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Although the opportunity to open an LLC online may save time and energy, the process requires discipline and skill. You need to know certain rules to turn your business idea into reality as a successful LLC.
Hiring a professional company, such as BizFilings for business formation process, is a good way to save money and avoid possible difficulties. Experienced specialists will not only help you with understanding the information provided on government websites, but will also provide you with high quality documents. At the same time, their prices are much more reasonable than the services of attorneys.
But how do you know whether BizFilings is right for you?
In this review, we will discuss the pros and cons of this choice, as well as outline the most important features of BizFilings, such as:
Let’s get started!
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BizFilings is not a standalone LLC formation company but rather a subsidiary of the Wolters Kluwer corporation.
The purpose of BizFilings is to provide simple and affordable LLC formations while granting its customers easier access to other Wolters Kluwer services, whether it’s financial, legal, software, or health solutions.
BizFilings’ main office is based in Madison, Wisconsin, while their service of process locations are available in every single state.
Better Business Bureau places BizFilings’ launch date in 1996, although company records are unclear on that front. BizFilings does not seem to exist as a registered LLC name, so it’s more likely a trade name or a DBA.
Originally a Dutch publishing company with its roots going back to the mid 19th century, Wolters Kluwer opened its North American Division in 1979 in Delaware. Currently, there are 16 different Wolters Kluwer entities registered in Delaware, including the original parent company.
Crucially, Wolters Kluwer’s BizFilings company has been registered with BBB for almost its entire existence, having earned the status of an accredited service provider in 1997 and upholding it to this day, nearly 26 years later.
Even the best of LLC formation services may not be suitable for everyone. It’s impossible to meet every entrepreneur’s needs, simply because the market is so diverse and the requirements of each segment tend to be highly distinctive.
BizFilings might not necessarily be the most recognized business formation name, but they have earned the respect of thousands of customers and experts alike since their initial launch over 25 years ago.
Like most formation services, BizFilings has its advantages and disadvantages when it comes to incorporation and other business solutions. To get a more complete picture, let’s take a closer look at their main pros and cons.
| Pros | Cons |
| Reliable customer support | Limited free trial |
| Registered agent service | Overpriced features |
| Fast LLC formation | Unnecessary add-ons |
When it comes to customer service, BizFilings has consistently proved its qualifications. Their reps are reportedly well-informed, quick, and capable of resolving the majority of issues directly related to BizFilings service policy, pricing, billing, and key formation steps.
Multiple customer reviews cite the company’s ability to answer almost any question, even those that are not listed in FAQs or for services that are not featured on their website. The waiting times also tend to be better than the industry average.
The fastest way to reach their customer care department is via phone. Their reps are available on workdays (Monday to Friday) from 8 am to 7 pm CT, which gives you plenty of time to reach them even if you have a busy work schedule.
BizFilings’ registered agent service is a fixed feature in all packages and has no added cost for the first six months. This means that by buying any of BizFilings’ plans, you automatically qualify for half a year of free registered agent service. After the end of the free trial, BizFilings registered agent service will cost you $220 in annual fees.
Having a registered agent is mandatory for all states. Even if you plan to launch a small startup (or even a single-member LLC), you will still need a registered agent in the state where you will be forming your business. In some states, it’s possible to appoint yourself as your registered agent, but industry experts advise against such methods.
In addition to the main service, BizFilings also includes their BizComply feature with this free trial. With BizComply, you can easily manage your compliance filings and other documents related to the timely management of your business.
These filings vary based on your location. In states like California, you may be required to submit an initial statement and then file it each year your company continues to operate.
In states like New York, each LLC needs to run a newspaper publication before it can officially start its operation. This in itself can be a confusing requirement, and most newbies won’t even know how to choose a periodical that would qualify their LLC. BizFilings provides notifications for such filings and also offer respective add-ons.
The trial also includes BizFilings’ monthly compliance emails. This means that you will get updates related to your compliance filings on a monthly basis to help you maintain your LLC’s good standing. By getting a monthly email, you won’t miss any deadlines with your state or local government, including taxes and annual reports.
We should preface that although BizFilings can be extremely fast in getting your LLC formation processed, it can only be possible if you are ready to pay extra or if you are purchasing one of the premium packages from the get go.
Their expedited processing service is included in Standard and Complete plans, but if you’re getting their Basic plan, be ready to pay $60 for this feature. This service refers to internal processing plus standard expedited state services for the actual filing.
If you have this add-on, BizFilings flags your order as priority and can get it processed much faster. When your order is put ahead of standard applications in the queue, the company checks your documentation often upon submission.
After that, your formation documents are delivered to the state either on the same day or the next. The actual filing date depends on the time of your initial order placement, as well as the state itself—the Secretary of State office (or other managerial body) can often be too busy to process even priority applications within a single day.
To make this process even faster, BizFilings offers overnight shipping of your formation documents after they get approved by the state. This feature is included only in the Complete package, otherwise you have to pay $20 on top of your basic cost.
In some states, BizFilings also offers rush filings. It ranges from 1 hour in states like Delaware to 24 hours and 48 hours. The service costs $199 and can be added to any formation plan.
Although BizFilings’ registered agent service is undoubtedly one of their strongest selling points, the downside of this feature is its duration. Unlike most services, BizFilings offers only six months of free usage. Some of the company’s direct competitors extend this period to one year of free registered agent subscription. As such, companies that can otherwise be considered inferior to BizFilings manage to overtake this provider in one single category by simply offering a better bargain deal.
BizFilings has plenty of useful features to offer, but unfortunately most of them are way too expensive. Additionally, you can only get them in premium plans (Standard and Complete) as their Basic plan is fairly scant, offering only the actual formation plus 6 months of registered agent—and all that for $99 plus state fees.
Another downside of their package system is the inconsistency in pricing. While the basic plan price remains the same across the board—$99—their Standard and Complete package prices fluctuate wildly depending on the state of formation. It can go as low as $159 and $199 in Delaware to as high as $229 and $458 in California, not including the various state fees.
It should be said that unlike its competitors, the add-ons that BizFilings offer can actually be pretty useful for the most part, namely sales/payroll tax registration, initial statements, LLC publication, and certified copies.
That said, they still attempt to push certain redundant features as crucial. For instance, Federal Tax ID also known as Employer Identification Number or EIN can be easily acquired for free since the IRS doesn’t charge for this service and issues these numbers almost immediately. BizFilings, on the other hand, asks $79 for this filing.
Other weird choices for main package features include their compliance DVD, also priced at $79, business license search, and third-party add-ons like HR services provided by ADP.
The problem with working with BizFilings is the lack of balance. You can always choose their Basic plan and add only crucial extra features, but the final cost could add up to hudnreds of dollars. By contrast, you can use one of the free services like IncFile and manage the rest on your own.
Whether you are a new or regular customer, you are free to contact BizFilings reps by phone, mail, and through their website.
BizFilings customer support center takes calls from Monday till Friday from 8 am to 7 pm CT. BizFilings email is not directly available, however you can email them by completing a query form.
| BizFilings Phone Number | 608-827-5300 |
| BizFilings Website Form | https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/solutions/bizfilings/contact |
| BizFilings Address | 8020 Excelsior Dr. Suite 200 Madison, WI 53717 |
BizFilings’ surprising lack of customer reviews across platforms makes it extremely difficult to judge their practical efficacy. That said, the majority of their customer reviews are almost exclusively positive, with most of them praising BizFilings’ customer service in particular.
On BBB, BizFilings only has 1 review, albeit positive, but it can hardly be taken into the account. However, the experts awarded BizFilings BBB’s highest A+ rating based on independent assessment of the service.
BizFilings currently holds 23 reviews on Google, with the average rating of 4.7 out of 5. As expected, most customers single out the high quality of BizFilings’ customer care. A good number of reviews describe BizFilings’ rates to be higher than most of their competitors, but this is rarely mentioned as a criticism. Rather, the customers are more than happy to pay for the speed and quality of BizFilings’ business solutions.
One customer praises BizFiling’s attention to detail when it comes to customer service. They describe their reps as “professional” and “quick to respond”. Moreover, BizFilings’ phone support doesn’t use automated customer service, so you will be dealing with an actual person on the other end of the line.
Customers also claim that you don’t have to wait long to get a response unlike with other services, especially companies that use third-party call centers with reps that don’t have first-hand knowledge of the product.
As mentioned before, BizFilings can hardly be classified as the most affordable LLC formation service in the business, That said, it can rival even the best budget providers when it comes to customer care and the quality of business solutions offered. To help you determine whether BizFilings is a fitting service for you, let’s look at how the company compares to other popular providers.
Admittedly, it’s pretty hard to beat IncFile even for other free or less pricey services. While the IncFile is technically free, BizFilings charges at least $99 for submitting your LLC documents. But how do they compare in other categories?
| Feature | BizFilings | IncFile |
| Pricing | Basic: $99 Standard: $159+ Complete: $199+ | Silver: $0 Gold: $149 Platinum: $299 |
| Registered agent | $220/year | $119/year |
| Customer reviews | 4.7 out of 5 (based on 23 Google reviews) | 4.5 out of 5 (based on 840 Trustpilot reviews) |
| BBB rating | A+ | NR due to insufficient information/ongoing review |
IncFile famously doesn’t have any service fees for LLC formation if you choose their Silver package. By selecting that option, you will only be paying state fees just as with any other provider. However, IncFile’s Silver plan also includes a whole year of registered agent for free.
This is where BizFilings loses out—their formation costs $99, but the registered agent service attached to that plan is free only for the first 6 months.
BizFilings truly shines when we move up to other plans. With IncFile, their Gold and Platinum packages are frankly rather innocuous. They are almost as expensive as BizFilings’ alternatives but offer very little in comparison.
So unless you’re only aiming for the basic formation, BizFilings would be a better choice for LLC compliance, tax registration, and other business solutions, not to mention that they still hold valid accreditation with BBB which cannot be said for IncFile.
As another highly recommended service, ZenBusiness has been the go-to choice of many entrepreneurs for years. You will often see it on best-of lists in various publications, and while it could be a perfect solution for some businesses, it might not be the best choice for your company in particular.
| Feature | BizFilings | ZenBusiness |
| Pricing | Basic: $99 Standard: $159+ Complete: $199+ | Starter: $39 Pro: $149 Express Gold: $249 |
| Registered agent | $220/year | $119/year |
| Customer reviews | 4.7 out of 5 (based on 23 Google reviews) | 4.7 out of 5 (based on 9,154 Trustpilot reviews) |
| BBB rating | A+ | A- |
As you can see, ZenBusiness offers a much better deal for your company’s first registered agent. Although they don’t have a free trial, it’s still much cheaper on a yearly basis. After all, paying $119 instead of $220 could help you save considerably on your annual budget.
Another advantage that Zen Business offers is the basic formation price. Whereas BizFilings asks for $99 just for the simple filing, Zen Business can do the same job for $39 plus state fees.
The sheer number of customer feedback also plays to ZenBusiness’ advantage. If you are an entrepreneur that prefers to rely on companies with larger volumes of feedback, then ZenBusiness’ thousands upon thousands of positive reviews on Truspilot alone outmatch the two dozens that the BizFilings has scraped over multiple decades.
LegalZoom commonly features in industry publications, best-of lists, and other articles covering the LLC formation industry as a whole. The company is undoubtedly popular, but how does it compare to BizFilings?
| Feature | BizFilings | LegalZoom |
| Pricing | Basic: $99 Standard: $159+ Complete: $199+ | Economy: $79 Standard: $329 Express Gold: $349 |
| Registered agent | $220/year | $299/year |
| Customer reviews | 4.7 out of 5 (based on 23 Google reviews) | 4.4 out of 5 (based on 1,443 Trustpilot reviews) |
| BBB rating | A+ | NR due to insufficient information/ongoing review |
In terms of pricing, both BizFilings and LegalZoom are fairly expensive. Both have pretty high stater prices, which are then inflated in each subsequent package. That said, BizFilings is by far more forthcoming with their add-ons. You can see what is included in which package more clearly, select what you need, and get the final cost for your order upfront.
LegalZoom’s registered agent is also more expensive. While BizFilings have one of the least affordable registered agent in the business priced at $220, LegalZoom’s annual fee exceeds that by almost $80. They charge $299 per year which is frankly outrageous even compared to BizFilings’ rates.
Additionally, BizFilings still holds a valid BBB accreditation. They currently have an A+ rating, whereas LegalZoom has lost their accreditation. Typically, BBB revokes a company’s rating when there are insufficient documentation, or if the service has failed to respond to customer complaints, or if there is proof of shady business practices such as hidden billing or lack of transparency.
For a more comprehensive overview, be sure to check out our standalone comparative articles for BizFilings and other services like Northwest Registered Agent, RocketLawyer, Incorporate.com, and MyCorportation.
To open your LLC with this company, you can choose one of three BizFilings formation packages:
Note that prices for BizFilings’ packages of Standard and Complete vary greatly from state to state. In some of them, the Complete package costs $199, while in other states it is up to $434. You also have to pay an additional state fee, which makes the total amount quite substantial.
If you need a package that includes everything you need to start a business without any extra features, the Basic package is the best option. Its price of $99 + State fee is an average market offer. For that money you will get:
Compared to the Basic package, the cost of the Standard package is much higher. It is about $229 + State fee, but the benefits that come with using this package are not so many:
What is important to keep in mind when deciding on a purchase is that the expedited processing service, in fact, does not guarantee a fast result. At a cost of $60, it does not affect the speed of the processing of a company’s documents by the state. If you order it, BizFilings will only give your application priority over other requests they receive, without setting any specific time frame.
In addition, the Agreements and LLC Forms offered in this package do not justify its high price. You can get all these things through the BizComply tool, available even with the Basic package.
Besides the services included in the previous two packages, the complete package contains:
In comparison to the Standard package, the features mentioned here do add some value to this option. However, the price of $359 + State fee seems unreasonably high, because there are many competitors that offer similar features for less.
You will find more information on their official website.
Among all the options we have discussed, the best combination of price and features provides the Basic package. Its cost is quite reasonable, and the services included in the package are really necessary for a successful business startup.
In case you are looking for a company that can help you register LLC online, BizFilings can handle it easily. Due to their vast experience, there are no impossible tasks for them in this field.
It is also a definite plus that this company can form an LLC in any state where you want to open a business.
According to law, an LLC registered agent is a person who will act as a mediator between the state and the company. His main responsibility is to receive official correspondence addressed to the LLC, such as:
To be registered, each company must choose and designate a registered agent and enter their information in the Articles of Organization.
Most online companies that are professional in creating and setting up a business also provide a registered agent.
Unlike many competitors, BizFilings offers free registered agent service for 6 months. After that period, the cost of annual service will be $164. This is not the lowest price on the market, but quite reasonable.
Besides receiving official correspondence, when you order a registered agent from BizFiling, you will get:
One of the main aspects of starting a business is choosing the legal structure that fits your business goals and needs.
The free Incorporation Wizard service will help you find the best option among the many different types of businesses. To identify what the best LLC form is, you’ll need to provide some information about your future plans, financing options, taxes, and income.
Depending on the field of activity and location, most LLCs are required to obtain one or more licenses. They can be provided for at all levels of government:
If you don’t want to waste time compiling the list of licenses needed for your business, BizFilings can take care of that work. They will also provide preparation and filing services for $99.
Recognition is an important part of business development. However, to register your business name, you should also take care of the uniqueness of your trademark. The Trademark Explorer allows you to check its availability, avoiding possible difficulties with the trade name in the future.
BizComply is a popular and very convenient tool that allows you to keep track of any important filing dates and compliance deadlines. All events are marked on the calendar. When one of them is coming, you will receive a notice to your email.
Also, BizComply contains a library with an extensive set of templates and documents.
The service is free for the first 6 months. The cost of the subsequent annual service is $75.
With their years of experience in business creation and support services, the BizFilings website has the answer to almost any related question. The variety of BizFilings online resources is shown in written guides, webinars and checklists covering the following topics:
If you are facing the LLC formation for the first time, it may seem a bit confusing. Fortunately, BizFilings has simplified it by dividing it into 5 easy-to-follow steps:
If you decided on a dissolution, using business dissolution services can make the process as comfortable as possible. For a $179+ State fee, BizFilings will offer you features like:
Expedited delivery is available for an additional fee of $200.
Compared to competitors, dissolution services from BizFilings are quite favorable, that makes this company one of the best business dissolution services in the industry.
Besides the Articles of Organization, there are a number of other documents that BizFilings can prepare and file:
7. Customer Support with well- trained specialists;
8. Error-free guarantee: if in the business activities your company faces a mistake made by BizFilings during the preparation and submission stage of the Articles of Organization, its correction will not cost you a cent.
Today, BizFilings’ LLC formation services are among the best in the industry. The company has successfully held its position in the market for decades and has served more than 500,000 clients. However, there aren’t as many BizFilings reviews online as you might expect with such an impressive track record.
At the time of this writing, there are less than 10 reviews on various resources. Most of them are positive. Customers praise BizFilings features customer support and the quality of the company’s work. Of course, such a small number of reviews can be an obstacle if you usually make a decision based on them. However, the fact that BizFilings doesn’t have a stream of criticism is not bad.
Concluding our BizFilings review, we can say that BizFilings provides a good set of services for creating and maintaining an LLC. Their years of experience and 500,000 formed businesses speak for themselves. Even if your state has advanced business start-up requirements, BizFilings will make the process as quick and comfortable as possible. They have a simple ordering procedure, and customer support responds to requests in the short run.
In comparison to some competitors, however, the prices of BizFilings seem a bit high. If you want to save money, there are several alternative business formation companies that provide similar services at a lower cost.
I found BizFilings to be extremely helpful in getting my LLC set up. The process was quick and easy, and the customer service was great. I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking to start their own business.
I used BizFilings to set up my LLC and I was very pleased with the service. It was quick, easy, and relatively painless. The customer service was also excellent. I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking to set up their own business.
Pros:
-Quick and easy
-Customer service is excellent
Cons:
-None!
I needed to set up an LLC for my business, so I decided to use BizFilings. Overall, I was pleased with the experience. The company was very professional and efficient in getting everything done. They were also reasonably priced compared to other companies that offer similar services.
However, there were a few downsides. First of all, the website was a bit confusing to navigate. It took me a while to figure out where I needed to go and what I needed to do. Additionally, I had to provide a lot of personal information when signing up for the service. I understand that this is necessary in order to set up an LLC, but it still made me a bit uncomfortable.
BizFilings was a great help in getting my LLC set up. The customer service was excellent, and the process was very quick and easy. I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking to start their own business.
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