Choosing the right service to help you form an LLC is crucial.
A good LLC service will get your business operational in just a few days, ensuring all essential paperwork is filed and necessary registrations are completed.
A poor LLC service, however, could delay your business launch by weeks or even months due to incomplete registrations and missing paperwork.
To assist you in finding the best option, I have reviewed and ranked the top 19 LLC services using a comprehensive five-factor, four-stage process. Here are the results of my investigation into the best LLC formation services:
1. Northwest Registered Agent: 9.45/10 (Top Choice for LLC Formation)
Northwest Registered Agent offers a comprehensive package at an unbeatable price, and it’s the only LLC service that includes expert business guidance.
Advantages
Northwest Registered Agent has a lot going for it.
It handles all the essential tasks required to establish your LLC and prepare your business for operation.
Northwest takes care of filing all the necessary documents (such as articles of incorporation or certificate of formation, depending on your state’s requirements), provides a complimentary registered agent service for the first year, reminds you of upcoming compliance deadlines, and offers a user-friendly online dashboard for managing your business documents.
Additionally, it includes a free accounting consultation to ensure your payment processing is properly set up, a free operating agreement template, and a 90-day trial of its VoIP service. If you require additional services, such as a federal tax ID number (EIN), a Certificate of Good Standing, or a state-certified copy of your LLC documents, you can purchase them separately.
One unique aspect of Northwest Registered Agent is its Corporate Guides.
Unlike typical customer support teams that only assist with basic tasks like password resets and filing updates, Northwest’s US-based team consists of former accountants, lawyers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners who can provide expert advice on both the LLC formation process and running your new business.
These professionals have firsthand experience starting and growing their own LLCs or have worked as independent LLC advisors, helping countless others navigate the same process.
Northwest is the only LLC formation service that offers this level of small business guidance, which is incredibly valuable considering that some small business advisory services can charge upwards of $5,000 per day.
Lastly, the price is a major selling point.
While the standard price of $225 is already an excellent value when you consider the expert business advice, I’ve secured an exclusive deal for our readers. By signing up through my dedicated sign-up page, you’ll receive an 82% discount, bringing the total cost down to just $39 (plus state fees) for your LLC setup.
At $225, Northwest is a great deal, but with an 82% discount to $39, it’s an unbeatable choice for the top spot.
Drawbacks
The only drawback to Northwest Registered Agent is that it doesn’t provide any assistance with establishing your online presence. Some other LLC services include a free year of domain name registration, website hosting, and Google advertising credits, while others even offer a free website builder in their premium packages (usually priced at $299 or more). Northwest doesn’t include any of these features.
However, given that Google offers $150 in advertising credit to new businesses and premium website builders like Squarespace start at just $15 per month, this isn’t a significant concern.
Summary
I recommend Northwest Registered Agent as the best LLC service because it not only covers the essentials for establishing your LLC but also provides a US-based customer support team composed of individuals who have started their own LLCs and can guide you through the challenges you’ll inevitably face.
If you’re searching for the top LLC formation service, one that goes the extra mile to support your business success, and you want to take advantage of an 82% discount, visit Northwest Registered Agent today.
2. ZenBusiness: 8.25/10 (Top Pick for Basic LLC Formation)
ZenBusiness offers the most affordable starting price at $0 (plus state fees), but the absence of a complimentary registered agent service and expert business guidance may result in higher costs over time.
Advantages
ZenBusiness covers all the basic requirements for establishing your LLC, starting at no cost. They ensure your business name is available and your information is 100% accurate, as well as handle the filing of your articles of incorporation.
By upgrading to ZenBusiness’ $199 Pro plan, you’ll receive expedited filing (taking four to six days, depending on your state) and guided assistance in setting up your company operating agreement. The $299 Premium plan includes one to two-day rush filing, a domain name and email address, and a customizable website builder.
Furthermore, their in-house, US-based customer support team is highly accessible, with extended hours during the week and on Sundays.
Drawbacks
Although ZenBusiness’ $0 starting price is an excellent value for the basics, opting for additional services will lead to higher expenses in the long run.
ZenBusiness does not include a free year of its registered agent service in any of its LLC formation packages, and charges $199 per year when you sign up for them. This means you’ll pay the full price from the very first year.
Moreover, while the customer support team is quick and efficient in handling tasks like password changes or billing details updates, they are not equipped to assist with HR, logistics, or tax-related questions.
Summary
ZenBusiness is an excellent choice for handling the fundamental aspects of forming a new LLC. Their US-based support team is available during extended hours to address any questions while ensuring your forms are filled out accurately and submitted to the appropriate authorities.
Although you’ll incur higher costs if you require a registered agent service, their 100% accuracy guarantee and worry-free compliance will provide peace of mind.
If you’re interested in the essentials and want to learn more about ZenBusiness, you can explore their packages on their website.
3. Harbor Compliance: 7.15/10 (Top Choice for Premium LLC Formation)
Harbor Compliance secures the #3 spot on my list by offering a dedicated account manager to address all your questions and concerns, but this level of service comes at a premium.
Advantages
Harbor Compliance offers all the essential elements you need in an LLC formation service.
It verifies your business name availability, drafts and files your paperwork (according to your state’s requirements), provides an operating agreement template, assists in obtaining an employer identification number (EIN), and even includes a complimentary year of its registered agent service (normally priced at $99 per year).
However, the true value of Harbor Compliance lies in the personal guide who accompanies you throughout your journey.
Instead of contacting customer support or emailing an anonymous helpline, you have direct access to your personal representative at Harbor Compliance, who is familiar with your unique situation and challenges and can offer tailored advice to address your specific needs.
Drawbacks
The downside to this level of support is its steep cost.
At $399 for the Formation package and $799 for the Compliance package, Harbor Compliance is nearly twice the standard rate of Northwest Registered Agent and 10 times more expensive than the exclusive deal available to our readers.
While having a personal guide to assist you through the LLC formation process is undoubtedly valuable, it’s up to you to decide whether it’s worth paying an extra $360 for help completing your articles of incorporation.
Summary
Although Harbor Compliance may not be the absolute best LLC service available, it covers all the fundamentals and distinguishes itself from competitors by being the only provider to offer a dedicated account manager.
While its $399 price tag is 10 times higher than my special deal with Northwest Registered Agent, it remains the top premium service in the market.
If you value the support of a dedicated account manager and are willing to pay for it, visit the Harbor Compliance website to learn more.
4. Swyft Filings
Despite being a relative newcomer to the LLC formation industry, having started in 2012, Swyft Filings offers a comprehensive Basic package at $49 (plus state filing fee).
With this package, Swyft Filings will help you prepare the necessary paperwork and file it with the appropriate government agencies, provide online access to your documents, offer a 30-minute business tax consultation, and even include a complimentary year of business domain name registration.
However, unlike Northwest Registered Agent, Swyft Filings does not include a free year of its registered agent service. Considering that it charges $149 per year for this service, choosing Swyft Filings will ultimately result in significantly higher costs over time.
For a more comprehensive analysis of its services, please refer to my Swyft Filings review.
5. MyCompanyWorks
MyCompanyWorks presents a somewhat inconsistent offering.
For a price of $79 plus the state filing fee, it drafts and submits your articles of organization, provides assistance with your operating agreement, grants you access to your crucial documents through an online portal, and notifies you of any impending compliance filing deadlines.
However, there is a noteworthy drawback.
While MyCompanyWorks does offer a complimentary year of its registered agent service, this is only available in its premium package, which comes at a steep cost of $279. When compared to Northwest Registered Agent, which charges $39 and includes a year of its registered agent service at no additional cost, MyCompanyWorks fails to stand out as a top choice.
6. Inc Authority
At first glance, Inc Authority seems to be a budget-friendly LLC service, but upon closer inspection, it proves to be anything but affordable.
While Inc Authority will assist in preparing and filing your required paperwork at no cost, any additional services come with a hefty price tag.
Its basic package, which includes an operating agreement, help with applying for an EIN, and a company seal, will set you back $399 plus state filing fees. A complimentary year of its registered agent service is only available in the premium package, which costs a staggering $799.
Even if you’re on a tight budget and only need your paperwork filed, ZenBusiness is a significantly better choice.
7. Incorporate Fast
Incorporate Fast specializes in LLC formation and offers a Basic package at $99 (plus state fees).
This package covers the submission of your articles of organization, a complimentary year of its registered agent service, guidance on your operating agreement, and a selection of sample documents that may be useful in establishing your business.
While it doesn’t provide any supplementary services, such as a business tax assessment or online document storage, Incorporate Fast will assist you in obtaining an EIN if you opt for its $199 Basic package.
One advantage of Incorporate Fast is that it processes all new business filings on the same day they are received, a benefit not offered by other providers. If you’re in a rush to establish your business entity and are willing to pay more for fewer additional services, Incorporate Fast might be worth considering. However, if you’re looking for excellent value and a wide range of extra features, Northwest Registered Agent is the way to go.
8. BizFilings
BizFilings is yet another LLC formation service that offers a basic package at $99 (plus state fees).
This package covers the filing of your essential legal documents, a complimentary year of registered agent service, and compliance notifications. However, it does not provide any supplementary services, such as a business tax assessment, online document storage, or assistance with your operating agreement, meaning you receive considerably less value for your money.
9. IncNow
For customers in Delaware, IncNow provides nearly identical services at the same price point as BizFilings. The only difference is that if you require assistance with your operating agreement, you must upgrade to their $208 package.
IncNow is also the final LLC formation service on this list to include a free year of registered agent service as part of its basic LLC formation offerings. The remaining seven providers either do not offer this benefit or only include it in their higher-priced packages.
10. Rocket Lawyer
Rocket Lawyer, a legal services company, also provides an LLC formation service alongside its registered agent service and other offerings. However, its lack of specialization in this area is evident in the quality of its service. It will submit your articles of organization and provide online access to your documents.
For the $99 (plus state fees) that Rocket Lawyer charges, you can find significantly better value with some of the other recommendations on this list.
11. LegalZoom
LegalZoom follows the pattern of mediocre $99 (plus state fees) packages that offer minimal benefits. LegalZoom will assist in filing your articles of organization and provide a banking resolution, but nothing more.
You may consider using LegalZoom if you already employ its legal services, such as registered agent service, and prefer to have all your business matters handled by a single company. However, there is little reason to choose LegalZoom solely for your LLC formation.
Other LLC Services
As part of my research, I investigated nine additional national limited liability company (LLC) service providers. However, they were so far from being worthy of recommendation that writing a full review for each was unnecessary. Here they are, listed in no specific order.
12. Incorporate.com
Similar to Rocket Lawyer and Legal Zoom, Incorporate.com offers a $99 basic package with minimal features. It will assist in filing your articles of organization and provide online document storage, but nothing more.
13. CorpNet
CorpNet charges $108 (plus state fees) for its LLC formation services, which include filing your formation documents and providing compliance alerts. No other services are offered.
14. IncParadise
For businesses in Nevada, IncParadise charges $89 (plus state fees) and will only process your articles of organization and offer guidance in creating your operating agreement. Any additional service included in the ZenBusiness basic package will incur an extra charge.
15. MyCorporation
MyCorporation offers the same services as IncParadise but at a higher price of $133 (plus state fees).
16. Direct Incorporation
Direct Incorporation builds upon the offerings of IncParadise and MyCorporation by including a banking resolution and your EIN, but it charges $147 (plus state fees) for its service.
17. InCorp
InCorp charges $117 (plus state fees) to submit your articles of organization and provide assistance with your operating agreement. Any additional services come at an extra cost.
18. Nationwide Incorporations
Nationwide Incorporations provides the same restricted services as InCorp but at a higher price of $200 (plus state fees).
19. SunDoc Filings
SunDoc Filings‘ basic package, priced at $79 (plus state fees), is limited to filing your articles of organization. It will assist with your operating agreement in its $99 Key package and help with applying for your EIN in its $279 Premier package.
The Top LLC Service Review Recap
Among the 19 top LLC services, Northwest Registered Agent stands out as the optimal choice for the majority of businesses.
Its $39 (plus state fees) basic package includes all the essential elements required to launch your business. Moreover, the guidance and support offered by its Corporate Guides can cost up to $5,000 per day if you were to engage a consulting firm.
If you’re prepared to embark on your entrepreneurial journey and want all the fundamentals handled by seasoned professionals, along with the support and advice needed to overcome your business challenges, visit Northwest Registered Agent today
Best LLC Service Review Methodology
Here’s how I arrived at my recommendations for the best LLC services.
Why You Can Trust Me
When it comes to limited liability company (LLC) formation service recommendations, you can trust me because I possess unparalleled experience and expertise in the LLC realm.
My journey began with utilizing three different LLC formation services to establish my three companies. Yes, I employed three distinct services because the first two didn’t offer the support I required (I won’t mention them here as they have both significantly improved since I used them, and I believe that making decisions based on outdated information is unwise).
The third service, which I used to launch this website, has provided value far beyond my expectations and has delivered much more than what I paid for. This is why Northwest Registered Agent is my top overall recommendation for the best LLC service.
However, my experience extends beyond just using those three services. I also have extensive experience assisting others in selecting the best LLC formation service for their new business entities. Since the launch of A Platform for Good, I have personally helped over 1,000 individuals find the right LLC service for their new ventures, which has required me to thoroughly immerse myself in the industry.
How I Chose the Best LLC Service
To determine the best LLC formation service, I employed a four-stage process.
Stage 1: Review Analysis
The initial step in identifying the best LLC services was to examine the online reviews of the prominent companies in this industry. There is a strong tradition, particularly among the well-known LLC formation services, to encourage customers to provide feedback online, resulting in some filing services having over 4,500 online reviews!
This review analysis process enabled me to develop an overview of the quality of the various business formation services and eliminate any services that failed to meet a basic performance standard.
Stage 2: Website Evaluation
After removing any underperforming business formation services and gaining a general understanding of each provider, I proceeded to explore their websites. I logged on, read their headlines and titles, and attempted to familiarize myself with each company based on its claims and statements.
This allowed me to comprehend the primary business formation services offered by each provider and how each company perceived its position and services within the market.
Stage 3: Engaging with Actual Customers
After grasping how each company aimed to position itself, the subsequent step was to determine whether it could fulfill its promises. While this can sometimes be achieved by reading online reviews, most people tend to post reviews only when they have had extremely positive or negative experiences, which can lead to skewed results.
To ensure a balanced and nuanced understanding of other customers’ experiences with each LLC formation company, I reached out to customers I could personally speak with to hear firsthand about their experiences.
I contacted friends who had used a business formation service, reached out to individuals I had referred to, and spoke with visitors to my website to gain insights into the strengths and weaknesses of their experiences.
This provided me with a comprehensive and detailed understanding of what it was like to use each service provider, bringing me closer to identifying the best LLC services.
Stage 4: Engaging with Sales Teams
The final stage of my analysis involved getting on the phone with sales and customer support teams and pressing them for answers.
I compiled the feedback I had gathered through my online review analysis and conversations with customers, and challenged the customer support teams about critical reviews and reports.
This final step allowed me to assess how well each company handled criticism and responded to less-than-positive feedback.
Evaluation Criteria
Throughout the four-stage analysis process, each company was assessed based on five distinct factors.
Factor 1: Services Provided
The primary factor I considered was the range of services offered.
Some limited liability company (LLC) formation services will merely assist with your articles of organization before leaving you to fend for yourself unless you’re willing to pay more. Other business formation services will provide a consultation with an accountant, offer registered agent services, grant online access to your documents, and even help with your LLC operating agreement.
Given the significant disparity in the LLC formation and incorporation services available from each company, I began my analysis by examining this aspect.
Factor 2: Pricing
The second factor I considered when selecting the best LLC service was the cost. Some services start at $0 (excluding state fees), while others require a minimum investment of $399 just to get started.
When combined with the wide variation in available services, the cost of the services, or more specifically, the cost per service, became the second factor I used to rank the services.
Factor 3: Ease of Registration
The third factor I employed to evaluate these services was the simplicity of the sign-up process.
Some business formation services have clunky, outdated, legacy systems that appear to have been built in the late 1990s and designed in a high school coding class. Others have sleek, intuitive, and user-friendly systems that streamline the process of getting the business entity up and running.
I analyzed the sign-up systems of each company to determine which required the least effort and mental exertion.
Factor 4: User-Friendliness
The design and operational issues don’t stop with the sign-up process. In most cases, any design and functional problems present in the sign-up process persist throughout the onboarding process.
Some LLC services provide pre-filled forms with all essential data completed, requiring only a signature. Other services provide only blank forms (despite already possessing all the necessary information) and force you to enter the same details in 11 different places.
No one wants to waste time, ESPECIALLY with all the crucial tasks to complete when establishing a business, so evaluating the ease of use of each service was a critical factor.
Factor 5: Customer Support
The final factor I used to assess each business formation service was its customer support. This was another area where I observed a HUGE variation in the value they provided.
Some LLC services have established their support teams in foreign countries and staffed them with poorly trained locals who have little to no experience with business in the US.
On the other hand, there are LLC services, like Northwest, whose US-based support team consists of former accountants, lawyers, small business owners, and entrepreneurs who have personal experience in helping you overcome the challenges your business faces and can guide you through the best solution.
This wide gap between the value provided by customer support teams led to my fifth and final rating factor.
In Summary
I evaluated the 19 best LLC services using my four-stage, five-factor analysis, and the top performer is Northwest Registered Agent.
It covers all the essentials, including assistance in preparing and filing your required paperwork with the necessary authorities, providing an online portal where all your documents are stored, and offering a free year of registered agent service.
It also includes a complimentary consultation with its in-house accounting team to help establish your payment processing, an operating agreement template, and a trial of its VoIP system.
If your business requires additional extras, such as an EIN, a state-certified copy of your LLC documents, or a Certificate of Good Standing, you can purchase them as add-ons during the sign-up process.
However, what truly sets Northwest apart in this field is its Corporate Guides.
Northwest’s US-based support team not only answers any questions you have about your LLC setup process but also draws upon their personal experiences as former accountants, lawyers, small business owners, and entrepreneurs to help you navigate the inevitable challenges you’ll face on your small business journey.
While Northwest doesn’t assist in developing your online presence, the 82% discount ($39 plus state fees) available exclusively for our readers means you’ll have ample funds left over to use one of the premium website builders.
If you’re ready to launch your new business entity, visit Northwest Registered Agent now.