We recommend ZenBusiness for most business owners because it makes forming a business as simple as possible. Set up your LLC in just a few minutes.
Coming up with a business idea is just one part of the business creation process. Forming a business can be a little trickier without the right support, but the best business formation services can take the confusion out of the equation.
Our research team spent four weeks analyzing and comparing business formation services to find the best of the best for different use cases. Out of 13 total brands, we narrowed the options to 11 services that help you navigate the legalities of business formation.
The Top 11 Best Business Formation Services
We selected 11 business formation services that fit various needs. ZenBusiness is our pick for most people because of its simplicity and breadth of tools to plan and grow your business. Form your business today with ZenBusiness for as little as $0 plus state fees.
- ZenBusiness — Best for business planning and branding
- Bizee — Best for LLC filing
- Northwest Registered Agent — Best for protecting your privacy
- Rocket Lawyer — Best for ongoing legal support
- Inc Authority — Best for managing your business after filing
- MyCompanyWorks — Best for quick business processing
- LegalNature — Best for doing it yourself
- LegalZoom — Best for trademarking a business
- Harbor Compliance — Best for all-around compliance
- Swyft Filings — Best for personalized business assistance
- BizFilings — Best for entrepreneurs and startups
How We Evaluate the Best Business Formation Services
We know how important it is to form your business correctly from the start. Therefore, to select our final picks, we followed a strict methodology to ensure that we chose services that could work for most business owners. Here, learn how we arrived at the final 11 solutions. Or if you’re ready, you can jump straight into the reviews.
How We Qualify the Best Business Formation Services for Consideration
We started our research with the following 13 business formation services: BizFilings, Harbor Compliance, Inc Authority, Bizee, Incorporate.com, Legal Zoom, LegalNature, MyCompanyWorks, MyCorporation, Northwest Registered Agent, Rocket Lawyer, Swyft Filings, ZenBusiness.
Then, we analyzed each company against the most important factors business owners look for when deciding to use a business formation service. As a result, we cut two brands—15% of the total researched companies—that didn’t mesh well with the following criteria:
- Assistance with staying compliant: It’s crucial to stay compliant with your state’s regulations. Services with built-in compliance measures take the guesswork out of the process.
- Support when you need it: Although most business formation services are relatively easy to use, it can give you peace of mind to have excellent support if necessary.
- Simple and intuitive: The primary goal of this type of service is to simplify the process of forming a business entity. Services with setup wizards or quizzes that ask the right questions can be especially helpful for business owners.
- Quickly form your business: The best services typically process your business filing quickly so that you can start operations as soon as possible. Look for additional fees that some services charge for speeding up the process.
- Value for your money: The ability to form a business affordably is an important consideration when choosing a formation service. Consider upcharges and additional fees, like state filing fees that may not be included in your original plan.
- Registered agent services: Specific business formations require you to have a registered agent. Some business formation services offer free registered agent services for one year or more to help you cut costs.
After narrowing the list, we were left with our final 11 business formation services. In the reviews below, we detail what each company does best so that you can decide how it might fit into your new company.
How We Narrowed the List of Qualified Business Formation Services
We analyzed 1,152 reviews from real customers of the business formation services we researched to narrow the options to our top picks. Specifically, we considered recurring themes regarding pricing, ease of use, support, trust and confidence in the product, and customer satisfaction.
Based on our review analysis and the important criteria we identified, we eliminated the following two companies. Although these companies qualified for our original list, we removed them from the final list for the following reasons:
Incorporate.com: Incorporate.com has been in the industry for several years, but has limited customer reviews, making it difficult to analyze authentically. Its package offerings are also not as transparent as other companies, but its pricing is higher than many others on our list.
MyCorporation: Although MyCorporation offers many of the same features and benefits as other favored solutions, it doesn’t necessarily provide enough additional value to warrant its higher pricing.
The Top Business Formation Services Left Standing
ZenBusiness provides exceptional value for its wide range of business-focused services for companies of all sizes. File with ZenBusiness today starting at $0 plus state fees.
- ZenBusiness — Best for business planning and branding
- Bizee — Best for LLC filing
- Northwest Registered Agent — Best for protecting your privacy
- Rocket Lawyer — Best for ongoing legal support
- Inc Authority — Best for managing your business after filing
- MyCompanyWorks — Best for quick business processing
- LegalNature — Best for doing it yourself
- LegalZoom — Best for trademarking a business
- Harbor Compliance — Best for all-around compliance
- Swyft Filings — Best for personalized business assistance
- BizFilings — Best for entrepreneurs and startups
Match Your Scenario to the Right Business Formation Service Solution
Based on our research and knowledge of the business formation process, we believe the following scenarios are some of the most common reasons that business owners need a formation service. Therefore, we’ve selected the top two services that best fit each scenario to help you explore possible solutions.
- You’re starting a business for the first time and need help
- You want to form your business for free
- You value your privacy
- You need to form a business ASAP
- You need access to legal assistance
- You need help keeping your business compliant
You’re starting a business for the first time and need help
Best Option: ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness is one of the easiest services to use, making it a breeze for first-time business owners to form their businesses without hassle. The ZenBusiness platform guides you to the right forms, and the team files all paperwork for you.
Responsive and helpful customer support adds to its overall helpfulness. So if you ever have any questions, ZenBusiness will provide you with the answers.
You’ll also benefit from a 100% accuracy guarantee on every ZenBusiness formation plan. As a first-timer, this peace of mind is crucial—especially with everything else on your plate.
Another great choice: Swyft Filings
Every customer who signs up for Swyft Filings business formation services gets a dedicated account manager to help them set up their business, file documents, and more. You’ll even get access to their direct line for quick contact when needed. This level of support is invaluable if it’s your first time going through this process, as there’s a good chance you’ll have questions at some point.
Swyft Filings also has a learning center with state-specific guides, tax guides, foreign qualification rules, and other self-help tools.
A ComplianceGuard free trial is included with your Swyft Filings formation plan. This will keep you informed of important deadlines and includes an annual report filing service.
You’ll also have access to the Swyft Filings meeting minutes manager. All of this is super helpful for first-timers, and you can continue your subscription after the trial period expires.
If you’re a new business owner, think about:
- Customer support: How responsive and helpful is the company’s customer support team? High-end customer service is a necessity for any business owner using formation services, but it’s especially important for those new to the process.
- Ease of use: Services that feature in-depth guides, free resources, and guided walk-throughs can make forming a business incredibly easy.
- Resources: Articles, knowledge bases, toolkits, and other resources included in your business formation plan can assist you with the odds and ends of forming and running a business.
You want to form your business for free
Best Option: Bizee
Simple business formations can start for free with Bizee. The company offers completely free filings for LLCs and corporations alike, allowing you to pay only for your state’s filing fee. While they’re not the only business formation service on the market to offer free LLC filings, they’re one of the few to offer free incorporation services.
Bizee also provides free registered agent services for one year. This is another promotion that’s common in the business formation space. But Bizee offers a free registered agent for one year even if you use a free formation package, which isn’t something you’ll see from many other providers.
While Bizee is perfect for anyone who wants to form a business for free, they also have tons of additional service options if you need something more down the road.
You can take advantage of Bizee’s annual report filing, use them to obtain a DBA, get a trademark, secure a virtual address, and so much more. Even if you’re using the Bizee’s free formation service, we recommend renewing your registered agent plan with them after the first year expires. It’s worth the cost and much easier than being your own registered agent.
Another great choice: Inc Authority
Highly comparable to Bizee, Inc Authority is also free for LLC formations, so business owners just pay their state’s filing fee. A free registered agent service is included for your first year.
The free LLC formation service from Inc Authority includes an LLC name search, preparation and filing of your LLC documents, optional S-Form election, and digital delivery of your documents. You’ll also have access to Inc Authority’s support team via phone or email.
If you need an affordable way to start your business, consider:
- Pricing: Consider a company’s pricing compared to the value it adds, such as additional tools and services to keep your business compliant.
- Add-ons: While a service may advertise itself as a free formation tool, there’s a good chance you’ll need to pay for some add-ons to truly get the most out of the formation service. In our experience, it’s worth it to pay a little extra if it means filing quickly and accurately.
- Filing time: To save money, you may not be able to form your business immediately. Expedited filings are typically reserved for paying customers.
You value your privacy
Best Option: Northwest Registered Agent
As the name implies, registered agent services are the primary focus of Northwest Registered Agent. In addition to document scanning for your business’s legal mail, Northwest Registered Agent also scans, stores, and forwards other business mail. The company charges just $125 per year, per state filing, with discounted pricing for five or more states.
Northwest Registered Agent pledges never to sell your data. They also limit who has access and control over your data, and they take extra steps to ensure certain information won’t be stored by state agencies either. “Privacy by Default” is included in every plan.
Another great choice: Bizee
Bizee includes one free year of registered agent services if you use them to form your business. This is an excellent opportunity to understand the benefits of working with a registered agent. After the first year, you pay $119 annually.
You can get a virtual address from Bizee, which is great for those of you who work from home and don’t want to use your personal address for business purposes. You also have the option to register a DBA name if you want to conduct business under a name that’s different from what you’ve legally registered.
Keep important personal and business information protected by paying attention to:
- Registered agent services: Registered agents manage tax and legal forms for you, ensuring your privacy along the way. You won’t have to look elsewhere for this necessary feature when it’s included as part of your business formation service.
- Anonymity: If you want to keep your legal name private as you’re registering the business, make sure you choose a service provider that offers this type of protection.
- Mail forwarding: Some registered agents also provide mail forwarding services. This is another way to add a layer of privacy between your business and your address.
You need to form a business ASAP
Best Option: Northwest Registered Agent
Unlike other companies that typically have at least a few days of processing time as their standard, Northwest Registered Agent offers same-day filings without additional fees. Some states may take more time to process your formation, but Northwest Registered Agent ensures a speedy filing from its end.
Another great choice: MyCompanyWorks
If you submit your business filing to MyCompanyWorks before 3 pm EST on a business day, the company processes it and sends it to your state’s agency the same day. Otherwise, your filing still occurs the following business day.
MyCompanyWorks also provides a free startup wizard with every formation package. So in addition to getting fast filing times, you can use this tool as a checklist for everything else you need to launch with success—like obtaining licenses and opening a business bank account.
If you want to start your business the right way, consider:
- Filing time: Some companies offer same-day business filings. Others may not offer expedited filings at all, which could add unexpected waiting time.
- Filing fees: It’s common for states and formation services alike to charge extra for expedited filings. So keep an eye on those costs as you’re comparing options.
- State processing speed: Even if your formation service offers same-day or next-day filings, you still need to consider how fast your state will process those documents. This varies from state to state.
You need access to legal assistance
Best Option: Rocket Lawyer
Rocket Lawyer weaves legal assistance throughout its services. Business owners can not only form their business with Rocket Lawyer, but they can also subscribe to ongoing legal services for consultations and answers to legal questions.
If your business creates contracts through Rocket Lawyer, you can also use Document Defense to assist you in enforcing your terms.
Another great choice: LegalZoom
If you believe your business will need legal advice beyond filing your business, LegalZoom could be a good option. It offers Business Advisory Plans with 30-minute consultations, annual business evaluations, and legal document reviews.
If your business needs extra support after filing, look for:
- Access to a legal team: Does a company have licensed attorneys to quickly and thoroughly answer your questions?
- Legal forms and templates: Self-serve legal documents can help you create compliant contracts and forms that your business uses for day-to-day operations.
You need help keeping your business compliant
Best Option: Harbor Compliance
Harbor Compliance prioritizes compliance in business with its ComplianceAdviser, a package that you can tailor to your business. It includes audits, annual reports, a registered agent, and helpful updates to keep you in the loop.
The company’s compliance software also keeps track of your business in each state you’ve filed and cross-checks your documents against state agency regulations to help you monitor your compliance.
Another great choice: LegalNature
Consider LegalNature’s Compliance Guard plan to keep your business compliant with filings, taxes, meeting minutes, and more. At just $125/year, the plan is one of the most affordable ways to ensure you’re keeping up with necessary regulations.
When your business needs to adhere to multiple compliances, pay attention to:
- Thoroughness: There are a lot of regulations to keep track of—make sure the business formation service you choose helps you comply with all of them.
- Communication: The best business formation services continue supporting your business after filing by keeping you in compliance all year with reminders, updates, and guidance.
- Filings on your behalf: Reminders are helpful, but you’ll still need to do some work to stay compliant. Some services go the extra mile with things like annual report filings.
Business Formation Services Reviews
Our team’s deep dive into business formation services led us to pinpoint the features business owners need and expect from them. Those must-haves allowed us to find the right companies to fit those needs.
Explore the following detailed reviews to learn more about each of our final picks, what they offer, and what type of business needs they fulfill.
ZenBusiness – Best for Business Planning and Branding
Forming a business is just the starting point of your company. After that, planning and marketing a business are critical parts of its success. ZenBusiness helps you accomplish all of this.
In addition to ZenBusiness’s guided setup to form your business, you can also access tools like market research, grant searches, and startup cost calculators. Then, work on getting your business out to the world with a domain name, website builder, business email, and more.
Most of these tools are extra costs in addition to your business filing fees, so that’s something to consider when signing up. However, even if you don’t need branding, planning, and marketing tools right now, it could give you some peace of mind to know they’re there when needed.
Additionally, ZenBusiness offers a strong registered agent service, which simplifies the process of being compliant with LLC rules in your state. Our team ranked it second on our list of the best registered agent services. It’s this versatility that makes ZenBusiness such a strong tool for starting and running a business.
What Makes ZenBusiness Great
ZenBusiness is hyper-focused on simplifying the process of starting a business, which explains why it doesn’t expect you to fly solo after filing. Instead, you can utilize its full suite of tools, like business document templates, domain name privacy, and a website builder, whenever your business calls for them.
The company even provides assistance with tax preparation and filing services, accounting and bookkeeping services, and a Money Pro tool to track invoices, payments, and expenses.
ZenBusiness pricing starts at $0, plus your state’s filing fees. Pro and Premium—$199 and $349, respectively—offer faster filing speeds and guided operating agreements. Premium is the best option for business owners wanting a comprehensive solution with a business website, domain registration, and email address included.
Bizee – Best for LLC Filing
It’s tough to beat a free service when you want to form a business. Bizee features a completely free LLC filing service in which you’ll only need to pay your state’s filing fees to have a brand-new business in your hands.
Although LLCs are generally one of the easiest businesses to form, Bizee ensures that there are no snags along the way with its guided setup and stripped-down website. Bizee is such a good tool for this that we named it one of the top LLC services.
Bizee is easy to use and has multiple customization options for forming your LLC. Those who have specialized or advanced needs can feel comfortable using Bizee, as will beginners.
In select packages, LLC business owners will receive a free EIN, a business tax consultation, and an operating agreement along with their filing. All packages also include a free registered agent service for one full year.
Should you need an incorporation service, Bizee allows you to form a C-Corporation, S-Corporation, or nonprofit corporation for free in the entry-level pricing tier. And forming other business types is just as easy as with the LLC, thanks to the step-by-step process.
What Makes Bizee Great
Let’s be clear that Bizee works for nonprofits, C corporations, and S corporations just as well as it does LLCs. However, we appreciate how especially straightforward and affordable it is for LLCs that want a no-fuss way to form their businesses and get consistent help along the way.
Even free filing members get unlimited phone and email support. Although there aren’t weekend support hours available, the support team is highly responsive and helpful. Opt for phone support when you need help immediately.
Bizee is free to start, but you can also choose a Gold plan for $199 or a Platinum plan for $299, plus state filing fees. Gold is an excellent choice for LLC owners who’d like a little extra help from Bizee with a tax consultation, lifetime company alerts, and a business banking account. However, many simple LLCs can likely get by with the free Silver plan.
Northwest Registered Agent – Best for Protecting Your Privacy
As a company that focuses on registered agent services, Northwest Registered Agent has several features in place to protect your privacy. Most importantly, it keeps your business’s information secure, only sharing it when needed. Otherwise, all communications include your registered agent’s contact information.
The company also has a premium mail forwarding service for $20 per month. This service sends your mail to an address other than your business address if you opt for physical forwarding. Alternatively, you may choose a digital service that scans your mail and provides you with digital copies of all your mail.
Business owners who worry about a company selling their data may also find some peace of mind with Northwest Registered Agent. The business formation service’s mission of keeping your “Privacy by Default” includes not selling your data by default rather than requiring you to opt out of data-selling practices.
What Makes Northwest Registered Agent Great
Don’t want to give away your physical office address to all your business contacts? Opt for Northwest Registered Agent’s virtual office service. For $29 per month, you’ll get a digital location with a virtual address and electronic mail scanning with included phone services to keep your real information private.
Business owners can also add a VoIP phone number to their plans starting at $9 per month without opting for the full virtual office service to keep their personal numbers secure.
Northwest Registered Agent charges $100 plus your state’s filing fees for corporation, nonprofit, or LLC filing. You also must include its registered agent services in your plan for $125 annually. If you need only a simple filing, like LLC, without a registered agent, you might find one of the free services on our list a better option.
Rocket Lawyer – Best for Ongoing Legal Support
Rocket Lawyer is a business formation service with a strong legal foundation. The company partners with real law professionals who can answer questions, review legal documents, and provide consultations to help you through various aspects of running your business.
Rocket Lawyer is especially useful when you need help with your legal questions quickly. You can access attorneys via email, phone, or chat, typically receiving answers to your questions in less than a day.
If you want to try to find the answers yourself, Rocket Lawyer has multiple resources and documents to help you understand the topic. There’s even an option for finding advice on regulations and laws that only apply to your state. For all these reasons, our team named Rocket Lawyer as one of the best online legal service options.
Non-members can use most of the site’s legal resources as needed for various prices. However, paying members get free consultations, discounts on on-call attorney services, and one free incorporation filing plus a 25% discount on future filings.
One potential downfall, however, is Rocket Lawyer’s lack of weekend customer service hours. The support team is available during the week from 6 am to 6 pm PT, but not having the ability to get in touch with someone over the weekend can be a drawback for businesses with out-of-the-ordinary hours.
What Makes Rocket Lawyer Great
Rocket Lawyer’s business documents have been reviewed by legal teams and are guaranteed to adhere to legal regulations. You can use the document builder to customize each document easily, ensuring that your business documents also follow the same guidelines.
As you move forward with your business filing and operating, Rocket Lawyer’s law professionals are available to help you navigate your contracts, divide and manage intellectual property, understand employment law, and more. There are no limitations on legal questions with a monthly membership.
With monthly membership costing just $39.99 per month, business owners can affordably access legal guidance from real law professionals. Sign up for an annual subscription to save 50% on the monthly rate. If you’re unsatisfied with your membership for any reason, you can get a full refund within the first 30 days.
Inc Authority – Best for Managing Your Business After Filing
Not only can you form your business for free with Inc Authority if you just need an LLC, but you can also access several business tools and resources to carry out your business duties after filing. Although not all extra tools are free, Inc Authority offers its registered agent services—normally $99 per year—at no cost for your first year.
You can also get business funding, a credit analysis, and digital document storage for free with your $0 LLC filing.
After forming your business and taking advantage of the company’s free offerings, consider whether you could benefit from the paid tools Inc Authority provides for ongoing business management. For instance, you can register a domain and set up web hosting for your business site or get business planning services.
What Makes Inc Authority Great
Filing a business for free can be tempting, but not all companies deliver truly free services. However, Inc Authority does for LLCs, and many LLC operators may find that its free service is all they need.
But for companies wanting more comprehensive operations and management services, one of Inc Authority’s premium bundles could work. They include annual compliance notifications, deluxe record books, operating agreements, and a web domain with up to five email addresses.
The caveat? You’ll need to get a hold of Inc Authority for bundle pricing, as the site doesn’t transparently list prices. Alternatively, you can get started with a free LLC filing and upgrade your plan later as your business needs evolve.
MyCompanyWorks – Best for Quick Business Processing
MyCompanyWorks promises free same-day business filing processing on business days if submitted before 3 pm EST. If you don’t get your filing submitted before the cutoff, it will be processed the next business day.
That’s good news for company owners looking for speedier processing than other companies offer without asking you to pay hefty rush fees. Of course, the time it takes to complete your filing ultimately depends on your state’s filing times, but MyCompanyWorks can shave some time off the total with its quick turnaround.
Note that MyCompanyWorks only handles LLC and corporation filings, so nonprofits will need to use another company that offers nonprofit filing services.
What Makes MyCompanyWorks Great
Speed of filing is the primary factor for MyCompanyWorks being on our list. But we also appreciate the simplicity of navigating its website and setting up an account. An interactive wizard helps you through the filing process, so you don’t have to feel like you’re on your own.
MyCompanyForms, the company’s suite of just about any form you need to run your business properly, is also available for as little as $35 for lifetime access or free with a Premium plan. Company name changes, website setups, and virtual office services are also at your fingertips if you need them.
Basic filing starts at $59 plus state fees. The Entrepreneur plan for $179 includes access to MyCompanyForms, registered agent services, and an EIN. The company’s 90-day guarantee gives 100% of your money back if you’re dissatisfied with your service.
If you sign up for the Complete package, which starts at $259, you’ll get free access to MyCompany Works Premium—a full compliance package. This is normally $99 on its own, so you’re getting a discounted rate by selecting a plan that includes it with the formation service.
LegalNature – Best for Doing It Yourself
When you know what legal forms your business needs to use and don’t need extra guidance from a company or its attorney team, LegalNature is a good option. The company provides various DIY forms that have already been legally reviewed to help you pick what you need, fill them out, and go about your business.
In other words, you won’t get any legal help from LegalNature, but you will get all the forms you need for business formation, HR compliance, and business management at your fingertips. If you do choose to file with LegalNature, a specialist still reviews your forms to check that they’re ready to go.
You also get a support team on your side when needed to answer general questions. Business owners can also customize their plans with add-ons, like EIN registration or a registered agent service, to get the right blend of help and DIY.
What Makes LegalNature Great
Being able to grab legal forms as needed for your business can be helpful for business owners who are well-versed in compliance and business operations. LegalNature’s simple subscription service gives you unlimited access to its legal documents to use whenever you need them.
Then, as and when you do need a little more help, LegalNature can step in with additional services, like filing your articles of dissolution or furnishing a certificate of good standing for your company. LegalNature’s Compliance Guard—a $125-per-year service—is a popular addition that helps you meet annual compliance requirements, like SOS filings and meeting minutes.
Join LegalNature for ongoing documentation for $39 per month or $119 per year. You can also get a free 7-day trial to test the service for yourself and a 30-day money-back guarantee if it doesn’t meet your expectations. Business formation alone costs $49 plus state filing fees.
LegalZoom – Best for Trademarking Your Business
LegalZoom may be one of the most well-known names for compliant documentation and various legal services, but it also has a lot to offer business owners. In addition to providing easy-to-use business formation services, LegalZoom also has a suite of tools for businesses that need trademarking.
From trademark searches to trademark registration and ongoing monitoring, LegalZoom helps your business protect its unique ideas and identity from beginning to end. You can also register a copyright or apply for a provisional patent or utility patent.
You won’t have to pay for these services from the jump, either. Instead, you can use LegalZoom to file your business now and add any trademarking services you need later, only when you need them.
What Makes LegalZoom Great
Once you register for a trademark with LegalZoom, the team completes thorough research on the trademark to ensure that your property is eligible for trademarking. It’s an extra layer of protection to keep you out of legal trouble. If all is clear, LegalZoom files all your documents for you to begin the trademark process.
LegalZoom goes beyond trademarking, though. In fact, it has an impressive suite of tools for business owners to use for the length of their business’s life, including customizable legal forms and registered agent services. LZ Tax even prepares and files your business taxes, offering tax guidance along the way.
LegalZoom starts at $0 plus state filing fees for LLC formations and $149 plus state filing fees for incorporation services. You can also choose a plan that comes with hands-on guidance from experienced attorneys during the formation process. Trademark registration is $599 plus federal filing fees, plus coverage if your original trademark gets denied.
Harbor Compliance – Best for All-Around Compliance
Companies with complex compliance needs may find it helpful to outsource compliance tasks to a service like Harbor Compliance. The company provides easy-to-use compliance software to keep your business documents organized. However, if you’re not interested in self-service, there are also trained specialists on deck who offer manual assistance.
Harbor Compliance hosts and manages an intricate database of state and federal guidelines to keep businesses using its software compliant. That means that you won’t need to spend time finding the right forms or figuring out your next legal steps because the database keeps track of important dates, form updates, and regulations.
These compliance-focused services are added to Harbor Compliance’s business formation services, giving you a lot of value to carry through the lifecycle of your business. However, these extras are typically more than simple formations, like LLCs, need.
What Makes Harbor Compliance Great
Harbor Compliance’s ComplianceAdviser is another feature that makes it stand out for businesses with intense compliance needs. The package can include compliance audits, annual reports, registered agent services, and more, all customized to the needs of your business.
Even without the ComplianceAdviser package, you can add various services to your plan. For example, a registered agent service starts at $89 per year, depending on your state, which is more affordable than the $100+ many other business formation services charge.
Pricing for business formation services alone starts at $99 plus your state’s filing fees. However, these packages do not include Harbor Compliance’s suite of compliance tools. To get access to that, you’ll need to request a quote for a customized package from Harbor Compliance.
Get started with a free compliance health check to see if Harbor Compliance’s services might be right for you.
Swyft Filings – Best for Personalized Business Assistance
Whether you don’t feel comfortable handling your business filing on your own or you just want to know someone is there to help if you need it, the Swyft Filings customer service team is one of the best.
Unlike other companies with general phone numbers and email inboxes for customer support, Swyft Filings assigns each of its customers a dedicated Business Specialist. You’ll get your specialist’s direct email and phone number, allowing you to contact someone who already knows the ins and outs of your business.
If for some reason you can’t get a hold of your specialist, you can always use the support phone number or live chat feature for a quick and helpful response.
What Makes Swyft Filings Great
Having dedicated, ongoing support after filing is an excellent bonus. However, Swyft Filings also has a lot to offer with its services, including annual reports, ComplianceGuard company alerts, and amendments and name changes.
Business owners can also add registered agent services to their plans for $149 per quarter. This price is higher than others, but it also includes 24/7 access to your online documents, quick uploads, and a handy online account where you can see everything the service does for your business.
Business formations start at $0 plus state filing fees for the Basic package. The Standard and Premium packages start at $199 and $299 plus filing fees, respectively. All plans include a one-hour business filing consultation plus whenever-you-need-it access to your Business Specialist during Swyft Filings business hours.
Take advantage of a 100% money-back guarantee from Swyft Filings if you don’t think it’s the right service for you.
BizFilings – Best for Entrepreneurs and Startups
Entrepreneurs and startups without complicated business formation needs may enjoy the extra help BizFilings (a Wolters Kluwer company) provides.
When you form your business with BizFilings, you can use a startup wizard and checklist to ensure that you’ve taken the necessary steps for legal formation and compliance. The guided tools walk you through trademarking, compliance, and licensing requirements.
BizFilings also features an online toolkit for small business owners with resources to help choose the right business structure and meet legal requirements along the way. Additional services, like business plan creation and sales tax registration, can further assist entrepreneurs and startups needing a one-and-done solution.
What Makes BizFilings Great
BizFilings is one of the most comprehensive business formation services, especially for small business owners who don’t yet have a full team of helpers on their side. From registering for payroll taxes to enrolling in payroll services, BizFilings offers an impressive range of affordable services.
There’s also its online compliance tool, BizComply, which stores digital versions of your documents, tracks meetings, and sends alerts to help you stay current with any compliance measures your business should be aware of.
Although the website includes numerous options for self-help as you start and manage your business, the customer service team is available via phone, email, and live chat to help with more nuanced issues.
Business formations with BizFilings start at $99 plus state filing fees and include three months of a registered agent service for free. All plans come with a guarantee that protects your business against filing defects throughout its lifetime.