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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 19, 2022
Updated on October 2, 2023
If you’re starting an LLC in Hawaii, 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 Hawaii? 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 Hawaii.
Best Overall
Best Registered Agent Service
Best Turnaround Time
Best for Small Budget
Best Variety of Legal Services
Best for Speedy Processing
ZenBusiness offers various plans for prospective business owners in Hawaii.
The Starter plan is $0 plus Hawaii state fees, covering business name availability search in Hawaii and formation with full support.
The Pro plan, at $199 plus Hawaii state fees, encompasses the Starter plan services, an operating agreement template, an EIN, annual compliance service, and rush filing.
Their Premium plan at $349 plus Hawaii state fees provides all Pro services, a business document template library, domain name, website, and email.
ZenBusiness stands out as the top choice for Hawaii LLC filing due to its affordable base service, which includes Hawaii LLC filing and a 100% accuracy guarantee starting at $0 plus state fees. Furthermore, ZenBusiness is a Public Benefit Corporation, indicating it operates as a for-profit company with community-oriented objectives akin to a nonprofit.
In addition to Hawaii LLC formation, ZenBusiness offers a range of add-on services, from registered agents to business tools. However, opting for these can increase expenses. Historically, ZenBusiness has received positive feedback from its customers.
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, at $39 plus Hawaii filing fees, includes business formation, free registered agent services for a year, a business address, an operating agreement, and several other extras tailored for Hawaii LLCs.
This plan offers excellent value, as both the registered agent services and an operating agreement, which are pivotal for local businesses, are included. However, even if you decide not to opt for the registered agent services in Hawaii, you’re still billed the full plan price.
Northwest Registered Agent, as the name suggests, is renowned for registered agent services in Hawaii. As a registered agent service provider, they provide more personalized customer support and swift correspondence notification for Hawaiian businesses.
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 state fees only, Swyft Filings’ Basic package offers verification of your company name tailored to the Hawaiian business environment, preparation of the articles of organization specific to Hawaii, and document filing with the state. You’ll also gain online access to your Hawaii LLC documents and benefit from lifetime customer support.
For a more comprehensive offering, you can purchase the Standard package for $199 plus state filing fees. This encompasses all the services included in the Basic package but with the addition of a custom Hawaii LLC operating agreement and a federal tax ID, or EIN. Additionally, you’ll have access to custom banking resolution services and custom organizational minutes tailored for Hawaii — a form that assists you in setting up your inaugural meeting as a Hawaii LLC.
Swyft Filings’ Premium package integrates everything in the Standard package while offering the benefit of expedited filing suitable for the Hawaiian pace, as well as a business document library, compliance notifications, and a business domain name and website. You also receive a digital Hawaii LLC kit, which comprises a digital company “seal”, a ledger optimized for tracking transfers of ownership in Hawaii, and personalized ownership certificates. The Premium package can be secured for $299 plus state filing fees.
Swyft Filings offers excellent customer support and has a good track record in customer 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 only the Hawaii state fees, encompasses the preparation and filing of the articles of organization tailored to Hawaiian business requirements. It also offers unlimited name searches specific to Hawaii and free registered agent services for a year in the state.
The Gold package, at $199, brings together all the services from the Silver package, enriched with an operating agreement template suitable for Hawaii LLCs, lifetime company alerts, and a business tax consultation. These lifetime company alerts ensure that Incfile keeps you updated about any reporting due dates based on Hawaii’s specific requirements.
Incfile’s Gold package further enhances its offerings for Hawaiian businesses with an EIN tax ID number and the handling of IRS Form 2553. This allows Hawaii LLCs to enjoy the tax advantages of an S corporation. Additionally, you’ll benefit from banking resolution services and assistance tailored for setting up a business bank account in Hawaii. Completing the Gold package offerings, you’ll gain access to a personalized online dashboard along with unlimited phone and email support catering to Hawaiian entrepreneurs.
Priced at $299, the Platinum package envelops everything in the Gold package, coupled with the benefit of expedited filing suited for Hawaii’s business environment. Furthermore, it offers a domain name and business email. New business owners in Hawaii will find immense value in access to business contract templates specifically curated for them. With over 20 diverse contracts, all diligently crafted and vetted by attorneys, this package ensures that Hawaiian businesses are well-equipped for their endeavors.
Incfile 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, Incfile stands out in the competition.
LegalZoom’s Basic plan, priced at only the Hawaii state fees, provides a business name availability search specific to Hawaii and the business formation service, complete with full customer support. Hawaiian businesses will also enjoy a few added perks, such as a digital welcome packet and a business website tailored to the Aloha state. Moreover, you’ll have unhindered access to your formation documents online whenever you require.
Priced at $249, the Pro plan encompasses all the services from the Basic plan but enhances the package with the inclusion of an operating agreement suited for Hawaiian businesses, an EIN, a business license guide specific to Hawaii, and initial phone consultations with experts familiar with the state’s business landscape.
The Premium plan, at $299, offers everything present in the Pro plan, adding the advantage of unlimited 30-minute attorney consultations. Furthermore, it allows changes to be made to your LLC for up to 30 days, and you’ll receive dedicated assistance from a business attorney familiar with Hawaii’s legalities.
LegalZoom’s unique edge lies in the comprehensive legal services and documentation they provide, ensuring that entrepreneurs in the state have a well-rounded support system.
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.
Filenow provides a Starter plan at just $49. This package offers company compliance alerts suitable for Hawaii’s regulations, a tax consultation geared towards Hawaiian businesses, and assistance in setting up a business bank account within the state.
The Premium plan, priced at $199, further enriches the offerings for Hawaii-based businesses. It includes a free year of registered agent services tailored for the state, an operating agreement suited for Hawaiian LLCs, an EIN, a banking resolution, business contract templates, and a swift 24-hour processing time.
What sets Filenow apart are its rapid processing times and a reliable money-back guarantee. Their Premium plan, given its extensive features and competitive price, represents an outstanding value for entrepreneurs in Hawaii.
Filenow’s Premium plan is an exceptional value based on what you get for the price. It’s less expensive than similar plans offered by competitors. They also offer fast turnaround times, and a money back guarantee.
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 building a successful 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 products but not others, so you need to choose a service that has everything you need. For example, some services offer annual report filing, while others do not.
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 require 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 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.
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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