BizFilings alternatives for forming an LLC (2026)

Why do people look for a BizFilings alternative?

Most reasons trace back to what the BizFilings plans leave for later: the agent after a short free period, annual reports, and the EIN for founders without a U.S. tax number.

The agent bill starts inside year one

Every BizFilings LLC plan includes the agent 3 months free. The $220/yr charge then starts, so a buyer who keeps it pays for agent service before the LLC's first anniversary. The BizFilings pricing page shows the charge plan by plan.^{2, 3}

Annual reports are a quote, not a plan item

No BizFilings plan files annual reports. The Managed Annual Report Service page asks buyers to "Get a quote", so the cost isn't known at checkout. Agent customers do get reminders.⁴

Speed costs the top plan

For Core, BizFilings provided a time of 3 to 4 business days (submitted). The 1 business day (submitted) figure comes with All-Inclusive at $399, which BizFilings says bundles 1-day rush filing.¹

A small review base

BizFilings shows 4.5 / 5 on Trustpilot from 186 reviews. That review count is smaller than most providers we compare; Inc Authority's profile, for example, has 49,233 reviews.^{5, 6}

The EIN for founders abroad

BizFilings sells a package for owners outside the U.S. at $389, yet its EIN service needs an SSN or ITIN. Its page states "You must have an Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) in order to apply for an EIN" and "BizFilings does not assist with form preparation or the obtainment of the ITIN."^{7, 8}

How do BizFilings alternatives compare?

BizFilings sits in the first row. Below it come the other providers we compare, by our rating, with ties broken in our editorial order.

The cost column is the compared plan's own charge across the first and second year, before state fees and before any agent that bills after a free period. Our rating method explains which plan each provider is judged on, and the cost calculator adds a state's fee to any row.

Which alternative fits each reason to switch?

Each provider below beats BizFilings on at least one published fact. The summary comes first; the reasons follow, with the fact that settles each one.

• Tailor Brands: faster stated processing (1 business day vs 3 to 4 business days (submitted)); more services included for good (7 vs 1); higher Trustpilot score (4.8 vs 4.5); more first-time-founder support included (3 vs 0 of annual report filing, coaching and AI guidance); more business services sold (9 vs 4 of 10 types).
• LegalZoom: more services included for good (4 vs 1); higher Trustpilot score (4.6 vs 4.5); more business services sold (9 vs 4 of 10 types). Full comparison
• Bizee (formerly Incfile): more services included for good (5 vs 1); higher Trustpilot score (4.8 vs 4.5); more business services sold (7 vs 4 of 10 types).
• ZenBusiness: faster stated processing (1 business day vs 3 to 4 business days (submitted)); more services included for good (6 vs 1); higher Trustpilot score (4.8 vs 4.5); more first-time-founder support included (3 vs 0 of annual report filing, coaching and AI guidance); more business services sold (7 vs 4 of 10 types).
• Swyft Filings: faster stated processing (3 business days vs 3 to 4 business days (submitted)); more services included for good (2 vs 1); higher Trustpilot score (4.7 vs 4.5); more business services sold (6 vs 4 of 10 types).
• doola: faster stated processing (1 to 2 business days vs 3 to 4 business days (submitted)); more services included for good (4 vs 1); more first-time-founder support included (2 vs 0 of annual report filing, coaching and AI guidance); more business services sold (6 vs 4 of 10 types).
• Inc Authority: lower two-year plan cost ($0 vs $199); faster stated processing (24 hours vs 3 to 4 business days (submitted)); higher Trustpilot score (4.9 vs 4.5).
• InCorp Services: lower two-year plan cost ($99 vs $199); faster stated processing (1 to 2 business days before state submission vs 3 to 4 business days (submitted)); higher Trustpilot score (4.7 vs 4.5).
• Northwest Registered Agent: lower two-year plan cost ($39 vs $199); more services included for good (3 vs 1); more business services sold (6 vs 4 of 10 types). Full comparison
• Rocket Lawyer: more services included for good (4 vs 1); more first-time-founder support included (1 vs 0 of annual report filing, coaching and AI guidance); more business services sold (5 vs 4 of 10 types).
• Harbor Compliance: lower two-year plan cost ($99 vs $199).

A full year of registered agent service

Bizee gives "one year of Registered Agent Service for free" with any formation package, then charges $149/year. Inc Authority says "We'll be your registered agent for the first year", and the agent auto-renews at $249/yr after year 1. Northwest's LLC plan lists "Free for first year, just $125/yr after". Against the BizFilings renewal of $220/yr, Bizee and Northwest also charge less per year once the free time ends. InCorp doesn't publish a free agent year with formation, but its agent alone is $129/year. The registered agent included list lines up the terms.^{3, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14}

Annual reports filed for you

Tailor Brands lists "Annual compliance: mandatory report filing & updates" in its Essential and Elite plans, so the filing runs as long as the yearly plan does. ZenBusiness Worry-Free Compliance is included in Pro and Premium. Several providers instead post a fixed per-report fee: InCorp $89 + state fees, Northwest $100 + state fees and LegalZoom, which lists $99 + state filing fees, bills once. Any of those is a known figure where BizFilings gives a quote. The first-time founders list counts this support with two others; BizFilings plans include none of the three supports, while Tailor Brands includes all three supports.^{15, 16, 17, 18, 19}

More kept after the free periods end

Core keeps 1 counted service. Tailor Brands Elite keeps 7, ZenBusiness Premium 6 and Bizee Premium 5. Tailor Brands and ZenBusiness charge their compared plans every year, so across the first and second year they cost more than Core. The package contents guide defines each counted service.

Faster stated handling without the top price

Inc Authority states 24 hours on a plan priced at $0. Tailor Brands and ZenBusiness each state 1 business day on their compared plans. Swyft Filings' $299 plan states 1 business day, below BizFilings' All-Inclusive price. These are submission times; each state adds its own review, as the LLC timeline guide explains, and the fastest filing list has the full order.²⁰

A lower plan cost for the first and second year

Inc Authority's Free LLC is $0 for the plan, Northwest $39, InCorp $99 and Harbor Compliance $99, against $199 for Core. Each still adds the state fee, and any agent kept past a free period bills yearly. The lowest cost over the first and second year list orders every provider by plan cost across both years, before state fees.

An EIN without a Social Security number

Northwest states, "Our Foreign EIN Service for anyone without a Social Security Number costs $200." doola says it can help a non-resident without a US SSN. Tailor Brands has a separate sign-up flow for non-US citizens linked from its LLC page, but doesn't publish whether it can get an EIN without an SSN. The non-U.S. founders list compares them.^{21, 22, 23}

A higher Trustpilot score or larger review base

Inc Authority shows 4.9 / 5 from 49,233 reviews. Tailor Brands 4.8 / 5, ZenBusiness 4.8 / 5 and Bizee 4.8 / 5 also sit above BizFilings' 4.5 / 5. Because Trustpilot is only one part of our rating, Inc Authority still rates 7.1, below Tailor Brands' 8.7.^{5, 6, 24, 25, 26}

More business services under one account

BizFilings sells 4 of the 10 business service types we track. Tailor Brands and LegalZoom each sell 9. The all-in-one platforms list shows the rest.

When does BizFilings still fit?

BizFilings fits a buyer who wants one payment and no yearly plan fee, and who will handle annual reports alone.

BizFilings says its All-Inclusive plan bundles 1-day rush filing, and its package for owners outside the U.S. lists an Apostille for proof of U.S. incorporation.^{1, 7}

Two head-to-heads go deeper: BizFilings vs LegalZoom and BizFilings vs Northwest. The BizFilings review covers support and refund terms.