Our dedicated research team analyzed the 14 most popular business incorporation services available. We spent hours studying 1,152 customer-facing reviews and measured each brand against 12 criteria points. Through this intensive research, we narrowed the list of the best online incorporation services down to 5 outstanding brands. In this guide, you’ll learn exactly why these top brands stood out—and what kept others off the list.
The Top 5 Best Online Incorporation Services
Each of the online incorporation services on our list is an excellent choice for different reasons. Most founders can find the services they need with one of the following:
- LegalZoom — Best all-in-one suite of business services
- ZenBusiness — Best for first-time founders
- Bizee (formerly Incfile) — Best free filing & tight budgets
- LegalShield — Best for home-based businesses that want legal help
- Northwest Registered Agent — Best for maximum privacy & compliance
How We Evaluate the Best Online Incorporation Service Companies
To separate great services from the merely good, we scored each provider across 12 criteria rooted in real founder needs: transparent pricing, upsell pressure, filing speed, accuracy guarantees, support access and hours, registered agent value, compliance tools (annual reports, EIN, operating agreements, bylaws), dashboard usability, privacy practices, educational resources, customer sentiment, and the breadth of post-formation services (licenses, taxes, mail, trademarks).
- Pricing clarity & total cost: advertised prices vs. all-in cost with state fees and essentials like registered agent or EIN.
- Turnaround time: standard vs. expedited filing options and how quickly documents are processed and delivered.
- Support & guidance: quality of help articles, how-to checklists, live chat/phone/email access, and weekend availability.
- Compliance protection: alerts, annual report filing assistance, and dashboards that keep key deadlines visible.
- Privacy & security: the ability to keep your home address private, data handling, and add-ons like virtual office or mail.
Match Your Scenario to the Right Online Incorporation Solution
If you’re not sure which incorporation service to use, this section walks through several common scenarios. In each, we suggest two services that fit those needs.
- You need extra help navigating incorporation
- You want the best value
- You want a simple, no-frills filing
- You need a registered agent along with filing
- You need to get incorporated fast
- You also want ongoing legal services
You need some extra help incorporating your business
Best Option: LegalZoom
If you’re struggling to navigate paperwork for LLCs, corporations, non-profits, or making an S-corporation tax election, LegalZoom offers guided flows, checklists, and plain-language explanations at each step so you understand what you’re filing and why.
Another strong pick: LegalZoom’s resource library helps beginners understand the process, and its U.S.-based support offers extended weekday hours with weekend availability during peak times.
If you want a steady hand as you incorporate, keep these factors in mind:
- Customer support: how quickly can you reach a real person, and are weekend or evening hours offered?
- Ease of use: can you track filing status, find prior documents, and stay on top of next steps from one dashboard?
- Customer satisfaction: read recent reviews that mention filing accuracy, turnaround times, and issue resolution.
- Business structures covered: confirm the service supports the entity you want (LLC, corporation, non-profit, DBA) and relevant tax elections.
- Helpful resources: look for state-specific guides, checklists, and templates that simplify what happens after formation.
You want the best value
Best Option: Bizee (formerly Incfile)
Bizee offers a $0 online formation option for LLCs and corporations—you pay only your state’s filing fee. The free Silver plan even includes a registered agent for the first year, which is rare at this price point.
For more built-in value, Bizee’s Gold package bundles essentials many founders end up buying later anyway:
- Articles of Organization/Incorporation prepared and filed for you
- Business name availability check
- Next-business-day order processing on most filings
- Online Bizee dashboard and document portal
- Registered agent service free for one year
- EIN (Employer Identification Number)
- Personalized operating agreement/bylaws
- Lifetime compliance alerts
- Business tax consultation
Gold is a one-time fee (plus state fees), and registered agent renewals are currently budget-friendly after your first free year. If your priority is value, compare what’s included in the first year and the renewal pricing for services you’ll keep long term.
How to think about “best value” when comparing plans:
- Total price vs. sticker price: some plans look cheap until you add essentials like registered agent or EIN.
- Bundled discounts: a slightly higher-tier plan can be cheaper overall if it includes services you’d buy separately.
- Skip gimmicks: branded binders and certificates aren’t worth choosing a plan if core services are missing.
You want the simplest and easiest incorporation process without the extras
Best Option: Bizee (formerly Incfile)
For a no-frills filing, Bizee makes it straightforward to prepare and submit your Articles. You still get customer support, unlimited business name searches, and one free year of registered agent service—all while paying only your state fee on the $0 tier.
State filing fees vary widely and change periodically. Expect anything from under $100 in some states to a few hundred dollars in others. If you need add-ons—like an EIN or operating agreement—you can buy them à la carte or choose a bundle.
If you just want painless filing, focus on:
- Ease of use: clean workflows, auto-filled forms, and clear state-specific instructions.
- Recent customer reviews: look for comments about filing accuracy and how quickly issues were fixed.
- Guarantees: satisfaction or error-correction policies that protect you if something goes wrong.
You need a registered agent service in addition to incorporation
Best Option: Northwest Registered Agent
If you run an ecommerce brand without a public office—or you just want to keep your home address out of public records—a registered agent protects your privacy and keeps sensitive mail out of your storefront. Northwest specializes in this.
Northwest Registered Agent provides same-day local scans of documents, mail forwarding, annual compliance reminders, and easy access to your corporate records in one dashboard.
Another great choice: Bizee (formerly Incfile)
Because it includes a free first year, Bizee is a low-risk way to try using a registered agent. If you like the convenience and privacy, simply renew annually.
When you want a registered agent plus filing, weigh:
- What’s included: compliance alerts, same-day scans, mail forwarding, and access to pre-filled state forms make life easier.
- Billing frequency: most agents bill annually; some quote low monthly prices that add up to more across the year.
- Useful add-ons: virtual address or office services, and a dedicated business phone number can further protect your privacy.
You need to incorporate your business quickly
Best Option: Northwest Registered Agent
While many services process orders in a couple of weeks, Northwest can often file the same business day when the state allows—without tacking on its own “rush” fee. (State expediting fees, when applicable, are separate.)
Choose the fastest available filing speed for your state during checkout, and Northwest handles the rest.
Beyond speed, Northwest provides clear, state-specific guides so you know exactly what’s required before and after formation.
You need access to legal services as well
Best Option: Rocket Lawyer
Rocket Lawyer combines business formation with ongoing legal support. With a membership (around $39 per month), you get:
- Answers to direct legal questions
- 30-minute consultations for legal matters
- Templates for dozens of business legal documents
- Dispute protection on Rocket Lawyer documents
- Free business formation filing for members (state fees extra)
- Discounted registered agent services
If legal exposure worries you, look for:
- Direct access to attorneys: response times, consultation limits, and whether specialized issues are covered.
- Practical templates: can you customize, save, and reuse contracts, NDAs, and HR documents from a single dashboard?
How to Choose Your Incorporation State and Entity Type (Fast Decision Guide)
Picking the right state and entity type up front prevents surprise taxes, extra registered agent fees, and rework later. Use this quick decision flow, then double-check edge cases with your chosen provider or a tax pro before you file.
- Start with your home state by default. If you’ll have an office, employees, or a storefront in your home state, incorporating elsewhere usually means you’ll still also have to register at home as a “foreign” entity—doubling annual reports and agent fees.
- Selling online only? If you’re fully remote with no physical footprint, your home state is still usually simplest for banking, licensing, and taxes. Out-of-state filings can save on one fee while quietly adding others (like foreign qualification where you actually operate).
- Decide between LLC and corporation based on ownership and fundraising. LLC = flexible ownership and pass-through taxation by default; easier to run for solo founders and small teams. Corporation (C-corp) = better fit if you expect outside investors, multiple stock classes, or a stock-option plan.
- Plan your tax election window. LLCs can keep pass-through treatment or elect S-corp taxation later if you’ll pay yourself a reasonable salary and want to manage self-employment taxes. C-corps are default C-corp tax treatment—often chosen for venture-backed growth.
- Estimate your total annual cost. Tally: formation fee + registered agent + annual report/franchise taxes + any foreign qualification fees where you actually do business. Compare year one vs. renewal years to avoid sticker shock.
- Map compliance before you file. List what your state requires in the first 90 days (initial reports, BOI filing, licenses). Choose a provider whose dashboard and alerts cover those deadlines so nothing slips.
- Protect privacy intentionally. If you work from home, pick a plan with a reliable registered agent and consider virtual address/office options to keep your residence off public records.
When Delaware, Wyoming, or Nevada Makes Sense (and When It Doesn’t)
These states are popular for specific reasons—strong corporate law (Delaware), simple fee structures (Wyoming), or business-friendly courts. But the benefits only apply if they match your situation.
- Consider an out-of-state filing if: you’re raising institutional capital soon, your investors request Delaware C-corp status, you expect complex equity, or you’ll operate across many states with no single “home.”
- Stick with your home state if: you have a local office, staff, or store; you’ll need local licenses; or you want the simplest annual compliance. Filing in Delaware and registering at home can double filings and agent costs.
- Reality check on “tax havens”: Lower formation fees in one state rarely beat the combined cost of foreign qualification, extra reports, and multi-state taxes once you actually operate elsewhere.
S-Corp vs. C-Corp: Quick Fit Check
- S-corp (via election): Often attractive for profitable, owner-operated businesses paying a reasonable salary to the owners and distributing the rest—aimed at managing self-employment taxes. Not ideal if you need multiple stock classes or certain investor types.
- C-corp: Cleanest for raising venture capital, offering stock options, and scaling with multiple rounds. Expect double taxation at the corporate and shareholder level for distributed profits (offset in part if earnings are reinvested).
- LLC baseline: Default pass-through simplifies taxes for many small teams. You can convert later, but it’s easier to choose correctly now if venture funding is on your near-term roadmap.
Common Formation Mistakes That Cause Delays (Easy Fixes)
- Name conflicts: Skipping a thorough name search leads to rejections. Check corporate, LLC, and DBA databases and search for confusingly similar names before you file.
- Wrong registered agent details: Using a home address or listing an agent who won’t accept service results in returned filings. Confirm the agent’s legal name and address exactly as required by the state.
- Missing internal docs: States may not require an Operating Agreement or Bylaws to approve formation, but banks and partners often do. Draft them now so banking and contracts aren’t delayed.
- Forgetting BOI timelines: New entities often have a 30–90 day window to file the Beneficial Ownership Information report. Put it on your day-one checklist with reminders to update if owners or key details change.
- Licenses after formation: Approval doesn’t equal permission to operate. City, county, and industry licenses can take time—start applications in parallel with formation.
Bottom line: Choose the simplest path that supports your near-term goals, keeps total annual costs predictable, and minimizes extra registrations. If you expect investors soon, pick the structure those investors expect. If not, prioritize ease of compliance so you can focus on customers and revenue.
What to Do After You Incorporate (First 30–90 Days Checklist)
Filing your Articles is only the starting line. The next 30–90 days set the tone for banking, taxes, compliance, and credibility with customers and partners. Use this checklist to move from “formed” to fully operational—without missing deadlines or racking up avoidable fees.
- Get your EIN: If you didn’t bundle it with your provider, request an EIN directly. You’ll need it for banking, payroll, and most tax registrations.
- Open a business bank account: Bring your Articles, EIN confirmation, and Operating Agreement/Bylaws. Keep income and expenses separate to preserve liability protection and simplify bookkeeping.
- Adopt internal documents: LLCs should finalize an Operating Agreement; corporations should adopt Bylaws and initial resolutions, appoint officers/directors, issue shares, and record everything in a corporate minute book or secure digital folder.
- Register for state and local taxes: Depending on your activities, apply for sales/use tax, payroll withholding, and unemployment accounts. Some states also require franchise or excise tax registrations.
- Obtain licenses and permits: Check city, county, and industry requirements (e.g., home-occupation permits, health, professional, or seller’s permits). If you sell online, verify nexus and marketplace rules for states where you ship.
- File your Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI): Many small companies must submit BOI to the U.S. Treasury’s FinCEN. Filing deadlines vary by formation date (generally 30–90 days for new entities). Update the report promptly if ownership or key details change.
- Decide on your tax treatment: By default, LLCs are pass-through. If you want S-corp taxation, submit the election (Form 2553) within the typical window of 2 months and 15 days from formation or the start of your tax year.
- Set up bookkeeping and payroll: Choose cash or accrual accounting, connect your bank feed, categorize transactions weekly, and establish payroll if you’ll pay yourself a salary. Track quarterly estimated taxes if applicable.
- Build your compliance calendar: Add reminders for annual reports, franchise taxes, initial reports (some states require one within 60–90 days), registered agent renewals, and business license renewals.
- Protect your brand: Secure your domain and social handles. Consider a trademark search and application for your business name or key product names. File a DBA if you’ll operate under a different public-facing name.
Pro Tips to Avoid Surprise Costs & Compliance Gaps
- Check true annual costs: Compare the first-year total (with “included” promos) to second-year renewals for registered agent, compliance, mail, and any virtual address. Low intro pricing can mask higher renewals.
- Skip vanity add-ons: Physical binders, plaques, and embossed certificates look nice but don’t keep you compliant. Prioritize registered agent quality, compliance alerts, and document access.
- Confirm scan speed and coverage: If privacy matters, choose a registered agent that provides same-day scans and covers every state you plan to operate in.
- Centralize your records: Store Articles, EIN letter, Operating Agreement/Bylaws, initial resolutions, ownership ledger, BOI filing confirmation, licenses, and annual report receipts in one secure, searchable folder.
- Mind location rules: Some jurisdictions require signage, zoning approvals, or a registered local contact. If you’re home-based, confirm what can be listed publicly and consider a virtual office or mail service for privacy.
- Track multi-state activity: Selling or hiring in new states can trigger “foreign qualification.” Budget for extra registered agent fees and additional annual reports where you expand.
Simple Decision Framework for Choosing a Plan
Use this quick filter to select the right service tier without overpaying:
- Need hand-holding? Pick a plan with live support, state-specific checklists, and strong post-formation tools (annual reports, compliance alerts, and templates).
- Optimizing for budget? Start with a $0–low base filing and add only essentials: registered agent, EIN (if you don’t want to apply yourself), and an Operating Agreement/Bylaws.
- Privacy is paramount? Choose a provider known for same-day scans, robust mail forwarding, and virtual office options so your home address isn’t public.
- Speed matters? Select expedited processing at the state level and a provider that submits filings the same day when possible.
- Want ongoing legal help? Bundle formation with a legal membership that includes consultations and document libraries to resolve issues as they appear.
Follow the checklist, pick the plan that matches your priorities, and lock in your first-year compliance calendar now. You’ll save time, money, and headaches as your new company moves from setup to growth.
Online Incorporation Service Company Reviews
Starting any type of business is both exciting and overwhelming. Online incorporation sites make the process smoother, but which one fits your situation?
Below are in-depth reviews of the top five services. Our goal is to help you decide quickly so you can get back to building your business while a trusted provider handles the paperwork.
LegalZoom – Best All-in-One Business Services
If you’d rather not juggle multiple providers—one for taxes, one for formation, another for legal advice—LegalZoom is your best bet. It centralizes formation and a wide range of ongoing services so you can manage more from one login.
Here’s a snapshot of what LegalZoom offers:
- LLC, corporation, non-profit, DBA, and sole proprietorship filings
- Registered agent services
- Business license guidance
- Virtual mailbox
- Contracts and agreements
- LZ Tax Services
- Trademark registration and monitoring
- Copyright services
- Provisional patent applications
- Attorney services and consultations
The plans are flexible, letting you bundle formation with the ongoing services you’ll actually use. It’s as close as you’ll get to a true “one-stop shop.”
What Makes LegalZoom Great
LegalZoom is beginner-friendly. If you want extra support, higher-tier options add attorney guidance so you can set up your entity correctly and get answers to questions as they come up.
For the first 90 days after you start formation, you can get recurring consultations with a qualified attorney from LegalZoom’s network and make necessary changes without extra fees during that window.
During checkout, you can choose the services you want today and leave the rest for later—formation, registered agent, compliance tools, and more.
It’s free—plus state fees—to form an LLC on LegalZoom’s Basic plan. Incorporation services start at $149 plus state fees.
ZenBusiness – Best for Beginners
New to this? ZenBusiness guides you step-by-step with an intuitive chatbot and clear state-specific instructions. It’s like having a pro walk you through each form.
If you run into any issues, support options include live chat and phone with extended hours, plus responsive email support.
One limitation: ZenBusiness doesn’t support non-profit formations. If you’re forming a non-profit, consider a provider that specializes in those filings.
What Makes ZenBusiness Great
Customers consistently praise the clean interface, helpful support, and quick filings. You can also pay extra to expedite.
Branding is easier too. The business name checker quickly shows availability. Not ready to file today? Reserve your name and lock it in until you’re ready.
Compliance is where many first-time founders stumble. ZenBusiness includes Worry-Free Compliance with plan options—sending alerts for deadlines and filing routine reports on your behalf. If you miss something, they help you recover.
The Starter plan starts at $0 plus state fees for the first year, then renews at a standard annual rate. The Pro plan adds more features at a predictable yearly price. State fees apply to all plans.
Bizee (Formerly Incfile) – Best for the Budget-Conscious
State filing fees can be the biggest variable cost when forming a business. Bizee keeps the provider side affordable with a $0 Silver plan (you pay only your state’s fee) and throws in a free first year of registered agent service.
After year one, registered agent service renews at a competitive annual rate. Support is available during weekday business hours—perfectly workable if you don’t need nights and weekends.
What Makes Bizee Great
Bizee’s site is clean and easy to navigate. Pricing reflects your state’s fee so there are fewer surprises at checkout. If you pick Gold or Platinum, you’ll pay a package fee plus the state fee, but you’ll also get valuable extras like:
- Lifetime compliance alerts
- Business tax consultation
- Legal document templates
- Options for business banking
Bizee also offers a robust menu of à la carte services so you only pay for what you need.
Stuck naming your company? Bizee’s business name generator can spark ideas and even show palettes that fit your brand vibe.
Describe your niche, audience, and offering—the tool suggests names to match. It’s a quick win when creativity stalls.
LegalShield – Best for Home-Based Businesses
Launching a business from home is exciting—and a bit overwhelming when you’re a team of one. LegalShield bundles formation basics with affordable legal help so you’re not figuring it out alone.
The Launch package covers the essentials: business name check, LLC formation for a single member, Articles drafted and filed, and an EIN.
You also get three months of legal support for both business and personal matters—all for a budget-friendly one-time fee.
What Makes LegalShield Great
The Home Business Supplement is tailor-made for solopreneurs. It includes a year of unlimited consultations for general business questions, plus dedicated consults for more specialized topics like taxes or trademarks.
LegalShield also drafts letters and makes calls on your behalf (a set number each year), and will send collection letters to late-paying clients—both in-state and out-of-state.
Need audit support? LegalShield includes Schedule C/E IRS audit assistance so you’re not navigating it alone.
The Launch package includes three months of the Home Business Supplement. After that, you can continue month-to-month for a low fee, provided you maintain an active legal plan.
Northwest Registered Agent – Best for Maximum Privacy
Every U.S. business needs a registered agent with a physical address to receive legal mail. If you want to keep your personal address off public records, Northwest Registered Agent is a privacy-first option.
As part of its service, Northwest will:
- Keep your contact details private whenever possible
- Use its business address on filings instead of yours
- Scan and upload legal mail quickly, with same-day local scans
- Provide pre-populated state forms and templates
- Send annual compliance reminders
- Offer optional automatic annual report filing
Northwest also offers incorporation services so you can file and manage compliance from one account.
One drawback: pricing information isn’t centralized on a single page, so you may need to click through to see totals for your state and options. Phone support is available; live chat availability may vary.
What Makes Northwest Registered Agent Great
Northwest’s privacy add-ons are excellent if you work from home or want to minimize public exposure:
- Virtual Office: for a monthly fee, get a real suite number and business address with phone service, scanning, and mail forwarding included.
- VoIP business phone: keep your personal number private with a low-cost business line.
- Premium mail forwarding: centralize your business mail and choose what’s scanned or forwarded.
The virtual office service is currently available in select states, including California, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Montana, New York, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.
Expect a straightforward filing fee from Northwest (plus your state’s fee) and a separate annual charge for registered agent service.