Harbor Compliance LLC Review

Is It Worth The Investment?

Harbor Compliance LLC Review

Are you looking to form an LLC and considering using an online formation service to do so?

Maybe you’re not excited about the idea of deciphering legalese and fighting through red tape by forming an LLC yourself, or maybe you’ve tried but you’re fed up trying to deal with poorly designed state websites.

My team and I have spent hundreds of hours researching every popular online LLC formation provider, and this perspective helps us be as objective as we can be.

I’d like for you to feel informed enough to make the best decision for you. In this Harbor Compliance LLC review, I’ll go over some pros and cons, pricing, features, customer reviews and much more. Let’s find out if they’re the right company to form your business.

Recommended: Read our review of the best LLC services.

Recommended Step Before Using Harbor Compliance 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.

Pros & Cons of Harbor Compliance

Pros of Harbor Compliance

  • Each customer receives a Compliance Specialist who helps you through the process. You won’t be put on hold or be told to leave callback info, your specialist will answer the phone whenever you need them.
  • They handle every step of the LLC formation process, including offering publishing service, which is required in some states for compliance but rarely offered by online LLC formation providers.
  • Their website is protected by Norton Web Security, which scans for malware and encrypts data, and Trustwave, which validates online vendors. Harbor Compliance is serious about security.
  • Harbor Compliance has some advanced features in their Compliance package that competitors just don’t have, like filing your annual reports.
  • Registered agent service for a year is included in either of their LLC formation packages.

Cons of Harbor Compliance

  • Their prices are at the high end of the industry, starting at $399 for the Formation package and $799 for the Compliance package.

Harbor Compliance 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

Pricing & Features

Harbor Compliance offers two different packages for LLC formation: Formation and Compliance. Starting at $399 (plus state fee), they’re not cheap, but they do a good job of justifying their price tags.

Harbor Compliance LLC ReviewHarbor Compliance LLC Pricing

Formation = $399 + State Fee

What It Includes: This package starts with the LLC registration basics, which includes a company name availability check and preparation/filing of your articles of organization.

You’ll also receive an operating agreement that outlines who owns your LLC and how it’s run, a federal tax ID number (EIN) for opening bank accounts and paying taxes, and one year registered agent service to receive and forward legal documents.

Who It’s Right For: Business owners who want to get up and running, with everything set up for future compliance.

Compliance = $799 + State Fee

What It Includes: Everything in Formation package, plus a company kit which includes stock certificates, a corporate seal, a customizable document library and more.

Additionally, they’ll prepare and submit your initial report and annual reports, provide formation publishing service in states where necessary, and provide ongoing customer service from your dedicated Compliance Specialist. If your company requires S-Corp or C-Corp tax election, they’ll take care of that as well.

Who It’s Right For: If you want ongoing assistance with your compliance, as opposed to just having everything set up for you to manage, this package is a good fit.

Recommended Package

Honestly, they’re both very impressive. In my mind, it comes down to whether you have the budget for the Compliance level or not. If you do, it’s almost like signing up a new business partner to handle a bunch of the legalese and red tape. If you don’t, they still provide top of the line LLC formation service in the Formation package.

Harbor Compliance Customer Reviews

There aren’t a ton of Harbor Compliance customer reviews out there — at least not compared to some competitors that have thousands of reviews — but the feedback they do have is overwhelmingly positive.

Their customers especially rave about their amazing support agents, who go well beyond the limitations of some competitors that farm out their phone support to third-party call centers.

Customer Reviews Section Last Updated: 7-24-17

Conclusion: It’s hard to beat the positive customer feedback they receive. Their customers are nearly unanimous in their praise of Harbor Compliance’s services.

How Harbor Compliance Compares

Considering how much time I’ve invested into researching the details of all the major LLC formation companies, I’ve discovered that some of them are simply better values than others.

Of course, the real question still is, which provider hits the sweet spot of pricing and features for the needs of your unique business?

Harbor Compliance is a great LLC formation service due to their top-rate customer service and great reviews. It’s always smart to check out the competition though, so let’s take a look at my personal favorite, Incfile.

Pricing: Incfile’s base rate is $0, a savings of $399 over Harbor Compliance. However keep in mind you get more features and one-on-one support with Harbor Compliance, justifying the higher price tag.

Features: Harbor Compliance includes an EIN in all packages, while Incfile leaves that out of their base package. In addition, Incfile doesn’t assign a support rep to your specific business like Harbor Compliance does. However, Incfile has a business tax consultation in any LLC formation package.

Turnaround Time: In general, Harbor Compliance completes your order a bit quicker than Incfile can. In Arizona for example, Incfile can turn your order around in 10 business days (expedited) to 8 weeks, while Harbor Compliance says 4 days (expedited) to 4 weeks.

Customer Support: Incfile’s reps are helpful and friendly, but it can take a little while to get ahold of them, and you won’t be speaking to the same person every time. With Harbor Compliance, you get through very quickly and talk to the same rep who is already familiar with the workings of your company. If customer support is important to you, Harbor Compliance is ideal.

Businesses Formed So Far: Harbor Compliance has served 10,000+ customers since 2012, whereas Incfile’s served 150,000+ customers since 2004. Incfile has a bit of an advantage in both longevity and volume of customers.

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 formation

Harbor Compliance

Pricing Starts at $399

10,000+ Businesses formed so far

Perfect for: Anyone wanting top-to-bottom formation and ongoing compliance

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Just Form a Business Myself?

Sure, you can. You’ll have to learn the legalese and compliance guidelines, deal with all the red tape on your own, etc. LLC formation providers like Harbor Compliance alleviate most of these concerns. However if you’d like to check out what the LLC formation process looks like, check out our step-by-step guides.

Are There Any Hidden Fees?

Not at all. Harbor Compliance does a great job of breaking down and explaining any relevant charges. You’ll know exactly what you’re paying for.

Is My Information Secure?

Absolutely. Harbor Compliance protects their site with the combination of Norton Web Security, which scans for malware and encrypts data, and Trustwave, which validates merchant identities.

Does Harbor Compliance Offer Ongoing Support?

Not only do they provide ongoing support, but it might be the biggest selling point of Harbor Compliance as a company. Their customer service is out of this world.

Should You Use Harbor Compliance?

In my book, Harbor Compliance scores a 4.8/5 due to their unparalleled one-on-one support and overall simplicity. They’re just not flashy, which is a good thing in this industry. That being said, if this doesn’t sound like your perfect fit, check out our Best LLC Formation Services review. Cheers!

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