Best LLC Formation Services - Complete Guide

LLC Services

It is a thrilling and hard task to start a business. One of the first actions is to create a business entity with your state in order to make it official. The reason why most entrepreneurs establish a limited liability company (LLC) is that it has numerous advantages, which include the consideration of making money.

LLC Services Illustration

However, when dozens of LLC formation services are available, it is hard to find the right one. Fortunately, therefore, we have done the research on the best LLC formation services to enable you to select the most appropriate one to your business and you.

8 LLC Formation Services

4.4/5
Best Customer Service

Northwest Registered Agent provides the client with a quick and easy customer service experience including chat, email and phone support and minimal sales pressure.

Visit Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest Registered Agent was founded in 2006 and provides one LLC formation package, which is supplemented by add-on services. It also focuses on the customized service with its so-called Corporate Guides.

Features and Pricing

Northwest offers an LLC formation service at a price of 225 in addition to state fees, which entails one-year registered agent service, business address, operating agreement, and other extras.

Although you refuse to use the services of a registered agent the price will not change.

Customer Service

The best asset of Northwest is the customer support. Phone, chat and email services are timely, professional and stress-free.

Pros

  • Excellent customer service.
  • Intense registered agent prices.
  • Fast processing times
  • Transparent pricing

Cons

  • Limited service options
  • Single plan might not be appropriate to all.
  • There are reports of surprise payments by some customers.

The Verdict

Northwest Registered Agent is the one that suits the best the entrepreneurs who appreciate the high level of customer service and prefer to have registered agent services associated.

4.3/5
Best Overall

Tailor Brands offers web-based services that assist companies to obtain an online presence with an AI-powered logo maker, social media branding apps, and a web builder.

Visit Tailor Brands

Tailor Brands is a new LLC formation service that caters to the digital entrepreneur. Besides submitting LLC documentation, the site provides branding and marketing services including AI-based logo-making, web-page building, and branded merchandise services.

Tailor Brands was started in 2015 and it boasts of over 30 million people who have been assisted to start a business. It is said to have a mission of making the process of business creation easy, enjoyable, and accessible to all.

Features and Pricing

Lite Plan

Lite plan will cost $0 and state fees and will cover standard LLC filing. The documents are normally filed to the state within 14 working days.

Essential Plan

The Essential plan is priced like the Lite plan and adds expedited filing and compliance monitoring, as well as an operating agreement.

Expedited filing will have Tailor Brands file your documents within two business days but state processing times are still required. Tailor Brands does not provide expedited processing on the state level, unlike other competitors.

Annual reports and reminders of compliance deadlines are also covered under compliance monitoring but also subject to state fees. This service is renewed at $199 a year after the first year, which is a good idea to cancel in case you are no longer in need of the service.

Elite Plan

Elite plan is an annual plan of 249 dollars plus state charges and contains all the features of the Essential plan and also provides one year of free domain, eight free logos, a web site maker, a business card page that will show your links and products, a social media post maker, and a business card designer.

This strategy underscores the enabledness of Tailor Brands with regard to digital business tools. Users are provided with an integrated dashboard in which they are able to create documents, develop websites and create marketing materials.

This is a good strategy to new e-commerce entrepreneurs. Nonetheless, branding tools, including those related to digital branding, might not be as valuable to everyone.

Customer Service

The website of Tailor Brands is easy to navigate and is attractive to the eye, thus the process of ordering is a quick one. However, the customer support is not consistent. The process of upselling is common, there is no live-chat option, and the phone and email services may be vague or useless.

Before buying, it is very advisable to scrutinize pricing information in order to prevent unpleasant surprises.

Pros

  • Potent e-commerce and branding software.
  • Competitive pricing
  • The platform of centralized management of business.
  • User-friendly website

Cons

  • Non-transparent renewals and additional charges.
  • Lengthy checkout process
  • Aggressive sales tactics
  • Lack of uniform customer service.

The Verdict

Tailor Brands is very good at providing digital entrepreneurs with powerful branding and marketing instruments. Nevertheless, the problem of customer service and unnoticed expenses might be frustrating. Businesses that are online would be advised to use the Elite plan, and the owners of the brick-and-mortar shop would seek options elsewhere.

4.2/5
Best Reputation

ZenBusiness is a public benefit corporation and is reputed to make the process of creating LLCs to be easier among new business owners.

Visit ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness was established in 2017 and has gained popularity as a LLC formation company in a short time. It is a business of a type of a public benefit corporation where profitability and mission of supporting entrepreneurs co-exist.

Features and Pricing

Starter Plan

The Starter Plan will be comprised of free LLC formation (only state fees are required), name availability search, default filing, expense management, tax management, customer care, access to documents online, and one year of compliance warnings. The compliance services are offered on a one-year renewal of $199 (unless canceled).

This plan is a superior deal to cost-effective businesspersons.

Pro Plan

Pro Plan is priced at 199 a year and covers all content of Starter and fast-tracked filing, a custom operating agreement, unlimited compliance, and two complimentary amendments.

Premium Plan

The Premium Plan will be priced at $299 per year and it includes rush filing, business site, email, and domain. This plan is costly and does not add much more value, compared to those of competitors.

Customer Service

The setup of the account is easy and user-friendly. Chat and phone support is responsive and helpful whereas the response to emails is slower but informative. All in all, ZenBusiness is a good experience.

Pros

  • Very good value of the Starter and Pro plans.
  • Strong customer reviews
  • Reliable support
  • Entrepreneur-focused mission

Cons

  • Complaints about cancellations in reviews
  • Information on the site may not be readily found.
  • Premium plan seems to be too expensive.

The Verdict

ZenBusiness provides good value, reliable support, and prices. It is a good option even though it has some few demerits but it is the best option to new business owners.

4.1/5
Best Starter Plan

Incfile provides a free membership (state fees only) Silver Plan, which is inclusive of a year of registered agent services.

Visit Incfile

Founded in 2008 Incfile positions itself as a full-fledged business formation service, with three levels of service and many add-ons.

Features and Pricing

Silver Plan

Free and state fees such as the cost of creating LLCs, search of the name, and one year of registered agents.

Gold Plan

priced at $199 with state fees and it contains EIN purchase, operating agreement, banking resolution and other options.

Platinum Plan

This plan has a cost of $299 with the addition of state fees, rush filing, contract templates, domain name and business email.

Customer Service

The site is user friendly, but there is over-selling. Response is quick by use of chat and phone, whereas the email responses are slow.

Pros

  • Good value in all plans.
  • Registered agent affordable services.
  • Positive customer feedback
  • Reliable support

Cons

  • Slow processing times
  • Aggressive upselling
  • Slow email responses

The Verdict

Incfile offers good value and variety of plans, which is why it can be considered a good alternative to budget-friendly entrepreneurs.

4.5/5
Best Website Experience

LegalZoom has a well-designed, informative, and very easy to use site, and a user can create LLC within minutes.

Visit LegalZoom

LegalZoom is a brand that has been in existence for a long time, being established in 2001 and provides legal and business formation services.

Features and Pricing

Basic Plan

Free and state charges such as formation of LLC, regular filing and digital welcome packet.

Pro Plan

Offers EIN, operating agreement, business license advice and tax advice.

Premium Plan

Has expedited filing at an extra fee.

Customer Service

The site is simplistic and user friendly and the process of forming a LLC can be completed in a matter of minutes. Amazon has a solid phone support, chat, and email support, and upselling is minimal.

Pros

  • Trusted brand
  • Free basic plan
  • Strong customer support
  • Mostly positive reviews

Cons

  • High cost of registered agent services.
  • Cancellation complaints
  • Premium plan does not have much value.

The Verdict

LegalZoom is well-rounded and user-friendly in terms of the experience and is recommended to novice business owners.

3.75/5
Best Satisfaction Guarantee.

CorpNet is differentiated by providing a 100% satisfaction guarantee where they will refund the money in case the customers are dissatisfied.

Visit CorpNet

CorpNet is a company that was established in 2009 and it provides three plans of LLC formation along with other business services.

Features and Pricing

The plans are between 79 and 249 and added with state fees. The plan at the highest level is of the best value in comparison with the competitors.

Customer Service

Email support is receptive, whereas the phone support is sales oriented.

Pros

  • Affordable competitive registered agent pricing.
  • Wide range of services
  • Mostly positive reviews

Cons

  • Plans of lower level are exorbitantly expensive.
  • Pushy sales tactics
  • Poor website layout

The Verdict

CorpNet is most suitable to the entrepreneurs who desire to have a variety of business services in a single provider.

3.5/5
Best Customizable Plans

In contrast to most competitors, BizFilings does not resort to aggressive sales tactics to add or remove services to plans on the same page.

Visit BizFilings

Having over 20 years of experience, BizFilings provides custom LLC package formation services. CT Corporation is one of the largest players in the industry and the owner of the company.

Features and Pricing

Plans cost between 99 to 359 plus state fees, with higher options such as compliance tools, services that contain EIN and certified copies.

Customer Service

Placing an order is easy, and constant cross-selling and confused customer care can be irritating.

Pros

  • Customizable packages
  • Simple ordering process

Cons

  • Expensive pricing
  • Obsolete physical resources.
  • Additional charges on simple services.

The Verdict

BizFilings provides high quality services at high prices and this is why they are more appropriate to large budgeted experienced entrepreneurs.

4/5
Best in all round Business and Legal Services.

Rocket Lawyer provides a business subscription of 39.99 per month, which offers those who need these services access to legal documents and business services.

Visit Rocket Lawyer

Rocket Lawyer is a legal subscription and LLC-forming business, founded in 2008.

Features and Pricing

Forming LLC costs 99 without subscription or is free when the firm has membership of $39.99/month.

Customer Service

Telephone and email services are also professional but there is no live chat.

Pros

  • Premium business approach.
  • Mostly positive reviews
  • Easy-to-use platform

Cons

  • No chat support
  • High priced regardless of subscription.
  • Fewer formation services

The Verdict

Rocket Lawyer suits entrepreneurs with recurring legal services that are not limited to forming an LLC.

What is the advantage of an LLC Formation Service?

The LLC formation services make the process of paperwork easier, filing, and time management, including deadlines, less problematic and time-consuming, with less errors.

What to Expect of LLC Formation Service.

FAQs

Delaware and Wyoming are often considered business-friendly states for LLC formation due to favorable laws. However, for most small businesses, forming in your home state where you operate is typically the most practical and cost-effective option.

California is currently waiving its LLC formation fee, though this is scheduled to end after June 30, 2023. After that, Kentucky becomes the cheapest state with just a $40 filing fee.

However, it's usually best to register in the state where you do business. For example, if you form in California or Kentucky but operate in Ohio, you'll still need to register as a foreign LLC in Ohio, meaning you'll face regulations, filing requirements, and potentially taxes in both states.

There are many online services for forming an LLC. Some offer free basic packages (you only pay state fees). Popular options with free entry-level plans include ZenBusiness, LegalZoom, and Incfile.

Footer - BestIncorporates