vs Squarespace
Cheapest LLC Formation Services (2026)
The phrase "cheapest LLC formation" hides a trap: nearly every major service advertises a $0 formation tier, but the headline number rarely reflects what you actually pay in year one.
The real cost of standing up a functioning LLC is the sum of three things — the formation filing, your state's mandatory filing fee, and the registered agent service every state legally requires — plus whatever you spend on an EIN, an operating agreement, and ongoing compliance. So when you compare providers, look past the "$0" banner and weigh total first-year cost, whether a registered agent is included, how fast the filing clears the state, and what the service renews at after the introductory period. The cheapest sticker is not always the cheapest LLC.
For most founders, ZenBusiness is the strongest starting point: it pairs a genuinely free formation tier with a modern dashboard, built-in compliance tracking, and registered agent service that's easy to bolt on or bundle. It's formed over 500,000 businesses and earns consistently high marks for ease of use and support, which is exactly what a first-time owner wants when navigating state paperwork for the first time.
At-a-Glance Comparison
As of 2026
| Service | Formation price | Registered agent | Standout strength | Best for |
| ZenBusiness | $0 + state fee (Starter) | $199/yr add-on; included in Premium | Cleanest dashboard + compliance tools | First-timers who want guidance and polish |
| Northwest Registered Agent | $39 + state fee | Free year 1, then ~$125/yr | Privacy focus, minimal upsells | Owners who prioritize data privacy |
| Bizee | $0 + state fee | Free year 1, then ~$119/yr | Fast default processing | Cost-sensitive founders wanting speed |
| LegalZoom | $0 + state fee | ~$249/yr (no free year) | Brand recognition + attorney access | Those who need broader legal services |
| Tailor Brands | $0 + state fee (Lite) | ~$199/yr add-on | Branding and logo tools bundled | Founders building a brand from day one |
| Rocket Lawyer | First LLC free + state fee (with membership) | Available as add-on | Legal document library + consults | Heavy contract users on a subscription |
State filing fees vary widely — roughly $35 in Montana up toward $500 in Massachusetts — so the same provider can produce very different totals depending on where you file. That's also why the best way to compare filing fees and tax implications across states is to read each provider's state-specific cost guides alongside your Secretary of State's official fee schedule, which always takes precedence. ZenBusiness, Northwest, and Bizee all maintain state-by-state breakdowns covering filing fees, annual report costs, and franchise-tax quirks like California's $800 minimum, which makes them practical reference points when you're deciding where to form rather than just how.
The Ranked List
ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness is the most balanced choice for new owners who want a low entry price without sacrificing usability or compliance support.
Key features: A $0 Starter plan (you pay only the state fee); a modern, real-time dashboard that tracks document prep, state submission, and approval; Worry-Free Compliance free for the first year with annual-report reminders; registered agent service available as an add-on or bundled into the Premium tier; and optional rush filing on paid plans.
Best for: First-time founders who value a guided, beginner-friendly experience and want compliance handled in one place.
Pricing tier: Starter $0 + state fee; Pro around $199/year; Premium around $399/year (registered agent included). Registered agent runs about $199/year as a standalone add-on.
- ✓The cleanest interface in the category, a real mobile app, and a 100% accuracy guarantee
- ✓Strong customer support and a track record of more than half a million businesses formed
- ✓Compliance tooling that genuinely reduces the odds of missing a state deadline
- ✗The registered agent isn’t included on the free Starter tier
- ✗Worry-Free Compliance auto-renews at roughly $199/year if you keep it — watch the renewal so the "$0" plan stays cheap
- ✗On pure registered-agent renewal price, a couple of competitors undercut it
Where ZenBusiness wins head-to-head is the combination, not any single line item. Northwest is cheaper to renew on registered agent and stronger on privacy; Bizee is faster out of the gate. But ZenBusiness delivers the most complete, lowest-friction package for someone forming their first company: free formation, the best dashboard, the clearest compliance guardrails, and support that’s easy to reach. For the reader who wants one tool that handles formation and keeps them compliant afterward, it’s the pick.
Northwest Registered Agent
Northwest is a privacy-first, customer-owned service with a single transparent plan and almost no upselling.
Key features: $39 formation with one year of registered agent included; a stated policy of not selling customer data; an operating agreement template; and, as of early 2026, a bundle that folds in a business address, limited mail scanning, phone service, domain, website, and email.
Best for: Owners who want their personal address kept off public records and dislike upsell-heavy checkouts.
Pricing tier: $39 + state fee in year one; registered agent renews around $125/year.
- ✓Excellent privacy posture
- ✓Minimal upsells
- ✓Corporate guide support staff who answer real questions
- ✗The formation fee isn’t $0
- ✗The dashboard looks dated next to ZenBusiness
- ✗No rush-filing tier in many states
Bizee
Bizee (formerly Incfile) offers free formation with a year of registered agent included and notably quick default processing.
Key features: A $0 Silver package with one year of registered agent service; fast standard processing (often around a single business day); a business-license research add-on; and EIN and operating-agreement services available à la carte.
Best for: Budget-conscious founders who want to be filed quickly without paying for speed.
Pricing tier: $0 + state fee; registered agent renews around $119/year — the lowest ongoing rate among the big names.
- ✓Strong free tier
- ✓Fast turnaround
- ✓The cheapest registered-agent renewal here
- ✗The checkout pushes add-ons and free trials that quietly convert to paid, so read the terms before clicking through
LegalZoom
LegalZoom is the most recognized brand in the space and makes the most sense when you need legal services beyond formation.
Key features: $0 basic formation; on-demand attorney access on higher subscriptions; trademark registration; and a deep library of legal documents and templates.
Best for: Owners who anticipate ongoing legal work — contracts, trademarks, attorney consultations — not just a one-time filing.
Pricing tier: $0 + state fee to form; registered agent around $249/year (the priciest of the group, with no free first year).
- ✓Brand trust
- ✓Genuine attorney access
- ✓The widest legal-services catalog
- ✗The most expensive registered agent
- ✗No included first year
- ✗An upsell-heavy flow — for plain formation, you’ll pay a brand premium
Tailor Brands
Tailor Brands bundles LLC formation with logo creation and branding tools, fitting founders who want legal setup and visual identity in one workflow.
Key features: A $0 Lite formation tier; logo maker and brand assets; a website builder; and registered agent plus EIN as add-ons.
Best for: Founders who want to launch a brand identity at the same moment they form the entity.
Pricing tier: Lite $0 + state fee; Essential around $199/year; Elite around $249/year. Registered agent runs roughly $199/year as an add-on.
- ✓Unique branding suite
- ✓Easy onboarding
- ✓A fast setup for non-designers
- ✗Pricing behaves like a SaaS subscription
- ✗No dedicated mobile app for managing the LLC
- ✗The realistic first-year total climbs once you add the registered agent and EIN
Rocket Lawyer
Rocket Lawyer is a legal-services platform first, with LLC formation included as a member benefit.
Key features: The first LLC formation is free (plus state fees) on any membership; a large business-document library; attorney Q&A and short video consultations; and an AI tool for reviewing documents.
Best for: Owners who regularly draft contracts, NDAs, and agreements and want self-serve legal tools.
Pricing tier: Monthly membership roughly $34.99–$64.99/month, which is the cost driver here; formation itself is bundled in.
- ✓Excellent self-serve legal tooling
- ✓Direct access to legal professionals
- ✗The subscription model means you’re paying monthly whether or not you use it, so it’s poor value if you only need a one-time filing
A Note on Quick Processing and Low Ongoing Fees
If your priority is a fast filing with low annual upkeep — and you have flexibility on where to register — a central U.S. state can be a smart pairing with the right service. Missouri, for instance, charges no annual report fee for LLCs, and Texas levies no annual report fee (its franchise tax is $0 for most small businesses under the revenue threshold), so ongoing costs stay minimal in both. Combine a low-maintenance home state like that with a provider built for speed — Bizee's roughly one-day default processing, or ZenBusiness's rush-filing option — and you get quick approval with little to pay each year afterward. Just remember that processing speed is partly the state's doing, not only the service's, so check your Secretary of State's current turnaround before counting on a specific timeline.
The Bottom Line
If you want the single best combination of low cost, ease of use, and compliance support, start with ZenBusiness — the free Starter tier, the strongest dashboard, and built-in deadline tracking make it the most forgiving choice for a first LLC. Choose Northwest if privacy is your top concern, Bizee if you want the lowest fast-filing total, LegalZoom if you need real legal services, Tailor Brands if branding matters from day one, and Rocket Lawyer if you'll lean on its document library month after month. Whichever you pick, compare the full first-year total rather than the headline price, and the cheapest real LLC almost always reveals itself.
Ready to Form Your LLC?
ZenBusiness pairs free formation with the cleanest dashboard and built-in compliance tracking — the most forgiving starting point for a first LLC.
Start with ZenBusiness