Do any of these services handle requirements like New York publication?

Only two of these five companies provides state-specific publication services: ZenBusiness and Active Filings. Northwest does at least provide their customers with a set of instructions to complete their own publication requirement, but Incfile and LegalZoom don’t help at all. With this in mind, it’s a pretty significant advantage for ZenBusiness and Active Filings to be the only options in this guide for those of you who want help with New York publication service .

Are any of these services faster than the others?

The filing times for Northwest and Incfile are quite close in most states because these companies use the same criteria to come up with their turnaround time estimates: the processing times of each state. While one of them might be a day or two quicker in a few isolated states, for the most part, there is no significant difference. LegalZoom and ZenBusiness , along with Active Filings, have turnaround times that vary based on both state capabilities and which level of service you choose. LegalZoom’s cheapest package takes 30 business days, while their most expensive plan takes 7-10 business days. Meanwhile, we have turnaround times that vary somewhat from state to state, but processing speeds also depend on which package you select. Active Filings has a similar setup to ours.

Which service has the best refund policy?

Active Filings, LegalZoom, and ZenBusiness have highly similar refund policies that are the most reasonable in this industry. With any of these services, you’ll receive at least a 60-day satisfaction guarantee (Active Filings gives you 90 days). If you’re unhappy with the service for any reason, all you need to do is request a refund.

Can I form an LLC on my own without a service?

You can. In fact, it’s not uncommon for entrepreneurs to form their own LLCs without professional assistance. However, there’s nothing quite like the peace of mind we get from using a business formation service that forms LLCs every day.

ZenBusiness reviews its own products and services and compares them to others in the industry.

ZenBusiness > …
LLC >
Best LLC Services
> Active Filings Alternatives

Best Active Filings LLC Service Alternatives

Users can compare leading alternatives to Active Filings below for informed decision-making or choose ZenBusiness today.

Starts at $0 + state fees

Last Updated: November 10, 2025

*Mr. Cuban may receive financial compensation for his support.

✨ ZenBusiness ✨

What This Service Is Best Known For: Great low rates, feature-packed formation packages, and a dedication to giving back.

At ZenBusiness, we opened our doors in 2015 and have a unique approach to business formation services thanks to the use of automation to speed up and simplify several parts of the process. Plus, we have formed more than 850,000 businesses.

Let’s see how we stack up when compared to Active Filings.

We’re one of the most affordable LLC services online. Like Active Filings, we can form your new business for free (just pay your state’s required fee).
If you like seeing positive customer reviews, you’ll love ZenBusiness. With 26029 reviews available online, it’s difficult to find more than just a small handful of negative reviews. Meanwhile, we were only able to track down a few dozen reviews for Active Filings.
As a company, ZenBusiness has a commitment to giving back. Being a public benefit corporation, ZenBusiness previously offered 40 small-business grants to our customers and loans money to help underrepresented entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground.

If you want to use a socially conscious provider and get exceptional value, choose ZenBusiness.

Northwest Registered Agent

What This Service Is Best Known For: Personalized customer support and a focus on registered agent service.

Northwest was formed in 1998, and with thousands of LLC formations since then, they’re an experienced and reliable option. If you’re looking for a solid mid-size company, they might just be the right choice for you. How do they compare to Active Filings?

Northwest offers LLC formation service at the price point of $225, while Active Filings has a $0 package (you’ll pay your state’s fee either way).
Northwest’s claim to fame is its personalized customer support network. While some competitors outsource their support to anonymous call centers in foreign countries, Northwest keeps it all in-house, with knowledgeable reps providing personalized service.
As you may have guessed from reading their name, Northwest Registered Agent focuses on offering registered agent service, and they include a year with any formation package, just like Active Filings. Furthermore, Northwest was the first major registered agent provider that locally scans each and every document they receive on your behalf.

Want to learn more? See our Northwest review.

Incfile

What This Service Is Best Known For: Free LLC formations (you’ll still pay your state’s fees) that still come with valuable features.

Incfile opened in 2004, and they’ve served more than 1 million businesses since then. Their popularity can be attributed to a number of positive qualities, from their low prices to their strong customer feedback. Let’s take a look at how they compare to Active Filings.

Offering free LLC service packages that only require you to pay your state fee, Incfile and Active Filings are two of the most affordable LLC services available.
Incfile and Active Filings both provide a full year of registered agent service with any LLC formation.
Customer feedback is a strong point for Incfile. They have more than 75,000 reviews available online, and they maintain high average ratings. Active Filings has a much smaller volume of feedback.

Want to learn more? See our Incfile review.

LegalZoom

What This Service Is Best Known For: Extensive marketing campaigns and a massive volume of customers served.

LegalZoom is one of the most popular LLC service providers in the industry. They’ve formed more than 2 million LLCs since they opened in 1999, and they’ve served more than 4 million total customers. They clearly serve a high volume of customers, but do they compare favorably to Active Filings overall?

Like Active Filings, LegalZoom also starts their pricing for LLC formation service at $0 + state fee.
Neither of these companies includes any valuable features with their free (plus state fees) LLC formation service packages.
Aside from their brand power and high customer volume, another pro for LegalZoom is their extended support hours that run from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET on weekends. That said, Active Filings is a solid LegalZoom alternative.

Want to learn more? See our LegalZoom review.

Compare ZenBusiness Plans

+ state fees | does not renew

Starter

Standard

$199

+ state fees | renews at $199/yr

Pro

Customer Feedback Comparison

One of the most important aspects of any LLC formation service is the customer feedback the company receives. To help you analyze each company’s customer reviews, we decided to create this customer feedback comparison section that breaks down how these companies stack up next to each other in this crucial area.

LLC formation services can have customer feedback collections that vary considerably in both quality and quantity. With this in mind, we created the following comparison in an attempt to make it as easy as possible for you to compare these companies in an apples-to-apples manner. Active Filings does not currently have any reviews or a score on Trustpilot.

ZenBusiness: 26029 reviews / 4.8-star average score
Tailor Brands: 9,729 reviews / 4.4-star average score
Bizee: 21,600 reviews / 4.6-star average score
LegalZoom: 21,374 reviews / 4.5-star average score
Northwest Registered Agent: 129 reviews / 2.2-star average score

All review counts and average rating scores listed are from Trustpilot as of 7/9/25.

Final Thoughts

ZenBusiness, Active Filings, Northwest, Incfile, and LegalZoom are all popular LLC service providers. Depending on your preferences and the unique needs of your business, you may find that one of them meets your requirements better than the others can.

When it comes down to making a choice between these services:

At ZenBusiness, we have a well-rounded service offering that combines a free LLC formation service (just pay your state’s fee) with outstanding customer feedback.
Active Filings could be a solid choice if you prioritize receiving ongoing compliance assistance with your LLC formation service package.
Northwest is an option if you want personalized customer support and are willing to pay extra for premium services.
Incfile could be worth a look if you’re looking for a free (plus state fees) LLC service and reasonably priced add-ons.
LegalZoom is an acceptable option if you prioritize using the most popular company.

Recommended articles:

Frequently Asked Questions About Active Filings

Do any of these services handle requirements like New York publication?

Only two of these five companies provides state-specific publication services: ZenBusiness and Active Filings. Northwest does at least provide their customers with a set of instructions to complete their own publication requirement, but Incfile and LegalZoom don’t help at all. With this in mind, it’s a pretty significant advantage for ZenBusiness and Active Filings to be the only options in this guide for those of you who want help with New York publication service.
Are any of these services faster than the others?

The filing times for Northwest and Incfile are quite close in most states because these companies use the same criteria to come up with their turnaround time estimates: the processing times of each state. While one of them might be a day or two quicker in a few isolated states, for the most part, there is no significant difference.

LegalZoom and ZenBusiness, along with Active Filings, have turnaround times that vary based on both state capabilities and which level of service you choose. LegalZoom’s cheapest package takes 30 business days, while their most expensive plan takes 7-10 business days. Meanwhile, we have turnaround times that vary somewhat from state to state, but processing speeds also depend on which package you select. Active Filings has a similar setup to ours.
Which service has the best refund policy?

Active Filings, LegalZoom, and ZenBusiness have highly similar refund policies that are the most reasonable in this industry. With any of these services, you’ll receive at least a 60-day satisfaction guarantee (Active Filings gives you 90 days). If you’re unhappy with the service for any reason, all you need to do is request a refund.
Can I form an LLC on my own without a service?

You can. In fact, it’s not uncommon for entrepreneurs to form their own LLCs without professional assistance. However, there’s nothing quite like the peace of mind we get from using a business formation service that forms LLCs every day.

Competitor Alternatives

Top LLC Formation Services in All 50 States

We've broken down the best LLC formation services in all 50 states. Select your state for more information.

Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. For specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.

Written by ZenBusiness Editorial Team

The ZenBusiness Editorial Team has more than 20 years of combined small business publishing experience and has helped over 850,000 entrepreneurs launch and grow their companies. The team’s writers and business formation experts are dedicated to providing accurate, practical, and trustworthy guidance so business owners can make confident decisions.

Start Your LLC!