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Written by: Coralee Bechteler
Coralee is a business writer with experience in administrative services, education, and software testing.
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.
Updated on October 2, 2023
If you’re starting an LLC in Massachusetts, 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 Massachusetts? 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 Massachusetts.
Best Value
Best Resident Agent Service
Best Turnaround Time
Best Legal Assistance
Best for Ensuring Compliance
Best for Variety of Business-Essential Services
Best for Speedy Processing
ZenBusiness offers a range of plans tailored for those looking to start a Massachusetts LLC. The Starter plan is priced at $0 plus Massachusetts state fees. It covers business name availability search in Massachusetts and company formation with comprehensive support.
The Pro plan costs $199 plus Massachusetts state fees and encompasses all offerings from the Starter plan, an operating agreement template, an EIN, an annual compliance service, and rush filing.
Finally, ZenBuziness’ Premium plan, valued at $349 plus Massachusetts state fees, provides all services from the Pro plan, a business document template library, and a domain name, website, and email service.
ZenBusiness stands out as the best overall LLC filing company, primarily due to its affordable base service that covers LLC filing in Massachusetts and guarantees 100% accuracy, all starting at just $0 plus state fees.
Furthermore, ZenBusiness operates as a Public Benefit Corporation, which means it combines profit-making with a mission that resonates with nonprofit objectives.
In addition to forming Massachusetts LLCs, ZenBusiness offers a myriad of supplementary services, from resident agent solutions to business tools. However, potential Massachusetts business owners should note that these can increase costs. Over the years, ZenBusiness has consistently received commendable reviews from satisfied customers.
ZenBusiness offers valuable services for budding entrepreneurs. While resident agent services are an add-on, their excellent customer support, user-friendly site, and positive reviews make them a top choice.
For those forming a Massachusetts LLC, Northwest offers a plan priced at $39 plus Massachusetts state fees. This package provides business formation in Massachusetts, complimentary resident agent services for a year, a dedicated business address within the state, and an operating agreement tailored for Massachusetts LLCs, among other additional features.
The value proposition of this plan becomes evident, considering it encompasses essential services like the resident agent function and an operating agreement, both of which are pivotal for Massachusetts business operations.
However, it’s important for potential business owners in Massachusetts to note that even if they opt out of the resident agent services, the complete plan price remains unchanged.
Renowned for their resident agent offerings, Northwest Registered Agent delivers a heightened level of customer support, especially for Massachusetts clients, ensuring quick notifications and correspondence management.
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 resident agent needs, which are their specialty.
Swyft Filings has several offerings. Their Basic package, just covering Massachusetts state fees, includes company name verification, Certificate of Organization preparation, and state document filing. It also grants online access to all your Massachusetts LLC documents and ongoing customer support.
For $199 plus Massachusetts state fees, their Standard package provides all Basic services plus a custom operating agreement, an EIN, and tools for your first Massachusetts LLC meeting.
Their Premium package, priced at $299 plus state fees, encompasses the Standard offerings with added benefits like expedited Massachusetts filing, a business document library, a domain name with a website, and a comprehensive digital LLC kit.
Swyft Filings is recognized for its commendable customer service and has a robust positive reputation among its Massachusetts clients.
Swyft Filings offers fast processing but doesn’t include resident agent services in their packages, making additions somewhat costly. However, they provide good value overall and strong customer support.
LegalZoom’s Basic plan, priced at just the Massachusetts state fees, encompasses a business name availability check within Massachusetts, the necessary business formation procedures, and full customer support. Additionally, Massachusetts entrepreneurs will benefit from a digital welcome kit and even a business website. Your Massachusetts LLC formation documents will be accessible online whenever you need them.
For those eyeing a more comprehensive package, the Pro plan, priced at $249, delivers all the Basic plan services plus an operating agreement tailored for Massachusetts, an EIN, a business license guide, and initial consultations with industry specialists.
The Premium plan, available for $299, builds upon the Pro plan by offering unlimited 30-minute attorney consultations and the flexibility to make changes to your Massachusetts LLC within the first 30 days, accompanied by expert insights from a business attorney.
LegalZoom sets itself apart in Massachusetts with its broad spectrum of supplementary legal services and documents.
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.
Harbor Compliance provides a flexible approach, eschewing standard packages in favor of à la carte service options. Their business formation service for a Massachusetts LLC is set at $99 plus the specific Massachusetts state fees. Additionally, you can select from various services tailored to Massachusetts, such as resident agent services, annual report filing, and EIN.
You can purchase resident agent services for Massachusetts at $99 annually ($50 off if you pay for five years upfront, $100 off if you pay for 10). Annual report filing for Massachusetts will cost you $175 plus state filing fees each year ($250 off if you purchase ten years’ worth of annual report filing). The EIN procurement starts at $99.
They further differentiate themselves with offerings like business license management tools and an array of other services specific to the needs of Massachusetts businesses.
When considering Harbor Compliance for your Massachusetts LLC needs, note their efficient processing and the broader service range compared to many competitors. Their resident agent services, in particular, are competitively priced for Massachusetts entrepreneurs.
Harbor Compliance provides extensive services, including comprehensive annual compliance and business license guidance, surpassing competitors. Though on the pricier side, they cater to most needs of new business owners.
Tailor Brands’ Lite plan, priced at $49 plus Massachusetts state fees, ensures your business formation within the state, adhering to standard Massachusetts processing times.
Should you be looking for enhanced services for your Massachusetts LLC, their Essential plan at $199 annually provides the merits of their annual compliance service, an operating agreement tailored to Massachusetts regulations, and expedited processing within the state.
Further amplifying their offerings, the Elite plan, priced at $249 annually, caters to a Massachusetts LLC’s holistic digital needs, providing a domain name, eight distinct logos, a business website builder, and some additional perks.
What sets Tailor Brands apart, especially for those starting a Massachusetts LLC, is their integrated suite of contemporary business tools, including a logo maker, website facilities, and domain name acquisition, making the business setup process streamlined and digitally proficient for newcomers.
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.
Filenow presents the Starter plan at a modest fee of $49. This package encompasses company compliance alerts tailored for Massachusetts regulations, a tax consultation to navigate the Massachusetts tax landscape, and a dedicated business bank account.
Elevating their offerings for a Massachusetts LLC, the Premium plan is priced at $199. This comprehensive package brings in a complimentary year of resident agent services specific to Massachusetts, a custom operating agreement in line with Massachusetts guidelines, an EIN, a banking resolution, business contract templates suited for Massachusetts businesses, and a promise of 24-hour processing.
What makes Filenow a notable choice for your Massachusetts LLC is the commitment to swift processing times and a robust money-back guarantee. Their Premium package, in particular, offers exceptional value for businesses in Massachusetts.
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 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 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.
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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