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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 Michigan, 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 Michigan? 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 Michigan.
Best for Startups
Best Registered Agent Service
Best Turnaround Time
Best for Small Budget
Best Legal Assistance
Best for Ensuring Compliance
For those seeking to form a Michigan LLC, ZenBusiness presents a variety of plans tailored to your needs. The Starter plan costs only Michigan’s state fees and offers a business name availability search within Michigan and complete formation support.
The Pro plan comes at the price of $199 plus Michigan’s state fees. It includes the Starter plan services, an operating agreement template suitable for a Michigan LLC, an EIN, annual compliance services, and expedited filing.
The Premium plan, at $349 plus Michigan state fees, provides everything the Pro plan offers, along with access to a library of business document templates, domain name registration, a website, and a dedicated email.
ZenBusiness stands out as our top pick for the best overall LLC filing company, especially for those in Michigan. Its affordable base service encompasses Michigan LLC filing and assures 100% accuracy, starting at just $0 plus Michigan state fees.
ZenBusiness operates as a Public Benefit Corporation, which means it functions as a profit-making entity but also has community-centered objectives similar to a nonprofit.
Beyond just Michigan LLC formation, ZenBusiness offers a range of additional services, from acting as registered agents to providing essential business tools. These services can increase the total costs. Over the years, ZenBusiness has consistently received favorable reviews from its clientele, marking its position as a reliable choice for Michigan 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, at $39 plus state fees, includes business formation, free registered agent services for a year, a business address, an operating agreement, and a few extras.
This plan is an excellent value since registered agent services and an operating agreement, which are very important, are included.
But if you do not choose the registered agent services, you’re still charged the full plan price.
Northwest Registered Agent, as the name implies, is best known for registered agent services. As registered agent service providers, they offer more personalized customer support and fast correspondence notification.
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 Michigan state fees, Swyft Filings’ Basic package handles your company name verification, articles of organization, and state filing. This package also includes online document access and lifelong customer support.
At $199 plus Michigan state fees, the Standard package offers everything in the Basic, plus a custom operating agreement, a federal tax ID (EIN), banking resolution services, and organizational minutes to aid in Michigan LLC meetings.
The Premium package, priced at $299 plus Michigan state fees, encompasses all Standard features and adds expedited Michigan filing, a business document library, compliance notifications, a business domain and website, and a digital LLC kit with a company “seal” and ownership tools.
Throughout Michigan, Swyft Filings is renowned for top-tier customer support and consistently favorable client 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, available at the cost of Michigan state fees, provides preparation and filing of the articles of organization tailored for Michigan, unlimited name searches, and complimentary registered agent services for the initial year.
Priced at $199, the Gold package integrates everything from the Silver package and adds a Michigan-specific operating agreement template, lifetime company alerts tied to Michigan’s reporting due dates, a business tax consultation, an EIN, the completion of IRS Form 2553 for tax benefits, banking resolution services, and assistance with a Michigan business bank account setup. The package also offers a personalized dashboard, along with limitless phone and email support.
The Platinum package, costing $299, comprises all features of the Gold package but with the added perk of expedited filing for Michigan, a domain name, business email, and access to business contract templates — invaluable for new Michigan LLC owners. These contract templates include over 20 different contracts, all crafted and vetted by legal experts.
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 for Michigan LLCs is priced at state fees only and covers a business name availability search within Michigan and the business formation service. This plan is supported by full customer service and comes with additional features like a digital welcome packet and a business website. Furthermore, you’ll have online access to your Michigan formation documents anytime.
At $249, the Pro plan provides all the amenities of the Basic plan, complemented with a Michigan-specific operating agreement, an EIN, a business license guide for Michigan, and introductory phone consultations with specialists.
The Premium plan, priced at $299, integrates everything in the Pro plan, enhancing it with unlimited 30-minute attorney consultations and adjustments to your Michigan LLC over a 30-day period, bolstered by expert assistance from a business attorney.
LegalZoom stands out for its comprehensive suite of legal services and documents tailored for Michigan entrepreneurs.
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 doesn’t provide Michigan LLC business formation packages but opts for a la carte services. Forming a Michigan LLC with them costs $99 plus state fees. Additional services include registered agent, annual report filing, and EIN.
You can purchase registered agent services for Michigan at $99 annually ($50 off if you pay for five years upfront, $100 off if you pay for 10). Annual report filing for Michigan will cost you $175 plus filing fees each year ($250 off if you purchase ten years’ worth of annual report filing). The EIN procurement starts at $99. They also furnish Michigan businesses with license management tools, among other specialized services.
In terms of setting up a Michigan LLC, Harbor Compliance stands out for its swift processing and array of services that outstrip many competitors. Their registered agent services for Michigan are competitively priced, ensuring value for business owners in the state.
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.
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 might take this data 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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