Is Inc Authority a Good LLC Service? A 2022 Review
Updated · Mar 30, 2022
Some or all of the products/services listed on this page are from our affiliate partners from which we receive commissions. This, however, does not influence the evaluations in our reviews. Learn more by reading our .
WebTribunal.net is an independent review site dedicated to providing accurate information about various tech, financial, and business-related services. WebTribunal.net remains financially sustainable by participating in a series of affiliate partnerships - if a visitor click on link toward a product and purchases it, WebTribunal.net receives a commission that covers the expenses of running this site. Affiliate partnerships may affect where a particular product is listed within a ranking page, but they don't affect the reviews' content in any way. WebTribunal.net's in-house writing team creates all of the site's content after in-depth research. Advertisers have no control over the personal opinions expressed by team members, whose job is to stay faithful to the truth and remain objective.
- $0 + state fees for filing formation documents
- One year of free registered agent
- Inc Authority coupon
- Vast experience
- Expensive premium packages
- No refunds
With more than 30 years of experience, Inc Authority is undoubtedly one of the giants in the LLC formation industry. It helped out over 130,000 business entities to get off the ground—thousands of happy customers express their gratitude in Inc Authority reviews.
Here, we’ve gathered the essential information about Inc Authority to help you decide whether it’s the right service for you.
What Is Inc Authority
The company is one of the oldest and most successful of its kind. The main reason for its popularity is that it offers free LLC filing services! There is only one other LLC platform that provides you with free formation filing.
Sounds like a great deal yet? Let’s see what its other benefits are:
Inc Authority Pros
- Founded in 1989, the company has vast experience and it’s a well-established name in the business.
- You can find plenty of Inc Authority reviews on the web, most of which praise the quality of the company’s services and support.
- Let’s cut to the chase: the main incentive for using Inc Authority might very well be its prices—$0 + state fees for the main LLC formation services!
- IncAuthority also offers one year of free registered agent with the option of annual renewal for $99.
- The customer service agent’s responsiveness and kindness are well known, with many reviewers mentioning specific names when praising the team!
- If you decide to go for the paid packages after using the free filing services, you will enjoy the Inc Authority coupon deal with discounts starting from 20% for any chosen business plan!
- Inc Authority offers a variety of unique features. For instance, meeting with a professional tax planner or undergoing a business funding analysis (both part of the free plan).
Inc Authority Cons
- Although you can choose to open an LLC for free, its paid packages are quite expensive compared to most competitors.
- The Inc Authority refund policy is non-existent. It is explicitly stated on the website that no reimbursements will be made.
Services
Next in our review, we at HostingTribunal will summarize Inc Authority LLC’s most notable features.
Filing Articles of Organization
Inc Authority will prepare all necessary documents to form your business and submit them to the state. Keep in mind that you will be required to pay the state fees. The formation process is never entirely free.
Name Availability Search
This feature saves you the hassle of searching through your state’s database on your own. Inc Authority will find out if any business has already claimed your desired name for you.
This service is free if you decide to settle for the basic package. Don’t forget that the Inc Authority cost for this plan might be $0, but you’ll have to pay the respective state fees!
Registered Agent Service
With any of the business plans, you get the registered agent option for free for one year. This means that Inc Authority will receive official mail from the state on your behalf. Customers love this Inc Authority LLC service!
Tax Consultation
You can now ask tax-related questions and explore fiscal issues in collaboration with knowledgeable professionals. They will help you set up a feasible plan, spot tax benefits, and remain in good standing with the state. Note that this is an outsourced service, so Inc Authority will share information with a 3rd party.
Operating Agreement
This template is not included in the free package. You can either buy it separately for $89 or purchase one of the paid business plans—the feature is included in the total Inc Authority cost of all packages.
If you own a corporation, the same applies to bylaws.
Federal Tax ID Number
This service is also not included in the basic free package, but it’s an extremely useful addition to your business toolkit. We recommend purchasing it separately for $49 from Inc Authority or undergoing the not-so-pleasant process of obtaining one from the IRS for free. You can also buy one of the Inc Authority LLC business bundles, but that’s not very cost-effective if you’re doing it just to get an EIN.
Access to a Business Checking Account
Inc Authority works in collaboration with Bank America to provide you with this service. The best part is that it is included in the free LLC formation option.
Record Book and Seals
Get a personalized binder for your documents and add a vintage touch to the formation process with customized seals. Although it’s not an essential feature, it is a neat addition to the list of services.
Plans & Pricing
In this section, we will take a closer look at what Inc Authority offers as part of its free package and paid business bundles. We will present the structure of Inc Authority’s offering and discuss several additional features.
Despite being virtually free, the LLC services in this package have various fees depending on the state-specific requirements. The plan includes filing formation documents with the state, a business name check, and one year of free registered agent. You also get a business checking account and business funding analysis & tax planning consultation.
Being the first and most affordable plan out of the three, the Starter business bundle is Inc Authority’s best-selling package. Some of the most useful additions are ownership certificates, Employer Identification Number, binder and seal, and Inc Protection Advisor for one year.
The plan includes everything from the Starter pack plus some interesting add-ons, such as website domain name (which costs about $10 through a dedicated registrar) and business license report. The Inc Authority pricing for this bundle starts at $499 + state fees. It comes with the luxury of having your private online domain and being informed about all licenses and permits that your business requires.
This is the most expensive out of the Inc Authority bundles. It comes with expedite processing and BizCredit Express. The latter contains a Business Credit Coach for 90 days, Multi-Tiered Credit Building System, Dun and Bradstreet Credit Bureau Registration, and Business Credit LaunchPad. That said, be careful when choosing the premium package. Its features, although eye-catching, are not essential for your business.
Support
The company is renowned for its responsive and supportive customer service reps. Customers praise the staff in many Inc Authority reviews. They sometimes even mention specific agents by name, thanking them publicly for their help and professional attitude.
You can find Inc Authority’s contact information by clicking on the “Contact Us” link in the navigation bar. The company’s office is in Reno, Nevada. You can get in touch with customer support by email ([email protected]) or at the Inc Authority's phone number (1-877-462-6366) during weekdays from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm PT.
Ease of Use
Despite not having the most intuitive and easy-to-navigate website, the checkout process is still remarkably simple and straightforward. You can visit IncAuthority.com to place orders or get information about the company and its services.
If you decide to give Inc Authority a shot, click the “Start now for free” button. After you get an account, you can return to it by clicking the Inc Authority login option.
Inc Authority User Reviews
Inc Authority has over 4,000 reviews available online, the overwhelming majority of them being extremely positive. Judging by the number and nature of user opinions, Inc Authority might very well be the best LLC service out there!
It has an almost perfect rating on TrustPilot—4.8/5. Even Redditors have nice things to say about the platform: “they have really good reviews and they were nice.” On Better Business Bureau, Inc Authority is also A-rated, proving its position among the top.
There are very few complaints about the company and most of them were resolved promptly.
Is Inc Authority Worth It?
We consider Inc Authority one of the best LLC formation services. We are basing our verdict on the excellent free filing services, great registered agent offer, and helpfulness of customer support but also on the multitude of positive Inc Authority reviews.
Inc Authority ticks all boxes!
Of course, it is not the only LLC service on the market. Companies like ZenBusiness or Northwest Agent have more advantageous business plans (considerably cheaper than the Inc Authority LLC premium packages) that fight for the title of the best incorporation service.
Alternatives of Inc Authority
Let’s see how Inc Authority’s rivals perform in comparison with the Nevada-based company:
Inc Authority vs IncFile
Ladies and gentlemen, “The battle of the Incs.” can commence!
While Inc Authority has top-notch customer feedback and a flawless track record, IncFile shines with the affordability of its paid packages (read our IncFile review for a detailed analysis of its features).
It’s a tough competition. If you’re wondering “How do I get a free LLC formation?”
The answer is: “By choosing any of these two.”
Inc Authority vs ZenBusiness
This is a somewhat paradoxical comparison. Inc Authority is the cheapest LLC registration option, starting at $0 + state fees. On the other hand, ZenBusiness has more affordable bundles with numerous services packed together.
Both companies offer high-quality services, but they excel in different areas. Find out more about ZenBusiness’ offers in our complete review.
Inc Authority vs LegalZoom
LegalZoom is, without doubt, the most popular and renowned LLC and legal service. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better. The platform is notorious for its relatively high prices, annoying upsells, mixed user reviews, and other downsides that you won’t encounter using Inc Authority.
To see the full list of pros and cons and decide for yourself, read our LegalZoom review.
Inc Authority vs Northwest Registered Agent
Although Northwest has the best customer support in the business and arguably the best registered agent service, Inc Authority might be a better bang for your buck if you are on a budget.
Verdict
All in all, Inc Authority has high-quality services and some of the most attractive offerings in the industry.
It provides excellent formation features and unique services, such as the S Corps tax election forms or the Inc Authority business checking account.
Whether you should use its services or not depends on your budget, goals, and the nature of your business.
Yes. Inc Authority is completely legitimate. Operating since 1989, it has helped more than 130,000 companies to get started so far.
Yes, the platform does provide free basic formation services. However, it also tries to upsell to you its premium packages, which most Inc Authority reviews point out as a downside.
The first 12 months of usage are free of charge. After that, the registered agent option costs $99/year.
Unaware that life beyond the internet exists, Nick is poking servers and control panels, playing with WordPress add-ons, and helping people get the hosting that suits them.