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Starts at $0 + state fees and only takes 5-10 minutes
Last Updated: August 26, 2025
*Mr. Cuban may receive financial compensation for his support.
Active Filings was founded in Miami, Florida, in 2001 by an Argentinian immigrant. On its website, Active Filings says that it has served more than 100,000 customers with business services over the years.
✔ Like us at ZenBusiness, Active Filings offers an LLC formation service package that’s free of service charges — all you need to pay is your state’s fee.✔ Active Filings includes one year of its annual report compliance service with every LLC service package. This feature includes the filing of your annual report and notifications of upcoming filing deadlines.✔ Each Active Filings LLC formation plan also includes one year of registered agent service, even the free (+ state fee) option.
✘ Unlike some competitors (like us at ZenBusiness) that have thousands of positive reviews online, we were unable to find more than just a small handful of customer feedback for Active Filings. No reviews were listed on Trustpilot, and Active Filings is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau.✘ Active Filings’ top-tier LLC formation package (The Finisher) costs $150 more than its mid-tier package (The Sprinter) but adds no valuable features. All you’ll get with The Finisher that you don’t get with The Sprinter is a three-ring binder and a decorative seal.✘ You can only reach Active Filings’ customer support team from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET on weekdays. These are among the shortest hours of operation in this industry.
Active Filings offers three different LLC formation service packages, each with its own set of features. Take a look at the details below.
➢ Preparation and Filing of the Articles of Organization: This document includes some basic information about you and your business. It officially forms your LLC with the state. Active Filings will draft and file this document with your state.
➢ Ongoing Compliance Assistance: If your state requires annual reports, Active Filings will track your filing deadlines and submit the reports on your behalf.
➢ Registered Agent Service: Every LLC needs a registered agent to receive service of process and other important document deliveries from process servers and the state government. After the included year of service, you can renew this feature for $99 per year.
Everything from The Starter package, plus…
➢ Business Address: In states where it’s allowed, you can use Active Filings’ business address as your own address on your LLC formation documents. You can also use this address for your members’ addresses. Especially for home-based businesses, this could help you maintain your privacy.
➢ Tax ID Number (EIN): An employer identification number (EIN) is essentially a Social Security number for businesses. It allows you to hire employees, open business bank accounts, file taxes, and more. Active Filings will acquire your company’s EIN from the IRS.
➢ Faster Processing: Active Filings will prioritize the filing of your Articles of Organization over customers who choose the Starter package.
Everything from The Sprinter package, plus…
➢ LLC Kit and Seal: You’ll receive a three-ring binder and a decorative seal with your LLC’s name, state, and date of formation on it.
Compare ZenBusiness Plans
$0
+ state fees | does not renew
Starter
Standard
$199
+ state fees | renews at $199/yr
Pro
Most Popular
$349
$399
Save $50
+ state fees | renews at $399/yr
Premium
Best Value
*Processing times are based on receiving complete information. ZenBusiness processing times do not include Secretary of State processing times, which can vary.**SPECIAL OFFER – After the initial free period ends, this service automatically renews at the regular price. You can cancel at any time before or after the introductory period ends.
It’s hard to complain about the value in Active Filings’ baseline Starter package, as it includes one year each of registered agent service and ongoing compliance assistance. That said, we’re less impressed by their premium packages, as the price points don’t seem to align with the value of the added features.
Active Filings has been around since 2001 and has served more than 100,000 customers since then. It claims to be the “third-oldest incorporation service” in America and the only one of those three services that’s still independent. However, we were unable to find many reviews of Active Filings’ services, as we only dug up a few dozen reviews on any given site. Active Filings is listed on Trustpilot, but, at the time of this writing, there were no reviews listed for it.
You can reach Active Filings’ support representatives by phone at 800-609-2521, or you can fill out the contact form on their website, and they’ll respond via email. Overall, we have no complaints about the quality of their support, as we’ve received prompt, courteous, and knowledgeable assistance from their reps. However, their hours of operation are very short (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET on weekdays).
The process of ordering LLC formation services from Active Filings is pretty simple. You’ll start by selecting your state and your business entity type (LLC, corporation, or nonprofit). Then, you choose which of Active Filings’ three LLC formation packages you’d like to purchase. From there, you only have one screen left to complete, where you’ll enter some basic information about yourself and your business and pay for the order.
When it comes down to making a choice, Active Filings has both advantages and disadvantages. Here are some scenarios where you should or shouldn’t use Active Filings for LLC formation service.
If you’re looking for a free (plus state fees) LLC formation service package that doesn’t skimp on included features, Active Filings could be a good fit.
Do you prioritize using a company with many positive customer reviews? Maybe you want to purchase a premium package with advanced features, or you care about extended customer support hours. These are all good reasons to look elsewhere.
Recommended article: Best Active Filings LLC Service Alternatives
Start your LLC with ZenBusiness
Pricing starts at just $0 + state fee
Frequently Asked Questions About Active Filings
Active Filings has helped more than 100,000 customers since opening its doors back in 2001. However, we were unable to find many reviews of Active Filings’ services, as we only dug up a few dozen reviews on any given site. Active Filings is listed on Trustpilot, but, at the time of this writing, there were no reviews listed for it. At the time of this writing (May 2025), Active Filings is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau.
It’s normal to be uncertain about which online LLC formation service is the right choice for your unique business. After all, there are a ton of options out there, and each of them has its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
However, we’ve done countless hours of research on this topic, reviewing and comparing all of the best LLC formation services. Take a look at how Active Filings stacks up.
ZenBusiness vs. Active Filings: Like Active Filings, we also have a free LLC formation service (just pay your state’s fee). We think the most noteworthy difference between our services is the fact that we have more than 25217 customer reviews (the vast majority of which are positive) available online, compared to a small handful for Active Filings. In addition, we’re a Public Benefit Corporation that donates money to underrepresented entrepreneurs.
Northwest Registered Agent vs. Active Filings: Northwest charges $39 to form an LLC, while Active Filings offers a similar service for free (you’ll pay your state’s fee either way). However, Northwest’s personalized customer service is a step up compared to Active Filings’ support, especially considering the latter’s short hours of operation. Northwest also has a higher volume of positive customer reviews, albeit not as many as we have at ZenBusiness.
LegalZoom vs. Active Filings: LegalZoom is another company offering a $0 (+ state fee) LLC formation service package. LegalZoom is also one of the most experienced companies in this industry, with millions of business formations under its belt. This company also has several thousand positive customer reviews, earning it another important advantage over Active Filings. However, LegalZoom’s $0 package is relatively threadbare compared to Active Filings’ similarly priced plan.
You can get ahold of Active Filings by phone, or you can fill out the contact form on their website and wait for them to get back to you. Our experiences with their support reps have been pleasant and helpful, although we will say that their hours of operation are disappointingly short (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET on weekdays).
Active Filings’ website states, “Unless otherwise stated herein, all purchases are final and non-refundable after 90 days.”
That’s always an option, and some entrepreneurs do just that. The problem with the do-it-yourself route is that it can take quite a bit of time due to state-specific compliance requirements. On the other end of the spectrum, some people hire lawyers to form their LLCs, but that’s usually far more expensive than online LLC services are.
In general, reserving a business name before entering the formation process is unnecessary. The only time you would need to do this is if you’re not ready to form your business yet, but want to make sure that your name is available when you are.
Yes. There are very few restrictions on who can form an LLC in the United States. You don’t need to be physically present in this country to form one, you don’t need to be a U.S. citizen or resident, etc. If you want to own and operate your own LLC, there aren’t many restrictions to doing so.
Yes, they do, although you’ll need to contact them to get a pricing quote because this service operates on a variable pricing model. If you want another option, check out our New York publication service.
You can contact Active Filings by phone at 800-609-2521. If you’d rather communicate via email, fill out the contact form on their website and they’ll get back to you.
With Active Filings, turnaround times depend on two things. First, each state has its own timelines for processing LLC formation paperwork. Secondly, Active Filings processes LLC formations a bit quicker if you order one of their premium packages as opposed to the free version.
We think Active Filings’ biggest advantage is its offer of a free (+ state fee) LLC formation package that also includes valuable features. Its biggest disadvantage is either the lack of value in its premium packages or its short hours of customer support availability. The dearth of online reviews is also a concern.
The answer to this question is less of a “yes” or “no” and more a matter of your personal preferences. If convenience is a major priority for you, $100 may be worth it to have Active Filings acquire your EIN on your behalf. However, you can also obtain your own EIN from the IRS for free.
Yes. Active Filings includes one year of both registered agent service and ongoing compliance assistance with every LLC formation service package.
LLC Services Reviewed
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have 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. Our writers and business formation experts are dedicated to providing accurate, practical, and trustworthy guidance so business owners can make confident decisions.
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