Starting an LLC does not have to cost a lot of money.
Many business owners think they need to spend hundreds of dollars on legal help just to create a simple LLC. That is not always true.
If your business is basic, you can often form an LLC through an online service for a very low service fee, and sometimes for $0 plus state fees.
But there is one thing you need to understand first.
Cheap LLC formation does not mean free business formation.
Every state charges its own filing fee. That fee is paid to the state, not the LLC service. Some states charge a small fee.
Others charge much more. You may also have ongoing costs like registered agent service, annual reports, franchise taxes, business licenses, and compliance filings.
The cheapest LLC service is not always the one with the lowest starting price. It is the one that gives you basic filing at a fair price without pushing too many unnecessary add-ons.
This guide covers 10 of the cheapest LLC formation services and explains which one may fit your business best.
Quick Answer: Cheapest LLC Formation Services
The cheapest LLC formation services include Bizee, ZenBusiness, LegalZoom, Swyft Filings, Inc Authority, Tailor Brands, Rocket Lawyer, EasyFiling, BusinessRocket, and MyCompanyWorks.
Some of these services start at $0 plus state fees. Others charge a low basic fee but may include better support or documents.
For most beginners, Bizee, ZenBusiness, Inc Authority, and LegalZoom are among the lowest-cost starting points.
Top 8 Cheapest LLC Services
1. Bizee
Bizee is one of the cheapest LLC formation services for small business owners.
Its basic LLC package is designed around $0 service-fee formation plus state filing fees. That means you can use Bizee to prepare and file your LLC without paying a basic service charge, although you still pay the required state fee.
Bizee is popular because it gives beginners a low-cost way to start an LLC without handling the state paperwork alone.
It also often includes useful first-year value, such as registered agent service. That can make it attractive for people who want to keep startup costs low.
The main thing to watch is add-ons.
Bizee may offer EIN filing, operating agreements, business documents, compliance tools, and other upgrades. Some are useful, but not all are required.
Choose Bizee if your goal is simple, low-cost LLC formation.
2. ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness is another strong low-cost LLC formation service.
Its starter LLC option begins at $0 plus state fees. The platform is clean, beginner-friendly, and easy to use.
ZenBusiness is good for people who want a modern filing experience without feeling overwhelmed by legal paperwork. You enter your business details, choose your state, and the service helps prepare and submit your LLC filing.
It also offers extras like registered agent service, operating agreement templates, compliance help, business websites, bookkeeping, and tax support.
The free starter price is attractive, but the final price can increase if you add more services.
ZenBusiness is best for beginners who want an affordable LLC service with a smoother user experience than filing directly with the state.
3. LegalZoom
LegalZoom is one of the most recognized names in online legal services.
Its LLC formation starts at $0 plus state fees, which makes it more affordable upfront than many people expect.
The main advantage of LegalZoom is brand trust and service range. It offers LLC formation, registered agent service, operating agreements, legal forms, attorney support, trademarks, business licenses, and other legal tools.
That makes it useful if you may need more than basic filing later.
The downside is that LegalZoom can become expensive once you add extra services. Registered agent service, legal plans, operating agreements, and faster processing may increase the total cost.
LegalZoom is best if you want a low starting price from a well-known legal platform.
If you only care about the cheapest final checkout price, compare add-ons carefully.
4. Swyft Filings
Swyft Filings is a low-cost option for beginners who want a guided formation process.
Its basic LLC package starts at $0 plus state fees. The basic option is usually focused on filing the formation document, and you can customize with add-ons if needed.
Swyft Filings is helpful for people who want more guidance than the state website provides. It walks you through the process, collects your details, and helps submit the correct formation paperwork.
The service also offers EIN filing, operating agreement preparation, registered agent service, compliance alerts, and business license research.
The low starting price is useful, but some important tools may cost extra.
Swyft Filings is best for people who want affordable filing with a little more hand-holding.
5. Inc Authority
Inc Authority is one of the most aggressive free LLC formation services.
It advertises $0 service-fee LLC formation where you only pay state fees. It also promotes several free extras, such as business name checks, document preparation, filing, registered agent service for the first year, and other startup features.
That can make Inc Authority look very attractive for beginners on a tight budget.
But you should still be careful.
Free formation services often make money through upgrades, phone offers, and bundled packages. Some add-ons may be helpful, but some may not be needed for a simple LLC.
Inc Authority is best for beginners who want free LLC filing and are comfortable reviewing every offer before paying for extras.
The value can be strong, but you need to avoid buying more than you need.
6. Tailor Brands
Tailor Brands offers LLC formation starting at $0 plus state fees, but its main appeal is different from standard formation companies.
It combines LLC filing with branding tools.
You can form your LLC, create a logo, build a brand identity, get a website, set up business email, and use other startup tools.
This can be useful if you are starting an online store, service business, coaching business, local brand, or personal brand from scratch.
The LLC filing itself can start cheap, but branding features and business tools may cost more.
Tailor Brands is best if you want to handle business formation and branding in one place.
If you already have your domain, logo, and website, you may not need many of its add-ons.
7. Rocket Lawyer
Rocket Lawyer can be cheap if you already want legal documents and membership-based support.
Its LLC filing can start at $0 plus state fees with a membership. Without membership, LLC filing may cost more.
Rocket Lawyer is not just a formation service. It also offers legal documents, contracts, attorney access, e-signatures, and business forms.
This can be helpful for freelancers, consultants, agencies, and service businesses that need agreements often.
For example, you may need client contracts, independent contractor agreements, NDAs, website terms, privacy policies, or legal letters.
If you only need one LLC filing, the membership model may not be the cheapest long-term option.
But if you need legal documents regularly, Rocket Lawyer can offer good value.
8. MyCompanyWorks
MyCompanyWorks is not a $0 formation service, but it can still be considered affordable.
Its LLC formation pricing starts with a low paid package plus state fees. It includes basic filing support and useful startup documents.
The biggest strength of MyCompanyWorks is organization.
It gives you a structured setup process, document access, business startup checklist, and helpful filing support.
It may cost more upfront than $0 services, but some users may prefer paying a clear fee instead of dealing with heavy upsells.
MyCompanyWorks is best for beginners who want a straightforward formation process and do not mind paying a modest service fee for better organization.
It is not the absolute cheapest upfront, but it can be a reasonable value for simple LLC formation.
What Does “Cheap LLC Formation” Really Mean?
Cheap LLC formation usually means the company charges little or no service fee to prepare and file your paperwork.
But state filing fees are separate.
For example, if your state filing fee is $100 and the LLC service charges $0, your total formation cost is still $100.
If your state filing fee is $300, your total is still $300 even with a free service.
You also need to think about ongoing costs.
These may include registered agent renewal, annual reports, franchise taxes, business licenses, compliance services, and accounting.
A cheap first-year price does not always mean cheap long-term ownership.
Common Add-Ons That Increase the Price
Many LLC formation services make money from add-ons.
Common add-ons include EIN filing, operating agreements, registered agent service, compliance alerts, expedited filing, business license research, tax consultations, business websites, domain names, and bookkeeping tools.
Some add-ons are useful.
Some are not needed.
An EIN is free from the IRS if you apply directly and are eligible. So many beginners can skip paid EIN filing.
A registered agent service can be worth it if you want privacy.
An operating agreement is useful for every LLC, especially if you have partners.
Compliance alerts can help if you forget deadlines.
But business seals, fancy binders, and printed certificates are usually not necessary for most small businesses.
Which Cheap LLC Service Is Best Overall?
For the lowest upfront cost, Bizee, ZenBusiness, LegalZoom, Swyft Filings, Inc Authority, Tailor Brands, and EasyFiling are strong options because they offer $0 service-fee filing plus state fees.
For legal documents, Rocket Lawyer may be better.
For startup support, BusinessRocket may be useful.
For organized filing and documents, MyCompanyWorks is worth considering.
The best choice depends on your needs.
Choose Bizee if you want budget filing.
Choose ZenBusiness if you want a clean beginner experience.
Choose LegalZoom if you want a known legal brand.
Choose Inc Authority if you want free filing with extra first-year features.
Choose Tailor Brands if you also need branding tools.
Choose Rocket Lawyer if you need legal documents.
Choose EasyFiling if you want simple low-cost filing.
Final Thoughts
The cheapest LLC formation services can help you start a business without spending too much upfront.
But do not choose based only on the advertised starting price.
A $0 LLC service still requires state filing fees. It may also offer paid add-ons, renewals, and subscriptions that raise your total cost.
Before paying, check the full checkout price, registered agent renewal cost, EIN fee, operating agreement cost, compliance package, and cancellation policy.
For most beginners, Bizee, ZenBusiness, LegalZoom, Swyft Filings, Inc Authority, Tailor Brands, and EasyFiling are among the cheapest places to start.
If you need legal documents, Rocket Lawyer can make sense.
If you want more startup support, BusinessRocket may help.
If you want organized setup, MyCompanyWorks is a solid paid option.
The best cheap LLC service is the one that helps you file correctly without pushing you into services you do not need.