How to use this research center
Most owners only need to answer two questions to form their LLC: which state and how. The articles below cover both, plus the ongoing obligations that catch people by surprise — annual reports, registered agents, BOI filing changes, and the federal trademark layer that state filings don't reach.
We've organized the work in the order most readers actually use it. Start with the best-state decision framework if you're still picking, jump to the cost breakdowns if you want a fast number, and use the service comparisons if you've decided to hire help.
- Best state for your LLC — covers the home-state-first rule, the Delaware/Wyoming/Nevada trio, and when out-of-state actually pays off.
- Cheapest states by total 5-year cost — the only ranking that matters, because filing fees are one-time while annual reports repeat every year.
- Formation service comparisons — Northwest vs ZenBusiness vs LegalZoom, plus the registered agent services that protect your home address.
- Compliance essentials — the federal BOI report (now largely exempt), how to get an EIN for free, and where to find your EIN if you lose the letter.
Our methodology and what makes this different
Every figure on EntityLookup is verified against the official source — usually the Secretary of State's published fee schedule or the IRS form instructions — and re-checked monthly. We don't accept payment for rankings, and we mark sponsored content as such. Where a number is a model (state activity, business formation volume), we say so and explain the model.
We do make a commission on one product: the Markavo trademark search, because it's the next logical step after you pick a state name and we trust the product. You'll see that link as a clearly marked affiliate callout — never as a "best of" recommendation or as part of a ranking.
What we won't do
Some things we deliberately don't do, because they would make the research less useful for you:
- We don't sell "expedited processing" or filing services. The state portals are the only place to file, and most states accept online filings for the standard fee.
- We don't recommend out-of-state formation unless the math and your situation actually favor it. The home-state-first rule is right for ~95% of owners.
- We don't bury or omit affiliated products. When something is sponsored, the disclosure is on the same screen as the link.
