Best LLC Formation Services (2026)
Our Top Picks
Best LLC Formation Services: Our Top 3 Picks
ZenBusiness — Best Overall: Free LLC filing with registered agent included for the first year. 4.7/5 on Trustpilot with 15,000+ reviews.
Northwest Registered Agent — Best for Privacy: Uses their address (not yours) on all public filings. $39 to form, $125/year for registered agent after year one.
Incfile (Bizee) - Best Free Option: $0 LLC formation plus free registered agent for year one at $119/year after. Over 1 million businesses formed.
Get Started with ZenBusiness | Try Northwest | Form Free with Incfile
Comparison Table
| Service | Best For | Formation Price | Registered Agent | Processing Time | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZenBusiness | Best overall value | $0 (Starter) | $199/yr (1st yr free) | 2-3 weeks | 9.2/10 |
| Northwest | Privacy-focused | $39 | $125/yr (1st yr free) | 1-5 days | 9.0/10 |
| Incfile (Bizee) | Budget-conscious | $0 (Free tier) | $119/yr (1st yr free) | 2-3 weeks | 8.7/10 |
| LegalZoom | Brand recognition | $0 (Basic) | $299/yr (no free year) | 30 business days | 7.5/10 |
| Swyft Filings | Fast processing | $0 (Basic) | $149/yr | 3-5 days | 8.3/10 |
Our Evaluation Criteria
We scored each LLC formation service across five weighted criteria: total first-year cost (30%), processing speed (20%), included features (20%), registered agent value (15%), and customer satisfaction scores aggregated from G2, Trustpilot, and BBB (15%). Pricing was verified directly from each provider's website in May 2026.
ZenBusiness - Best Overall Value
ZenBusiness has become the default recommendation for most new LLC filers, and for good reason: their Starter plan is genuinely free (you only pay the state filing fee), includes a registered agent for the first year, and throws in an operating agreement template that most competitors charge extra for.
What they do well:
- $0 formation with no hidden upsells during checkout (unlike LegalZoom)
- Operating Agreement included on all plans (LegalZoom charges $99+ for this)
- Compliance reminders so you never miss your annual report deadline
Limitations:
- Standard processing takes 2-3 weeks (Northwest does it in 1-5 days)
- Registered agent jumps to $199/year after the free first year (Northwest is $125/year)
- Rush processing costs an extra $100
Who should use it: First-time LLC filers who want a clean, no-upsell experience and don't need same-day filing.
Northwest Registered Agent - Best for Privacy
Northwest stands apart from every other service on this list for one reason: they use their own business address on your public filing documents. Every other service puts YOUR home address on state records unless you pay extra for a virtual address. Northwest includes this by default.
What they do well:
- Your home address never appears on public LLC filings (their address is used instead)
- Same-day filing available in most states
- $125/year registered agent is the cheapest premium option after the free first year
- Zero upsells - the checkout process literally has no add-on screens
Limitations:
- The $39 base price is higher than ZenBusiness and Incfile's $0 options
- No free operating agreement template (you'll need to find one yourself or pay for their Full Service at $225)
- Smaller team means phone support hours are more limited
Who should use it: Anyone who works from home and doesn't want their home address on a public database. Real estate investors forming multiple LLCs should seriously consider this.
Incfile (Bizee) - Best Free Option
Incfile (recently rebranded to Bizee) pioneered the free LLC formation model. Their free tier includes preparation and filing of your Articles of Organization plus a first-year registered agent at no cost. They've formed over 1 million businesses since 2004.
What they do well:
- $0 formation + free registered agent year one
- Registered agent renewal at $119/year is the cheapest on this list
- Dashboard for managing compliance, filings, and documents in one place
- Lifetime company alerts (annual report reminders) on all plans
Limitations:
- Free tier doesn't include EIN filing (you'll need Gold at $199 or do it yourself on IRS.gov for free)
- Operating agreement costs $99 on Gold tier
- Processing time on free tier is 2-3 weeks with no rush option unless you upgrade
Who should use it: Budget-focused entrepreneurs who are comfortable filing their own EIN on the IRS website (takes 5 minutes).
LegalZoom - Biggest Brand, Worst Value
LegalZoom is the household name in LLC formation. They spend heavily on TV advertising and have strong brand recognition. Unfortunately, they're also the most expensive option with the slowest processing times on this list.
The hard truth: LegalZoom's registered agent costs $299/year with no free first year. That's $174 more per year than Northwest ($125/yr) and $80 more than ZenBusiness ($199/yr with a free first year). Over 5 years, you'll pay $870 more than if you'd used Northwest.
Who should use it: Only if you need the attorney consultation on their Premium plan ($299) and specifically want LegalZoom's attorney network. For standard LLC formation, there's no reason to choose them over ZenBusiness or Northwest.
Swyft Filings - Fast Standard Processing
Swyft Filings processes in 3-5 business days on their standard tier - faster than ZenBusiness and Incfile without paying for rush. Their pricing is competitive at $0 for basic formation.
Best for: People who need their LLC filed quickly but don't want to pay Northwest's $39 or expedited fees elsewhere.
What to Look For When Choosing an LLC Service
- Total first-year cost - Add formation fee + state fee + registered agent. The "free" services aren't always cheapest when you factor in registered agent renewal.
- Processing speed - If you need your EIN to open a bank account next week, standard 2-3 week processing won't work. Pay for rush or choose Northwest.
- Privacy - If you work from home, your address goes on public state records unless you use Northwest or pay for a virtual address add-on.
- Registered agent renewal cost - This is an annual fee for the life of your LLC. The difference between $119/yr (Incfile) and $299/yr (LegalZoom) compounds every year.
- Included features - Operating agreement, EIN filing, and compliance alerts are valuable. Check if they're included or upsold.
Final Verdict
For most people forming their first LLC, ZenBusiness is the best choice: free formation, free registered agent for year one, and included operating agreement. No upsell pressure during checkout.
If privacy matters to you (especially home-based business owners and real estate investors), Northwest Registered Agent is worth the $39 premium. Your home address stays off public records permanently.
If you're on a tight budget and comfortable filing your own EIN, Incfile (Bizee) has the cheapest long-term registered agent cost at $119/year.
Skip LegalZoom unless you specifically need their attorney consultation. You'll pay $174+ more per year for the same LLC filing.
Dan Wakefield
Senior Product Analyst
Dan has spent 8+ years evaluating business software and helping entrepreneurs choose the right tools for their stack. He focuses on practical comparisons backed by real pricing data and user feedback.