Comparison
Filing services, compared honestly
Starting with the part most comparisons bury: you can file directly with your state yourself, and it's always cheaper. These services are worth paying for when you want a registered agent address, or you'd rather not deal with the paperwork.
Coming next. This section is being built. The state cost data is live now — start with the cost calculator.
What we'll compare
- The renewal price, not the launch price. Most services advertise a low first year and renew high. The second-year number is the one that matters.
- What's bundled versus billed. Registered agent, operating agreement, EIN, compliance alerts — some are included, some are upsells.
- The real total. Service fee plus your state's filing fee, which they don't set and can't discount.
- When to skip it. For a single-member LLC at your own address in a cheap state, a service may be pure cost.
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