The top 5 LLC formation services for small businesses.

An LLC is a popular way to structure a small business because it offers protection for personal assets from lawsuits or business debts and provides tax benefits.

An LLC formation service can not only assist you in registering your LLC but also provide additional support such as tax guidance and website-building tools.

CNBC Select has compiled a list of top LLC formation services for small businesses, taking into account processing times, access to business tools, and other services. Our methodology is detailed below.

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Best for fast processing time

What sets FileNow apart from other services is its speedy order processing time of just 24 hours. In contrast, most other services can take several days to process your order. According to FileNow's website, the company begins assembling your paperwork as soon as you place an order and has an expert on staff review the work and submit it to the Department of State within the same business day.

If you sign up for the Premium plan with FileNow, you will receive one year of registered agent access for free.

Best for access to attorneys

What is the purpose of LegalZoom's Premium Package? It offers access to business attorneys who can provide guidance on legal processes related to your company, including LLC formation. The attorneys are available for advice at any time, and they can review your contracts, provide step-by-step compliance guidance, and more. However, this service comes at an additional cost of $49 per month after a 30-day trial period.

LegalZoom provides additional services to help businesses continue operating after registration. It offers over 150 downloadable legal forms, customizable forms, and the ability to create a website through Wix.

Best if you also need a website

ZenBusiness offers more than just LLC formation; it also provides website building services, making it a one-stop shop for launching your company.

In addition to the website-building capabilities of ZenBusiness, there are additional fees for certain features. For instance, you can purchase a logo creation kit for $60, and a domain costs $25 per year. The website builder costs $129 per year once your website is published. These prices are competitive when compared to other external domain hosting and website design platforms.

Best for a registered agent

If you require a registered agent for your business, Northwest Registered Agent can be a valuable resource. The company offers its registered agent service for $125 per year, and provides a discounted rate of $100 per year per state for those who need it in five or more states.

Northwest provides built-in Privacy by Default®, which guarantees extra privacy and safeguards user data without requiring additional payment or opt-in.

Best basic package

What does Bizee's most basic package include? This package offers filing for your articles of organization, registered agent service for one year, access to a business tax consultation, and more, all without any additional fees other than the state filing fee.

While Bizee offers a standard processing time of one business day, your state filing time may take several weeks.

FileNow

FileNow's team of experts can assist you with various business formation needs, including LLCs, S-Corps, C-Corps, and DBAs, as well as help you register for an EIN, a registered agent service, and a certificate of good standing.

Cost

The Starter plan costs $49 plus state filing fees, while the Premium plan costs $199 plus state filing fees.

LegalZoom

To determine the most suitable services for your business, LegalZoom asks you a few basic questions about your business, such as your business name, location, and experience in running a business.

Cost

The Basic plan costs $0 in addition to state filing fees, the Pro plan costs $249 in addition to state filing fees, and the Premium plan costs $299 in addition to state filing fees.

ZenBusiness

Since its founding in 2017, ZenBusiness provides a range of services to help businesses create and manage their websites. In addition to this, premium customers receive access to standard LLC filing, compliance, EIN filing, operating agreement filing, and business document templates.

Cost

The Starter plan costs $0 plus state filing fees, the Pro plan costs $199 per year plus state filing fees, and the Premium plan costs $299 per year plus state fees.

Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest Registered Agent offers a straightforward pricing plan for business formation services, which may be attractive to customers who prioritize simplicity over options. Additionally, this company provides support with BOI reporting, annual compliance, and registered agent changes.

Cost

$39 + state filing fee for LLC formation, corporation and nonprofit

Bizee

Incfile, now known as Bizee, has over 20,000 reviews on Trustpilot with an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars.

Cost

The Basic plan costs $0 plus the state filing fee, the Standard plan costs $199 plus the state filing fee, and the Premium plan costs $299 plus the state filing fee.

Why trust CNBC Select

Our mission at CNBC Select is to deliver top-notch service journalism and in-depth consumer advice to our readers, enabling them to make well-informed decisions when it comes to their money. Each article is meticulously crafted by our team of expert writers and editors, who possess extensive knowledge of small business products. At CNBC Select, we maintain the highest journalistic standards and ethics, and we earn a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links. However, our content is created independently by our team, without any input from our commercial team or external third parties. To learn more about our methodology and how we select the best LLC services for small businesses, please refer to our methodology page.

Methodology

Several LLC formation services were analyzed by CNBC Select to determine the best options for small businesses.

We compared each checking account on a range of features, including:

Fee structure and pricing plans
Registered Agent service
Formation services offered
Business management features and tools offered
Customer support
Customer reviews, when available

Fee structures for LLC formation services are subject to change without notice.

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