LegalZoom vs. Harbor Compliance: LLC Formation Service Comparison

Base LLC Formation Pricing

As published on each company's own site in October 2026, LegalZoom's Basic LLC package is $0 plus the state's own filing fee, with Pro at $249 and Premium at $299. Harbor Compliance publishes its LLC formation starting at $99 plus state fees, which its site describes as covering a name check and the Articles of Organization filing only; Harbor Compliance's live pricing page does not break out separate named tiers the way LegalZoom's does.

Registered Agent Pricing

LegalZoom does not include registered agent service in its Basic package; it is a separate $249-a-year charge, the same rate in year one and at renewal, though LegalZoom notes its renewal rate is subject to change. Harbor Compliance charges new customers $99 for the first year of registered agent service, renewing at $159 a year. For the first year, Harbor Compliance's $99 registered agent price is $150 cheaper than LegalZoom's $249; at renewal, the gap narrows to $90 a year ($249 versus $159).

Annual Report Filing

LegalZoom structures annual report filing two ways: $99 per filing plus the state fee, or $199 a year for a standing Compliance Filings subscription. Harbor Compliance's dedicated annual report page lists its managed filing service at $199 per state plus filing fees, though an older price list on the same Harbor Compliance domain showed $175, so confirm the live rate before relying on either figure.

Operating Agreement and EIN Pricing

LegalZoom's Basic-package add-ons are published at $99 for an operating agreement and $79 for EIN filing; both are included in its Pro package. Harbor Compliance lists an operating agreement and an EIN service at approximately $99 each as standalone add-ons, though Harbor Compliance's own site separately shows a different, higher EIN-related figure in another context, so confirm the current EIN price directly with Harbor Compliance before ordering.

How LLC Register compares

LLC Register's registered agent service is $99 a year, the same price at renewal. LLC formation in year one and annual report filing are included, while most providers charge $99 to $199 a year extra for annual report filing. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before checkout.

What to Confirm Before You Choose

Both companies' published starting prices cover a formation filing only, not necessarily the fuller bundle most new owners want. Confirm what the base price includes, the registered agent renewal price for year two, and whether annual report filing is bundled or separate, for both LegalZoom and Harbor Compliance, before comparing the headline numbers alone.

Harbor Compliance's Starting Price May Not Reflect a Full Package

Because Harbor Compliance's live pricing page does not clearly break out tier names and inclusions the way LegalZoom's does, confirm exactly what the $99 starting price includes for your specific state before assuming it matches LegalZoom's $0 Basic package feature-for-feature.

LegalZoom's Renewal Rate Is Flagged as Variable

LegalZoom specifically states its registered agent renewal rate is subject to change, a more specific disclosure than Harbor Compliance's page, which states a fixed $159-a-year renewal figure. Confirm both companies' current renewal rates directly before relying on either number.

Confirm Harbor Compliance's Annual Report Price Before Ordering

Harbor Compliance's own site has shown two different annual report prices ($199 and an older $175) on different pages, so check the current rate directly rather than relying on either figure as final.

An EIN Should Never Cost Money on Its Own

Both companies' EIN add-on prices pay for help completing a form; an EIN itself is always free directly from the IRS, regardless of which company's add-on price you compare.

This Is Not Legal or Tax Advice

Which package and add-ons make sense for your LLC depends on your specific business and state. Talk to a tax professional, and verify all prices directly on each company's current site before purchasing.