We test, score, and compare every major LLC formation provider on what actually matters: fees, support, transparency, and exit experience. No paid placements. No fake five-star inflation.
Our current top picks across every major provider we've tested. Each row links to the full review with our score breakdown, fee disclosure, and any red flags we found.
Head-to-head matchups for the most common founder scenarios. Pick the use case that matches yours — every comparison is based on the same scoring framework as our reviews.
Privacy-first specialist against the all-in-one favorite. Which one wins across price, support response time, and long-term value? Full breakdown.
Read the comparison → COMPARISON 02Two "$0 + state fee" services that handle upsells very differently. We tested the full checkout flow to see which one actually keeps the promise.
Read the comparison → COMPARISON 03For founders who want a registered agent that doesn't sell their data and isn't a hot mailbox. We scored both on data-handling, transparency, and dispute response.
Read the comparison → COMPARISON 04Forming a US LLC from outside the US has a different set of requirements (ITIN, mailing address, banking). We compared both providers' actual non-resident workflow end-to-end.
Read the comparison →Fresh reviews, head-to-head matchups, and step-by-step formation guides from the editorial desk. Every piece is reviewed by a domain expert before it ships.
Northwest sits at the top of our rankings for a reason — but the "premium" pricing raises legitimate questions for cost-conscious founders. Here's our full breakdown.
Read the review →Both advertise a free formation tier. We took both through the full checkout, filing, and post-formation experience to find out where the real costs hide.
Read the comparison →California has the most expensive LLC fee structure in the country, including an $800 annual franchise tax most founders don't see coming. Our step-by-step playbook walks every filing requirement.
Read the guide →LegalZoom's attorney-access tier is the most expensive in our rankings. We tested whether the legal consultation actually delivers meaningful value or just brand premium.
Read the review →Annual reports, franchise taxes, estimated quarterly payments, BOI filings — LLC tax obligations stack fast and the penalties for missing one are real. Our complete deadline reference.
Read the guide →The questions readers send in most often, answered plainly. For anything not covered here, the editorial desk responds to every email personally.
Every service is scored on the same four dimensions: pricing transparency, customer support quality, ease of use, and long-term value (which includes what happens when you want to leave). Each dimension is graded out of 10, then weighted and combined into the headline score.
We do not weight services by commission rate. The full methodology is public.
Yes. Every review is based on the editorial team forming an actual test LLC through the service, going through the full checkout flow, contacting customer support with real questions, and (where applicable) cancelling to evaluate the exit experience.
We re-test annually so scores reflect the current product, not an outdated checkout flow.
Affiliate commissions. When a reader clicks one of our links and signs up with a service, we may earn a commission from the service — paid by the service, never added to your price.
We accept no display advertising, sponsored posts, or pay-for-placement deals. The complete list of affiliate partners is on our disclosure page.
No. We've terminated two prior affiliate partnerships for service quality failures while they were still paying us. Rankings reflect editorial judgment only.
We also publish services we don't have an affiliate relationship with — if a non-partner ranks higher, that's the ranking we publish.
It depends on what you optimize for. If privacy matters most, Northwest is our top pick. If you want a free formation with minimal upsells, Bizee. If you want all-in-one tooling beyond formation, ZenBusiness. If you need attorney access, LegalZoom.
Each full review goes deep on who the service is best for — and who it isn't.
Every review is reviewed quarterly and re-tested annually. If a service changes its pricing or removes a feature we previously praised, we update the review immediately and flag the change.
Each review carries a "last verified" indicator and the name of the editor who signed off.
We test, score, and compare every major LLC provider on the variables that actually matter — fees, support, transparency, and exit experience — then publish the findings as honest reviews, side-by-side comparisons, and step-by-step formation guides.
In-depth evaluations of every major LLC formation service — pricing, features, support quality, and red flags.
Head-to-head rankings across cost, turnaround time, included services, and long-term value.
Practical, state-specific walkthroughs for forming, running, and maintaining your LLC the right way.
