Cheapest Way to Form an LLC
Only the services that fit "cheapest way to form an llc", each used to file a real LLC.
Northwest Registered Agent ($39 + state fee) - Puts its own address on the public record instead of yours, answers the phone with a person, and does not sell your data — the cleanest checkout in the test Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Uses its address on the articles wherever the state allows, keeping your home address off the public record
- One upsell screen in the whole checkout, clearly priced
- "Privacy by default" policy: it does not sell customer data
Bizee (formerly Incfile) (Silver, $0 + state fee) - A genuine $0 package with a free first year of registered agent service — the cheapest real way to get an LLC filed for you Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Year one cost us nothing beyond the state fee
- Free registered agent for a year, $119 after
- Dashboard tracks annual report deadlines
ZenBusiness (Starter, $0 + state fee) - The most polished dashboard and the widest set of add-ons — formation, banking, bookkeeping and compliance in one account Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Clearest dashboard: filings, deadlines, documents and money tools in one place
- Worry-Free Compliance files your annual report
- Banking, invoicing and bookkeeping add-ons that actually work
Tailor Brands (Lite, $0 + state fee) - Files the LLC and builds the brand — logo, website and social kit — for founders starting from nothing but an idea Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Logo maker, website builder and brand kit in the same subscription
- Genuinely $0 to file
- Good for a founder with no design resources
More to consider
These 3 come from retailer catalogs. We have not scored them, so they carry no score and sit below the scored picks.
Form an LLC in Minutes: Do-it-Yourself
A do-it-yourself course that walks through the steps an attorney uses to form an LLC. View at Udemy →
Easily Form an LLC in the USA as a NON-US RESIDENT - 2026
An online course for non-US residents who want to form an LLC without traveling to the United States. View at Udemy →
Easily Form LLC in Minutes (Step-by-Step Guide)
A step-by-step guide course for entrepreneurs who want to form an LLC on their own. View at Udemy →
What separates the cheapest ways to form an LLC?
Four services made the cut, and the spread between them is real. Northwest Registered Agent scores 9.1 at $39, and it puts its own address on the public record wherever the state allows, so your home address stays off it. Bizee scores 8.3 at $0 + state fee, with a free first year of registered agent service that runs $119 after. ZenBusiness scores 8.0 at $0 + state fee, and Tailor Brands scores 6.8 at $0 + state fee.
The $0 headline is where the differences start. Bizee's year one cost nothing beyond the state fee, but the operating agreement and EIN sit behind the $199 Gold package. ZenBusiness charges $199 a year for its registered agent from day one. Tailor Brands is genuinely $0 to file, but it runs the heaviest upselling in the test and annual plans auto-renew.
What should I check before buying?
Our scoring puts true first-year cost at 30 points and renewal cost at 20, so the second year matters as much as the first. Read the renewal terms before you pay.
- Registered agent pricing: free for a year at Bizee, $119 after; $199 a year at ZenBusiness from day one.
- Checkout screens: Northwest has one upsell screen, clearly priced. Bizee has four. Tailor Brands has the most.
- Filing speed: ZenBusiness standard filing took ten business days; Tailor Brands Lite took fourteen.
- EIN: Northwest charges $50, but the IRS issues one free in ten minutes.
- Privacy: Northwest uses its address on the articles wherever the state allows and does not sell customer data.
Northwest Registered Agent
For the founder who wants their home address off the public record and a person on the phone. The $39 is not the $0 competitors advertise, and the $50 EIN is avoidable.
Bizee
For the buyer who wants the cheapest real filing. Year one cost nothing beyond the state fee, and the dashboard tracks annual report deadlines. Watch the four upsell screens and the renewal notice that arrives as an invoice.
ZenBusiness
For the owner who wants filings, deadlines, documents and money tools in one account. Worry-Free Compliance files your annual report. The $199 registered agent is the most expensive here.
Tailor Brands
For a founder starting from an idea with no design resources. The logo maker, website builder and brand kit sit in the same subscription.
Northwest Registered Agent suits the founder who wants privacy and a real person on the phone, at $39 plus a $50 EIN. Bizee suits the buyer chasing the lowest real first-year cost, with a free year of registered agent service. ZenBusiness suits the owner who wants filings, deadlines and money tools in one dashboard, and Tailor Brands suits a founder who needs a logo and website alongside the filing.
Questions about cheapest way to form an llc
*Scores: True first-year cost 30 · Renewal cost 20 · Filing & compliance service 20 · Checkout transparency 15 · Support & extras 15; score = Σ ÷ 10. Prices shown were checked on the date beside each and may change. Affiliate links are added only after a score is locked and can never change it. How we rank.