There are a plethora of LLC formation services out there in 2022.
It can be overwhelming to figure out which is the best fit for your company’s unique needs.
That’s why we did the research for you. We pored over the details of every LLC service, their customer reviews, and tested customer service via every available channel to see how helpful they actually are.
Overview (Entrepreneur Favorites)
Before we dive into the list and review of the nine best LLC services, here’s a quick overview of this buyers guide:
We know you’re a busy entrepreneur and have a lot on your plate. If you’d like to skip the research and get started with one of the entrepreneur-favorites and ‘best’ LLC services, here they are: ZenBusiness (top LLC service) and Incfile.
These are the LLC formation services that’ll form a business for you at the lowest price possible while still including great features. They’re both excellent deals and can save you $50+ rather than using other options on this list.
Recommended Service
- ✔ Great Value & Features
- ✔ Socially Conscious Company
- ✔ Thousands of Positive Reviews
Best LLC Services Reviewed
Now that we’ve outlined the two most popular services overall, let’s break down and review the nine best LLC services online as of January 8, 2022:
- ZenBusiness (Recommended)
- Incfile
- Northwest Registered Agent
- Rocket Lawyer
- LegalZoom
- BizFilings
- Nationwide Incorporators
- MyCompanyWorks
- MyCorporation
ZenBusiness | #1
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Do you want an outstanding value for your LLC formation without sacrificing any important features? ZenBusiness is your best option, as they charge just $39 plus state fee to form your LLC, while also including a full year of registered agent service.
While you might expect that this package includes only the bare essentials of the formation process, we’re happy to inform you this is not the case.
Even their cheapest LLC formation package comes with everything you need and nothing you don’t, with registered agent service and a risk-free accounting consultation session.
ZenBusiness Pros
- Great prices and features
- Outstanding customer reviews
- Registered agent included
ZenBusiness Cons
- Fairly new company
Free Registered Agent
Much like a couple of the other companies we’ll discuss shortly, ZenBusiness provides one full year of registered agent service with every one of their LLC service packages. Once that year is up, you can renew their registered agent for $99 per year, which is a lower rate than most of their competitors charge.
Outstanding Customer Reviews
It would be difficult to find a company with a better reputation with its existing customers than ZenBusiness. We found thousands of reviews of their services, and almost every single one of them is positive in nature.
As we read through reviews of ZenBusiness online, we found that their clients seem to really appreciate how affordable their services are, as well as how quickly they respond to customer support queries.
Their Claim to Fame
You might be wondering how ZenBusiness provides such good LLC services at such low rates, and the answer lies in their embrace of technology. ZenBusiness has figured out ways to automate large portions of not only the business formation process, but also ongoing compliance services.
This allows them to form businesses faster than most competitors, and they pass that time savings on to their customers in the form of monetary discounts.
ZenBusiness vs Other Top LLC Services
How does ZenBusiness compare to our other top options for online LLC services?
ZenBusiness vs Northwest Registered Agent:
- ZenBusiness and Northwest charge the same price for LLC formation
- Northwest has the best customer support in the industry
- ZenBusiness has a much higher volume of customer reviews
ZenBusiness vs Incfile:
- You get more complete features with ZenBusiness
- Incfile has faster formation speeds
- Incfile offers LLC formations for free (plus state fee)
Additional Services and Features
LLC formation and registered agent service aren’t the only things that ZenBusiness offers. Here are some of the other features and services they can offer your business:
- Worry-Free Compliance ($119/year): ZenBusiness will manage your annual reports and keep track of other important filing deadlines to help your business stay compliant.
- Amendments ($100): If you need to amend your articles of organization, they will make the necessary changes with your Secretary of State.
- Publication Service ($200): If your state requires publication of your LLC’s formation, ZenBusiness will handle the entire process.
- Federal Tax ID Number ($70): Also known as an EIN, this is like a Social Security number for your business.
Incfile | #2
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As an industry leader, Incfile deserves a spot on our list of best LLC formation services for the low prices they offer entrepreneurs. In fact, they will form an LLC for free.
Plus, they offer good customer service before, during, and after you place your order. Incfile has similarly high-quality reviews to ZenBusiness but at a far greater volume. Whereas ZenBusiness has roughly 4,700 glowing reviews online, Incfile has over 10,000.
Incfile Pros
- Outstanding customer feedback
- Superior ease of use
- Wide variety of other services available
Incfile Cons
- Quite a few upsells and third-party offers
Free Registered Agent
Incfile includes 12 months of their registered agent service in each package, and they only charge $119 per year after that. This annual price is lower than average, and we were happy to see that they included an entire year for their customers before charging an additional fee.
Expanded Features
If you’re looking for more than the $0 base package offers, their $149 Gold package also provides strong value, with a number of additional features that could come in quite handy.
In addition to all features from their entry-level Silver package, you’ll also receive a federal tax ID number (EIN), an operating agreement, a banking resolution, a personalized binder with your company name on it, and express shipping of all documents, plus your application for S corporation taxation election (if applicable).
Their Claim to Fame
Incfile guarantees that they’ll file your formation paperwork with the state in one business day. Many competing services don’t offer such a guarantee, or they’ll charge extra to file your paperwork more quickly.
We appreciate that Incfile efficiently files formation documents for all of their customers, and not just those who can afford an additional fee.
Incfile vs the Other Best LLC Services
Incfile vs ZenBusiness:
- You get more complete features with ZenBusiness
- Incfile has faster formation speeds
- Incfile offers LLC formations for free (plus state fee)
Incfile vs Northwest:
- Incfile is a free LLC service. Northwest starts at $39
- Northwest has more specialized customer service
- Incfile has better customer reviews
Additional Services and Features
LLC formation and registered agent service aren’t the only things that Incfile offers. Here are some other features and services they can offer your business:
- Business License Research ($99): They will determine which licenses and permits your business needs to operate in a compliant fashion, then send you the applications.
- Foreign Qualification ($149): If you want to operate your business in additional states, Incfile will apply for your foreign LLC status in those states.
- Trademark Registration ($199): Protect your business name with a certified trademark from the USPTO.
Northwest | #3
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Northwest Registered Agent earns a spot on our list because they provide top-notch customer service that we think is the best in the industry.
They make it easy for anyone to form an LLC, for just $39. However, their LLC service doesn’t include as many features as the providers above.
But we know that prices and features are just one of your considerations in choosing the best LLC service to help you establish and even manage your business. With that in mind, let’s dive into the details of what they have to offer.
Northwest Pros
- Included registered agent service
- Industry-best customer support
Northwest Cons
- Not many customer reviews
- Not as many included features
Free Registered Agent
Along with great customer support, their registered agent service is included for a full year when you hire them to form your business.
After the first year, it costs just $125 annually, a price that’s lower than average compared to competitors. This is a huge plus, as many formation services don’t include registered agent service.
In addition, Northwest is the only major national service provider that scans every document they receive as your registered agent, whereas their competitors only scan the government-issued forms that they’re legally required to scan.
Customer Support
Northwest also has excellent customer service. This is made extremely clear both by the customer reviews we found online and by our own experiences.
Their Claim to Fame
Simplicity is the name of the game for Northwest. The ordering process is streamlined in two specific ways.
First, they remove the confusion by narrowing their features and add-ons down to a select few. You won’t spend hours poring over options and trying to decide what is worth paying extra for. Second, completing the order form only takes 10-15 minutes.
While their tagline “We’re Just Not Annoying” is a bit cheesy, it’s very clear this company actually cares about their customers, which is rare in this industry.
Northwest vs Other Top LLC Websites
How does Northwest Registered Agent compare to our other top LLC services?
Northwest vs ZenBusiness:
- ZenBusiness and Northwest charge the same price for LLC setup
- Northwest has better customer support
- ZenBusiness has more customer reviews
Northwest vs Incfile:
- Incfile is a free LLC service, Northwest starts at $39
- Northwest has more specialized customer service
- Incfile has a better customer feedback reputation
Additional Services and Features
LLC formation and registered agent service aren’t the only things that Northwest Registered Agent offers. Here are some other features and services they can offer your business:
- Mail Forwarding ($40/month): They will provide you with a unique address and suite number that you can use on your letterhead, website, bills, and more.
- Annual Report Filing ($100): Northwest guarantees on-time filing of your annual reports, so you have nothing to worry about regarding this ongoing compliance requirement.
- Virtual Office ($49/month): Northwest provides a fully staffed office location with a full suite of on-demand secretarial services to enhance the professionalism of your business.
Rocket Lawyer | #4
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Rocket Lawyer handles an incredible volume of customers, as they’ve served more than 20 million clients over the years. They also receive strong customer reviews, which makes them an inviting option for business services.
The core of Rocket Lawyer’s offerings is its legal services subscription plan, which provides customers with attorney consults, deep discounts on business services, and more. In fact, new subscribers to this plan receive incorporation for free.
However, their incorporation service as a standalone purchase is a barebones offering that we feel is somewhat overpriced.
Rocket Lawyer Pros
- Tons of experience
- Strong customer feedback
- Solid customer support
Rocket Lawyer Cons
- Online incorporation service is overpriced
- No advanced features included
Strong Customer Reviews
Rocket Lawyer excels when it comes to their customer feedback. They have thousands of reviews available online, and most of them are quite positive. Their clients frequently praise Rocket Lawyer’s ease of use, as well as the high quality of their customer support.
Legal Services Subscription
To be honest, there isn’t really any great reason to use Rocket Lawyer if all you’re going to do is purchase incorporation service by itself.
Rocket Lawyer’s best attribute is its legal services subscription for $39.99 per month. This subscription has a seven-day free trial, and offers free incorporation service for all new subscribers, along with a variety of impressive features like attorney consultations.
Their Claim to Fame
Rocket Lawyer is best known for being the most popular company in the business services industry. They offer a wide variety of services, which all revolve around their legal services subscription.
If you’re looking for more than just the simple incorporation process for your business, Rocket Lawyer has a robust selection of other services that can help you operate your compliant business.
Rocket Lawyer vs Other Good LLC Websites
Rocket Lawyer vs ZenBusiness:
- Rocket Lawyer has much more experience
- ZenBusiness is $60 cheaper
- ZenBusiness includes 12 months registered agent service
Rocket Lawyer vs Northwest:
- Northwest offers personalized customer support
- Rocket Lawyer has served a higher volume of clients
- Rocket Lawyer can save you $125+ on formation service
Additional Services and Features
As we mentioned, Rocket Lawyer has many business services to choose from. Take a look at some of their other popular offerings.
- Legal Services Subscription ($39.99/month): Receive attorney consultations, discounts on attorney fees, free incorporation service (for new members), unlimited legal documents, and more.
- Registered Agent Service ($149.99/year): Rocket Lawyer also offers registered agent service, which you can get at a 25% discount if you also subscribe to their legal services plan.
- Legal Documents ($39.99 each): If you only want one document, like a business contract or a non-disclosure agreement, you can purchase it a la carte instead of subscribing to their legal services plan.
LegalZoom | #5
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LegalZoom is another service that’s helped millions of customers start and operate their businesses. They have lots of brand power thanks to their aggressive advertising, and overall they’re probably the most well known business services provider around.
Their popularity is unquestioned, but LegalZoom does have some aspects that we’re not crazy about.
Their customer reviews are a mixed bag, their prices are too high for what you get, and we just generally think there are better options out there. Still, their popularity isn’t entirely undeserved either, so let’s take a look at what they have to offer.
LegalZoom Pros
- High client volume
- Extended customer support hours
LegalZoom Cons
- High prices
- Mediocre customer feedback
- No registered agent included with incorporation
Longest Support Hours in the Industry
If you need help from LegalZoom’s customer support reps, you’re in luck. LegalZoom has the longest hours of availability that we’ve ever seen in the business services industry. You can contact them from 10 am until 8 pm ET on weekdays, and from 10 am to 7 pm ET on Saturdays.
Lots of Upsells
On the negative side, LegalZoom piles on the upsell attempts more aggressively than any other company in this industry. In fact, there’s over $1,000 in upsells on their order form for incorporation service.
Their Claim to Fame
LegalZoom’s best attribute in our opinion is their 100% satisfaction guarantee. When you make any purchase from LegalZoom, they give you a generous 60-day window to decide whether you’re pleased with their services or not. If you decide that you’d like a refund, they will grant one with no questions asked.
LegalZoom vs Other Top LLC Services
LegalZoom vs ZenBusiness:
- ZenBusiness is $40 cheaper
- ZenBusiness includes one year of registered agent service
- ZenBusiness receives far better customer reviews
LegalZoom vs Northwest:
- LegalZoom charges $79 to form an LLC while Northwest only charges $39
- LegalZoom has more experience
- Northwest has personalized customer support
Additional Services and Features
LegalZoom offers a wide variety of business services that can help you run your company at any stage of the business lifecycle. Take a look at some of their other popular services.
- Trademark Registration ($399): Protect your brand by registering a trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
- Annual Reports ($55): LegalZoom will create and file your annual report for just $55, one of the lowest price points in the industry for this service.
- Business Advisory Plan ($31.25/month): This subscription service includes consultations with vetted attorneys, tax advice, contract reviews, and more.
BizFilings | #6
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BizFilings is a well-rounded service provider that does everything pretty well, but doesn’t stand out from the crowd in any specific way. Their prices are reasonable but not impressive, their customer support is good but not great, etc.
If you’re looking for a reliable, experienced service provider, BizFilings might be a good fit for you.
They’ve completed more than 500,000 business filings since they formed in 1996, and today they’re a subsidiary of the massive global compliance firm Wolters Kluwer.
BizFilings Pros
- 6 months registered agent included
- Plenty of experience
- Extended customer support hours
BizFilings Cons
- Mediocre pricing
- Vague turnaround times
- Very few customer reviews
Customer Support Availability
BizFilings has high-quality customer support, and their hours of availability are slightly longer than many of their competitors. BizFilings support reps are available from 9 am until 8 pm ET every Monday through Friday, so you don’t have to take time out of your workday to contact them.
Six Months Registered Agent Included
While it’s not quite as impressive as competitors like ZenBusiness or Northwest Registered Agent offering a full year, BizFilings’ offer of six months of free registered agent service is still quite valuable.
Their Claim to Fame
In an industry that often has underwhelming refund policies, BizFilings stands out. They guarantee all business filings for the life of your company. If they make any mistakes, they will “absorb any additional fees and costs necessary to correct the error or mistake as quickly as possible.”
BizFilings vs the Other Incorporation Services
BizFilings vs ZenBusiness:
- ZenBusiness can save you $60
- ZenBusiness has thousands of positive reviews
- BizFilings has more experience
BizFilings vs Northwest:
- BizFilings charges $99 to form an LLC while Northwest costs only $39
- Northwest has personalized customer support
- Northwest includes a full year of registered agent
Additional Services and Features
Like the other companies in this guide, BizFilings also has many other services available. Take a look at a few of their additional offerings.
- Foreign Qualification ($219): If you need to expand your business into additional states, BizFilings offers to obtain your foreign qualification, allowing you to operate a compliant business in any state.
- Dissolution Filing ($179): It’s an unfortunate reality that not all businesses last forever. If you need to formally dissolve your company, BizFilings offers this service at a reasonable rate.
- BizComply Compliance Management ($75/year): This service is actually included with their registered agent service for free, but it’s also available as a standalone feature. With this service, BizFilings will help you maintain your company’s compliant status throughout the year. This helps you avoid having your corporate veil pierced, and it also keeps your company in good standing.
Nationwide | #7
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Nationwide Incorporators has a unique approach to incorporation service that sets them apart from their competitors.
While their prices are higher than most, Nationwide Incorporators provides a valuable service that no one else offers: they pledge that every document they submit to the state is either drafted or reviewed by an attorney before it leaves their office.
This advantage puts Nationwide Incorporators somewhere in between typical document-filing services and a full-fledged law firm. It’s safe to say that their “Attorney-Powered” slogan is an accurate representation of the services you’ll receive from Nationwide Incorporators.
Nationwide Incorporators Pros
- Attorney review on all documents
- Company president has 25+ years of business law experience
Nationwide Incorporators Cons
- Prices are higher than many competitors
- Not all services available online
- Some services (like registered agent) have variable pricing
Attorney Review
On the Nationwide Incorporators website, they claim to offer “services of an experienced attorney at self-help prices.” In our own experience, this is certainly accurate. We aren’t aware of any other companies in this industry that offer access to a business attorney at such low rates. It’s a big advantage for Nationwide Incorporators.
Outstanding Customer Support
When you call Nationwide Incorporators, your call doesn’t get routed through a massive call center like it would with some of their competitors. In fact, company president Robert E. Stenson often answers the phone himself, providing clients with instant access to his decades of expertise.
Their Claim to Fame
The Nationwide Incorporators difference is in the way they provide true expert assistance with the business formation process. While many of their competitors are simple document-filing services that aren’t all that different from the DIY method, Nationwide Incorporators truly stands out from the crowd.
Nationwide Incorporators vs the Competition
Nationwide Incorporators vs ZenBusiness:
- ZenBusiness can save you $161 on formation service
- ZenBusiness has thousands of positive customer reviews
- Nationwide Incorporators has superior customer support
Nationwide Incorporators vs Northwest:
- Northwest can save you $161 on formation service
- Northwest includes 12 months registered agent service
- Nationwide Incorporators offers attorney advice
Additional Services and Features
Of course, LLC formation service isn’t the only business service offered by Nationwide Incorporators. Here are a few of the other things they offer to their clients.
- Foreign Registration (call for pricing info): If you want to conduct business in another state, Nationwide Incorporators can help you by acquiring your foreign registration.
- Seller’s Permits (call for pricing info): In many states, you need to obtain a seller’s permit in order to provide products and services to your clients. With this service, Nationwide Incorporators will provide the completed application to you, and all you need to do is submit it to the appropriate government agency.
- Business Licenses (call for pricing info): Nearly all businesses require at least one license to operate in a compliant fashion. Nationwide Incorporators will research the permits and licenses you need, and provide you with the completed application forms.
MyCompanyWorks | #8
See Our Review Visit Their Website
MyCompanyWorks provides a nice balance of affordability and features, allowing a wide variety of entrepreneurs to access services that help them start and develop businesses.
Their customer reviews are a big advantage compared to many of their competitors, as they have a high volume of positive customer reviews.
However, MyCompanyWorks also has some issues that prevent them from entering the top tier of this list. Namely, they don’t offer registered agent service with any of their formation packages, except for the most expensive option.
MyCompanyWorks Pros
- Reasonable overall pricing
- Fantastic customer reviews
- Same-day filing
MyCompanyWorks Cons
- No registered agent included except with most expensive package
- There are cheaper options available
Outstanding Customer Reviews
There aren’t many companies that can compete with MyCompanyWorks’ customer feedback reputation. They have more than 2,600 reviews available online, and over 97% of them are either 4- or 5-star ratings. Their clients appreciate their ease of use and efficiency.
100% Satisfaction Guarantee
In our opinion, MyCompanyWorks has the best refund policy in this industry. They give you a full 90 days to analyze your purchase, and if you decide that you’re unsatisfied for any reason, they will refund your service fees with no questions asked.
Their Claim to Fame
MyCompanyWorks isn’t one of the industry giants, and in many ways, they lean into their status as a successful midsize company.
With MyCompanyWorks, you have a company that doesn’t view their clients as “just a number.” Instead, they’re small enough to have honest discussions with their customers, while they still have enough experience to get the job done.
MyCompanyWorks vs the Top LLC Websites
MyCompanyWorks vs ZenBusiness:
- ZenBusiness can save you $40
- ZenBusiness provides 12 months registered agent service
- Both companies have outstanding customer feedback
MyCompanyWorks vs Northwest:
- Northwest is $40 cheaper than MyCompanyWorks
- Northwest has personalized customer support
- MyCompanyWorks has a much higher volume of positive customer reviews
Additional Services and Features
MyCompanyWorks doesn’t offer as many advanced features as some competitors like LegalZoom, but they still have a solid collection of services to help entrepreneurs run their compliant businesses.
- Annual Report Service ($49): MyCompanyWorks has one of the lowest price points available for annual reports. They will prepare and file your annual report for just $49 per year.
- Virtual Office in Nevada or Wyoming ($29-59/month): If you’re interested in opening a business in the business-friendly states of Nevada or Wyoming, MyCompanyWorks offers three different options for virtual office service in these states.
- Dissolution ($99): If you need to close your business for any reason, MyCompanyWorks offers one of the most affordable dissolution service packages available.
MyCorporation | #9
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MyCorporation has two big advantages over most competing LLC services. The first is their impressive level of experience — MyCorporation opened back in 1998, and they’ve served more than one million customers since then. Their other advantage is customer feedback, as they have hundreds of high-quality reviews available.
However, they have some issues with pricing that prevent them from earning a higher spot on this list. For example, they have a $34 shipping charge that is not included in any of their advertised prices.
When ZenBusiness offers the complete formation of your LLC and 12 months of registered agent service for $39, it feels awfully unnecessary to pay MyCorporation $34 (on top of their service fees) to mail a few pieces of paper.
MyCorporation Pros
- Great customer feedback
- Lots of experience
MyCorporation Cons
- Excessive additional fees
- Poor overall value in LLC formation packages
Decades of Experience
Many of the other companies in this industry just formed recently, whereas MyCorporation has decades of experience providing affordable business services to entrepreneurs. If experience matters to you, MyCorporation and their million-plus clients certainly have plenty of it.
Strong Customer Reviews
Their impressive level of experience is supplemented by hundreds of customer reviews which are available online, and these indicate that most of those clients are quite pleased with the service they receive. Of the 400 reviews we found for MyCorporation, most of them are high ratings of either four or five stars.
In their positive reviews, their clients discuss how they appreciate MyCorporation’s advanced features, as well as their helpful customer support representatives.
Their Claim to Fame
MyCorporation has a reputation as a transparent and open company, and they seem to live up to that reputation in our opinion. Their CEO Deborah Sweeney actually lists her own Twitter handle (@deborahsweeney) on their website, and invites customers to contact her personally.
MyCorporation vs Other LLC Formation Websites
MyCorporation vs ZenBusiness:
- ZenBusiness can save you $94 on LLC formation
- ZenBusiness includes 12 months registered agent service
- MyCorporation has more experience
MyCorporation vs Northwest:
- Northwest can save you $94 on LLC formation
- Northwest bundles in a full year of registered agent
- MyCorporation has a higher volume of positive customer feedback
Additional Services and Features
One of MyCorporation’s selling points is that they offer an incredible array of additional services and features, more than most companies in this guide. Take a look at a few of their interesting offers:
- Custom Logo Design ($39.99): With MyCorporation’s affordable online logo maker, they’ll help you create a custom logo for your business at a much lower price point than it costs with most competitors.
- Trademark Monitoring ($450): MyCorporation won’t just help you register a trademark. They actually offer comprehensive trademark monitoring service to make sure no one else is infringing on your intellectual property.
- MaintainMyBiz ($250/year): With this feature, you can order four more business filings over 12 months, with 16 options including annual reports, amendments, an operating agreement, foreign qualifications, and more.
Final Verdict
All nine of the top LLC services on this list are good options. They each have great prices, and they’re all reliable and easy to use.
However, overall, we prefer and recommend ZenBusiness. They scored 9/10 in our comprehensive review and have better included features than any other option. Plus, their customer feedback is almost all positive, with more than 4,700 reviews maintaining a strong 9/10 score — all for just $39, which is much more affordable than LegalZoom.
Other Good LLC Websites
We mentioned at the beginning of this guide that there are dozens of companies in the current marketplace offering LLC formation service.
In this section, we would like to simply give shoutouts to several other companies that fell short of our top nine, but still have enough positive attributes to be worth using.
- Harvard Business Services ― Are you forming an LLC in Delaware? Harvard Business Services only operates in this state, which gives them some advantages. For example, they can form a Delaware business faster than anyone else we’re aware of, and they have the lowest registered agent fee in this entire industry at just $50 per year.
- Swyft Filings ― Swyft Filings is an example of a company that doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses, but also doesn’t do enough to set themselves apart from the competition. Most of their LLC formation service offerings look like they’re basically the same as Incfile, but without the free year of registered agent that Incfile provides. We will mention that they have spectacular customer feedback, with thousands of positive reviews available online.
- Direct Incorporation ― We doubt Direct Incorporation will win over many of our readers with their basic LLC formation package, as it’s rather expensive compared to the competition. However, their upper-tier plans include some unique features that you won’t find elsewhere, like copyright protection, logo design, comprehensive website design service, and more.
- Incorporate.com ― Longevity is the name of the game for Incorporate.com. While their pricing is high, and they even participate in some moderately confusing advertising when it comes to their LLC service, Incorporate.com is the only company in this industry that’s been forming businesses since the 19th century ― they formed way back in 1899.
Questions and Answers
Do These LLC Services Do Other Things for Small Businesses?
ZenBusiness, Incfile, and Northwest Registered Agent all offer a variety of additional services for your business. For example, all of these companies offer many business document templates, annual report service, federal tax ID number (EIN) acquisition, and more.
Can I Form an LLC for Free?
No, every state requires some sort of state filing fee that varies. In terms of a free LLC formation service, Incfile is currently offering a service that forms an LLC for free. We’re not sure if or how long this will last, but if the offer still available while you’re reading this, it’s a great deal. Bestllcservices.com does a good job keeping up on pricing updates and other good deals.
Do I Need a Registered Agent Service?
Every LLC (and corporation) in America is required to designate a registered agent, although you are not legally required to use a registered agent service. If you want to, you can serve as your own registered agent, designate a trusted friend or family member, or hire an attorney or accountant to fill this important role.
Is it Worth Paying Extra for an Operating Agreement or Registered Agent Service?
This question depends somewhat on the specific needs of your business, but we can share our preferences in a general manner. For an operating agreement, the vast majority of LLC formation services will only provide you with a template for this important document, and you can quite easily find a template for free with a simple Google search.
As for registered agent service, we almost always recommend purchasing this service, as it makes it far easier to keep your business in good standing.
Is an LLC Better Than a Corporation?
Both of these business entity types have their pros and cons, so it’s tough to use any blanket statements to say one is “better” than the other.
In general, the LLC is cheaper and easier to form and operate, and it usually has a lower tax burden as well. However, a corporation is a much better entity for attracting investors, because LLCs cannot offer stock to attract investments.
If I’m in a Rush to Start an LLC, How Can I Get it ASAP?
All of the top LLC websites recommended in this guide have expediting options available that can speed up your formation time from weeks down to mere days in many states. Of course, these options cost extra, but if you’re in a hurry the extra expense can really be worth it.
Should I Start an LLC in a State with a Cheaper State Filing Fee?
Sometimes, you’ll hear about certain states being more “business-friendly” than others. In fact, some other sites will even recommend forming your business in a state other than the one you actually operate in, to take advantage of a business environment that’s perceived to be better for your company.
However, we almost never recommend this, because it introduces a wide variety of complications and hassles that you won’t experience if you simply form your LLC in the state it’s based in.
How Much Would an Attorney Charge to Start an LLC?
At an absolute minimum, you can expect to spend around $1,000 hiring an attorney to form your LLC. However, depending on the nature of your business, the state you operate in, and other factors, it could actually be much more expensive than that. Some people spend around $3,000 or even more to have a lawyer set up their LLC.
Why Shouldn’t I Just Form My Own Limited Liability Company?
If you would rather handle your own LLC formation process, you have the right to do so. Forming your own LLC can certainly save you a few dollars compared to using a cheap LLC service, and it’s obviously far more affordable than hiring a business attorney to form your LLC. However, considering how inexpensive online LLC formations can be, we think it’s worth every penny it costs, because they save a ton of time and hassle, and provide a high degree of peace of mind.
Can These Companies Help Me Keep My LLC in Good Standing?
Absolutely. Throughout this guide, we’ve discussed how these companies provide registered agent service, as well as annual report service. These are the two most important elements of ongoing compliance, in our opinion.
What Is a “State Fee” and How Much Does It Cost?
There is a high degree of variance when it comes to state fees in this industry. The state fee is the cost of filing your formation documents with the state ― this cost is the same whether you form your own LLC, or if you hire a formation service to handle it for you. Depending on your state, this fee could be as low as $50, or it could cost you several hundred dollars.
How We Review LLC Websites
No matter where you’re starting an LLC, we think there are some crucial factors that you should take into consideration. Here at Incorporation Guru, we like to use companies that fit with our core philosophy points, which include:
Overall Pricing
First off, we’ll get to the ever-important aspect of cost. These services all have their own pricing models (like ZenBusiness and Incfile) that can either provide more value, or undermine the entire offering.
We evaluate not just the price points provided by each company, but also how those prices reflect the company’s ability to provide valuable features. This is always the most important item in our eyes, as everything else really doesn’t matter much if the company can’t provide good value.
Minimal B.S.
In this industry, there are several companies that provide confusing information or try to strongarm you into purchasing features that few LLCs ever actually need. We prefer to use companies that cut through the misdirection to provide you with everything you need and nothing you don’t.
Overall Features
There are many welcome features that can pack a considerable amount of additional value into LLC formation service packages.
For example, it’s nice to receive a year of registered agent service, and many services will also include an LLC operating agreement to outline the operational guidelines of your business, or a federal tax ID number (EIN) which can help you pay taxes and open business bank accounts.
Customer Service
We place a great deal of importance on the ability of each company to provide quality customer support. Different companies have different methods of providing customer service, and we typically like to see a service with strong support via phone and email, at a minimum.
Are their representatives friendly and helpful? Do they respond quickly to our queries? These are a couple of the most important questions we ask in this regard.
Order Process
We’ll take a look at every service’s ordering process by using it to form an LLC ourselves. Simply put, some of these companies make the process of forming an LLC very easy, with streamlined order forms and easily understood instructions.
On the other hand, some of them incorporate lots of upsells, or try to get your permission to sell your personal data to their affiliate companies. Sometimes, you’ll even encounter misleading advertising. Obviously, these are aspects we prefer to avoid.
Company History & Overview
How many businesses have they formed in the past? How long have they been open? Are they a trustworthy service? These are some of the crucial questions we ask when it comes to a company’s track record.
Customer Reviews
Everyone loves to read positive client feedback before making an important purchase, and we scour the internet for as many reviews as we can find for each company. We especially focus on reviews located on third-party websites, rather than the collections of feedback found on most services’ own websites.
Do they receive strong customer feedback, or more of a mixed bag? Is there a large volume of reviews, or a smaller selection?