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Written by: Natalie Fell
Natalie is a business writer with experience in operations, HR, and training & development within the software, healthcare, and financial services sectors.
Edited by: David Lepeska
David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.
Published on August 13, 2022
Updated on April 9, 2024
If you’re starting an LLC in Tennessee, 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 Tennessee? 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.
Here, we summarize our top picks of business formation services in Tennessee.
Best Overall
Best Registered Agent Service
Best Turnaround Time
Best for Small Budget
Best Legal Assistance
Best for Variety of Business-Essential Services
ZenBusiness offers tailored plans for those looking to establish a Tennessee LLC.
The Starter plan, priced solely at Tennessee’s state fees, covers business name availability searches within Tennessee and LLC formation with comprehensive support.
The Pro plan, at $199 plus Tennessee’s state fees, includes everything from the Starter plan and introduces a Tennessee-specific operating agreement template, an EIN, annual compliance service, and rush filing.
The Premium plan, available at $349 plus state fees for Tennessee, encompasses all Pro services, a business document template library, a domain name, a website, and an email tailored for the Tennessee market.
ZenBusiness stands out as the premier choice for Tennessee LLC filing, credited to its affordable base service, which encompasses LLC filing and a 100% accuracy guarantee starting at just Tennessee’s state fees.
Furthermore, ZenBusiness operates as a Public Benefit Corporation, signifying its dual mission of profit generation and community betterment.
Beyond Tennessee LLC formation, ZenBusiness offers a range of supplementary services, from registered agent solutions to essential business tools. Although these additional services may influence the final cost, historically, ZenBusiness has consistently received positive feedback from Tennessee entrepreneurs and businesses.
ZenBusiness offers valuable services for budding entrepreneurs. While registered agent services are an add-on, their excellent customer support, user-friendly site, and positive reviews make them a top choice.
Northwest’s plan, priced at $39 plus Tennessee’s state fees, offers comprehensive solutions for those setting up a Tennessee LLC. This package encompasses business formation within Tennessee, complimentary registered agent services for a year, a designated business address in Tennessee, an operating agreement tailored to Tennessee regulations, and several added benefits.
The plan presents remarkable value to Tennessee businesses, especially considering the inclusion of essential services like registered agent services and a Tennessee-compliant operating agreement. However, it’s noteworthy that even if Tennessee LLC owners opt out of the registered agent services, the package’s price remains unchanged.
Northwest Registered Agent, reflecting its namesake, is predominantly recognized for its superior registered agent services in Tennessee. They provide enhanced personalized customer support and prompt notification of official correspondence, ensuring Tennessee LLCs remain compliant and informed.
We recommend Northwest Registered Agent because of their transparent pricing, outstanding customer service, and a commitment to maintaining your privacy. They pride themselves on personalizing their approach to meeting your registered agent needs, which are their specialty.
For just Tennessee state fees, Swyft Filings’ Basic package caters to the needs of those initiating a Tennessee LLC. It provides verification of your company name within Tennessee, ensures the articles of organization are prepared in compliance with Tennessee’s regulations, and manages document filing with the state. Tennessee entrepreneurs can access their documentation online and are guaranteed lifetime customer support.
The Standard package, available at $199 plus Tennessee state fees, encompasses all the offerings from the Basic package and introduces a Tennessee-tailored operating agreement and a federal tax ID, or EIN. Tennessee LLC owners also benefit from custom banking resolution services and organizational minutes — a pivotal tool for organizing your inaugural LLC meeting in Tennessee.
For those seeking comprehensive solutions, Swyft Filings’ Premium package is designed for Tennessee businesses, inclusive of all Standard package features. It offers the perk of expedited filing aligned with Tennessee’s processing durations, an extensive business document library, timely compliance notifications, and provisions for a business domain name and website. An added highlight is the digital LLC kit tailored for Tennessee LLCs, comprising a digital company “seal”, a ledger suitable for tracking ownership transfers in Tennessee, and bespoke ownership certificates. This Premium offering is priced at $299 plus Tennessee’s filing fees.
Throughout their offerings, Swyft Filings stands out with its exemplary customer support, consistently earning commendations from Tennessee LLC clients in reviews.
Swyft Filings offers fast processing but doesn’t include registered agent services in their packages, making additions somewhat costly. However, they provide good value overall and strong customer support.
The Silver package, priced at Tennessee state fees only, provides preparation and filing of the articles of organization, business banking account offer, unlimited name searches, a year of free registered agent services within the state, lifetime company alerts keeping you updated on reporting due dates in the state, and a business tax consultation. You’ll also get access to a personalized online dashboard and unlimited phone and email support.
The Gold package, at $199 plus state fees, extends Silver’s offerings with a Tennessee-specific operating agreement, banking resolution, an EIN tax number, and the filing of IRS Form 2553, which allows LLCs to reap the tax benefits of an S Corporation.
The Platinum package costs $299 and includes everything in the Gold package with the advantage of free expedited filing for Tennessee, as well as a domain name and business email. You’ll also receive access to business contract templates, which can be extremely helpful for new business owners. There are over 25 different contracts, all created and reviewed by attorneys.
Bizee provides substantial value, especially with their Silver package that costs only state fees and includes a year of registered agent service. For first-time entrepreneurs looking to save, Bizee stands out in the competition.
The Basic plan, priced solely at Tennessee’s state fees, ensures a thorough business name availability search within Tennessee and facilitates the formation of your Tennessee LLC. Customers will benefit from comprehensive support, a digital welcome packet specific to Tennessee, and a dedicated business website. Additionally, you’ll have 24/7 online access to your Tennessee LLC formation documents.
At $249, the Pro plan encompasses all the offerings of the Basic plan but is augmented with a Tennessee-compliant operating agreement, a federal tax ID or EIN, a guide to business licensing within Tennessee, and invaluable initial consultations with business specialists.
Priced at $299, the Premium plan incorporates everything from the Pro plan, with the added benefit of unlimited 30-minute consultations with attorneys, the ability to make changes to your Tennessee LLC for a span of 30 days, and direct assistance from a business attorney well-versed in Tennessee’s regulations.
LegalZoom’s standout feature for Tennessee LLCs lies in its broad spectrum of legal services and documentation it offers, ensuring Tennessee entrepreneurs receive the best guidance in their business journey.
LegalZoom’s services are easy to use and they offer great customer experience. They offer a wider variety of legal services and have been in business for more than 20 years. Overall, they’re a great one-stop shop for all of your business formation and legal needs.
Their Lite plan, priced at $49 plus Tennessee’s state fees, ensures a smooth business formation with the state of Tennessee, encompassing standard processing times as per Tennessee’s guidelines.
Delving deeper, the Essential plan, priced at $199 annually, builds on the offerings of the Lite Plan. It introduces benefits tailored for Tennessee LLCs, like their annual compliance service, a Tennessee-compliant operating agreement, and expedited processing specific to Tennessee’s state timelines.
Their Elite plan, available for $249 annually, is designed to cater to the digital needs of a Tennessee LLC. It offers a domain name suitable for Tennessee businesses, eight distinct logos, a business website builder, and some valuable extras.
What sets Tailor Brands apart, especially for Tennessee entrepreneurs, is their suite of contemporary business tools. Their offerings, like a logo maker, business-specific website, and domain name, are invaluable assets for new Tennessee LLCs embarking on their business journey.
Tailor Brands’ plans are a decent value, but the main reason that we chose them for the list is the extensive business tools they offer. If you can overcome their aggressive sales tactics, you can access a variety of services to meet all your business needs.
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.
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 feel 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.
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 and Trustpilot ratings and 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.
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.
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