Starting a business in Texas is an exciting venture, but setting up an LLC can be daunting. From filing legal documents to meeting compliance requirements, the process often leaves entrepreneurs wondering: What are the best LLC services in Texas? The right LLC service ensures your company is formed correctly, saving you time and avoiding costly errors.
Texas is a hub for businesses, offering no state income tax and a thriving economy, making it an ideal location to establish your LLC. Whether you’re an aspiring small business owner or managing multiple ventures, selecting the best LLC service in Texas is essential for a smooth setup process and ongoing compliance.
However, choosing the best LLC services in Texas isn’t always simple. Several key factors must be considered, such as:
- Transparent and competitive pricing;
- Services tailored to Texas LLC requirements;
- Registered agent options for reliable legal representation;
- Ongoing compliance tools and customer support.
Want to know more about these criteria? In this guide, we’ll dive into each factor to help you make the best decision for your business. But first, explore our in-depth comparison of the top LLC services tailored for Texas entrepreneurs.
1. Northwest Registered Agent: 9.45/10 (Best Overall LLC Service)
Northwest is by far the best LLC formation service in Texas due to its affordable formation package and its industry-leading customer support service.
Pros
Northwest’s formation package includes all the essential services you need to start a limited liability company in Texas.
It will help you file your articles of organization with the Texas Secretary of State and create an operating agreement as well as providing a business name and address in Texas, a business tax consultation with its in-house accountants, and a three-month, free trial of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service.
With a free year of registered agent service, you can protect your personal info and receive service of process and have all your mail uploaded to a convenient online storage portal.
Northwest also provides additional services, such as an employer identification number (EIN), a Certificate of Good Standing, and state-certified copies of your formation documents. However, these services are optional extras and are available for purchase when needed.
Northwest’s best feature remains its customer support service. Its support personnel, known as Corporate Guides, are a team of former small business owners, accountants, and lawyers with years of experience running an LLC.
The Corporate Guides not only provide assistance during your business formation process but they also offer industry-leading business advice that will assist you in managing your Texas LLC.
Northwest’s formation package has a standard cost of $225, but I’ve managed to cut a great deal for BoostSuite’s readers and you can get an 82% discount if you use my dedicated link to Northwest’s sign-up page. This reduces the cost to an affordable $39.
Cons
The only problem with Northwest is it doesn't provide any website-building tools that assist your Texas LLC in gaining an online presence. So you won’t get a business website, email hosting, or domain name registration.
Good news though! Since you can create your own business website using companies like Squarespace for as low as $15, this is only a minor issue.
Overall
Northwest is my recommendation for the best LLC formation service in Texas. Its $39 formation package provides all the basic services required to start your Texas LLC, including a free year of registered agent service (also known as resident agent service).
Northwest’s experienced and knowledgeable Corporate Guides assist you during your Texas LLC formation process and they also provide great business advice that comes in handy when you experience challenges during your business journey.
If you need an affordable and reliable LLC service provider in Texas that also provides great customer support, visit Northwest Registered Agent today and get an 82% discount on its formation package.
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2. ZenBusiness: 8.25/10 (Best Essentials LLC Service)
ZenBusiness’ phenomenal $0 price seems too good to pass up, but like all things that seem too good to be true, there are some drawbacks.
Pros
ZenBusiness supplies all the services you need to legally establish your LLC for just the cost of state fees. It will make sure your chosen business name is available and your information is accurate, and it will file your formation documents for you.
If you need anything outside of the basics, ZenBusiness has packages to cover that, too. Its $199 Pro plan provides help with your operating agreement and expedited filing (which takes around four to six days). Its $299 Premium plan includes rush filing (one to two days), as well as a domain name, an email address, and a website-building tool.
The cherry on top is that it supplies a US-based customer service team that’s available to customers with extended hours on both weekdays and Sundays.
Cons
ZenBusiness supplies all the formation basics for $0, but if you need anything else it’ll cost you.
Unlike some other providers, ZenBusiness doesn’t provide a year of free registered agent services. It charges $199 per year for its registered agent services—from the first year.
You won’t get small business advice with ZenBusiness, so if you have questions about your taxes or need advice about your backend operations, they can’t help you. But they are decent at handling typical customer service problems, like changing your passwords or updating account information.
Overall
When it comes to formation basics, ZenBusiness does a great job of delivering them and it has an unbeatable price of $0 (plus filing fee). It will make sure the business name you want to use is available, check that all the information on your formation documents is correct, and file your paperwork with the appropriate government agencies.
Registered agent service will cost you more with ZenBusiness, but it still provides services to allow you to rest easy, like a 100% accuracy guarantee and worry-free compliance.
If you’re in the market for essential LLC services and you want to learn more about ZenBusiness, you can check out its website.
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3. Harbor Compliance: 7.15/10 (Best Premium LLC Service)
Harbor Compliance is my choice for best premium LLC formation service because they provide personalized support services.
Pros
Its formation package assists your LLC in Texas with filing your initial formation paperwork with the Texas Secretary of State, provides an operating agreement template, helps you obtain an EIN, and even includes a year of registered agent service.
However, Harbor Compliance’s true value lies in its customer support. Unlike other LLC services where you call an anonymous hotline or engage with a chatbot online, Harbor Compliance provides you with a personal account manager whom you can contact any time you encounter challenges during your business journey.
Cons
At $399 for its formation package and $799 for its all-inclusive Compliance package, Harbor Compliance is pretty expensive and beyond the reach of people with limited business capital.
Overall
Harbor Compliance is a trusted LLC formation service in Texas providing premium services that assist your business formation process.
Its customer support is among the best in the business because instead of calling an anonymous helpline, participating in an online forum, or even engaging with an online chatbot, it provides your business with an assigned personal support representative who is available to answer your questions regarding any business-related issue and will provide guidance whenever you face any LLC challenges during your business formation process.
If you require a premium LLC service provider that offers personalized customer support and are willing to part with $399 for the privilege, visit Harbor Compliance and check out its services.
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4. Swyft Filings
Swyft Filings offer a lot of value in its $49 basic package.
Swyft Filings helps complete your articles of organization and file them on your behalf, give you a free, 30-minute tax consultation with one of its in-house accountants, give you online access to track your filing progress, and even throw in your business domain name registration.
The reason it’s not higher on this list though is that, unlike Northwest, it doesn't offer a free year of registered agent service.
The only issue with Swyft Filings is if you need a full year of registered agent service, you need to part with $149. This makes it three times more expensive than Northwest.
5. MyCompanyWorks
MyCompanyWorks is a bit like Swyft Filings.
It provides just about everything you need to start an LLC in its basic package (but in this case, it charges $79). If you want to include a registered agent service, you have to pay more. With MyCompanyWorks, that “more” means upgrading to its premium package, which will set you back $279.
Considering that this is included in the $39 Northwest plan, it’s not worth using.
6. Inc Authority
Inc Authority has probably the most deceptive pricing strategy of any company on this list.
It lures you in with the promise of a free business setup, but as you saw with ZenBusiness, “free” can often be more expensive in the long run.
Yes, Inc Authority will file your initial formation documents for $0 (plus state fee), but if you want anything beyond that (like an operating agreement, EIN, or company seal), its next cheapest package is $399. And if you want a year of registered agent service, you have to step up to its $799 premium package!
If you just want your articles of organization filed for free, use ZenBusiness. If you want anything beyond that, Northwest is still the best option.
7. Incorporate Fast
Incorporate Fast sets itself apart from the competition by living up to its name. It promises that when you sign up for its $99 (plus state fee) package, it will file your formation paperwork on the same day it’s received. It’s the only provider to make this promise.
When you consider that its basic package also includes assistance with your operating agreement, some sample legal documents, and a free year of registered agent service, this is actually a pretty solid service.
8. BizFilings
BizFilings will file your formation documents and provide a free year of registered agent service. It doesn't offer a business tax assessment, an operating agreement template, or online document storage.
9. LegalZoom
LegalZoom is similar to Rocket Lawyer in that it’s primarily an online legal service company that also happens to offer formation service. For $99, it files your articles of organization with the Texas Secretary of State and provides a banking resolution, but after that, you’re on your own. LegalZoom doesn’t even provide free registered agent services.
If you’re already using LegalZoom for its online legal services, you might consider using it to form an LLC as well. If you’re not, don’t bother.
10. Incorporate.com
Incorporate.com offers the same limited LLC formation packages that Rocket Lawyer and LegalZoom do, but without the excuse of it being a side service. This is its primary role and this is as good as it can do.
Other LLC Services
In addition to the 10 best LLC services listed above, I also investigated seven others. They were all quite unremarkable and honestly didn’t deserve a full writeup. They’re listed below for the sake of thoroughness.
11. CorpNet
Corpnet charges $79 for its business formation service, but it only files your initial formation documents and provides compliance alerts for things like your annual reports and franchise tax payments. It does provide free registered agent service, but only for the first 60 days.
If you want anything more, Northwest is a much better option.
12. MyCorporation
MyCorporation charges $133 (plus state fees) to prepare your operating agreement and process your articles of organization. If you need more comprehensive features like those you get from Northwest, you will incur extra costs.
13. Direct Incorporation
Direct Incorporation follows the trend of charging a lot for very little by offering its Texas LLC service for $147 (plus state fees). It does include an EIN and a banking resolution as part of the mix, but it’s still far from a market leader.
14. InCorp
InCorp helps with filing your formation paperwork and assists you with your Texas LLC operating agreement, all for $117.
15. Nationwide Incorporations
Nationwide Incorporations charges $200 for the same limited services you can get from InCorp.
16. SunDoc Filings
SunDoc Filings submits your formation paperwork for $79 and provides a few additional extras if you step up to its respective $99 and $279 LLC formation packages. Regardless of which one you choose to form an LLC, you’re still getting far less value than you do with Northwest, so there’s really no point.
The Best Texas LLC Service – Review Summary
After investigating the best LLC formation services, it’s clear that Northwest Registered Agent is the superior choice for starting your Texas LLC.
Northwest’s LLC formation packages include assistance with completing your articles of organization and filing them on your behalf, a business name and address in Texas, an online document storage portal, compliance alerts, a free three-month trial of VoIP service, free consultation with in-house accountants, and a free year of registered agent service.
When you consider its highly discounted $39 price is less than half the industry average and less than a quarter of some of its competitors, it was the best and easiest choice.
The Corporate Guides provide great business advice that assists you whenever you run into challenges during your business journey.
If you’re looking for a hassle-free business formation service that will get your new Texas business started and provide the best overall value for money, coupled with great customer care, head to Northwest now.
What Are the Best LLC Services in Texas?
The best Texas LLC services simplify the process of establishing a Limited Liability Company, ensuring that every legal and administrative requirement is handled efficiently. Texas, known for its favorable business climate and lack of state income tax, is an attractive location for entrepreneurs. However, navigating the formation process involves several essential steps, including filing Articles of Organization, designating a registered agent, and maintaining compliance with annual state requirements.
Top-tier providers offer solutions that save owners time while addressing these needs. The best LLC formation service in Texas handles everything from preparing and filing paperwork to offering tools for ongoing compliance, like reminders for annual reports and tax filings. These services also include essential features like registered agent representation, a legal requirement in Texas to receive official documents and maintain good standing with the state. For more details on the legal requirements, visit the Texas Secretary of State website.
The best Texas LLC services are also recognized for their transparency and affordability. Many start with entry-level packages as low as $39 plus state filing fees, while comprehensive packages include features like EIN acquisition, operating agreement templates, and compliance consultations. This flexibility allows businesses to select services tailored to their unique needs, such as creating a Series LLC, which offers added flexibility for entrepreneurs managing multiple ventures under one umbrella.
Furthermore, the top LLC services in Texas deliver excellent user experiences and reliable customer support. Their platforms are easy to navigate, and customer service teams help address questions about Texas-specific regulations. Features such as document storage, progress tracking, and compliance monitoring add significant value, enabling entrepreneurs to focus on growing their businesses.
Choosing the best LLC formation services in Texas ensures your company starts on the right path. With robust support, competitive pricing, and Texas-specific compliance solutions, these providers make LLC formation stress-free and efficient.
What Is the Cost of LLC Services in Texas?
Texas LLC Fee Summary
State Filing Fee
$300
Registered Agent Fee
$100–$300 annually
Operating Agreement
Optional, but may incur additional legal costs
EIN (Employer ID Number)
Free if obtained directly from IRS
Annual Franchise Tax
Varies by revenue; small businesses often exempt
Additional Services
Costs for licenses, permits, or consultations
The cost of forming a Limited Liability Company (LLC) in Texas involves several components:
- State Filing Fee: The primary expense is the Texas LLC filing fees for the Certificate of Formation, which is $300. This formation fee is required to officially establish your LLC with the state.
- Registered Agent Services: Texas requires an LLC to have a registered agent. If you opt for a professional service, this can cost between $100 and $300 annually.
- Operating Agreement: While not mandatory, drafting an operating agreement is advisable. If you hire legal assistance, this could add to your costs.
- EIN (Employer Identification Number): Obtaining an EIN from the IRS is free if done directly. However, some services charge a fee to obtain it on your behalf.
- Annual Franchise Tax: Texas imposes a franchise tax on LLCs, which varies based on revenue. Many small businesses fall below the threshold and owe no tax but must still file a report.
- Additional Services: Depending on your business needs, you might incur extra costs for services like business license costs, permits, or legal consultations.
In summary, while the base cost to form an LLC in Texas starts at $300 for the state filing fee, additional expenses can arise based on the services you choose and your specific business requirements.
–> For entrepreneurs looking to minimize costs while maintaining quality services, explore our guide to cheap LLC options to find budget-friendly solutions for forming your business efficiently.
What Are the Benefits of an LLC?
A Limited Liability Company (LLC) is a popular choice among business owners because it combines the flexibility of a sole proprietorship with the liability protection of a corporation. The advantages of forming an LLC make it an attractive option for small businesses, offering operational simplicity and tax flexibility while safeguarding personal assets. Understanding the pros and cons can help you decide if this structure fits your needs.
| Feature | LLC Advantage | Sole Proprietorship | Corporation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liability Protection | Separates personal and business assets | No liability protection | Strong liability protection |
| Tax Flexibility | Pass-through taxation; options available | Pass-through taxation only | Double taxation on profits |
| Management Simplicity | Minimal formalities, ideal for small businesses | Simplest structure, but lacks protections | High compliance requirements |
| Professionalism | Enhances credibility and protects brand | Limited credibility | High credibility, especially for investors |
1. Liability Protection
One of the core benefits of forming an LLC is the separation of personal and business assets. This liability protection ensures that personal assets like your home or savings are shielded from business debts and lawsuits, reducing financial risk.
2. Tax Flexibility
LLCs provide tax flexibility by defaulting to pass-through taxation, meaning profits are taxed only once at the owner's personal level. Additionally, LLCs can choose to be taxed as a corporation if that aligns better with the business’s financial goals.
3. Management Simplicity
Unlike corporations, LLCs have fewer formalities, such as board meetings or extensive record-keeping requirements. This simplicity makes them ideal for small businesses and entrepreneurs who want to focus on operations rather than administrative tasks.
How to choose a registered agent in Texas?
A Texas registered agent plays a vital role in forming and maintaining your LLC. They ensure compliance with state requirements and facilitate efficient communication by managing legal and tax documents on behalf of your business. Selecting the right registered agent is crucial to safeguard your personal assets and streamline operations.
What Does a Texas Registered Agent Do?
A registered agent serves as the official point of contact for your LLC. Their responsibilities include:
- Receiving legal documents, such as lawsuits or subpoenas.
- Managing tax notices and other correspondence from the state.
- Ensuring the LLC complies with state regulations by maintaining a consistent communication channel.
By designating a professional registered agent, your business structure benefits from reliable communication and adherence to compliance requirements, allowing you to focus on growing your business.
Benefits of Choosing the Best Registered Agent Services
Selecting the best registered agent services offers several advantages for your LLC:
- Enhanced Privacy: Professional agents keep your personal address off public records, protecting your privacy and personal assets.
- Reliable Communication: You’ll never miss critical deadlines or legal notices, as registered agents are available during business hours to handle correspondence.
- Time-Saving Solutions: Using a registered agent simplifies the administrative burden, letting you focus on operations instead of compliance logistics.
With a trusted service, you gain peace of mind knowing that state and legal matters are handled efficiently.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Registered Agent in Texas
When choosing a registered agent, consider these factors to ensure reliability and compliance:
- Availability: Verify the agent is consistently available during standard business hours.
- Physical Office in Texas: Ensure they maintain a physical office in the state, as required by law.
- Track Record: Research their reputation and history of handling time-sensitive documents efficiently.
- Privacy Protection: Look for services that protect personal addresses by using their office for public records.
Professional registered agent services in Texas can significantly enhance your LLC's compliance and operational security.
Why Registered Agents Are Crucial for Forming Your LLC
A registered agent simplifies the process to form your LLC by handling the necessary legal correspondence from the state. They ensure that your business complies with Texas regulations, minimizing the risk of missed deadlines or penalties. Additionally, their ability to shield your personal address from public view protects your personal assets and adds a layer of professionalism to your LLC.
Whether transitioning from a sole proprietorship or setting up a new business, a registered agent is a cornerstone of a reliable and efficient business structure. They also provide continuity, enabling you to open a business bank account and focus on growth without administrative distractions.
Best Texas LLC Service – Review Methodology
This is how I determined which limited liability company (LLC) service is the best formation service in Texas and which are a bunch of scammers trading off their brand recognition.
Why You Should Trust Me
You should trust me with your LLC formation service recommendations because I’ve spent more time and energy diving down this dark and murky hole than just about any reasonable person should.
My journey started with forming my first company. I didn’t have the time to learn the complex intricacies of completing my formation paperwork nor the patience to wait for my incorrect form to be returned from the great corporate gatekeepers, so I decided to pay someone to do it. Unfortunately, I chose the wrong company and its services were both overpriced and underwhelming.
My second adventure into setting up my own LLC proved simpler and easier, with Northwest Registered Agent providing a smooth experience.
My third attempt was also quite easy when I switched to Harbor Compliance to take advantage of the experience of its personal account manager.
But my experience isn’t just limited to using these services. After selling my second business, I started to hunt around for a new business opportunity. After chatting with all my entrepreneur friends about their challenges and issues, a constant theme emerged. There’s a huge amount of small business advice available, but most of it is either incomplete, contradictory, or too technical and dense to be useful.
This led me to start BoostSuite and since then I’ve helped more than 1,000 business owners choose the right business formation service to start their new business entity.
How I Selected the Best Texas LLC Service?
Selecting the best LLC formation service was a four-stage process.
Stage 1: Reviews
The first stage was a thorough investigation of the online customer reviews available for the 50 best LLC services in Texas.
I spent many long nights scrolling through customer feedback on Trustpilot, the Better Business Bureau, Google Business, and Facebook (among other review sites) discovering which LLC services were scams and which ones were legit operations.
Stage 2: Website Analysis
Once I knew whom I could trust and whom to stay right away from, the next step was to review their websites to understand exactly what they were offering.
I scoured pricing pages and detailed breakdowns of the products and business services available to discover who was offering what and at what price.
Stage 3: Speaking With Real Customers
Reading online customer reviews can only tell you so much. In order to get a real understanding of what it’s like to use a service, you have to speak to those in the trenches and get customer feedback straight from the source.
To make sure I got an unbiased and accurate understanding of these Texas LLC services, I reached out to customers I’d recommended over the last few years seeking their input. I asked about how simple and easy their system was to use, how polite and helpful their support team really is, and how quickly they actually process their applications.
This direct customer feedback opened my eyes to which promises were scams and which were legit.
Stage 4: Speaking With Their Sales Teams
The final step in the process was to speak with their sales teams and discover just how hard they were going to upsell me.
I played dumb, asking all the naive questions a first-timer would ask and then waited to see how many times I was asked, “Do you want fries with that?”.
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Rating Factors
As I was working through my analysis process, I was constantly assessing these LLC formation services based on these five factors.
Factor 1: Offerings
If you’ve read even half of what’s written above, you’ll know that there are a lot of steps to starting an LLC. You need to complete and file your articles of organization, get an EIN, set up bank accounts, choose a premium registered agent service in Texas so you have an address in the state, and do a bunch more fun things.
To make sure you get as many of these completed when you invest your hard-earned money, the first factor I assessed each LLC formation service on was the products and business services it offered.
This allowed me to move those trying to trade on their brand names more than their quality products toward the bottom of the list and move those who actually cared about solving your problem toward the top.
Factor 2: Price
There’s no point in finding a Texas LLC service that provides everything you need to get your company up and running if it charges half your yearly inventory budget to do so.
To make sure you still have the cash to fund your office setup, the next factor I considered was price. This shuffled the deck around with the best value LLC formation services rising to the top.
Factor 3: Ease of Sign-Up
Product and service offerings are important and value is critical, but if you can’t easily enter your details on the sign-up forms then neither offerings nor value make any difference.
I signed up to each of these business formation services to walk through the sign-up process and made sure it’d ironed out the kinks and issues in the onboarding process.
Factor 4: Ease of Use
Signing up to a business formation service with a wide range of product offerings at a reasonable price point is a useful first step, but if you can’t navigate the system or if it requires you to use some bespoke software only available on Windows XP to complete its forms, it’s just going to break your brain.
To make sure all these systems were simple to use and easy to navigate, I set up an account with each of these Texas LLC formation services and tried to register my fictional LLC. I completed my forms, submitted them to the Texas Secretary of State, and then waited patiently for my business formation documents to land in my inbox.
Factor 5: Customer Service
The recent corporate trend of offshoring customer support to unaffiliated call centers with representatives that know less about the service they’re supporting than the laws and regulations those services are subject to has left me unsatisfied with the customer support experiences.
To ascertain the quality of the business formation services, I tested their customer support teams in every way I could. I emailed them polite requests, I called them to ask about obvious information, and I jumped on their online chat portals and peppered them with inappropriate complaints. I wanted to see how they handled my requests and comments and how quickly it took them to respond.
In Conclusion
For $39, Northwest Registered Agent provides everything you need to get your new Texas LLC up and running and throw in a bunch of extras, including a free session with its in-house accounting team to set up your accounting systems, an online document storage portal, a three-month, free trial of VoIP service, compliance alerts, an operating agreement template, and a free year of registered agent service.
Northwest’s Corporate Guides provide the best customer support in the business. They can assist you with your business formation process as well as providing great small business advice that’ll help you manage your business entity in Texas.
If you’re ready to form an LLC in Texas and want a service that will ensure you get up and running with the least expense and hassle, head to Northwest Registered Agent now and enjoy an 82% discount on your LLC formation.
