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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 15, 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 Minnesota? 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. It’s wise to 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 for 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 Minnesota
ZenBusiness has three business formation plans to choose from. They have a solid rating with the BBB and a quick and easy purchase process.
Incfile offers three business formation packages. Their Silver Package only charges state filing fees and includes free registered agent services for one year.
Swyft Filings has three business formation packages and a variety of a la carte services. Swyft Filings is known for their quick signup process and faster turnaround times.
Rocket Lawyer doesn’t offer any business formation packages, but instead offers a la carte services or a membership subscription for $39.99/month.
ZenBusiness has three business formation plans to choose from, with annual fees ranging from $0 to $299. They have a great track record with BBB, competitive pricing, and a seamless formation process.
In Minnesota, the Starter Plan costs $0 plus the $155 state filing fee and includes a business name availability search through Minnesota’s state database and the business formation service, with full customer support. It also offers a few extras, including an accounting consultation to help you get started with your finances. You’ll also have access to your formation documents online at any time.
The Pro Plan includes all the services above plus an operating agreement template and annual compliance services, which means ZenBusiness will remind you of any reporting due dates based on Minnesota requirements. The plan also includes expedited filing so that your LLC is approved and ready to go faster. In Minnesota, the total cost for this plan with the state fee included is $354, plus the state’s expedited filing fee.
The Premium Plan includes everything in the Pro Plan with the advantage of rush filing, as well as a business domain name, website, and email. With the Minnesota filing fee, the total cost is $454 plus the state’s rush filing fee.
Note that none of these plans include registered agent services. They are available for an additional $99 fee. ZenBusiness also has a document library that customers can access for $99.
Each of the ZenBusiness plans includes a robust list of services. The Pro and Premium plans come with extras like an operating agreement and expedited and rush filing, making them a great value. However, registered agent services are not included in their packages and are offered at an additional cost.
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.
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 $155, which is the state filing fee only.
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 Minnesota, the total cost with the state filing fee included is $304.
The $299 Platinum Package has the added benefit of expedited filing as well as domain name and business formation. 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. With the Minnesota filing fee, the total cost for this plan is $454.
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.
Swyft Filings has three business formation packages and a variety of a la carte services. Package prices range from $49 to $299 plus state filing fees, and are sold for a one-time expense. Swyft Filings is known for speed, as their signup process is quick and they have faster turnaround times.
The $49 Basic Package includes verification of your company name, preparation of the articles of organization, and document filing with the state of Minnesota. You’ll also get online access to your documents and lifetime customer support.
This plan comes with a one-hour business tax consultation to help you prepare for your first tax season, and company compliance alerts so you never miss a deadline. In Minnesota, the total cost including the state filing fee is $204.
In Minnesota, the $149 Standard Package plus state fees comes to a total of $304. This includes all the services included in the Basic Package, but with the addition of a custom operating agreement and a federal tax ID, or EIN. You will also get access to custom banking resolution services and custom organizational minutes, which is a form that helps you set up your very first meeting as an LLC.
For $299, the Premium Package in Minnesota includes everything in the Standard Package with the advantage of expedited filing, as well as a business website and web hosting services. You also get a digital LLC kit, which includes a digital company “seal”, a ledger for tracking transfers of ownership, and customized stock certificates. The total cost, with the state fee, is $454.
Swyft Filings lives up to its name in terms of speedy processing times. However, the biggest drawback is that they don’t include registered agent services in any of their packages. Additionally, the registered agent service is $149 per quarter, whereas many other LLC formation services either charge an annual fee or bundle it with other offerings.
Unlike most other LLC formation services, Rocket Lawyer does not offer packages of services, just a la carte service options. They also offer a $39.99 per month subscription service on their site, with which you can get legal services, documents, and advice. The subscription has a seven-day free trial.
With a $39.99 per month Rocket Lawyer subscription, the business formation service only charges state filing fees, and you can get a 25% discount on registered agent services. The subscription gives you access to a host of business document templates, including an operating agreement.
Without a subscription, the business formation service costs $99 plus state fees. In Minnesota, the total cost with the state filing fee is $254. You can also purchase other services, including expedited business filing for $100 and an EIN for $59.
Rocket Lawyer is a unique option, not offering packages of business formation services, but a subscription service instead that allows you to form your business for free and get access to a host of business form templates. We feel that the best value they offer is their subscription membership, as you’ll be able to get assistance for any ongoing legal concerns.
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 Minnesota 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.
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.
Rocket Lawyer is a unique option, not offering packages of business formation services, but a subscription service instead that allows you to form your business for free and get access to a host of business form templates.
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