BizFilings Registered Agent Service Review
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Harvard Business Services Registered Agent Review
Harvard Business Services offers affordable Delaware registered agent service, but it doesn’t offer services in any other state. Here at ZenBusiness, we provide registered agent services in all 50 states.
Starts at $199
If you want to form a business in the United States, you’ll 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 service of process and 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. 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 LLC formation services that also offer registered agent services 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 Harvard Business Services, one of the most popular service providers in the industry. Are they the right registered agent service for your business?
About Harvard Business Services
Harvard Business Services has formed 300,000+ businesses in the state of Delaware since it opened back in 1981. For its first several years in business, the founder operated the company out of his own home until the workload became too much to handle, and he expanded the business into a more typical office space. It’s worth noting that HBS solely provides services for Delaware businesses.
30-Second Summary of Our Review
Harvard Business Services is a solid provider of registered agent service in the state of Delaware, although it doesn’t provide service in any other state. Most competitors, like us at ZenBusiness, offer services in all 50 states. That said, HBS receives good customer reviews and has solid pricing models for Delaware businesses.
Harvard Business Services Strengths
- Low registered agent fee – Offering Delaware registered agent service for an annual fee of just $50 is a good deal.
- Positive customer reviews – Harvard Business Services’ customer feedback confirms that the majority of their clients are pleased with the service they receive.
- Plenty of experience – With more than 300,000 businesses formed in the state of Delaware since 1981, Harvard Business Services has a strong track record of success.
- Strong customer support – Harvard Business Services has reliable and efficient customer service that compares favorably to many competitors.
Harvard Business Services Weaknesses
- They only provide services in Delaware – As is, they’re still a good option for entrepreneurs needing service in Delaware. However, if your business ever expands to another state, you’ll have to find a different registered agent to serve your other locations.
Pricing and Additional Features
Their annual fee of $50 per year is affordable, especially when you consider that they guarantee this rate will never increase throughout the entire life cycle of your company. Their registered agent service doesn’t include any additional features, but at this price point, it doesn’t need to. However, again, this deal is only available in Delaware. Even if your company is based in Delaware and has locations in other states, Harvard Business Services won’t provide services outside the state.
Harvard Business Services vs. Other Registered Agent Services
If your business is based in Delaware and you don’t have plans to expand beyond the state’s borders, Harvard Business Services is an option. However, due to HBS’ “Delaware-only” focus, businesses that have any expansion plans might want to look elsewhere. For more information on your other options, take a look at our guide to the top reviewed registered agent services available.
Online Customer Reviews
Harvard Business Services has thousands of reviews available online, with most of them appearing on Trustpilot, where they have a positive reputation. With more than 3,300 reviews, they maintain a 98% rate of 4- or 5-star reviews. Their clients often discuss their low prices, helpful customer support, and high ease of use.
Customer Service Quality
Harvard Business Services offers customer support through a variety of different mediums, including phone, email, web chat, and Skype. Both in our own experience and according to their customer reviews, Harvard Business Services representatives are helpful and professional no matter how you contact them.
Their response times are quick, meaning you won’t have to sit around waiting to hear back from them. We also like how they list their staff members’ direct phone extensions on their website.
Main Reasons to Use Harvard Business Services
If you operate a business in Delaware and don’t plan on expanding it, they’re an option. Their positive customer feedback, affordable registered agent service pricing, and solid customer support are a few good reasons to consider their services.
Main Reasons Not to Use Harvard Business Services
Obviously, if you operate a business in any state other than Delaware or you’re planning on expanding beyond Delaware, Harvard Business Services isn’t an option. The main reason we would consider using a competitor in Delaware is if you also need to form your business entity, there are some other options like us at ZenBusiness that offer free LLC formations (+ state fee) in any state.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Harvard Business Services Registered Agent Service
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Harvard Business Services has formed more than 300,000 business entities since it opened for business back in 1981. They have a good reputation for customer feedback, as the majority of their thousands of reviews are positive. Their clients frequently mention how pleased they are with the speed of their services, as well as the assistance provided by their customer support team.
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We invite you to check out some of our comparison guides, which take a head-to-head view of the competition between Harvard Business Services and its top competitors.
Harvard Business Services vs. ZenBusiness: While Harvard Business Services charges at least $89 for Delaware-only LLC formation service, we will form your LLC in any state for free (just pay your state’s fee). HBS offers Delaware registered agent service for $50/year. While our $199/year rate is higher, we offer this service in all states. In addition, ZenBusiness has 12,000+ mostly positive reviews on Trustpilot, while Harvard Business Services has around 3,000.
Our satisfaction guarantee is a nice advantage. If you’re not 100% satisfied with your purchase, we’ll refund the fees you paid us (except for any fees paid to government entities) for up to 60 days, with no questions asked! Harvard Business Services only gives you 30 days and charges a service fee for refunds.
Harvard Business Services vs. Incfile: Like us, Incfile offers an LLC formation package for free in all 50 states, as long as you pay your own state fee. Harvard Business Services charges $89 for a Delaware LLC. HBS’ $50/year fee for registered agent service undercuts Incfile’s $119/year rate, but HBS’ Delaware-only restriction is a major consideration.
While both of these companies have good customer reviews, Incfile has more of them. Overall, the advantage for Harvard Business Services in this competition is in the area of turnaround times because they can form Delaware businesses faster than Incfile.
Harvard Business Services vs. LegalZoom: LegalZoom has a free package for LLC formations, but it includes little when it comes to features. LegalZoom also has more experience than Harvard Business Services, with more than 2 million LLCs and corporations formed. That said, HBS offers $50/year Delaware registered agent service, while LegalZoom charges $249/year in any state.
Harvard Business Services and LegalZoom have similar customer feedback reputations, as both companies have thousands of positive reviews and only a small handful of negative feedback. LegalZoom has an advantage over Harvard Business Services in the area of experience.
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To connect with Harvard Business Services via phone, you can call 1-800-345-CORP, and their general information contact email address is info@delawareinc.com. You can also contact them via Skype or live chat.
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In short, yes, every LLC and corporation operating in America today needs to designate a registered agent. This person or business entity receives service of process and important document deliveries from the state, then forwards them to your business. It’s a crucial part of any LLC or corporation’s compliance. However, you don’t necessarily need to hire a registered agent service — you can serve in this role yourself, appoint a family member or friend, hire an attorney or accountant to handle it, etc.
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As long as you request your refund within 30 days, they will provide it less a 5% service fee with no questions asked. This refund policy isn’t bad, but it pales in comparison to our satisfaction guarantee which provides a full refund of our service fees at any time within 60 days of purchase.
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Harvard Business Services provides quite a few additional services for their Delaware clients, including business formations, Certificates of Good Standing, EIN acquisition, certified copies, apostille, mail forwarding, foreign qualifications, operating agreements, amendments, business licensing, and dissolutions.
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The biggest advantage for Harvard Business Services is its fast Delaware LLC formations. We also appreciate its reasonable pricing for registered agent service.
As for disadvantages, its Delaware-only focus is obviously a major issue if you’re trying to form or maintain a business elsewhere. For instance, if you expanded your business beyond Delaware, Harvard Business Services wouldn’t provide registered agent services for your additional locations.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
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