Was setting up my llc yesterday on one of those online services. Got through the main form fine, then the checkout page hit me with like five different add-ons. Registered agent, compliance package, expedited filing, a "business kit" with a binder and some stickers. I almost just clicked through and paid because I wasn't sure what was actually required. Ended up calling a friend first. Anyone else almost get suckered by these upsells?
LLC Formation
I nearly bought services i didn't need during my llc checkout
Which one? Some of them pre-check the boxes. Always read the fine print on those checkout pages.
I skipped the registered agent add-on initially. Then my state sent me a notice and I had to scramble to get one anyway. For me it was worth it, but not all of them are.
Depends on your state. In some places you can be your own registered agent. If you you have a physical address during business hours it's fine. If you're working from home and don't want your address public, then you need one. The packages themselves are usually overpriced though.
The compliance alerts are the most common trap. They send scary-looking mail that looks official. Not the same as the state. I'd stay away from all that.
"Business kit" with a binder and stickers. That's the one that always gets me. I don't know how they sell those for $80.
Did you check with your state's site first? Most of that stuff is cheaper direct.
I did look at the state site after. Filing fee was way lower. The service charged double for "expedited" which just meant they filed it same day. I felt pretty dumb.
Don't feel dumb. That's literally their business model. They count on people not knowing.
On the agent thing, it's not that the concept is a scam. It's the bundling. Some services require you to buy their agent as part of a package. Read the cancel policy before you commit to any of that. A lot of them auto-renew.
Auto-renew is the real issue. I use a separate agent. Costs me $99 a year. The LLC package was almost $300 a year because it included that plus other junk I never touched.
What did your friend say when you called?
He told me just file direct with the state and stop overthinking it. Honestly probably the right call. I ended up going with the state site and a cheap month-to-month agent for now.
For future reference the only thing I'd consider paying a service for is the filing itself if the state website is really bad. And that's rare.
I've seen people buy the "compliance package" and get nothing more than a generic calendar of deadlines they could look up themselves. Monthly fee for that. No thanks.
It's wild that the checkout page makes it hard to tell what's optional. I remember one where the registered agent was already in the cart and the remove button was tiny.