Welcome to my Incorporate.com review!
If you’ve come here for an unbiased and honest look at this company, then you’re in the right place. I’ve researched and reviewed business formation services for years, so I’ve learned a lot about Incorporate.com’s services in the process.
Unlike other Incorporate.com reviews, I’ll tell you both the good and the bad aspects of its services. I’m not going to sugar-coat anything, so you can get an unbiased look at the company, what it offers and what it doesn’t, and decide for yourself whether it’s a good fit for your company.
Quick Verdict: Is Incorporate.com Worth the Money?
A lot of business owners want to know how long a company has been in business before they’ll hire it, and a company’s reputation is sometimes more important to potential clients than its prices. It will surprise many people to learn that Incorporate.com has been around for more than a century.
Yeah — before .com was even a thing.
For $99 (plus state filing fees), Incorporate.com will file your articles of organization and provide you with an online dashboard where you can track your filings. It’ll also give you deadline updates, copies of your LLC formation documents, and a corporate compliance guarantee.
If you want registered agent service, though, you should probably purchase that from another company because Incorporate.com’s registered agent service costs $235 per state, per year (plus state fees). There are far less expensive registered agent services on the market.
Probably the biggest drawbacks of Incorporate.com’s business formation services are its constant upselling and opaque fee structure. For instance, an operating agreement should be a pretty standard business formation service, but that will run you an additional $99 with Incorporate.com.
Incorporate.com is generally worth passing on, unless you’re looking for premium services from a well-established company and don’t mind paying through the teeth for them.
Pros:
- Well established
- Lots of service features
- Corporate compliance guarantee
- Honest turnaround times
- An online learning center with helpful topics
Cons:
- Super expensive
- Confusing packages
- Too many add-ons
- Complete lack of fee transparency
- Fewer online reviews for the company than you’d expect
- Average-to-slow turnaround times
Who Is Incorporate.com For?
Incorporate.com definitely isn’t for everybody. But you should give it consideration if this applies to you:
- You want premium registered agent services.
- You want to work with a business that’s been around for a while.
- You don’t need registered agent service from your LLC formation service.
Since it’s not for everyone, you should steer clear of Incorporate.com if this is you:
- You don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for formation services.
- You don’t like deceptive pricing.
- You don’t want a company that produces average or slow turnaround times.
- You need affordable registered agent services.
Incorporate.com Features Overview
Incorporate.com offers a wide array of features, but they don’t all come included with the basic package. In fact, many features aren’t featured in ANY of its packages. Confused? Well, get used to it.
LLC Formation Services
As we mentioned, Incorporate.com actually comes with lots of features, but since it’s confusing I’ll break it down into separate packages, as well as extras.
Starter: $99
- Filing of your articles of organization
- Access to the CSCNavigator online compliance tool
- Annual report filing reminders and service
- Online formation document storage
On top of all of that, it offers a $75,000 corporate compliance guarantee. If any errors appear on your compliance paperwork, it’ll correct the problem and pay you up to $75,000.
This sort of guarantee is considered a premium service, and a lot of business owners look for this sort of insurance or protection from business formation services.
Essentials: $249
With their Essentials package for $249 (plus state filing fees), you get everything from the Starter package as well as a few extras:
- Corporate kit
- Company seal
- Stock or membership certificates (depending on the business structure of your company)
- Employer identification number
- Annual report filing service
The Works: $349
The Works includes everything from the Starter and Essentials packages, as well as a business license research package and an operating agreement.
Now, while you can already see that these packages are flat-out expensive, where they really get you is the additional services, some necessary.
Here’s a look at additional services and prices:
- Registered agent service: $235 per year (plus state fees)
- Operating agreement or bylaws (only included with the Works package): $99
- Employer Identification Number Filing: (Included with the Essentials and The Works packages) $80
- Annual reports filing: $150 per year
- Business license compliance package (included with the Works): $99
- Doing business as (DBA) filing: $150
- Mail forwarding: $200 per year for customers in the US, $275 per year for our friends abroad
- Certificate of good standing, amendments, dissolutions, reinstatements, and foreign qualifications: varies by state
- Stock and membership certificates: $1.50–$0.50 per share or certificate
- Corporate or LLC kits $99
Some of what is “included” in the packages is actually an add-on. That’s what I meant when I said Incorporate.com has really misleading pricing and package information.
Registered Agent Service
Incorporate.com actually has registered agent service through its parent company, CSC (Corporation Service Company). Some reviews state that when you sign up for business formation services, you’re required to use its registered agent service. That’s not exactly true.
Incorporate.com won’t really twist your arm to get its registered agent services, but you don’t get access to the CSCNavigator without it. That means you don’t have access to the online document management system, or compliance alerts, both of which are essential formation services.
Basically, if you don’t buy its registered agent service, there’s no use in buying its formation services.
Obviously, people don’t like that.
For starters, its registered agent service price is $235 per state, per year (plus state fees), which is ridiculous. And since none of its packages includes a year of free registered agent service, you’ll be paying that expensive fee from the first year.
Here are the core services included:
- Document receipt and delivery
- Notifying you of service of process
- Online document-management system with same-day uploads and notificationsons
- Customer support by phone and chat support
- Access to the CSCNavigator for document storage and compliance alerts
- $75,000 Corporate Compliance Guarantee
There are some significant drawbacks to these registered agent services. The first is obviously the price. When you can get better coverage for less than $100 per state, per year, why would anyone choose this option?
It also doesn't offer any mobile app for its services, which is a hindrance for any business owner on the move. And on top of the fact that it has expensive registered agent service, it also doesn't offer any multi-state discounts, so you’ll pay the full price, no matter what.
What I Like About Incorporate.com
Despite its drawbacks, there are actually a handful of positive aspects to Incorporate.com’s services. Here are a few of the reasons I feel that a business owner could benefit from using Incorporate.com:
Loads of Features
When it comes to business formation features, Incorporate.com is a corporation services company that beats out most of its competition.
Some of the things it offers are filing your Articles of Organization, the CSCNavigator dashboard that gives you access to annual report filing dates and other important compliance information, as well as your business formation documents, and their Corporate Compliance Guarantee.
You can also get upgrades:
- S-Corp Registration
- C-Corp Registration
- Nonprofit Registration
- Registered Agent Service
- Operating Agreements
- EIN filing
- Annual Report Service
- Doing Business As (DBA)
- Business License Research Package
- Certificate of Good Standing
- Stocks and Membership Certificates
- Corporate Kit
Of course, some of those features are locked behind their $249 Essentials or $349 The Works packages. And some of them aren’t included with any package and can only be purchased as add-ons for additional fees. But the fact that they supply this many services, regardless of the price, is notable.
Corporate Compliance Guarantee
Incorporate.com offers a $75,000 Corporate Compliance Guarantee, which is something that many business formation or LLC formation services don’t provide. In fact, I consider this a premium LLC service, and it usually costs $299 or more for insurance or protection of this sort from other formation services.
Here’s how it works.
If there’s any sort of error on your compliance paperwork, Incorporate.com will make sure that the problem is solved, and then pay you $75,000. The peace of mind that it provides is excellent for many business owners because one misstep with compliance or annual report filing could cause all sorts of legal and financial repercussions for business entities.
Reliable Customer Support
Incorporate.com offers both phone and chat support, as well as email support. And believe it or not, the email support is fairly reliable. They’ll get back to you within one business day, and not leave you hanging for an indefinite period of time.
Probably the best part of its customer support is the fact that its representatives know their stuff. They know all about the LLC formation process, so you won’t have to explain your problem to them like they’re new.
Long-Standing Business
Incorporate.com’s parent company, CSC (Corporate Services Company) has been around since 1899. And over the years it’s helped more than 750,000 companies complete the business formation process.
Given that many business owners research companies before working with them, it’s likely that Incorporate.com will gain points with both large and small business owners because of its enduring track record.
Online Learning Center
It’s no secret that every new business owner has lots to learn, and loads of questions. So, that’s why it’s great that Incorporate.com provides an Online Learning Center.
You can learn about the business formation process, issues specific to LLC formation, the difference between LLC formation and incorporation, compliance, how to form a business, and more. There’s even a business glossary!
Why You Might Not Like Incorporate.com
Like I said before, it’s not for everyone.
Price
Okay, so the obvious reason that many people are going to pass on Incorporate.com is the price. The fact that it’s pretty much useless without registered agent service that costs $235 per year, even the cheapest package is more than that of many competitors.
Then there’s the issue of expensive add-ons. A whopping $80 to apply for an EIN that’s completely free from the IRS?! Nope.
Misleading Pricing and Language
When it comes to the price of Incorporate.com’s services and what’s included, it can feel like someone’s pulling a fast one on you.
All the package information makes it seem as though you’ll get annual report service and access to the CSCNavigator included with the price of the package, and that couldn’t be further from the truth. Even if you pay for the most expensive package — the Works at $349 — you’ll still have to pay $150 for annual report service.
None of the formation packages give you access to the CSCNavigator, either. You only unlock that with registered agent service, which costs $235 per year.
So, basically even if you pay for the annual report service, it does you no good without also paying for registered agent service. And at that point, what’s even the point of formation service if you don’t get compliance reports or even a calendar without the registered agent service?
Incorporate.com also charges $80 for an EIN, unless you get the Works or Essential package. That’s highway robbery when you consider that you can get your EIN from the IRS website for free!
It claims it ordinarily takes three to four days to get an EIN from the IRS to get an additional $75 from you for expedited EIN service. But in reality, when you file on a weekday between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., you’ll get an EIN in just minutes — for free!
Slow Turnaround
Incorporate.com will provide you with detailed turnaround time estimates, but the problem within them is that they’re somewhere between average and slow compared to other business formation service providers.
Sure, you’ll get an accurate turnaround estimate, but it’ll be slow. To speed things up, there’s an expedited shipping option for $20 — another upsell.
Registered Agent Service
Other LLC formation companies provide registered agent service for the first year for free, and Incorporate.com doesn’t.
Beyond that, Incorporate.com’s registered agent service costs a shocking $235 per state, per year, with no premium services for that premium price. It also doesn't provide any sort of multi-state discount, so you’ll pay full-price for registered agent service from the start, no matter how many states you use it in.
And if that weren’t bad enough, you’re pretty much forced to buy Incorporate.com’s registered agent service because many of the services listed in its formation packages (like compliance alerts and access to the CSCNavigator) are only included with registered agent service.
Lack of Online Reviews
I mentioned the company’s long-standing position in the business world as a “pro” for the company, and it is. But the thing is, if a company has been around that long, you’d think they’d have more reviews.
There’s probably an argument for them maybe having reviews listed in another medium and not online, but since the rest of businesses in the United States have updated to the digital world, it seems that Incorporate.com would, too. In fact, it’s almost suspicious that they don’t have more online reviews.
There are a total of nine reviews on TrustPilot, eight of which are negative. There are five reviews on Yelp, and only one of them is positive.
Now, I understand that a company that’s been around since the 1800s probably survived so long based on word of mouth and other forms of advertisement and such, but since we’ve evolved into the digital age, it’s bizarre that they don’t have more online reviews — positive or negative.
Methodology
I used a process similar to how I determined the Best LLC Formation Services and the Best Registered Agent Services. Here’s how I reviewed this service provider.
Why You Should Trust Me
My reviews can be trusted because I’ve got years of experience in both the LLC service and registered agent service industry. I may have more knowledge about these industries than some of their customer service reps!
I didn’t start out as a formation services expert. My research began when I started my first LLC. I was new to the business world, so I thought it was a good idea to use a formation service so I wasn’t establishing my business on hard mode.
But the first company I used wasn’t very helpful. It had a short service list, and it did such a poor job of delivering those services that it impeded the formation process by weeks.
My second LLC was started with Northwest Registered Agent, which I chose because it came at a good price and it had loads of services.
Among those services were lots of extras. It provided me with a complimentary year of registered agent service, and its customer service team was made of experts in the business industry who could answer my questions and solve any problems my business may come face to face with.
I chose Harbor Compliance to start my third LLC. I’d saved back enough money to spring for a premium LLC service, and its dedicated customer service agents were an attractive feature. But, though dedicated service is a nice touch, I still missed Northwest’s expert advice and patient Corporate Guides.
After all of that, I’ve assisted numerous business owners to choose the right services to fit their needs. I first started BoostSuite with the intent to provide business owners with advice about business services that they could trust.
Since starting this site, I’ve helped more than 1,000 people choose the best LLC services for their companies.
How I Review Each Provider
I look into lots of different factors when it comes to reviewing an LLC service. Here are some of the considerations I make for each service provider.
Services
My starting point for every review is their services and features. It’s important to find out if they provide all the services you need to start an LLC:
- Registered agent service, and if so is the first year free?
- Compliance alerts
- An online document-management system
- Premium services
- Exemplary delivery of services
These are the things I’m thinking about when I’m reading about a company’s services, and they’re what you should keep in mind, too.
Price
Price may not be the most important factor for many businesses, but it definitely is an important factor. Many small business owners are working with a limited cash flow and can’t afford to spend hundreds of dollars on an expensive formation service, or on loads of upcharges just to get the services they need.
And just because you only have to pay fees for LLC service once doesn’t mean you won’t have to pay an annual fee for things like compliance alerts and registered agent services, which can quickly add up.
Another thing to consider when you’re looking at a company’s prices is the fact that there are different pricing tiers when it comes to formation and registered agent services.
For instance, there’s a full-service tier that typically runs between $99–$199 and includes the basic necessities to start a business, and a premium tier that can cost more than $299 and comes with things like specialty insurances or website building tools.
It’s important that you consider how much your registered agent service will cost once it renews at its full price. Incorporate.com doesn’t even offer a free year of registered agent service, so it costs $235 from the first year.
Delivery
Of course it’s important to look at the number of services that a company offers, but you need to make sure that the company delivers those services with a high degree of quality.
To find out about how well companies deliver their services, I read customer reviews. This provided me with information about the delivery of services, how easy it is to navigate their websites, and how good their customer service is.
Honesty and Transparency
Your business formation service should be honest about what services it offers, and transparent about the prices it charges for them. I quickly deduct points from companies the second I detect lies and deception because it wouldn’t sit well with me to recommend a company I couldn’t trust.
Incorporate.com isn’t honest about its services, and it’s misleading with its prices. The fact that it lies and says that getting an EIN through the IRS could take days just so you’ll pay them extra money for expedited processing on something you could do in minutes for free is disgusting.
Plus, although it makes it seem as though you’ll get compliance alerts with every price package, you actually have to pay an additional $150 a year for them and sign up for its registered agent services to access the CSCNavigator to get them. Needless to say, Incorporate.com doesn’t rate highly with me.
Customer Reviews
More product reviewers should prioritize reading customer reviews because they’re a wealth of information. First of all, any business that’s been in operation for over a year should have some online reviews, and it’s fishy if they don’t. But they can also tell you about how well the company delivers their services, and the quality of their customer service.
Final Verdict: To Use or Not to Use Incorporate.com
The average business owner isn’t going to benefit from Incorporate.com’s business formation services, or its registered agent services.
It is a member of the old guard in the formation service industry, being created back in 1899. It has more experience than any other formation company on the market, which is one of the reasons that some business owners would choose to use it.
Plus, many business owners would choose Incorporate.com simply for its Compliance Guarantee. That’s a premium formation service, and they’re somewhat rare in the formation services market.
So even if you’ll pay through the teeth for registered agent services just to receive compliance-related services, some business owners would be happy with the peace of mind that the compliance guarantee provides.
If you’re not sold on Incorporate.com, I’ve got your back with some alternative services to consider!
Alternatives to Incorporate.com
Northwest Registered Agent
Northwest will do everything you need to form your business: file your documents, run a business name search, provide an operating agreement template, send compliance alerts, and supply an online document-management system, a consultation with its accountants, a 90-day trial of VoIP service, and even a year of registered agent service.
Its pricing package isn’t complicated. You get all of that with the basic package, which is the only one it offers. Of course it has add-ons, like an EIN, certificate of good standing, and copies of your formation documents.
Northwest has the best customer service in the entire industry, as well. Along with customer support you get small business support. You can ask about your formation or registered agent services, as well as managing your business. That sort of advice usually runs $5,000 or more per day from business consulting firms. But you can get it all for $39 using my special link!
For more information about Northwest Registered Agent, check out my Northwest Registered Agent review.
Harbor Compliance
With Harbor Compliance, you get the unique advantage of a dedicated account manager. This means you won’t call in to some generic customer support line, but directly to your dedicated account manager who is up to date and knowledgeable about your business and the obstacles it faces.
With its basic package, Harbor Compliance will run a business name check, submit your formation documents, give you an operating agreement template, assist you with an EIN, and kick in a year of free registered agent service.
But personalized service of that sort doesn’t come cheap. You’ll pay $399 for the Formation package and a jaw-dropping $799 for its Compliance package. It’s up to you whether it’s worth it to pay that much for personalized customer support.
To read more about Harbor Compliance, check out my comprehensive Harbor Compliance review.
LegalZoom
If you’re looking for a cheap alternative to business formation services, then LegalZoom is a good option. Its basic package costs $0 plus state fees.
What’s unique about LegalZoom is its legal services. To get an unlimited number of 30-minute consultations with attorneys, you’ll need to get the $299 package, which is quite the steal when you consider all of the legal issues that new business owners face. If you’re interested in ongoing legal services, read the Best Online Legal Services.
You won’t get free registered agent service with LegalZoom, though. However, it supplies premium registered agent services.
If you liked this business review, check out my other Business Service Reviews!
If you’re interested in registered agent services, read my comprehensive guide to the Best Registered Agent Services. And if you’re interested in other LLC services, read my guide on the Best LLC formation Services.
