Incfile Incorporation Service Review: 2022 Analysis

Do you need to register a company and you prefer to have a professional service handle the paperwork for you? Incfile is one of several companies that can get the job done. If fact, they’re one of the best incorporation services and LLC services.

In this review, we’ll talk about the important details you need to know before choosing their service.

In Depth: Incfile Review

Incfile Overall Pricing and Value – 9/10

Incfile is one of the companies that topped our list as we reviewed online services that help you form a company online.

For only $0, one of the lowest prices we’ve seen, Incfile will help you form your business, while also providing a full year of registered agent service. Once the first year is over, the registered agent service will renew for $119 per year, which is a strong price point.

Their mid-tier Gold package costs $149, and despite being far more expensive than the entry-level Silver package, there are some additional features that make this package worth buying. If you want more documents like an operating agreement and a banking resolution, if you want Incfile to acquire your federal tax ID number, or even if you just want a decorative binder with your company name on it, the Gold package is worth a look.

Incfile’s Platinum package is more expensive at $299, but depending on your business needs, the value may be there for you. You’ll receive expedited service from your state, along with a handful of additional features.

Overall, Incfile provides a strong list of features to their customers for the prices they charge. We’re impressed.

Track Record – 9/10

Incfile was founded in 2004 out of Houston, Texas, “with a mission to provide a superior user experience at an unparalleled value.” Since starting out, they have helped entrepreneurs form more than 500,000 businesses. With growth of more than 200% in the last year alone, Incfile has really made a name for themselves lately.

Customer reviews are a major strength for Incfile, as they have thousands of positive reviews across the web, and just a small handful of negative feedback. Here’s what some of their customers had to say:

“I normally get my corp filings from another company, but after purchasing a corp thru Incfile.com, and seeing how fast I received everything, this is my new go-to for legal business filings. Highly recommend!”

“I must admit that I was nervous to begin this process, however, I was able to easily maneuver my way throughout the website. Incfile.com made my first-time entrepreneurial experience a peaceful one. I am beyond grateful and excited to start my journey. Thank you!”

“Quickly done and, just as importantly, no sales pressure implying that the additional services (and fees) were required. I appreciated that.”

Customer Support – 7/10

Incfile.com offers phone and email support, which we tested. When we used their phone support, our entire call lasted only 45 seconds. The call was answered quickly and our question was answered, but not elaborated upon.

We also emailed them with the same question after-hours and our email was answered by 10 a.m. the next day, with more details than we received over the phone.

On the plus side, we thoroughly appreciated the way Incfile responded so quickly, whether we used the phone or email option. In general, it seems that their email support is a bit better than their phone support, because we received a much more in-depth answer via email.

Ease of Placing an Order – 8/10

You want to start a business, but you have no idea where to begin. Maybe you don’t know how much goes into forming and running a business behind the scenes ― we believe you shouldn’t lose sleep over figuring it out.

The point of using an incorporation service is to save time and make the formation process as simple as possible. With some online services, it can still feel like you’re basically filing on your own. But with Incfile, the process is fast and simple.

As you walk through the process of signing up for Incfile, your steps are personalized based on the state you live in and the type of business you wish to establish. There are even little question marks and hyperlinks throughout the application to learn more about a specific question or entry on the form.

There are a few promotional offers from third-party partners along the way, including an offer to set up a Bank of America business bank account and to build a business website with SnapWeb, but there really isn’t anything that we would refer to as an upsell.

Incfile gives you the option to opt into additional services that aren’t part of your formation package, and if you choose to do so, your price is immediately updated on the screen. There are never any surprises with Incfile.

Overall Turnaround Time – 9/10

Incfile offers turnaround times that are equal to (or better than) their competitors, and it’s also unlikely that you could form your own business much quicker than they do.

This is because Incfile guarantees that every LLC or corporation formation will be processed and forwarded to your state of formation within one business day. Many competitors make you pay an additional fee to get next-day processing.

Once everything is filed, it’s important to keep in mind that some states take longer than others to process business formation paperwork. In some states, the entire process could be completed in just a few days, but in others you could wait several weeks.

If you need your business formed in a hurry, Incfile offers the ability to order expedited state processing for an additional fee (determined by your state), or you can purchase their Platinum package which includes expedited service.

Overall, Incfile’s turnaround times are an advantage over most of their competitors.

Incfile Pricing & Features

Incfile offers three different packages for online incorporation service. For the most part, these packages are the same for either corporations and LLCs, although there are some differences that we’ll explain shortly.

As you move up in tiers, each package offers all features from the previous level packages, along with some additional benefits. Which one you should choose all comes down to what your company will need to be successful.

$0 for Silver Package

This Package Is Best For: Entrepreneurs who are looking to form a company, without all the extra features other packages include.

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The Silver package is their basic offering, and it is the same whether you form an LLC or a corporation. Many features included in the Gold and Platinum packages are also available for an additional fee as individual add-ons to the Silver package.

• Verifying company name availability – Incfile will search your state’s business name database to determine whether your desired company name is available for use, or if it’s already been claimed by another business entity.
• Preparing & filing of articles – The centerpiece of any formation package is filing your formation documents with the state. For corporations, these documents are usually called the articles of incorporation, whereas for LLCs, they’re the articles of organization.
• Next business day processing – Incfile guarantees each order is processed and sent to the state within one business day of receiving your order.
• Registered agent (1st year FREE) – Incfile will use their address as your mailing address to cut down on junk mail and the sharing of personal information. You can renew this service after your first year for $119 per year.
• Lifetime company alerts – Receive email and text reminders for important filing dates like annual reports, business license renewals, statements of information, etc.
• Statement and resignation of the organizer/incorporator – This is a document that identifies the initial members of your LLC, or the initial directors of your corporation. This statement can be helpful in obtaining a business bank account.
• Online access to formation documents – View, print, or download your articles anytime.
• Third-party partner offers – A free tax consultation, a website and domain name, and offers from Bank of America.

$149 for Gold Package

This Package Is Best For: Entrepreneurs who want to start a company, while also getting an EIN and custom documents for their business.

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The Gold package includes everything from the Silver package, plus the following features:

• Federal tax ID number (EIN) – This is assigned by the IRS to identify taxpayers, and is especially important if you plan to have employees on payroll. Think of an EIN as a social security number for your business. You can get one for free from the IRS, but this feature removes the hassle of doing so.
• Banking resolution – This document provides authorization to open a business checking account, but it is largely unnecessary because this package already includes an EIN, which can do the same thing.
• Business formation kit – A binder embossed with your company name, in which to store all of your business documents.
• Express shipping – A hard copy of your completed formation documents is expedited via mail to you in 1-3 business days.

Corporation Only:

• Corporation bylaws – This document explains the rules and regulations which the company will abide by when operating. The bylaws include information like how shareholder votes are held, how often the board of directors will meet, procedures for resolving intra-company disputes, and more.
• Organizational meeting minutes – For compliance, meeting minutes must be taken at all board meetings. An initial board meeting must be held to appoint officers, define bylaws, and establish the issuance of shares.

LLC Only:

• Operating agreement – This is a private agreement between the members or owners of the LLC, and it details the ownership, rights, and responsibilities of each person.
• Preparation and filing of IRS Form 2553 – Some LLCs request to be classified as S corporations for tax purposes, and this is the form that applies for that status. Most LLCs do not need this feature.

$299 for Platinum Package

This Package Is Best For: Entrepreneurs looking for the fastest business incorporation time, more documents, and a business website.

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The Platinum package includes everything from the Gold package, plus the following features:

• Expedited state filing – Incfile will acquire expedited processing from your formation state, which can dramatically speed up your turnaround time, often from a matter of weeks down to mere days.
• Business contract templates – Instead of recreating the wheel, use the proven templates provided by Incfile to kick-start your company. This feature includes over 25 contracts written by an attorney.
• Deluxe business formation kit – This feature adds a symbolic customized embossing seal to the binder included in the Gold package.
• Business website and domain name – This third-party offer partners with Snapweb to provide a website for your business. Your professional business website will be intuitive across all devices, and will be easy to set up and use. If you choose to leverage this offer, you will be subject to a $20 monthly hosting fee from Snapweb.

How Does Incfile Work?

Incfile’s service is fairly easy to use; you simply answer some questions about your business. Incfile uses that information to file your documents on your behalf. While each business’s needs are different, here are the steps you can expect:

1. Select your business type and the state where you want to form your business.
2. Select the package that’s best for you.
3. Choose any add-ons you’d like: expedited service, operating agreements, banking resolutions, etc.
4. Give Incfile information about your company for your Articles of Organization.

With every package, Incfile files your Articles of Organization for you—once you give them the information they need. Here’s some of the information you’ll need to provide:

• Business name for your LLC or corporation
• Your business address
• Names and contact information for each member (owner)
• Name and address of your registered agent (if you don’t want to use Incfile)
• Date you want your business to start
• When your business will end (if a temporary business)

Of course, if you add other features into your package, Incfile will also request that information, too. Throughout the process, Incfile provides helpful hyperlinks and question bubbles to explain any terms or features you might not know.

Once Incfile has all the information they need, you’ll be directed to a payment page to finish processing your order. Afterward, you can expect them to help you maintain compliance in your state, especially if you continue with their registered agent service.

What are Incfile’s Customers Saying?

Entrepreneur included Incfile on the 2018 list of the 360 Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America, so it’s no surprise that Incfile has lots of happy customers.

Here are a few of the many things customers liked about Incfile:

• Excellent support after your purchase
• Streamlined and easy to use
• Multiple package options
• Friendly customer support

Since Incfile is easy to use and they support their customers over the long haul, it’s easy to see why people keep coming back for more. Of course, there are a few negative reviews out there, too.

Here are some of the negative comments about Incfile:

• Double invoices for same service
• Packages are confusing to new users

If you’ve never formed a business before, then terms like registered agent, Articles of Organization, and bank resolution can be overwhelming. And understandably, no one likes to be charged twice for the same thing.

Thankfully, these issues can be corrected with a little help from Incfile’s customer support. And since the negative reviews are far outshone by the positive ones, you can be confident that you’re getting a good service.

LegalZoom vs Incfile: What’s the Difference?

On the surface, LegalZoom and Incfile seem to accomplish the same purpose: helping you form your company. And while that’s true, the difference between them goes much deeper than that. In our opinion, LegalZoom does not compete with what Incfile has to offer.

Here are a few key differences:

• LegalZoom has an impressive customer volume of more than 3.6 million customers. Over a million of those customers are businesses, giving them one of the most impressive client lists in the industry.
• Most importantly, Incfile’s starting price point of $0 for business formation service is much more affordable than LegalZoom’s $149 incorporation package ― especially when you consider that Incfile includes a year of registered agent with every package, which LegalZoom only offers as an add-on.
• Incfile promises to process every single business formation within one business day—no expediting fee necessary. They’re your go-to if you need to get your business started quickly.
• In addition, Incfile receives spectacular reviews from their clients, whereas LegalZoom has more of a mixed reputation in this regard.

Common Questions