If you are planning to start a business but are confused about which registered agent to choose, then continue reading this IncFile review to get an understanding of all the pros and cons of using an LLC service. Starting a new business is thrilling, at the same time involves a lot of formalities to be followed. A professional service provider can make your work easy.
Understanding Registered Agent Service
A registered agent is a person or business entity that receives service of processes and legal mails on behalf of your business. Your registered agent must be a resident of the state, and it must have an in-state physical street address(Ohio is an exception).
Registered Agent service makes sure you are compliant with the state regulations. It is available during business hours to accept service of processes and other important mails forwarded to the registered agent office. Registered Agent service provides you with privacy and keeps you off the record.
Another significant point is, if your business is operational in multiple states, handling business in all the states can become difficult. A Registered Agent service comes to your rescue here. You will also be carefree since your business will be in the right hands.
Why IncFile LLC Service?
IncFile has been in business since 2004. It has helped over 500,000 entrepreneurs and business owners to establish their businesses successfully. There are many options available in the market, but IncFile has achieved significant popularity with its premium features. Although it is new in business compared to LegalZoom and Northwest, IncFile has been giving tough competition to the competitor service providers.
To have a better outlook about IncFile services, let us discuss every aspect encircling registered agent services.
Pros and Cons of IncFile
Pros – Reasons why IncFIle is recommended
- Affordable Price
IncFile offers the best deal in the market. Their basic package starts at just $0. Yes, you read it right. IncFile forms your LLC for free with additional services. You have to pay only the state filing fee.
You can upgrade to premium packages to get access to other offers. We will discuss this in detail. With IncFile, you get free registered agent service for an entire year in every package. These packages make IncFile suitable for all business sizes.
Other service providers such as LegalZoom and Northwest charge $79 and $225 (plus state fee) respectively to incorporate an LLC in their base package. Compared to these service providers, IncFile is a better option.
- IncFile as your registered agent
The IncFile registered agent service is provided for free for a year by IncFile. You get a discount of $199. The price for registered agent service from the second year onwards is $199/year which is again lesser than the average price in the market.
IncFile registered agents are always available during business hours to receive important mails and lawsuits.
- Privacy to customers
IncFile provides their address that will be accessible by the public. Your privacy is maintained since your address will be kept off the record. IncFile tries their best to ensure privacy and security to their customers.
- Lifetime customer support
When you form an LLC through IncFile, they provide you with lifetime email and phone support. You can always approach them during their business hours from Monday to Friday. Contact them on (844) 830-8267.
You will be regularly alerted about the approaching deadline for annual reports, business licenses, and many more. This feature is of great help since you do not have to constantly be worried about missing deadlines.
- You get to track your order online
IncFile offers you the feature to track your order. You can always see where your order stands and how much time is needed for the completion of your order.
- Free Tax consultation
Choosing a tax structure is confusing but it is one of the most critical steps. A wrong tax structure may lead you to pay extra money to the state. We recommend talking to a tax professional before settling on the tax structure.
Incfile offers a free one-hour tax consultation service with a certified professional. You can ask any tax-related doubts. This value-added service is not necessary to be availed by the customer, but who does not want to save money and get their doubts cleared by a professional for free?
Cons – Reasons to consider before choosing IncFile
- Upsells
IncFile boasts about forming the LLC for free in their silver package. However, they earn by pitching more upsells during registration. Even in their gold and platinum packages, they pitch upsells.
These upsells and add-ons are often unnecessary, and you may get tricked into paying more. However, these upsells are not always irrelevant; depending on the type and shape of your business, these add-ons may be significant for you.
- High price for add-on (EIN)
IncFile charges $70 to get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) in their silver plan. This point is worth considering since the IRS provides EIN for free! Applying for an EIN with the IRS takes hardly 10 minutes. We would suggest you apply for an EIN on your own and save a good $70.
- Progressing customer support
IncFile lags in customer support. Although they have improved with time, there is still a long way to go. At times, it takes hours to contact their customer support. They provide limited customer support hours, which adds to the misery.
Among the competitors, Northwest has the best customer support service in the market.
IncFile LLC Service Packages
IncFile provides three LLC formation packages.
- Silver ($0 + state fee)
- Gold ($149 + state fee)
- Premium ($229 + state fee)
This screenshot shows the specifications of all three packages for Delaware.
Silver package ($0 + state fee)
- Preparation and filing the Articles of Organization – This document legally registers your company with the state.
- Unlimited name availability searches – IncFile looks up the availability of the desired name that follows the respective state’s naming guidelines.
- Free Registered Agent service for a complete year – IncFile serves as your registered agent for one complete year free of cost.
- Unlimited Phone and Email Support – You get unlimited customer support by IncFile Monday to Friday from 10 am to 6 pm.
- Order Status Tracking – IncFile has this feature to display the formational status of your LLC
- Business Tax Consultation – You get a free one-hour tax consultation service with certified professionals.
- Lifetime Company Alerts – IncFile will notify about approaching deadlines throughout the lifetime.
- Online Document Access – You will be notified about the formation of your company online.
- Next business day processing
- Electronic delivery of your state filing documents
With the silver package, you can avail of the following add-ons for an extra fee:
- Employer Identification Number/Tax ID ($70) – EIN is a unique nine-digit number issued by the IRS. This numeral code paves the way for new business opportunities.
- Operating Agreement ($40) – This document outlines the operational structure of your company.
- Banking Resolution ($35) – you can open a business account, but with the existence of EIN, this becomes unnecessary.
- Business contract templates ($150)
- Expedited state filing ($50) – This paces up formation time. The turnaround time gets reduced to days from weeks.
Gold Package ($149 + state fee)
In addition to the silver package, it includes
- Employer Identification Number/Tax ID
- Operating Agreement
- Corporation Bylaws & Organizational Meeting Minutes
- Express Shipping
- Banking Resolution
- S Corporation Tax Form Preparation – This switches the default business structure to S Corp. The benefit of S Corp is that the tax gets reduced.
With the gold package, you can avail following add-ons for an extra fee:
- Business contract templates ($150)
- Next business day processing
- Lifetime company alerts
- Free business website
Platinum Package ($299 + state fee)
In addition to the gold package, it includes
- Expedited Document Filing
- Sample Document Library – This gives access to legal contract templates of IncFile.
- Business Website and Domain Name – This looks up an available domain name for your company website.
Which IncFile LLC service package will you recommend for an LLC?
We recommend silver and gold packages as necessary.
You can choose a silver package if you want to form your LLC with free registered agent service for a year. EIN is one necessity, but you can directly get it from the IRS for free. Paying $70 for EIN is too much, according to us. The silver package seems like a pretty decent deal to us.
The additional services in the platinum package are sample document library, and free domain name, and email service. These services together cost a massive $150 additional fee which seems unnecessary to us.
Compare the packages as per your needs to select the best deal.
Additional IncFile Services
Even as your company is up and running, Incfile takes care of the needs of your company from time to time. The add-ons provided by IncFile are:
- Filing Articles of Amendments ($99 + state fees)
- Filing Articles of Dissolution ($149 + state fees)
- Filing a Foreign Qualification ($149 + state fees)
- Preparing and filing a DBA or Fictitious Business Name (for fee details, refer to their official website)
- Filing Annual Report ($99 + state fees except in Arkansas where the fee is $299 + state fee)
- Filing for Certificate of Good Standing ($49 + state fees)
- Business license research package ($99)
- Trademark registration ($199 + federal filing fees)
- S-Corporation tax elections (for fee details, refer to their official website)
Customer IncFile Reviews
| Source | Rating |
| Shopper Approved (Based on 25,466 customer reviews) | 4.8 out of 5 stars |
| Better Business Bureau (Based on 368 customer reviews) | 4.05 out of 5 stars |
There are thousands of IncFile Registered Agent reviews on the internet, most of which are optimistic about the service provided by IncFile. The features provided by IncFile are strongly backed by the reviews, which adds to their legitimacy.
The reviews are a mixture of mostly positive and occasionally negative comments. For a broader perspective, you can always visit the sites to read the online customer reviews.
However, the BBB rating of IncFile was revoked on 25/09/2020. You can visit the official website of Better Business Bureau for details. This website also shows the IncFile complaints and the number of complaints resolved.
Although you can read the IncFile reviews online, we have filtered out our personal favorites for you.
| I must admit that I was nervous to begin this process, however, I was able to easily maneuver my way throughout the website. Incfile.com made my first-time entrepreneurial experience a peaceful one. I am beyond grateful and excited to start my journey. Thank you!~ Quatina S. on Shopper Approved |
| IncFile actually gives me that feeling that when sometimes you are overwhelmed from handling forms and procedures and laws, you have a warm “home” to come with, together with all of your problems and you will get support in no time. Many times I felt that maybe business isn’t for me and maybe its too complicated, but with IncFile, I feel like nothing can “beat” me.~ Hanan M. on BBB |
| This company is definitely in my list of trusted companies by now. The services are quick and provided in an extremely professional manner allowing me to focus on my business. The UX of the online dashboard is clean and easy to understand. Highly recommended. ~ Binoy M. on Shopper Approved |
Alternatives to be considered
| Service provider | Starting Price (exclusive of state fee) | BBB rating ★ |
| IncFile | $0 | 4.6 out of 5 stars |
| Northwest | $225 | 4.4 out of 5 stars |
| LegalZoom | $79 | 4.15 out of 5 stars |
Comparison between IncFile and Northwest
- IncFile forms your LLC for free in their primary package, whereas Northwest charges a massive $225 filing fee.
- Both the service providers offer free registered agent service for a year. However, from the second year onwards, IncFile charges $199/year for a registered agent service, whereas Northwest charges $125/year for the same.
- Northwest customer support is top-notch. IncFile is still striving to get better.
- IncFile has thousands of reviews available online, whereas Northwest has only a few hundred reviews. IncFile wins here.
Comparison between IncFile and LegalZoom
- IncFile forms your LLC for free in their primary package, whereas LegalZoom charges a $79 filing fee in their base package. IncFile is a better option if you have monetary constraints.
- LegalZoom is a well-established brand name, whereas IncFile is new in the business.
- IncFile provides free registered agent service for a year, whereas LegalZoom charges a massive $299 since the first year.
- Both the service providers pitch upsells, but LegalZoom will drain your money more.
- IncFile provides free lifetime alerts, whereas LegalZoom has this feature only for a month. Then charges a considerable fee.
Conclusion
Considering all the aspects, IncFile is recommended when you want the best in a lesser amount. The three-tier packages bestow you with a wide range of options for your business. Just be careful of upsells, then you are good to go. Forming an LLC is easy and quick with IncFile.
If you want premium customer support assistance for a longer duration, we would suggest you consider Northwest. Northwest is best known for its customer support. The positive upvotes of Northwest are due to their extensive customer support.
If you are looking for overall features, we suggest you consider ZenBusiness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is IncFile legit?
IncFile has been in business since 2004 and is one of the most affordable service providers. It has created around 500,000 business entities over years. The 25,000+ reviews available online are highly positive, which shows the legitimacy of IncFile.
Does IncFile form LLC for free?
Yes, IncFile forms your LLC for free! Their silver package includes zero filing fee that bestows a great deal. You have to pay only the state fee, and you will be getting free registered agent service for a year, lifetime alerts, and dedicated customer support.
If you want IncFile to form and handle your LLC, you can upgrade to their gold or platinum package that offers additional services.
What is their refund policy?
Their refund policy is quite rigid. You will get a refund only if you cancel the order before they file it to the state. This has to be done within 24 hours, and a cancellation fee of $30 will be deducted. You will have to be careful before placing your order.
Does IncFile share my details with third parties?
IncFile does not share your details against your will. They share it with, for example, Bank of America to open a business bank account under “special offers”. You can opt out of this special offer if the deal does not suit you.
Does IncFile have upsells?
Yes, IncFile has few upsells, but when compared to other service providers such as LegalZoom, it is significantly less. It is not correct to think of upsells as always unfavorable; depending on the type of business, certain upsells are suitable for the company. Choose wisely.
What are the contact details of IncFile?
IncFile does not provide a direct email address. It has a query form on its official website; you can fill your doubts there, and the IncFile agents will get back to you as soon as possible.
However, you can dial (844) 830-8267 to reach out to them via phone.
Does IncFile offer publication services?
No, IncFile does not offer publication services. Publication service is not required by all the states. If you want a service provider who offers publication services, you may look up ZenBusiness.
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