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 May 8, 2023
5 Best LLC Services in North Carolina
ZenBusiness
Northwest Registered Agent
LegalZoom
BetterLegal
BizFilings
Why Use a Business Formation Service for your LLC in North Carolina?
What to Look for When Purchasing an LLC Service in North Carolina?
Our Approach
FAQs
If you’re starting an LLC, 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 North Carolina? 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 North Carolina.
Best LLC Formation Services in North Carolina
4.7/5
ZenBusiness offers free business formation plan (unlike many other competitors), has great customer service and the site is ease to use.
Northwest Registered Agent differentiates itself from competitors with transparent pricing, great customer service, and a commitment to maintaining your privacy.
LegalZoom offers affordable pricing plans with the option to add on additional services. The company has a great industry reputation and offers a variety of other legal services.
ZenBusiness has three business formation plans to choose from, with annual fees ranging from $0 to $299. They have a great track record with BBB, competitive pricing, and a seamless formation process.
Pricing and Features
ZenBusiness’s Starter Plan costs $0 plus state fees, and includes a business name availability search in the relevant state’s database, and the business formation service with full customer support. It also offers a few extras, including an accounting consultation to help you get started with your finances. You’ll also have access to your formation documents online at any time.
The Pro Plan includes all the services above plus an operating agreement template and annual compliance service, which means ZenBusiness will remind you of reporting due dates based on state requirements. The plan also includes expedited filing so that your LLC is approved and ready to go faster. The Pro Plan costs $199 plus state fees.
ZenBusiness also offers a Premium Plan for $299 plus state fees, which includes everything in the Pro Plan with the advantage of rush filing, as well as a business domain name, website, and email.
Note that none of these plans include registered agent services. They are available for an additional $99 fee. ZenBusiness also has a document library that customers can access for $99.
Pros
Competitively-priced packages offer good value ($0 business formation plan)
Great customer service
Positive customer reviews
Quick and easy purchase process
Company is socially responsible and active
Cons
Registered agent service not included in the plans (add-on)
Cancellation can be a lengthy process
Some information is difficult to find on the website
ZenBusiness provides extremely valuable services for aspiring business owners. Each of the ZenBusiness plans includes a robust list of services. One small drawback is that a registered agent service is an add-on. However, great customer support, easy-to-use site and positive customer reviews add it to the top of our list.
Northwest Registered Agent 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, Northwest Registered Agent takes care of all the red tape so you don’t have to.
Pricing and Features
Northwest’s plan, at $225 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 a fairly good value since registered agent services and an operating agreement, which is very important, is included.
But if you do not choose the registered agent services, you’re still charged the full plan price. However, Northwest Registered Agent is offering a special price of $39 for the package if you use this link!
Overall, Northwest Registered Agent provides valuable services for aspiring business owners. They can ensure that your new business gets off on the right foot. Their service is easy to use and offers a great customer experience, which we learned from testing their support services, reading countless customer reviews, and moving through their online formation process.
We recommend Northwest Registered Agent because of their transparent pricing, outstanding customer service, and a commitment to maintaining your privacy.
Northwest Registered Agent can take the time and hassle out of starting your business and the ongoing process of staying in compliance with your state’s laws. Their streamlined pricing is uncommon amongst competitors, so you’ll have more control over what you pay for.
LegalZoom is an industry leader when it comes to LLC formation services. They offer three business plans, with one-time fees ranging from $79 to $349, plus state fees. Their Economy Plan is great value for what’s included and they have great customer service.
Pricing and features
In North Carolina, the Economy Plan costs $204 (including state fees) and provides a business name availability search through the state database, your business’s formation, and full customer support. It also offers a few extras, including a digital welcome packet and a business newsletter. You’ll also have access to your formation documents online at any time.
Including state fees, LegalZoom’s Standard Plan costs $454 in North Carolina and includes all the services in the Starter Plan plus a founder’s kit, personalized business embosser, and membership certificates.
The $464 Express Gold Plan includes North Carolina’s state fees and offers all of the services listed above plus expedited filing and express document shipping, making it a better value than the Standard Plan.
Pros and Cons
Pros
The Economy Plan is a good value
Reliable customer service
Quick and easy purchase process
Mostly positive reviews
Cons
Some information is difficult to find
Some ala carte services and packages are not good value
Some customers claim delivery issues
Cancellation can be a lengthy and difficult process
LegalZoom’s services are easy to use and they offer great customer experience. LegalZoom is more expensive than some competitors but they do 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.
BetterLegal’s LLC Formation Plan is their only packaged offering. For $299 plus state fees, it includes an operating agreement, employer identification number (EIN), and the business formation service. It also includes amendment or document research services and a business website.
Pricing and features
BetterLegal’s LLC Formation Plan costs a one-time fee of $299 plus state fees. In North Carolina, the total price is $424 and includes business name availability search and preparation and filing of the articles of organization. It also includes an operating agreement draft which allows you to record all pertinent information related to the ownership of your business, governance and business structure.
The BetterLegal LLC Formation Plan also includes a federal tax identification number. You’ll need this number to open a business bank account to pay your employees as well as your taxes when they become due.
The plan also comes with free website services, insurance evaluation, and tax analysis. BetterLegal is known for being a leading tax services provider, so you can rest assured that you’ll receive expert tax advice. You also receive amendment or document research services, minute templates, officer designation, banking resolution, and S corp tax election.
Note that this plan does not include registered agent services, which you can add for $10 per month or $90 per year.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Quick turnaround times
Responsive customer service
Affordable registered agent services
User-friendly website and formation process
Cons
Only one LLC formation package available
LLC formation package more costly than competition
Customer service only available M-F business hours
BetterLegal is a bit more expensive compared to competitors, especially Incfile. However, their registered agent services are better priced and also offer a monthly payment option, which is unique.
The BizFilings Basic Plan offers good value compared to others, since they offer a few extras with the plan, including registered agent services for six months. You can purchase extra services with all their plans, including an operating agreement and other forms, and a business license research package.
They don’t offer as many services as some competitors, but if you’re just interested in forming your business, this is a good option.
Pricing and features
BizFilings’ Basic Plan costs $99, plus state fees, and includes a business name availability search through your state and the business formation service. The Basic Plan provides registered agent services for six months, which is something most competitors do not offer. It also offers a 24/7 business monitoring tool and a library of common business documents.
You can purchase BizFilings’ Standard Plan for $229 plus state fees. You will receive all services included in the Basic Plan with the addition of an LLC kit and seal, an operating agreement and other form templates, and expedited processing.
For $359 plus state fees, BizFilings’ offers a Complete Plan that includes everything in the Standard Plan with several added benefits, such as:
EIN number
Compliance DVD
Certified copies of LLC documents (state fees apply)
Overnight shipping
Pros and Cons
Pros
All plans offer fair value for the price
Quick and easy purchase process
Good rating with the Better Business Bureau
Good website usability
Cons
Some a la carte services are not good value
Some customers had issues cancelling recurring services/li>
Only one customer review exists — difficult to fully evaluate
Most of the BizFilings plans and services are a good value. Their site is easy to use, and they offer a great customer service experience. They don’t offer as many services as some competitors, but if you’re just looking for a business formation service, they are a good option. If you’re looking for more services, LegalZoom might be a better choice.
Why Use a Business Formation Service for your LLC in North Carolina?
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.
What to Look for When Purchasing an LLC Service in North Carolina?
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.
Features
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.
Customer Service and Reviews
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 should take some of the reviews with a grain of salt.
Pricing
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 felt about it.
Turnaround time
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 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.
Our Approach
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:
Examined every page of the service’s website
Reviewed all of their offerings, from a la carte products to packages
Put ourselves in the customer’s shoes, creating an account
Communicated with customer service via chat, email and phone
Used the service to actually form an LLC
Gained a full understanding of the customer experience and service value
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.
FAQs
Why should I use a business formation service to start my North Carolina LLC?
Using a business formation service to start your North Carolina LLC frees you up to focus on growing your business. These services handle the filing process for you and offer additional services that can make life easier for a new business owner.
What’s good about Rocket Lawyer?
Rocket Lawyer is a unique option, not offering packages of business formation services, but a subscription service instead that allows you to form your business for free and get access to a host of business form templates.
Where can I learn more about what real customers think of the various business formation services?
To learn more about the customer experience at a particular business formation service, check out the reviews and ratings on the Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot websites. Also see our summaries of customer reviews for each LLC formation service, detailed near the start of this article.