10 Cheapest LLC Filing Services (2026 Buying Guide)

The cheapest way to have a service form your LLC is a $0 plan: Inc Authority, Bizee, ZenBusiness, LegalZoom, Swyft Filings and Tailor Brands charge nothing beyond the state filing fee for their basic package. The real price difference shows up in year two, when registered-agent service renews at $119 to $249 a year with most providers on this list.

We formed LLCs with Northwest and several other services on this list in June 2026 and recorded each checkout, from the order summary to the offers that followed. Northwest Registered Agent is our Best Overall pick: $39 + state fee, with the first year of registered-agent service included, then $125 a year. LegalZoom ranks second for buyers who will use its legal support, and ZenBusiness ranks third for guided online formation.

Compare the registered-agent columns in the table below as well as the formation fee. The agent renewal is the cost you keep paying.

ZenBusiness Pro and Premium and Tailor Brands' paid packages also renew every year.

10 Cheapest Business Formation Services (November 2026)

1 - Northwest Registered Agent (Best Overall)

Northwest asks for some business details again after payment, and a sequence of optional offers follows. The recorded signup then received a call from a Corporate Guide to verify the account. See our Northwest Registered Agent review for more on that signup.

That extra human step adds time but gives founders someone to contact about setup and filing questions. Northwest’s address and registered-agent services can reduce personal-address exposure where state filing rules permit it.

Northwest LLC formation packages:

• LLC Formation Package ($39 + State Fee): Includes one year of registered-agent service, a business address, mail scanning, domain, website, email and phone service while registered-agent service is active. Availability and address use depend on state rules.
• Registered Agent Renewal ($125/year): The first year is included with formation; the published renewal is $125/year.

2 - LegalZoom (Best Full-Service Formation)

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LegalZoom collects your business details only after you pay. That's the reverse of how most competitors run checkout.

Once payment clears, checkout runs a five-screen upsell sequence covering state compliance filings, a combined operating-agreement-and-EIN offer, a banking referral, then expedited processing. A trademark-search offer follows with "today only" urgency pricing, the only tested provider to use that framing.

The post-payment dashboard leans into that same pattern. It opens on an "Action Required" notice asking for more information before the application can be filed. That notice sits right next to two more subscription offers.

LLC Formation Packages:

• Basic ($0 + State Fee): Includes a name check, state filing and a tax consultation from 1-800Accountant.
• Managed Service ($249 + State Fee): Adds an EIN, operating agreement, business-license report, legal-document library and 30 days of business-advisor support. That support renews at $49/month if kept; the filing review is by an advisor, not an attorney.
• Expert Service ($299 + State Fee): Adds a 30-day team of an advisor, attorney and accountant, attorney filing review, and tax/bookkeeping tools. The Expert Service renews at $99/month after 30 days if kept.
• Registered Agent Service ($249/year): Separate from the formation packages.

3 - ZenBusiness (Best for Guided Online Formation)

ZenBusiness had a clear registered-agent decline option and a visible running total in the checkout we recorded. Its current pricing page now discloses a separate 30-day website-builder trial that is preselected at checkout but can be removed before purchase; it renews at $15/month if kept.

After formation, the dashboard organizes documents and flags tasks such as registered-agent appointment and EIN paperwork, which makes follow-up easier to see.

ZenBusiness LLC formation packages:

• Starter ($0 + State Fee): Includes filing, document access, a dashboard, compliance alerts and the first year of Worry-Free Compliance. That compliance service renews at $199/year if retained.
• Pro ($199 + State Fee): The first-year price is $199 plus state fees and renewal is $199/year. Adds 1-day processing, an operating-agreement template, an EIN and other business tools.
• Premium ($299 + State Fee): The first-year price is $299 plus state fees and renewal is $299/year. Adds a domain with privacy, business email, a document library, advanced compliance and an advisor consultation.
• Registered Agent Service ($199/year): Not included in any plan; a qualifying formation offer may provide the first registered-agent year for $99; the regular renewal is $199/year.

The 30-day website-builder trial is preselected but removable before purchase and renews at $15/month if kept.

4 - Inc Authority (Best Free Formation)

Inc Authority's checkout runs through eight separate full-screen upsell offers before you reach the total. Each one carries its own countdown timer.

The homepage advertises several free extras all at once, but checkout only lets you choose one specific perk at no cost instead of the full homepage promise.

Our test didn't turn up an ongoing compliance dashboard once the paperwork cleared. After payment, we received an AI-generated logo suggestion and an email pointing to a third-party accounting referral.

Inc Authority now advertises digital document storage and a client portal, so check what your account includes. Most competitors keep a compliance dashboard running long after filing, but Inc Authority stops there.

Inc Authority LLC formation packages:

• Free LLC Formation ($0 + state fees): Includes free registered agent service for the first year, a free EIN or free expedited processing (pick one), a business-name availability search, digital document access, a tax-planning consultation, S-election filing support and a credit and funding review.

Free LLC Formation includes registered-agent service for the first year. The checked provider page does not publish a renewal price; confirm it at checkout.

5 - Tailor Brands (Best Brand Value)

Tailor Brands treats formation documents as dashboard property instead of email attachments. Once your LLC is filed, the Articles of Organization and any operating agreement land in the account under Documents.

You only get a notification email telling you they're ready to download. Essential and Elite customers also get a separate follow-up email about claiming a signup gift card, a small extra touchpoint most competitors skip.

If you add the optional one-on-one tax consultation, a tax partner reaches out by phone or text about a week later to schedule the call, rather than the same day. That slower pace fits a brand-building service more than a pure filing service.

Tailor Brands LLC formation packages:

• Lite Package ($0 + State Fee): Standard LLC filing and processing, no branding tools included.
• Essential Package ($199/year + State Fee): Adds expedited processing, annual compliance alerts and an operating agreement.
• Elite Package ($249/year + State Fee): Everything in Essential, plus Tailor Brands' branding tools: an online logo maker, a full website builder, a free domain for the first year, digital business cards and social-media design tools.
• Registered Agent Service ($199/year): Tailor Brands acts as the agent itself; there is no free first year.

The 30-day invoicing and bookkeeping trial renews at $39/month if retained.

6 - Harbor Compliance

Harbor Compliance's own checkout wizard has no test-or-cancel option. An order placed there goes straight into the formation flow.

Instead, this review relies on a direct walkthrough of that wizard plus a Q&A with the Harbor Compliance team. Paying grants Client Portal access, where you fill in remaining details and track progress through a "Project Status" marker.

Entity Manager, included free with an active registered-agent plan, is the real strength here. It links to every state office, checks good-standing status, and scans incoming legal mail the same day it arrives. There is no onboarding call for a standard LLC filing, just business-hours phone and email support.

Harbor Compliance LLC formation packages:

• LLC Formation Package ($99 + State Fee): Covers a name search and Articles of Organization filing.
• Registered Agent Service ($99 first year, then $159/year): The first-year price is for new customers. Includes a registered-agent address, same-day scanned-document delivery, annual-report reminders and Entity Manager access.

7 - Swyft Filings

Swyft Filings runs a five-step application that finishes in under 15 minutes, with turnaround speed varying by plan and real-time status updates visible in the dashboard along the way. That combination of speed and visibility gives Swyft Filings its clearest edge.

Support answered quickly in our testing, with most questions resolved on first contact rather than requiring a follow-up. The current public registered-agent offer starts at $149+ per quarter and is billed quarterly, so budget for that separate recurring service.

Swyft Filings LLC formation packages:

• Basic LLC formation ($0 + State Fee): Company name availability check, preparation of Articles of Organization and state filing.
• Standard LLC formation ($169 + State Fee): Everything in Basic, plus a federal tax ID, a custom operating agreement, a banking resolution and organizational minutes.
• Premium LLC formation ($269 + State Fee): Everything in Standard, plus same-day processing and a custom digital LLC kit. Processing refers to Swyft’s handling of the order, not state approval.
• Registered Agent Services ($149+ per quarter): Billed quarterly as a separate service; confirm the selected offer's final price.

8 - Bizee

Bizee's checkout stood out for its restraint. No paid option comes pre-selected, each upsell sits on its own screen with a clear decline button, and the order summary sidebar keeps the running total visible the whole time.

After payment, though, a dashboard banner re-offers expedited filing again, even if you already declined it once during checkout.

Free inclusions like the virtual mailbox, website and domain don't turn themselves on automatically. Each one needs a manual "claim" click inside the dashboard.

One thing worth knowing upfront is that Bizee's registered agent is handled by a third party, Republic Registered Agent LLC, rather than Bizee itself.

Bizee LLC formation packages:

• Basic Package ($0 + State Fee): Covers the provider's LLC filing service for $0; applicable state filing fees and any required initial charges are separate.
• Standard Package ($199 + State Fee): Adds an EIN, IRS Form 2553, an operating agreement, a banking resolution, ongoing company alerts, dashboard access and a tax consultation.
• Premium Package ($299 + State Fee): Everything in Standard, plus business contract templates, next-day filing and a domain name with business email.
• Registered Agent Services ($149/year): Free for the first year when bundled with formation, then billed annually through Republic Registered Agent LLC.

9 - Rocket Lawyer

A seven-day free trial gives partial access to Rocket Lawyer's platform, and the paid membership kicks in automatically afterward unless you cancel first. The LLC filing runs on a membership structure rather than a one-time fee. The document library is broad and attorney-drafted, with built-in e-signature so nothing needs to be printed.

Direct attorney access is priced per interaction, either per question or per half-hour consultation. Our test contact got resolved quickly, on the first call. That per-question pricing model is worth understanding before you rely on it heavily.

Rocket Lawyer LLC membership options:

• Standard ($149/year or $34.99/month): Includes the first business registration with no provider fee while membership applies; state fees remain due. Later registrations cost $99 plus state fees.
• Plus ($249/year or $49.99/month): Includes the Standard benefits and makes registered-agent service available as a separate $124.99/year add-on, which requires Plus or Pro membership.
• Pro ($349/year or $64.99/month): Includes Plus benefits and expanded attorney access; registered-agent service is available at $124.99/year as a separate add-on, which requires Plus or Pro membership.

10 - MyCompanyWorks

MyCompanyWorks publishes a 90-day refund window on the service charge, no questions asked if you're not satisfied. That's longer than several competitors offer.

Support is available during business hours, and the account dashboard is built around the paperwork the service generates once your LLC is filed. Phone support only runs on weekdays, so plan around that if you need a live call outside a normal work week.

MyCompanyWorks LLC formation packages:

• Basic Package ($79 + State Fee): A free logo, vendor discounts, a startup guide and lifetime access to the vendor network.
• Entrepreneur Package ($199 + State Fee): Everything in Basic, plus a lifetime forms and tax guide and a federal tax ID.
• Complete Package ($279 + State Fee): Everything in Entrepreneur, plus priority support.
• Registered Agent Service ($119/year): A separate add-on; the current order page does not establish a free first year with Entrepreneur or Complete, so confirm package inclusion at checkout.

How We Picked and Tested the Cheapest LLC Services

We formed LLCs with Northwest and several other services on this list in June 2026 and kept the checkout and account records. Package terms for the three featured providers were refreshed on October 13, 2026 for our best LLC services guide, and this page uses the same scores. The full testing methodology explains the process.

The overall score is the average of five editorial categories and User Ratings, rounded to one decimal place. Providers ranked fourth and below use the same scores and order as our best LLC services guide.

1. Support

Northwest scores 5.0 for direct Corporate Guide help. LegalZoom scores 4.9 because paid offers add advisor or attorney access. ZenBusiness scores 4.7; its support and AI guidance are useful, but it does not include the same dedicated guide or paid attorney service.

2. Price

Northwest scores 4.9: its $39 formation includes the first agent year, then the published renewal is $125/year. LegalZoom scores 4.4: paid formation offers are $249/$299, agent service is $249/year, and subscriptions can renew.

ZenBusiness scores 3.8: Pro/Premium renew at $199/$299 per year; registered-agent service is separate at $199/year, with a qualifying formation offer at $99 for the first year, and Starter has a $0 provider fee.

On day one, the $0 plans from LegalZoom and ZenBusiness cost less than Northwest's $39 + state fee. The gap closes once you add a registered agent: LegalZoom charges $249 a year and ZenBusiness $199, while Northwest includes the first year.

3. Features

Northwest and LegalZoom each score 4.9: Northwest bundles first-year agent and business identity services; LegalZoom offers a wider legal and document toolkit. ZenBusiness scores 4.7 for its dashboard and compliance tools, with registered-agent service sold separately.

4. Turnaround

Northwest scores 4.8, reflecting the available filing service and optional rush route. ZenBusiness scores 4.8; its official plan terms list 7–10 business days on Starter and 1-day processing on Pro/Premium. LegalZoom scores 4.7; provider processing does not control a state's approval queue.

5. Ease of Use

ZenBusiness leads at 4.9 for guided forms and a dashboard that surfaces follow-up tasks. Northwest scores 4.7; the saved checkout includes repeated entry and optional offers.

LegalZoom scores 4.6; the recorded flow requested details after payment and showed a multi-screen offer sequence. ZenBusiness's current website-builder trial is preselected but removable, and renews at $15/month if kept.

6. User Ratings

The three User Ratings values match our best LLC services guide. They reflect the figures already published in each review; they were not recalculated for this update.

7. Best Fit

Northwest is the overall pick for founders who value first-year registered-agent coverage and direct human help. LegalZoom fits owners who expect to use legal support and document tools. ZenBusiness is best for guided online formation and a dashboard that keeps next steps visible.

If the lowest first-year bill matters most, Inc Authority and Bizee charge $0 and include the first agent year. Expect timer-driven upsell screens with Inc Authority and a $149 agent renewal with Bizee.

What Does the Cheapest LLC Really Cost?

Every LLC pays two costs: the state filing fee, which runs from $35 in Montana to a flat $500 in Massachusetts, and whatever the service charges on top. A $0 plan only removes the second part, and most LLCs also need a registered agent from day one.

Here is what year one and year two look like with the cheapest plan from the main providers, before state fees:

• Northwest Registered Agent: $39 in year one with the agent included, then $125 a year for the agent.
• Bizee Basic: $0 in year one with the agent included, then $149 a year for the agent.
• Inc Authority: $0 in year one with the agent included; the renewal price isn't published, so check it at checkout.
• ZenBusiness Starter: $0, plus $99 for the agent in year one with a qualifying formation offer, then $199 a year. Worry-Free Compliance also renews at $199 a year if you keep it.
• LegalZoom Basic: $0, plus $249 a year for the agent.
• Doing it yourself: the state fee only, if you act as your own registered agent. Your address then goes on the public record.

Watch for add-ons that renew. ZenBusiness preselects a website-builder trial that renews at $15/month if you keep it, LegalZoom's paid plans include advisor support that renews at $49/month, and Tailor Brands' bookkeeping trial renews at $39/month.

Need only a registered agent for an existing LLC? See our cheapest registered agent services comparison.

Steps To Start an LLC

Whether you hire a formation service or file yourself, the same steps apply:

• Step 1: Name your LLC
• Step 2: Appoint your registered agent
• Step 3: File the Articles of Organization / Certificate of Formation
• Step 4: Draft an Operating Agreement
• Step 5: Get an EIN, free from the IRS
• Step 6: Open a Business Bank Account
• Step 7: Get Business Licenses and Permits

FAQs

Our Verdict

Northwest Registered Agent is our Best Overall pick. Its $39 + state fee formation includes the first year of registered-agent service, and the agent then renews at $125 a year. Our Alaska LLC cost $289 in total, state fee included.

LegalZoom ranks second for founders who will use its legal support. Basic is $0 + state fee, but its registered agent costs $249 a year and paid-plan support can renew monthly.

ZenBusiness ranks third for guided online formation. Starter is $0 + state fee; budget $199 a year for the agent and remove the website-builder trial if you don't want its $15/month renewal.

If the lowest first-year bill is all that matters, Bizee and Inc Authority charge $0 and include the first agent year.