Inc Authority review 2023: Cost, plans, features and more
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BLUEPRINT
Updated 2:29 p.m. UTC Nov. 9, 2023
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Our take
Inc Authority allows business owners to select the services they need instead of paying for the frills included in prepackaged plans.
Inc Authority
Pros
- Free LLC filing available.
- Free year of registered agent services.
- Numerous add-on services.
Cons
- Pricing isn’t transparent.
- No refund policy.
- Expensive packages.
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Inc Authority LLC review 2023
Of our 10 best LLC services, Inc Authority is one of four that will file your LLC paperwork for free. Smaller LLC services such as Filenow and MyCorporation do not offer free LLC services to their customers while Incfile, LegalZoom and ZenBusiness do.
You likely won’t come across prepackaged plans with Inc Authority unless you get on the phone with a sales representative, and we don’t recommend these plans as they come with a high price tag. Instead, you will likely find yourself routed through Inc Authority’s sales pathway that allows you to choose exactly what services you want to purchase from the company.
If you choose LLC filing, these services are completely free. However, you will be asked to upgrade along almost every step of the way. If you can get by without upgrading, Inc Authority is a great way for new cash-strapped businesses to set up an LLC in a cost-effective manner. The free LLC filing includes:
- A business name check within your state.
- A tax planning consultant to help you save more money.
- One year of registered agent services.
- A tax ID number.
On top of the free services, Inc Authority offers add-on services such as:
- A private banking specialist.
- Personalized business advice.
- Expedited company formation filing.
These add-on packages can be expensive, and it is advised to make sure you want to invest in them before purchasing.
Inc Authority LLC overview and facts
Inc Authority is headquartered in Reno, Nevada, and has been in business for more than 30 years. In addition to providing LLC filing services, Inc Authority offers a comprehensive suite of start-up business services designed to help first-time entrepreneurs start, run and grow their businesses. These services include:
- Business funding.
- Business plan creation.
- Website registration.
- Federal trademarks.
While it does not have a Better Business Bureau accreditation, 93% of the more than 20,000 Trustpilot reviews rate the company five out of five stars. These positive reviews commonly mention great customer service and an easy, hassle-free company filing and preparation process.
Featured LLC service offers
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Inc Authority LLC plans and pricing
Unlike many of the company formation services on our best LLC services list, Inc Authority’s business model shies away from prepackaged LLC plans and focuses on custom offerings. While prepackaged plans are available, they are pricey, and most business owners won’t find them because they require calling a sales representative.
Instead, Inc Authority primarily makes use of a sales pathway that allows users to build their own plan and add on the services they need. Therefore, pricing is up to you. It’s possible to get free LLC filing with Inc Authority if you don’t add on any additional services; however, according to company representatives, not many business owners go through the process without adding on at least one service.
Every LLC filed by Inc Authority comes with the following:
- Business name check (within your state).
- Preparation and filing of formation documents.
- One year of free registered agent services.
- Optional preparation and filing of the S-Election document Form 2553 with the IRS.
- A digital copy of your articles of organization or articles of incorporation.
- INC CARE support through email or phone.
- A tax planning consultation (state and federal).
- A business credit and funding consultation.
If you need additional services beyond what is offered for free, we recommend going through the normal pathway on Inc Authority’s website. Choosing a prepackaged plan will likely cost you significantly more than you would otherwise pay by building your own service.
Note: Regardless of which provider you choose for your LLC filing services, even free LLC services will require you to pay state filing fees. Learn more about the costs of starting an LLC.
Starter
Inc Authority’s Starter plan costs $299 plus state filing fees. Beyond the offerings of the free LLC service, the Starter plan includes:
- Operating agreement.
- Record book.
- Ownership or stock certificates.
- Initial meeting minutes and resolution templates.
- EIN/tax ID number.
- Corporate forms package.
- Annual compliance notifications.
- Web domain and five email addresses.
For $299, these additional services come with a high price tag. While many business owners will want an operating agreement and EIN, choosing these services as add-ons or opting for another LLC provider are the more cost-efficient methods of obtaining them.
Tip: You can file for your EIN for free on the IRS website. While this isn’t as easy as having a company formation service do it for you, it is an easy way for business owners on a budget to save a few bucks.
Fast Track
The Fast Track plan comes in at $499. It has all the features of the Starter plan with the addition of:
- A private banking specialist.
- Personalized business advice.
- Expedited filing.
- An Inc success advisor for phone and online support to answer tax, law and banking questions.
Inc Authority add-ons and optional features
Inc Authority’s business model heavily relies on add-ons and optional features. To purchase services from Inc Authority, you’ll need to go through a pathway of optional services on its website.
Beyond LLC filing, you can add services to aid you with federal trademarking, revocable living trusts, business credits, business funding, business planning and marketing.
Federal trademark
The Federal Trademark plan will help you easily register your trademark so that you have the exclusive right to use it in the United States. The plan includes a comprehensive U.S. search, a trademark specialist, 24-hour expedited e-filing and the government filing fee.
Business plan
The Business plan add-on includes a personalized one-on-one advisor to write, edit, research and analyze your business plan. The dedicated business plan advisor will also walk you through your opportunity to raise capital through investors and private lending.
Registered agent services
Inc Authority stands out from other companies by offering one free year of its registered agent services.
“A registered agent service helps business owners stay on top of their legal obligations and keep their personal information private,” said Noel Lorenzana, CPA. “It’s a great way to simplify your life and ensure that you’re always in compliance with state laws.”
After the initial free year, registered agent services cost $179 per year. Inc Authority offers a 60-day money-back guarantee, not including state filing fees, which are non-refundable. This price is slightly above average for the registered agent services we have reviewed. Competitors such as BetterLegal and Harbor Compliance offer lower annual registered agent pricing.
As part of its registered agent services, Inc Authority will forward all legal correspondence directly to your email address the same day it is received. For paid services, you have full online access to accounting, business compliance, licensing, payroll services, taxes, trademarks and more through the client portal.
Inc Authority’s registered agent services are available in all 50 states.
Note: These add-ons are common across LLC formation companies, including big-name services like LegalZoom and ZenBusiness. For business owners with more complicated business plans or doing business in more regulated industries, companies like LegalZoom that employ a staff of experienced attorneys are better equipped to provide hands-on legal and business guidance.
Inc Authority customer support and experience
Inc Authority offers phone support to its customers from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. For those who would prefer not to pick up the phone and call, Inc Authority offers a U.S.-based live chat feature during the same hours and email support.
However, when we used chat support to get information about pricing, we were told to call an agent, so a phone call may be your best bet. While many business owners will prefer upfront, transparent pricing that doesn’t require talking to a sales team, Inc Authority’s user reviews highlight the company’s exceptional customer service.
But, unlike many of its competitors, Inc Authority does not have a dedicated knowledge base on its website to help solve frequently asked filing questions. Instead, you’ll need to connect with the Inc Authority team if you have any questions or technical issues with the service.
Inc Authority vs. LegalZoom
Affordability is the main difference between Inc Authority and LegalZoom’s LLC filing services. While both companies offer free plans, Inc Authority is the only one out of the two that includes the first year of registered agent services for free. LegalZoom charges $249 per year for this service.
Therefore, if budgeting is a concern, Inc Authority is the better candidate for LLC services. Inc Authority also allows you to customize your service, choosing only the services you need and making it easier for you to work within your budget.
However, if you’re not working with a tight budget, LegalZoom’s Premium plan is a great option as it goes above and beyond guiding you through the filing process. With LegalZoom, you have access to unlimited 30-minute consultations with attorneys to review your legal contracts and documents for the first three months. This perk can be well worth the money to ensure your business starts on the right foot.
Inc Authority vs. Incfile
Inc Authority and Incfile are similar when it comes to pricing and features. They both offer a free plan that includes:
- A free year of registered agent services.
- Name availability searches.
- Online document access.
- The filing of your articles of organization.
After the first year, Incfile charges $119 per year for registered agent services, but Inc Authority charges $179 per year. Incfile offers customers the option of two paid plans starting at $199 (Gold plan) and $299 (Platinum plan), whereas pricing at Inc Authority depends on the services you choose to add to your plan.
If you find that the services you want cost more than $199 with Inc Authority, check to see if your needs can be met by Incfile’s Gold plan.
Learn more in our Incfile review.
Is Inc Authority right for your business?
Inc Authority is a great choice for budget-conscious business owners who want an affordable way to form a new LLC or corporation. If you don’t add any services to Inc Authority’s LLC filing, you can do many things for just the price of state filing fees. This includes:
- Filing your formation documents.
- Receiving a free year of registered agent services.
- Meeting with tax planning and business funding consultants.
However, if you’re looking for a simple company formation package that includes everything you need, Inc Authority isn’t your best option. Prepackaged plans aren’t part of Inc Authority’s primary business model and are far more expensive than competitors. Instead, consider one of the following options:
Rocket Lawyer: Our best LLC service, Rocket Lawyer, provides a free LLC formation package to new members.
Active Filings: Best for those on a budget, Active Filings offers a free package and an affordable mid-tier plan for just $100.
Filenow: Filenow offers value-packed plans with fast state filing and a free year of registered agent services.
Inc Authority is best suited for business owners who know exactly what they need and want a custom plan without the additional frills.
Methodology
We extensively research the key competitors within an industry to determine the best products and services for your business. Our experts identify the factors that matter most to business owners, including pricing, features and customer support, to ensure that our recommendations offer well-rounded products that will meet the needs of various small businesses.
We collect extensive data to narrow our best list to reputable, easy-to-use products with stand-out features at a reasonable price point. And we look at user reviews to ensure that businesses with owners like you are satisfied with our top picks. We use the same rubric to assess com a particular space so you can confidently follow our blueprint to the best LLC services of 2023.
Yes, Inc Authority is a good way to start an LLC. Not only does it offer free LLC filing services, but it also includes a free year of registered agent services.
Yes, Inc Authority provides an annual report feature to ensure you are in compliance with state laws. All business entities are required by the Secretary of State to file an annual report.
Inc Authority will file an annual report with pertinent information like the name and address of any directors or managing members of your LLC, as well as the address of your company and registered agent. This service will ensure you avoid penalties or involuntary dissolution.
While there are no hidden fees with Inc Authority, customers will have to pay the required state taxes. This is true with every LLC filing service.
Taxes and fees will vary by state. Inc Authority provides an LLC Formation Guide that will help you discover the fees and costs associated with starting an LLC in your state.
Read our guide to learn more about the costs associated with starting an LLC.
Inc Authority offers a 60-day money-back guarantee on its products and services. If you want to return a purchase, you can reach out to customer service within the first 60 days to get a full refund. This refund will not include any state fees or third-party fees, as those are non-refundable.
Inc Authority offers additional services besides its business formation and registered agent services, including:
- Federal trademark: Comprehensive trademark filing service and legal consultation to help entrepreneurs protect their businesses.
- Revocable living trust: Long-term financial planning, asset protection and estate services.
- Business credit: A credit-building system and 90-day one-on-one coaching to help entrepreneurs establish an A+ business credit rating.
- Business funding: Pre-qualification for unsecured business loans and credit-building services to improve the chances of success in loan applications.
- Business plan: A dedicated business plan advisor to help you develop a comprehensive plan for your business.
- Website and marketing: Services for obtaining a domain and website, web design, logo design and design for other marketing materials.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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