Best Online Incorporation Service
There is a great number of online incorporation services that allow you to register your business without hiring an attorney. However, choosing the wrong services puts you at risk of suffering compliance fines or dissolution of your business by the state. Here are our reviews of the best online incorporation service so you can avoid further headaches and choose a trusted provider that meets your needs.
Reviews of the Best Online Incorporation Services
1. Incfile
Incfile comes first on our list of the best business formation services due to its amazing pricing. The basic plan costs $0 and includes all the necessary features to file to incorporate businesses. You would only have to pay $40 for an operating agreement template and $99 for annual compliance, all on top of the state fee.
If you need more features, you can choose the Incfile Gold package which costs $149. This plan features everything in the basic plan together with Employer Identification Number (EIN), personalized binder, a banking resolution, meeting minutes, and corporate bylaws. Meanwhile, the Incfile Platinum package costs $249 and offers additional features like free domain name, business website, expedited shipping, and contract templates.
All pricing packages feature 12 months of free registered agent services. However, renewal fees cost $119 per year.
Pros:
- Most affordable pricing
- Quick processing
- Amazing customer reviews and feedback
- A full year of registered agent services
Cons:
- Strict refund policy
- Third-party upsells in the checkout process
2. Northwest Registered Agent
This business formation company made our list because of the high quality of its incorporation filing services and impressive customer support. Northwest also offers an easy and straightforward business formation process.
All Northwest pricing packages include a full year of registered agent service at no extra charge. However, renewing this service costs $125 annually, which is generally lower than the prices charged by many other incorporation services.
Northwest used to offer three pricing packages but has streamlined it to just a single package for $225. This includes all necessary documents for business formation, annual reporting compliance, dedicated corporate guides, operating agreements [1], and same-day business filing.
Pros
- Simple pricing that is affordable
- 12 months of registered agent service included
- Highly personalized customer support
- No upsells and add-ons
Cons
- No option to choose another package that doesn’t include features that you don’t need
- Few customer reviews available
3. ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness offers the next affordable service after Incfile. ZenBusiness packages include a free one-year registered agent service and an in-house CPA assessment, which are valuable features that not all competitors offer at a great price.
ZenBusiness has three pricing plans which require a state fee on top of the price. The Starter plan is $0 + state fess per year and includes all the top features needed for incorporation filings, like 12 months of registered agent service (which renews at $119 per year), business filing services, and free operating agreement templates, among others.
The Pro plan costs $199 per year and includes features such as worry-free compliance, expedited filing, and EIN.
Meanwhile, the Premium plan costs $299 per year and has additional features including a domain name, business website, domain privacy, and more.
ZenBusiness is also a partner to Kiva.org, which provides microfinance loans to women-owned and minority-owned businesses.
Pros
- Excellent customer reviews
- Highly affordable pricing
- 12 months of free registered agent service
Cons
- Confusing turnaround times
- Some features in ZenBusiness’ premium packages may not be necessary
3. Swyft Filings
Although Swyft Filings is a relatively new company, it has managed to carve a niche for itself in the online business formation industry. Swyft Filings offers a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee and focuses on providing reliable customer service.
Swyft Filings offers three pricing packages, which are Basic, Standard, and Premium. All pricing includes state fees.
The Basic plan costs $49 and includes 12 months of a free domain name, 30 minutes of business tax consultation, Compliance Guard alerts, lifetime customer support via phone, email, or webchat, name availability verification, and preparation and filing of Articles of Organization
Meanwhile, the Standard plan costs $149 and includes banking resolution, Federal Tax ID number or Employer Identification Number, LLC operating agreement, and organizational minutes, along with all the features of the Basic plan.
Lastly, the Premium plan costs $299. It includes additional features like a business website, 90 days of free hosting, and a digital corporation kit, along with all the features of the Standard plan. Swyft Filings emphasizes on providing fast services regardless of the plan when it comes to business formation.
Pros
- Good pricing
- Great customer reviews
- Provides same-day filing
Cons
- Pricing packages lack registered agent services
- No choices for slower delivery options
Your Guide in Choosing an Online Incorporation Service
Plans and Packages of the Incorporation Service
The first thing you must always consider when choosing an online incorporation service is the packages it offers. Expensive packages don’t always translate into the best. Low-priced packages may also look attractive but lack the basic features.
Always research the plans and packages of your chosen service and pick the options that contain all the features you need. In certain instances, you can choose to remove features that are unnecessary to your business.
Overall Value & Pricing
If you can choose between several providers that offer similar features, pick the cheapest provider. Carefully research the pricing of each plan and know what it covers and what it doesn’t.
Time Requirement
Some business filing services take a longer time to file for incorporation while others offer expedited filing. If you want your business to be incorporated faster, consider the incorporation services that offer an expedited filing option and know the cost required.
Availability of Resources in the Online Service
You need to know what services and products you’re getting from the business filing company. Your chosen filing company must also have quality resources for customers. Otherwise, you may end up paying for upsells.
Additional Legal Services
While some filing services offer nothing more beyond business formation services, others have additional legal services to their incorporation services for businesses. It is advisable to choose a business filing company that also offers online legal services.
Customer Service
Online incorporation services should have good customer service support available for their customers. The availability varies among online incorporation services. You can look at customer reviews to gauge the quality of customer services of your chosen online service.
Customer Support
To create seamless communication with customers and ensure that customers can reach them on their preferred platforms, online services should have various methods of support, which include phone, email, Skype, and webchat.
Online Incorporation Refund Policy
You may end up not being completely satisfied with the services offered by an online filing company for your business, and consequently, want a refund. In such cases, it would be convenient to choose a business formation company that offers a full refund to unsatisfied customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you DIY incorporation?
Yes, you can DIY incorporation. You can prepare and file the government forms yourself. However, this has its pros and cons. While you may end up saving some money, you might spend more time filing your paperwork and miss deadlines.
Should I hire a lawyer or an incorporation service for my company?
Hiring an incorporation service is the more affordable option and may be the best for your company if you are on a budget. You do not always need to hire a lawyer for business formation unless you have complex legal considerations.
My Top Pick For An Online Incorporation Service: Incfile
The best provider is Incfile because of its unbeatable affordability and excellent customer support. It also has numerous online positive customer reviews that are testaments of the quality of their services.
