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Forming an LLC protects your personal assets and makes your business official: but state paperwork is tedious and easy to get wrong. A good formation service files everything correctly for as little as $0 plus state fees, and bundles essentials like a registered agent and an operating agreement. We compared the leading services on real pricing, filing speed and long-term value.
For first-time founders who want a guided, low-friction way to form an LLC, ZenBusiness is the most polished service we have assessed. Its entry plan lets you file with only your state's fee, the dashboard tracks documents and deadlines in one place, and paid tiers add faster processing and recurring compliance help. Independent reviewers consistently praise the experience and the support.
The formation package is simple, the first year of registered agent service is included, and the address shield addresses a real problem for home-based businesses. The trade-offs are a higher renewal cost than budget providers, extras sold separately, and customer feedback that is good but not uniformly so. If those trade-offs are acceptable, Northwest is an easy recommendation; if price is the only criterion, compare total multi-year cost before deciding.
Bizee's free package is among the most complete in the market, the paid tiers are reasonably priced one-time fees, and the company has a long track record. That combination is why it earns our best free package award. Treat the registered agent renewal as a known future cost, decide up front whether you need the EIN and operating agreement in Standard, and do not expect legal guidance. With those points covered, it is an easy way to get a simple company on file.
LegalZoom is worth it for founders who want one trusted provider for formation and the legal paperwork that follows, and who value being able to put a question to an attorney without retaining a firm. It is not the cheapest way to form an LLC, its registered agent is an extra annual cost, and its refund guarantee offers little once your filing is with the state. Choose the package you need before checkout, decline the extras you will not use, and diary every renewal date.
Tailor Brands is worth it for first-time founders who want their company, logo, website and domain set up together with friendly guidance, and who will keep using the tools. It is less compelling as a pure LLC filing service, because registered agent and EIN cost extra and the paid tiers renew every year. Choose your tier deliberately, decline what you do not need, and put the renewal date in your calendar the day you sign up.
We price every package, time real filings and read the fine print so you do not have to.
Value (35%): true first-year and renewal cost, what is bundled.
Speed (25%), filing turnaround and expedite options.
Features (25%): registered agent, operating agreement, compliance tools.
Support (15%), availability and quality of human help.
Do you need a formation service?
You can file directly with your state, but a formation service catches mistakes, keeps you compliant with annual requirements and bundles a registered agent, which most states require. For most first-time founders the time saved is worth far more than the modest fee.
Watch the renewal pricing
"$0 + state fee" offers are real, but registered-agent service typically renews at $100 to $300 per year after the first. Compare year-two costs, not just the headline price.
Buyer's guide
Prioritise transparent pricing, fast filing turnaround, a full year of registered-agent service included, and genuinely useful compliance alerts. Beware heavy upsells for documents you can generate free elsewhere.
What users rate them
Checked October 5, 2026
User ratings show how customers feel about a company after they have paid, which often comes down to billing, cancellation and support rather than the software itself. Trustpilot scores the company as a whole, so one profile can cover many products, and its TrustScore weights recent reviews more heavily than old ones. App Store ratings cover only the vendor's own iPhone and iPad app, which is often a companion to the main desktop product. Neither source checks accuracy, features or price, and businesses can invite their own customers to review them, so read the numbers as a signal about service, not as a measure of the product.
User ratings for the products on this page, read on 5 October 2026
Product
Trustpilot (TrustScore, reviews)
Apple App Store, US (rating, ratings count)
ZenBusiness
4.8 out of 5, 32,801 reviews
4.5 out of 5, 1,753 ratings (ZenBusiness: LLC Formation, by ZenBusiness PBC)
Northwest Registered Agent
4.1 out of 5, 303 reviews
Not listed
Bizee
4.8 out of 5, 26,217 reviews
Not listed
LegalZoom
4.6 out of 5, 33,351 reviews
Listed, no ratings yet (LegalZoom app, by LegalZoom.com, Inc.)
Tailor Brands
4.8 out of 5, 17,704 reviews
Not listed
Trustpilot figures were read on each company's Trustpilot profile and App Store figures from Apple's US store listing, both on 5 October 2026. Only apps published by the vendor itself are shown. "Not listed" means no matching profile or vendor app was found on that date. The two columns use different scales and audiences and are not combined.
State filing fees range from about $40 to $500 depending on the state. Formation services charge from $0 to $300 on top, often bundling a registered agent and operating agreement.
What is a registered agent and do I need one?
A registered agent receives legal documents for your business at a physical address during business hours. Nearly every state requires one: most formation services include the first year free.
How long does LLC formation take?
It depends on the state: from a few hours (with expedited filing) to several weeks. Most services offer paid expedite options if you are in a hurry.
Can I form an LLC in a different state from where I live?
Yes, but you will usually still need to register as a foreign LLC in your home state, doubling fees. For most small businesses, forming in your home state is cheapest.
LLC or sole proprietorship?
An LLC separates your personal assets from business liabilities and looks more credible to clients and banks. A sole proprietorship is simpler but offers no liability protection.
In-depth reviews of every pick
ZenBusiness9.8/10Free formation with polished dashboards, worry-free compliance and excellent reviews.
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