Northwest Registered Agent is the best Swyft Filings alternative for most founders, because its $39 formation package includes a free first year of registered agent service and renews at $125 a year. Bizee and Inc Authority are the cheapest first-year routes, since both start at $0 plus state fees and include a free first year of registered agent service, though their agent renewals differ at $149 and $249.99 a year. Swyft Filings itself starts at $0 plus state fees, but its registered agent is billed quarterly at $149, about $596 a year, the highest ongoing agent cost in this comparison.
Swyft Filings is fast and focused, but it is not the cheapest way to form an LLC once you add the extras most owners need. Each service below changes the math in a different place: the formation fee, the agent renewal, or the documents in the plan.
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Swyft filings alternatives: comparison table
Swipe the table sideways on a phone to see every column.
| # | Name | Best for | Starting price | Free plan / trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swyft Filings | Fast filing with compliance alerts | $0 + state fees | Yes | Visit |
| 2 | ZenBusiness | First-time founders who want compliance help | $0 + state fees | Yes | Visit |
| 3 | Northwest Registered Agent | Privacy and low ongoing agent cost | $39 + state fees | No | Visit |
| 4 | LegalZoom | Attorney access with a known brand | $0 + state fees | Yes | Visit |
| 5 | Bizee | Lowest first-year cost with a free agent year | $0 + state fees | Yes | Visit |
| 6 | Tailor Brands | Formation plus branding tools | $0 + state fees | Yes | Visit |
| 7 | Rocket Lawyer | Ongoing legal documents and attorney access | $149 per year | Free trial (7 days) | Visit |
| 8 | Inc Authority | Free formation with a free agent year | $0 + state fees | Yes | Visit |
The 8 best swyft filings alternatives, in detail
Swyft Filings
Best for: Fast filing with compliance alerts
Swyft Filings was founded in 2015 in Houston, Texas. Its three LLC packages are Basic at $0 plus state fees, Standard at $169 plus state fees, and Premium at $269 plus state fees, with Standard and Premium listed $30 below their regular prices. Basic covers a name check and filing of the articles of organization, with provider processing in 7 to 10 business days.
- Standard adds an EIN, a custom operating agreement, organizational minutes, a banking resolution, and three-business-day processing.
- Premium adds one-business-day processing.
- The number to watch is the registered agent price: $149 per quarter, about $596 a year, and no formation package includes it.
- ComplianceGuard comes as a 14-day trial on every package and renews at $149 a year unless you cancel.
Pros
- Basic plan starts at $0 plus state fees
- Premium processing takes one business day
- 60-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Registered agent costs $149 per quarter and is not included in any package
- ComplianceGuard trial renews at $149 per year unless canceled
ZenBusiness
Best for: First-time founders who want compliance help
ZenBusiness was founded in 2015 in Austin, Texas. Its plans are Starter at $0 plus state fees, Pro at $199 per year plus state fees, and Premium at $299 per year plus state fees. Starter files the articles of organization, with provider processing in 7 to 10 business days.
- Pro adds an EIN, an operating agreement template, one-business-day processing, and Worry-Free Compliance, which files one annual report a year.
- Premium adds a business website and domain, business email, and advanced compliance help.
- The trade-off is the registered agent: $199 a year as an add-on on every plan, so Starter plus an agent is $199 in year one before state fees, and Pro
- Starter also leaves out the EIN and the operating agreement, which cost $99 each, and the website bundle trial renews at $15 a month after 30 days.
Pros
- Starter plan starts at $0 plus state fees
- Pro adds EIN, operating agreement, and compliance filings for $199 per year
- 60-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Registered agent costs $199 per year and is not included in any plan
- Pro and Premium renew every year
Northwest Registered Agent
Best for: Privacy and low ongoing agent cost
Northwest Registered Agent has been in business since 1998 in Spokane, Washington, and it is the longest-running provider in this set. It sells one formation package at $39 plus state fees, shown as a promotional price against a regular price of $100. The package covers the filing, an operating agreement template, a business address, and a full year of registered agent service, which renews at $125 a year after that.
- It also includes a Business Identity suite with a domain, a website, business email, and a phone line, plus mail scanning.
- Privacy is the reason to pick Northwest.
- It puts its own address on state filings instead of yours, and it states in writing that it will not sell your personal data.
- A package at $139 adds EIN filing and a prepared operating agreement, and same-day processing is available at $199.
Pros
- First year of registered agent service is included
- agent renews at $125 per year
- single flat package with no tiers
Cons
- EIN filing costs $50 extra on the $39 package
- no bookkeeping or branding bundle
LegalZoom
Best for: Attorney access with a known brand
LegalZoom has offered online legal services since 2001, and LLC formation is one part of a wider platform that covers wills, trademarks, and personal legal needs. Its three LLC plans are Basic at $0 plus state fees, Pro at $249 plus state fees, and Premium at $299 plus state fees. Basic files the articles of organization, checks the business name, and includes a tax consultation.
- Pro adds an operating agreement, an EIN, 150+ legal document templates for a year, unlimited eSignatures for a year, and 30 days of attorney consultat
- Premium adds bookkeeping tools for six months, plus proposals and invoices.
- Two renewals need attention.
- The 30 days of attorney consultations in Pro and Premium renew at $49 a month unless you cancel.
Pros
- Basic plan starts at $0 plus state fees
- Pro adds attorney consultations and 150+ legal documents
- founded in 2001
Cons
- Registered agent costs $249 per year and is not included in any plan
- attorney plan renews at $49 per month after 30 days unless canceled
Bizee
Best for: Lowest first-year cost with a free agent year
Bizee, formerly Incfile, has helped owners form businesses since 2004. Its three packages are Basic at $0 plus state fees, Standard at $199 plus state fees, and Premium at $299 plus state fees. Basic covers the LLC filing, a free first year of registered agent service, and a free first month of virtual mail.
- Standard adds an EIN, an operating agreement, S-Corp election filing, and lifetime compliance alerts.
- Premium adds expedited filing, business contracts, a domain name and business email, and a free first-year business phone number.
- Basic is the only $0 formation here that also includes a free agent year, so the first-year service cost can be $0 before state fees.
- The limits are speed and the renewal: Basic processing takes about four weeks, while Premium files in as little as one business day with expedited fil
Pros
- Basic package starts at $0 plus state fees
- first year of registered agent service is included
- no annual subscription on the Basic package
Cons
- Basic processing takes about four weeks
- registered agent renews at $149 per year after the free year
- orders are refundable only until payment goes to the state, usually within 24 hours
Tailor Brands
Best for: Formation plus branding tools
Tailor Brands started as a logo and branding company and added LLC formation later. Its three plans are Lite at $0 plus state fees, Essential at $199 a year plus state fees, and Elite at $249 a year plus state fees. Lite covers the name check and the filing, with provider processing in up to 14 business days, plus business coaching and a 30-day bookkeeping trial.
- Essential adds one-business-day processing, an operating agreement, and annual compliance support.
- Elite adds a domain free for one year, a website and store builder, eight logo designs, a digital business card, and social media tools.
- Registered agent service is a $199 a year add-on on every plan, and EIN filing is a $99 add-on.
- The bookkeeping trial converts to $39 a month after 30 days unless canceled.
Pros
- Lite plan starts at $0 plus state fees
- Elite adds a domain, website, logos, and digital business card
- one dashboard for formation, branding, and bookkeeping
Cons
- Registered agent costs $199 per year and is not included in any plan
- Elite is the default selection at checkout
- Lite processing takes up to 14 business days
Rocket Lawyer
Best for: Ongoing legal documents and attorney access
Rocket Lawyer was founded in 2008 as a legal services platform first and a formation service second. Its memberships are Standard at $149 a year or $34.99 a month, Plus at $249 a year or $49.99 a month, and Pro at $349 a year or $64.99 a month. The first business registration is included with any membership at no extra service fee, and later registrations cost $99 each plus state fees.
- Members get unlimited legal documents, eSignatures, and attorney questions: 12 a year on Standard, 36 on Plus, and unlimited on Pro, with live consult
- Rocket Lawyer no longer sells a standalone LLC filing for a one-time fee, so you cannot form an LLC here without a membership.
- Registered agent service costs $125 a year and is only available on Plus or Pro, and EIN filing costs $70 on those plans.
- Every membership starts with a 7-day trial and renews automatically.
Pros
- First business registration is included with membership
- members get unlimited legal documents and eSignatures
- 7-day trial
Cons
- No standalone filing is sold, so a membership is required
- registered agent needs Plus or Pro and costs $125 per year
- membership keeps billing after formation
Inc Authority
Best for: Free formation with a free agent year
Inc Authority has helped owners start businesses for more than 30 years, and its basic offer is free LLC formation plus a free first year of registered agent service. You only pay the state filing fee to start. Express processing or an EIN is free with the basic offer, and each costs $49.99 as a standalone add-on.
- An operating agreement costs $89, and annual compliance service costs $147 a year.
- The free website offer is a 30-day trial, and its ongoing cost is not shown until after checkout.
- The limit is the second year.
- Registered agent service renews at $249.99 a year, the highest renewal in this set, and there is no option to decline the agent at checkout, so you ha
Pros
- Formation starts at $0 plus state fees
- first year of registered agent service is included
- in business for more than 30 years
Cons
- Registered agent renews at $249.99 per year, the highest renewal here
- registered agent cannot be declined at checkout
- premium bundle pricing is not shown clearly
How we chose
We picked services that form LLCs in all 50 states, list their prices on their own pages, and are still operating in 2026. Prices and plan limits come from official vendor pricing pages opened on 2026-11-12. We compared the formation fee, the agent renewal, the documents in each plan, and the trials that renew automatically. We did not test any service hands-on, and we did not form an LLC with any of them. The fact that changes the choice is Swyft Filings billing its registered agent quarterly at $149, about $596 a year, while its formation headline is $0.
Which service fits your budget
| Situation | Pick | First-year service cost before state fees | Agent renewal per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest first-year cost | Bizee or Inc Authority | $0 | $149 or $249.99 |
| Lowest ongoing agent cost | Northwest Registered Agent | $39 | $125 |
| Fastest filing on a higher plan | Swyft Filings Premium | $269 | About $596, billed quarterly |
| Compliance filings handled for you | ZenBusiness Pro | $199 | $199 |
| Attorney access included | LegalZoom Pro | $249 | $249 |
| Branding with the filing | Tailor Brands Elite | $249 per year | $199 |
| Legal documents all year | Rocket Lawyer Standard | $149 per year | $125 on Plus or Pro |
Frequently asked questions
Is Swyft Filings really free?
The Basic plan charges $0 for the formation service, but you still pay your state filing fee, which ranges from about $35 to $500 depending on the state. Registered agent service costs $149 per quarter on its own, and ComplianceGuard renews at $149 a year after a 14-day trial.
Which Swyft Filings alternative is cheapest in the first year?
Bizee and Inc Authority are cheapest in year one, because both start at $0 plus state fees with a free first year of registered agent service. Northwest is next at $39 plus state fees with a free agent year. In year two the order changes, since Inc Authority renews its agent at $249.99 a year while Northwest renews at $125.
Which alternative is best for privacy?
Northwest Registered Agent is the strongest privacy pick in this set. It puts its own address on state filings instead of yours, includes a business address and mail scanning in the $39 package, and states in writing that it will not sell your personal data. Bizee and Inc Authority also include a free agent year.
Do I still need a registered agent if I form the LLC myself?
Yes, every state requires an LLC to have a registered agent with a physical address in the state, available during business hours to receive legal notices and official mail. You can serve as your own agent if you have a stable address and are reachable during business hours.
What does Swyft Filings charge for a registered agent?
Swyft Filings lists registered agent service at $149 per quarter, which works out to about $596 a year. That is the highest agent renewal in this comparison, ahead of LegalZoom and Inc Authority at $249 and $249.99 a year. No Swyft Filings formation package includes the agent.
Sources
- https://www.swyftfilings.com/
- https://www.swyftfilings.com/blog/swyft-filings-vs-legalzoom/
- https://www.zenbusiness.com/
- https://www.zenbusiness.com/swyft-filings-vs-legalzoom/
- https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/
- https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/llc/cost
- https://www.legalzoom.com/
- https://www.legalzoom.com/marketing/business-formation/llc-2
- https://bizee.com/
- https://www.tailorbrands.com/
- https://www.tailorbrands.com/llc-formation/best-llc-services
- https://www.rocketlawyer.com/
- https://www.rocketlawyer.com/pricing
- https://www.incauthority.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.