Compare any LLC formation service
to filing it yourself
Pick a service. We show real pricing from our quarterly-verified editorial dataset, BBB rating, watch-outs, and side-by-side: what the service actually costs in year 1 and year 2 vs filing direct with the state. Zero affiliate links. Source URLs on every claim.
- Real pricing from each service's own pricing page
- Flags BBB F-grade services + auto-renew traps
- 10 services, quarterly editorial review (last: 2026-04-26)
- Always surfaces 2-3 alternatives, including editor's pick
Compare any service
How it actually works
- 1
You name a service
ZenBusiness, LegalZoom, Northwest, Tailor Brands, your accountant's favorite registered-agent reseller, anything LLC-formation-adjacent works. Optional: paste their pricing URL for higher-precision retrieval.
- 2
We look up our editorial dataset
Our editorial dataset tracks 10 LLC formation services: each row has the cheapest tier price, mid + top tier, registered-agent year 2 renewal, EIN treatment, operating-agreement bundle status, BBB grade, Trustpilot rating, and our editor's red-flag note. Last review: 2026-04-26.
- 3
Output is structured
You see a structured side-by-side: headline price, year-1 realistic total, registered-agent year-2 cost, EIN treatment, BBB rating, watch-outs, when-to-use, when-to-skip, 2-3 alternatives. Every dollar figure links to the source we verified it against (the company's own pricing page).
- 4
You get a side-by-side
The result page shows the service's costs in one column and what you would actually spend filing direct with the state (e.g., $70 in California + $800 franchise tax) in the other. Source URLs accompany every dollar figure, verify on the source page before signing up.
Frequently asked
How does the comparison work?
You pick an LLC formation service from our editorial dataset (10 services tracked: Northwest, ZenBusiness, Bizee, LegalZoom, Rocket Lawyer, Inc Authority, Swyft Filings, Tailor Brands, Nolo, MyCorporation). We show side-by-side: their realistic year-1 cost, registered-agent renewal in year 2, EIN treatment, BBB grade, watch-outs, and what the same outcome costs filing direct with the state. Each cost row links to the source URL we verified it against.
Is this comparison editorially independent?
Yes. llcformationcost.com has zero affiliate relationships with any service compared here. We can flag F-rated BBB pages, hidden EIN upcharges, $199/yr auto-renewing compliance subscriptions, and cancellation friction without losing commission. Affiliate roundups can not do this, they rank the company that pays them most.
Will the data ever be wrong?
Possibly. Pricing pages change; BBB ratings shift; new dark patterns emerge. Our editorial dataset is reviewed quarterly (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 cycle, same as state SOS pages). The "Sources" block on every comparison links the company's pricing page + Trustpilot/BBB so you can verify before purchase. If you find an error, the corrections page logs every update.
Why does it suggest other services?
Because the most useful answer to "should I use ZenBusiness?" is sometimes "yes" and sometimes "consider Northwest instead." We always surface 2-3 alternatives, including our editor's pick, even when your chosen service is fine. We earn nothing from any of them.
How fresh is the data?
Last full editorial review: 2026-04-26. Reviewed quarterly thereafter. The dataset captures each service's public pricing tier, registered-agent renewal cost, BBB rating, Trustpilot rating, and the editor's assessment of red flags. State filing fees underneath the comparison are refreshed continuously from each Secretary of State page.
Pricing changes; verify on the company's pricing page before purchase. Not legal advice. We have no affiliate relationship with any service compared here. Estimates based on publicly available data.