There are many things to take into account when deciding between Inc Authority and BizFilings for incorporating your new business.
Company | MoneyAisle Rating | Highlights | Visit Website |
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From $0-$199 |
This article will walk you through all the key features so choosing one over another should not be tumultuous.
Inc authority and BizFilings are sought-after ways to incorporate a new business. They both have their pros, but it can be tricky deciding which one is right for you.
Important: Before you pick any LLC company, check the tested LLC services that we reviewed and selected for you so that you never regret your decision.
IncAuthority vs BizFilings: A Quick Overview
Features | Inc Authority | BizFilings |
Company’s Reputation | 4.4/5 | 4.2/5 |
Customer Support | 4.8/5 | 4.6/5 |
Affordability | 4.5/5 | 4.1/5 |
Ease of Use | 4.5/5 | 4.2/5 |
Registered Agent Services | 4.7/0 | 3.5/0 |
Customers’ Review and Feedback | 4.6/5 | 2.8/5 |
How We Review & Compare LLC Services
Before we go into details, let us discover how we review and compare LLC services.
In this comparison, we’ll walk you through the six main factors including some others you need to consider when choosing between Inc Authority and BizFilings.
The following 6 review points are what we set up for our stress test:
- Company Reputation
- Customer Service
- Affordability (Prices & Packages)
- Registered Agent Service
- Ease of Use
- Customers Review & Feedback
Detailed Comparison: BizFilings vs Inc Authority
1. Company’s Reputation
Reputation is definitely important, especially when it comes to something as important as your business. That is why we looked at the company’s reputation of both BizFilings and Inc Authority.
BizFilings
BizFilings has been around a long time, serving the needs of more than 500,000 clients since 2001.
Having such a large customer volume in its profile proves that BizFilings knows its stuff and can take care of your LLC creation efficiently.
However, it is strange that there are almost no reviews available on 3rd party review platforms despite having such a handsome customer profile.
Inc Authority
Inc Authority was founded in 1989, and since then they’ve helped more than 145,000 businesses get started as LLCs or corporations.
Their big selling point is their free services for LLC formation through their basic plan.
That’s right, just two companies in the industry have this free formation offer, Inc Authority and BizFiling (with whom you might be familiar). Moreover, you will find powerful reviews regarding their services on third-party review platforms.
2. Customer Support
Customer support is considered one of the most important aspects of a company’s service.
This is where you can get help in case something goes wrong or if you have any questions about the process. Most of the companies reviewed offer customer support, but the quality and accessibility of that support can vary a lot.
Therefor, it is important to look at this criterion closely.
BizFilings
BizFilings offers extended business hours, and you can reach their technical support team from Monday through Friday between 8 am and 7 pm CT.
Moreover, you can browse their informative support center for more help if needed.
BizFilings do not have a hit or miss policy despite the large customer volume and their customer care is consistent on a high-quality end.
Inc Authority
Inc Authority offers personalized customer service and there are fewer negative reviews. They are less likely to charge you for services you don’t want. Inc Authority offers support through phone, email, or live chat.
However, their hours are shorter than BizFilings. Inc Authority’s representatives are only available from 11 am to 8 pm ET on weekdays.
3. Affordability
Affordability is an important criterion when choosing between different LLC companies. This is especially true if you are just starting your business.
You need to find a company that offers quality services at an affordable price.
But one thing must be in mind before taking any decision is, that quality should not be compromised at any cost. In short, you should find a company that offers high-quality services at an affordable price, not cheap.
BizFilings
BizFilings charges $99 for its basic plan, with free 6 months registered agent service and compliance alerts.
This price is higher than many of its competitors such as ZenBusiness LLC and IncFile, etc.
Moreover, the advanced plans are also not that comprehensive compared to top-rated LLC companies.
Inc Authority
Inc Authority has an unbeatable offer when it comes to pricing. Of course, everyone would rather pay $0 than $99, especially when there is more to add.
Not only does Inc Authority form your LLC for free but also provides more valuable features in its free formation package than BizFilings has in its highest priced option.
4. Ease of Use
Ease of use is another important criterion when it comes to the formation of an LLC. This criterion refers to how easy it is to navigate through the company’s website and find the information you need.
BizFilings
It has a simple and user-friendly website. You can pick any service and order it online using that website.
However, some of the services offered by this company are a bit tricky to understand. One might need help from customer service if they want more information on what exactly those extra fees include before signing up for them.
Inc Authority
With Inc Authority it is easier to set up your LLC as it has a simple and user-friendly website.
You can pick any service and order it online using that website. However, you may encounter some upsells and third-party offers that delay the order placing process.
5. Registered Agent Services
A registered agent is a person or company that agrees to receive and process important legal documents on behalf of your LLC.
Without a registered agent, your LLC could face legal penalties.
For example, a registered agent is responsible for receiving service of process if your LLC is sued. Since most people don’t have the time to handle this responsibility themselves, they often outsource it to a registered agent service.
So, even if you change your registered agent, it is important to consider this criterion when choosing between different LLC companies.
BizFilings
BizFilings offers 6 months free registered agent service in its basic formation and after this term is over, it charges $164 a year for registered agent service.
In our view, Inc Authority wins in this category as it offers more free months in the basic package. Moreover, Inc Authority has cheaper rates for a standalone registered agent feature.
Many reputable LLC companies offer registered agent services as a part of their formation plan or as a standalone service at a cheaper rate.
If you are to subscribe to this service as a separate feature, you can also compare the prices of top-rated registered agent services before making a final decision.
Inc Authority
Inc Authority offers 12 months of free registered agent service with any LLC formation package, and they charge a reasonable $99 per year otherwise. The free LLC registration and registered agent services show that Inc Authority values its customers over money.
As a separate feature, Inc Authority registered agent service costs you half the price of Bizfilings.
Customers’ Review and Feedback
It is always important to consider what other customers have to say about a company before making your decision.
This criterion gives you an idea of how satisfied or dissatisfied other customers are with the services of a particular company.
Given that many companies create fake customer reviews to improve their image, it is important to consider other factors such as the company’s rating on review sites.
We simply cannot ignore the value of customers’ feedback when it comes to the formation of an LLC.
BizFilings
It is very disappointing to find no reviews of BizFilings on trusted review websites such as Yelp, BBB, Customer Affairs, and Trustpilot.
We found only 3 complaints about it at BBB. So, overall, this goes against BizFilings. So in this category, LegalZoom is at a clear win.
Inc Authority
Despite having lower customer volume than BizFilings, Inc Authority has more reviews online with better ratings.
On Trustpilot, it has gotten 4.8/5 stars with 8,045 reviews which is a massive success.
We found only 2 reviews about it at BBB with 3/5 ratings which suggest only dissatisfied customers might have approached there. So in this category, Inc authority is at a clear win.
Some More Features to Look At
When considering two LLC companies, it is important to look at other features that may be important to you. For example, some people may want a company with a wider range of services while others may only need registered agent services.
Turnaround Time
With Inc Authority, turnaround times are based on the requirements of each state. These processing speeds can vary from just a couple of days up to several weeks.
Still, we acknowledge Inc Authority because they base their speed independently on how fast your state registers an entity rather than increasing or decreasing accordingly with what amount you paid beforehand.
BizFilings offers three different options for LLC formation: their Basic plan has a 4-6 week turnaround time and the Standard or Complete packages take 7-10 business days to form your LLC.
They also offer an expedited option that costs you $60 extra to the state filing fee. Hence, expediting your order with BizFilings gets very expensive.
Features Included in their Packages
Inc Authority has the edge over BizFilings in terms of features. Even its free LLC formation package includes more than what you can not get in the advanced packages of BizFilings.
Even the high tire plans have more valuable services such as Federal Tax ID Number (EIN), sample operating agreement and other customizable LLC forms, tax consultation, and more.
BizFilings in addition to filing your article of organization offers 6 months of free registered agent service. It also offers 6 months of compliance advanced packages, you expect:
- an LLC kit and seal
- Federal Tax ID Number (EIN)
- Expedited processing service
- Certified copy of state-filed documents
- Sample operating agreement and other customizable LLC forms
- Compliance DVD
- Overnight shipping
- And much more…
Alternatives that Outrank Both Services
If you are looking for comprehensive LLC services with a personalized legal touch, try BetterLegal LLC service, which also offers a $30 discount through MoneyAisle.com.
However, if you are looking for premium LLC services and want to enjoy all the perks at a single place, there is no better company than ZenBusiness LLC service.
Price Comparison | Inc Authority vs BizFilings
Basic Plan
Features | Inc Authority | BizFilings |
Price | $0 + state fee | $99 + state fee |
Turnaround Time | 1-3 weeks | 4-6 weeks |
Registered Agent | Yes | Yes (6 months) |
Tax Consultation | Yes | No |
Compliance Alerts | No | Yes (6 months) |
Business Funding Analysis | Yes | No |
Middle Plan
Features | Inc Authority | BizFilings |
Price | $399 + state fee | $229 + state fee |
Turnaround time | 1-3 weeks | Depends upon the state (expedite option available) |
Deluxe Organizer | No (it offers Record book) | Yes |
LLC Kit and Seal | Yes | Yes |
Compliance Alerts | No | Yes (6 months) |
Registered Agent | Yes | Yes (6 months) |
Tax Consultation | Yes | No |
LLC Document Templates | Yes | Yes |
Federal Tax ID Number (EIN) | Yes | No |
Operating Agreement and Bylaws | Yes | Yes |
Top Plan
Features | Inc Authority | BizFilings |
Price | $499 + state fee | $359 + state fee |
Turnaround time | Express processing saves you several days | Depends upon the state (expedite option available) |
Express Shipping | Yes | Yes |
Registered Agent | Yes | Yes 6 months |
Federal Tax ID Number (EIN) | Yes | Yes |
Official Certificates and Seal | Yes | Yes |
Website Domain | Yes | No |
Business License Report | Yes | No |
Operating Agreement and Bylaws | Yes | Yes |
Which LLC Service Is Better?
There are several things to consider when deciding which formation company you want for your new LLC.
As mentioned earlier, in this quest, there is no right and wrong choice. BizFilings and Inc Authority offer quality services that will get the job done, but each has its own unique selling point.
The final decision only depends upon your specific business situation. Let us make a final note on that.
Choose BizFilings:
If you think experience is more valuable, give a try to BizFilings, otherwise Inc Authority is clearly better than BizFilings including price, features, and customer reviews.
Choose Inc Authority:
If you want a free registered agent service and the best prices with more comprehensive features, Inc Authority is a great choice. Free formation and highly satisfied customer reviews are all that a new business owner seeks with a formation company.
Aisha Noreen is an owner of a small business with more than 9 years of experience in the marketing industry. With the wisdom of an old soul, she always seeks innovation and mind-blowing ROI techniques. Her unique approach helped many small businesses thrive and she can surprise you in many ways as well. Believe it or not, her energy, passion, and creativity are contagious enough to transform your business and take it to another level.