Incfile Foreign Qualification Review
Is It Ideal For You?
Last Updated: By TRUiC Team
Are you opening a business in a state other than your own? Expanding your existing business into a new area?
There are a number of reasons you might need foreign qualification services, and if you don’t want to go the DIY route, a provider like Incfile may be a good fit for you.
To complement your own research, my team and I invested countless hours reviewing the details of every major foreign qualification service provider. Our goal is to streamline your decision-making process by giving you the information you need, all in one convenient place.
In this Incfile foreign qualification service review, we’ll discuss pros and cons, pricing and features, customer reviews and more. Let’s find out if they’re the right choice for your company!
Pros & Cons of Incfile
Pros of Incfile
- Incfile has over 2,000 reviews across the web, and they maintain high average ratings. Most folks find it easier to trust a company with plenty of customer feedback to look through.
- Their price point of $149 for foreign qualification service is the lowest rate I’ve seen. Most of their competitors charge $199 or more.
- With Incfile, you’ll get a full year of registered agent service at no extra charge when you purchase a foreign qualification.
- Incfile has served over 150,000 businesses since they opened in 2004. It’s an impressive volume of customers, and their longevity speaks for itself.
Cons of Incfile
- Some states have special compliance requirements, and while Incfile will help with some of these (such as Certificates of Good Standing) they don’t offer assistance with others, like publishing proof of formation in a newspaper. If this is something you’ll need, we recommend looking into Harbor Compliance.
Incfile gets a 4.8/5 rating in my book. Their foreign qualification service pricing is the best in the industry, and their inclusion of a full year of registered agent service is an incredibly valuable feature.
Incfile Foreign Qualification Service Pricing & Features
Incfile has a flat rate of $149 (plus state fee) for foreign qualification service. Take a look at how they position this service on their website:
Essentially, all you need to do is fill out their online form, which asks for basic information about your business and the location where you’re looking to get a qualification. Depending on the state, you may also need to provide a certified copy of your formation documents, a Certificate of Good Standing, or some other evidence of legal compliance.
From there, you can sit back and relax as Incfile takes care of the rest. You’ll receive a copy of your filing when the process is complete, as well as the Certificate of Authority. After that, you’ll be all set to operate in your new location -- unless the state has any additional requirements you must fulfill.
Customer Reviews
With well over 2,000 reviews online and excellent average ratings, Incfile is clearly quite popular with their clients. In general, their happy customers enjoy Incfile’s ease of use and appreciate the friendly support they provide.
Customer Reviews Section Last Updated 10-18-17
- Shopper Approved: 4.8/5 out of 2,251 reviews
- BBB: A+ out of 29 reviews
Conclusion: With such a high volume of reviews for such a large operation, you would expect to see more unsatisfied customers who fell between the cracks -- but that’s not the case with Incfile. If you place a high value on customer feedback, they just scored some major points.
How Incfile Compares
In all the time I’ve spent researching foreign qualification services, I’ve realized that some of them simply provide more bang for your buck than others. Of course, our goal is to determine which provider is the right fit for our readers, not just which one we like the best.
While we’re huge fans of Incfile, they might not be the right choice for every entrepreneur. Let’s see how they compare to Harbor Compliance, another top foreign qualification service provider.
Pricing: Incfile’s $149 price point is about half as expensive as Harbor Compliance’s $299 rate for foreign qualification.
Features: The major difference here is state-specific compliance assistance. While Incfile will take care of some state requirements, like acquiring additional forms, only Harbor Compliance will handle all of them, including publishing your qualification in a newspaper. This only applies to customers in certain states, but it can make a big difference.
Customer Support: Incfile’s customer service is good, but Harbor Compliance’s is great. Every customer receives a Compliance Specialist to walk them through the entire foreign qualification process. This highly personalized support is a major reason their price tag is higher than Incfile’s.
Experience: Incfile has served 150,000+ customers since 2004. Harbor Compliance is a younger company, but they’ve still helped over 10,000 customers since opening in 2012.
Here's a Quick Breakdown
Incfile
Pricing Starts at $149
150,000+ customers served
Perfect for: Anyone needing a foreign qualification service while sticking to a tight budget
Harbor Compliance
Pricing Starts at $299
10,000+ customers served
Perfect for: Anyone needing a comprehensive foreign qualification service
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I File My Own Foreign Qualification?
You certainly can -- in fact, every item in Incfile’s foreign qualification package is something you could take care of yourself. Still, for many folks it’s worth investing some money up-front to know that the process is being handled flawlessly on their behalf.
What’s Their Refund Policy?
Incfile doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee like many of their competitors, but if you cancel your order within 24 hours you can receive a refund (minus a $30 cancellation fee). Given how strong their customer reviews are, though, there doesn’t seem to be much risk involved.
Is My Information Secure?
Incfile protects their website with Norton Web Security, which continuously scans for malware and other vulnerabilities while encrypting all data transfers. They also have Authorize.net protection, which verifies merchant identities for online purchases.
Does Incfile Offer Ongoing Support?
They sure do. In fact, they say they’re available to help “no matter how long ago you placed your order.” It’s nice to know their customer service doesn’t end once you receive your foreign qualification.
Should You Use Incfile?
Incfile gets a 4.8/5 rating in my book. Their foreign qualification service pricing is the best in the industry, and their inclusion of a full year of registered agent service is an incredibly valuable feature. That being said, if this doesn’t sound like your perfect fit, check out our Best Foreign Qualification Services review. Cheers!