I was about to sign up with Inc Authority because they advertise a free LLC formation, but after actually reading the terms it looks like the free part only covers the filing. Their registered agent service is bundled in at a monthly cost, and the compliance tools seem to require a separate subscription. I'm not against paying for services, but I don't like feeling tricked by the word 'free.' Has anyone here used them and found the actual total cost to be reasonable?
Business Services
The Inc Authority package looked attractive until I read the details
The word free in business services almost never means free forever. Inc Authority is not alone in this, but their upsells are pretty aggressive after signup. I used them for a simple LLC and the filing itself was fine, but I ended up switching to a cheaper registered agent later.
How much is the monthly registered agent fee after the first year? That's the part that always gets me.
I looked at them last year. The initial package covers the state filing fee only in some states, and even then you have to pay it separately if I remember correctly. The real cost creep is the registered agent and the compliance dashboard. If you don't need those, just file directly with the state and pay a cheap registered agent company.
A lot of these formation companies make their money on the back end. The free filing is just a hook to get you into their ecosystem. I would rather pay a flat fee upfront than get nic kel and dimed monthly.
i used Inc Authority for my first LLC and it waw OK for what it was, but I didn't love the pressure to add on their services during checkout. If you're comfortable saying no and managing your own compliance, you can keep the cost low. If you want hand holding, you'll pay for it.
Not a fan of the way they present the free offer. It felt misleading to me. I ended up going with a different service that was clearer about the total cost from the start.
Everyone is focusing on the fees, but check the contract terms too. Some of these companies auto-renew your registered agent and make it annoying to cancel. I would read the fine print on cancellation before signing anything.
Just file with your state directly. It's not that hard unless you're in a state with a complicated process. Then use a cheap registered agent service if you don't have a physical address to use. Saves you from all the upsells.