Delaware charges $110 to form an LLC and a $400 yearly LLC tax due June 1, with a $200 penalty if you pay late. It sells rush service from $50 next-day to $1,000 for one hour. Most small businesses that form here must also register in their home state.
Northwest 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
Harbor Compliance is a compliance company first. It suits LLCs that register in several states, nonprofits and the lawyers and accountants who file for clients. For a single-state LLC it costs more than the formation specialists, and all its fees are nonrefundable.
$99 + state fee
Pros
Foreign qualification in other states ($399) includes a year of registered agent
Registered agent with unlimited document deliveries, $99 the first year
Annual report service in every state with volume discounts up to 40%
Cons
All fees are nonrefundable
Subscriptions need 90 days' notice to cancel before they renew
Its own pages disagree on the formation price ($99 on one, $399 on another)
Doola forms US LLCs for founders who live outside the US. Every plan is a yearly subscription starting at $297, and it includes the EIN, operating agreement, registered agent and a US address. US residents can get the same filing for less elsewhere.
$297/yr + state fee, renews yearly
Pros
Built for non-US founders: no SSN or US residency needed
Starter includes EIN, operating agreement, registered agent and a US business address
Separate ITIN service ($499) and bank account applications through Mercury
Cons
Every plan renews yearly; Starter is $297 every year, not once
Payments are nonrefundable; the money-back guarantee pays credit or a gift card, only for Doola's own errors
$200 penalty plus 1.5% interest per month (same page)
Processing time
No number: "Processing time for regular (non-expedited) work varies based upon the volume of items received by our office" (DE FAQ)
Rush options
Next day $50 to $100, same day $100 to $200, 2 hours $500, 1 hour $1,000 (DE expedited services)
Delaware's own pages disagree on the tax. The "how to form" page still says LLCs pay "an annual tax of $300.00" (DE how to form), while the dedicated tax instructions page says $400. We treat $400 as current because it is the tax page.
Year-one total with each pick
Service prices exclude state fees. The tax for your first year is due June 1 of the following year, since the June 1 payment covers the prior year.
Pick
Math
Year one
Harbor Compliance
$110 + $99 package + $99 agent
$308
Northwest
$110 + $39 + $50 EIN
$199
Doola
$110 + $297 Starter
$407
Harbor does not publish EIN or operating agreement prices, and its LLC page lists formation from $99 (Harbor LLC) while its articles page says the service "starts at $399" (Harbor articles), so its total may be higher.
Why these picks for Delaware
Northwest is the cheapest way in, and its agent is $125 a year, dropping to $100 per state at 5 or more states (Northwest agent). That matters when Delaware plus your home state means two agent bills.
Harbor Compliance is a compliance company first. Most small businesses that form in Delaware also register in their home state, and Harbor sells that foreign registration for $399 plus fees with a year of agent included (Harbor foreign qualification). One company then holds both states.
Doola fits founders outside the US who pick Delaware. Starter includes the EIN, agent, operating agreement and a US address (Doola pricing). Its annual report service sits in the $1,999 a year Tax and Compliance plan, so expect to pay the $400 tax yourself.
Delaware traps to avoid
Double fees are the main one. If you live and operate in another state, you pay Delaware's $400 tax and agent plus your home state's registration, report and agent.
Missing June 1 costs a $200 penalty plus 1.5% a month (DE tax instructions).