The honest LLC · $29 + state fees

LegalZoom: $277.
SOSFiler: $29.
Same paperwork.

One flat $29 service fee. Plus the official state fee. That's it. No "premium" upsells at step 7 of 8. No auto-renewals. No marked-up government fees. We file the same Articles of Organization the $300 services file — for a tenth of the cost.

All 50 states EIN included Operating agreement included No auto-renew
$29 flat
Total cost calculator
Pick a state to see your real total — state fee included.
The rip-off

There's a tax on starting a business.
We refuse to charge it.

The same package — state filing, operating agreement, EIN, first annual report — costs between $189 and $398 at every major service. The work is identical. The price isn't. Here's what they charge for the same basket.

SOSFiler
$29 formation + EIN obtained + $29 first annual filing
$58
Northwest
$39 filing + $50 EIN + $100 annual
$189
Tailor Brands
Paid annual plan, EIN unclear
$199+
Rocket Lawyer
$239.88/yr membership required
$239.88+
LegalZoom
$0 filing + $99 op. agreement + $79 EIN + $99 annual
$277
Bizee (Incfile)
$199 bundle + $99 annual
$298
ZenBusiness
$0 filing + $99 op. agreement + $99 EIN + $99 annual
$297
CorpNet
$99 filing + $99 op. agreement + $69 EIN + $99 annual
$366

All totals exclude official state fees, which every provider passes through. Reviewed May 11, 2026.

What $29 actually gets you

Everything you need. Nothing you don't.

Six things every founder actually needs. No premium tier. No "compliance package" tucked behind a paywall. The thing you came for is the thing we deliver.

01 / Filing

Articles of Organization

State-specific formation documents prepared properly and filed with your Secretary of State.

02 / Tax ID

EIN (Federal Tax ID)

We apply to the IRS so you can open a bank account, hire, and file taxes. No add-on charge.

03 / Governance

Operating Agreement

Custom single- or multi-member, pre-filled from your wizard answers. Management, distributions, dissolution — covered.

04 / Compliance

Annual Filing Calendar

We track your annual report, franchise tax, and renewal deadlines. Email reminders that don't try to upsell you.

05 / Privacy

Organizer on Public Filing

SOSFiler signs as Organizer so your personal info stays off the public record. Authority transferred to you after formation.

06 / Records

Full Document Package

Initial Resolutions, Meeting Minutes, Membership Certificates. The complete starter pack a real LLC needs.

Total cost over time

The math, over 5 years.

Most services hide their real cost in year-2 renewals. Pick your state. Pick a horizon. See exactly what you'll pay everywhere.

Pick a state to see the full breakdown across every major service.
Service-by-service

Same basket. Different price.

State filing, operating agreement, EIN, first annual report. The four things every new LLC needs. Here's what each provider charges, line by line.

Provider State filing Operating agreement EIN filing Start total 1st annual With annual
SOSFiler $29 Included Included $29 $29 $58
Northwest $39 Included $50 $89 $100 $189
Tailor Brands $199/yr Included Unclear $199+ In plan $199+
Rocket Lawyer $99.99 / $239.88 mem. Membership Varies $239.88+ Discounted $239.88+
LegalZoom $0 filing-only $99 add-on $79 add-on $178 $99–$199/yr $277–$377
Bizee (Incfile) $199 bundle Included Included $199 $99 $298
ZenBusiness $0 filing-only $99 add-on $99 add-on $198 $99–$199/yr $297–$397
CorpNet $99 $99 $69 $267 $99 $366
Harbor Compliance $99+ Separate $99+ $198+ $199 $298+

Prices reviewed May 11, 2026. Totals exclude official state filing fees — every provider passes those through. Commercial registered agent service is separate (you can use your own eligible agent); optional RA pricing typically runs $119–$249/yr. Publication costs, taxes, card fees, and expedite fees are not included.

How it works

Ten minutes. Three steps. Done.

STEP 01

Answer a few questions.

Our wizard asks for your business name, state, members, and address. About 10 minutes. You enter info once — we use it everywhere.

STEP 02

We file with the state.

We generate your filing package, route it through the fastest verified channel for your state, and use operator review only where the portal requires it.

STEP 03

Watch it land.

Track filing progress in your dashboard with evidence-backed status. Download stamped documents the moment they're back. Get your EIN. Open a bank account.

How we're different

Built by people tired of getting ripped off.

Four things every filing service should do. None of them do all four. We do.

/ 01 — NO HIDDEN FEES

State fees shown up-front. Separately.

Government fees are listed at checkout, clearly broken out from our $29. What you see is what you pay. No "expedite" charge appearing at step 7 of 8.

/ 02 — NO AUTO-RENEW

We never silently bill your card.

Every renewal requires your explicit action. Cancel online any time. No retention department. No "are you sure?" rage-clicks.

/ 03 — PRIVACY-FIRST

Your data is encrypted. Never sold.

SSN and personal data encrypted with AES-256. We never sell, rent, or share your information. Privacy is a feature, not a liability.

/ 04 — ORGANIZER AS PROXY

Your name stays off the public record.

SOSFiler appears as Organizer on the public filing so your address doesn't. After formation we transfer authority via a Statement of Organizer.

Beyond formation

DBAs, licenses, permits — same flat-fee logic.

Same honest pricing for everything that comes after the LLC. No bundles you don't need. State, county, and city fees passed through at cost.

$29

DBA / Fictitious Name

Operating as a different name? We file in all 50 states, including newspaper publication where required.

from $49

Business Licenses

General licenses, home occupation permits, sales tax registration. We file or guide you through every one.

$99

Specialty Licenses

Liquor, food, short-term rental, cannabis, professional licenses. The complex stuff handled.

Free

"What licenses do I need?"

Enter city, state, and business type. Our wizard tells you exactly what to file, with costs and next steps.

Questions, honestly answered

Frequently asked questions.

Is $29 really the SOSFiler service fee? What's the catch?
No catch. $29 is the full SOSFiler service fee, plus the official state filing fee, which goes straight to the government and is never marked up. Our software maps your details directly to state forms, prepares the package, and routes it through automation with operator backup only where the portal requires it. Lower overhead is what lets us charge what we charge.
What are the ongoing costs?
Annual report filing service is $29 plus official state fees. Registered agent service is optional and partner-assisted. No auto-renewals — we email you when a renewal or annual filing is coming due and you choose whether to continue.
How fast is the filing?
We prepare your filing immediately and submit through the fastest verified channel available for your state. Some portals support smooth automation; others require operator verification, CAPTCHA, or account steps. Your dashboard shows evidence-backed status updates — no guesswork.
Do I need a lawyer?
For a standard LLC formation, typically no. Our documents are based on state-specific legal templates and customized with your information. If you have complex ownership structures, IP concerns, or unusual arrangements, we recommend an attorney.
What state should I form my LLC in?
Usually your home state — where you live and do business. While Delaware, Wyoming, and Nevada are popular for specific situations, forming in a different state means you'll also need to register as a "foreign LLC" in your home state (extra cost and paperwork). Our wizard helps you decide.
What's a registered agent?
Every LLC must have a registered agent — a person or service authorized to receive legal documents and government notices on behalf of your business, with a physical address in your state of formation. You can use your own or choose partner-assisted registered agent coverage where available.
Can I cancel or get a refund?
If we haven't filed your documents yet, full refund. After filing, we can't refund a state fee already paid to the state, but we refund the SOSFiler service fee under our posted service guarantee.
How does the privacy organizer thing work?
In most states, the Organizer who signs the formation document goes on the public record. SOSFiler can sign as Organizer for you so your personal name and address stay off the public filing. Immediately after formation we transfer all Organizer authority back to you via a signed Statement of Organizer.
Ready when you are

Start your LLC. Pay $29.
Stop overpaying for paperwork.

Ten minutes of wizard. $29 service fee. Whatever your state charges. That's the whole bill.

Start filing for $29

NO HIDDEN FEES · NO AUTO-RENEWALS · NO MARKED-UP STATE FEES · SERVICE GUARANTEE