Bizee is the best company to help start an LLC for most founders, because its Basic plan files the LLC for $0 plus state fees and includes the first year of registered agent service. Northwest Registered Agent is the best pick if you want one clear price and strong privacy, at $39 plus state fees with a free first year of registered agent service. Five of the eight services in this list start at $0 plus state fees, so the real difference is the registered agent renewal, which ranges from $125 to $249 per year.
Pick by total first year cost, not by the headline formation price. Every LLC needs a registered agent, and state filing fees are extra with every service in this list. State fees vary by state, from about $40 in Kentucky to $500 in Massachusetts, and the same state fee applies no matter which service files for you.
On this page
Best company to help start an llc: comparison table
Swipe the table sideways on a phone to see every column.
| # | Name | Best for | Starting price | Free plan / trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bizee | Lowest first year cost | $0 | Yes | Visit |
| 2 | Northwest Registered Agent | Privacy and clear $39 pricing | $39 | No | Visit |
| 3 | ZenBusiness | Guided setup and compliance alerts | $0 | Yes | Visit |
| 4 | LegalZoom | Brand name and attorney access | $0 | Yes | Visit |
| 5 | Inc Authority | Free formation with a choice of one extra | $0 | Yes | Visit |
| 6 | Tailor Brands | Formation plus branding tools | $0 | Yes | Visit |
| 7 | Swyft Filings | Fast processing on higher plans | $0 | Yes | Visit |
| 8 | Rocket Lawyer | Ongoing legal documents and advice | $39.99 per month | Free trial (7 days) | Visit |
The 8 best best company to help start an llcs, in detail
Bizee
Best for: Lowest first year cost
Bizee, formerly Incfile, files your articles of organization for $0 plus state fees on the Basic plan, and every formation package includes one year of registered agent service. That combination is why it leads this list. The Basic plan also includes a name search, a dashboard, a free tax consultation, and lifetime compliance alerts.
- Standard is $199 plus state fees and adds an EIN, an operating agreement, and faster processing.
- Premium is $299 plus state fees and adds expedited filing and contract templates.
- The registered agent service renews at $149 per year after the free first year, according to Bizee’s own comparison page.
- Choose Bizee if you want the lowest first year service cost and you can wait for standard processing.
Pros
- $0 formation with first year of registered agent service included
- Standard at $199 adds EIN and operating agreement
Cons
- Standard and Premium renew as annual plans
- Basic processing can take 4 to 6 weeks in some states
Northwest Registered Agent
Best for: Privacy and clear $39 pricing
Northwest Registered Agent charges one flat $39 plus state fees for LLC formation, with no tiered formation plans to compare. The $39 package includes preparation and filing of the articles of organization, a free first year of registered agent service, an operating agreement template, a banking resolution, a business address, mail scanning, a phone line, a professional email, a domain name, and a website. The registered agent service renews at $125 per year after the free first year, which is the lowest renewal in this list.
- Northwest also states that it does not sell customer data, and it uses its own address on filings so your home address stays off public records.
- Choose Northwest if you want a single price and strong privacy.
- Skip it if you want annual report filing handled for you, because Northwest gives reminders rather than filing the report.
Pros
- One $39 package includes first year of registered agent service
- Own address used on filings to keep home address off public records
Cons
- No $0 formation tier
- Annual report filing is not included, only reminders
ZenBusiness
Best for: Guided setup and compliance alerts
ZenBusiness starts at $0 plus state fees on the Starter plan, which covers a name search, preparation and filing of the articles of organization, compliance alerts, and standard processing in 7 to 10 business days. The official ZenBusiness pricing page, opened on 12 November 2026, confirms the $0 start, a registered agent service at $199 per year, an EIN at $99, and an operating agreement template at $99. Pro is $199 per year plus state fees and adds rush processing in 1 business day, an EIN, an operating agreement template, and Worry-Free Compliance.
- Premium is the top tier and adds 24/7 compliance monitoring, unlimited amendment filings, and a business advisor.
- Worry-Free Compliance is free for the first year on Starter and renews at $199 per year after that.
- Choose ZenBusiness if you want a guided dashboard and compliance alerts.
- Skip it if you want the registered agent included in the entry price.
Pros
- Starter files articles of organization for $0 plus state fees
- Pro at $199 per year adds EIN and operating agreement template
Cons
- Registered agent service is $199 per year as a separate add-on on Starter and Pro
- Worry-Free Compliance renews at $199 per year after a free first year
LegalZoom
Best for: Brand name and attorney access
LegalZoom is the best known name in this list, and its Basic plan files the articles of organization for $0 plus state fees, with a business name check and a tax consultation. Pro is $249 plus state fees and adds an operating agreement, an EIN, 30 days of attorney consultations, and document templates for one year. Premium is $299 plus state fees and adds bookkeeping tools for six months.
- The limit to watch is the registered agent service, which costs $249 per year and is not included in any formation plan, so a Basic filing plus an age
- The attorney access in Pro and Premium also renews at $49 per month after 30 days unless you cancel, and the bookkeeping tools in Premium renew at $9.
- Choose LegalZoom if you want a familiar brand and attorney consultations in the same order.
Pros
- Basic files articles of organization for $0 plus state fees
- Pro at $249 adds operating agreement, EIN, and 30 days of attorney consultations
Cons
- Registered agent service is $249 per year and is not included in any formation plan
- Attorney access renews at $49 per month after 30 days unless canceled
Inc Authority
Best for: Free formation with a choice of one extra
Inc Authority prepares and files your articles of organization for $0 plus state fees, and every order includes a business name check and one free year of registered agent service. You choose one free premium service, either EIN filing or 24-hour express processing, so you do not get both free on the same order. A 2026 order test totaled only the $50 Colorado state filing fee, with formation, the first agent year, and the EIN all at $0.
- The renewal is the part to plan for.
- The same 2026 order test reported that the registered agent service renews automatically at $249 per year, which matches the LegalZoom renewal and is
- Higher bundles are sold with prices that vary, so ask for the full price before you agree to an add-on.
- Choose Inc Authority if you want free formation and a free first agent year with a clear choice of one extra.
Pros
- Formation and first year of registered agent service are $0 plus state fees
- You choose one free premium service, EIN filing or 24-hour processing
Cons
- Registered agent service renews at $249 per year after the free first year
- Higher bundles are not listed with fixed prices on the main formation page
Tailor Brands
Best for: Formation plus branding tools
Tailor Brands combines LLC formation with branding tools, which suits founders who also need a logo, a website, and a domain in the same week they form the company. The Lite plan is $0 plus state fees and includes LLC formation with standard processing, which can take up to 14 business days. Essential is $199 per year plus state fees and adds 1 business day processing, an operating agreement, and annual compliance service.
- Elite is $249 per year plus state fees and adds a domain free for one year, a website builder, and eight logos.
- The registered agent service is $199 per year on every plan, and an EIN is a $99 add-on if Tailor Brands files it for you, while the IRS issues an EIN
- The bookkeeping trial renews at $30 per month after 30 days unless you cancel.
- Choose Tailor Brands if you want formation and branding in one order.
Pros
- Lite files the LLC for $0 plus state fees
- Elite at $249 per year adds a domain for one year, a website builder, and logo tools
Cons
- Registered agent service is $199 per year on every plan
- Lite processing can take up to 14 business days
Swyft Filings
Best for: Fast processing on higher plans
Swyft Filings lists three formation plans, all plus state fees. Basic is $0 and includes a name check, preparation and filing of the articles of organization, and processing in 7 to 10 business days. Standard is $199 and adds an EIN, a custom operating agreement, and faster processing in about 3 business days.
- Premium is $299 and adds same-day processing, a digital corporate kit, and compliance monitoring.
- The registered agent service is $149 per year and is not included in any formation plan, so a Basic filing plus an agent costs $149 in service fees in
- Choose Swyft Filings if speed matters and you are willing to move to Premium for same-day processing.
Pros
- Basic files articles of organization for $0 plus state fees
- Premium at $299 adds same-day processing, a domain, and a digital corporate kit
Cons
- Registered agent service is $149 per year and is not included in any formation plan
- Standard at $199 is needed for an EIN and operating agreement
Rocket Lawyer
Best for: Ongoing legal documents and advice
Rocket Lawyer is a legal services platform first and a formation service second, so it fits founders who will keep using legal documents after the LLC is formed. The Rocket Legal membership is $39.99 per month, and the first business registration is included for members, with unlimited legal document creation and a 30-minute attorney consultation. Rocket Legal Plus is $239.88 per year, with the same first registration included.
- A 7-day free trial is offered, with a card required at sign-up.
- If you do not want a membership, formation is $99.99 plus state fees as a non-member, and each legal document is $39.99.
- The registered agent service is $149.99 per year for non-members and $111.99 per year for members, and it is not included in the membership price.
- Choose Rocket Lawyer if you want ongoing legal documents and advice in one subscription.
Pros
- Membership includes first business registration and unlimited legal document creation
- Non-member formation is $99.99 plus state fees
Cons
- Formation value depends on keeping a $39.99 per month membership
- Registered agent service is $149.99 per year and is not included in membership
How we chose
We included only services that form a US LLC online, publish a formation price, and have an official page that exists. Prices and plan limits in this article come from official vendor pricing pages and from comparisons that cite those pages, checked on 12 November 2026. We did not test any tool hands-on. We did not form an LLC with any service for this article. We ranked the default pick on first year service cost before state fees, then on the registered agent renewal.
Pick by first year cost and agent renewal
| Provider | First year service cost before state fees | Agent renewal per year | What the entry price leaves out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bizee | $0 | $149 | EIN and operating agreement, in Standard at $199 |
| Northwest Registered Agent | $39 | $125 | Annual report filing, reminders only |
| ZenBusiness | $0 | $199 | Registered agent and EIN, $199 and $99 |
| LegalZoom | $0 | $249 | Registered agent, $249 per year |
| Inc Authority | $0 | $249 | One of EIN or 24-hour processing, you choose one |
| Tailor Brands | $0 | $199 | Registered agent and EIN, $199 and $99 |
| Swyft Filings | $0 | $149 | Registered agent, EIN, and operating agreement |
| Rocket Lawyer | $39.99 per month | $149.99 | Registered agent, not in membership |
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC with a formation service?
The service fee can be $0 plus state fees at Bizee, ZenBusiness, LegalZoom, Inc Authority, Tailor Brands, and Swyft Filings, or $39 plus state fees at Northwest, or $39.99 per month at Rocket Lawyer. State fees are extra and vary by state, from about $40 in Kentucky to $500 in Massachusetts. Add the registered agent renewal, from $125 to $249 per year.
Which is the best company to help start an LLC for most founders?
Bizee is the best pick for most founders, because the Basic plan is $0 plus state fees and includes the first year of registered agent service, which no other $0 plan in this list includes. Northwest is the best pick if you want one clear $39 price and strong privacy. ZenBusiness is the best pick if you want guided setup and compliance alerts.
Which LLC formation service has the cheapest registered agent renewal?
Northwest Registered Agent has the cheapest renewal in this list at $125 per year after a free first year. Bizee and Swyft Filings renew at $149 per year, ZenBusiness and Tailor Brands renew at $199 per year, and LegalZoom and Inc Authority renew at $249 per year. Rocket Lawyer charges $149.99 per year for non-members.
Do I need a registered agent if I form an LLC myself?
Yes, every LLC needs a registered agent with an address in its formation state, and the agent must be available during business hours to receive official and legal notices. You can act as your own agent in many states, or you can use a service and budget for the renewal each year.
Is a $0 LLC formation really free?
The formation service fee can be $0, but the state filing fee is still extra, and the registered agent renewal starts in year two at most services. Bizee is the closest to a $0 first year service cost in this list, because it includes the first agent year.
What is the one free extra I get with Inc Authority?
Inc Authority asks you to choose one free premium service, either EIN filing or 24-hour processing, so you do not get both free on the same order. Formation and the first year of registered agent service are $0 plus state fees either way. If you need both the EIN and fast processing, check the price of the second item before you order.
Sources
- https://www.bizee.com/
- https://bizee.com/pricing
- https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/
- https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/nw-39-llc-fomation
- https://www.zenbusiness.com/
- https://www.zenbusiness.com/pricing
- https://www.legalzoom.com/
- https://www.incauthority.com/
- https://www.tailorbrands.com/
- https://www.swyftfilings.com/
- https://www.rocketlawyer.com/
Prices and features were read on each company’s own website in November 2026. They change often, so confirm the current offer on the official site before you sign up or buy.