Harvard Business Services LLC Review

Are They A Reliable Service?

Harvard Business Services LLC Review

Are you in the process of forming an LLC and considering using an online formation service to assist you?

Maybe the legalese and red tape involved in the DIY option is unappealing, or you’re sick of trying to decipher needlessly complex state resource sites. I’ve been there too, believe me!

To supplement your own research, my team and I have spent hundreds of hours going over the details of every major business formation services. Rather than trying to convince you to use one service over another, I’d like to help you feel informed enough to choose the best LLC formation service for your company.

In this Harvard Business Services LLC review, I’ll discuss the pros and cons, pricing and features, customer reviews and more. Let’s find out if they’re the best fit for you.

Recommended: Read our review of the best LLC services.

Recommended Step Before Using Harvard Business Services to Form an LLC

It’s important to name your LLC before going through the business formation process with a professional service. TRUiC’s Free LLC Name Generator will help you to do the following:

  • Find the perfect name for your new LLC.
  • Conduct a name search to make sure your desired LLC name is available.
  • Help secure a domain name for your company.

Harvard Business Services Pros & Cons

Pros of Harvard Business Services

  • With 175,000+ businesses served since 1981, their longevity and volume are both impressive.
  • Their customer reviews are spectacular. They hold an incredible 9.8/10 rating on TrustPilot, with over 1,400 reviews.
  • They often run sales that include some deep discounts. At the time of this writing, they were offering $100 off any formation package.
  • Not only do they offer a full year of registered agent service with any LLC formation package, but their standard annual fee of $50 for registered agent is the lowest in the industry, and that rate is guaranteed for the life of your company.
  • Is Spanish your preferred language? Harvard Business Services not only has a complete Spanish-language version of their website, but they also have Spanish-speaking support reps.

Cons of Harvard Business Services

  • There’s a reason Harvard Business Services uses the web domain DelawareInc.com. They specialize solely in Delaware formations, so if you’re looking to form your LLC elsewhere, you’ll need to find a different provider.
  • Their pricing is a bit on the high side, as their base rate of $179 can’t compare to Incfile’s $0.
  • None of their formation packages include a federal tax ID number (EIN). Many competitors offer an EIN, at least in their top-shelf packages.

Harvard Business Services Alternative

Incfile is one of the best services to choose if you're forming a business on a budget but are still looking for all the essential features. Read Review

Incfile

Harvard Business Services LLC Pricing & Features

Harvard Business Services has 3 packages of LLC formation service, ranging from $179 to $329: Green, Basic and Standard.

Harvard Business Services LLC Pricing & Features

Green = $179 + State Fee

What It Includes: This package includes Delaware formation basics like business name availability check, document prep and filing, certificates of formation and a digital copy of your documents.

In addition, all customers get a full year of registered agent service to receive and forward important documents, lifetime customer support, and compliance coaching to teach you about important requirements and deadlines.

Who It’s Right For: Any business owner who wants to form an LLC in Delaware, with everything you need to ensure ongoing compliance, should be interested in this package.

Basic = $229 + State Fee

What It Includes: Everything in the Green package, plus a hard copy of your formation documents, and a CD-ROM including sample operating agreements, bylaws, tax forms, bank resolutions and more.

Who It’s Right For: If you want the sample documents, this is a good deal. Just keep in mind that they would need to be customized for your company before using them.

Standard = $329 + State Fee

What It Includes: Everything in the Basic package, plus an LLC kit and seal, which includes customizable bylaws, operating agreements, organizational resolutions, stock certificates, tax forms, banking resolutions and more.

Who It’s Right For: If you want the kit/seal, this isn’t a bad value. However, the inclusion of customizable forms in the LLC kit doesn’t add much value because they’re already available in the Basic package’s CD-ROM.

Recommended Package

To me, it comes down to whether or not you want the sample documents. If you do, go for the Basic package. If not, Green is great.

Customer Reviews

If you’re looking for excellent customer reviews, look no further. Harvard Business Services is very popular with their customers, with thousands of positive reviews across the web.

Their customers generally seem to enjoy how quickly they work, and appreciate their knowledgeable support reps.

Customer Reviews Section Last Updated 8-1-17

Conclusion: They’ve got a high volume of positive reviews and an insignificant amount of critical feedback. That’s the ideal combination.

How Harvard Business Services Compares

Considering how many hours I’ve invested into researching LLC formation providers, I’ve noticed that some of these services offer a better value than others. Still, the reason we’re here is to figure out who has the best balance of pricing and features for your company.

Harvard Business Services is a strong LLC formation service due to their great customer reviews and their affordable registered agent service. Of course, it’s always a good idea to see what the competition’s up to, so let’s check out my personal favorite, Incfile.

Pricing: Incfile’s prices starts at $0, a $179 savings over Harvard Business Service’s base rate.

Features: With Incfile, you get a 1-hour business tax consultation, which Harvard Business Services doesn’t offer, and Incfile also offers formation service in all 50 states, as opposed to just in Delaware.

Turnaround Time: Harvard Business Services offers same-day filings on all LLC formation services, and they also claim to be faster than any competitor in sending out your documents. Incfile’s turnaround times vary by state but run from 1 business day to 8 weeks.

Customer Support: Incfile offers phone and email support from 10am to 7pm ET Monday through Friday. On the other hand, Harvard Business Services is available from 10am to 6pm ET, but also offers Skype and web chat options.

Businesses Formed So Far: Incfile has helped form 150,000+ businesses since 2004, but Harvard Business Services has the edge with over 175,000 formations since 1981.

HERE'S A QUICK VISUAL

Incfile

Pricing Starts at $0

150,000+ Businesses formed so far

Perfect for: Anyone starting a business on a budget and need quick business formation

HBS

Pricing Starts at $179

170,000+ Businesses formed so far

Perfect for: Anyone looking to form a business in Delaware by specialists

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Just Form a Business Myself?

It’s certainly possible, but it can be a hassle depending on your business. The DIY route requires a degree of familiarity with specific state requirements and also quite a bit of legalese. A provider like Harvard Business Services can handle those issues for you, giving you peace of mind and leaving you to actually run your business. If you do want to form an LLC yourself, check out our extensive how-to guide.

Are There Any Hidden Fees?

Nope, Harvard Business Services does a good job of being up-front regarding all pricing matters.

Is My Information Secure?

Their website is protected by McAfee SECURE, which scans for malware and encrypts your private data. You’re as safe or moreso on their site as you are on any competitor’s site.

Does Harvard Business Services Offer Ongoing Support?

They certainly do. Not only do they provide ongoing support, but they have more options for support (phone, email, Skype, web chat) than most of their competitors do.