If you want to form an LLC in the United States, you will need to designate a registered agent. The role of the registered agent involves the usage of their address as your official business address, which means they’ll receive important document deliveries on your behalf, including court summons and other official correspondence from your state government.
While you can legally serve as your own agent and still operate a compliant business entity, there are some other benefits of hiring a registered agent service, like the ability to keep your personal information out of the public record. In addition, having a registered agent makes it so that you don’t need to be available at your place of business during all standard business hours, and it also cuts down on the amount of junk mail you’ll receive.
There are many companies that offer this vital service to businesses, and it can be difficult to discern which one is the best option for your company. In this review, we’ll take a close look at CT, one of the most popular service providers in the industry. Are they the right registered agent service for your business?
About CT
CT is a truly global compliance firm, as they have offices in more than 150 countries. They’re a subsidiary of Wolters Kluwer, a business management company with an incredibly wide reach. CT has been around since 1892, so their experience level is tough to top.
On their website, CT says that the aspects of their business that set them apart from their competitors include quality and consistency, ownership and accountability, and their expert service teams. The average CT employee has ten years of experience with the company, and they have 440 team members located in the United States.
A fun fact about CT is their offering of a variety of resources to help you maintain your company’s compliant status.
CT has authored several books about business compliance, they host more than 20 seminars and webinars each year, and they provide a vast array of articles, checklists, and news updates as well.
30-Second Summary of Our Review
CT is one of the oldest and most trusted companies in the online business services industry. They’ve been in business since the 19th century, and they’re the largest registered agent service company in the world today, with several hundred thousand customers.
However, all of that experience comes at a cost, as their registered agent service has one of the highest price points in the industry. In fact, their prices are so high that they’re three times as expensive as some of their competitors.
CT Strengths
- Worldwide leader in registered agent service – CT provides registered agent service to more companies than any other competitor. They are the most popular registered agent provider in the world today.
- More experience than any competitor – CT has been around since the 19th century, and to this day they handle an enormous volume of clients.
- Global business solutions, not just national – Most competitors focus strictly on the American business landscape, but CT has solutions for companies all around the globe.
- Great educational resources and guides – No other company in this industry provides their clients with more resources than CT does. On their website, you can access their library of publications, check out their event calendar, and browse their vast collection of business resources.
CT Weaknesses
- High prices – CT doesn’t have the absolute highest prices in this industry, but they’re very close. There are dozens of competing companies that significantly undercut their price points.
- Few customer reviews – CT is probably too big of an operation to concern themselves with online customer feedback. Still, it’s disappointing that we can’t read any testimonials from their current clients.
Pricing & Additional Features
CT charges a flat rate of $319 per year for registered agent service. This also includes access to their online portal, which includes a variety of compliance assistance tools.
CT vs Other Registered Agent Services
CT has a few obvious advantages, starting with their experience and client volume.
If you want to use the most popular service available, CT should be at the top of your list. However, their prices are much higher than most competitors, so we hardly ever recommend CT to any of our readers.
Especially when companies like ZenBusiness offer free business formation service (just pay your state’s fee) and registered agent service starting at $99 for the first year, and CT charges $319 just for registered agent, we think you can find a better bargain elsewhere. For more information on your other options, take a look at our guide to the top registered agent services available.
Online Customer Reviews
For a company with hundreds of thousands of clients and well over a century of experience, we expected to find plenty of customer reviews for their services. However, that was not the case at all, as we only were able to find two total reviews, both on the Better Business Bureau website.
Their website claims that they’re “rated 4.7 out of 5 stars from 43 CT Corporation client reviews on Google,” but those reviews don’t actually appear to exist. They do have several testimonials on their own website, but we strongly prefer third-party review sites.
Customer Service Quality
You can reach CT’s customer support department by phone, email, or chat. CT is known for their excellent customer service, and we’re happy to report that this is our experience with them as well. They have a few different phone numbers to choose from, based on what type of support you need.
If you’d prefer, you can also fill out a form on their website to schedule a call with one of their reps. They have quick response times, and their agents definitely know what they’re talking about.
Main Reasons to Use CT
If you prioritize using the most popular service, CT is for you. Their customer volume is truly second to none in this industry. In addition, if you operate a large company that has plans to expand beyond the United States, CT’s global expertise could come in handy.
Main Reasons Not to Use CT
If pricing matters to you at all, you will almost certainly choose one of their competitors. For example, ZenBusiness offers registered agent service for just $99 for the first year and $199 after that. Additionally, if you like to read customer feedback on objective third-party websites, CT is probably not for you.
Conclusion
CT Corporation has more registered agent service clients than any other company. It also provides services all around the world, while most other companies in this guide only operate in America. However, CT charges $320/year for registered agent service and $745 (+ state fee) for LLC formations.