Top 10 LLC formation services, honestly compared
We are not affiliated with any of these companies — we sell nothing. This is the comparison most "best LLC service 2026" pages cannot give you because they earn 30-50% commissions on whichever service ranks #1. Our editor’s pick is Northwest Registered Agent for lowest hidden-fee risk; ZenBusiness for polish; everyone else carries a caveat we list inline.
By Aissam Baidi · Fact-checked against each service's own pricing page + Trustpilot + BBB · Verified 2026-04-26
All ten services at a glance
California year-1 totals shown for the cheapest tier. State filing fee ($70) included; $800 California franchise tax NOT included (none of these services prominently disclose it on their CA pricing pages — see FAQ).
| Service | Cheapest | Mid | Top | Registered agent yr 2+ | EIN | Trustpilot | BBB | CA yr-1 total (Tier 1) | Red flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Registered Agent | $39 + state | — | — | $125/yr | Add-on $50 | 4.7 | — | $109 | — |
| ZenBusiness | $0 + state | $199 | $399 | $199/yr | Included in Pro+ | 4.8 | — | $70 | Auto-renews compliance at $199/yr |
| Bizee (formerly Incfile) | $0 + state | $199 | $299 | $119/yr | Gold tier and above | 4.7 | F | $70 | BBB rating F — refund/cancellation friction |
| LegalZoom | $0 + state | $249 | $299 | $249/yr | Pro tier and above | 4.6 | A+ | $70 | Attorney plan auto-converts to $49/mo |
| Rocket Lawyer | $99.99 + state | $39.99 | $239.88 | $249/yr | Add-on | 4.5 | A+ | $169.99 | Free-trial auto-converts to $39.99/mo |
| Inc Authority | $0 + state | — | $799 | $199/yr | Add-on / phone-call upsell | 4.9 | F | $70 | BBB F. Aggressive outbound sales call. |
| Swyft Filings | $49 + state | $149 | $299 | $199/yr | Standard tier and above | 4.7 | F | $119 | BBB F. "Filed" status not always real. |
| Tailor Brands LLC | $0 + state | $199 | $249 | $199/yr | Add-on $99 | 4.2 | — | $70 | Annual auto-renewal; refused-refund complaints |
| Nolo | $49 + state | $149 | $299 | $135/yr | Standard tier and above | 1.4 | A+ (parent); 1.1/5 customer reviews | $119 | 1.4/5 Trustpilot — formation reviews catastrophic |
| MyCorporation | $109 + state | $134 | $334 | $120/yr | Add-on at lower tiers | 3.7 | A+ (not accredited) | $179 | — |
Deep dive on each service
Tap a service to expand. Each "honest take" is an editorial paragraph — no PR spin, no affiliate prose.
Northwest Registered Agent Editor’s pick
From $39 · 4.7 Trustpilot
Northwest Registered Agent Editor’s pick
From $39 · 4.7 Trustpilot
The editor’s pick if there is one. $39 promotional price (off a $100 list), one flat tier, no checkout upsells, and the lowest registered-agent renewal in the major-brand tier at $125/yr. They publicly state they do not sell your data — most competitors do. The only meaningful gap is that EIN is a $50 add-on rather than included, but $50 is still less than the $79–$99 EIN upcharges peers run. Lowest hidden-fee risk and lowest 3-year cost of ownership in this set.
- Best for
- Buyers who hate upsells — Northwest does not sell your data and uses one flat package.
- Watch out for
- EIN is a $50 add-on, but still cheaper than the $79+ EIN upcharges peers run for what is a free IRS service.
- Tiers
- Single tier: $39 + state
- Registered agent
- Free year 1, $125/yr thereafter
- Operating agreement
- Included
- EIN
- Add-on $50
- Compliance / annual report
- Free compliance reminders
ZenBusiness
Free tier · 4.8 Trustpilot
ZenBusiness
Free tier · 4.8 Trustpilot
The polished one. The Starter package’s "free" headline is real on day one, but the included Worry-Free Compliance flips to $199/yr in year two and the cancellation flow is buried in account settings. Starter does not include an EIN or operating agreement — both common upsells at checkout. The dashboard increasingly funnels you toward Money Pro at $30/mo. A competent default for non-technical users, but a calculator user who reads small print will see Northwest costs less over three years.
- Best for
- Founders who want a polished dashboard and do not mind $199 renewals.
- Watch out for
- Worry-Free Compliance auto-renews at $199/yr; Starter does NOT actually include EIN or operating agreement.
- Tiers
- Starter: $0 + state · Pro: $199 · Premium: $399
- Registered agent
- Free year 1 (Premium only); standalone $199/yr
- Operating agreement
- Template in Pro+
- EIN
- Included in Pro+
- Compliance / annual report
- "Worry-Free Compliance" $199/yr (free year 1 on Starter)
Bizee (formerly Incfile)
Free tier · 4.7 Trustpilot · BBB F
Bizee (formerly Incfile)
Free tier · 4.7 Trustpilot · BBB F
A rebrand does not fix a refund-policy problem. Trustpilot is high (4.7) on volume because the formation experience itself is fine; the BBB F rating reflects what happens when you try to leave. Aggressive checkout upsells, particularly for EIN ($79+) and "Banking Resolution," and a registered-agent renewal at $119/yr that customers report being unable to cancel without escalating. Only choose if you accept that the Silver tier is a loss leader and you will be marketed to forever.
- Best for
- Cost-conscious filers comfortable handling EIN themselves on the Silver tier.
- Watch out for
- F at BBB. Aggressive checkout upsells; cancellation friction is the dominant complaint.
- Tiers
- Silver: $0 + state · Gold: $199 · Platinum: $299
- Registered agent
- Free year 1, $119/yr thereafter
- Operating agreement
- Gold tier and above
- EIN
- Gold tier and above
- Compliance / annual report
- Annual report filing $99 + state
LegalZoom
Free tier · 4.6 Trustpilot · BBB A+
LegalZoom
Free tier · 4.6 Trustpilot · BBB A+
The brand-tax incumbent. Prices are 30–50% higher than peers for materially the same paperwork. The Basic $0 tier is functionally the same as ZenBusiness Starter except it does not include an operating agreement or EIN — both are structurally pushed into the $249 Pro tier. RA at $249/yr is the most expensive in this comparison. The biggest dark pattern is the "30 days free" attorney consult that converts to $49/mo and the "6 months free" bookkeeping that converts to $9.99/mo. Pay the brand tax only if you genuinely value the attorney network, not for the filing.
- Best for
- Buyers who want brand recognition and attorney-network access.
- Watch out for
- Attorney plan auto-renews at $49/mo after 30-day "free" period; bookkeeping converts to $9.99/mo.
- Tiers
- Basic: $0 + state · Pro: $249 · Premium: $299
- Registered agent
- $249/yr (separate)
- Operating agreement
- Pro tier and above
- EIN
- Pro tier and above
- Compliance / annual report
- Bundled at higher tiers; Compliance Calendar with RA
Rocket Lawyer
From $99.99 · 4.5 Trustpilot · BBB A+
Rocket Lawyer
From $99.99 · 4.5 Trustpilot · BBB A+
Not really a formation service — it’s a legal-doc subscription where formation is a customer-acquisition feature. The non-member price ($99.99) is deliberately set above the membership annual ($239.88) to push you into Rocket Legal+. If you do not actually need ongoing legal documents, you are paying for inventory you will not use. Common complaint: charges continue after self-service cancellation. Only valuable if you are already going to spend $20+/mo on legal docs anyway.
- Best for
- Users who actually need ongoing legal docs and attorney consults.
- Watch out for
- 7-day free trial converts to $39.99/mo without a clear nudge.
- Tiers
- Non-member formation: $99.99 + state · Rocket Legal (mo): $39.99 · Rocket Legal+ (annual, includes 1 free formation): $239.88
- Registered agent
- $124.99/yr (member) / $249/yr (non-member)
- Operating agreement
- Member docs library
- EIN
- Add-on
- Compliance / annual report
- Bundled with membership only
Inc Authority
Free tier · 4.9 Trustpilot · BBB F
Inc Authority
Free tier · 4.9 Trustpilot · BBB F
The "free" tier is genuinely free if and only if you can withstand an aggressive outbound sales call within 24 hours, where representatives push EIN, operating agreement ($89), express filing, and a "business credit and funding" upsell. Trustpilot is 4.9 — but the BBB rating is F and the registered-agent renewal is not clearly published anywhere, with customers reporting $179–$199 surprise charges. Usable only by sophisticated buyers who treat the sales call as a no-thanks exercise.
- Best for
- Filers who want truly $0 service and can stonewall a sales call.
- Watch out for
- Aggressive outbound-call upsell after submission; renewal price not clearly published.
- Tiers
- Starter (free): $0 + state · Tycoon: $799
- Registered agent
- Free year 1, ~$179–$199/yr thereafter (not transparently published)
- Operating agreement
- $89 add-on
- EIN
- Add-on / phone-call upsell
- Compliance / annual report
- Add-on / phone-call upsell
Swyft Filings
From $49 · 4.7 Trustpilot · BBB F
Swyft Filings
From $49 · 4.7 Trustpilot · BBB F
Mid-pack pricing with the worst hidden-charge complaint pattern in the category. Trustpilot looks fine in aggregate but BBB has rated them F and individual complaints describe being charged for services not selected and being unable to get refunds even after dissolution requests. Filings reportedly show "complete" on the dashboard while the state has not received them. Skip — you can get the same package elsewhere with materially less risk.
- Best for
- Speed-focused filers who want a clean checkout flow.
- Watch out for
- Hidden charges and auto-opted-in subscriptions are the dominant complaint pattern.
- Tiers
- Basic: $49 + state · Standard: $149 · Premium: $299
- Registered agent
- $199/yr add-on (free trial typically 60 days)
- Operating agreement
- Standard tier and above
- EIN
- Standard tier and above
- Compliance / annual report
- Compliance reminders bundled at higher tiers
Tailor Brands LLC
Free tier · 4.2 Trustpilot
Tailor Brands LLC
Free tier · 4.2 Trustpilot
The only operator in this list whose paid tiers are explicitly annual recurring rather than one-time. Customers repeatedly report no renewal email, no in-app warning, and refused refunds — a textbook negative-option pattern. Charging $99 for an EIN, which the IRS issues free in 10 minutes, is the steepest EIN markup in this comparison. Consider only if you genuinely want the AI logo/branding tools and you set a calendar reminder to cancel before renewal.
- Best for
- Solo founders who actually want a logo + branding kit alongside formation.
- Watch out for
- Paid tiers are annual recurring (not one-time); refused-refund pattern.
- Tiers
- Lite: $0 + state · Essential (annual): $199 · Elite (annual): $249
- Registered agent
- $199/yr add-on
- Operating agreement
- Essential tier and above
- EIN
- Add-on $99
- Compliance / annual report
- Compliance bundled in Essential+
Nolo
From $49 · 1.4 Trustpilot · BBB A+ (parent); 1.1/5 customer reviews
Nolo
From $49 · 1.4 Trustpilot · BBB A+ (parent); 1.1/5 customer reviews
An aging brand riding on book equity. Customer ratings on the formation product are catastrophically bad — 1.4/5 Trustpilot and 1.1/5 BBB customer reviews are the worst in this group by an order of magnitude. The operating agreement is sold separately at $50 and registered-agent cancellation is reported as difficult. Avoid for formation; the BBB A+ rating is for the publishing parent, not the formation service customers actually experience.
- Best for
- Brand-loyal users of Nolo’s legal book/article library.
- Watch out for
- Customer ratings among the worst in industry; "scam" recurs in reviews.
- Tiers
- Basic: $49 + state · Standard: $149 · Express: $299
- Registered agent
- $135/yr (separate)
- Operating agreement
- $50 add-on
- EIN
- Standard tier and above
- Compliance / annual report
- Not bundled
MyCorporation
From $109 · 3.7 Trustpilot · BBB A+ (not accredited)
MyCorporation
From $109 · 3.7 Trustpilot · BBB A+ (not accredited)
Quietly the most honest of the legacy brands but priced as if 2010 never ended. There is no $0 tier — the floor is $109 plus state. Trustpilot has only ~280 reviews so the signal is thin. There is nothing structurally predatory here, but there is also no reason to pay $109 to MyCorporation when ZenBusiness or Bizee offer $0 (with caveats) and Northwest offers $39 with fewer caveats. Fine but uncompetitive.
- Best for
- Buyers who want a single mid-priced bundle and are not shopping on price.
- Watch out for
- Lowest tier costs $109 — only company with no $0 option.
- Tiers
- Basic: $109 + state · Standard: $134 · Premium: $334
- Registered agent
- Bundled in Deluxe year 1; ~$120/yr renewal
- Operating agreement
- Sample docs in Basic; full in Standard+
- EIN
- Add-on at lower tiers
- Compliance / annual report
- "MaintainMyBiz" in Premium covers up to 4 filings/yr
How llcformationcost.com is different
- We are a free calculator, not a paid formation service. We never charge to file your LLC, hold your registered agent service hostage, or auto-renew anything. There is no checkout because there is no product to sell.
- Every fee is sourced to a primary .gov page. Filing fees, franchise taxes, annual report fees, and publication requirements all link to the actual Secretary of State or Department of Revenue page — not to a third-party blog that rots out of date.
- Zero affiliate revenue from formation services. Which is why this comparison can flag F-rated BBB pages and class-action-adjacent auto-renewal patterns honestly.
- We do the math you would otherwise compute by hand across six fee components — state filing fee, name reservation, registered agent, operating agreement, EIN, annual report / franchise tax — plus publication or biennial requirements where they apply.
- All 50 states + DC, kept current quarterly. Including the high-cost states most "free LLC" marketing avoids highlighting (California $800 franchise tax, Massachusetts $500 fee, New York $1,000+ publication in NYC).
Frequently asked questions
Is there a truly free LLC formation service?
Yes — Bizee Silver, ZenBusiness Starter, LegalZoom Basic, Inc Authority Starter, and Tailor Brands Lite all charge $0 plus the state filing fee for the formation itself. The "free" tier almost never includes the EIN (which is free directly from the IRS) or an operating agreement, so the real out-of-pocket depends on whether you decline the upsells. Northwest Registered Agent has a paid $39 single tier with no upsells, which is often the lowest 3-year cost.
What hidden fees should I watch for?
The five most common: (1) registered-agent renewal at $119–$249/yr after a free first year; (2) EIN service charges of $79–$99 for a free IRS form; (3) operating-agreement upsell at $50–$300; (4) compliance / annual-report subscription at $99–$199/yr that auto-renews; (5) attorney or bookkeeping trial that converts to monthly recurring after 7–30 days. Every service in this comparison has at least two of these patterns.
Do I need to use a formation service at all?
No. Every state lets you file directly with the Secretary of State for the state filing fee alone. You serve as your own registered agent (free if you have an in-state address), apply for the EIN free at irs.gov, and use a free SBA or state-bar operating-agreement template. Total cost: just the state filing fee. Use a formation service only if you value time savings or specific bundled features.
Why does Bizee have a 4.7 Trustpilot but an F at the BBB?
Trustpilot reviews are typically left right after purchase, when the formation experience itself is fine. BBB complaints accumulate later — when customers try to cancel registered-agent renewal, dispute charges, or get refunds. The same delta exists for Inc Authority and Swyft Filings. Always check both surfaces; either alone is misleading.
Which California cost should I plan for?
California state fees are $70 to file the LLC-1 plus a $20 biennial Statement of Information plus the $800 minimum franchise tax that is owed in year one. The AB 85 first-year exemption that waived the $800 expired Jan 1, 2024 — every California LLC formed in 2026 owes the $800 in year one. None of the formation services in this comparison prominently disclose the $800 on their California pricing pages.
Do you make money if I sign up with one of these services?
No. llcformationcost.com has no affiliate relationships with any LLC formation service. We monetize through display advertising and (in v2) reader-funded options. This is the editorial reason we can rate Bizee, Inc Authority, and Swyft Filings as F-grade despite their 4.7+ Trustpilot scores — affiliate sites cannot. Our methodology is at /methodology/.
How often is this comparison updated?
Quarterly (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 — same cycle as our state Secretary of State pages). Each service’s pricing page is re-checked on the 25th of January, April, July, and October. Material changes (price increase, BBB rating change, new dark pattern reported) trigger an off-cycle update. Last full review: 2026-04-26.
Not legal advice. Pricing changes; verify on each company’s pricing page before purchase. Estimates based on publicly available data from each state’s Secretary of State office. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.