Formation · September 20, 2026
Best LLC formation services (2026)
Formation is a state filing plus a registered agent. Software cannot replace counsel on taxes or securities.
By Gregory GreensteinUpdated September 20, 2026Affiliate disclosure
LLC formation services sell convenience on top of a state fee you will pay anyway. The job is: file the entity, get an EIN, keep a registered agent. The job is not “pick Delaware because a thread said so” without a reason.
Stripe Atlas is a Delaware C-corp/LLC package aimed at startups who will use Stripe. LegalZoom is the consumer brand with a $0 + state-fee on-ramp. ZenBusiness is the subscription-shaped competitor. Northwest is the $39 + state-fee registered-agent specialist.
Prices as of September 20, 2026. State fees are extra unless a page says they are included (Atlas includes Delaware government fees in the $500). This is not legal, tax, or securities advice.
The short list
Public list prices as of September 20, 2026. Promos change. Confirm on the vendor page before you buy.
| # | Product | Best for | Public starting price | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stripe Atlas | Founders forming a Delaware C-corp or LLC who will run payments on Stripe | $500 one-time (includes Delaware government fees and year-one registered agent). Then $100/year for the agent. Stripe has advertised the $500 back if you deposit $5,000 into Stripe Treasury, plus $2,500 in first-year Stripe product credits. Confirm stripe.com/atlas. | 8.4 |
| 2 | LegalZoom | Owners who want a familiar brand and a $0 + state-fee LLC filing | LLC formation from $0 + state filing fees. Pro $249 + fees; Premium $299 + fees on LegalZoom comparison pages. Registered agent $249/year. Operating agreement and EIN are sold as extras on some paths ($99 / $79-class items appear). Confirm legalzoom.com. | 8.0 |
| 3 | ZenBusiness | Founders who want a cheap formation plus a dashboard for ongoing filings | ZenBusiness markets a $0 Starter formation + state fees and paid Pro/Premium bundles with registered-agent and compliance extras. Confirm zenbusiness.com/pricing — they promote heavily. | 7.7 |
| 4 | Northwest Registered Agent | People who want a real registered agent and a $39 formation add-on, not a software suite | $39 + state filing fees for formation-plus-agent packages on Northwest’s public comparison (LegalZoom cites this $39 figure). EIN and extras are additional. Confirm northwestregisteredagent.com. | 7.6 |
01
Stripe Atlas
Founders forming a Delaware C-corp or LLC who will run payments on Stripe
Public pricing: $500 one-time (includes Delaware government fees and year-one registered agent). Then $100/year for the agent. Stripe has advertised the $500 back if you deposit $5,000 into Stripe Treasury, plus $2,500 in first-year Stripe product credits. Confirm stripe.com/atlas.
Stripe Atlas (stripe.com/atlas) and Atlas docs, reviewed September 20, 2026.
Skip if
You need a home-state LLC for a local shop and will never raise. Atlas is a startup package, not a $0 Wyoming filing.
Why it ranks
- Incorporation, EIN, founder equity docs, and 83(b) filing sit in one $500 package.
- Next-day-class Delaware processing is the product for people in a hurry.
- Stripe credits and partner discounts can matter if you will actually use them.
- A known path for US internet companies.
Watch-outs
- Delaware is a choice with franchise tax and compliance. Ask counsel.
- $100/year agent after year one is easy to forget.
- Restricted business categories exist. They will refund if they cannot support you — read the terms.
- Not a substitute for a lawyer on founder IP or a priced round.
02
LegalZoom
Owners who want a familiar brand and a $0 + state-fee LLC filing
Public pricing: LLC formation from $0 + state filing fees. Pro $249 + fees; Premium $299 + fees on LegalZoom comparison pages. Registered agent $249/year. Operating agreement and EIN are sold as extras on some paths ($99 / $79-class items appear). Confirm legalzoom.com.
LegalZoom LLC and comparison pages, reviewed September 20, 2026.
Skip if
You only need a registered agent and will file the LLC yourself. Northwest is cheaper. If you are forming a venture C-corp to raise, compare Atlas.
Why it ranks
- The $0 formation plus state fee is a real on-ramp.
- Upsells are visible: agent, operating agreement, attorney minutes.
- Useful when you want a human-branded packet, not a startup toolkit.
- Nationwide consumer support motion.
Watch-outs
- The $0 plan becomes $249/year the moment you buy their agent.
- You can file an EIN free at IRS.gov.
- Subscriptions for “compliance” are optional until they are not — read renewals.
- Not your lawyer unless you buy that product and it applies.
03
ZenBusiness
Founders who want a cheap formation plus a dashboard for ongoing filings
Public pricing: ZenBusiness markets a $0 Starter formation + state fees and paid Pro/Premium bundles with registered-agent and compliance extras. Confirm zenbusiness.com/pricing — they promote heavily.
ZenBusiness official site, reviewed September 20, 2026.
Skip if
You will DIY the state site and be your own agent. Any paid dashboard is extra.
Why it ranks
- Competes with LegalZoom on the $0 + state-fee story.
- A single login for reports some owners will actually use.
- Cheaper published bundles than Atlas for a home-state LLC.
- Fine for a freelancer who just needs the entity to open Mercury.
Watch-outs
- Promotional $0 is the hook; agent and “worry-free” plans are the business.
- Read what files in year two.
- Not a Delaware venture kit.
- DIY at the secretary of state is still cheaper if you will do the work.
04
Northwest Registered Agent
People who want a real registered agent and a $39 formation add-on, not a software suite
Public pricing: $39 + state filing fees for formation-plus-agent packages on Northwest’s public comparison (LegalZoom cites this $39 figure). EIN and extras are additional. Confirm northwestregisteredagent.com.
Northwest site and LegalZoom’s public comparison citing $39 + fees, reviewed September 20, 2026. Confirm live.
Skip if
You want Atlas-style equity docs and Stripe credits. Northwest is an agent company.
Why it ranks
- Registered agent is the craft. Privacy and a real address are the point.
- $39 + state fee is honest next to $249/year agents.
- Good when you already know which state and just need the filing.
- Less upsell theater than the $0 consumer brands — still read the cart.
Watch-outs
- Not a startup operating system.
- No 83(b) package like Atlas.
- You may still want a lawyer for the operating agreement.
- One state at a time — foreign qualification is extra work.
How we picked
The job is US entity formation for founders and freelancers. We scored published prices, whether state fees are included, registered-agent honesty, and startup vs Main Street fit. Clerky is a priced-round tool we left off. Firstbase overlaps Atlas.