What Is a Registered Agent? (And Do You Need One?)
Learn what a registered agent is, why every LLC needs one, and whether to hire a service or be your own. Covers costs, requirements, and top providers.
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Real LLC filings through every major service. Pricing, speed, and hidden fees tested firsthand.
Editor's Choice
We filed LLCs in Texas, Florida, and Wyoming through ZenBusiness and had approved documents in hand within 2-3 weeks on the free tier. The dashboard walked us through every post-formation step — EIN, operating agreement, banking — without the aggressive upselling we've seen elsewhere. At $0 + state fees for the Starter plan, ZenBusiness removes the cost objection entirely.
ZenBusiness's dashboard
Real LLC filings in multiple states. Scored on pricing transparency (25%), filing speed (20%), ease of use (20%), features (20%), and support (15%). See our methodology →
Northwest is the anti-upsell formation service. We went through their entire checkout in 4 minutes and weren't asked to add a single unnecessary extra. The $39 + state fees price includes a full year of registered agent service — and their agents are actual employees in local offices, not virtual mailboxes. If you value your privacy and hate being nickel-and-dimed, Northwest is the obvious choice.
LegalZoom is the name everyone knows, and that brand recognition comes with a premium. At $0 + state fees for basic formation, the entry price is competitive — but the real play is their Business Advisory Plan ($33/mo) which gives you unlimited attorney consultations. If your business involves contracts, liability questions, or regulatory complexity, that ongoing legal access justifies the higher cost. For straightforward single-member LLCs, you'll overpay here.
Bizee (formerly Incfile) has filed over 1 million businesses since 2004, and their free tier is genuinely free — no hidden gotchas. We filed a Florida LLC and had approved documents in 15 business days with zero out-of-pocket beyond the $125 state fee. The catch: their registered agent costs $199/year after the free first year, and the dashboard feels like it hasn't been updated since the Incfile rebrand.
Swyft Filings lives up to its name. We filed a Wyoming LLC on Tuesday morning and had approved articles of organization by Thursday afternoon — 48-hour turnaround on the standard tier that other services charge $50-$100 extra for. The base price of $0 + state fees is competitive, but the real value is speed. If you need to open a business bank account this week, Swyft gets you there.
Tailor Brands bundles LLC formation with logo design, business cards, and a basic website builder — all for $199/year on the Lite plan. We liked the logo generator (genuinely usable results, not clipart) and the all-in-one approach saves time if you're starting completely from scratch. But if you already have branding or just need formation, you're paying for tools you won't use. The formation-only experience is also slower than dedicated services.
doola is purpose-built for international entrepreneurs who need a US LLC — and that focus shows. They handled our test filing for a UK-based founder including EIN, US bank account setup (Mercury), and a US mailing address, all in one package. The $297 Total Compliance plan even includes bookkeeping and tax filing. No other service on this list comes close for non-US founders. For US-based filers, it's overpriced for what you get.
Harbor Compliance charges $399 for formation — the highest on this list — but that price includes something no competitor matches: a dedicated compliance specialist who manages your filings across all 50 states. We tested their multi-state registration for a client expanding from Delaware to California and New York, and the specialist handled foreign qualification filings, state tax registrations, and business license research. For single-state, single-member LLCs, this is overkill. For businesses operating across state lines, it's worth every penny.
| Product | Starting Price | Registered Agent | Filing Speed | Customer Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ZenBusiness 4.8 | $0 + state fees | Free year 1 ($199/yr after) | 2-3 weeks (standard) | 4.8/5 (Trustpilot) | $0 + state fees | Visit Site |
| $39 + state fees | Free year 1 ($125/yr after) | 3-5 business days | 4.9/5 (Trustpilot) | $39 + state fees | Visit Site | |
LegalZoom 4.2 | $0 + state fees | $299/yr (not included) | 20-30 business days | 4.1/5 (Trustpilot) | $0 + state fees | Visit Site |
Bizee 4.4 | $0 + state fees | Free year 1 ($199/yr after) | 2-4 weeks (standard) | 4.6/5 (Trustpilot) | $0 + state fees | Visit Site |
Swyft Filings 4.3 | $0 + state fees | $99/yr (not included) | 48 hours (standard) | 4.5/5 (Trustpilot) | $0 + state fees | Visit Site |
Tailor Brands 4.1 | $199/yr (subscription) | Included in subscription | 3-4 weeks | 4.3/5 (Trustpilot) | $199/yr (Lite) | Visit Site |
doola 4.5 | $297/yr | Included in all plans | 1-2 weeks | 4.7/5 (Trustpilot) | $297/yr | Visit Site |
| $399 + state fees | $99/yr per state | 1-2 weeks | 4.2/5 (Google) | $399 + state fees | Visit Site |
Privacy-conscious owners and multi-state filers
Form Your LLC — $39Businesses that need ongoing legal support beyond formation
Start with LegalZoomBudget-conscious entrepreneurs who want free formation
Start Free with BizeeSolopreneurs who want formation plus branding in one place
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A Limited Liability Company (LLC) is a business structure that separates your personal assets from your business debts and liabilities. If your LLC gets sued or can't pay its debts, creditors generally can't come after your personal bank accounts, home, or car. LLCs also offer flexible tax treatment — you can be taxed as a sole proprietor, partnership, S-corp, or C-corp depending on what saves you the most money.
The cost has two parts: the formation service fee and the state filing fee. Several services (ZenBusiness, Bizee, Swyft Filings) offer $0 formation — you only pay your state's filing fee, which ranges from $40 (Kentucky) to $500 (Massachusetts). Most states charge $50-$200. On top of that, you'll want a registered agent ($99-$299/year) and may need an EIN (free from the IRS, but services charge $50-$100 to file it for you).
No. You can file directly with your state's Secretary of State office and save the service fee entirely. Formation services save you time (15-30 minutes vs. 1-3 hours of research), reduce the risk of errors on your filing, and typically include extras like registered agent service, compliance reminders, and operating agreement templates. If you're comfortable with paperwork and your state has a straightforward online filing process, DIY is a valid option.
A registered agent is a person or company designated to receive legal documents (lawsuits, government notices, tax forms) on behalf of your LLC. Every state requires LLCs to have one. You can be your own registered agent in most states, but that means your home address goes on public record and you must be available at that address during business hours. Most business owners use a registered agent service ($99-$299/year) for privacy and convenience.
Form your LLC in the state where you do business. Despite what you may have heard about Delaware or Wyoming, forming in a different state than where you operate means you'll need to register as a 'foreign LLC' in your home state anyway — paying fees in both states. Delaware and Wyoming make sense for specific situations (venture-backed startups, holding companies, multi-state operations), but for most small businesses, your home state is the right choice.
It depends on the state and whether you pay for expedited processing. Standard processing ranges from 48 hours (Wyoming through Swyft Filings) to 30 business days (LegalZoom standard tier). Most formation services complete filing within 1-3 weeks. If you need it faster, most services offer rush processing for $50-$200 extra, and some states offer same-day filing for an additional state fee.
A single-member LLC has one owner and is taxed as a sole proprietorship by default. A multi-member LLC has two or more owners and is taxed as a partnership by default. Both offer the same liability protection. The main difference is in management — multi-member LLCs need an operating agreement that spells out ownership percentages, profit distribution, voting rights, and what happens if a member wants to leave.
Tips, guides, and industry insights
Learn what a registered agent is, why every LLC needs one, and whether to hire a service or be your own. Covers costs, requirements, and top providers.
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