ZenBusiness reviews its own products and services and compares them to others in the industry.
Last updated: August 23, 2024
If you’re looking for an excellent LLC website overall, go with us at ZenBusiness. We’ve already formed 700,000+ businesses since 2017!
If you want a socially conscious LLC service with an excellent overall value, choose ZenBusiness.
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Northwest Registered Agent also offers a good business formation service, with their customer support setting them apart. They’ve been forming businesses since 1998. Northwest has a $225 price point for the combination of LLC formation and registered agent service for a year, which is considerably more expensive than the other options in this guide.
Want to learn more? See our Northwest review.
LegalZoom is the most well-known service in this industry. They handle huge volumes of entity formations, and their experience is second to none. While they can’t match the value per dollar offered by ZenBusiness, LegalZoom is a popular option.
Want to learn more? See our LegalZoom review.
Another cheap LLC service is Incfile, with a free formation service that only requires you to pay your state fee. Incfile is a well-known choice, with more than 800,000 businesses formed since they opened in 2004. They also have a variety of features to suit an entrepreneur’s needs.
Keep in Mind: Even though their free formation service is a good deal, you’re going to deal with more upsells and potentially higher overall prices as a result.
Want to learn more? See our Incfile review.
Inc Authority also offers a free service in addition to paid packages. Inc Authority has been around since 1989, and they’ve formed more than 130,000 business entities over the years. Inc Authority’s platform isn’t the most intuitive or user-friendly LLC website we’ve ever used, but they do have several positives that still make them well worth a look for entrepreneurs on a budget.
Keep in Mind: Even though their free LLC service is a solid deal, if you want additional features, you’ll end up paying higher prices than other options on this list. Their cheapest premium package starts at $399.
Want to learn more? See our Inc Authority review.
Next up is Rocket Lawyer, a service that provides a host of legal features in addition to LLC formation. If you’re in a situation that requires discussing sensitive legal matters with an attorney, Rocket Lawyer could be a fit for you.
Want to learn more? See our Rocket Lawyer review.
With more than 60,000 business formations since they opened in 2001, MyCompanyWorks fits the bill as a midsize company in the LLC services industry. They have the experience to do the job right without making you feel like you’re just a number. Plus, there are about 3,900 MyCompanyWorks reviews online, the majority of which are of a positive nature.
Want to learn more? See our MyCompanyWorks review.
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There are so many different things to consider when choosing the best LLC service for you — it’s tough for us to completely say “This service is the best and everyone should use it.”
With that in mind, let’s talk about a few of the most important aspects of deciding which company creation service you should use — and what criteria we use to review and compare each option.
Low prices are always attractive, but you need to make sure you’re getting the perks and features you want. For instance, does your chosen LLC filing website include ongoing compliance assistance or registered agent service, or are you required to purchase it separately? Also make sure you’re not paying for anything you probably don’t need, like a symbolic LLC kit and seal.
Check out what the competition has to offer. While discounts in the LLC service space are rare, there are added perks like a year of annual reports or a free operating agreement. Evaluate how much value they add — not just in a vacuum, but for you.
This is an aspect that we think far too many entrepreneurs overlook. Some of the industry leaders have such a high customer volume that it’s impossible to get LLC service custom-tailored to your individual needs. You can end up feeling like you’re just a statistic rather than a valued customer.
Does your chosen service have a history of success, or do they register lots of customer complaints? Always look into the company’s reputation, and check out their customer feedback to get a better feel for what their client experience is like.
Do they offer phone support, or is it just web-based chat and email? What are their hours of availability? Do they outsource their customer service to call centers, or do they handle it in-house?
For the most part, online LLC services require very little effort from entrepreneurs. All you’ll need to do to get your LLC formed with most of these companies is provide them with some basic information about yourself and your business. Then, you will pay the service’s in-house fees, as well as your state’s business formation fee.
From there, the service will draft the Articles of Organization, which is the document used to officially form your LLC with your state’s government. Once that form is ready to be submitted, they will file it with your state and pay the fee they collected from you. At that point, your formation is in the hands of the state.
When the state finishes processing your formation, you’ll receive confirmation of the successful LLC formation process, and your business will be officially ready to operate.
Would you rather form your own LLC? This option can save you some money, as you won’t have to pay for a service to form your business. However, we will note that you’ll still need to pay your state’s fee.
LegalZoom is the most well-known LLC formation service online, thanks to their massive advertising budget and impressive customer volume. However, their offering overall isn’t nearly as exciting compared to other LLC formation services like ZenBusiness that give you far more bang for your buck.
Using an LLC formation website removes much of the hassle from the business formation process. With these services, all you need to do is provide them with the name, location, and industry your business operates in, along with some info about yourself and your registered agent.
The service then creates your Articles of Organization and files them with your state to create your new LLC.
Absolutely. There are quite a few reputable companies offering LLC formation services these days, including the top LLC services you see above.
In fact, while we certainly have our opinions about which ones offer the best pricing and features, every one of the incorporation services we discuss on this website is entirely legitimate and trustworthy.
The DIY route is always an option, and quite a few entrepreneurs do choose to form their own LLCs without the assistance of a business incorporation service. If this is something you’d like to look into, check out our free guide to creating an LLC.
There are several steps involved if you’re going to form an LLC on your own. The most important phase of this process is preparing and filing your Articles of Organization, as this document formally creates your LLC with the state.
The information required varies from state to state, but you’ll generally need to provide them with some basic information about yourself and your business. You will also need to choose a name for your business, designate a registered agent, obtain a federal tax ID number (EIN), create an operating agreement, and more.
With any of these packages and with any of these service providers ― you will receive the full formation of your LLC.
It doesn’t matter if you purchase the most affordable or most expensive package unless you’re also interested in getting some advanced features with your formation.
We would actually argue the exact opposite, that there are many more risks to forming an LLC on your own. With an LLC formation website, you can rest assured that your business is formed correctly.
These companies form hundreds or even thousands of LLCs every day, so they have the expertise to form a compliant business.
Yes! We’ve reviewed all of the industry’s top LLC formation services, as well as many of the smaller providers, in an effort to help you decide which LLC service provider is the right choice for you. Here is a list of these LLC services and a quick review of each option.
1) ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness is the LLC filing service that strikes the perfect ratio of the cost to start an LLC ($0) with the features included. We are the service with an excellent overall value. Plus, ZenBusiness is a social enterprise with a focus on making a positive impact while helping entrepreneurs create an LLC online.
2) LegalZoom
LegalZoom is by far the most well-known company in the LLC services industry. They have millions of business customers, and their advertising budget is extensive. Their prices are a bit higher than some of the other companies in this guide, but they have the longest customer support hours of any LLC service provider, and they also offer a 100% money-back guarantee that’s nearly identical to the one offered by ZenBusiness.
Northwest Registered Agent is an LLC service provider with a somewhat high price point compared to most competitors. That said, their $225 price point does include a full year of registered agent service, as well as Northwest’s personalized customer support.
4) Incfile
Incfile strikes a balance between being a free LLC filing service and having a good selection of features, including a full year of registered agent service. They also have solid customer reviews.
Like ZenBusiness and Incfile, Inc Authority has an LLC formation package that’s entirely free of charge (just pay the state’s fee). With a year of free registered agent service included, along with thousands of positive reviews, Inc Authority presents an appealing package.
Rocket Lawyer does offer standalone LLC formation service, but their main draw is in their comprehensive legal services subscription. All new subscribers receive LLC service at no extra charge, and even though there’s a $39.99/month fee, they do offer a free one-week trial.
With responsive customer service and strong client feedback, MyCompanyWorks is a customer-focused company providing reasonably priced LLC formations. They return most phone calls and emails in just 20 minutes during business hours, which is an advantage compared to some competitors that can take a full day or more.
8) BizFilings
If your state has any further compliance requirements beyond the standard elements of LLC formation like initial reports or publication BizFilings is one of the only popular LLC formation providers (along with ZenBusiness) that offer these services. They also include six months of registered agent service in all of their LLC packages.
The big advantage for Nationwide Incorporators is that all of their LLC formations are either drafted or reviewed by a business attorney before they’re filed with your state. Their pricing isn’t great, and they’re not as tech-savvy as many competitors, but Nationwide Incorporators is still an excellent option if their “attorney-reviewed” services appeal to you.
10) Incorporate.com
Is longevity an important attribute to you? If so, look no further than Incorporate.com. They’ve been around since 1899, and they’ve served more than 750,000 businesses since then. They also offer an impressive guarantee that pays you up to $75,000 if they make an error with your LLC filing and fail to correct it.
11) MyCorporation
MyCorporation is a good option for entrepreneurs who want to bundle annual report service with their LLC formation. For $158 + state fee, they provide LLC creation service plus a year of managed annual reports, which is a reasonable offer.
12) CorpNet
CorpNet doesn’t stand out in any one specific way, but they’re a well-rounded formation service with few negative attributes. They have reliable customer support, good client feedback, fair price points, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
13) Swyft Filings
If you’re on a tight budget, they’re a solid option because they allow you to pay for your formation in two installments. However, Swyft Filings doesn’t include many valuable features, keeping them further down the list than many competitors.
They might not be the most exciting option for basic LLC formations, but if you need advanced features, they’re one of your top options. Direct Incorporation offers trademark protections, full-service web design, logos, graphic design, and much more. They also have a legal services subscription, so they have a strong selection of advanced features available.
STATE-SPECIFIC PICK
Harvard Business Services – Delaware
If you’re forming an LLC in Delaware, Harvard Business Services is a good option. They have positive customer feedback with thousands of reviews across the web, and they offer registered agent service for just $50 per year, which is a low rate.
No. There are different LLC formation fees in all 50 states, so you’ll need to add your state’s fee to the listed price points. Some states (like California) don’t charge LLC formation fees at all, but in others, you might need to pay a fee of several hundred dollars.
Want to see how much it will cost to form an LLC in your state? Check out our state-by-state guide.
Depending on the nature of your LLC, as well as the legal requirements in your state, there is some variation here. In general though, it will likely cost at least $1,000-$1,500 to hire an attorney to form your new LLC. It could easily cost more than that as well, possibly as much as $3,000 or more.
There are only two situations where it’s advisable to reserve an LLC name ahead of time. One is if you’re not yet ready to form your LLC, but you want to make sure that the business name you want is available when you do take the next step.
Other than that, there are states like Alabama that require you to make a business name reservation before you start the LLC formation process. In general, reserving a name ahead of time is not necessary for the vast majority of entrepreneurs.
If you’re forming an LLC in New York, an LLC formation service that also offers to take care of New York LLC publication requirements might be the best bet. Unfortunately, there aren’t many companies that offer this service. However, there are a few services that do, including us at ZenBusiness.
Yes, most LLC formation websites offer a number of other online business services. Even the most basic and cheap LLC formation services also include a business name availability check to ensure that your business name is available.
While the exact services offered by these companies vary, you’ll often see offers for registered agent service, EIN acquisition, annual report service, foreign qualifications, business licensing research, and more.
It’s not difficult to find articles online about how you should form your business in Delaware because this state has many advantages for businesses, or Nevada because they provide tax breaks. In our opinion, it’s almost always a better idea to simply form your business in the state you’ll operate it in.
This avoids all kinds of complications and hassles that often undermine the usefulness of starting an LLC.
Many companies include what’s commonly referred to as an “LLC kit” with their business formation packages. To be clear, we rarely advise purchasing these kits. There is no legal requirement to have this binder or seal, as the benefits are strictly aesthetic.
A registered agent (For more information, please see our what is a registered agent page) is required to form an LLC and is a person or business that is responsible for receiving your important government documents.
For example, if your business is sued, the state will send the service of process to your registered agent, who then alerts you to the delivery and forwards it to you.
While you are legally able to serve as your own registered agent, consider using a service instead because a best registered agent service protects your personal privacy, cuts down on your junk mail, and ensures that you never miss an important delivery.
A few LLC services, like Northwest Registered Agent and IncFile, include this service for the first year free.
The LLC organizer is simply the term used to refer to the person who sets up the business. In other words, the organizer has no ownership interests in the business, unless one of the owners is also serving as the organizer. Once the LLC is formed with the state, the organizer resigns their role, and all control of the business is assigned to its owners.
We think you should start an LLC before you begin conducting business. While it is entirely legally acceptable to operate your business as a sole proprietorship or general partnership before forming an LLC, doing so subjects you to a number of risks that LLCs don’t have to worry about.
For example, informal business structures don’t have limited liability protection, so any lawsuit filed against the business can include the owner’s personal assets as well as the business assets.
All entrepreneurs are required to pay state fees for LLC formations, no matter how the business is formed. If you use an online LLC service, you will also be required to pay that company’s in-house service fees. For example, with ZenBusiness, you will only pay the state fee.
Different businesses have different needs. Therefore, it’s impossible for us to make any blanket statements for a question like this.
For many companies and small businesses, an LLC is the perfect business entity, but for some larger or more complex businesses, the corporation has some advantages that the LLC can’t match. In general though, we strongly prefer LLCs to informal entities like sole proprietorships and general partnerships that don’t have any personal asset protection.
Nope! You don’t need to be physically present in America to form an LLC. You also don’t need to be an American citizen or resident. Just about anyone can set up an LLC, which is part of the reason this is such a popular business entity type.
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.
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.
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