Harbor Compliance Review Summary
Compliance specialist company Harbor Compliance offers a comprehensive registered agent service as well as various company formation services and software solutions. They offer full-service compliance solutions to businesses and nonprofits across their entire life cycle.
My review is a thorough and analytical examination of these services, their prices, customer experience, and other factors. You'll have enough evidence at the end of the review to decide whether it's the right choice for your company.
Along with these services, they provide annual reports, business licensing, foreign qualification, fundraising, compliance, and nonprofit formation.
Harbor Compliance Pros
Harbor Compliance Cons
Who Should Use Harbor Compliance?
If you are looking for one of the best LLC formation companies to handle your company’s compliance, then Harbor Compliance is definitely one to consider. They offer one-on-one customer support from compliance specialists who understand business laws and regulations. Furthermore, they provide ongoing assistance throughout the life of your company.
Who Should NOT Use Harbor Compliance?
If you are looking for an LLC formation service to merely set your LLC up then leave you to manage your business needs yourself, then Harbor Compliance may not be the best fit for you. Harbor Compliance’s strength is in ensuring that your small business remains compliant.
Harbor Compliance Basics
Who Is Harbor Compliance?
Harbor Compliance was founded in 2012 by a team of government licensing specialists operating from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They are a compliance specialist company that works to ensure that your small business is fully compliant with your state’s laws and regulations. Furthermore, Harbor Compliance specializes in many industries, ranging from architecture, construction, engineering to law firms, and nonprofits. Since they began operating, they have assisted over 25,000 customers.
What Does Harbor Compliance Do?
Harbor Compliance offers a wide range of services and solutions:
Software Solutions
Their compliance software solutions is an online platform that provides you with your own personalized dashboard where business owners can monitor and maintain their important records and documents.
1. Entity Manager
Harbor Compliance entity management software looks at all the different states that your business is registered in on an interactive map—allowing you to monitor which states your company has good standing in.
2. License Manager
The license manager stores all your licenses in one place and evaluates them against a nationwide database of all licensing requirements.
3. Records Manager
Records Manager tracks ownership and leadership for corporations, nonprofits, and limited liability companies. It also stores the organisational documents that are specific to each type of entity. Furthermore, it keeps track of all types of internal meetings. Records Manager sends reminders based on your notification preferences and business managers can set the frequency of recurring meetings.
4. Tax Manager
The Tax Manager from Harbor Compliance keeps track of all your federal, state, and local tax obligations.
Business Services
Harbor Compliance provides formation package and compliance solutions to small start-ups as well as larger nationwide businesses through their software and management. Their compliance software assists you with tracking taxes, licenses, and registrations and their compliance service provides assistance if you require guidance or management of your business's compliance. Moreover, Harbor Compliance also assists start-ups with LLC formation and registered agent services. The following is a breakdown of each service they provide to businesses:
1. Business Licensing
Business licensing refers to all the licensing needs that your company may need. With Harbor Compliance, you will have full access to their in-house compliance experts. Architecture, cause, marketing, construction, employment, energy, engineering, insurance, land surveying, charitable solicitation, pharmaceuticals, security, and transportation are some of the license categories listed on their website.
2. LLC Formation Process
Harbor Compliance offers an LLC formation service that comes in two separate packages:.
- Formation Package
- Name Availability
- Articles of Organization
- Operating Agreement Template
- Federal EIN
- Registered Agent
- Compliance Package—includes all of the above, as well as:
- S Corp or C Corp Tax Election
- Initial Report
- Publishing
- Managed Annual Report Service
- Ongoing Support
3. Registered Agent Service
Harbor Compliance also caters to clients who need a registered agent by providing pre-filled state forms, same-day document delivery, and easy-to-use software for process tracking. They have local offices in every state to receive your time-sensitive legal documents.
You’ll need to subscribe to their service prior to submitting a filing to the state to use their name and address for your filing, which you will have access to immediately after order confirmation. They will assist you with filing your documents at a flat price with no additional charges and supply you with timely reminders for annual report preparation and submission.
Keep in mind that, according to Harbor Compliance terms of service, in order to cancel your service, you must first appoint a new registered agent. Harbor Compliance may continue to charge you an annual fee as long as state government records show that they are still your registered agent.
What Else Does Harbor Compliance Offer?
Annual Reports
Harbor Compliance’s annual reports service completely automates your multi-state annual report preparation and filing.
Foreign Qualification
A foreign qualification refers to when you register your company outside of the original state of formation. Harbor Compliance obtains the certificates you need in the state you want to register in.
Fundraising Compliance
Fundraising compliance is to do with things like charity organizations with the different state requirements and solicitation registration across 41 different states. Harbor Compliance offers effective service to independent fundraisers and companies as well.
Nonprofit Formation
Harbor Compliance handles the formation process of nonprofit organizations, where you will only just review and sign the prepared documents. As a nonprofit, you can apply for grants, get 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status if eligible, and protect your assets.
How Much Does Harbor Compliance Cost?
Fortunately, their pricing structure is simple and clearly stated on their website and they also do not add any additional fees. Harbor Compliance also offers a variety of discounts for larger client orders. The following is a breakdown of each service's most recent pricing as reported on their official website.
Software Solutions:
Entity Manager
- 50 registrations for $300*
- 100 registrations for $565
- 250 registrations for $825
- Enterprise plan, for those who require larger volumes of registrations (price-dependent)
License Manager
- 50 licenses for $300
- 100 licenses for $565
- 250 licenses for $825
- Enterprise plan, for those who require larger volumes of licenses (price-dependent)
Records Manager
- First Entity for $100
- Each Additional Entity for $50Enterprise plan, for those who require larger volumes of entities (price-dependent)
Tax Manager
- 50 registrations for $300
- 100 registrations for $565
- 250 registrations for $825
- Enterprise plan, for those who require larger volumes of registrations (price-dependent)
All the software solutions above have a free demo option that you may test to determine if it is the right software for your business.
*Software prices are per month and billed annually.
Registered Agent Service:
The service costs $99 per year. However, there is a unique discount pricing structure broken down as follows:
1 Year: $99
If you order this service for one year (and renew it annually) there is a flat annual fee of $99 according to Harbor Compliance official website.
Multiple Years: 5–10% discount
If you order the service for two or more years and pay upfront, you get a 5–10% discount depending on how many states you choose as well as for how many years you order the service for.
Bulk Business:
If your business needs more comprehensive features, Harbor Compliance has a plan for you! Bulk discount rates are available for large orders with multiple entities or for consolidating your registered agent service. This is case-by-case dependent and further details are available by speaking directly with an agent.
My Assessment
Price—8/10
Harbor Compliance pricing may seem high when compared with some of their competitors that offer the same service for a lower price. However, they provide premium and personalized services that compensate for that price. And don’t forget they offer discounts for volume orders!
Product/Service Offerings—9/10
The features Harbor Compliance offers are unique. They boast specialists with a variety of expertise. Harbor Compliance serves a large client base with a range of quality products, such as their unique software and business solutions. No other competitors have such advanced and user-friendly compliance technology.
Customer Support—10/10
Harbor Compliance excellent customer support is definitely one of their best services. They are always on standby to assist and provide valuable customer feedback. Harbor Compliance assigns your business its own compliance specialist. From the first day, a dedicated support agent will guide you, eliminating the need to speak with a random agent each time you call.
Ease of Use—9/10
The Harbor Compliance website is easy to navigate and all their packages and costs are laid out comprehensively. Each product or service has a short description that details exactly what the service is about—ensuring you select the most appropriate service for your small business. Each page directs you to the next pricing page with easy-to-understand explanations, making it simple to find and understand what you are paying for.
My Overall Rating—9/10
When compared with other companies’ services, Harbor Compliance’s formation package is less flexible in terms of pricing and services. They only offer a single LLC formation package for $399, whereas other competitors offer multiple tiers of packages and some even allow you to select individual services.
On the brighter side, Harbor Compliance is an expert in the field of corporate compliance, they try to ensure that your LLC formation or incorporation goes as smoothly as possible. Their one-day LLC formation package order processing and network of local offices ensure the quickest possible turnaround time for your business's formation. Providing each client with a personal compliance specialist is also a unique feature.
What Others Are Saying
TrustPilot
When I wrote this analysis, TrustPilot had only one negative review of Harbor Compliance. The company has not yet replied to this customer’s feedback and has a current rating of 3.2 on TrustPilot.
Google Business Listing
Harbor Compliance has good customer reviews on Google, scoring a 4.5 out of 5 stars from 100 reviews. Most of the reviews note just how good the customer service is and the overall smooth delivery of the hired services.
Harbor Compliance customer reviews on Facebook are all positive, scoring 4.8 out of 5 from 23 reviews. The reviews are detailed and note just how fast and reliable the customer service is.
Better Business Bureau
Harbor Compliance review scores a 4 out of 5 stars on Better Business Bureau based on 12 customer feedback comments. It scores an A+ Rating and Accreditation from Better Business Bureau themselves. Harbor Compliance has only three negative customer reviews, the most recent occurring more than two years ago. These complaints discussed registration agent service cancellation delays, which resulted in overcharging for them even after cancellation.
Overall
Based on these Harbor Compliance reviews, it is clear that the majority of their customers highly favor the company. Their customer service is unmatched and they offer excellent personalized solutions. Their compliance software technology is advanced and yet easy to use. However, the LLC formation package is quite expensive for small start-ups and companies on a strict budget. Also, they should clearly state the cancellation policies along with service details to avoid any future misunderstandings with clients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the best Harbor Compliance package?
If you are serious about your LLC formation (along with business compliance) and are looking for exceptional services with unrivalled customer service (and you have the budget for it), then choose their Compliance Package.
Does Harbor Compliance offer a promo code or discount?
A discount is available for large volume orders placed over multiple years. For example, they provide a 5–10% discount when purchasing multiple years of registered agent services. No affiliate commissions are available from Harbor Compliance.
Is Harbor Compliance legit?
Yes, Harbor Compliance is a legitimate company. They have been around since 2012, have assisted thousands of businesses and customers, and are Norton approved.
How does Harbor Compliance compare with other registered agent services?
Compared with their competitors, Harbor Compliance stands out positively in customer service and reviews. Although maybe not as cheap as some of their competitors, with the excellent one-on-one support they provide throughout the LLC formation process, you get what you pay for.
Can I form an LLC on my own?
Yes, you can. However, Harbor Compliance knows exactly what is needed for registration in various industries and states, which then takes the burden off you.
Do they have a refund policy?
Harbor Compliance does not offer refunds.
May I use their address as my company address?
Yes. You should use Harbor Compliance’s address or you will have to use your own personal or business address. All their information is already pre-filled on your forms if you wish to use them.
Should I reserve my LLC name before forming an LLC with Harbor Compliance?
No, this is not necessary.
Can I form an LLC without physically being in the United States?
Yes, it is possible to conduct the LLC formation process through Harbor Compliance without physically being in the United States.
What is the Harbor Compliance customer support phone number and email?
Their phone number is +1 (888)-995-5895 and their email address is info@harborcompliance.com.
Does Harbor Compliance sell or share my information with third parties?
The information that you provide to Harbor Compliance is not sold or traded with outside parties; however, your information may be shared with the trusted third-party businesses and partners that the company uses to provide their services.
I’ve heard LegalZoom has a lot of upsells. Does Harbor Compliance?
Harbor Compliance does not have upsells; the packages on offer are the set prices that you will pay and these are clearly set out on their website. What’s more, you pay for the packages upfront and are billed annually giving Harbor Compliance no option to ever include things like upsells.
How quickly does Harbor Compliance process LLC formations?
Harbor Compliance processes all LLC formations within a single day of receiving the necessary information. They often file Articles of Organization on the same day they receive an order.
My LLC needs an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Is it worth the money?
Yes. If your business wishes to open a bank account and to trade with customers, then an Employer Identification Number (EIN) would be needed. Harbor Compliance services do include an EIN within all packages of the registered agent service.
