Cheapest LLC Services 2026: 7 Budget Formation Companies Compared
💰 Budget Formation Guide — Updated July 2026

Cheapest LLC Services

We compared 7 affordable LLC formation services on real price, hidden costs, and value — so you can get your business legally formed without overpaying.

Our Top 3 Picks at a Glance

Short on time? These three services offer the best combination of low price and real value.

$0
lowest formation fee
(pay state fee only)
7
budget services
compared
$40–$500
typical state filing fee
range (varies by state)
1 yr
of free registered agent
from several providers
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Cheapest Overall

Bizee

$0 + state fees

Genuinely free formation package, a full year of registered agent service included, and lifetime compliance alerts. Nothing undercuts it.

Visit Bizee →
Best Known Brand

LegalZoom

$0 + state fees

The most recognized name in online legal services also has a $0 Basic package. Just decline the add-ons you don’t need at checkout.

Visit LegalZoom →
🛡️
Best Bundle Value

Registered Agents Inc

$100 + state fees

One flat fee that already includes a full year of registered agent service — no confusing tiers, no surprise add-ons at checkout.

Visit Registered Agents Inc →

Cheapest LLC Services: Price Comparison

All 7 services ranked by entry price. Prices verified July 2026 — state filing fees apply on top unless noted.

Service Formation Fee Registered Agent (Year 1) Best For
Bizee $0 + state fees Free year 1 (renews $149/yr) Lowest possible cost Get Deal
LegalZoom $0 + state fees $249/yr (optional) Brand trust & legal add-ons Get Deal
Harbor Compliance $99 + state fees $99 year 1 ($149 after) Compliance-heavy businesses Get Deal
Registered Agents Inc $100 + state fees Included free Flat-fee bundle with privacy Get Deal
Business Rocket Wholesale pricing Available add-on Lowest-price guarantee & speed Get Deal
Doola $297/yr Starter Varies by plan Non-US founders Get Deal
StartGlobal $399 one-time, all-in Included (from $99/yr after) International entrepreneurs Get Deal
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How to read this table: Every state charges its own filing fee (roughly $40–$500) no matter which service you use — that money goes to the state, not the company. The “formation fee” is what the service charges for doing the paperwork. A $0 formation fee plus your state fee is the cheapest legitimate way to form an LLC short of filing everything yourself.

The 7 Cheapest LLC Services, Reviewed

Ranked from lowest to highest entry price. Every service below will correctly form your LLC — the differences are in extras, renewals, and who each one suits best.

Harbor Compliance

$99 + state fees
⭐ Best for compliance-focused & multi-state businesses

Harbor Compliance keeps it simple: one straightforward formation package at $99 plus state fees. Where it really shines is what comes after — robust compliance software, license tracking, and entity management tools for businesses that operate across states or in regulated industries.

  • Single, transparent $99 formation package
  • Registered agent: $99 first year, then $149/yr
  • Advanced compliance software and license tracking
  • Also forms corporations and nonprofits in all 50 states
Start with Harbor Compliance

Registered Agents Inc

$100 + state fees
⭐ Best flat-fee bundle with registered agent included

Registered Agents Inc charges one flat $100 fee plus state fees — and that includes a full year of registered agent service plus annual report filing help. No confusing package tiers, no checkout maze. If you’d pay for a registered agent anyway, this bundle is arguably the best value on the list.

  • One flat $100 fee — no tiers, no upsell maze
  • Full year of registered agent service included
  • Annual report filing assistance built in
  • Secure online account with a state-specific forms library
Start with Registered Agents Inc

Business Rocket

Wholesale pricing
⭐ Best for a lowest-price guarantee and fast processing

Business Rocket built its reputation on wholesale-priced formation backed by a lowest-price guarantee — if you find a better legitimate price, they aim to beat it. Every client also gets free Compliance Guard monitoring and free live agent consultations, which most competitors charge extra for.

  • Wholesale formation pricing with a lowest-price guarantee
  • Free Compliance Guard monitoring for every client
  • Free live agent consultations with real professionals
  • Among the fastest national processing times
Start with Business Rocket

Doola

$297/yr Starter plan
⭐ Best for non-US founders launching a US company

Doola is purpose-built for international entrepreneurs. The Starter plan ($297/yr) bundles US LLC or C-Corp formation — filed in 1–2 business days — with an EIN and a US business address. No US citizenship or residency required, and there’s a full upgrade path to bookkeeping and tax filing.

  • US LLC formation filed in 1–2 business days
  • EIN and US business address included in Starter
  • Designed for founders outside the US — passport only
  • Upgrade to bookkeeping, tax, and compliance plans later
Start with Doola

StartGlobal

$399 one-time, all-inclusive
⭐ Best all-inclusive package for international entrepreneurs

StartGlobal’s pitch is radical simplicity: one $399 payment with all state and government fees already included — no surprise charges at checkout. Registered agent service is included, US banking guidance is built in, and founders from 150+ countries have used it to launch US businesses.

  • One $399 payment — state & government fees included
  • Registered agent included (renews from $99/yr)
  • US bank account setup guidance for non-residents
  • Trusted by founders in 150+ countries
Start with StartGlobal

Hidden Costs to Watch Out For

A “$0 LLC” is real — but the industry makes its money on extras. Know these four traps before you check out.

🏛️

1. State Filing Fees Are Unavoidable

Every legitimate formation service — even the $0 ones — passes through your state’s filing fee, which ranges from about $40 (Kentucky) to $500 (Massachusetts). This money goes to your state, not the service. Any company promising a “completely free LLC” still collects this fee at checkout.

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2. “Free” Registered Agent Years Auto-Renew

Services like Bizee include a free first year of registered agent service — genuinely valuable — but it typically renews automatically at $99–$249 per year. That’s fair if you want the service; just set a calendar reminder before the renewal date so you can decide consciously instead of being surprised by a charge.

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3. Checkout Upsells Add Up Fast

EIN filing ($79–$99), operating agreements ($99), expedited processing ($99), founders’ kits, compliance calendars — decline them all and a $0 package stays $0; accept them all and you can spend $1,000+. Know what you actually need before you start the checkout flow.

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4. Some “Extras” Are Free Elsewhere

An EIN is 100% free from the IRS website and takes about 15 minutes. Free operating agreement templates exist all over the web. Most states let you file your own annual report in minutes. Pay for convenience when it genuinely saves you time — not because a checkout page made it look mandatory.

6 Ways to Form Your LLC for Less

Stack these strategies to keep your total formation cost as close to the state fee as possible.

💵

Choose a $0 Formation Package

Bizee and LegalZoom both file your LLC for free — you pay only the state fee. That matches the cost of DIY filing while skipping the paperwork and mistakes.

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Form in Your Home State

“Popular” states like Wyoming or Delaware mean registering as a foreign LLC in your home state too — double the fees and double the annual reports. For most small businesses, home state = cheapest state.

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Get Your EIN Free from the IRS

Skip the $79–$99 “EIN service” add-on. Apply directly at irs.gov in about 15 minutes at zero cost. (Non-US founders without an SSN may genuinely benefit from bundled help.)

👤

Consider Being Your Own Registered Agent

If you have a physical address in your formation state and keep business hours, you can serve as your own registered agent for free — the trade-off is your address goes on public record.

Skip Expedited Processing

Most states process online LLC filings within a few business days anyway. Unless you’re racing a deadline, the $50–$100 rush fee usually buys you very little.

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Calendar Every Renewal Date

Registered agent renewals, annual reports, trial subscriptions — put them all in your calendar with a reminder a week before. Avoiding one unwanted auto-renewal can save $100–$250 a year.

Form Your LLC for $0 Today

Pay only your state filing fee and get a free year of registered agent service plus lifetime compliance alerts with our #1 budget pick.

Get Started with Bizee →

Cheapest LLC Services: FAQs

Two ways tie for cheapest: file the paperwork yourself on your state’s website, or use a $0 formation service like Bizee or LegalZoom Basic. Either way you pay only your state’s filing fee ($40–$500 depending on the state). The $0 services cost the same as DIY but handle the forms for you — the better deal for most people.

It’s a customer-acquisition strategy. Formation companies earn money from add-ons and renewals — registered agent service after the free year, EIN filing, operating agreements, bookkeeping, and compliance tools. The free filing itself is legitimate, and you can absolutely take it and decline everything else. Just go into checkout knowing which extras you do and don’t want.

No — and this is the key insight of this entire guide. The state issues the exact same LLC whether a $0 service or a $500 service submits your paperwork. Your liability protection, tax treatment, and legal standing are identical. Expensive packages buy convenience extras (registered agent, EIN help, templates, speed), not a “better” LLC. Pay more only when those extras are worth it to you.

Yes, always. State filing fees are charged by the state government itself and no service can waive them — they range from about $40 in Kentucky to $500 in Massachusetts, with most states between $50 and $200. The only exception on this list is StartGlobal, whose $399 one-time price bundles the state fee in rather than eliminating it.

Doola ($297/yr Starter) and StartGlobal ($399 all-inclusive) specialize in international founders. Both handle the steps that trip up non-residents — getting an EIN without an SSN, providing a US business address, and guiding you through US bank account setup. A bare-bones $0 service can actually cost international founders more in time and mistakes.

Typical annual costs: state annual report fees ($0–$300 depending on state), registered agent renewal ($0 if you’re your own agent, $99–$249/yr for a service), and any optional tools you keep. Many states have minimal or no annual fees, so a well-planned LLC can cost under $100/year to maintain.

Continue Your Research

More free guides from LLC Guidance to help you form and run your business the right way.

Affiliate Disclosure: This guide is reader-supported. When you purchase services through links on this page, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products and services we have researched and believe provide genuine value to our readers. Our editorial content is independent and not influenced by our affiliate partnerships. Prices shown were verified in July 2026 and may change — always confirm current pricing on the provider’s website.