Research & Comparison

Best LLC Formation Services in 2026

Q: How much does it actually cost to form an LLC?

The total cost has two parts: a service fee (which can be $0 on starter plans) and a mandatory state filing fee. State fees vary widely — Delaware charges $90, Wyoming charges $100, and California charges $70 — but some states cost more. California also has an $800/yr minimum franchise tax regardless of income. New York requires a publication fee (~$500 one-time). When you add a registered agent ($119–$249/yr depending on the service), the realistic first-year cost for most people is $150–$500 all in. The 'free' plans are legitimately free for the formation service itself — the state fee is unavoidable.

Q: ZenBusiness vs LegalZoom — which is better in 2026?

ZenBusiness wins for most people. It has a higher Trustpilot score (4.8 vs 4.6), lower ongoing cost, and includes a registered agent free for the first year — while LegalZoom charges $249/yr for registered agent on top of the plan price. LegalZoom is the right choice if you need attorney access: their Premium plan includes unlimited 30-minute legal consultations during your first 30 days, which is valuable for complex structures, IP concerns, or multi-member LLCs with unusual terms.

Q: ZenBusiness vs Bizee — what's the real difference?

Both offer a $0 starter plan with registered agent included in year one. The difference shows up on renewal: Bizee's registered agent renews at $119/yr vs ZenBusiness's $199/yr, making Bizee cheaper long-term if price is your only concern. However, ZenBusiness has significantly better customer support and an A+ BBB rating vs Bizee's F rating. Bizee's Gold plan also includes EIN + IRS Form 2553 + banking resolution bundled, which ZenBusiness charges extra for. Choose Bizee for the lowest ongoing cost; choose ZenBusiness for better support and peace of mind.

Q: Why does Bizee have an F BBB rating?

Bizee (formerly Incfile) holds an F rating from the Better Business Bureau because of unanswered customer complaints on file. This doesn't necessarily mean the service is fraudulent — millions of people have formed LLCs through them — but it does mean that when customers had problems, Bizee did not resolve them through the BBB process. The most common complaints relate to unexpected charges and difficulty canceling auto-renewing services. If you do use Bizee, read the terms carefully and set a calendar reminder to review renewal charges annually.

Q: How long does LLC formation take?

It depends on your state's processing speed more than the formation service. Most states process LLC filings in 1–3 weeks. For standard filings, ZenBusiness typically takes 2–3 weeks, Bizee is state-dependent (often 1–2 weeks), and LegalZoom takes 5–14 days on their base plan. Rush processing is available from all three: LegalZoom offers 1 business day rush; ZenBusiness offers 4–6 business days on Pro and Premium. Some states (like Delaware and Wyoming) are inherently fast regardless of the service used. If speed matters, LegalZoom's rush processing is the fastest option.

Q: Do I need a registered agent service?

Yes — every LLC is legally required to have a registered agent in the state where it's formed. A registered agent receives official legal and government mail on your behalf (lawsuits, tax notices, compliance reminders). You can be your own registered agent if you live in the state and are available at a physical address during business hours — but using a service ($119–$249/yr) is worth it because it keeps your personal address off public records, ensures you never miss a notice, and handles compliance reminders automatically.

Q: Can I form an LLC myself without a service?

Yes. Every state lets you file Articles of Organization directly with the Secretary of State — typically online, for the same state fee. The DIY route makes sense if you're comfortable with paperwork, don't need a registered agent service, and are forming in a simple single-member structure. What you give up: document storage, annual report reminders, compliance alerts, and the convenience of having formation docs organized in one place. For most first-time founders, paying $0 + state fee for a starter plan from ZenBusiness or Bizee gives you professional filing plus those extras at no additional cost.

Q: What is Worry-Free Compliance and is it worth it?

Worry-Free Compliance is ZenBusiness's annual compliance package. It's included free for the first year on all plans, then auto-renews at $199/yr. It covers two amendment filings per year, annual report reminders and filing assistance, and access to their compliance dashboard. It's worth it if your LLC is active and you want hands-off compliance management. It's not worth it if you're comfortable tracking your own annual report deadlines (each state's deadline is public information) and your LLC structure is unlikely to change. Cancel before the auto-renewal date if you don't want it.

We reviewed 3 leading services across price, speed, trust, and support. Here's who wins — and the one we'd actually use.

Services reviewed3

Hours of research40+

Last updatedJune 2026

We evaluate services on real pricing (not promotional rates), first-year total cost, BBB and Trustpilot ratings, and feature completeness. Some links on this page are affiliate links. This doesn't affect our rankings or editorial independence.

Find your best fit:

Our Rankings

#1 Best Overall★ Our Pick

ZenBusiness

$0 + state fee

starting price

⭐ 4.8/5 Trustpilot (27,600+ reviews)BBB: A+

Pros

✓Free starter plan with registered agent included yr 1
✓Highest-rated customer support — phone, email, and chat
✓Worry-Free Compliance keeps annual filings on track

Cons

✗Registered agent renews at $199/yr after year one
✗Compliance package auto-renews — read the fine print at checkout

Pricing tiers

Starter

$0/yr

Pro

$199/yr

Premium

See site

Registered agent: Free yr 1, then $199/yr

Visit ZenBusiness →

Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no cost to you

#2 Lowest First-Year Cost

Bizee

$0 + state fee

starting price

⭐ 4.7/5 Trustpilot (12,500+ reviews)BBB: F — Unaccredited — unanswered BBB complaints

⚠️ Bizee holds an F rating from the BBB. We're flagging this so you can make an informed choice — it's still a widely-used service.

Pros

✓Cheapest registered agent renewal at $119/yr after year one
✓Free registered agent included on all plans for year one
✓Gold plan bundles EIN + IRS Form 2553 + banking resolution

Cons

✗F rating from the BBB for unanswered customer complaints
✗Customer support quality lags behind ZenBusiness

Pricing tiers

Silver

$0/yr

Gold

$199/yr

Platinum

$299/yr

Registered agent: Free yr 1, then $119/yr

Visit Bizee →

#3 Best for Complex Needs

LegalZoom

$0 + state fee

starting price

⭐ 4.6/5 Trustpilot (28,600+ reviews)BBB: A+

Pros

✓Attorney access on Premium — unlimited 30-min consultations (first 30 days)
✓Largest brand: 4M+ customers served since 2001
✓Handles trademarks, wills, and contracts beyond just LLC formation

Cons

✗Registered agent is $249/yr and NOT included in any plan
✗Slowest standard processing at 5–14 days; most expensive overall

Pricing tiers

Basic

$0/yr

Pro

$249/yr

Premium

$299/yr

Registered agent: $249/yr (not included — purchased separately)

Visit LegalZoom →

Full Feature Comparison

Scroll horizontally on mobile.

Feature	ZenBusiness★ Our Pick	Bizee	LegalZoom
Articles of Organization	✓ all plans	✓ all plans	✓ all plans
Registered agent — year 1	✓ free	✓ free	✗ ($249 extra)
Registered agent — renewal	$199/yr	$119/yr	$249/yr
Operating agreement	Pro+	Gold+	Pro+
EIN filing	Pro+	Gold+	Pro+
IRS Form 2553	✗	Gold+	✗
Banking resolution	✗	Gold+	✗
Attorney access	✗	✗	✓ Premium
Annual report reminders	✓ all plans	✓ lifetime	✓
Domain + business email	Premium	Platinum	✗
Standard turnaround	2–3 weeks	State-dependent	5–14 days
Rush processing	4–6 business days	A few days	1 business day
Customer support	Phone / email / chat	Phone / email	Phone / email / chat
BBB rating	A+	F (unaccredited)	A+
Trustpilot score	4.8/5 (27k+)	4.7/5 (12.5k+)	4.6/5 (28.6k+)

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it actually cost to form an LLC?▼

ZenBusiness vs LegalZoom — which is better in 2026?▼

ZenBusiness vs Bizee — what's the real difference?▼

Why does Bizee have an F BBB rating?▼

How long does LLC formation take?▼

Do I need a registered agent service?▼

Can I form an LLC myself without a service?▼

What is Worry-Free Compliance and is it worth it?▼

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Our Rankings

ZenBusiness

Bizee

LegalZoom

Full Feature Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

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