6 Best LLC Services in Illinois (2023) To Grow Your Business

Establishing a limited liability company in Illinois can be accomplished through the Illinois Secretary of State. It is a straightforward process but can become complicated without the assistance of an LLC formation expert.

So, in order to assist you in determining which service best meets your Illinois LLC business needs, we compared and evaluated the best LLC services in the state.

This article will look at their packages, price, customer reviews, and turnaround time. We will also provide you with our top choice based on these criteria by the end of this post.

Top 6 LLC Services in Illinois (March 2023)

1 - ZenBusiness (Editor's Choice)

Since 2015, ZenBusiness has successfully helped over 2,000,000 entrepreneurs and businesses start their LLCs nationwide.

They provide excellent business formation services, with service bundles tailored to meet the needs and budgets of small to large businesses.

Their knowledgeable customer support helped us fine-tune our sections to support our specific business needs.

ZenBusiness boasts impressive customer feedback, as seen on platforms like BBB and Trustpilot. They are a business development service dedicated to transparency and knowledgeable customer service.

We were particularly pleased with how the company keeps its online portal simple, intuitive, and simple to use.

Service Features:

• Starter LLC Formation Package ($0 + $154 State Fee): Includes complete drafting and filing of formation documents. It also includes standard filing speed (2 to 3 weeks), an operating agreement template, and a risk-free accounting evaluation.
• Pro LLC Formation Package ($199 + $154 State Fee): This plan includes everything from Starter plus faster expedited filling speed (4 to 6 day), and EIN and banking resolution template. In addition, their Worry-Free Guarantee includes your yearly report, up to two amendments per year, and regular compliance audits to ensure clients conform to state requirements.
• Premium LLC Formation Package ($299 + $154 State Fee): This package offers all contents of the Pro plan plus several third-party amenities: customizable business website, domain name, email address, the fastest rush filling speed (1-2 days), and privacy tools.
• Registered Agent Service ($199): Includes 12 months of registered agent services and renews for the $199.

Sign Up To ZenBusiness

2 - Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest Registered Agent's reputation as a top LLC formation service is well earned; their competitive pricing and outstanding customer support have earned them industry recognition.

In fact, every LLC formation service package they provide includes one full year of their premium registered agent service, of which we took full advantage.

Northwest Registered Agent is also well-equipped with highly-competent customer support representatives assigned to each client account.

Service Features:

• Base Formation Package ($39 + $154 State Fee): Base package includes name search and registration, and all required filing of legal documents, such as the Articles of Organization. Plus, the 1-year Illinois registered agent service.
• Full Service LLC Formation Package ($225 + $154 State Fee): This package includes service features from the base package and adds the Employer Identification Number (EIN) for your business.
• Registered Agent Services ($125): Includes one complimentary year of registered agent service that renews at an annual rate of $125. If you want to pay less in your first year, choose Northwest to form your LLC. In that case, this service will cost you the first year $0.

Sign Up To Northwest Registered Agent

3 - IncFile

A good choice for budget-conscious businesses is IncFile. They offer free LLC formation services, including a year of a registered agent in Illinois.

They are also popular among clients, proven by their excellent customer feedback that can be viewed in their high volume of positive online reviews.

Their packages start at Silver, with free services, followed by Gold at $199, and climb up to Platinum at $299. The benefits of the paid packages were well worth our investment.

Service Features:

• Silver Package ($0 + $154 State Fee): At zero cost, this package starts with the basics of formation, including preparing and filing your Articles of Organization. This package also includes a free registered agent for a year and lifetime company compliance alerts.
• Gold Package ($199 + $154 State Fee): Additional to everything from the Silver Package, this box adds EIN, a personalized company binder, a banking resolution, an operating agreement, and fast shipping (Express) of all legal paperwork.
• Platinum ($299 + $154 State Fee): Includes everything from the Gold Package plus prioritized filing, which speeds up your turnaround time. It also adds free next day filling and domain name followed by business email.
• Registered Agent Services ($119): A value that is already included for 12 months in every paid package. If made with an LLC formation package, the service will be free.

Sign Up To IncFile

4 - LegalZoom

With two decades of experience, LegalZoom is the ideal choice for those seeking a reputable online business formation service. Established in 2001, this company has become an industry staple.

They work with thousands of legal advisers across the country to assist customers with both personal and business-related affairs.

LegalZoom has already worked with over two million clients and has one of the most user-friendly websites for the order process.

However, one key weakness of LegalZoom is its inability to compete in terms of value. They have expensive add-on services and are sometimes included in the base packages of other leading competitors.

Service Features:

• Economy Package ($79 + $154 State Fee): This entry-level service package includes banking resolution to open bank accounts and all the essentials of LLC formation, such as the business name search.
• Standard Package ($329 + $154 State Fee): On top of the Economy package, the Standard package adds an LLC kit and a personalized notebook for extra business recognition. 
• Express Gold Package ($349 + $154 State Fee): This package adds rush processing with the Illinois SOS's office.
• Registered Agent Services ($299): Not included in the packages.

Sign Up To LegalZoom

5 - Harbor Compliance

Established in 2012, Harbor Compliance is an Illinois professional LLC formation service that assigns an account manager to each client forming an LLC to serve their business formation needs.

Clients are guaranteed to receive the best formation services from Harbor Compliance, with options to select additional services they might need along the way.

In addition to business formation services, they can register your LLC state tax accounts and business licenses, among other regulatory tasks.

Harbor Compliance possesses an A+ rating on the BBB review platform, with many customers praising their professionalism and fast turnaround times.

Service Features:

• Formation Package ($99 + $154 State Fee): It includes essential services such as filing Articles of Organization, provision of an Operating Agreement template, obtaining a federal EIN, and acting as your own registered agent for an entire year.
• Registered Agent Services (89-$99): Receive up to a 10% discount on the $99 annual fee for purchasing multiple years.

Sign Up To Harbor Compliance

6 - MyCompanyWorks

Since its founding in 2001, MyCompanyWorks has provided LLC formation and legal services to more than 60,000 businesses nationwide.

Headquartered in Nevada, this specialized business service provider is committed to helping entrepreneurs launch their businesses with expert guidance.

They are one of the few services with superb customer feedback, with nearly all of their 3,500+ online reviews being positive and satisfactory and only a few negative ones.

Service Features:

• Basic Package ($59 + $154 State Fee): Basic Package includes the essentials of LLC formation, along with a personalized operating agreement and organizational minutes. Great initial perks are same business day processing, as well as unlimited phone/Email support.
• Entrepreneur Package ($179 + $154 State Fee): This package offers all features of the Basic plan, plus an EIN (tax ID number), an LLC kit and seal, membership certificates, and business forms.
• Complete Package ($259 + $154 State Fee): Complete Package includes all Entrepreneur level features plus one year of registered agent service, including MyCompanyWorks premium.
• Registered Agent Service ($99): This package is purchased annually. The Complete Package, however, already includes a year of this service.

Sign Up To MyCompanyWorks

Advantages of Creating LLC in Illinois

An LLC is the most advantageous choice when launching a business in Illinois. Offering important protections to its owners while allowing them flexibility with their operations and taxation requirements, this entity structure has become the go-to. Here’s why:

1. Personal Asset Protection

The primary advantage of LLCs is that they provide members with personal liability protection. This means that LLCs can protect your personal assets from personal creditors. In fact, this is one of the main reasons why businesses in Illinois start an LLC [1].

This is not only protection from debt collectors but also from potential personal liability that the other owners and partners may bring in.

2. Flexible Tax Options

LLCs are considered pass-through entities, meaning the LLC does not need to pay income taxes. Instead, profits and losses pass through each member's individual tax return and are taxed as personal income taxes to the LLC members.

Moreover, single-member LLCs in Illinois are exempt from paying personal property replacement tax.

LLCs also have the option of how they will be taxed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). S-corporation LLCs have a default pass-through taxation, whereas C-corporation LLCs must pay federal taxes as well as Illinois corporate taxes [2].

3. Inexpensive Formation

Compared to corporations, LLCs in Illinois are generally inexpensive to form and maintain. This is also subject to the capacity and needs of your business [3].

Generally, there are only two significant costs involved with forming an LLC in Illinois: the state filing fee and other services that may be provided to assist you in forming an LLC.

4. Builds Business Credibility

Setting up your business in Illinois as an LLC provides more credibility than forming a sole proprietorship or partnership. LLCs are more favorable to customers and other business as it demonstrates your commitment to your Illinois business.

Illinois LLC Formation Process

In Illinois, an LLC is formed through the Illinois Secretary of State. Your Illinois LLC must first be registered with the Illinois SOS and pay formation fees before it can begin operations.

To form your Illinois LLC successfully, you must take care of a few crucial details. Follow these five steps to avoid unnecessary delays or waste of resources.

• Step 1: Create a business name for your Illinois LLC
• Step 2: Appoint a Registered Agent in Illinois
• Step 3: File the Articles of Organization
• Step 4: Create an LLC Operating Agreement
• Step 5: Secure an Employer Identification Number

For everything you need to know on how to start an LLC in Illinois, see our comprehensive guide.

Things to Look For in Illinois LLC Services

When choosing the service for your business formation, it’s important to know what to look for.

• Excellent Customer Services – Choose an Illinois LLC online service with outstanding customer support service to avoid unnecessary delays and conflicts. It will also ensure you a stress-free online business formation.
• Reputation – Similarly, finding the best LLC services in Illinois with an excellent business formation industry reputation is good. Besides, quality services and excellent customer relations can only earn a good reputation.
• Wide Range of Services – In evaluating service providers, it is important to consider if your Illinois business will need other services beyond business formation. A reliable LLC service provider is particularly useful since businesses face legal issues in some form or another.
• Competitive Pricing of Packages – Consider Illinois LLC formation services that offer reasonably priced packages that cover all the essential LLC services and tools you need to launch your own business.

FAQs

What Illinois LLC Services You Should Get?

After reviewing these six services, our top choice for the best Illinois LLC service is ZenBusiness, which provides the best LLC services on the list. It has the essential LLC service features and tools every Illinois business owner needs to complete their LLC formation.

ZenBusiness also offers one of the best pricing models for formation packages. They offered many options, allowing us to tailor a package that suited our specific needs.

Their customer support is one service that’s hard to match. So, while they are a relatively new company, all things mentioned here are backed by many customer reviews online.