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Registering your own business doesn’t have to be daunting. Business registration services exist to streamline the process from start to finish while keeping everything compliant down the road. The best business registration services can file business formation documents for you, provide registered agents, and prepare your annual reports.
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Best Business Registration Services
- ZenBusiness – Best Overall
- Inc Authority – Best Free Service
- MyCompanyWorks – Best for Staying Organized
- IncFile – Best for Startup Services
- Northwest Registered Agent – Best for Transparency
- LegalZoom – Best for Legal Services
- Rocket Lawyer – Best for Document Creation
Software
Price
Business Formation
Annual Reports
Customer Support
Registered Agent Service
From $49 plus state fees
Can file for an LLC or Corporation
Prepare annual reports with expert help and automated technology
Solid customer support team
From $99 per year
$0 plus state fees
Can file for an LLC or Corporation
Annual report planning to help file correctly
Expert customer service, limited hours
Included free for the first year
From $59 plus state fees
Can file for an LLC, Corporation, or a DBA
Report filing services available
Unlimited phone/email support during business hours
$99 per year or included in higher tier plans
From $0 plus state fees
Form an LLC, Corporation, or nonprofit
Facilitate annual report filing
Limited to weekdays during normal business hours
Included free for the first year
Free to 100 plus state fees
Form an LLC, Corporation, or nonprofit
Annual report reminders, document storage
Knowledgeable and easy to access customer service team
$125 per year
From $79 plus state fees
Can file for an LLC, Corporation, Nonprofit, or a DBA
Create an annual report from a few simple questions
Customer support team can’t always keep up with demand
$299 per year
$39.99 per month or $99.99 flat rate
Form an LLC, Corporation, or nonprofit
Generate and maintain corporate records
Available during business hours, on-call lawyers for legal questions
$112.50 to $149.99
ZenBusiness tops our list as the best registration service thanks to fast business filing options and a low cost for incorporation. Its customer service is on hand at any point during the process to help with questions, although this team isn’t able to give any legal advice.
Starting a business can feel like a breeze next to maintaining one, so ZenBusiness has tools to make management as easy as possible. The company can help with tax documents or serve as a registered agent so you don’t have to. Be aware that these services come with an additional cost.
Why we chose it: It’s hard to beat a $49 price point (before state fees) when starting up a business of your own. ZenBusiness can also have you up and running quickly with short turnaround times for filing. To learn more about its services and pricing, read our complete review on ZenBusiness.
- Fast filing
- Helps with tax documents
- Offers a registered agent service
- No legal advice
- Pricing is not transparent
- Add-ons can increase the cost
Pricing: Starting at just $49 before any state fees, forming an LLC with ZenBusiness shouldn’t break any new company’s budget. Should you want to tap into other features that ZenBusiness offers, you will have to shell out a bit more cash. For instance, its registered agent service will set you back $99 for one year of coverage.
Inc Authority boasts over 30 years of experience as a company registration service and shares this knowledge with business owners for absolutely nothing out of pocket. You’ll receive all the tools you need to incorporate and keep your business going with annual reporting and a registered agent service. Inc Authority has a good customer support team, but they are only available during regular business hours.
Why we chose it: You get a lot for nothing by forming a business through Inc Authority. After creation, Inc Authority hopes to continue working with you down the road as your company changes and grows. Read the Inc Authority review to learn more.
- Free LLC or corporation filing
- One year of registered agent service included
- Over 30 years of experience
- Lots of upsells
- Limited customer service hours
- No refunds available on sales
Pricing: Inc Authority allows you to create an LLC or corporation for exactly $0 out of pocket. The company waives all its service charges and labor costs to get your business up and running for the lowest amount possible. As a business owner, you’re only responsible for applicable fees from your state.
Better yet, this free filing includes a business name check, tax planning, and a year of registered agent service. Inc Authority hopes to build trust early on with this free service and doesn’t wait long to start upselling you on additional features. If you do make a purchase through Inc Authority, all sales are final.
MyCompanyWorks: Best Business Registration Service for Staying Organized
Price: From $59 plus state fees
Although a bit pricier than some of the other business registration services out there, MyCompanyWorks contains personalized tools that will help you keep every aspect of your business organized. From organizational minutes to a tax consultation, MyCompanyWorks understands that the real challenge comes after starting up your business.
Why we chose it: MyCompanyWorks’ organizational tools can help you start and maintain a good business model from the moment you incorporate. Read our review on MyCompanyWorks to find out if it’s the right choice for you.
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
- Exclusive startup wizard
- Several personalization options
- Registered agent only available in higher-priced packages
- Limited customer service hours
- More expensive than similar options
Pricing: MyCompanyWorks features three tiers of service for starting up with a corporation or an LLC. The Basic plan starts at $59 and gives access to a majority of the tools MyCompanyWorks has to offer. While this includes business formation, Basic also helps you personalize and organize your new venture through a unique startup wizard.
Upgrading to the Entrepreneur plan for $199 unlocks forms and tax guides to keep all aspects of your business running smoothly. MyCompanyWorks will also act as a registered agent for a year and cover the cost of your federal tax ID.
The Complete package includes a managed annual report service and compliance checks so you don’t miss important deadlines for $279. Beyond these three tiers, you can use MyCompanyWorks to build a website for an additional fee. No matter what you choose, you can make use of the 100% satisfaction guarantee within the first 90 days of service to get a full refund.
IncFile’s Gold plan may not be free, but it contains several startup services new businesses need to succeed. Including a registered agent service, tax ID number, and banking services, you can use IncFile to take care of all your immediate needs. This can save time and money by shopping around for each of these services independently.
Why we chose it: IncFile is packed with essential features like banking and tax ID creation to simplify the business formation process for one reasonable price. To learn more about these features and their pricing, check out our IncFile review.
- Free business formation
- Registered agent service included for the first year
- Full suite of startup services
- Can be challenging to reach customer service
- Registered agent $119 after the first year
- Potential for upsells
Pricing: IncFile’s Silver service is a bit on the simple side, but it is free before paying fees to the state. You can run unlimited name services in advance of filing your documents. This tier includes an entire year of registered agent service that defaults to $119 at the beginning of year two.
You’ll get the biggest bang for your buck with the Gold plan containing the features that really make IncFile stand out. For $149, you get the perks of the Silver plan alongside a federal tax ID number, business banking account, tax consultation, and even the election form for an S-corporation if you’re going that route.
The Platinum tier at $299 expedites the business filing time and provides a domain name and business email you can use to look more professional. These features are great, but you need to decide how much of an upsell you can afford when just starting out.
Northwest Registered Agent: Best Business Registration Service for Transparency
Price: Free to $100 (plus state fees)
Northwest Registered Agent’s claim to fame as a company registration service comes from its belief in transparency and treating customers like actual human beings. The service doesn’t hide its pricing information and stands upon excellent and accessible customer service to get things right the first time. It also makes a point of keeping your private information safe. While this is enough for some, Northwest does lack some features that other companies include in their plans.
Why we chose it: Northwest Registered Agent prides itself on transparency with its pricing and customer service. It believes in treating clients like the people they are by keeping customer support lines open and keeping money out of the forefront of conversation. Read the Northwest Registered Agent review to learn more about its services.
- Can pay up front or monthly
- Protects your private information
- Free do it yourself plan
- On the expensive side
- Do it yourself plan requires you to do all the work
- Lacks some features
Pricing: Northwest Registered Agent’s pricing changes depending on whether you’re planning to pay up front or monthly over the course of a year. Neither option is cheap, as paying up front will cost you $100 for just the filing service fee. You’re still responsible for state fees on top of that. Using Northwest as your registered agent will set you back an additional $125 per year.
Monthly rates vary from state to state but hover in the $45 to $60 per month price range. This monthly cost includes service fees, state fees, a federal tax ID, and registered agent service. Upon sign-up, you are committing to pay for at least an entire year.
It is possible to have Northwest Registered Agent walk you through the incorporation process with a free account. The downside is that you have to do the work yourself every step of the way.
LegalZoom does business registration for any entity out there, from LLCs to nonprofits, and filing “doing business as” paperwork for your sole proprietorship. Prices for each service are rather expensive, and you may have some difficulty reaching a customer service agent to start the process.
Why we chose it: Far beyond company registration services, LegalZoom offers everything from property deed transfers to living wills. Those needing a large variety of features will likely find everything they need with LegalZoom. Check out the LegalZoom review to learn more about these features.
- 60-day satisfaction guarantee
- Wide range of legal services
- Can file any type of business
- Expensive
- May experience delays with customer service
- Registered agent not included
Pricing: LegalZoom doesn’t have a fancy pricing strategy, preferring an a la carte method for feature selection. LLC incorporation starts at $79 before state filing fees, whereas a corporation is nearly double that at $149.
Additional tools such as annual reporting and operating agreements cost extra, with a year’s worth of registered agent service at a whopping $299. If you give LegalZoom a try for its breadth of features, you’ll have 60 days to cancel for a complete refund.
Rocket Lawyer: Best Business Registration Service for Document Creation
Price: $39.99 per month or $99.99 flat rate
Rocket Lawyer does an okay job of business registration, with an initial incorporation included in the cost of membership. The service really stands out with document creation, where you can generate and sign all the legal files you’ll ever need. Beyond that, you can ask any of Rocket Lawyer’s on-call attorneys about your legal conundrums and receive quick responses.
Why we chose it: Rocket Lawyer helps set your business apart with document creation and the ability to sign online. Add that to registration services and legal counsel, and you have a force to be reckoned with. Read the Rocket Lawyer review to learn more.
- LLC formation included in a new membership
- Complimentary legal questions
- 7-day free trial
- Non-member pricing per item is expensive
- Membership is pricier than most
- Doesn’t specialize in business formation
Pricing: Rocket Lawyer offers two approaches to its services in the form of membership or non-membership. Members pay a flat $39.99 per month and receive access to document services, legal counsel, and free business filing at initial sign-up. Subscribers can use Rocket Lawyer as a registered agent for $112.50, 25% off the non-member price.
Non-members have to pay for each service they use, and not one of them is reasonably priced. Business incorporation costs $99.99, and a registered agent will set you back another $149.99. Creating a single legal document runs $39.99, and legal consults start at $59.99.
Rocket Lawyer does give users the option to try its services for free. When you sign up with a credit card, your first seven days of membership are on the house. If you don’t like what you see, you’ll need to cancel before getting billed for your first month of service.
Methodology for the Best Business Registration Services
Several factors went into our decision process for selecting the best business registration services out there. After careful analysis, we considered the following criteria to be the most important when making our selections.
Business Formation
There are multiple business types available for small businesses in the United States, and a business registration service should be able to help you with any one of them. While LLCs are the most common form new businesses take, some business owners prefer a corporation or nonprofit (like a 501c3 nonprofit) instead. Let’s not forget partnerships or sole proprietorships who may want to file a “doing business as” document to their venture a new identity.
As your business evolves down the road, you may need to make changes to your entity’s structure. Having a business registration service that can help you with this is a huge plus as well.
Registered Agent Service
All LLCs require a registered agent service during the formation process. Although it is possible to be your own registered agent, it’s advisable to use a third party to receive legal documents on your behalf.
The best company registration services double as registered agents but typically charge a yearly fee for doing so. Some will throw in this service for free for the first year, which can be a real blessing for a new business.
Turnaround Time
Getting your business up and running is a priority, and waiting to cut through the red tape can be stress-inducing. Some companies can take your information and file it all on the same day, reducing the wait time to the state’s filing process. It may even be possible to use these services to expedite state filing to minimize the time it takes to get going.
Customer Support
Registering a business has become much easier since the introduction of the internet, but that doesn’t mean the process isn’t without its challenges. It’s essential to have a dedicated customer support team on hand to help out in the event something doesn’t go as it should. Furthermore, having a team on hand outside of normal business hours can help diffuse costly issues that would otherwise have to wait until the next business day.
When it comes to business formation, assistance often extends past a traditional help desk to situations where you need legal counsel. It’s helpful to know that the platform you’re working with has the expertise to provide answers to these tough questions as well.
Price
Company registration services can look like great deals at first glance but have a bunch of add-ons that really rack up the price. However, some platforms will at least get your business registered for free and possibly throw in a registered agent service as well if needed.
Keep in mind that forming a business is just the first step of the process. Many of these services showcase tools to file annual reports or create documents as needed for additional fees.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Business Registration Services
Business registration services aren’t always black and white. Below are answers to some of the most common questions about forming a business.
Bottom Line on the Best Business Registration Services
Using a business registration service takes the guesswork out of setting up a new venture by filing the necessary documentation for you. If that wasn’t enough, many manage the legal side of your business so you can focus on more important things. There are usually initial costs, but these platforms frequently pay for themselves in no time. When forming a new business, don’t hesitate to look to a registration service for the tools to succeed.
Noah is an American copywriter on a mission to help clarify the nuances of the business world through unique insights stemming from backgrounds in both engineering and the medical field. When not working, you’ll likely find him running or traveling.
