The 3 Best Texas LLC Formation Services in 2021

Best Texas LLC Services:

The best Texas LLC formation service allows you to focus more on running and growing your Texas enterprise. There are several online formation services that will start your business for a fee. We reviewed and ranked the three best Texas LLC services. To do so, we actually formed separate Texas LLCs with each service provider.

Our Approach:

Choosing the best LLC service to help you form your Texas business comes down to three things:

1. The type of business you have
2. The needs of your business
3. Any additional services you may want for your LLC in Texas

In this business formation services review, we’ll look at some of the best Texas LLC services and share what makes them the top choice. By the time you finish reading this review, you’ll know which formation company is right for your business’s needs.

Our Top-Rated Texas LLC Services for 2021:

1. ZenBusiness is the best LLC service for Texas businesses because of its high-quality and affordably priced packages that are perfect for businesses.
2. Incfile is one of our honorable mentions because it helps Texas companies with its free premium services.
3. LegalZoom is the most well-known LLC service because it’s been around a long time and has established a stronger brand identity.

Best Texas LLC Services: Breakdown

1. ZenBusiness

Starting a Texas LLC couldn’t be easier than choosing a ZenBusiness formation package, starting at only $39 per year (plus the Texas state fee). What’s more, ZenBusiness is even headquartered in Austin, Texas! ZenBusiness makes things simple so that you can spend more time focusing on running your business.

ZenBusiness Pros

• Straightforward and affordable Texas LLC formation packages
• Reliable customer support
• Positive customer feedback from online ZenBusiness reviews
• Superior registered agent services for your LLC in Texas

ZenBusiness Cons

• ZenBusiness can help you get an EIN, but you will have to pay an additional $70 in the ZenBusiness basic plan. Another option is to get an EIN for free on your own.

ZenBusiness Pricing and Features

All three packages are essential when forming a Texas LLC.

• Registered Agent Services: ZenBusiness provides a full year of included registered agent services in all three of its plans. After the first year, it’s only $119 per year. (ZenBusiness is also one of our top registered agent services.)
• Free Operating Agreement Template: An operating agreement helps define the terms of Texas LLC formation. In our search, we noticed that few formation companies include an operating agreement template in their basic packages.
• Free CPA Assessment: This is a comprehensive evaluation of your Texas business’s finances, recommending the right CPA for your specific Texas LLC needs. Your CPA will keep track of your company’s monetary flow, file taxes, and keep you organized.

If you upgrade to the ZenBusiness Pro package, you’ll find other helpful Texas LLC formation features, including:

• EIN registration: Get a nine-digit EIN to open a bank account, so you can hire employees and keep your business and personal transactions separate.
• “Worry-Free Compliance” service: Get alerts and updates to make sure you don’t miss a deadline or have to pay a costly fine to the state of Texas. Plus, ZenBusiness will handle your annual report filings and two yearly amendments to save you time and errors.

ZenBusiness’ Premium package ($249 + Texas state fee) includes even more add-on features:

• Business domain name, website email address, and domain privacy: Get your business online to reach more customers and boost credibility, and further protect your business’s privacy on the web.
• Rush filing: This feature reduces the formation processing time, which can be helpful for entrepreneurs seeking quicker and more comprehensive services.

ZenBusiness’ Texas LLC formation services offer the best deal for small business owners and entrepreneurs. ZenBusiness LLC packages have every feature you need, the price you want, and they are the easiest to work with.

2. Incfile

Similar to ZenBusiness, Incfile offers an excellent value in its basic pricing plan for Texas LLC formation services.

Incfile Pros

• Free year of registered agent service with all packages, costing just $119 each year afterward — a lower price than that offered by other top registered agent services.
• Real-time order tracking and quality customer support
• User-friendly online dashboard that helps you track important deadlines and compliance reminders for your LLC in Texas

Incfile Cons

• Important features, such as an operating agreement and EIN, cost extra.

Incfile Pricing and Features

The free Silver package, with the exception of Texas’ state fee, includes:

• Texas LLC formation: Get your Texas business set up to operate independently of your personal finances.
• One year of free registered agent service: Incfile will cover the cost of your registered agent fees for the first year you’re in business.
• Lifetime company compliance alerts: Get alerted when it’s time to file your annual report.

Incfile Gold ($149 + Texas state fee) includes:

• Operating agreement: Incfile will handle your operating agreement for you.
• Banking resolution: Incfile will write your banking resolution authorizing someone to open a bank account and provide a signature for the business.
• EIN registration: Get a nine-digit EIN to open a bank account so that you can hire employees and keep your business and personal transactions separate.

The Platinum package ($249 + Texas state fee) provides even more, such as:

• A free business website and domain name
• Business contract templates
• Priority expedited filing

Incfile Texas LLC formation services offer the best deal for small businesses because of its free premium services. Incfile offers important features in its basic LLC formation package that is great for a low-budget startup.

3. LegalZoom

LegalZoom is a more recognized brand because of its mass marketing efforts. The company is mainly focused on full legal services beyond just Texas LLC formation. 

LegalZoom Pros

• Brand authority and name recognition
• Extensive legal services

LegalZoom Cons

• Overpriced Texas LLC formation services compared to other companies

LegalZoom Pricing and Features

LegalZoom’s Texas LLC formation’s economy package starts at $79 plus Texas state fee. They provide basic LLC filing services but pale in comparison to other formation companies’ features and benefits. You will pay extra for services such as an EIN, operating agreement, and registered agent service.

In addition to formation services, LegalZoom’s basic Economy package ($79 + state fee) offers:

• Business name availability search
• Peace of Mind Review™ compliance check
• A 30-minute tax savings consultation

The Standard package ($329 + state fee) introduces the following features:

• Deluxe Organizer: An organizer that is embossed with the name of your business in Texas.
• Official Certificates and Seal: It includes 20 personalized company membership certificates and an official company seal to record ownership in your business.

The Express Gold package ($349 + state fee) also provides:

• Express shipping: Express shipping on your order.

• VIP processing: LegalZoom will expedite the processing of your Texas LLC formation and complete it within 10 business days

In addition, LegalZoom pushes a Business Advisory Plan, which provides the following and more:

• Tax advice
• Attorney help
• Access to legal forms

Overall, going with an established name like LegalZoom comes at an exorbitant cost. If you prefer to use a company with brand power and are willing to pay significantly more to form an LLC online, consider choosing LegalZoom.

How to Form an LLC in Texas

An alternative to hiring a professional LLC formation service is to simply form a Texas LLC on your own using our free guide. 

You can start an LLC in Texas in five easy steps:

1. Name Your Texas LLC

Naming your business is one of the very first steps; in fact, you won’t be able to form your LLC until you actually name it. Be sure to follow the LLC naming rules outlined in the Texas naming requirements. We also recommend using our LLC Name Generator tool to help secure a domain name for your LLC in Texas.

2. Choose a Registered Agent in Texas

You are required to designate a registered agent for your Texas LLC. A registered agent is an individual or business entity in charge of receiving legal documents, government correspondence, and more on behalf of your company. Learn more by reading our guide on Texas registered agents.

3. File the Texas Certificate of Formation

You will need to file the Texas Certificate of Formation, which is the document that officially forms your Texas LLC. It can be filed online or by mail, and the filing fee is $300. Learn more about the Texas Certificate of Formation with our guide.

4. Create an Operating Agreement

An operating agreement, referred to in Texas as a “company agreement,” is a legal document that outlines the ownership structure and operating procedures of your LLC in Texas. You can read more about Texas LLC operating agreements in our full guide.

5. Get an EIN

EIN stands for Employer Identification Number, and you can think of it as a Social Security number (SSN) for your LLC. You can get one for free through the IRS website. Learn more by checking out our guide on EINs.

Read our full step-by-step guide on how to start an LLC in Texas or have ZenBusiness form your Texas LLC.