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Written by: Carolyn Young
Carolyn Young is a business writer who focuses on entrepreneurial concepts and the business formation. She has over 25 years of experience in business roles, and has authored several entrepreneurship textbooks.
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 15, 2022
Updated on October 2, 2023
If you’re starting an LLC in Minnesota, 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 Minnesota? 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 for business formation services in Minnesota.
Best Overall
Best Registered Agent Service
Best Turnaround Time
Best for Small Budget
Best for Legal Services
Best Support for Small Business Owners
Best for Variety of Business-Essential Services
ZenBusiness presents multiple plans for those looking to establish a Minnesota LLC. The Starter plan is priced at $0 plus state fees. This plan covers the Minnesota LLC name availability searches and formation process and provides comprehensive support.
The Pro plan costs $199 plus Minnesota state fees. This plan includes all offerings from the Starter plan, along with an operating agreement template, an EIN, yearly compliance service, and expedited filing.
The Premium plan comes at $349 plus Minnesota state fees. This package provides all Pro services and also comprises a business document template collection, domain name registration, website builder, and email services.
ZenBusiness emerges as our top choice for Minnesota LLC formation owing to its affordable initial service. This includes Minnesota LLC registration and a 100% accuracy guarantee, all starting at just $0 plus state fees.
Furthermore, ZenBusiness operates as a Public Benefit Corporation, signifying its dual commitment to profit and a broader community purpose.
Besides the primary Minnesota LLC formation, ZenBusiness extends a variety of supplementary services, ranging from registered agent services to essential business tools. However, potential Minnesota LLC owners should note that some of these additions might increase the overall cost. Throughout its operation, ZenBusiness has consistently received commendable reviews from satisfied 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, priced at $39 plus Minnesota state fees, encompasses the full suite of business formation services for a Minnesota LLC. This includes free registered agent services for the initial year, a dedicated business address, an operating agreement tailored to Minnesota regulations, and a few additional perks.
For those establishing a Minnesota LLC, this plan delivers outstanding value. Crucial features like registered agent services and a Minnesota-specific operating agreement are bundled in. However, it’s worth noting that even if you opt out of the registered agent services, the plan’s price remains unchanged.
Northwest Registered Agent, true to its moniker, is predominantly recognized for its registered agent offerings in Minnesota and other states. As registered agent service providers, they’re acclaimed for providing a more personalized customer experience and swift notifications regarding any correspondence.
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 the Minnesota state fees, Swyft Filings’ Basic package offers company name verification, preparation of the articles of organization, and state document filing. Clients also benefit from online document access and ongoing customer support.
At $199 plus Minnesota fees, the Standard package builds on the Basic, adding a custom operating agreement and a federal tax ID (EIN). It also introduces banking resolution services and organizational minutes, aiding Minnesota LLCs in their initial meetings.
The Premium package, at $299 plus state fees, brings expedited filing in Minnesota. It incorporates a business document library, compliance alerts, a domain name, and a website. A digital LLC kit, with a company “seal” and ownership tracking tools, is also part of the deal.
Swyft Filings consistently impresses with its robust customer support and has a strong reputation among Minnesota businesses.
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.
For just the Minnesota state fees, the Silver package offers preparation and filing of the articles of organization for your Minnesota LLC, unlimited name searches, and complimentary registered agent services for a year.
Priced at $199, the Gold package builds on the Silver by including an operating agreement template tailored for Minnesota, lifetime company alerts, and a business tax consultation. These lifetime alerts ensure Minnesota LLC owners are always informed about their state-specific reporting due dates. The Gold package also features an EIN tax ID number, filing of IRS Form 2553 for potential S corporation tax benefits, banking resolution services, and assistance in opening a business bank account. Minnesota clients will also benefit from a personalized online dashboard and boundless phone and email support.
The Platinum package, at $299, encompasses all the Gold offerings plus expedited filing in Minnesota, a domain name, business email, and access to a library of business contract templates. These templates, vetted by attorneys, serve as invaluable resources for new Minnesota business owners, with over 20 different contracts available.
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.
Rocket Lawyer does not offer predefined business formation service packages for Minnesota LLCs. Their charge for forming a Minnesota LLC is $99. However, if you opt for their $39.99 membership, the Minessota LLC formation becomes free.
Members can also benefit from a discounted registered agent service, priced at $111.99 instead of the usual $149.99. With this membership, Minnesota LLC owners will gain access to crucial business document templates tailored for the state, including a Minnesota-specific operating agreement.
Rocket Lawyer simplifies business start-up, though it lacks some services offered by competitors. Their membership stands out, providing ongoing legal assistance and offering the best value.
MyCorporation’s Basic plan for Minnesota LLCs, at $99 plus state fees, offers business formation, a name availability search within Minnesota, and online document storage.
Their Standard plan, priced at $124 (plus Minnesota state fees) annually, extends to include annual report filing for your Minnesota LLC.
The Deluxe plan, priced at $224 (plus Minnesota state fees) annually, encompasses the previous services and adds registered agent services tailored for Minnesota businesses.
Lastly, their Premium plan for Minnesota businesses, at $324 (plus state fees) annually, integrates a service known as MaintainMyBiz.
It’s noteworthy that MyCorporation increases state fees to gain extra profit, a rare practice in the industry. For instance, while initiating an LLC formation in Ohio, we noticed a discrepancy. While the actual state fee in Ohio is $99, MyCorporation levies a charge of $110. It’s crucial to mention they don’t clearly disclose these mark-ups. If we hadn’t been familiar with Ohio’s fee, the markup might have gone unnoticed.
In addition to their primary offerings, MyCorporation provides numerous additional services for supplementary charges, some of which aren’t commonly provided by other formation services. This includes niche services like unemployment insurance and tax withholding registration for Minnesota LLCs.
We put MyCorporation on the list because of the extensive list of services they offer, although we are not a fan of the marked-up state fees that are not disclosed. They have, however, been in business for a long time and have a good Trustpilot rating.
Tailor Brands, catering specifically to Minnesota LLCs, introduces its Lite plan. For just the cost of $49 plus Minnesota state fees, this package incorporates your business formation within Minnesota, complemented by standard state processing times.
Next in line, their Essential plan, priced at $199 annually, broadens its offerings to encompass the annual compliance service tailored for Minnesota, an operating agreement suitable for Minnesota LLCs, and expedited processing.
Diving deeper, the Elite plan, designed for Minnesota businesses, is priced at $249 annually. This comprehensive package boasts a domain name, eight logos, a business website builder designed for the Minnesota market, and a few additional perks.
What sets Tailor Brands apart, especially for emerging Minnesota LLCs, is their suite of contemporary business tools. With offerings like a logo maker, website, and domain name, they offer an essential toolkit for businesses setting their foundation in Minnesota.
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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