Filing an LLC yourself vs. using a formation service
Updated . General information, not legal or tax advice.
Every state lets you form an LLC yourself, online or by mail, for just the state fee. A formation service fills in and submits the same form for you and usually bundles extras. Neither route gets you a different answer on your name: the state reviews it either way.
Filing it yourself
You’ll need your exact LLC name, a registered agent with a street address in the state (you can be your own agent if you have one), an organizer’s name, and sometimes a management structure and purpose. Each state page links to the official filing portal and lists the fee. Most online filings take under 30 minutes.
What a service adds
- Preparation and filing. They complete the form and submit it. Useful if you’d rather not deal with the state portal.
- Registered agent service. Often the most valuable part: a reliable in-state address that receives legal papers, which keeps your home address off the public record. This usually renews yearly.
- Compliance reminders for annual reports, sometimes with filing included at higher tiers.
- Extras such as operating agreement templates, EIN filing and websites. An EIN is free and takes minutes from the IRS.
Providers compared
Listed alphabetically. Prices and inclusions are from each provider’s site, checked on the date shown, and don’t include state fees. Check the provider’s current pricing before you buy.
Bizee
$0 plus the state fee (Basic); Standard $199, Premium $299, plus state fee (checked 2026-10-30)
- Prepares and files your formation document
- One year of registered agent service included with each package
Registered agent service renews at their yearly rate after the first year.
LegalZoom
$0 plus state fees (Basic); Managed Service $249 plus state fees (checked 2026-10-30)
- Basic: files your articles
- Higher tiers add advisor access for 30 days
Managed and Expert tiers continue as monthly subscriptions ($49 or $99 a month) after 30 days unless cancelled.
Northwest Registered Agent
$39 plus the state fee (checked 2026-10-30)
- Prepares and files your formation document
- First year of registered agent service
- Business address use and annual-report reminders
We couldn’t load Northwest’s pricing page automatically; the price shown is from Northwest’s published program listing. Check their site before you buy. Registered agent service renews at their standard yearly rate after the first year.
ZenBusiness
$0 plus the state fee (Starter); Pro $199 plus state fee, renews $199/yr (checked 2026-10-30)
- Starter: prepares and files your formation document, standard processing
- Pro adds faster processing, an EIN filing and compliance tools
Registered agent service is a separate yearly charge on the Starter plan. Paid tiers renew every year unless you cancel.
We don’t currently earn commissions from any of these providers. We don’t send providers your proposed business name. Commission never affects search results, the order of this list or how we describe a name. Affiliate disclosure.
Things to watch for
- Renewals. Registered agent service and paid tiers typically renew every year, and some advisor plans turn into monthly subscriptions.
- Paid name checks. A service’s name check is a search of the same state records. Nobody but the state can approve or reserve a name.
- Federal ownership reporting. FinCEN made U.S. companies permanently exempt from beneficial ownership (BOI) reporting in a rule effective August 14, 2026 (FinCEN), so domestic LLCs don’t need a paid BOI filing.
- Speed upgrades. Some states offer expedited processing for a state fee; a service’s “rush” option may or may not include it.