Comparisons are only worth reading if the reader can see how they were built. This page explains, in full, where our numbers come from, how our rankings are computed, and what we never do. If any part of our method looks wrong to you, the sources named here let you check the underlying facts yourself.

Where state fees come from

Every state filing fee, report fee, and report schedule on this site comes from that state own filing office. That is the secretary of state or the equivalent agency that accepts LLC filings and collects the fees. We do not copy fee tables from other comparison sites, because copied tables carry old errors forward and hide their age. Each state page shows its source and the date the fee was checked, printed on the page next to the figures it supports.

State fees change from time to time when legislatures adjust them. We check our state data on a regular cycle and update pages when an official source shows a change. When you are about to file, the filing office figure is the final word, and our state pages link you to that office so you can confirm the current amount before you pay.

Where provider prices come from

Provider prices come from merchant pricing pages, the public pages where each formation and registered agent company lists what it charges. We checked the prices used in our comparisons on October 25, 2026, and we check them again monthly. We record the formation price, the registered agent price, and, most importantly, the renewal price after any introductory period ends. A first year discount is recorded as a first year discount, never as the ongoing price.

Checkout totals can vary with the add ons a buyer chooses, such as faster processing, document bundles, or compliance extras. Our comparisons use the published base prices for formation and agent service, without optional extras, so that every provider is measured on the same footing. The price on the merchant page at the moment you buy governs your transaction, which is why each comparison tells you the date our figures were checked.

We never claim hands on testing of any provider. We have not formed LLCs through each service to grade the experience, and we do not publish reviews dressed up as personal use. Our comparisons are price and terms comparisons, built from published information, and they present themselves as exactly that.

How rankings are computed

Our rankings follow one formula. We add the provider service cost and the registered agent cost for the first year. That total is the ranking number. Lower first year totals rank higher. The cost every year after, which is the report cycle and agent renewal repeating, is printed beside every ranking so the renewal price is never hidden behind the first year headline.

State fees are excluded from the ranking total, because they are identical however you file. Whether you file yourself, use the cheapest provider, or use the most expensive one, your state charges the same filing fee and the same report fees. Including state fees would inflate every total without changing any ranking, so we show them separately and clearly in our tools.

The do it yourself route is always shown as the baseline in every comparison. Filing directly with your state, with no provider fee at all, is a legitimate option for many owners, and any provider worth paying should have to justify its price against that free alternative. Our cost calculator shows the do it yourself total and each provider total side by side, using the same first year and yearly figures.

What we never do

We never accept payment for placement. No provider can pay to rank higher, to be listed first, or to have a competitor removed. We never claim hands on testing or personal use of a provider. We never give legal advice or tax advice, and we never present general information as a recommendation for your personal situation. LLC formation touches taxes, liability, and contracts, and decisions in those areas belong with licensed professionals who can advise you on your own facts.

How affiliate links work

Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you click one and buy from that provider, we may earn a commission from the provider. The commission costs you nothing extra. You pay the same price you would pay arriving at the provider site on your own. Affiliate income supports the research and checking work this site requires. It never enters the ranking formula, which is computed from published prices alone, and providers without affiliate programs are compared by the same formula on the same pages. Our affiliate disclosure names our affiliate relationships and explains the arrangement in full.