Best LLC Services (2024)
Starting a new business can be intimidating for a wide variety of reasons. Even something that seems simple at first can, in reality, be quite complex. For instance, the actual process of forming and registering a new business entity is more involved than many entrepreneurs expect. Fortunately, there are a variety of LLC formation/incorporation services out there, making the whole process much easier.
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What is an LLC formation service? It’s an online service that helps you navigate the business filing requirements set by your state. These services are basically middlemen—you still technically register through your state’s agency, but the service does the actual legwork for you. Instead of filling out physical forms and corresponding with your state’s Secretary of State’s office, you’ll fill out digital forms and be guided through the process by the service you pay for.
Many of these services can also serve as your Registered Agent, which is a requirement in many states. While you can serve as your own Registered Agent in some states, it’s often better to hire a professional to do it.
With a business formation service, you can typically form the following types of business entities:
- Limited liability companies (LLCs)
- Corporations (C-corp, S-corp)
- Sole proprietorships
- Partnerships (LLPs and LPs)
- Nonprofit corporations and charities
Almost all services offer corporation and LLC formation options. Partnerships, sole proprietorships, and nonprofit corporations are only offered by certain companies. If your goal is to open one of these, be sure to double-check that the service you are considering offers that option.
Also, keep in mind that sole proprietorships are much easier to form than any other business entity. You may not need the help of a service to start a sole proprietorship.
Benefits of LLC formation services
For the majority of entrepreneurs, the benefits of working with a business incorporation service will typically far outweigh the costs. Here are some of the biggest perks of hiring one of these services:
Simplicity & accuracy
These companies take the guesswork and hassle out of registering a new business. If you file directly with your state, you’ll need to navigate a somewhat complex, often outdated system. You’ll also need to manually fill out forms, draft legal documents, and more – all of which can be overwhelming. When you work with a service, they can make the process far more simple. Plus, their experience helps ensure accuracy, reducing the odds of any issues.
Efficiency & speed
In the business world, time is money. That’s why many entrepreneurs opt to outsource tasks like company formation. The companies on this list process tens of thousands of business applications every year, and they are well-versed with requirements in all US states. Some companies even offer same-day processing (although you’ll still have to wait for the state to do their part). By working with a service, you can free up your own time to what matters most: actually running your new business!
Required services
Many registration services can also serve as your Registered Agent. In all states, it’s required to have a Registered Agent assigned to your new company (for most business structures). This agent handles legal and official correspondence between the business and state/federal agencies. Some states allow the business owner or an employee to be the registered agent, but in most cases, it’s helpful to have a professional do it.
Costs of forming an LLC or corporation
How much do LLC formation services cost? Typically, expect to spend $50-$150+ for a service to help you (with a basic package), plus $50-$300+ for state filing fees.
When you work with one of these services, there are two price categories: The service’s own fees and state fees.
State filing fees
State fees are charged regardless of whether you use a service. This money goes directly to the state where you are forming a business. It covers business license and incorporation costs for the state agencies responsible for issuing new business permits.
State fees for LLCs are typically $70-$200+, while corporations are closer to $100-$300+. LLCs are usually lower cost than corporations or partnerships, but this is not always the case.
That said, these fees vary hugely from state to state. For example:
- California charges $70 for an LLC, and $100 for a corporation
- Minnesota charges $155 for both LLCs and corporations
- Florida charges $125 for a new LLC, but only $70 for a corporation
- Texas charges $300 for both LLCs and corporations
- New York charges $200 for an LLC, and $135 for a corporation
When you work with a service, you will see a preview of the total cost, including state fees, during the checkout process. And while the service will charge you these fees, the full amount is passed on to the state.
How to choose the right service
There are dozens of business formation services, all competing to gain you as a customer. How do you navigate the many options to select the right one for your start-up? Here are some key factors to consider:
- Business structures offered – LLCs, corporations, partnerships, nonprofits, etc.
- Packages/plans offered – choice of price-points, available features, etc.
- Ongoing services offered – Registered Agent, annual report filing, etc.
- Customer support offered – phone/email/chat support, ongoing/lifetime support, etc.
- Ease of use offered – simplicity and easy-to-navigate platforms
- Perks offered – bonus features, such as a website, domain name, tax consultation, etc.
- Value offered – price-point compared to competitors, overall value of the service, etc.
- Customer reviews – how past customers have rated the services, their rating with BBB/Trustpilot, etc.
- Turnaround time – processing and filing speed of your business documents
Essentially, you want to find a service that offers the features you need at a price that fits your budget. The biggest thing to consider is whether the service you are considering actually supports the business structure you want to form. While all services support LLCs and corporations, only a handful support nonprofits and partnerships.
Beyond that, it’s largely a matter of choosing a service with package(s) that fit your individual needs. For some recommendations, see our list of the top options below.
The best LLC formation services
To help readers select the right fit for their needs, we’ve compiled a list of the best online business formation services. Our selections were made based on a combination of features, pricing, customer service, review scores, and overall value.
Northwest Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent is a registered agent service, as the name suggests, but it has shifted its focus to offering full-fledged business formation packages. Today, you can use Northwest to register a new LLC or corporation online in all 50 states. Pricing is transparent and competitive, and Northwest takes customer service very seriously.
Who Northwest Registered Agent is best for
Northwest Registered Agent is best for those who want personalized guidance and service. When you use Northwest, you’ll be paired with your own Corporate Guide. This guide will help you through the business formation process and will also serve as your personal customer support representative.
Northwest is also a good choice for those who value privacy and data security. Northwest focuses heavily on protecting client data and personal information. It does not sell client data and offers a number of useful privacy-boosting services.
What makes Northwest Registered Agent unique
Northwest takes a hands-on, personal approach and aims to build a relationship with each of its customers. They achieve this primarily through their Corporate Guide program. They also prioritize relationships over profit, so they don’t sell data or try to force you into a bunch of add-ons. Here are some unique aspects of what Northwest brings to the table:
- First year is free (plus state fees), then $39/year (plus state fees)
- One-on-one service and guidance from a personal Corporate Guide
- Ongoing services, like Registered Agent
- Virtual Office and Mail Forwarding services
- Second business phone number for privacy
- Northwest works hard to protect your privacy
ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness is an online business registration service that makes it simple to accurately and quickly start a new company. You can choose from sole proprietorship, LLC, or corporation. They can even help you obtain an Employee Identification Number (EIN). Plus, ZenBusiness serves as your registered agent, at no additional cost!
Beyond the initial business formation, ZenBusiness can serve as a valuable partner for years to come. They provide useful resources, powerful tools, and ongoing compliance support to help your business grow and thrive.
Who ZenBusiness is best for
ZenBusiness is best for owners who want powerful tools to both start and grow a small business.
Unlike most competitors, ZenBusiness offers an ongoing subscription service that acts as a partner for your business for many years to come.
What makes ZenBusiness unique
ZenBusiness helps with all the standard business formation tasks, helping you satisfy state requirements for the formation of an LLC, corporation, or sole proprietorship. They make this process simple and fast.
What makes ZenBusiness unique is that it offers a wide variety of ongoing services to help meet your business needs:
- Ongoing compliance guarantee to help you stay on top of ongoing filing/reporting requirements
- Ongoing Registered Agent services
- Powerful marketing tools, like a business website, domain name, email, and even free advertising credits
- Insights and advice, from CPAs, business advisors, and more
- Learning resources, reports, and powerful online tools
- Easy online access to all your licenses, forms, templates and more
- Friendly and professional customer support
LegalZoom
LegalZoom is an online legal services provider. They help with the formation of new businesses, but this is only one of their dozens of legal services. They are helpful for both business and personal legal needs and offer one of the most diverse lineups of services of any provider on this list.
Who LegalZoom is best for
LegalZoom is best for those looking for a one-stop shop for all legal needs. Not only does it help you form a new company, but it can also provide valuable ongoing business services. For instance, LegalZoom provides ongoing business advisory services with real attorneys for less than $35/month. They can help you review contracts, advise on business disputes, and much more.
LegalZoom is also helpful on the personal front. The service can help you draft a Last Will and Testament, plan for your estate, and much more—all from the same intuitive online platform.
What makes LegalZoom unique
LegalZoom is far more than an incorporation service; it’s a full-blown legal services provider that offers just about everything a traditional law firm might. While LegalZoom won’t represent you in court, they can refer you to a qualified attorney who can – and provide legal advice through their advisory service. For everything else, they offer a streamlined and simple platform for useful legal services. Here are some unique features of LegalZoom:
- Subscription-based legal advisory services from licensed attorneys
- Form new LLCs, corporations and more
- Get help with ongoing business filing needs
- Intellectual property protections
- Help reviewing business contracts, terms, etc.
- Personal estate planning services, to protect personal assets (Power of Attorney, Last Will and Testament, etc.)
Bizee
Bizee is an incorporation service with a relatively simple, streamlined selection of business formation services. They choose to focus on core offerings, so although they do offer some additional services, Bizee has a bit more narrow selection of specialty offerings. This razor-focus is highlighted by their tagline: “Where Business Begins.”
Who Bizee is best for
Bizee is best for those who want to form a new business in the most cost-effective way possible. Bizee is known for offering some of the best values in the industry; they even have a $0 plan, in which you just need to pay for state filing fees.
It’s also a good choice for those who want recommendations for other useful services. Bizee makes a point of recommending its customers to compatible business services, like business bank accounts, business website hosting, and more. In most cases, Bizee does not directly offer these services but instead partners with other companies to offer special deals.
What makes Bizee unique
Bizee is the only major incorporation service to offer a free LLC plan. It’s called the Basic Package, and it costs $0 + state fees and still covers the basics that you’ll need in most states. With this plan, Bizee makes money through its partnership offers. There are some other unique features from Bizee that are worth considering:
- Very competitive pricing (plans from $0 + state fees)
- Exclusive deals and special offers with partner services
- Free online learning center + FAQs for business owners
- Streamlined and simple service offerings
- The cheapest way to form an LLC or corporation
Harbor Compliance
Harbor Compliance is a business compliance service based in Pennsylvania. They offer advanced compliance services and specialize in companies that have operations in many states. Harbor Compliance boasts more than 25,000 clients, including many large firms and nonprofit organizations.
One of their key offerings is an easier way to manage compliance requirements for entire nationwide business operations. They offer proprietary software that lets companies oversee and manage their compliance requirements nationwide.
Who Harbor Compliance is best for
Harbor Compliance is best for large companies with operations in several states. Their tools are specialized for the needs of larger, nationwide organizations. Many key aspects of their software and services are best suited for cross-state compliance issues.
For smaller businesses, Harbor Compliance can still help – but it may be overkill for some.
What makes Harbor Compliance unique
Harbor Compliance specializes in complex compliance situations for large companies with operations in many states. One of their unique offerings is proprietary software that entrepreneurs and managers can use to stay on top of requirements. This software offers many unique features:
- Monitor business licensing requirements in each state
- Stay on top of due dates and other requirements
- Automate repeating tasks
- Get a birds-eye view of your business’ standing nationwide
- Search and learn about requirements in each state
- Much more
On top of their advanced software, Harbor Compliance offers many of the services that your business will need. They can serve as your Registered Agent, handle filing of annual reports, and much more.
Swyft Filings
Swyft Filings is an online incorporation service that serves both businesses and nonprofits. With it, you can form an LLC, S-corp, C-corp, nonprofit entity, and more – plus obtain EINs, DBAs, and much more. Swyft also helps with other business licensing and permitting needs and provides an array of ongoing business services.
Who Swyft Filings is best for
Swyft Filings is best for business owners who want a huge suite of available features, including advanced business conversion, ongoing reporting and compliance, and more. It offers one of the most comprehensive portfolios of business services out of all the competitors on this list.
It’s also a great choice for nonprofit founders, as it provides both nonprofit registrations and helps with tax-exemption applications.
What makes Swyft Filings unique
Swyft Filing’s support for a wider range of organizational structures makes it unique. For instance, you can form either a C-corp or an S-corp, and you can form nonprofit entities. Plus, if you need to convert your business structure in the future, Swyft can help with that, as well. Here are some unique features of Swyft Filings:
- Reseller permits/sales tax permits/etc.
- Business conversion services
- Ongoing compliance & reporting support
- Lifetime support for all packages
- Upfront pricing; no ongoing fees for most services
- Huge learning resource library for business owners
- Many services for nonprofit founders
Harvard Business Services
Harvard Business Services is a business formation service that specializes in forming new businesses in the state of Delaware. They make it simple to form a new LLC or corporation while taking advantage of all of Delaware’s business-friendly rules. They also offer some ongoing services, such as a Registered Agent service, but their focus is definitely on new business formation.
Who Harvard Business Services is best for
Harvard Business Services is best for founders who want to take advantage of Delaware’s business-friendly courts, tax laws, and regulations. Delaware is well-known for being one of the easiest states to form a new LLC in, and they have advantageous tax laws and efficient business courts. Plus, you don’t need to be a Delaware resident in order to form a company there. With HBS, business owners from all over the country can easily form a Delaware LLC or corporation. In fact, HBS even offers Delaware incorporations for international clients.
What makes Harvard Business Services unique
Harvard Business Services is one of few companies that specialize in business formations in a specific state (Delaware). While most competitors offer plans for new companies in all US states, HBS dials in their services to work with only Delaware. This makes them very efficient and allows them to offer some of the lowest prices in the industry. Here are some unique features of this service:
- Incorporate or form an LLC in Delaware
- Rapid processing time; most orders are fulfilled in around a week
- Expedited processing available to get your business documents in as little as 1 business day
- Ongoing Registered Agent service for just $50/year (one of the cheapest rates in the industry)
- Very competitive pricing; packages from just $179, including state registration fees
- You don’t need to live in Delaware to form a Delaware company through HBS
- Choice of digital delivery or mail delivery of documents
MyCorporation
MyCorporation is an online business formation service that provides help with incorporation, registering new trademarks, obtaining permits, and more. With the service, you can form a new LLC or corporation with your choice of S-corp, C-corp, and even B-corp. Nonprofit corporations are also supported.
Who MyCorporation is best for
MyCorporation is best for business founders who want help with initial business formation and intellectual property protections. The service offers help obtaining copyrights, trademarks, patents, and more.
It’s also a good choice for founders wanting to support a cause. Not only does MyCorporation help with the formation of new charities and nonprofits, but it also helps obtain B-corporation certification. B-corporations, or benefit corporations, are companies that opt to make social and environmental goals a substantial aspect of their business model.
What makes MyCorporation unique
MyCorporation is unique in the specific range of services they offer. They are among just a handful of incorporation services that make it easy to start a new nonprofit corporation or B-corp, and they are also among the few that offer intellectual property protections. Here are some unique aspects of MyCorporation:
- Intellectual property protections (trademarks, patents, copyrights)
- Nonprofit formation
- B-corp certification
- Ongoing company maintenance, including annual report filing
- Tax election options, such as S-corp status
- Business transition services (conversion, dissolution, sale)
BizFilings
BizFilings is an LLC formation service that helps with initial formation and ongoing business filing requirements. Its pricing is transparent and competitive, and it supports a wide variety of business structures. A diverse lineup of service offerings makes it easy to select the features best suited to your needs and budget.
Who BizFilings is best for
BizFilings is a great choice for those who want to form a partnership or a sole proprietorship. Many competing services do not offer these business structures, but BizFilings does. BizFilings also offers support for nonprofit corporations.
It’s also a good choice for those who want ongoing services at a competitive price. BizFilings helps with ongoing compliance, registered agent services, and can also help you navigate future changes to your business, such as corporate structure changes, or the sale of your business.
What makes BizFilings unique
The biggest unique aspect of BizFilings is their support for nearly every business structure. With it, you can form an LLC, C-corporation, S-corporation, nonprofit corporation, limited partnership (LP), limited liability partnership (LLP), and even sole proprietorships. There are also some other unique features to consider:
- Support for all business structures
- Partnership businesses are supported
- Option to build your own package, or select from premade bundles
- Initial and ongoing business filing services
- Competitive, transparent pricing
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