Our picks · 2027
Cheapest LLC services (real first-year cost)
Six of these services advertise $0 formation, but the registered agent, EIN and operating agreement decide what you really pay. Counting those, Northwest ($39 with a year of agent included) and Inc Authority ($0 with the agent and EIN for year one) cost the least.
AWBy Austin Witherow · Updated Nov 12, 2026 · 6 min read · How we review
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Quick answer
- Best overall: Northwest Registered Agent, lowest real first-year cost (from $39)
- #2: Inc Authority, free filing if you will cancel the agent (from $0)
- #3: Bizee, free filing with a free agent year (from $0)
Compared
#1NoNorthwest Registered Agent
Lowest real first-year cost9.0/10ExcellentNorthwest charges $39 plus the state fee and includes a year of registered agent service, an operating agreement and a business address to keep your home address off public filings. After year one the agent is $125 a year. It has one package, so there are no tiers to compare.
$39 + state fee
Pros
- $39 includes a year of registered agent, an operating agreement and a business address
- Registered agent renews at a flat $125/yr
- Cancel any service in the portal with no fee
Cons
- EIN is a $50 add-on ($200 without an SSN)
- Annual report filing is auto-enrolled at $100 + state fee unless you opt out
- Lower Trustpilot score (4.1, 318 reviews) than the big brands
Inc Authority
Free filing if you will cancel the agent6.4/10FairInc Authority files your LLC for $0 and adds a free year of registered agent and the EIN. After year one the agent renews at $249, and to cancel it you must file an agent change with your state and send proof. Its paid bundles are sold only by phone.
$0 + state fee
Pros
- $0 filing with a free first year of registered agent and the EIN
- 60-day refund on the first online purchase, minus state fees
- 4.8/5 on Trustpilot from 49,809 reviews; A+ BBB rating
Cons
- Registered agent auto-renews at $249/yr, and reminders aren't guaranteed
- To cancel the agent you must change agents with the state and send proof
- Paid bundles and the operating agreement are sold by phone with no prices online
Bizee
Free filing with a free agent year7.3/10GoodBizee, formerly Incfile, files your LLC for $0 and includes a free first year of registered agent service, then $149 a year. The $0 Basic plan is slow (Bizee quotes 4 to 6 weeks in total), and refunds end once your fee goes to the state, usually within 24 hours.
$0 + state fee
Pros
- $0 Basic includes a free first year of registered agent
- Registered agent renews at $149/yr, below ZenBusiness and LegalZoom
- 4.8/5 on Trustpilot from 26,442 reviews
Cons
- Basic takes about 4 to 6 weeks; Standard about 2 weeks
- Refunds end once fees go to the state, usually within 24 hours
- EIN ($70) and operating agreement ($99) cost extra on Basic
MyCompanyWorks
Longest refund window7.7/10GoodMyCompanyWorks has filed LLCs since 2001. Every package includes an operating agreement, and it has the longest refund window here at 90 days. Its $79 Basic order form pre-checks an EIN, a registered agent and a $99 license package, so untick what you don't need.
$79 + state fee
Pros
- Operating agreement, minutes and banking resolution in every package
- 90-day refund or fix guarantee (minus government fees)
- Registered agent at $119/yr, among the cheaper renewals
Cons
- Basic checkout pre-checks EIN ($69), agent ($119/yr) and a $99 license package
- Agent forwards 3 lawsuit notices a year free, then $18 each
- Few independent reviews: 2.5/5 from only 5 on Trustpilot
How we picked
We ranked by what you pay in year one for an LLC with a registered agent, an EIN and an operating agreement, using each company's cheapest path. Then we checked year two, because the agent renews every year your LLC exists. All prices here exclude the state filing fee.
The $0 is the service fee only; the state fee is extra. Once you add the three things most LLCs need, most "free" plans cost more than Northwest's $39 one in year one. The one that doesn't, Inc Authority, costs more from year two, when its agent renews at $249.
| Service |
Advertised |
Year one with agent, EIN, operating agreement |
Year two |
| Northwest |
$39 |
$89 |
$125 |
| Inc Authority |
$0 |
$0 (no operating agreement) |
$249 |
| Bizee |
$0 |
$169 |
$149 |
| MyCompanyWorks |
$79 |
$199 |
$119 |
| ZenBusiness |
$0 |
$397 |
$199 or more |
| LegalZoom |
$0 |
$498 |
$249 |
Over two years, Northwest comes to $214, Inc Authority $249 and Bizee and MyCompanyWorks $318 each. You can also get an EIN yourself for free from the IRS (IRS), which takes $50 off Northwest and $70 off Bizee Basic.
Northwest Registered Agent
The $39 package includes a year of registered agent, an operating agreement and a business address (Northwest LLC). Add the $50 EIN and you're at $89. The agent then renews at a flat $125 a year (Northwest registered agent), and you can cancel any service in the portal with no fee.
Inc Authority
Inc Authority files for $0 and gives you the agent and EIN free for year one (Inc Authority). It is the cheapest first year, but the agent renews at $249, and the operating agreement is sold only in phone bundles with no prices online (Inc Authority bundles).
Bizee
Bizee Basic is $0 with a free year of registered agent. The EIN ($70) and operating agreement ($99) bring it to $169, or Standard includes both for $199 (Bizee order form). The agent then costs $149 a year.
MyCompanyWorks
The $199 Entrepreneur package includes the agent, the EIN and an operating agreement, and the agent renews at $119, the lowest renewal here (MyCompanyWorks order form). Its 90-day refund window is the longest we found.
What to watch for
Inc Authority's $249 renewal is charged about a year after formation, and to cancel you must change agents with the state and send written proof before the renewal date. It says reminders aren't guaranteed and refunds aren't pro-rated (Inc Authority terms).
Bizee Basic is slow: Bizee quotes 4 to 6 weeks in total. Its refunds end once your fee goes to the state, usually within 24 hours (Bizee cancellation).
MyCompanyWorks' $79 Basic form pre-checks an EIN, an agent and a $99 license package. Untick what you don't need.
Northwest auto-enrolls you in annual report filing at $100 plus the state fee, charged about 90 days before the deadline (Northwest annual report). Opt out if you'll file it yourself.