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Starts at $0 + state fees and only takes 5-10 minutes
There’s essentially zero information available online about Filenow’s background as a company. Filenow’s “About Us” page says that the company was created by “a team of entrepreneurs, lawyers, business professionals, and tax experts with years of experience,” but that’s about it. Filenow doesn’t have a LinkedIn page, and we were only able to find a LinkedIn profile for one of its employees. That said, we did find 600+ mostly positive reviews of its services on Trustpilot.
✔ Filenow has more than 600 reviews on Trustpilot and maintains a high average rating score. There are certainly companies with higher volumes of feedback (for instance, we have 12,000+ positive reviews on Trustpilot), but it’s hard to complain about the quality of Filenow’s reviews.
✔ Including features like a year of registered agent service, EIN acquisition, an operating agreement template, and more, Filenow’s Premium ($199 + state fee) plan is a well-rounded LLC formation service package.
✖ While Filenow charges at least $49 (+ state fee) to form an LLC, there are competitors that charge less. For instance, at ZenBusiness, we’ll form your LLC for free — just pay your state’s fee.
✖ There’s almost zero information available online about Filenow’s background. We couldn’t figure out when the company was formed, how many customers it’s served, how many employees it has, etc.
✖ Filenow has a very strict refund policy. In fact, they don’t appear to offer refunds at all — only exchanges for certain products and services, and even then, only for the first 30 days after your purchase.
Filenow offers two 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. Filenow will draft and file this document with your state.
➢ Name Availability Search: Filenow will search your state’s business database to ensure that no existing business is already using the name you want for your new LLC.
➢ Company Alerts System: Filenow’s notification system will let you know when important filing deadlines (such as those for your annual reports) are approaching, helping you keep an eye on your compliance calendar.
➢ Third-Party Features: Through partnerships with Bank of America and 1-800-ACCOUNTANT, Filenow provides access to a business bank account and a tax consultation.
Everything from the Starter package, plus…
➢ One Year of Registered Agent Service: Every LLC needs a registered agent to receive important documents like service of process and government forms. Filenow will serve as your LLC’s registered agent for one year. After the year is up, you can renew this service for $119 per year.
➢ Tax ID Number (EIN) Acquisition: Most LLCs require an employer identification number (EIN), which is essentially a Social Security number for a business entity. An EIN allows you to hire employees, file taxes, open business bank accounts, and more. Filenow will obtain your EIN from the IRS.
➢ Operating Agreement Template: An operating agreement is an internal document that outlines the key operational aspects of an LLC. Filenow will provide a template that you can customize with your company’s info.
➢ Business Document Templates: You’ll receive access to 15+ customizable business contract templates.
➢ Faster Processing: Filenow will speed up its internal processing to submit your LLC formation documents to the state within 24 hours of placing your order.
Compare Packages
Identify the LLC package and services that fit your needs and then get started.
Starter
Pro
Premium
Process in 7-10 business days*
PLUS STATE FEES
Processes in 1 business day*
Top Features
*Processing times are based on receiving complete information. ZenBusiness processing times do not include Secretary of State processing times, which can vary.**SPECIAL OFFER – Get Starter for $0 plus state fees. Includes one optional free year of Worry-Free Compliance that renews at $199/yr.† ZenBusiness is a financial technology company and is not a bank. Banking services provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC.
At $49, Filenow’s baseline price point for LLC formation service isn’t bad, but there are plenty of companies that can beat it. For instance, at ZenBusiness, we’ll form your LLC for free (you’ll pay your state’s required fee either way). Filenow’s Premium package costs $199 but it might be a better deal than its Starter package, as it adds several valuable features like registered agent service and EIN acquisition.
We were unable to glean much information about Filenow’s background or experience level. However, the company does have 600+ mostly positive reviews available on Trustpilot.
Filenow offers customer support via phone or email. You can also use its web-based chat application or fill out the contact form on its website. Their representatives are knowledgeable and courteous, and they’re available from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET on weekdays.
The first step with Filenow is to choose your entity type (LLC, corporation, S corp) and state. Then, you’ll choose which of Filenow’s two business formation packages you’d like to purchase. From there, you’ll walk through a couple of screens that ask for your personal details and basic business info, followed by a very long series of 11 upsell attempts. Once you finally make your way through Filenow’s exhaustive upsells, you can pay for your order.
When it comes down to making a choice, Filenow may have more advantages than disadvantages. Here are some scenarios where you should or shouldn’t use Filenow for LLC formation service.
Filenow has good customer reviews and its Premium ($199 + state fee) package is a pretty good value. If these are inviting attributes to you, give them a look.
Some competitors (like us at ZenBusiness) will form your new LLC for free — just pay your state’s fee. That’s a much better deal than paying Filenow at least $49 for a similar service.
Start your LLC with ZenBusiness
Pricing starts at just $0 + state fee
Frequently Asked Questions About Filenow
While Filenow provides almost zero information about itself, we do think that its 600+ positive customer reviews on Trustpilot inject legitimacy into its operations.
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 Filenow stacks up.
ZenBusiness vs. Filenow: The most important difference here is that we offer a free LLC formation service, while Filenow charges at least $49 (you’ll pay your state’s fee either way). In addition, we’re a Public Benefit Corporation that’s served 700,000+ customers and gives back to underrepresented entrepreneurs. Finally, while Filenow has 600+ positive reviews on Trustpilot, we have 18295.
Northwest Registered Agent vs. Filenow: Filenow’s $49 LLC formation service package compares favorably to Northwest’s $225 price point, although Northwest includes a year of registered agent service in its package. These companies have nearly identical customer feedback reputations, although we’ll give Northwest a small edge for its personalized customer support offerings.
LegalZoom vs. Filenow: Like us at ZenBusiness, LegalZoom offers a free (+ state fee) LLC formation package. LegalZoom is one of the most experienced companies in this industry, with millions of customers served. It also has extended customer support hours that can come in handy for busy entrepreneurs.
Yes. In our experience, Filenow’s representatives are helpful and responsive. They’re available from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Filenow’s refund policy is very strict. They don’t actually offer refunds at all — they only allow exchanges for certain products and services (not including LLC formations), and even then, you have to request one within 30 days. Especially when some competitors (like us at ZenBusiness) offer 90-day 100% satisfaction guarantees, this is an area of weakness for Filenow.
That’s always an option, and some entrepreneurs do just that. The problem with the DIY 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 times when you would need to do this are if you’re located in a state like Alabama that requires a name reservation or 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.
Even though Filenow is based in New York, it doesn’t offer publication service in this state. If you want someone to handle this process on your behalf, check out our New York publication service.
You can reach Filenow’s support representatives by phone at 888-332-4612, and its support email address is support@filenow.com. They’re available from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays.
With Filenow, turnaround times depend on two things. First, each state has its own timelines for processing LLC formation paperwork. Secondly, Filenow processes LLC formations a bit quicker if you order the Premium package instead of the Starter.
In our opinion, Filenow’s biggest advantage is its customer feedback. While it doesn’t have a high volume of reviews, the ones it does have are mostly positive. As for its biggest disadvantage, we would say it’s either their pricing model or their extremely strict refund policy.
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, $75 may be worth it to have Filenow acquire your EIN on your behalf. However, you can also obtain your own EIN from the IRS for free.
Yes. Filenow offers registered agent service for $119 per year, and it provides annual report service for $99 per year.
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 Team ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness has helped people start, run, and grow over 700,000 dream companies. The editorial team at ZenBusiness has over 20 years of collective small business publishing experience and is composed of business formation experts who are dedicated to empowering and educating entrepreneurs about owning a company.
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