9 Best LLC Services in Montana (2026) We Tried and Tested
We set up an LLC with every service reviewed here to see which company actually earns its price once the state's cut is paid. ZenBusiness came out on top, pairing an easy checkout with a dashboard that keeps working long after the filing goes in.
We ranked these nine providers on support quality, price, feature range, turnaround speed, ease of use and independent user ratings. Then we weighed each against what a Montana business owner needs after approval.
The comparison below shows what each service includes, followed by the state facts you'll want to know before you file.
| Company | LLC Packages | LLC Fees | Registered Agent Price | Same & Next Day Filing | Money-Back Guarantee | Free Package Features | BBB Accredited | Advisory Services |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZenBusiness (Best Overall) | 3 plan options | Formation from $0 | 50% off LLC formation: $99 + state fees year one; $199/yr thereafter | ✓ Pro and Premium plans only | ✓ 60-day satisfaction guarantee | Includes LLC filing and a 100% accuracy guarantee | ✓ Yes, BBB accredited | ✓ Complimentary accounting consultation |
| Northwest (Best Premium) | 1 formation plan | $39 when using our link | First year included with LLC formation; $125/yr from year two | ✗ | ✓ 90-day satisfaction guarantee | No features in free tier | ✗ A-rated (not accredited) | ✗ |
| Tailor Brands (Best Branding) | 3 plan options | Formation from $0 | Annual fee of $199 | ✗ | ✗ | LLC filing plus 30-day trial for bookkeeping | ✗ | ✓ Business coaching across all plans |
| LLC Attorney (Best Essentials) | 3 plan options | Plans from $49 | Add-on option with variable pricing | ✗ | ✓ 30-60 day satisfaction guarantee | Covers LLC filing, operating agreement, and organizational minutes | ✓ A-rated accreditation | ✓ Paid add-on for attorney support |
| LegalZoom (Best Legal Advisor) | 3 plan options | Formation from $0 | Annual fee of $249 | ✗ | ✓ 60-day satisfaction guarantee | LLC filing, welcome packet (digital), and customizable website | ✓ A+ accreditation | ✓ Premium plan attorney consultations |
| Inc Authority | 3 plan options | Formation from $0 | Included at no charge with LLC formation | ~ Premium package dependent | ✓ 60-day satisfaction guarantee | Covers LLC filing, EIN, and registered agent | ✓ Yes, BBB accredited | ✓ Dedicated private banking specialist |
| Harbor Compliance | 1 formation plan | $99 service fee | $99 initially; $149/yr from year two | ~ Varies based on state | ✗ | No features in free tier | ✓ Yes, BBB accredited | ✗ |
| Swyft Filings | 3 plan options | Formation from $0 | Quarterly fee of $149 | ✓ Premium Package only | ✓ 60-day satisfaction guarantee | LLC filing and lifelong customer support | ✗ | ✗ |
| Bizee | 3 plan options | Formation from $0 | First year included with LLC; $119/yr from year two | ✓ Platinum Package only | ✓ Refundable within 24h before state payment; $30 cancellation fee | LLC filing, free registered agent for one year, EIN, operating agreement, tax consultation, and additional benefits | ✗ | ✓ Free tax consultation (1 hour) |
Montana LLC Quick Facts
- Filing office: Montana Secretary of State Business Services.
- Formation document: Articles of Organization, filed online only through the state's business portal.
- State filing fee: $35, plus $50 for each series member named in a series LLC [1].
- Annual report: free if filed on or before April 15 each year, and $35 if filed after that date.
- Governing law: Montana LLCs are governed by Montana Code Annotated Title 35, Chapter 8 [2].
- Publication requirement: Montana does not require LLCs to publish a newspaper notice after formation.
ZenBusiness 9 Best LLC Services in Montana (July 2026)
1 - ZenBusiness (Best Overall)
Pros and Cons
- Checkout total stayed visible with nothing pre-selected
- Velo AI flags missing steps on first login
- Document center tracks what's still outstanding
- Compliance tab groups agent status and license checks
- Registered agent costs extra from day one on Starter
Who is it for?
Who is it for?
- Owners who want a fast filing plus an account that keeps flagging what's left to do.
Who is it not for?
- Anyone who wants registered agent service included in the cheapest starting plan.
The Verdict
ZenBusiness earned the top spot for combining a clear checkout with a dashboard that kept working well after the order was placed.
Our ZenBusiness checkout kept the running total visible on every screen, with nothing paid pre-selected before we reached the final page. Phone and chat options stayed one click away throughout.
Once the order went in, Velo AI, ZenBusiness's in-account assistant, ran a check on first login. It flagged the missing EIN and the still-open compliance items before we added them ourselves.
The document center repeated the same open items when we came back later, and a compliance tab tracked registered agent status and license checks together.
ZenBusiness LLC formation packages:
- Starter ($0 + $35 state fee): Registered agent service is not included.
- Pro ($199/yr + $35 state fee): Adds an EIN, an operating agreement and 1-business-day internal processing, plus a year of Worry-Free Compliance.
- Premium ($399/yr + $35 state fee): Adds registered agent service and a one-on-one business advisor session.
- Registered agent add-on ($199/yr): Billed from day one when added to Starter or Pro.
2 - Northwest Registered Agent (Best Premium)
Pros and Cons
- Named Corporate Guide handles account verification
- Registered agent included free for the first year
- Forms library organized by jurisdiction
- Costs more upfront than the cheapest competitors here
Who is it for?
Who is it for?
- Owners who want a named point of contact and strong privacy protection.
Who is it not for?
- Owners chasing the lowest possible upfront price above everything else.
The Verdict
Northwest stands out for consistent support and registered agent service that feels fully included instead of upsold after the fact.
Northwest verifies every new account after signup, and a welcome call usually follows within a day. If anything is still missing, automated emails go out on day one, three and five, and a real person calls after 48 hours.
Our confirmation screen listed the assigned registered agent address immediately. It also showed the yearly limit on scanned regular mail. Service of process and state notices get unlimited scanning instead.
The welcome email linked to a forms library sorted by state. Paperwork we needed later was easy to find without digging through the account.
Northwest LLC formation packages:
- Formation package ($39 + $35 state fee): Includes a free first year of registered agent service.
- Registered agent renewal ($125/yr): Applies after the included first year.
- Business Identity bundle (included): A domain, hosted website and mail scanning stay included as long as registered agent service is active.
3 - Tailor Brands (Best Branding)
Pros and Cons
- Branding tools live inside the same account as the filing
- Formation documents land in a dedicated dashboard folder
- Navi AI surfaces next steps and deductible expenses
- No free first year of registered agent service
Who is it for?
Who is it for?
- Entrepreneurs who want branding tools built into the same account as the LLC filing.
Who is it not for?
- Teams who need registered agent service included at no extra cost.
The Verdict
Tailor Brands fits entrepreneurs building a brand alongside the paperwork more than owners who just want a bare filing.
Tailor Brands' dashboard opens on branding tools first. Formation status sits a level below. Most of the account is built around logo and website tools rather than paperwork alone.
Once the LLC was approved, the formation documents landed in a dedicated dashboard folder. An email linked to that folder instead of attaching anything directly.
Navi AI, Tailor Brands' in-account assistant, surfaced next steps on its own. It also flagged deductible expenses once we connected the financial tools.
Tailor Brands itself acts as the registered agent, listing its own address on state records and forwarding anything that arrives straight to the dashboard.
Tailor Brands LLC formation packages:
- Lite ($0 + $35 state fee): Standard internal processing, up to 14 business days.
- Essential ($199/yr + $35 state fee): Adds expedited processing, a logo maker, annual compliance alerts and an operating agreement.
- Elite ($249/yr + $35 state fee): Adds a website builder, digital business cards and a free domain for the first year.
- Registered agent service ($199/yr): Billed annually, with no free first year.
4 - LLC Attorney (Best Essentials)
Pros and Cons
- Filing steps laid out clearly before submission
- Documents reviewed by staff, not just auto-generated
- Phone support connected within minutes in our test
- Registered agent renewal price depends on which plan you started with
Who is it for?
Who is it for?
- Founders who want attorney-reviewed paperwork without paying for a full legal retainer.
Who is it not for?
- Owners who need registered agent service included in every plan from day one.
The Verdict
LLC Attorney delivers dependable, attorney-guided formation that helps new business owners avoid common filing mistakes.
LLC Attorney's intake lists every filing step before anything gets submitted. We knew what documents to expect and in what order they'd arrive.
Staff prepare each document, including the operating agreement and any EIN confirmation. Someone reviews every filing before it goes out, instead of generating it from a bare template.
Phone support connected within minutes in our test. Email questions took closer to a full business day to get a complete answer.
The dashboard laid out formation progress, compliance status and upcoming deadlines in one place, so we never had to dig through email to find anything.
LLC Attorney LLC formation packages:
- Starter ($49 + $35 state fee): Registered agent service is included for year one.
- Professional ($199 + $35 state fee): Adds an EIN, a Certificate of Good Standing and one free amendment within 90 days.
- Professional+ ($399 + $35 state fee): Adds a foreign entity filing or subsidiary setup, plus an apostille.
- Registered agent renewal ($99-$119/yr): Applies after the included first year, depending on package.
5 - LegalZoom (Best Legal Advisor)
Pros and Cons
- Attorney network reachable inside the account
- Account flags what information is still missing
- Same-day chat and phone support in our test
- Business details are collected only after payment
Who is it for?
Who is it for?
- Small businesses that want attorney access included with the formation itself.
Who is it not for?
- Founders who want the lowest total cost and the fastest checkout.
The Verdict
LegalZoom works best when ongoing legal access matters more than shaving a few dollars off the formation price.
LegalZoom collects business details after payment clears, not before. That felt backward next to every other checkout we tested.
Once the account was active, a banner said more information was still needed before the application could move forward. Document tools elsewhere in the account offered AI-assisted analysis on anything we uploaded.
Chat and phone support answered questions the same day. The attorney network gave us a path to a licensed professional without leaving the account.
The attorney profile listed a specific practice area and license state for the professional assigned, more detailed than a generic "legal help" label.
LegalZoom LLC formation packages:
- Basic ($0 + $35 state fee): Includes a name check and a starter website built on Wix.
- Pro ($249 + $35 state fee): Adds an operating agreement, an EIN and a 30-day attorney-consult trial.
- Premium ($299 + $35 state fee): Adds bookkeeping tools and income and expense tracking.
- Registered agent service ($249/yr): Billed annually.
6 - Inc Authority
Pros and Cons
- State fee and service fee kept clearly separate
- Every upsell screen had a visible decline option
- Logo builder ready immediately after payment
- No ongoing dashboard once the LLC is formed
Who is it for?
Who is it for?
- Cost-focused business owners comfortable declining several optional offers along the way.
Who is it not for?
- Owners who want an ongoing account to manage compliance after formation.
The Verdict
Inc Authority is a real no-cost path to an LLC, as long as the upsell sequence doesn't wear you down first.
Inc Authority's checkout separates its own fee from the state's cut in plain language. That made the total easier to trust than several competitors we tested.
Before the final screen, single-purpose upsell offers appeared one at a time. Each one showed a countdown timer and a clear decline button.
The confirmation page opened straight into a logo builder. Several AI-generated options were ready to claim right away.
The order summary also broke out the entity name, type and state clearly before final submission, so nothing about the filing felt like a surprise afterward.
Inc Authority LLC formation packages:
- Free LLC package ($0 + $35 state fee): Includes registered agent service for 12 months, an EIN and a basic website.
- Starter Business Bundle (price on request): Adds business name verification and an operating agreement template.
- Fast Track Business Bundle (price on request): Adds stock certificates and a dedicated banking specialist contact.
- Registered agent renewal ($249/yr): Kicks in once the included first year runs out.
7 - Harbor Compliance
Pros and Cons
- Entity Manager tracks good standing across every state
- Same-day scanning of incoming legal mail
- Specialist reachable by phone and email on request
- No onboarding call walks through a standard filing
Who is it for?
Who is it for?
- Owners running entities in more than one state who want compliance tracked centrally.
Who is it not for?
- Founders who want a walkthrough call during a simple single-state filing.
The Verdict
Harbor Compliance justifies its higher renewal cost for multi-entity owners, less so for a single, simple Montana filing.
Harbor Compliance's order wizard adds one service at a time before checkout. Once an order is placed, the system moves directly into the formation flow with no separate confirmation step.
There is no onboarding call for a standard LLC formation. The process is self-guided through the wizard and portal. A specialist answers phone and email questions during business hours.
Entity Manager, the account's compliance layer, scans legal mail the same day it arrives. It also tracks good-standing status across every state where the business operates.
Harbor Compliance LLC formation packages:
- Formation package ($99 + $35 state fee): Includes a business name availability check and Articles of Organization filing.
- Registered agent service ($99/yr new, $149/yr renewal): Includes Entity Manager access and same-day document scanning.
8 - Swyft Filings
Pros and Cons
- Five-step application with little back-and-forth
- Dashboard status updates track ahead of the estimated timeline
- Registered agent pricing disclosed clearly, not buried in fine print
- Registered agent is always a separate purchase
Who is it for?
Who is it for?
- Founders who want a fast application flow without much back-and-forth.
Who is it not for?
- Owners who expect registered agent service included in the starting price.
The Verdict
Swyft Filings suits entrepreneurs who want speed through the application itself, with registered agent handled as a separate decision.
Swyft Filings runs new orders through a five-step application. It moves from business details straight to document preparation and state submission.
The customer dashboard gives real-time status updates once an order goes in, and most filings track ahead of the estimated timeline rather than behind it.
Registered agent service is never included here from the start. It's a separate decision every customer has to make going in, rather than something they get by default.
Support stayed reachable by phone, email and chat throughout. The confirmation screen pointed us back to those same three channels if anything changed.
Swyft Filings LLC formation packages:
- Basic ($0 + $35 state fee): Includes a name availability check and Articles of Organization filing.
- Standard ($149 + $35 state fee): Adds a federal tax ID and an operating agreement.
- Premium ($299 + $35 state fee): Adds FedEx delivery with tracking and a free domain.
- Registered agent service ($149/yr): Not included in any base package.
9 - Bizee
Pros and Cons
- Order summary stayed visible with no pre-selected extras
- Task list flags included services that still need setup
- Free first year of registered agent service
- Registered agent is handled by a third-party company
- Declined upsells can reappear inside the dashboard later
Who is it for?
Who is it for?
- Budget-focused business owners comfortable claiming a few included extras themselves.
Who is it not for?
- Owners who want their own address listed as the registered agent of record.
The Verdict
Bizee remains a genuinely low-cost formation option, as long as the third-party registered agent setup is expected going in.
Bizee's dashboard task list showed which included services still needed manual activation. Domain, email and website tools don't turn on by themselves.
The checkout itself kept a running order summary visible the whole time. Every upsell screen offered a clear way to skip it, and nothing paid was pre-selected.
An expedited-filing offer we declined at checkout reappeared inside the dashboard after payment. Worth knowing before you assume a decline is final.
The registered agent listed on our paperwork was a named third-party company, spelled out clearly in the account rather than buried in fine print.
Bizee LLC formation packages:
- Basic ($0 + $35 state fee): Includes a free first year of registered agent service.
- Standard ($199 + $35 state fee): Adds an EIN, an operating agreement and a tax consultation call.
- Premium ($299 + $35 state fee): Adds a business domain, a business email and next-day filing.
- Registered agent renewal ($119/yr): Applies after the free first year, through third-party Republic Registered Agent LLC.
How We Picked and Tested the Best LLC Services in Montana
We scored the services using the same seven-part LLC service testing methodology: support, price, features, turnaround, ease of use, independent user ratings and Montana fit. The state's own layer barely changes between providers, so the real differences show up in what happens after the filing goes in.
Every provider on this page went through an actual formation, order wizard walkthrough or verified provider records, going well beyond a features comparison read off a spec sheet.
1. Support
Support mattered most in the minutes right after checkout, when an owner still has questions about what comes next and how fast it moves.
ZenBusiness and Northwest tied for the strongest support among these nine providers, both routing us to a real answer quickly instead of a scripted queue. LegalZoom's attorney-backed access ran close behind.
2. Price
The sticker price only tells part of the story once a registered agent renewal and other recurring costs enter the picture a year later.
ZenBusiness posted the highest price score on this page, largely because its no-cost entry plan avoids charging an owner just to file. Inc Authority and Bizee ranked just behind it on entry cost.
3. Features
A long feature list earns its place only if it keeps being useful long after the LLC is formed, far past that first checkout screen.
The broadest feature set on this page belongs to ZenBusiness, thanks to a dashboard that keeps organizing compliance tasks well past the filing date. Tailor Brands and Inc Authority weren't far off, each packing in tools beyond bare formation.
4. Turnaround
Every provider promises fast processing, but a provider's internal review time and the state's own review time are two separate clocks worth tracking apart.
ZenBusiness moved fastest through internal processing among this group, with Northwest and Swyft Filings trailing only slightly. None of the nine needed a rush fee to beat the slowest providers on this list.
5. Ease of Use
A clean checkout does not guarantee a clean account afterward, so we judged both halves of the experience rather than stopping at the first screen.
Nothing on this page matched ZenBusiness's ease-of-use score, largely on the strength of a dashboard that turns checkout into an organized task list right away. Tailor Brands came close once its own dashboard tools were unlocked.
6. User Ratings
Independent user ratings gave us a check against our own hands-on impressions, since a service can look strong internally and still frustrate real customers elsewhere.
ZenBusiness and Northwest shared the top user-rating score in this group at 4.8 each, and Tailor Brands sat just behind them. All three carried noticeably stronger reviews than the lowest-rated providers here.
7. Montana Fit
Montana's $35 filing fee and now-free on-time annual report apply the same way no matter which provider an owner picks, so fit comes down to what happens around that fixed cost.
ZenBusiness remains our top pick for Montana business owners who want speed plus an account that keeps working after the state approves the filing. Northwest is the strongest alternative for anyone who values a dedicated support contact over the lowest sticker price.
Key Financial & Business Insights In Montana
1. Montana-Specific Resources
- Montana Small Business Development Center (SBDC): free business consulting, training and resources for entrepreneurs starting or growing a business.
- Montana Chamber of Commerce: statewide advocacy and networking, alongside local chambers in Billings, Missoula and Bozeman.
2. Montana Business Statistics
- 141,011 small businesses operate in Montana, 99.2% of all businesses in the state.
- Small businesses employ 264,567 Montanans, 66.3% of all employees, the highest small-business employment share of any US state.
- Between March 2023 and March 2024, 6,462 establishments opened and 6,027 closed, a net increase of 435.
- Employment expanded at 10,564 establishments and contracted at 9,705, and small businesses accounted for 6,094 of the openings and 5,724 of the closings.
- Opening and expanding establishments added 50,270 jobs while closing and contracting establishments lost 46,379, a net increase of 3,891 jobs, with small businesses contributing 3,827 of those net new jobs, 98.4% of the total [3].
- Reporting banks issued $397.7 million in 2023 loans to Montana businesses with revenues of $1 million or less, part of $1.1 billion in total new lending through loans of $1 million or less.
Source: SBA Office of Advocacy, 2025 Montana Small Business Profile, drawing on Business Employment Dynamics (Bureau of Labor Statistics) and CRA Aggregate Data (FFIEC).
3. Financial Incentives for Small Businesses
- Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund (BSTF): grants from $10,000 to $500,000+ and loans up to $1 million for qualifying development projects.
- Montana Indian Equity Fund (MIEF): grants from $5,000 to $50,000 for Native American-owned businesses.
- Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program: grants from $50,000 to $1 million+ for community and business growth in qualifying areas.
- Rural Business Development Grants (RBDG): grants from $10,000 to $500,000 for businesses in rural areas.
- Montana Microbusiness Finance Program: loans and grants under $50,000 for small or home-based businesses.
- Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC): technical assistance and training grants for manufacturing businesses.
4. Montana State Taxes
Montana taxes corporate income at a flat 6.75% and individual income on a two-bracket schedule for 2026, 4.7% up to $47,500 in taxable income and 5.65% above that, down from a 6.9% top rate before the state's 2025 reform [4].
Montana charges no franchise tax on LLCs and has no statewide sales tax, though a few local jurisdictions in resort areas impose their own local option tax.
Steps To Form An LLC In Montana
Follow these steps to form a Montana LLC:
- Choose a name: search availability through the Secretary of State's online business portal before filing.
- Select a registered agent: every Montana LLC needs one with a physical in-state address. Compare options through our Registered Agent in Montana guide.
- File Articles of Organization: submit online through biz.sosmt.gov, Montana's only accepted filing method.
- Create an operating agreement: not filed with the state, but useful for setting ownership and management terms in writing.
- Get an EIN: apply directly through the IRS. It's free and takes about five minutes online.
- File the annual report: due through the same online portal, free before April 15 and $35 after.
FAQs
Is Montana a Good State for an LLC?
Yes, Montana is a good state for an LLC because the filing process is straightforward and the ongoing state costs stay low compared to most other states.
How Hard Is It to Get an LLC in Montana?
It is not hard to get an LLC in Montana. You file Articles of Organization online and pay the $35 filing fee, and the state handles the rest.
Do LLCs Pay Taxes in Montana?
LLCs themselves do not pay Montana income tax by default, since they're pass-through entities. Members still owe the 15.3% federal self-employment tax on their share of profits.
How Long Does It Take to Form an LLC in Montana?
It usually takes a handful of business days once the state reviews an online filing, on top of whatever internal processing time the formation service adds first.
Do I Need a Registered Agent for My Montana LLC?
Yes. Montana requires every LLC to name a registered agent with a physical in-state address on the Articles of Organization at formation.
What Is the Montana LLC Annual Report Fee?
The annual report is free if filed on or before April 15 each year. Filing after that date brings a $35 fee.
Our Verdict On The Best LLC Service In Montana
Pick ZenBusiness if you want the strongest overall balance of support, price and account follow-up on this list, without trading up to a pricier plan to get it.
Choose Northwest instead if a dedicated point of contact and registered agent service from day one matter more to you than the lowest sticker price. Choose LLC Attorney if you would rather have a licensed professional review your paperwork than lean on a dashboard afterward.
Renewal pricing is where these nine services really pull apart, so weigh the second-year registered agent cost as closely as the first-year total before you commit.
Venture Smarter #1 Recommendation
ZenBusiness (Best Overall)
- Checkout total stayed visible with nothing pre-selected
- Velo AI flags missing steps on first login
- Document center tracks what's still outstanding
- Compliance tab groups agent status and license checks
- Get the BEST PRICE until the end of July
- Registered agent costs extra from day one on Starter
References:
Honestly, this is the worst article I’ve read in ages. Poorly structurd and lacking any real facts. Get it together!
Oh sure, because we all needed another article about this. Could’ve spent my time watching paint dry.
Well, isn’t this just the pinnacle of human achievement? Bravo, truly groundbreaking stuff here… not.
Good to see a breakdown of LLC services specific to Montana. Not all companies serve every state equally, so this helps narrow things down.