Florida charges $125 to form an LLC, which includes a $25 registered agent designation fee, and $138.75 a year for the annual report, due May 1. Miss that date and the state adds a $400 late fee, so a service that tracks the deadline earns its keep here.
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
Bizee, 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
ZenBusiness has a $0 Starter plan, a 60-day money-back guarantee on formation and a 4.8 Trustpilot score from over 33,000 reviews. The catch is renewals: no package includes a registered agent ($199 a year), and Pro and Premium renew every year.
$0 + state fee
Pros
$0 Starter with a free first year of annual report filing
60-day money-back guarantee on formation plans
4.8/5 on Trustpilot from 33,239 reviews
Cons
No package includes a registered agent; it is $199/yr
Pro ($199) and Premium ($299) renew every year at the same price
Website builder trial is preselected at checkout and renews at $15/mo
"Processed in the order it was received" (Sunbiz LLC e-file); the e-file disclaimer says generally 2 to 3 days once your card payment is confirmed (Sunbiz disclaimer)
Rush option
None listed on the state fee page
Year-one total with each pick
Service prices exclude state fees. The figures assume you want a registered agent, an EIN and an operating agreement.
You can skip the EIN add-on and get one free from the IRS (IRS EIN).
Why these picks for Florida
Northwest is the cheapest path here and its agent renews at $125 a year (Northwest agent). It auto-enrolls you in annual report filing at $100 plus the state fee, charged about 90 days before the deadline (Northwest annual report). For a May 1 deadline with a $400 penalty, that early charge is a feature, but opt out if you would rather file the $138.75 report yourself.
Bizee files for $0 plus the state fee and includes a free first agent year, then $149 (Bizee agent). Its compliance alerts are free, which helps you remember May 1, though the filing itself is a paid extra (Bizee).
ZenBusiness costs more, but Pro includes Worry-Free Compliance, which covers annual report filings (ZenBusiness compliance). It suits you if you want the report handled and a 60-day refund window on formation (ZenBusiness terms).
Florida traps to avoid
The late fee is the big one. A report received after May 1 costs $538.75 instead of $138.75 (Sunbiz fees).
Don't count the $25 registered agent fee twice. It is a state charge inside the $125, not a service's agent fee. You still need an agent, either yourself or a paid one.
Watch renewals that stack. With ZenBusiness, year two can be $199 for the agent plus $199 for Pro or Worry-Free Compliance if you keep them, before the $138.75 state report.