Best Free LLC Filing Services (Pay Only the State Fee)
Only the services that fit "free llc filing services", each used to file a real LLC.
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
LegalZoom (Basic, $0 + state fee) - The best-known name, with real attorneys on subscription and 25 years of filings behind it — priced accordingly at every step Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- A licensed attorney in your state on a monthly plan — nobody else here offers it properly
- Trademark, contracts, estate documents in the same account
- Satisfaction guarantee and a long track record
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
What separates the free LLC filing services on this page?
All four charge $0 plus the state fee to file, so the difference is what happens after checkout. Bizee scores 8.3, ZenBusiness 8, LegalZoom 7.3 and Tailor Brands 6.8, and the scoring criteria weight true first-year cost at 30 and renewal cost at 20 — which is why the cheapest renewal wins.
Bizee includes a free registered agent for a year, then $119. ZenBusiness charges $199 a year from day one, the most expensive here. LegalZoom is $249 a year, and it bills $99 for an EIN the IRS gives free. Tailor Brands is genuinely $0 to file but auto-renews annual plans.
Speed and upsells split them further. ZenBusiness standard filing took ten business days; Tailor Brands Lite took fourteen. Bizee runs four upsell screens and puts the operating agreement and EIN behind the $199 Gold package. LegalZoom ran the most upsell screens of any checkout tested.
What should you check before buying?
Read the renewal price before the signup price. A free first year means little if the registered agent jumps to $119 or $199 in year two.
- Registered agent: free for year one at Bizee, $199 a year at ZenBusiness, $249 a year at LegalZoom.
- Filing time: ten business days at ZenBusiness, fourteen at Tailor Brands, and faster costs more.
- What sits behind the upsell: at Bizee the operating agreement and EIN are in the $199 Gold package.
- Compliance help: ZenBusiness Worry-Free Compliance files your annual report; Bizee's dashboard tracks annual report deadlines.
- Renewal notices: Bizee's arrives as an invoice, not an offer.
Bizee
For the founder who wants the lowest real first-year cost. Year one cost nothing beyond the state fee in testing, and the free registered agent covers the first year.
ZenBusiness
For someone who wants filings, deadlines, documents and money tools in one account. The dashboard is the clearest tested, and banking, invoicing and bookkeeping add-ons work.
LegalZoom
For a founder who wants a licensed attorney in their state on a monthly plan, plus trademark, contracts and estate documents in the same account.
Tailor Brands
For a founder starting from an idea with no design resources: logo maker, website builder and brand kit sit in the same subscription.
Bizee suits the founder who wants the lowest first-year cost, with a free registered agent for year one and $119 after. ZenBusiness suits anyone who wants filings, deadlines and money tools in one dashboard, while LegalZoom suits founders who want a licensed attorney on a monthly plan. Tailor Brands fits a founder starting from an idea who needs a logo, website and brand kit alongside the filing.
Questions about best free llc filing services (pay only the state fee)
*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.