Direct Incorporation Review

Looking for the best service to help start your business? In this review, we’ll go over the details of Direct Incorporation’s business formation services and explain how it compares to others on the market. Read on to find out if Direct Incorporation is the right choice for you.

Recommended: Check out our article for the Top 5 LLC Formation Services.

Recommended Step Before Using Direct Incorporation to Form an LLC

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.

Direct Incorporation: Key Considerations

Direct Incorporation was founded in 2003 and has helped over 80,000 clients with their business incorporation needs. They were recognized by INC Magazine as one of the fastest-growing companies in America in the Business Services Category.

In this section, we’ll explore whether Direct Incorporation is a good deal, the experiences of other customers using the service, and whether there’s a better deal out there.

Is It a Good Deal?

Direct Incorporation offers similar services to many other LLC formation service providers. However, the prices they charge for those services are high – the Standard package is almost three times more expensive than the least expensive options out there. Whether the price is worth it will depend on your business needs.

Who Uses Direct Incorporation?

Entrepreneurs who want to have a company handle as many aspects of the LLC formation process as possible – and are willing to pay for it – are the ones using Direct Incorporation. They offer high-end Venture packages that offer a lot of services at a premium price.

Some reviews of Direct Incorporation from the Better Business Bureau website include:

“[I] asked these folks about a business name availability. as soon as I put my number in I started getting spam calls. Took 12 hours to check and respond. They said the name wasn’t available but wanted to charge me 297 for looking. Mean while [sic] I checked myself the name was available and I got it for a few dollars. I believe these guys just sell your information.”

“I am not sure that this is a legit company. We keep getting the runaround about how things are supposed to go with the filing of papers. I am just about positive it shouldn't take as long as it has to get our business incorporated. In general, how long should it take to get approved for name and incorporation? I do not like being taken advantage of.”

Is There a Better Deal to Start My LLC?

There are definitely better deals out there to start your LLC. Direct Incorporation charges a high price for their packages. While they do offer a full range of services you can find similar services for less from other companies.

Takeaway

Direct Incorporation is a good option for your business if:

Cost is not a consideration
You want EIN obtainment as part of your package
You want extras like pro website creation, trademark service, and other services that come with the high-end packages.

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)

Learn how to cost-effectively start your LLC on our How to Save Money Forming Your LLC page.

Direct Incorporation: Rating Highlights

This section takes an in-depth look at Direct Incorporation’s LLC formation service, in terms of overall value, customer service, ease of use, and included features.

Value - 2/5

Many business owners have used Direct Incorporation to form their LLC, which means that the company has something to offer that is worth paying for. However, compared to many of the LLC formation services available today, it is hard to understand why Direct Incorporation charges so much for its services. You do get 6 months of registered agent service with the cheapest package, but some other companies offer a full year of registered agent service for a third of the price.

You may find more value in what Direct Incorporation offers if you are interested in a full-service package and willing to pay a premium for it.

Customer Service - 3/5

Direct Incorporation offers support over phone or email, but there is no live chat option and no text message support like you may find with other companies. The reviews for the company are quite mixed, so it is difficult to determine just how good the customer support actually is. What is obvious is that the registered agent service that comes with each package is better than some and not as good as others. You get 6 months, which is far better than the 60 days offered by some companies, but far less than the full year of service offered by other companies that are charging less.

Ease of Use - 4/5

The company has a decent website that clearly displays the prices and the features of each package. They claim you can incorporate in just 10 minutes, although your experience may vary depending on the complexity of your circumstances. You can get help over the phone if you run into any obstacles and they provide real-time updates as they process your information and file your documents.

Included Features - 4/5

The features included with packages at Direct Incorporation are substantial – as they should be, considering the price. Even the Standard package, the least expensive at $147, includes the obtainment of your EIN, which is usually extra for other basic packages from various service providers. As you move up in the tiers and spend more on packages, the included features become significantly more robust. At the highest levels, you get email accounts, trademarks, website building services, and more.

Direct Incorporation: Pricing

Similar to most other LLC formation services, Direct Incorporation offers multiple tiers of service: Standard, Premier, Elite, and Venture.

The prices for Direct Incorporation packages are high. There are multiple companies out there offering cheaper options for setting up an LLC, so if you want the most affordable deal, you should look elsewhere. However, if you are willing to spend more and need the extra features Direct Incorporation offers, you may find them a good fit for your business.

We give a full breakdown of the differences between each package below:

Standard: $147 + State Fees

Name Availability Search
Online Document Storage
6 Months Registered Agent Service
Articles of Incorporation or Organization
EIN Registration

Who should purchase the Standard package?

Entrepreneurs who want to get their LLC established and who are willing to pay more than other basic packages to get their EIN registered.

Premier: $297 + State Fees

Name Availability Search
Online Document Storage
6 Months Registered Agent Service
Articles of Incorporation or Organization
EIN Obtainment
Ownership and Formality Documents (Operating Agreement, Corporate Documents, etc.)

Who should purchase the Premier package?

Entrepreneurs who want quick and easy access to ownership and formality documents like operating agreements and corporate documents all in a single package.

Elite: $329 + State Fees

Name Availability Search
Online Document Storage
6 Months Registered Agent Service
Articles of Incorporation or Organization
EIN Obtainment
Ownership and Formality Documents (Operating Agreement, Corporate Documents, etc.)
Stock Logo
Basic Website
5 Email Accounts

Who should purchase the Elite package?

Entrepreneurs who want to pay a little more to get a website and logo for their new LLC.

Venture: $873 + State Fees

Name Availability Search
Online Document Storage
6 Months Registered Agent Service
Articles of Incorporation or Organization
EIN Obtainment
Ownership and Formality Documents (Operating Agreement, Corporate Documents, etc.)
Stock Logo
Basic Website
5 Email Accounts
Custom Logo
Pro Website
Trademark Service
Executive Club

Who should purchase the Venture package?

The Venture package is right for the entrepreneur who is less concerned with the cost of setting up an LLC and is more interested in the extras that the package offers, like a pro-level website and trademark service.