Best LLC Service Providers (Top 4 Reviewed by ZenBusiness)

Northwest

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.

• Northwest has no upsells, making the business formation process very straightforward. Most other services will try to get you to buy add-on after add-on, while Northwest does not.
• Northwest has personalized customer support. If you ever have an issue, simply call their number to get any question answered quickly by someone friendly and knowledgeable.
• They include a full year of their namesake registered agent service with the LLC formation package, which costs $125/year if purchased separately.

Want to learn more? See our Northwest review.

LegalZoom

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.

• LegalZoom has helped form more than 3.5 million businesses since 1999. Not many competitors can keep up with a workload like that.
• They have extended customer service hours that can be a lifesaver for busy entrepreneurs. They’re available until 10pm ET every weekday, and they’re even open on weekends until 7pm ET.
• While they just unveiled a package that costs $0 + state fee, LegalZoom’s ordering process includes a very long series of upsells. If you accepted all of them, you may be on the hook for a lot more than you originally anticipated.

Want to learn more? See our LegalZoom review.

Incfile

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.

• Even considering that its base LLC formation package is free of charge, Incfile includes several good features, such as 12 months of registered agent service.
• They have more than 46,000 online customer reviews, and most of them are positive.
• Incfile has fairly good customer service with helpful support reps. They offer phone, email, and chat support.

Want to learn more? See our Incfile review.

Inc Authority

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.

• Even though they offer business formations for free, every customer who uses this service still receives one year of registered agent service.
• Customer feedback is a pro for Inc Authority. They have nearly 10,000 reviews available online, and most of them are positive.
• One issue with Inc Authority is that they do not provide refunds for any reason, so if you purchase any of their paid services, you should make absolutely sure that you’re making an informed purchase.

Want to learn more? See our Inc Authority review.

Rocket Lawyer

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.

• Their members enjoy many features with their LLC formations, including attorney consultations, access to an extensive document library, and much more. A legal services membership can even get you a free LLC formation as long as you keep up with your $39.99 monthly subscription fee. However, for non-members, Rocket Lawyer’s LLC formation service has minimal features and a higher price point than many competitors.
• They’ve served more than 7 million business clients and 25 million total customers since 2008.
• Rocket Lawyer’s 100% satisfaction guarantee ensures that if you’re unhappy for any reason within 30 days, they’ll either fix the issue or give you your money back.

Want to learn more? See our Rocket Lawyer review.

MyCompanyWorks

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.

• With a $59 base rate, they’re not the absolute cheapest option out there, but they’re quite affordable. We will note, however, that they do not include many valuable features. For instance, registered agent service is only included in their $199 Entrepreneur and $279 Complete packages.
• MyCompanyWorks’s customer support reps always get back to you quickly. During business hours, they reply to most voicemails and emails in less than 20 minutes.
• Their Startup Wizard LLC filing checklist is a convenient way to navigate the formation process, ensuring that you don’t miss any crucial compliance steps.

Want to learn more? See our MyCompanyWorks review.

Other Top LLC Websites

• BizFilings: BizFilings charges $99 to form an LLC, and its baseline package includes six months of registered agent service. As a subsidiary of the massive global compliance firm Wolters Kluwer, BizFilings has plenty of experience and is a reliable option for LLC formations. BizFilings also offers state-specific compliance assistance, which many competitors do not.
• Nationwide Incorporators: While Nationwide Incorporators’ price point of $200 for LLC service is a bit steep, this company has a unique offering that can make it worth paying a higher price. Nationwide ensures that every document leaving its office is either drafted or reviewed by an experienced business attorney, a feature you won’t find anywhere else.
• MyCorporation: With 25+ years of experience and more than 1 million customers served, MyCorporation has an impressive track record. However, MyCorporation has a separate $34 shipping charge added to each package which makes its LLC formation service a bit too expensive.
• Harvard Business Services: If you’re looking for the fastest possible way to form a Delaware LLC, give HBS a look. This company’s Delaware-only focus gives it an advantage for forming LLCs in this state, and it also has reasonable LLC service pricing and a good deal for ongoing registered agent service.
• Swyft Filings: Swyft Filings lives up to its name with turnaround times that are often a day or two quicker than most competitors. While its pricing and features won’t blow anyone away, Swyft Filings also receives good customer feedback, creating a solid all-around package.
• Incorporate.com: Do you prioritize experience and longevity? No one has been around longer than Incorporate.com, as its roots go back all the way to the 19th century! They have somewhat high prices without including many valuable features, but there’s something to be said for experience.

Pros and Cons of LLC Formation Services

Pros

• It doesn’t matter if you understand the legalities of starting an LLC or not. LLC creation services save you time and effort by taking care of the process for you.
• Most company formation services have an online dashboard tool to keep you updated regarding important government deadlines, ensuring you never miss a filing.
• If you run into any problems, or even if you just have a simple question, LLC websites have extensive phone and email support systems. If you go the DIY route, you will have to contact the state directly which can take much longer to get a reply.
• All of these incorporation services will save you hundreds of dollars over hiring an attorney to form your LLC.

Cons

• If you have the time and capacity, you can save money by starting an LLC on your own.
• On the other end of the spectrum, a lawyer has specialized insights that you’re not going to get with most online incorporation services.

What You Should Look for in Good LLC Websites

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.

Overall Value

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.

Service vs. Competition

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.

Customer Experience

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.

Service Reliability

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.

Customer Support Quality

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?

Additional LLC Service Reading

How do online LLC services work?

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.

How to Set Up an LLC Yourself

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.

1. Prepare to draft your Articles of Organization – Before you get started, you’ll need to do two things. First, you should choose a name for your LLC and make sure it’s available by searching your state’s business database. Secondly, you need to decide who you want to serve as your registered agent. You can hire a registered agent service or designate yourself as the agent, or you can enlist the help of a trusted family member or friend. You could also designate an attorney or accountant, but this is a rather costly option without any major advantages to make it worth the expense, in our opinion.
2. Create and file the Articles of Organization – Each state has a slightly different take on LLC formation, so you should check with your state to determine what is required in this document. For the most part, though, you’ll need to include the name and address of your business, the nature of business conducted by your LLC, the identity and location of your registered agent, and the names of your LLC’s owners.
3. Obtain an EIN – Also known as a federal tax ID number, the Employer Identification Number (EIN) allows your business to hire employees, file taxes, open business bank accounts, and more. The EIN is comparable to a Social Security number for your company.
4. Draft an operating agreement – While not strictly required by law in most states, it’s highly important that you create an operating agreement for your company. This document dictates how the business will be run and can help prevent disputes between owners in the future. In general, you should describe the roles, responsibilities, and rights of each owner, along with plans to allocate the LLC’s profits. In addition, you’ll want to set out guidelines for holding meetings and voting on important issues and outline the process for replacing an owner.
5. Open a business bank account – Next, you’ll want to set up a financial infrastructure for your business by opening a bank account. This helps you keep your personal and business finances separate, and it also lends your LLC an air of professionalism. After all, your customers will feel much more comfortable writing checks to your business than they will to your personal name.
6. Acquire licenses and permits – While some businesses can operate in a compliant fashion without getting any licenses, most LLCs do require at least one license or permit. The U.S. has thousands of licensing jurisdictions, and they all have their own rules and regulations. You’ll need to check with your state, county, and municipality to make sure you have everything your business needs to remain in good standing.