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Incfile vs BizFilings Comparison

Written by:

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 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.

Incfile vs BizFilings Comparison

Business entity formation is a crucial element of launching a business, and because it’s often complex and tedious, many entrepreneurs hire a professional service to do the job right. These business formation services also offer additional services that can be helpful when starting a business. 

Two of the leading online services to consider are Incfile and BizFilings. To help you determine which is best and which might be best for you and your business, we have thoroughly reviewed their services by putting ourselves in the shoes of an entrepreneur. Read on to make the choice that will put your business on the highway to success. 

Services Overview

Business Formation Service
Incfile
BizFilings
Plans and Pricing
3 plans: Silver, Gold, and Platinum; $0 – $299 + state filing fees
3 plans: Basic, Standard, and Complete; $99 – $359 + state filing fees
Registered Agent Service
Free for one year in all plans, then $119 annually
Included for 3 months, then $220 annually
Operating Agreement
Included in Gold and Platinum
Included in two top-tier plans; $39 for Basic
Annual Report Service
Lifetime company annual report alerts included in Gold and Platinum
Not included
Processing Time
Varies from the state; Incfile will pass your data to the governing body in 1 day.
Standard state times, expedited with two top-tier plans
Customer Support
Chat, email, phone; Mon – Fri 9am – 6pm CST
Chat, email, phone; Mon – Fri 8am – 7pm CT
Business Documents Online Library
Nine free templates in Silver and Gold, full package in Platinum plan
Yes
Other Services Offered
Business compliance services, IRS filings, free tax consultation, business banking, domain name and email address
Yes, variety of filing and compliance services
Number of Business Served
Over 1 million since 2004
More than 500,000
Money Back Guarantee
No
Yes, for errors only

Our Verdict

After a thorough assessment, we have determined that Incfile offers better value and broader service offerings than BizFilings. By choosing Incfile, you will save money and get more for it. In addition, customers seem broadly happy with their services, though our customer service experience with BizFilings was good as well.

Both companies offer valuable services, but we would recommend Incfile over BizFilings. 

Pricing

Turnaround Time

Help and Support

Customer Satisfaction

Ease of Use

Overall Score: 4.2/5

Visit Incfile

Pricing

Turnaround Time

Help and Support

Customer Satisfaction

Ease of Use

Overall Score: 4/5

Visit BizFilings

We recommend Incfile over BizFilings due to their affordability and wide range of services.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Affordable, with a free plan that includes all the basics
  • Unlimited name searches
  • Free registered agent service for a year
  • Access to an online dashboard for paid plans
  • Unlimited access to phone and email support

Cons

  • Customer service may be less responsive than other services
  • Limited legal services available
  • Limited customer support hours, no weekend availability

Pros

  • Quick and easy purchase process
  • Additional resources for entrepreneurs
  • Over 20 years of experience and an A+ rating with the BBB
  • Good customer support
  • Part of Wolters Kluwer company, a global leader in expert solutions

Cons

  • No free business formation plan; slightly expensive services compared to competitors
  • Some customers had issues cancelling recurring services
  • Lack of online customer reviews

Plans and Pricing – Winner: Incfile

Incfile

Incfile’s formation services are free, also providing a year of free registered agent services. After the first year, the registered agent service renews at $119/year. The Gold ($199) and Platinum ($299) packages offer substantial features, justifying their cost.

BizFilings

BizFilings pricing begins at $99 for the Basic package, which includes three months of registered agent service (priced at $220/year thereafter). However, their pricing leans towards the higher end compared to other service providers, and the Standard and Complete packages, which vary in cost depending on the state, often fail to offer enough beneficial features to warrant their prices.

Experience – Winner: Incfile

Incfile

Incfile, established in 2004, has aided in the formation of over 1 million businesses.

BizFilings

BizFilings has managed more than 500,000 business formations since its inception in 1996.

Customer Support – It’s a tie between the two

Incfile

We tested Incfile’s customer service channels thoroughly, including chat, email, and phone. The response times were impressive across all platforms: with almost instant replies on chat, immediate phone pickup, and an email response in less than a day. You can expect clear and helpful information from Incfile’s customer support, ensuring your queries will be handled efficiently and promptly.

BizFilings

BizFilings offers support through phone, email, and an online chat feature on their website. However, the online chat doesn’t operate over the weekends. We promptly received professional and comprehensive responses via both phone and email. During workdays, we were able to get immediate answers to our questions from the online chat representative.

Turnaround Times – Winner: Incfile

Incfile

Incfile guarantees same-day processing for their Premium plan and 24–48 hours of filing time with the Silver and Gold plans. The turnaround time is state-dependent, but usually, it takes around three weeks to form your business. Incfile provides a valuable comparison tool to help you estimate your turnaround time.

BizFilings

BizFilings’ processing times are contingent on the selected service level. Their most affordable package offers a 4–6 week turnaround, but their pricier plans can reduce this to 7–10 days. An additional $60 can expedite processing for the Basic plan, but it does not hasten state processes.

Customer Reviews – Winner: Incfile

Incfile

Incfile has over 14,000 customer reviews on Trustpilot alone, with the majority of them sharing highly positive customer feedback.

BizFilings

In comparison to Incfile, there were very few BizFilings reviews available online – less than 30 were found on third-party review platforms. Analyzing such a limited dataset is not significant, so all we can comment on is that it’s peculiar for a company that has executed over 500,000 business filings to have so few online reviews.

Ease of Use – Winner: BizFilings

Incfile

The process of forming a business with this service is fast, simple, and user-friendly. The upgrade options provide clear and useful information rather than being pushy. However, the lack of a feature to save your progress can be inconvenient if you need to step away and return later.

Despite this, the website overall is straightforward and easy to use, particularly if you’re prepared to finish the entire process in one go.

BizFilings

Their incorporation wizard is a useful tool for deciding between forming an LLC or a corporation. The application process presents upselling opportunities, but they are subtly integrated and not overly aggressive. An order number is automatically assigned to your application for easy reference during customer support interactions.

Additional Services – Winner: Incfile

Both Incfile and BizFilings offer a suite of services to assist businesses. Common services include, but are not limited to, foreign qualifications, DBA names, business license research, and EIN obtainment. Unique to BizFilings are publication services for certain states, while Incfile offers business accounting services.

Incfile has more additional services and, in general, has better pricing for all plans and services than BizFilings.

FAQs

Why should I use a business formation service to start my LLC?

Using a business formation service to start your 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 should I take into consideration when choosing the right business formation service for my LLC?

When assessing whether or not a business formation service is right for you, it’s important to dive into the following four categories: included features, customer service, pricing, and turnaround time.

Is IncFile a good business formation service?

Incfile is great for entrepreneurs on a budget, as their Silver Package covers the basics and includes a free year of their registered agent service. Competitors like LegalZoom and Swyft Filings have a more robust suite of services, but can be more expensive.

Which is better – IncFile or Bizfilings?

After a thorough assessment, we have determined that Incfile offers better value and broader service offerings. By choosing Incfile, you will save some money and get more for it, and customers seem to be very happy overall with their services.

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Incfile vs BizFilings Comparison