Incfile vs Inc Authority Comparison

Business entity formation is a crucial element of launching a business, and because it’s often complex and tedious many entrepreneurs hire a professional to do the job right. 

Two of the leading online services to consider are Incfile and Inc Authority. And to help you determine which is best, and which might be best for you and your business, we have thoroughly reviewed their services by putting ourselves in the shoes of an entrepreneur. Read on to make the choice that will put your business on the highway to success. 

While Inc Authority’s Entry Package is a great value at a cost of state fees only, Incfile’s plans and cost structure overall provide more for less, making Incfile our choice.

Features and Services Overview

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. Customers that purchase the Gold or Platinum plans gain online access to their documents and unlimited phone and email support.

Inc Authority sets itself apart from competitors by offering four different business formation packages. The stand-out is their Entry Package, which only costs state filing fees and includes a free year of registered agent services. 

Inc Authority’s subsequent formation plans offer several different services, many of which are also available for purchase a la carte. Inc Authority further supplies all business formation customers with one complimentary hour for tax consultations.

Plans Pricing

Incfile only offers three business formation packages, while Inc Authority offers four. For this reason, we refer to Incfile’s third plan as their “top-tier” plan. Additionally, we refer to Inc Authority’s third plan as their “pro” plan, and refer to Inc Authority’s fourth plan as a “top-tier” plan.

Incfile’s “base” 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 no cost other than state fees.

The Incfile $149 “middle” package provides 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.

The Incfile $299 “top-tier” package offers the additional benefit of expedited filing as well as a domain name and business formation. You’ll also receive access to business contract templates. However, if you have either the “base” or “middle” package, you can gain access to the entire document library for $150. 

Inc Authority’s “base” business formation package is free except for state fees. It includes a business name availability search, an S Election tax form, a tax consultation, and a business credit and funding analysis, which helps you identify funding solutions. 

The “base” plan also provides customers with free registered agent services for one year, online access to documents, and full customer support.

Inc Authority’s “middle” plan costs $399 plus state fees, and consists of everything within the “base” package, with the following added benefits:

• Operating Agreement/Bylaws
• Record Book and Company Seal
• Meeting Minutes and Resolution
• Ownership Certificate
• Employment Identification Number (EIN) from IRS
• Annual Compliance Notifications
• Website Domain + 5 email address
• Tax Consultation (up to 1 hour)
• INC Success Advisor (unlimited online and phone support) 

For $499 plus state fees, Inc Authority’s “pro” plan contains all the services listed above with the addition of a business license report, and a business credit evaluation service, which helps you get pre-approved for loans and funding.

Inc Authority offers a “top-tier” plan for a fee of $799 plus state fees. This business formation package includes everything detailed above plus express filing and Business Credit Express services. The latter service helps businesses quickly establish credit, enhancing and streamlining application processes like bank loans or a company credit card. 

Incfile’s Silver Plan vs Inc Authority’s Entry Package 

Incfile and Inc Authority both offer a “base” plan for no charge beyond state filing fees, but we feel Inc Authority’s Entry Package delivers better value than Incfile’s Silver. Not only does Inc Authority’s “base” package provide more services and faster filing times, but their annual renewal fee for registered agent services is $20 less than Incfile’s. 

Incfile’s Gold Plan vs Inc Authority’s Starter Business Bundle

Inc Authority’s Starter plan features some services that aren’t included in Incfile’s Gold Plan, such as a business website, meeting minutes and resolution documents, and a business credit and funding analysis. Conversely, Incfile’s Gold Plan offers a bank resolution and a bank account, which Inc Authority’s Business Bundle lacks. 

While it’s true that Inc Authority’s “middle” plan does offer more services, we don’t think it’s worth the price. Purchasing Incfile’s Gold Plan will save you $250. 

Incfile’s Platinum Plan vs Inc Authority’s Business Executive Bundle

Incfile’s Platinum Plan provides customers with more value than Inc Authority’s Business Executive Bundle. Considering that Incfile’s plan includes expedited filing for $200 less than Inc Authority’s package, it’s practically a no-brainer.

Incfile’s Platinum Plan vs Inc Authority’s Tycoon Business Bundle

Inc Authority offers customers four different business formation plans to choose from, while Incfile offers three. Below, we’ve compared Inc Authority’s top-level package to Incfile’s most robust package, their Platinum Plan. 

Inc Authority’s Tycoon Business Bundle is startlingly expensive for only offering customers expedited business formation and access to their Business Credit Express services.  

Customer Service

We tested the customer experience of both services from every angle. Here’s what we found. 

Incfile

User Experience – What to Expect 

When you first go to the Incfile site, clicking on the “Start My Business” button will open up a new window. You’ll then see a couple of drop down menus: one for your business type (choose LLC) and one for the state in which you are filing. Once you choose your state, you’ll see specific pricing.

Each of the three available plans will appear, along with an outline of what’s included in each. The price displayed will include both the package fee and the fees for your particular state. Once you’ve made your decision, click the “Get the Silver/Gold/Platinum Package”. You will then be prompted to enter your contact information and mailing address.

Next, you’ll be asked to choose standard or expedited filing. Incfile also includes the typical processing time in your chosen state so you can make a more informed decision. 

You’ll enter your company information, including information on your members or owners, business purpose, industry, and address. After entering these details, you’ll be offered a chance to upgrade to a higher level package before continuing. 

The next series of screens prompt you to enter the information that will appear on your articles of organization document. Then you’ll be asked if you’d like to use Incfile as your registered agent or act as your own (if allowed in that state). If you choose the Silver, the service is free for a year and $119 annually afterwards. The service is included in the price of both the Gold and Platinum packages.

From this point onward, depending which package you choose, you’ll be prompted to provide all the applicable information for each included service. If you choose Silver or Gold, you’ll have opportunities to add various a la carte services. Once you’re finished making your choices, you’ll have a chance to review before you submit payment.

How is the formation process?

The formation process was quick and easy, making for a nearly seamless user experience. Opportunities to upgrade were more informative than intrusive, and it was made clear what you were getting with each package. 

One downside is that there’s no way to save your progress if you have to leave the page and come back later. However, if you click the back button and move back to the homepage, you will be prompted to either start over or resume.

In Summary

Overall, the site is easy to use if you’re ready to go and just want to complete the process. Otherwise, information can be difficult to find to form an LLC on your own. 

Incfile is great for entrepreneurs on a budget, as their Silver Package covers the basics and includes a free year of registered agent service. Competitors like LegalZoom and ZenBusiness have a more robust suite of services, but are also more expensive.

Customer Support

We tested all three forms of Incfile customer support. Here’s what we found.  

Chat support

When we tested the customer service response time through the online chat option, we received a response within two minutes. We asked a question about cancellation policy and how to cancel an order if we change our mind about the filing. The agent was very helpful and explained the process clearly.

Support Rating:

Response time:

Very quick

Phone support

We called Incfile to ask a question about registered agent services. Our call was answered almost immediately, and the question was answered promptly. 

The question was whether registered agent services are included in any of the plans. The answer was that they are included in Gold and Platinum and customers get a free year of registered agent services with the Silver Package. 

The customer service representative was professional and polite and made sure to ask if we had any additional questions.

Support Rating:

Response time:

Immediate

Email support

We asked the same question via email about registered agent services and received the same response in under 24 hours. Our question was answered thoroughly and politely. The person who responded made no sales pitches and asked how else they could be of service. 

Support Rating:

Response time:

Reasonable

Inc Authority

User Experience – What to Expect

The Inc Authority site offers very little product information. On their homepage, they emphasize that their business formation service is free, and tell you what’s included with their free entry-level option. No other product information can be found.

You’re prompted to go ahead and get started by entering your business name. 

How Is the formation process?

Once you enter your business name, you’re prompted to enter all your business information. 

The questions were simple and quick, but most people might find it preferable to be able to see the service packages and products before going through the process. 

After you enter your business information, you’re offered all of the a la carte products as add-ons to your free business formation. You can choose or reject any of the products. 

Then you’re taken to the page with your total cost including state fees and are prompted to complete the payment process.

Note that the bundles of services are never offered. We only found the packages in other reviews of Inc Authority. We could not even get the information through their customer support channels. 

In Summary

Overall, the site is easy to use if you’re ready to go and just want to complete the process. But information can be very hard to find on the website. It seems that they really want you to call with questions so they can upsell you products.

Customer Support

We tested all three forms of Inc Authority customer support, and here’s what we found.  

Chat support

The chat option seems to be available only sporadically. When we tested the customer service response time through the online chat option, we received a response immediately.

We asked for information about their various service packages and were told that our best bet was to call for information so they could help us choose the right option for us.

It seemed odd that we were not given the requested information.

Support Rating:

Response time:

Reasonable

Phone support

We called the customer support line to ask what the registered agent services fee is after the first year. The customer support person would not answer the question and said they had to transfer us to a sales representative. Very disappointing!

Support Rating:

Response time:

Reasonable

Email support

There are two different email options on the Inc Authority site. There is a direct email address and an information request form. Through the direct email, we asked about the annual cost of registered agent services after the free first year. 

Through the form, we asked for detailed information about their service packages. After five days, we received no response to either request. We were, however, bombarded with sales emails. 

Support Rating:

Response time:

Reasonable

Customer Reviews

We wanted to know how real customers feel about both services, so we thoroughly explored customer reviews at the Better Business Bureau and Trust Pilot. Below we’ve summarized our findings. 

Incfile

Better Business Bureau

Incfile is not currently accredited with the BBB.

• Strong online chat support
• Proactive customer support
• Friendly customer service

Incfile is not currently accredited with the BBB. They have 4.67/5 stars derived from 1,509 customer reviews, and have received 260 complaints in three years. A total of 30 complaints have been resolved over the last 12 months.

Many positive reviews at BBB revolve around exceptional customer service. Customers mentioned phone support being very helpful and cordial, as well as proactive in identifying potential problems. Customers also mentioned chat support being excellent at resolving issues. 

One customer highlighted the responsiveness of the representative they were working with and that their issue was resolved quickly. Another had a difficult problem to solve and the representative that was handling the case “took care of the problem immediately”.

Most of the negative reviews were categorized as a “problem with product or service”. A common issue seemed to be a lack of communication between Incfile and customers, especially when it came to expectations regarding turnaround time and refunds. 

But it’s worth noting that at the time of this review, the most recent complaint was several months old. You can read reviews on the BBB website. 

Trustpilot 

Incfile has a high trust score rating on Trustpilot.

• Easy LLC formation process
• User-friendly website
• Great customer service

The Trustpilot score for Incfile is 4.7/5 stars averaged from 3,247 customer reviews. 

Incfile reviews at TrustPilot break down as follows:

• Excellent 82%
• Great 9%
• Average 2%
• Poor <1%
• Bad 6%

Positive reviews mostly involved how easy it was to form an LLC. Some commented on the user-friendliness of the website and appreciated the transparency in pricing and the added features. Some reviews mentioned customer service representatives by name and praised them for being highly responsive and helpful.

Reviews in the “bad” category included confusion over state filing fees, a lack of communication from representatives, and poor customer service over the phone. Other customers complained about long turnaround times and a lack of transparency in terms of how long things would take to process, especially when it came to state filings. 

It does seem like a representative from Incfile is monitoring the negative reviews and the company makes an attempt to resolve issues. 

You can read reviews on the TrustPilot website. 

Inc Authority

Better Business Bureau

We were not able to locate Inc Authority on the BBB website. 

Trustpilot 

IncAuthority has a very high trust score rating on Trustpilot.

• Fast turnaround times
• User-friendly website
• Great customer service

The Trustpilot score for Inc Authority is 4.8/5 stars based on 14,036 reviews.

Inc Authority reviews at Trustpilot break down as follows:

• Excellent 92%
• Great 4%
• Average ˃ 1%
• Poor ˃1%
• Bad 3%

Many positive Trustpilot reviews revolve around great customer service and mention their INC Authority representative by name. 

“Super happy with the smooth service I am receiving from INC Authority, my account manager Mia gave me all the advice I needed and I am looking forward to learn more about the full service advice I’ll get for the next year.”

Some of the less favorable reviews revolve around their aggressive sales tactics, both by email and phone. 

“My experience online was quick and easy. What dropped the rating was how they tried to sell me on additional optional items. First by sending me an email and leaving a voicemail that there were ‘red flags’ and need to discuss ASAP. I set a phone call for 315 and TJ promptly called. I have to say, no one has bombed a sales call like TJ did.”

Many of the reviews mentioned that Inc Authority made the “red flag” comment as well and wanted to have a phone call to discuss. Then on the call the representative tried to sell them additional services. Other customers complained of being double charged. 

You can read reviews on the TrustPilot website. 

Pros and Cons

Incfile

Inc Authority

Verdict

Incfile’s Gold and Platinum plans are superior to Inc Authority’s Starter, Business Executive, and Tycoon Business packages. With Incfile, you’ll save real money and receive added benefits, like banking resolution and business contract templates, making it our choice. 

While Inc Authority’s Entry Package is a great value, Incfile offers more for the money overall as well as a better customer experience. We would not hesitate to recommend Incfile in this comparison.

Our approach

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 this case, we:

• Examined every single page of both the Incfile and Inc Authority websites
• Reviewed all of their offerings, from a la carte products to packages
• Put ourselves in the customer’s shoes, creating accounts
• Communicated with customer service via chat, email and phone
• Gained a full understanding of the customer experience and service value

Thanks to this full immersion in the actual customer experience, our reviewer and team are able to provide the most complete and insightful comparison of Incfile and Inc Authority LLC formation services.