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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.
Updated on October 2, 2023
If you’re starting an LLC in Texas, 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 Texas? 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 Texas.
Best for Startups
Best Registered Agent Service
Best Turnaround Time
Best for Small Budget
Best for Legal Services
Best Support for Small Business Owners
Best for Ensuring Compliance
ZenBusiness presents a range of packages tailored for those contemplating starting a Texas LLC.
The Starter plan, priced at $0 plus Texas state fees, provides services such as business name availability search within Texas and LLC formation, all backed by comprehensive support.
For those seeking more, the Pro plan, at $199 plus Texas state fees, adds an operating agreement tailored for Texas, an EIN, annual compliance service, and rush filing specific to Texas LLC requirements.
Their Premium plan, at $349 plus Texas state fees, encompasses all Pro offerings but brings additional perks like a business document template library, a domain name, a website, and email, all curated with the Texas business environment in mind.
In the realm of LLC formation companies, ZenBusiness emerges as our top pick, especially for Texas entrepreneurs. Their strength lies in their affordable foundational service, ensuring Texas LLC filing with a 100% accuracy guarantee, all starting at just $0 plus Texas state fees.
It’s also noteworthy that ZenBusiness operates as a Public Benefit Corporation, blending the ethos of profit-driven and community-focused objectives.
Beyond just Texas LLC formation, ZenBusiness extends a plethora of add-on services, from registered agents to state-of-the-art business tools. While these might elevate the costs, the company has historically received accolades and positive reviews from its Texas clientele.
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.
For Texas entrepreneurs, Northwest’s offering comes as an appealing choice. Their plan, priced at $39 plus Texas state fees, provides a comprehensive suite of services, including Texas LLC business formation, complimentary registered agent services in Texas for a year, a business address specific to Texas, an operating agreement tailored for a Texas LLC, along with some additional perks.
What makes this plan an outstanding value, especially for those venturing into the Texas market, is the inclusion of registered agent services and a Texas-specific operating agreement — both of which are quintessential for any LLC operating in the state.
However, it’s essential to note that even if you opt out of the registered agent services, the full plan price remains unchanged.
Northwest Registered Agent, as the brand name suggests, is renowned for registered agent services, particularly in Texas. They are known to offer a more personalized customer service experience and rapid notification of correspondence, ensuring Texas LLCs are always in the loop.
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.
Swyft Filings offers a range of packages to assist in the formation of a Texas LLC. The Basic package, priced at just the Texas state fees, encompasses verification of your company name in Texas, preparation of the Certificate of Formation in line with Texas regulations, and document filing with the Texas state authorities. Clients also benefit from online access to their documents and are assured of lifetime customer support.
For a more comprehensive package, Texas entrepreneurs can opt for the Standard package at $199 plus Texas state fees. Beyond the services provided in the Basic package, this package adds a custom operating agreement suited for Texas LLCs, a federal tax ID or EIN, custom banking resolution services, and custom organizational minutes, facilitating the organization of your inaugural LLC meeting in Texas.
For those seeking a top-tier service, Swyft Filings’ Premium package offers everything in the Standard package but with the added perk of expedited filing in Texas. Additionally, it provides a business document library, timely compliance notifications, and a business domain name and website tailored for the Texas market. A unique feature is the digital LLC kit, complete with a digital company “seal”, a ledger to track ownership transfers, and bespoke ownership certificates for your Texas LLC. This Premium offering is priced at $299 plus the applicable Texas state filing fees.
Renowned for their exemplary customer service, Swyft Filings maintains a positive reputation among Texas businesses, evident from their stellar 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.
Incfile provides various packages tailored to your needs. The Silver package, priced solely at Texas state fees, delivers essential services, including the drafting and filing of the Certificate of Formation with Texas state authorities and unlimited company name searches. As an added bonus, this package offers free registered agent services for a year, ensuring compliance with Texas regulations.
The Gold package, at $199, enhances the Silver package with a Texas LLC-specific operating agreement template, lifetime company alerts, and a business tax consultation. Incfile keeps Texas entrepreneurs informed with alerts about state-specific reporting due dates. This package also provides an EIN tax ID, aids in filing IRS Form 2553 for S corporation tax advantages in Texas, and includes banking resolution services, assistance for Texas business bank account setup, and comprehensive online dashboard access with unlimited support.
For Texas entrepreneurs seeking a comprehensive package, the Platinum package, priced at $299, offers all the features of the Gold package and the added benefit of expedited filing in Texas. Moreover, it incorporates a domain name, business email, and access to a diverse range of business contract templates, immensely beneficial for new business owners in Texas. These contracts, numbering over 20, have all been meticulously crafted and reviewed by legal professionals.
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 offers a distinct approach. They charge $99 for business formation in Texas. However, Texans can take advantage of the $39.99 membership, which waives the formation fee.
This membership offers Texans the added perk of discounted registered agent services at $111.99, a noticeable drop from the regular Texas rate of $149.99.
Furthermore, for Texas LLCs, this membership grants access to a vast array of business document templates, including a Texas-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.
For entrepreneurs in Texas, MyCorporation offers a variety of plans tailored to your needs. The Basic plan for a Texas LLC is priced at $99 plus state fees, covering business formation, a name availability search specific to Texas, and online document storage.
The Standard plan, tailored for Texas LLCs, is available at $124 annually (plus state fees) and includes the invaluable service of annual report filing specific to Texas regulations.
Their Deluxe plan, priced at $224 annually (plus Texas state fees), not only provides the features of the Standard plan but also offers registered agent services tailored for Texas businesses.
The Premium plan, which comes in at $324 (plus state fees) annually for Texas businesses, boasts a unique offering called MaintainMyBiz.
Note that MyCorporation marks up your state fees to make an additional profit, which is highly unusual in the industry.
Still, MyCorporation provides a plethora of extra services for Texas LLCs, albeit at additional costs. They offer distinct services not commonly found with other business formation providers, including unemployment insurance and tax withholding registration tailored for Texas businesses.
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.
Harbor Compliance provides a straightforward approach without bundled service packages. Instead, they offer a la carte services tailored to your needs. Business formation in Texas with Harbor Compliance is priced at $99 plus state fees.
Entrepreneurs in Texas can also opt for additional services, such as registered agent services, annual reports, and EIN. Registered agent service is $99 annually ($50 off if you pay for five years upfront, $100 off if you pay for 10). Annual report filing services are available at a rate of $175 plus any associated Texas filing fees annually (you’ll get $250 off if you purchase ten years’ worth of annual report filing). EIN costs $99.
Furthermore, they present business license management tools and a variety of other services tailored for Texas LLCs.
What sets Harbor Compliance apart, especially for Texas LLCs, is their quick processing and broader range of services compared to many competitors. Their registered agent services, which are crucial for Texas businesses, are also competitively priced.
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 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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