Choosing the right business formation service is essential for a seamless formation process. Active Filings is an online business formation service that offers limited liability company (LLC), corporation, and nonprofit formation. But, is it right for your business? We’re here to help you decide with this Active Filings review, which outlines the pros and cons, features, and pricing as well as how the service compares to competitors.
What Is Active Filings?
Active Filings is an online business formation service that helps entrepreneurs and small business owners navigate the complex process of forming and maintaining a legal business entity. They offer assistance with tasks like forming an LLC, corporation, or nonprofit, obtaining necessary licenses and permits, filing annual reports, and staying compliant with state regulations.
Jump Ahead:
Pros and Cons of Active Filings
Pros
- Free formation package available.
- An Operating Agreement template is included with the free plan.
- One free year of registered agent services.
Cons
- Employer Identification Number (EIN) registration is not available as an add-on service.
- Few additional services available to customize formation packages.
Active Filings Alternative: Northwest
Northwest offers affordable, privacy-focused LLC formation with one year of free registered agent services included.
Get StartedActive Filings Pricing and Features
Active Filings offers three formation packages: The Starter, The Sprinter, and The Finisher. Each package includes registered agent services in addition to formation. Here’s how each plan compares side by side.
The Starter ($0 + State Fees)
The Starter is a free formation plan that includes a year of free registered agent services, an Operating Agreement template, and free annual report completion and filing. Customers looking for assistance with obtaining an EIN, however, will have to upgrade to another plan as the service is not available with this plan or as an add-on service.
The Sprinter ($100 + State Fees)
The Sprinter includes all services offered in The Starter plan plus EIN registration, a business address, privacy protection features, and expedited service as quick as two business days.
The Finisher ($250 + State Fees)
The Finisher includes all services offered in The Sprinter and Starter plans as well as a corporate seal and a leather, three-ring corporate book.
Active Filings Reviews
Active Filings has few customer reviews available online. Of the reviews they have garnered on Yelp, the company earned a 3.9 out of five stars overall. Many positive reviews mention an easy formation process, excellent customer service, and affordable services.
Negative reviews, on the other hand, cite hidden fees and an inability to reach customer support. The company has responded to only a few reviews with acknowledgments or insights on a customer complaint.
Here are some verified reviews from Yelp by people who used Active Filings to help launch their businesses:
“Easy to use. Did a great job helping me file my llc. Recommend them to anyone wanting affordable[,] quality work.”
“Hidden fees. They will give you the option to file something for you. They send an email to document it. When you go on the website and choose to opt out they will still charge you. The website will say that you are requesting for them to not file[,] but they will file it anyways. The customer service [doesn’t] exist. I have been trying to reach them for weeks to get the charges reversed. I choose to do this online instead of in person due to COVID. My mistake.”
“An excellent company. Fair pricing and excellent customer service! I would be remiss if I did not say that bigger is not always better. They helped me through a Texas LLC registration that had many road blocks. Thanks again!”
With so few customer reviews, it is difficult to get a true sense of the customer experience provided by Active Filings. Overall, customers who reviewed the company positively seemed satisfied with the speed and affordability of the service.
Active Filings Alternatives
To determine the best LLC formation service for your business, it is important to compare the features and pricing of different services. Northwest Registered Agent, LegalZoom, and ZenBusiness are popular business formation providers, and here’s how they compare to Active Filings’ offerings.
Active Filings vs. Northwest
Northwest Registered Agent is our most recommended service for LLC formation services. The company offers an affordable formation package at $29 plus state filing fees, which includes one year of registered agent services free as well as an Operating Agreement. Plus, all customers receive top-tier data privacy protection.
Active Filings vs. LegalZoom
LegalZoom is a trusted name in business formation services. Their free formation package is comprehensive with the company offering customizable add-ons and legal services that are exceptionally valuable to new business owners.
Active Filings vs. ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness is another popular choice for business formation. The company offers a free formation package as well as an extensive number of add-ons, allowing entrepreneurs to customize their formation package to better suit their needs.
To help you compare these top LLC formation services, we’ve included the most common costs associated with LLC formation like Operating Agreement creation and registered agent services. For business owners who prefer to use a professional service to register an EIN, each provider’s cost is included below. However, you can obtain an EIN from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) online for free.
| Service | Active Filings | Northwest | LegalZoom | ZenBusiness |
| LLC Filing | $0 + state fee | $29 + state fee | $0 + state fee | $0 + state fee |
| Registered Agent | Free for 1 year | Free for 1 year | $249/year | $199/year |
| Operating Agreement | Free | Free | $99 | $99 |
| EIN | Not Available | $50 | $79 | $99 |
| Total First-Year Cost | $0 + state fee | $79 + state fee | $427 + state fee | $397 + state fee |
The Bottom Line
Active Filings offers an attractive deal for LLC formation with their free plan (The Starter), which includes a year of free registered agent services and an Operating Agreement template. However, the drawbacks of this package are the inability to add EIN registration services to it as well as the requirement to upgrade in order to receive privacy features.
If you’re looking for a free formation package, Active Filings is a decent choice. But, you can get more comprehensive services at a comparable price by opting for a competing service like Northwest Registered Agent.
Review Methodology
To provide a comprehensive and honest review of Active Filings, we considered several key factors:
Pricing and Value
We not only review how competitively the service is priced, but also the value included for the price (e.g., the services offered in each package).
Ease of Use
The usability of each platform is another important factor in our review process to recommend companies that offer a seamless formation experience.
Customer Support
The type of customer support as well as how long the services are available to customers is a crucial consideration during our review process.
Customer Reviews and Reputation
Finally, customer reviews provide a look inside the experience of verified customers. They allow us to better understand the value of the services offered.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Active Filings?
Active Filings is an online business formation service that offers entrepreneurs help forming LLCs, corporations, and nonprofits.
How much does Active Filings cost?
Active Filings’ LLC formation services start at $0 plus state fees. For more robust formation packages, business owners can choose to upgrade their package to a paid plan — starting at $100 plus state fees.
What is an LLC?
An LLC or limited liability company is a popular, formal business structure that offers personal asset protection through the separation of personal and business assets as well as tax flexibility and brand credibility.