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Written by: Carolyn Young
Carolyn Young has over 25 years of experience in business in various roles, including bank management, marketing management, and business education.
Published on August 16, 2022
Updated on January 29, 2023
If you’re starting an LLC, the business entity formation process is one of the first and most important hurdles. This step can be terribly complex and time-consuming, which is why many entrepreneurs turn to professional formation services.
But which are the best LLC formation services in Illinois? This article takes a closer look, stepping into an entrepreneur’s shoes, to help you choose the service that puts you on the road to success.
A business formation service handles the business formation process for you, making it nearly seamless while offering additional services that can make life easier for a new business owner. Whether you’re forming a limited liability company (LLC) or a corporation, a business formation service takes care of all the red tape, freeing you up to focus on growing your business.
With so many business formation services to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which is best for you. There are four essential elements that can help you make your decision.
Each service offers various products and services and their plans are all designed differently. You may need some services but not others, so you need to choose the service that offers everything you need. For example, only some of the providers offer annual report filing.
If it’s important to you to get that task off your plate, you’ll want a service that offers that feature. Another feature you might need is a digital dashboard where you can always access your business formation documents.
You’ll want to choose a service that has everything you need to make starting and running your business as easy as possible.
One good way to learn about the quality of anything you’re buying is to listen to what people are saying about it. When we review services we look at Better Business Bureau ratings and reviews, as well as TrustPilot reviews. You should look at both positive and negative reviews to find out what people love about the service, and about issues customers have encountered.
Remember that fake reviews are common, so you’ll have to take some of the reviews with a grain of salt.
Of course, you’ll want to get the best value for your money!
Compare the cost of each service for everything you need. The price can really add up when you start adding extras, so be careful not to go too far. You also want to get good value and great customer service, so if you’re considering the cheapest service, check the reviews to see how people felt about it.
Business formation turnaround times vary with each service, so if you’re in a hurry to get your business up and running, you’ll want to look for the quickest service. You don’t want your order to sit in an office too long before your paperwork gets filed with the state. Some services differentiate themselves with fast turnaround times, so if they also offer good value, that might be your best choice.
Here we summarize our top four picks of business formation services in Illinois.
Northwest Registered Agent offers a la carte services and a financing plan that allows customers to spread their total formation fees over one year.
BetterLegal offers one business formation plan for $299 plus state fees, and affordable registered agent services.
Incfile offers three business formation packages. Their Silver Package only charges state filing fees and includes free registered agent services for one year.
The BizFilings Basic Plan and Standard Plan both offer good value and the site is easy to use.
Northwest Registered Agent offers several a la carte services and one business formation package, the Corporate Guide Service plan, which includes a year of registered agent services and allows you to pay your total LLC formation fees over the course of a year. All customers will have online access to their documents and full customer support.
The Corporate Guide Service spreads your filing and service fees over your first year of business. Your monthly bill and total expenses for the year are reflective of state fees. Monthly bills will be $50, while the total expenses for the year will be $600.
This package includes the preparation and filing of both your LLC formation documents and an EIN application. Customers receive same-day processing, an operating agreement, registered agent services for one year, a business address and a limited mail forwarding address, in addition to a prepared banking resolution.
It also provides online access to your documents, customer service support, and a virtual business guide, making it a great value at a reasonable monthly price. Additional services will need to be purchased separately at a later time.
Northwest Registered Agent’s a la carte services must be paid for in full at the time of purchase. This option allows customers to add more business services or tools to your LLC formation order, such as a certified copy or a second phone number.
Paying upfront for business formation services will cost $225 plus state filing fees of $154 in Illinois. The total expense will be $379.
Northwest Registered Agent’s Corporate Guide Service is a great value for entrepreneurs with a limited budget. Competitors like LegalZoom offer similar packages, but Northwest Registered Agent’s plan tends to be cheaper and include more services. Their a la carte streamlined pricing is uncommon amongst competitors and benefits businesses that intend to take over responsibilities gradually.
BetterLegal’s LLC Formation Plan is their only packaged offering. For $299 plus state fees, it includes an operating agreement, employer identification number (EIN), and the business formation service. It also includes amendment or document research services and a business website.
In Illinois, the LLC Formation Plan costs a one-time fee of $299 plus the $150 Illinois filing fee and includes business name availability search and preparation and filing of the articles of organization. It also includes an operating agreement draft which allows you to record all pertinent information related to the ownership of your business, governance and business structure.
The BetterLegal LLC Formation Plan also includes a federal tax identification number. You’ll need this number to open a business bank account to pay your employees as well as your taxes when they become due.
The plan also comes with free website services, insurance evaluation, and tax analysis. BetterLegal is known for being a leading tax services provider, so you can rest assured that you’ll receive expert tax advice. You also receive amendment or document research services, minute templates, officer designation, banking resolution, and S corp tax election.
Note that this plan does not include registered agent services, which you can add for $10 per month or $90 per year.
BetterLegal is a bit more expensive compared to competitors, especially Incfile. However, their registered agent services are better priced and also offer a monthly payment option, which is unique.
Incfile offers three business formation packages: Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The Silver Package is free, plus state fees, and includes free registered agent services for one year. Incfile also gives customers access to an online dashboard and unlimited phone and email support.
In Illinois, the Silver Package includes the preparation and filing of the articles of organization and unlimited name searches. It also includes free registered agent services for a year, making it a great value at a fee of $150, which is the state fee.
The $149 Gold Package offers the added services of an operating agreement, business tax consultation, and lifetime company alerts. It has a few other benefits as well, so it’s an overall good value. In Illinois, the total cost with the state fee is $299.
The $299 Platinum Package in Illinois, for a total of $449, has the additional benefit of expedited filing as well as domain name and business filing. You’ll also receive access to business contract templates. However, if you have either the Silver or Gold package, you can gain access to the entire document library for $150.
Incfile also offers a number of a la carte services. For a fee, Incfile can handle tasks like filing your annual report and changing your registered agent.
Incfile is great for entrepreneurs on a budget, as their Silver Package covers the basics and includes a free year of their registered agent service. Competitors like LegalZoom and Swyft Filings have a more robust suite of services, but can be more expensive.
The BizFilings Basic Plan offers a good value compared to others, since they offer a few extras with the plan, including registered agent services for six months.
You can purchase extra services with all their plans, including an operating agreement and other forms, and a business license research package.
They don’t offer as many services as some competitors, but if you’re just interested in forming your business, they are a good option.
The $99 Basic Plan includes a business name availability search through your state and the business formation service, as well as registered agent services for six months, which is something that some competitors do not offer. It also offers a 24/7 business monitoring tool, and a library of common business documents. In Illinois the total price is $249.
The $229 Standard Plan includes all the services included in the basic plan, but with the addition of an LLC kit and seal, an operating agreement and other form templates, and expedited processing. The total cost for the plan in Illinois is $379 plus a state fee for expedited filing.
The $359 Complete Plan includes everything in the Standard Plan with several added benefits including:
The total cost of this plan in Illinois is $509 plus a state fee for expedited filing.
Most of the BizFilings plans and services offer good value. Their site is easy to use and they offer a great customer service experience. They don’t offer as many services as some competitors, but if you’re just looking for a business formation service, they are a good option.
As an entrepreneurial advisory site, we take our responsibilities seriously. We understand that countless entrepreneurs, and potential entrepreneurs, rely on our judgments and insights, particularly when it comes to creating their business.
As a result, our writers do their utmost to gain a comprehensive understanding of the services offered and the actual customer experience. In nearly every case, we:
Thanks to this full immersion in the actual customer experience, our reviewers are able to provide the most complete and insightful analysis of various LLC formation services.
Using a business formation service to start your Illinois LLC frees you up to focus on growing your business. These services handle the filing process for you and offer additional services that can make life easier for a new business owner.
When assessing whether or not a business formation service is right for you, it’s important to dive into the following four categories: included features, customer service, pricing, and turnaround time.
Most of the BizFilings plans and services are good value. Their site is easy to use and they offer a great customer service experience. They don’t offer as many services as some competitors, but if you’re just looking for a business formation service, they are a good option.
Incfile is great for entrepreneurs on a budget, as their Silver Package covers the basics and includes a free year of their registered agent service. Competitors like LegalZoom and Swyft Filings have a more robust suite of services, but can be more expensive.
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