Are you forming a new LLC, but you’re not sure which of the many service providers you should look to for help?
Swyft Filings is a popular option when it comes to LLC service, but does that mean they’re the best fit for your company?
This Swyft Filings LLC service alternatives guide highlights the similarities and differences between Swyft Filings and some of their top competitors. Which one has the features you need at the prices you want?
ZenBusiness opened their doors in 2015, and they have a unique approach to business formation services thanks to their use of automation to speed up and simplify several parts of the process. Let’s see how they stack up when compared to Swyft Filings.
- ZenBusiness is one of the most affordable LLC services online. For just $39 (plus state fee), they will form your business and provide a full year of registered agent service. That off the bat will save you $10 as opposed to Swyft Filings.
- If you like seeing positive customer reviews, you’ll love ZenBusiness. They have well over 3,700 reviews available online, and it’s difficult to find more than just a small handful of negative reviews.
- We really appreciate ZenBusiness’ commitment to giving back. As a public benefit corporation, ZenBusiness partners with Kiva.org to provide financial lending services to poverty-stricken individuals, and they also loan money to women-owned and minority-owned businesses.
The only negative with ZenBusiness is that if you’re on a VERY tight budget, they might not be the best option for you. If that is the case, IncFile has a free LLC service.
Want to learn more about ZenBusiness? Read our review.
Since opening in 1998, Northwest Registered Agent has become a trusted midsize company providing affordable business services online. Where do their advantages and disadvantages lie when compared to Swyft Filings?
- Northwest Registered Agent starts the pricing for their LLC formation service at $225, which is much more expensive than Swyft Filings at $49.
- Like ZenBusiness, Northwest includes 12 months of registered agent service when you order any LLC service package. Even better is the fact that Northwest Registered Agent is the only major service provider that locally scans every document they receive as your registered agent, whereas most competitors only scan your official government docs.
- Customer support is what Northwest Registered Agent is known for above all else.
Although they don’t have a comparable volume of feedback to the thousands of reviews Swyft Filings and IncFile have, the dozens of Northwest Registered Agent reviews available online are almost all positive in nature.
Want to learn more about Northwest Registered Agent? Read our review.
IncFile has been in the game a bit longer than Swyft Filings (which opened in 2012), with over 250,000 customers served since they opened in 2004. With great rates and smartly bundled features, IncFile is a top LLC service for a reason. How do they compare to Swyft Filings?
- IncFile’s starting price point of $0 plus state fee is the cheapest LLC formation service online.
- One major advantage IncFile has over Swyft Filings is the inclusion of a full year of registered agent service with the purchase of any LLC formation package. Swyft Filings does not include registered agent with any of their LLC service packages.
- Much like Swyft Filings, IncFile gets highly positive customer feedback. Both companies have thousands of reviews all over the internet, and they both also maintain high average scores that indicate most customers would recommend the service.
Both of these companies offer strong customer support, but Swyft Filings is much more responsive than IncFile. Whereas Swyft Filings always responds to phone calls and messages quickly, we’ve experienced wait times exceeding 24 hours to hear back from IncFile at times.
Want to learn more about IncFile? Read our review.
As opposed to the other options in this guide, LegalZoom is an industry giant. Since 1999, they’ve served over 4 million clients, including over 1 million LLC formations, which is a massive volume of customers. Here’s how they stack up to Swyft Filings otherwise.
- Their LLC service starts at $99 before state fees, which is exactly $50 more expensive than the $49 rate offered by Swyft Filings.
- Like Swyft Filings, LegalZoom does not include any registered agent service in their LLC formation packages. Whereas Swyft Filings provides a 30-minute business tax consultation and a free domain name for a year, LegalZoom counters with a banking resolution to help you open business checking and savings accounts.
- LegalZoom has longer customer service hours than any other company in the industry. They’re available from 8am-10pm ET on weekdays and they’re even open from 10am-7pm ET on weekends. While Swyft Filings has a better reputation for the high quality of their support, their hours of operation are a more standard 10am-7pm ET on weekdays.
One major area of overlap between LegalZoom and Swyft Filings is the fact that both of them offer satisfaction guarantees. If you’re less than entirely pleased with your LLC formation, you simply need to ask for a refund and they will grant it.
However, it’s worth noting that our LegalZoom LLC alternatives article is one of our most researched reviews.
Want to learn more about LegalZoom? Read our review.
The Best Swyft Filings Alternative?
These providers are all more than capable of handling your LLC formation, as well as offering many other business solutions.
The biggest benefit of using a provider like this is that you save hundreds of dollars compared to hiring a business attorney to draft and file your articles of organization.
Each of these four companies has their advantages relative to the others. Which one you choose likely comes down to which one best addresses your priorities. IncFile and ZenBusiness offer the lowest prices, LegalZoom has the most experience, and Northwest Registered Agent has the best customer service.
No matter which provider you choose for your LLC formation, we wish you the best in all your future business endeavors!
Frequently Asked Questions
Got questions? We’ve got answers.
How Do Other LLC Services Compare with Swyft Filings?
If you’d like to see side-by-side comparisons of these LLC formation websites, check out our reviews below:
Which Service Has the Best Customer Support?
None of these service providers have bad customer support, but Northwest Registered Agent definitely takes things the extra mile in this regard. Every Northwest client receives support from a dedicated employee who is highly trained and knowledgeable.
Do Any of These Services Handle Requirements Like Publication?
Swyft Filings is the only one of these four companies that offers publication service where required. While LegalZoom and IncFile leave you on your own to complete the requirement, and Northwest only provides a list of instructions, Swyft Filings offers to handle this for you.
In their own words, “There are certain states that will require you to publish a notice of business formation in the local newspaper(s) such as Arizona, New York, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania. The requirement can be met by using a filing service such as Swyft Filings.”
Which Service Has the Fewest Upsells?
We don’t have a problem with the way Northwest, IncFile, or Swyft Filings operate in this category. They all provide opportunities to upgrade services or add features, but they never feel pushy about it at all.
However, LegalZoom attempts over $1,000 worth of upsells as you navigate their LLC service order form, which really feels like overkill to us.
Do These Services Share My Information With Third Parties?
While LegalZoom and Northwest Registered Agent do a good job of avoiding third-party partnership offers, both IncFile and Swyft Filings have a handful of them.
IncFile pushes third-party deals for a business tax consult session, a business bank account, and a website builder package through other companies. For their part, Swyft Filings has offers for domain names, website hosting, and a national accounting firm.
Are Any of These Services Faster Than the Others?
Swyft Filings really lives up to their name, as they are often slightly quicker when forming LLCs than the other competitors in this guide, although it’s usually not a significant difference.
The only other thing we’ll mention in this section is that LegalZoom structures their turnaround times differently than the other three companies do. While Swyft, Northwest, and IncFile all base their processing times on each individual state’s ability to process LLC formations, LegalZoom instead has turnarounds based on which level of service you order from them.
Their cheapest package takes around 30 business days, while their most expensive package takes 7-10 business days.
Which Service Has the Best Refund Policy?
Swyft Filings and LegalZoom both have outstanding refund policies. With their satisfaction guarantees, they will grant a refund request for any reason, and they don’t even charge any convenience or processing fees.
Can I Just Form an LLC on My Own, Without a Service?
You certainly can, and many entrepreneurs do indeed form their own LLCs every day. However, there’s no substitute for the peace of mind you receive from hiring a professional service to form your LLC. Their expertise can be reassuring.
