If you want to start a limited liability company in the Natural State, you need to find the best LLC formation service to assist you with your business setup process.
The right LLC formation service will help you establish your business in Arkansas by filing important paperwork on your behalf with the Arkansas Secretary of State while providing the best bang-for-buck services.
The wrong LLC formation service will delay your registration process for weeks, resulting in a lack of necessary paperwork and lost business hours.
I’ve thoroughly investigated the top 10 LLC formation services in Arkansas through a four-stage, five-factor analysis process. Here are my results:
1. Northwest Registered Agent: 9.45/10 (Best Overall LLC Service)
Northwest Registered Agent is my #1 choice for the best Arkansas LLC formation service mainly due to its highly rated customer support service and affordable formation package.
Pros
Northwest’s formation package includes all the services you need to start your LLC in Arkansas. It provides assistance with filing your articles of organization with the Arkansas Business and Commercial Services Division, a draft operating agreement, a free three-month trial of Voice over Internet Protocol service (VoIP), a free business tax consultation with its in-house accountants, and a free year of its commercial registered agent service.
You can also get access to an employer identification number, a Certificate of Good Standing, and certified copies of your formation documents. These premium services are available for purchase when needed.
The Northwest formation package has a standard cost of $225, but BoostSuite readers can get an 82% discount (courtesy of the high visitor traffic that I send to Northwest’s sign-up page), which drastically reduces the cost to an affordable $39.
But what makes Northwest Registered Agent stand out from other Arkansas LLC services on this list is its customer support team, referred to in-house as Corporate Guides.
Most Arkansas limited liability company service providers have outsourced their customer support services to call centers in foreign countries. You might get assistance with a few issues, such as resetting your password or updates on your application status, but the level of service they provide can be quite underwhelming.
Northwest Registered Agent has a team of US-based Corporate Guides who are all former accountants, lawyers, small business owners, and entrepreneurs with a wealth of experience not only on how to run a business but also in assisting hundreds of small business owners to establish and run their LLCs.
Cons
The one problem with Northwest Registered Agent is it doesn’t provide website-building tools that assist your business or LLC in Arkansas in achieving an online presence. However, you can get these services from a number of websites, such as Squarespace, for as low as $15.
Overall
Northwest Registered Agent offers all the services you need to establish your business or LLC in Arkansas, including essential registered agent service, while offering the best customer care support.
Its US-based Corporate Guides will walk you through your business setup process, and you can also count on them to provide credible business advice throughout your business journey.If your business entity needs top-class customer support and affordable services, head over to Northwest Registered Agent today and receive an 82% discount on your LLC formation.
2. ZenBusiness: 8.25/10 (Best Essentials LLC Service)
ZenBusiness blows all of the other companies out of the water with its incredible price of only $0 plus filing fee. But you won’t get registered agent services or small business support for that price, which means you may end up paying more in the long run.
Pros
ZenBusiness will give you all the tools you need to set up your LLC, like making sure your business name is available, assisting you with filling out formation documents and filing documents on your behalf.
Upgrading to its $199 Pro plan means you’ll also get expedited filing (between 4–6 days depending on which state you’re in), and assistance drafting your company’s operating agreement.
Its $299 Premium plan provides rush filing which takes only 1–2 days and provides you with a business email and domain name, as well as a website builder.
Cons
For $0, ZenBusiness’ basic formation package will adequately provide you with everything you need to set up your LLC, but if you want anything beyond the basics it’ll charge you through the nose for it.
You won’t find free registered agent service among any of its plans, and the only plan that offers any sort of registered agent services costs $199.
You’ll also find that ZenBusiness’ customer service is pretty standard, but not exceptional. Sure, they can help you with simple things like changing your password or updating your billing information, but they can’t answer any questions you have about HR or logistics issues, or provide you with tax advice.
Overall
ZenBusiness’ $0 fee is a great value for anyone who needs only the basics, like filing formation documents and making sure your business name is available.
If all you require is the basics and you’d like to learn more about ZenBusiness and its services, you can read more about it on the website.
3. Harbor Compliance: 7.13/10 (Best Premium LLC Service)
Harbor Compliance is the best premium limited liability company service on this list and the second overall because, just like Northwest Registered Agent, it provides great customer service.
Pros
The difference between Harbor Compliance and Northwest is its customer support. While you can call and talk to any one of Northwest’s Corporate Guides, Harbor Compliance assigns you a personal support assistant who understands your specific business challenges and provides assistance tailored to your personal situation.
Harbor Compliance’s formation package includes basic services such as an operating agreement template, assistance with filing your articles of organization, an employer identification number, and a full year of registered agent services (valued at $99).
Cons
Being a premium limited liability company service, Harbor Compliance charges $399 for its basic package and $799 for its Compliance package. This is 10 times the amount Northwest Registered Agent charges for the same services.
Overall
Harbor Compliance is the best premium LLC formation service in the state of Arkansas.
Its $399 Starter package provides all the services you need to establish an Arkansas LLC and it also provides a personal support assistant who guides you through your business formation process.
If you're willing to pay $399 for a personal representative to assist you in setting up your Arkansas LLC and advise you when business challenges arise, check out Harbor Compliance.
4. Swyft Filings
Swyft Filings is the newest LLC formation service on this list, having launched in 2012.
It has a $49 basic package that includes assistance with filing your formation documents, a free 30-minute business tax consultation, and a free year of business domain name registration.
However, if you need an Arkansas registered agent and want free registered agent service, Swyft Filings charges $149 for that package. This means that it is significantly more expensive than Northwest Registered Agent. Nevertheless, it’s still a reputable company that offers quality services.
If you’re interested, read my Swyft Filings review.
5. MyCompanyWorks
MyCompanyWorks charges $79 for its basic package, which includes assistance with your articles of organization and assistance with your operating agreement.
It also has great customer care support and has maintained a 4.9/5 average rating across 3,500 online reviews.
However, if you need a free year of Arkansas registered agent service, you’ll have to purchase the $279 Premium package. That’s $240 more than Northwest Registered Agent, which offers registered agent service for free in its $39 basic package.
6. Inc Authority
Inc Authority is another company that passes itself off as a “budget” LLC provider. However, on closer scrutiny, it is anything but “budget.”
Inc Authority helps you to file your formation paperwork for free but every additional offering involves an extra cost.
For instance, if you need assistance with drafting your operating agreement, access to an EIN, or a company seal, you’ll have to purchase the $399 package. Also, if you need access to commercial registered agent service, you’ll have to purchase the $799 premium package.
At this point, ZenBusiness sounds like a much better option, especially if you’re running low on finances and all you need is your formation paperwork filed with the Arkansas Secretary of State.
7. Incorporate Fast
Incorporate Fast is an Arkansas LLC formation provider that charges $99 for basic LLC formation, which includes a free year of registered agent service, assistance with filing your formation documents, an operating agreement template, and a couple of sample documents to assist you with establishing your Arkansas LLC.
The best aspect of its services is that it will process and file your documents the same day they’re received, which is something the other LLC services on this list don’t do.
It doesn't provide a business tax assessment or an online document storage portal as part of its services, but you can get an EIN if you upgrade to the $199 package.
So, if you’re in a hurry to start an LLC and you need an LLC formation provider that offers same-day document processing and registered agent service, then Inc Authority is your better option.
8. BizFilings
BizFilings is another Arkansas LLC formation provider that charges $99 for its basic package, which provides assistance with filing your Arkansas LLC formation documents, a free year of registered agent service, and compliance alerts.
It doesn’t offer other essential services, such as a business tax assessment, assistance with your operating agreement, or an online document storage portal, so for $99, you’re actually getting less value for your money.
9. Rocket Lawyer
Rocket Lawyer is an online legal services provider that also offers very basic Arkansas LLC services, in addition to registered agent and other legal services, such as filing your formation documents and an online document storage portal.
It charges $99 for these services, making it more expensive than Northwest Registered Agent, which offers more services for less. If you already get your other legal paperwork through Rocket Lawyer, it might be worth using its formation services, but otherwise, Northwest is better.
For a more in-depth look at its services, read my full Rocket Lawyer review.
10. LegalZoom
LegalZoom is a legal services provider that offers LLC formation services and charges $99 for its basic package but offers very little in terms of services. It only provides assistance with your formation paperwork and a banking resolution.
If you already use LegalZoom’s registered agent service and you want to use it for your Arkansas LLC as well, you might consider using LegalZoom.
Other Arkansas LLC Services
I investigated seven more LLC services as part of my analysis but their services are so unappealing that they do not warrant a full review. Here they are in no particular order:
11. Incorporate.com
Incorporate.com, like Rocket Lawyer and LegalZoom, offers a $99 basic package with very few services. The only offerings it provides are an online storage portal and assistance with filing your articles of organization, and that’s it.
12. CorpNet
CorpNet will file your initial LLC formation documents and provide compliance alerts to keep you in good standing with the Secretary of State, all for $79.
13. MyCorporation
MyCorporation charges $133 to process your articles of organization and draft your operating agreement. Every other comprehensive service means an extra cost.
14. Direct Incorporation
Direct Incorporation has the same services as MyCorporation but includes a banking resolution and an employer identification number as part of its services, only it charges $147 for its services.
15. InCorp
InCorp charges $117 to file your articles of organization and assist with drafting your operating agreement. Any additional service is extra.
16. Nationwide Incorporations
Nationwide Incorporation offers the same level of services as InCorp but charges $200.
17. SunDoc Filings
SunDoc Filings’ $79 basic package offers assistance with filing your articles of organization, and its $99 Key package offers assistance with drafting your operating agreement, while its $279 Premier package provides you with an EIN.
The Best LLC Service in Arkansas Review Summary
After reviewing the 17 best LLC formation services and identifying the best 10, I concluded that Northwest Registered Agent is the best pick for establishing your Arkansas LLC.
Its $39 basic package offers everything you’ll need to get started in the business world, including assistance with filing your articles of organization, a draft operating agreement, a free three-month trial of VoIP service, an online document storage portal, a free business tax consultation with its in-house accountants, and a free year of registered agent services.
Northwest’s Corporate Guides are a team of former business owners, accountants, and lawyers who will assist you with your business formation process and will go on to provide top-notch business advice when you encounter challenges during your business journey. If you’re looking for an LLC formation provider that will save you time and money during your setup process, head over to Northwest Registered Agent today and get an 82% discount.
* Any fees/costs mentioned represent a per state per year outlay, unless they refer to a once-off filing fee.
Best LLC Service Review Methodology
I used the following method to find the best formation provider for your LLC in Arkansas:
Why You Should Trust Me
You should trust me with your LLC provider recommendations because I have more experience in the LLC formation provider than just about anybody I know.
It all started when I decided to start my first LLC. I did not have the requisite knowledge to file my articles of organization on my own, so I hired the services of a limited liability company formation service. However, the company I chose was overpriced and underwhelming (I won’t mention it here because this was a long time ago and its services have greatly improved).
For my second business attempt, I hired Northwest Registered Agent, who made the setup process much easier.
For my third attempt, I had earned enough capital to afford the services of a premium LLC formation provider. I settled on Harbor Compliance as my LLC provider of choice so that I could take advantage of the personal support representative that they provided.
My experience, however, is not limited to just using these services. I’ve assisted a lot of people in choosing the right LLC formation provider for their new business entities and since I started BoostSuite I’ve helped more than 1,000 people select an LLC provider that will serve them throughout their business journey.
How I Selected the Best LLC Service
I used a four-stage analysis to select the best limited liability company formation provider in the state of Arkansas.
Stage 1: Reviews
The first stage in my process was to go through the major business review websites, such as TrustPilot, Google Business, and the Better Business Bureau and read the reviews for each LLC company on this list. Most companies encourage their customers to leave comments on these websites so that they can get a clear picture of how the public receives their services.
This allowed me to get an overview of the quality of services that each LLC company offered and also to weed out any company that offered substandard services.
Stage 2: Website Analysis
After separating the underperformers from the serious players, the next stage in the process was to visit each LLC service’s website and read every claim and statement the companies made.
This allowed me to understand the types of services that each service provider offered and how they positioned themselves in the market.
Stage 3: Speaking With Actual Customers
Once I understood how each company positioned itself in the market, it was time to speak with actual customers so that I could understand whether or not these companies lived up to their promises. Granted, this is something I could have achieved by looking at online reviews, but these tend to be skewed toward positive or negative extremes.
I contacted friends who have used a business formation service, reached out to people I had referred previously, and chatted with visitors to my website so that I could understand the positives and negatives of their experiences.
Stage 4: Speaking With Sales Teams
The final stage in the process was to contact the customer support teams of each LLC formation provider so that I could press them for answers to the critical comments that customers had about their services.
This allowed me to see how the customer care personnel handled criticism under pressure.
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Rating Factors
After the four-stage investigative process, I ranked each LLC formation provider on the five factors below:
Factor 1: Offerings
The first factor was the types of services that each limited liability company service offered.
Some companies offer very basic services, such as assistance with your articles of organization, and that’s it. Others, like Northwest Registered Agent, offer a full suite of services, such as assistance with filing your articles of organization, a free consultation with their in-house accountants, online access to your documents, and assistance with drafting your small business or LLC’s management procedures or setting up a business bank account. Some will even help you get your business licenses!
Some offer registered agent services, as well, and are available during normal business hours to accept legal documents on behalf of your LLC in Arkansas and forward them to you. This service is invaluable to many business owners because of the risk involved if you act as your own registered agent in Arkansas.
These disparities in what various companies offered in terms of services were a good reason to begin the analysis process here.
Factor 2: Price
Cost of services was the second factor I used in my investigative process.
Some services began at $0 while others didn’t offer basic packages for less than $399. When you couple this difference in the cost of services with the wide disparities in the available services, price had to be the second factor in my analysis.
Factor 3: Ease of Sign-Up
The third factor in my process was how easy it was to sign up.
Some services have well-designed, intuitive websites that save you time and effort while others have old, clunky, and outdated systems that look like they were designed in the 90s on Windows 98.
I signed up with each LLC formation provider to determine which one required the least time and effort.
Factor 4: Ease of Use
The design issues are not tied to the sign-up process alone. Some of these issues spill over to the onboarding process.
Some services provide blank forms with numerous spaces to fill in, despite having all the necessary information. Others have pre-filled forms with all the required information and, in most cases, all you need to do is sign.
I assessed each service on how simple and effortless its system was to navigate.
Factor 5: Customer Service
The last factor I used in my analysis was the quality of the customer support.
Some companies outsource their customer support to call centers in foreign countries staffed with people who do not understand the procedures involved when starting an LLC in the US.
Then there are companies like Northwest Registered Agent, whose US-based customer support team is composed of former accountants, lawyers, business owners, and entrepreneurs who have a wealth of experience in not only running their own businesses but also assisting hundreds of small business owners to overcome their business challenges.
Assessing the wide gaps in the quality of customer support services in each LLC was the final factor in my analysis.
Conclusion
After analyzing the 10 best professional limited liability company service providers through my four-stage, five-factor analysis process, I concluded that Northwest Registered Agent is the best LLC formation provider in Arkansas.
Its $39 basic package gives you all the services you’ll need to establish a business in the state while providing the best value for your money:
- Assistance with filing your articles of organization
- A business name and address in Arkansas
- Assistance with drafting your operating agreement
- Compliance alerts so you don’t miss key filing deadlines
- A 30-minute consultation with its in-house accountants
- A year of free professional registered agent service
- A 90-day trial of VoIP service
- An online document storage portal
Northwest’s team of Corporate Guides knows how a business operates and provides assistance with your business formation process, and they also provide industry-leading small business advice whenever you encounter challenges during your business journey. If you’re ready to get started with your business journey and you want the best LLC formation service to help you do it, head over to Northwest Registered Agent today and enjoy an 82% discount.