Best Ohio LLC Services of 2026: 8 Providers Compared
Every Ohio LLC pays the same $99 state fee to file its Articles of Organization, so the right LLC service comes down to which of four things matters most: total cost, support from a person, legal help or support after formation. All eight services below form LLCs in Ohio and are compared alphabetically, unranked.
ZenBusiness starts at $0 plus state fees and takes 5 to 10 minutes.
Last Updated: November 2, 2026
What is the best LLC service in Ohio?
The best LLC service for an Ohio LLC depends on which of four things matters most: total cost, support from a person, legal help or support after formation. Ohio charges $99 to file Articles of Organization no matter who files them, and Bizee, Inc Authority, LegalZoom, Tailor Brands and ZenBusiness add no service fee on top. Across two years, Bizee costs the least because its first year of registered agent service is included, while Northwest Registered Agent’s $125 yearly subscription renewal makes it cheaper from year three on for a founder who keeps that subscription. ZenBusiness and LegalZoom both answer the phone on weekends, and Rocket Lawyer and LegalZoom offer attorney access. Ohio requires no annual report from LLCs, so ongoing compliance help matters less here than in most states, and registered agent cost matters more. All eight are profiled alphabetically below, unranked.
What is different about forming an LLC in Ohio?
Ohio requires no annual report from LLCs, but it calls the registered agent a statutory agent and taxes business gross receipts rather than charging an annual LLC fee.
- Filing fee: Articles of Organization cost $99, filed with the Ohio Secretary of State online through Ohio Business Central or by mail. Expedited handling costs an extra $100 for processing within two business days, $200 within one business day or $300 within four hours if received by 1 p.m.
- Statutory agent: Ohio calls the registered agent a statutory agent. Every LLC must appoint one with an Ohio street address, and an individual agent must be an Ohio resident. The Secretary of State will not accept the Articles of Organization without the agent’s signed acceptance of the appointment.
- No annual report: Ohio LLCs file no annual or biennial report with the Secretary of State.
- Commercial activity tax: Ohio has no annual LLC fee. It taxes business gross receipts through its commercial activity tax instead, and since 2025 a business with $6 million or less in Ohio taxable gross receipts owes none.
Because Ohio LLCs have no annual report, compliance tracking matters less here than in most states, and the difference between services comes down to registered agent cost, refund terms and support.
Key takeaways
What should someone compare before choosing an LLC service in Ohio?
Formation price is the least useful number when comparing LLC services in Ohio. Every Ohio LLC pays the same state filing fee no matter which service files, and five of the eight services add no service fee on top, so the figures that actually separate them are registered agent renewal, refund window, support hours and post-formation compliance.
- Registered agent renewal is the largest recurring cost. Renewal rates among these eight range from $119 to $249 per year, and several services include the first year at no charge before that rate applies.
- A $0 service fee is not a $0 total. Every LLC pays a state filing fee, which is set by the state and owed regardless of which service files the paperwork. Formation services also offer optional extras during ordering, such as EIN filing, an operating agreement template or expedited processing, so the final total depends on which of those a buyer chooses to add. Comparing the figure on the last screen of the order form gives the number that can actually be compared.
- Refund windows range from none to 90 days. Several of the eight publish no formal money-back guarantee on formation services.
- Only two of the eight publish weekend phone support. ZenBusiness and LegalZoom both cover Saturdays and Sundays. The rest either list weekday hours only or publish no hours at all, which is a poor fit for someone building a business around an existing job.
- All eight file an equally valid Ohio LLC. The formation document is the same regardless of who submits it, so no provider produces a stronger LLC than another. The differences are price structure, support and what happens after the state approves the filing.
How was this comparison of Ohio LLC services put together?
ZenBusiness publishes this comparison and is one of the eight services in it. The eight are listed alphabetically rather than ranked, which places ZenBusiness last. Every profile states the job the service is genuinely built for and one trade-off its own marketing tends to leave out, including the ZenBusiness profile.
What was compared
| Criterion | What was checked |
|---|---|
| Starting price | Lowest published package price for LLC formation, excluding state filing fees |
| Registered agent cost | Whether the first year is included, the published renewal rate after that and the total across two years |
| Checkout friction | Number and prominence of add-ons presented during the ordering process |
| Refund terms | Published money-back window on formation services, and any stated exclusions |
| Support quality and availability | Published phone, chat and email hours, including weekend coverage |
| Post-formation service | Whether the provider tracks annual report and compliance deadlines after formation |
| Service reliability | Years in business and reported formation volume |
| Customer experience | Public review ratings, primarily from Trustpilot, weighted lightly because scores for one provider can vary sharply between platforms |
| Overall value | What the starting package includes relative to its price and ongoing costs |
What was verified, and what was not
Verified: Published starting prices, registered agent renewal rates and refund terms were read from each provider’s own website on Oct. 21, 2026. Where a provider does not publish a rate, the figure was confirmed inside that provider’s checkout flow or through its support team, and the profile says so. State filing fees, report requirements and state taxes were confirmed with each state’s own filing office and tax agency.
Not verified: No side-by-side filing test was run across all eight services, so turnaround times are not compared here. Customer satisfaction figures are drawn from public review platforms and are not independently audited. Review scores for the same provider can differ sharply between platforms, so a single rating is treated as a weak signal rather than a ranking input.
No affiliate relationships. ZenBusiness holds no affiliate, referral or financial arrangement with any of the other seven providers named on this page, and no provider paid for inclusion or placement. Pricing changes frequently in this category, so figures are confirmed against each provider’s live pricing page on a recurring cycle. Anyone comparing services is better served checking the current rate on the provider’s own site before purchasing.
How do the best LLC services in Ohio compare on price?
Starting price, registered agent cost and refund window for all eight services. Registered agent renewal is the figure worth reading twice, because it repeats every year while the starting price is paid once.
Listed alphabetically. Not ranked. Starting price is the lowest published package and covers the service fee only; state filing fees are separate and are paid to the state regardless of which service is used. As of Oct. 21, 2026. Add the Ohio state filing fee, which every LLC pays regardless of which service files.
| LLC service | Best for | Starting price | Agent, year one | Agent renewal | Refund window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bizee (Incfile) | Lowest two-year total | $0 | Included | $149/yr | None published |
| Inc Authority | Picking add-ons individually | $0 | Included | $249/yr | 60 days |
| LegalZoom | Attorney access, biggest brand | $0 | Add-on | $249/yr | 60 days |
| MyCompanyWorks | Longest refund window | $79 | Included on higher tiers | $119/yr | 90 days |
| Northwest Registered Agent | Long-term agent cost | $39 | Included | $125/yr | None published |
| Rocket Lawyer | Ongoing legal documents | $149/yr membership | Requires Plus or Pro membership | $125/yr with membership | 30 days |
| Tailor Brands | Branding bundled with formation | $0 | $199 add-on | $199/yr | None published |
| ZenBusiness | Compliance after formation | $0 | $99 with formation | $199/yr | 60 days |
What does each LLC service cost over two years?
Adding registered agent renewal to the starting price shows what each service costs across the first two years for a founder who keeps a paid agent the whole time.
Listed alphabetically. Lowest published package plus registered agent service in both years, rounded to the nearest dollar. Excludes state fees, optional add-ons and services some providers sell separately, such as compliance filings or expanded mail handling. Rocket Lawyer is not totaled because its registered agent service requires a paid membership.
| LLC service | Year one | Year two | Two-year total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bizee (Incfile) | $0 | $149 | $149 |
| Inc Authority | $0 | $249 | $249 |
| LegalZoom | $249 | $249 | $498 |
| MyCompanyWorks | $198 | $119 | $317 |
| Northwest Registered Agent | $39 | $125 | $164 |
| Rocket Lawyer | Requires membership | Requires membership | Not comparable |
| Tailor Brands | $199 | $199 | $398 |
| ZenBusiness | $99 | $199 | $298 |
Bizee has the lowest two-year total because its first year of agent service is included and its renewal sits below most of the field. Northwest Registered Agent renews for less, so it overtakes Bizee from the third year. ZenBusiness costs more across two years for a founder who wants only a registered agent, and its total includes a first year of Worry-Free Compliance.
What does each LLC service do best in Ohio?
All eight services form LLCs in Ohio and every other state. The short profiles below are alphabetical, and each one names the job the provider is built for and a trade-off that comes with it. Full profiles are on the best LLC services page.
Bizee (formerly Incfile)
Best for: the lowest total cost across the first two years.
Bizee files LLCs for $0 plus the state fee and includes the first year of registered agent service, which renews at $149 per year. It has operated since 2004 and reports serving more than 1 million entrepreneurs.
The trade-off: the saving is concentrated in year one, the ordering process presents more optional add-ons than most, phone support does not extend to weekends and no money-back guarantee is published. More detail is available in the Bizee review.
Inc Authority
Best for: a $0 service fee with a year of registered agent service included, for someone who prefers to pick add-ons individually.
Inc Authority has formed businesses since 1989 and includes the first year of registered agent service before it renews at $249 per year. A 60-day refund window applies.
The trade-off: it offers more optional add-ons than any other service here, its registered agent service renews automatically at $249 a year unless canceled, and support runs weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time. More detail is available in the Inc Authority review.
LegalZoom
Best for: the largest track record and legal services beyond formation.
LegalZoom has formed more than 4 million businesses since 2001, starts at $0 plus the state fee and offers phone support seven days a week.
The trade-off: registered agent service is a separate add-on at $249 per year, among the higher rates here. More detail is available in the LegalZoom review.
MyCompanyWorks
Best for: the longest refund window and fast replies from a support team.
MyCompanyWorks publishes a 90-day money-back guarantee, the longest among these eight, and its $119 registered agent renewal is the lowest. Formation starts at $79 plus the state fee.
The trade-off: the starting price is higher than the five $0 services, registered agent service is not included in the $79 Basic package and costs $119 per year on its own, and support runs weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific time. More detail is available in the MyCompanyWorks review.
Northwest Registered Agent
Best for: founders who plan to keep a paid registered agent for three years or more, or who register in several states.
Northwest Registered Agent charges $39 plus the state fee and includes the first year of registered agent service, which then continues as a yearly subscription that renews automatically at $125, or $100 per state for businesses registered in five or more states. Owners can list the company’s address instead of their own on the formation filing where the state allows it. It has formed businesses since 1998.
The trade-off: the $39 price is higher than the $0 services and does not include EIN filing. The free address covers the formation filing, not everyday mail, and free scanning of ordinary mail is capped at 10 documents a year. Owner names can still appear on public filings. No formal money-back guarantee is published, and its contact page lists no support hours. More detail is available in the Northwest Registered Agent review.
Rocket Lawyer
Best for: attorney access and contract templates beyond the formation filing.
Rocket Lawyer includes the first LLC formation with a membership that starts at $149 per year, along with legal documents and attorney advice. Members pay $99 plus the state fee for each formation after the first.
The trade-off: formation is not sold on its own, the refund window is 30 days and registered agent service costs $125 per year with a Plus or Pro membership. More detail is available in the Rocket Lawyer review.
Tailor Brands
Best for: a logo, website and domain set up alongside the LLC filing.
Tailor Brands’ Lite plan files for $0 plus the state fee, and its Elite plan adds a domain, a website builder and logo designs. It says it has formed more than 200,000 businesses.
The trade-off: the branding tools require the Elite plan, registered agent service costs $199 per year from year one and must be added at the initial order, and the Lite plan can take up to 14 business days to process. More detail is available in the Tailor Brands review.
ZenBusiness
Best for: compliance filings handled after approval, and phone support on weekends.
ZenBusiness files for $0 plus the state fee, includes a first year of Worry-Free Compliance on the Starter plan and offers support on Saturdays and Sundays. A 60-day money-back guarantee applies.
The trade-off: registered agent service is not included in any plan. It costs $99 for the first year when added to an LLC formation, then $199 per year, so a founder who wants only a registered agent will pay less at several services on this list. EIN filing is not included in the Starter plan.
Which LLC service fits which situation in Ohio?
The profiles above answer what each LLC service is. The situations below answer which one to pick. Each names the provider whose published terms match that circumstance most closely.
For the lowest total cost across two years
Bizee. A $0 service fee with the first year of registered agent service included, renewing at $149, produces the lowest two-year total among these eight. Inc Authority offers the same structure at a higher renewal rate of $249. The saving is front-loaded, so keeping costs down after year one means either paying the renewal rate or filing with the state to move the registered agent to another provider.
For someone starting a business while still employed
ZenBusiness or LegalZoom. Most services in this category answer the phone on weekdays during business hours, which is exactly when a founder with a day job cannot call. ZenBusiness and LegalZoom both publish support hours that include Saturdays and Sundays. Bizee, Inc Authority, MyCompanyWorks and Rocket Lawyer list weekday hours only, and neither Northwest Registered Agent nor Tailor Brands publishes its hours.
For someone who researches carefully before committing
MyCompanyWorks. Its 90-day money-back guarantee is the longest published window among these eight, followed by 60 days at Inc Authority, LegalZoom and ZenBusiness and 30 days at Rocket Lawyer. Bizee, Northwest Registered Agent and Tailor Brands publish no formal money-back guarantee on formation. For a cautious buyer, the refund window is a more reliable signal than a marketing claim, because it is a term the company has to honor.
For a founder who wants hands-on guidance
ZenBusiness. Some founders want help at every step, not just a filed form. ZenBusiness support runs extended hours seven days a week, and the Starter plan includes Velo, an AI guide that surfaces the next required step, along with a dashboard and compliance alerts. LegalZoom also offers phone support seven days a week and adds attorney access for legal questions.
For a business heading into contracts or partnership agreements
Rocket Lawyer. Consultants, agencies and contractors who sign client agreements, leases or partner terms tend to need legal documents long after the formation is filed. A Rocket Lawyer subscription covers the first LLC formation and includes document templates and attorney access, which changes the arithmetic for anyone who would otherwise pay hourly. LegalZoom offers legal services on a similar premise without the subscription requirement.
For someone who wants the most established name
LegalZoom. With more than four million businesses formed since 2001, LegalZoom has the longest and largest public record in this category, and that is a legitimate reason to choose it. Brand familiarity does not lower the price, and several services here cost less for an equivalent filing, but a founder who wants the most widely recognized provider has a clear answer.
For a founder who wants branding set up with the LLC
Tailor Brands or ZenBusiness. Tailor Brands’ Elite plan bundles LLC formation with a logo maker, a website builder and a domain, so a new business can file and set up its brand from one account. The branding tools are not part of its $0 Lite plan, and registered agent service is a separate $199 add-on from the first year. ZenBusiness sells a domain name, domain privacy, a business email address, a logo builder and a website builder as a bundle or individually, so a founder can add only the pieces the business needs.
For an LLC in Ohio, where no annual report is required
Bizee, Northwest Registered Agent or MyCompanyWorks. Ohio does not require LLCs to file an annual or biennial report, so the ongoing compliance work many services sell matters less here. The deciding factors are registered agent cost and refund terms: Bizee has the lowest two-year total, Northwest Registered Agent costs less from the third year on for a founder who keeps its yearly subscription and MyCompanyWorks has the longest refund window. Compliance tracking can still help with tax filings, license renewals and amendments, but it is not the main reason to pick a service in Ohio.
When is an LLC service not the right choice in Ohio?
A formation service is not the right fit for every founder. Filing directly with the Ohio business filing office costs only the state filing fee, and for an experienced filer it can also be faster, because a service’s own preparation time sits on top of the state’s processing time.
Filing without a service tends to make sense for someone who:
- Has formed an LLC before and is comfortable with the state’s forms
- Has no history of missed filings or compliance problems
- Wants the lowest possible cost and the quickest possible filing
- Works from a fixed location during weekday business hours, which makes serving as their own registered agent practical
For that founder, the main things a service adds are guidance, error checking and someone to call, and those matter less with experience. State business filing offices may also answer questions about their own forms.
What are the Ohio LLC filing requirements?
| Item | Ohio requirement |
|---|---|
| Formation document | Articles of Organization (Form 610), filed with the Ohio Secretary of State |
| State filing fee | $99 |
| Online filing | Ohio Business Central, the Secretary of State’s online filing system |
| Processing time | Not published; the Secretary of State says processing time varies with filing volume |
| Expedited handling | $100 (within two business days), $200 (within one business day) or $300 (within four hours, if received by 1 p.m.), on top of the filing fee |
| Annual report | None for LLCs |
| Statutory agent | Required, with an Ohio street address; the Articles are not accepted without the agent’s signed acceptance |
| State tax on LLCs | No annual LLC fee; commercial activity tax applies only to Ohio taxable gross receipts above $6 million |
| Foreign LLC registration | Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form 617); $99 |
| State business license | None statewide; local and industry licenses may apply |
Ohio Secretary of State Contact Information
| Address: 180 Civic Center Dr. Columbus, Ohio 43215 | Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. |
| Telephone: 614.466.2585 | Website: https://www.ohiosos.gov/ |
The guide to forming an LLC in Ohio walks through the full filing process step by step.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Best LLC Services in Ohio
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The Ohio Secretary of State charges $99 to file Articles of Organization. Bizee, Inc Authority, LegalZoom, Tailor Brands and ZenBusiness add no service fee on top of the state fee.
Ohio LLCs file no annual report, so the formation filing is the main Secretary of State cost.
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No. Ohio does not require LLCs to file an annual or biennial report with the Secretary of State.
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Ohio has no annual LLC fee. Instead, a business with more than $6 million in Ohio taxable gross receipts pays the commercial activity tax on the amount above that exclusion, and the LLC’s owners pay Ohio income tax on their share of the profits.
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The Ohio Secretary of State does not publish a standard turnaround and says processing time varies with filing volume. Expedited handling costs an extra $100 for processing within two business days, $200 within one business day or $300 within four hours if received by 1 p.m.
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Yes. Ohio calls the registered agent a statutory agent, and every LLC must appoint one with an Ohio street address. The Secretary of State will not accept the Articles of Organization without the agent’s signed acceptance of the appointment.
All eight services on this page offer the service in Ohio, and the best Ohio statutory agent services guide compares the options.
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Yes, after registering with the Ohio Secretary of State as a foreign LLC, which costs $99. The Ohio foreign qualification guide covers the steps.
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Ohio business names can be searched through the Secretary of State’s business search before filing. The Ohio business search guide explains how.
Sources
Pricing, registered agent rates, refund terms and support hours for the LLC services compared here were read from each provider’s own website and checkout flow on Oct. 21, 2026. Ohio filing fees and requirements come from the Ohio Secretary of State and the Ohio Department of Taxation. Review ratings are drawn primarily from Trustpilot.
Ohio sources
- Ohio Secretary of State, Filing forms and fee schedule
- Ohio Revised Code, Section 1706.09: Statutory agent
- Ohio Department of Taxation, CAT 2023-01: Changes to the CAT exclusion and annual minimum tax
Provider sources
- U.S. Small Business Administration, Choose a business structure
- Internal Revenue Service, Apply for an employer identification number (EIN) online
- Trustpilot: Bizee reviews and MyCompanyWorks reviews
- Bizee pricing and registered agent service
- Inc Authority formation and registered agent pricing; support hours
- LegalZoom registered agent pricing; refund policy; support hours
- MyCompanyWorks pricing
- Northwest Registered Agent registered agent pricing and mail scanning; address service and ownership privacy; support and refund commitments
- Rocket Lawyer membership pricing; registered agent service
- Tailor Brands LLC plans and pricing; registered agent service
- ZenBusiness registered agent pricing
Ohio Business Resources
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.
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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