four types of intellectual property (IP) protection to help our customers take the best-suited decision. In the bottom of the table, you will see the Price and Full Package Details links for each protection type. Follow these links to get free quotes for each type of protection designed in the form of all-inclusive packages.

Make sure you also check our special All-Inclusive Packages – by Intellectual Property Objects that we recommend as a smart strategy to protect you brand, product or website with 5 plans available for each package at your choice.

 IP-CRP  IP-TMP  ID  PD

Copyright Protection

Trademark Protection

(Industrial) Design Protection

Trade Secrets Protection

Definition

Copyright – rights that creators have over their literary and artistic works. Copyrightable works range from books, music, paintings, sculpture, and films, to computer programs, databases, maps, advertisements, and technical drawings.

Trademark – any signs represented graphically, words, personal names, designs, letters, numerals, shape of goods or packaging, provided they are capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one undertaking from those of other.

(Industrial) design – the appearance of the whole or a part of a product resulting from the features of, in particular, the lines, contours, colours, shape, texture and/or materials of the product itself and/or its ornamentation.

Trade secrets – any confidential business information, which provides an enterprise a competitive edge. Trade secrets encompass manufacturing or industrial secrets and commercial secrets.

Registration (protection) type

Registered with copyright depository and witnessed by copyright certificate

Registered with Trademark Office and witnessed by trademark certificate

Registered with Patent Office and witnessed by (industrial) design certificate

Protected by company internal regulation, contractual obligations, and introduction of confidentiality regime

Territory of protection

International protection in 169 countries of the Berne Convention
(including 28 EU states and 10 CIS states)

Regional protection (EU registration) or

National protection in a selected country

Regional protection (EU registration) or

National protection in a selected country

International and national protection under TRIPS Agreement, Paris Convention and national laws (although enforcement is highly challenging at international level)

Who is it ideal for?

Authors, writers, composers, designers, architects, artists, etc.

Business entities, brand and product owners

Inventors, designers

Business entities, franchisers

Duration of rights

Author’s life + 50/70 years *

10 years + indefinite renewals = unlimited

5-15 years (country-specific)

Unlimited (until revealed to public)

Renewable after expiry?

No

Yes, perpetually, every 10 years
(if remains in continued use)

Yes, up to 25 years

No

Maintenance

5 or 10 years (at client’s choice)

In few countries (annualized)

Yes, annualized

No obligations, defined by company

Maintenance renewability

Every 5/10 years (at client’s choice)

In few countries (every year, subj. to official fees)

Usually every 5 years (subject to official fees)

No obligations, defined by company

Registration speed

1-3 working days
(+ certificate delivery time)

6-12 months (country-specific, given no objections or oppositions are filed)

4-10 months (country-specific, given no objections or oppositions are filed)

5-20 working days (case-specific)

Strength of protection

Relatively strong (some limitations in trade and manufacturing; strong in other areas)

Strong within registered territories and industries (Nice classes)

Strong within registered territories and all industries

Limited
(strong under certain conditions)

Disclosure requirement

Not required

Disclosed

Disclosed

Not disclosed (by definition)

Limited to industries?

NO

YES

(Limited to Nice classes registered for)

NO

(Covers all goods and services)

NO

(Covers all goods and services)

Notice symbol

©

(reads as “copyright”)

®

(read as “registered trademark”)

Ⓓ

(reads as “registered design”)

“CONFIDENTIAL”

or similar marking as defined
by company

Protection cost
(without cost of defense)

● ○ ○

(Usually € 150 – 250)
Including registration fees

● ● ●

(Usually € 700 – 2000)
Including official and service fees

● ● ●

(Usually € 900 – 1500)
Including official and service fees

● ● ○

(Usually € 500 – 1500)
No registration fees

Eligible items

(objects eligible for protection)
  • Commercial designs: logo, product design, label, packaging, promotional materials, etc.
  • Artistic works: painting, photo, drawings, architecture, etc.
  • Literary works: books, commercial documents, manuals, leaflets, articles, song lyrics, etc.
  • Audiovisual works: musical work, sound recordings, films, video footage, etc.
  • IT works: computer program, source code, website design, website content, database
  • Publishing materials: magazines, periodicals, catalogues, etc.
  • Word marks: brand names, domain names, slogans
  • Figurative marks: logos without words
  • Combined marks: logos with words, logos only with words in graphical style
  • 3D marks: 3D product or packaging model
  • Other marks: sound mark (melody, ringtone),
    colour per se mark (colour sign)
  • 2D designs:
    logo, product label, tag, website design, computer icon, technical drawing, ornamentation, get-ups, map, typeface, etc.
  • 3D designs:
    product design, packaging, product parts, set of products, composite product, etc.
  • Strategies: advertising strategy, marketing strategy, etc.
  • Methods: sales methods, distribution methods, procedures, techniques, etc.
  • Databases: consumer profiles, list of suppliers and clients, passwords, etc.
  • Processes: know-how, manufacturing processes, business practices, etc.
  • Formulas, recipes, compositions, secret ingredient, etc.
  • Financial and economic data

(subject to specific eligibility criteria:
secrecy, value, and protection regime)

Ready-made Package Solutions

  Smart a Easy  Trademark  Industrial Design  Trade Secrets

For package prices refer to our Prices page

Price and Full Package Details

Price and Full Package Details

Price and Full Package Details

Price and Full Package Details

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* In most countries (almost all EU states) copyright endures for the ‘life of the author plus 70 years after the author’s death’. In few countries (e.g. in Uzbekistan) this term is equal to ‘life plus 50 years’. For certain copyright types (e.g. sound recordings, published editions, etc.) protection is reduced to 25/50 years, depending on the laws of the country of origin.