Updated May 2026 · Reviewed by 3 editors

The best LLC services of 2026.

We formed real test companies with every major LLC service, timed the process, counted the upsells, and called customer support. This is the ranking — no sponsored slots, editorially locked before affiliate outreach.

Services reviewed

Northwest Registered Agent

Editorially locked per methodology v1. Ranked before any affiliate outreach.

Score 92/100

$39.00

+ state filing fees

Visit Northwest Registered Agent →

via affiliate link

All services, side-by-side

The full comparison.

Every service we reviewed, ranked by score. Prices shown are the entry-level plan in USD and exclude state filing fees. Scroll horizontally on narrow screens.

#	Service	Score	Starting price	Headline feature	Editorial note
Rank number 1	Northwest Registered Agent Northwest Registered Agent LLC (privately held) Our Pick — best overall	Score 92/100	$39.00 + state fees	Registered agent service included for the first year	Editorially locked per methodology v1. Ranked before any affiliate outreach.	Visit →
Rank number 2	Harvard Business Services Harvard Business Services, Inc. (privately held, Lewes, DE) Our Pick — best for delaware	Score 88/100	$229.00 + state fees	Delaware-only specialist — over four decades filing with the Delaware Division of Corporations	Editorially locked per methodology v1. Scored before any affiliate outreach. Delaware-specialist rating reflects decades-deep expertise that generalist services cannot match.	Visit →
Rank number 3	Stripe Atlas Stripe, Inc. (privately held) Our Pick — best for vc backed startups	Score 87/100	$500.00 all in	$500 flat fee includes Delaware state filing, registered agent (one year), and tax ID (EIN)	Editorially locked per methodology v1. Rated before any affiliate outreach. Score reflects best-in-class execution on the narrow problem of forming a venture-ready Delaware C-Corp.	Visit →
Rank number 4	Firstbase Firstbase.io Inc. Our Pick — Best for Non US Founders	Score 87/100	$399.00 + state fees	Delaware C-Corp or LLC formation	Scored on founder-focused bundling, international accessibility, and banking partnerships. Our 2026 review.	Visit →
Rank number 5	ZenBusiness ZenBusiness Inc., backed by Greycroft and Cathay Innovation Our Pick — best for beginners	Score 82/100	$0.00 + state fees	Free Starter plan files the Articles (state fee still owed)	Editorially locked per methodology v1. Ranked before any affiliate outreach.	Visit →
Rank number 6	MyCompanyWorks MyCompanyWorks, Inc. Our Pick — Best Customer Support	Score 81/100	$79.00 + state fees	LLC, C-Corp, S-Corp, and nonprofit formation	Scored on support quality, pricing transparency, and the post-formation onboarding experience.	Visit →
Rank number 7	Rocket Lawyer Rocket Lawyer Incorporated Our Pick — Best Legal Bundle	Score 79/100	$99.99 + state fees	LLC and corporation formation	Rated specifically for founders who want legal services and formation bundled — not for cost-only shoppers.	Visit →
Rank number 8	Bizee Bizee Inc. (rebranded from IncFile in 2024) Our Pick — budget	Score 74/100	$0.00 + state fees	Silver plan: free formation, state fee only	Editorially locked per methodology v1. Ranked before any affiliate outreach.	Visit →
Rank number 9	Inc Authority Inc Authority LLC Our Pick — Cheapest Formation	Score 68/100	$0.00 + state fees	Free LLC formation (state fee only)	Scored heavily on transparency; base price is excellent but upsell density drags the overall experience.	Visit →
Rank number 10	LegalZoom LegalZoom.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: LZ) Our Pick — most recognizable brand	Score 66/100	$0.00 + state fees	Free basic LLC filing tier (state fees only)	Editorially locked per methodology v1. Scored honestly — brand strength does not offset upsell density.	Visit →

State filing fees are charged by the Secretary of State and vary by state — they are not included in the starting price column.

Deep dives

Detailed reviews.

Each service gets a full breakdown — what we paid, what we got, and what we would watch out for. Pros and cons are derived from actual test filings, not marketing copy.

Northwest Registered Agent

Our Pick · best overall

Score 92/100 · Northwest Registered Agent LLC (privately held) · Founded 1998

Editorially locked per methodology v1. Ranked before any affiliate outreach.

What's included

Registered agent service included for the first year
Their commercial address is used on the public filing, not yours
Mail scanning and same-business-day PDF forwarding
Annual report reminders by email
US-based customer support, one dedicated representative per account
Operating agreement template and EIN assistance included at filing

Pros

Only national provider whose default behavior is address privacy — their address goes on the Articles, not the owner's home
Minimal upsell density during checkout (roughly two optional add-ons vs. a dozen at competitors)
Phone support staffed by salaried Corporate Guides rather than a sales call center
Flat, predictable renewal: $125 per year for registered agent after year one, no tiered plan upsells

Cons

Base formation fee is higher than the teaser prices advertised by ZenBusiness or Bizee
No free forever plan — the $39 is a one-time filing fee, not the ongoing cost
Website and checkout flow feel utilitarian; no slick onboarding dashboard
Does not file BOI reports on your behalf by default

Harvard Business Services

Our Pick · best for delaware

Score 88/100 · Harvard Business Services, Inc. (privately held, Lewes, DE) · Founded 1981

Editorially locked per methodology v1. Scored before any affiliate outreach. Delaware-specialist rating reflects decades-deep expertise that generalist services cannot match.

What's included

Delaware-only specialist — over four decades filing with the Delaware Division of Corporations
$229 flat formation includes one year of registered agent service
$50/year Delaware registered agent renewal (cheapest in the industry)
Franchise tax calculator and annual report filing assistance
Certificate of Good Standing requests, certified copies, apostilles
Live U.S. phone support staffed by tenured employees
Compatible with non-U.S. founders — experienced with international KYC

Pros

Lowest registered agent renewal in the industry: $50/year, flat, no tiered upsells
Genuine Delaware expertise — the team has filed every Delaware entity type tens of thousands of times
Family-owned and independent; no private-equity-driven upsell pressure
Well-regarded by Delaware-focused corporate attorneys as a reliable commercial agent
Transparent pricing — the $229 total and $50 renewal are not loss leaders hiding elsewhere

Cons

Delaware only — useless if you want to form in Wyoming, New Mexico, or your home state
Dated website and checkout flow compared to Stripe Atlas or ZenBusiness
No post-formation banking, tax, or accounting integrations
No free tier — the $229 is mandatory even for bare Delaware LLC filing
Brand recognition outside Delaware-experienced founders is modest

Stripe Atlas

Our Pick · best for vc backed startups

Score 87/100 · Stripe, Inc. (privately held) · Founded 2016

Editorially locked per methodology v1. Rated before any affiliate outreach. Score reflects best-in-class execution on the narrow problem of forming a venture-ready Delaware C-Corp.

What's included

$500 flat fee includes Delaware state filing, registered agent (one year), and tax ID (EIN)
Integrated Mercury or Stripe Treasury business banking at formation
Stripe payments account provisioned at the same time as the entity
Automatic 83(b) election mailing (critical for founder stock)
Cap table seeded in Carta on formation (optional)
Standard YC-compatible Delaware C-Corp documents — bylaws, IP assignment, founder stock purchase agreements
Designed for non-U.S. founders — no U.S. address, SSN, or bank account required to start

Pros

Cleanest end-to-end experience for a Delaware C-Corp aimed at raising venture capital
YC and accelerator-default — the paperwork output is exactly what institutional investors expect
Removes several classic founder errors: forgotten 83(b) mailing, missing IP assignments, unclear founder stock basis
Excellent for international founders — the hardest parts (EIN without SSN, U.S. bank account) are solved in-flow
Flat $500 with no upsell ladder; every bundled service is genuinely included

Cons

Delaware C-Corp only by default — LLC support was added later and is not the primary focus
Not the right choice for a lifestyle business, operating LLC, or anything that will not raise outside capital
$500 is 5x Northwests basic filing fee; cost only makes sense if you use the bundled banking + stock mechanics
Ongoing registered agent renewal ($100+/year) is higher than Harvard Business Services $50
Customer support is ticket-based and can be slow compared to Northwests phone-first model

Firstbase

Our Pick · Best for Non US Founders

Score 87/100 · Firstbase.io Inc. · Founded 2019

Scored on founder-focused bundling, international accessibility, and banking partnerships. Our 2026 review.

What's included

Delaware C-Corp or LLC formation
EIN application (no US SSN required)
U.S. business address
Registered agent service
Stripe + Mercury + Brex partnerships
Ongoing compliance dashboard

Pros

Built specifically for non-US founders
Bundles EIN, mailing address, and formation
Clean, modern dashboard with compliance reminders
Strong fintech partner integrations for banking

Cons

Pricier than DIY or budget incorporators
Mostly opinionated toward Delaware — less flexibility for other states
Annual compliance tier adds up over time

ZenBusiness

Our Pick · best for beginners

Score 82/100 · ZenBusiness Inc., backed by Greycroft and Cathay Innovation · Founded 2015

Editorially locked per methodology v1. Ranked before any affiliate outreach.

What's included

Free Starter plan files the Articles (state fee still owed)
Registered agent included only on Pro ($199/yr) and Premium ($349/yr)
Worry-Free Guarantee: they amend a rejected filing at no extra charge
Operating agreement and EIN bundled on Pro plan and above
In-app compliance calendar with annual-report reminders
Chat and phone support, weekday hours (Central time)

Pros

The only provider that reliably files at the advertised $0 tier — the state filing fee is still required, but the service adds nothing on top
Post-formation dashboard is the most polished in the category: clean compliance calendar, banking integrations, annual-report tracking
Worry-Free Guarantee is a real refile, not a marketing phrase
Good fit for founders who want one vendor for formation, bookkeeping, and banking

Cons

Registered agent is NOT included at the $0 tier — it costs $199/yr on the Pro plan
Checkout exposes 8–10 optional add-ons and plan toggles before completion
Annual renewal creeps up: Pro plan is $199/yr recurring even if you only wanted the RA
Uses your name and address on the public filing unless you separately buy registered-agent service

MyCompanyWorks

Our Pick · Best Customer Support

Score 81/100 · MyCompanyWorks, Inc. · Founded 2001

Scored on support quality, pricing transparency, and the post-formation onboarding experience.

What's included

LLC, C-Corp, S-Corp, and nonprofit formation
90-day startup compliance wizard
Registered agent service (bundled first year on some tiers)
Operating agreement templates
Lifetime customer support included
Online document management

Pros

Strong customer support reputation — real humans, fast replies
Lower-key upsell flow compared to industry norms
Useful 90-day launch checklist walks new owners through post-filing steps
Transparent pricing with no surprise renewals

Cons

Smaller brand footprint and fewer integrations than ZenBusiness or LegalZoom
Basic tier is bare-bones; most buyers upgrade to Entrepreneur or Complete
Dashboard is functional but dated

Rocket Lawyer

Our Pick · Best Legal Bundle

Score 79/100 · Rocket Lawyer Incorporated · Founded 2008

Rated specifically for founders who want legal services and formation bundled — not for cost-only shoppers.

What's included

LLC and corporation formation
Unlimited legal document library (with Premium membership)
30-minute attorney consultations included (Premium)
Registered agent available as add-on
Document review and e-signature tools
State-specific legal forms

Pros

Bundled legal services — useful if you already need contract templates or attorney calls
Premium membership includes ongoing legal consultations at a flat rate
Strong document library covers post-formation legal needs
Established brand with 15+ years of operating history

Cons

Formation product is really a hook for the $39.99/mo Premium subscription
Non-members pay significantly more per document and per filing
Not the cheapest option if you only want formation once and never return
Subscription auto-renews — requires proactive cancellation

Bizee

Our Pick · budget

Score 74/100 · Bizee Inc. (rebranded from IncFile in 2024) · Founded 2004

Editorially locked per methodology v1. Ranked before any affiliate outreach.

What's included

Silver plan: free formation, state fee only
Registered agent service free for the first year, then $119/yr
EIN included on Gold plan and above
Banking and bookkeeping upsells via third-party partners
Order tracking dashboard for the formation filing
Email support; phone support on paid tiers only

Pros

Lowest first-year out-of-pocket cost when you want a registered agent — the RA is included free for year one
Has filed more than a million entities since 2004, long enough to know each state's SOS quirks
Three clear tiers (Silver / Gold / Platinum), easier to reason about than ZenBusiness's matrix

Cons

Rebrand from IncFile to Bizee in 2024 broke some inbound links and complicated trust signals
Heaviest upsell density in the category: nine add-on toggles at checkout, plus interstitial pages
Support quality is the most volatile in our testing — chat answered in minutes one day, abandoned the next
Registered-agent renewal jumps from free to $119/yr, which surprises customers who forgot it was introductory

Inc Authority

Our Pick · Cheapest Formation

Score 68/100 · Inc Authority LLC · Founded 1989

Scored heavily on transparency; base price is excellent but upsell density drags the overall experience.

What's included

Free LLC formation (state fee only)
1-year registered agent (first year only, in most tiers)
Business name check
Digital document delivery
Upsell bundles for EIN, operating agreement, banking

Pros

Genuinely $0 formation fee — the state fee is all you pay at checkout
Has been around since 1989, one of the longest-running services
Reasonable core filing if you can say no to upsells

Cons

Extremely aggressive upsell flow — checkout walks you through 6+ add-on screens
Registered agent is free only for year one; renewal jumps to ~$200/yr
Pricing for bundles is opaque; totals balloon quickly
Support quality varies

LegalZoom

Our Pick · most recognizable brand

Score 66/100 · LegalZoom.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: LZ) · Founded 2001

Editorially locked per methodology v1. Scored honestly — brand strength does not offset upsell density.

What's included

Free basic LLC filing tier (state fees only)
Registered agent service available as paid add-on (~$249/year)
Operating agreement templates and EIN obtained on request
Business license research add-on
Licensed attorney consultations via Business Advisory Plan
Tax filing and accounting upsells in checkout
Mobile app, dashboard, and document storage

Pros

Largest and best-known brand — roughly 2M+ businesses formed since 2001
Attorney network genuinely useful if you need one-off legal consults post-formation
Free-tier filing genuinely exists if you decline every upsell and do not need registered agent
Strong compliance reminders and annual report assistance

Cons

Aggressive upsell funnel — founders routinely report paying $300–$600 after starting at the free tier
Registered agent renewal at ~$249/year is roughly 2x Northwests $125
Attorney advice is general, not state-specialized; Harvard Business Services knows Delaware better
Historically slower processing than Northwest or Bizee, especially when upsell bundles are added
Privacy is not the default — your address lands on the public filing unless you pay separately

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Our methodology

How we test and score.

Every service is scored across six weighted categories. We form a real LLC, time the process, count every upsell, call support twice, and cancel the subscription to check the off-boarding. Affiliate relationships do not affect scoring — rankings are locked in before outreach.

25%

Total first-year cost

Including hidden fees, trial expirations, and renewals.

20%

Filing speed

Measured from checkout to state-approved certificate.

20%

Customer support

Phone pickup time, email response, and issue resolution.

15%

Upsell pressure

Pop-ups, pre-checked add-ons, and renewal traps.

10%

Privacy

Whether your home address ends up in the public record.

10%

UI & dashboard

Can you find your documents in under 30 seconds?

Editorial judgements are locked before affiliate outreach. When you click a link and sign up, we may earn a commission — at no additional cost to you. It does not influence rankings.