HARVARD BUSINESS SERVICES VS. BIZFILINGS

Which Is Better for LLC Formation?

Looking for the best service to start your LLC? We used Harvard Business Services and BizFilings to form LLCs, then compared their features.

In this Harvard Business Services vs. BizFilings review, we’ll let you know if either is worth your time and money. We also recommend checking out our list of the top 5 LLC formation services.

Recommended Step Before Using Harvard Business Services or BizFilings

It’s important to name your business before going through the LLC formation process with a service provider. TRUiC’s Free LLC Name Generator will help you to do the following:

• Discover the perfect business name for your company.
• Conduct a business name search to make sure your desired name is available in your state and not already taken.
• Help verify the availability and secure a domain name for your LLC.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS: HARVARD BUSINESS SERVICES VS. BIZFILINGS

When we started researching Harvard Business Services and BizFilings, we focused on three main questions:

• Is it a good deal?
• Is there a better deal?
• Who uses this service and how was their experience?

Answering these questions will boost your confidence so you can choose the best service to get your business up and running.

Which One is the Best Deal?

Harvard Business Services and BizFilings offer similar formation prices that are middle-of-the-road compared to other services. Both also receive good customer service ratings. However, the one that is the best deal depends on what your business is looking for.

For businesses that wish to incorporate in Delaware, Harvard Business Services stands out. Their packages are decently priced and include same-day electronic filing. Unlike BizFilings, they provide a full year of registered agent services with every package. After the year is up, their registered agent service is $50 a year--much lower than what many competitors offer. The higher tiers of service also include templates for operating agreements.

That being said, BizFilings is better for businesses looking to file in any US state. Their prices are also decent and they still offer six months of included registered agent services. BizFilings’ highest tier of service also includes desirable features such as EIN registration and state-certified documents. Out of the two, BizFilings gives businesses more flexibility to form their LLCs in the state of their choosing.

Who Uses Each Service and What Was Their Experience?

Harvard Business Services

The online customer reviews for Harvard Business Services are overwhelmingly positive. Users point out the company’s great customer service and quick turnaround times.

"Harvard Business Services and Rick B*** and all the others there have been, since the beginning (2001) helpful, friendly, competent. I couldn't have asked for a better incorporating partner in Delaware. I have referred all my entrepreneurial friends here, and I think incorporating in Delaware, no matter which state you live in, is the best way to go when starting a business or non-profit. Easy-peasy."

“Its [sic] great doing business with Harvard Business Services, Inc. I have used their expert services to form around dozen [sic] companies and from my first company to my most recent ones; their service standards have always being [sic] Excellent. Thank you HBS. I Highly recommended them for their services and especially the lowest annual cost to maintain your company. I am HBS for life!”

BizFilings

Compared to Harvard Business Services, BizFilings does not have many customer reviews. The ones that exist are positive to mixed in their satisfaction. Customers tended to look for an established formation service that allowed them to focus on other aspects of their business.

“I've registered multiple businesses with BizFilings over the years and have experienced nothing but success with them. They're quickly available to help answer any questions I have along the way. Reading the other review, it's clear the individual doesn't understand that BizFilings offers a service to streamline registration and compliance activities. Of course, this is a service you pay for and personally, I'd rather let the experts do it so I may focus on the core of my business. Keep up the great work. -EB”

“I used this service to create my LLC 10 years ago. I was happy with this service until I relized [sic] I could update the status of my LLC using the State of Virginia's online server for 1/3 the cost. I canceld [sic] my service with BizFilings and serveral [sic] months later got an email from a collection agency (********) demanding that I pay BizFilings for services I had canceled. I contacted BizFilings and they confirmed that I had canceled the service.”

Is There a Better Deal Out There?

While Harvard Business Services and BizFilings both provide a good service, there are other services that offer just as much or more for less money. For example, ZenBusiness offers LLC formation starting at $39 (plus state fees), which includes a year of registered agent service as well as web domain services.

Takeaway

When comparing the two, BizFilings offers a good formation service across the US. Their customer reviews are mixed in their satisfaction and their prices are not the lowest on the market.

On the other hand, Harvard Business Services has exceptional customer ratings and middling prices, but they only offer their services in one state.

Best LLC Formation Services

Northwest ($29 + State Fees)

LegalZoom ($0 + State Fees)

ZenBusiness ($0 + State Fees)

Tailor Brands ($0 + State Fees)

Bizee ($0 + State Fees)

Swyft Filings ($0 + State Fees)

Rocket Lawyer ($99 + State Fees)

RATING DETAILS: HARVARD BUSINESS SERVICES VS. BIZFILINGS

This section takes an in-depth look at Harvard Business Services VS. BizFilings, in terms of:

• Value
• Customer service
• Ease of use
• Included features

Value

After recently reducing their prices, Harvard Business Services offers decent formation prices compared to its competitors. While their prices seem much costlier than other services, it’s important to note that they include Delaware’s state fees in their prices. But what makes Harvard Business Services stand out is the price of their registered agent service--$50 a year even after a full year of included registered agent service.

BizFilings’ packages are also higher than some other formation services. While they do offer included registered agent service, they only provide six months compared to some competitors’ full year. Higher tiers include EIN registration, operating agreement templates, and state-certified copies--services that some businesses may consider to be essential.

Customer Service

Harvard Business Services offers exceptional customer service for all users. Their customer reviews praise the knowledgeable staff as well as their clear communicative skills. They also provide a Spanish version of their website as well as Spanish customer service, which many formation services do not provide.

BizFilings also offers great customer service. What sets them apart is their online chat service in addition to their dedicated service phone line. Positive customer reviews praise the advice given to them by BizFilings, and the company also offers a warranty should they make any mistakes on behalf of your business.

Ease of Use

The Harvard Business Services website is fairly straightforward. They offer explanations of each feature on each package as well as their additional services. While they do not state their additional services on the package comparison page like BizFilings does, they do offer them during the actual checkout phase.

The BizFilings website is sometimes confusing, but otherwise functional. Their package comparison chart lists all of their services--including any additional features not otherwise included in a package--but some customer reviews cite needing an additional phone call for clarification on similar-sounding services. The rest of their website, however, is pretty straightforward.

Included Features

Harvard Business Services offers competitive features. Like BizFilings, they offer operating agreement templates as well as a name check feature. Unlike BizFilings, they do not include EIN registration at any formation package level. But as previously mentioned, it’s hard to beat their full year of registered agent service as well as the $50 annual fee after that year is up.

BizFilings’ packages vary considerably. Their Basic package is pretty barebones for the price, and they only offer six months of registered agent service in each package. That being said, their middle and top tier packages offer more services such as EIN registration, operating agreement templates, and state-certified documents.

PRODUCT COMPARISON: HARVARD BUSINESS SERVICES VS. BIZFILINGS

Harvard Business Services and BizFilings do more than just form your LLC. They each offer additional services, either included in their formation packages or sold separately. You can view the following chart below for our side-by-side look at each company’s lowest-cost LLC formation package.

Because Harvard Business Services only offers Delaware incorporation, we will be comparing their prices to BizFilings’ Delaware formation prices.

Basic Plan Comparison

Harvard Business Services vs BizFilings Side by Side Comparison

Basic Plan Highlights

Both plans offer basic formation with standard processing times. Harvard Business Services’ plan is all electronic and they offer one year of registered agent service compared to BizFilings’ six months. BizFilings is also slightly more expensive than Harvard Business Services at this lowest tier.

Middle Plan Comparison

Harvard Business Services vs BizFilings Side by Side Comparison

Middle Plan Highlights

Both services’ middle tier are the same price for roughly the same features. That being said, Harvard Business Services offers more free registered agent service and a slightly lower EIN registration cost. BizFilings only offers six months of free registered agent service and again is slightly costlier than Harvard Business Services.

Top Plan Comparison

Harvard Business Services vs BizFilings Side by Side Comparison

Top Plan Highlights

Both top tiers throw in nice additives like LLC kits and seals. BizFilings includes EIN registration at this tier, whereas Harvard Business Services does not. Again, BizFilings costs a bit more than Harvard Business Services with a shorter duration of free registered agent service.

Best LLC Formation Services

Northwest ($29 + State Fees)

LegalZoom ($0 + State Fees)

ZenBusiness ($0 + State Fees)

Tailor Brands ($0 + State Fees)

Bizee ($0 + State Fees)

Swyft Filings ($0 + State Fees)

Rocket Lawyer ($99 + State Fees)

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