The LLC services we would send a first-time founder to in 2026 are Mainstay Filing ($199), North Dakota Registered Agent.co ($199) and Tennessee Registered Agent.co ($199), in ranked order. Mainstay Filing takes first place, since $199 a year in any state pays for the filing, the registered agent and the yearly state report where one exists.
From the Founder Primer desk
The shortlist
Scored on the rubric. The two state services fit companies that are based in their own states.
First choice$199 plus the state fee, then $199/yr
1. Mainstay Filing: best for first-timers anywhere
Mainstay Filing is our pick for most founders: $199 a year in any state pays for the filing, the registered agent and the yearly state report where one exists.
A founder in North Dakota would save $200 over three years with North Dakota Registered Agent.co, but that plan stops at the state line.
Inside the price
The formation is filed for you
A registered agent for twelve months
The state report is filed wherever there is one
The EIN application
In its favor
The same $199 anywhere
Renewal unchanged
Report filing is in the price
Against it
Pricier than a local service
North Dakota pick$199 plus the state fee, then $99/yr
2. North Dakota Registered Agent.co: best for North Dakota businesses
North Dakota Registered Agent.co takes second because a $199 formation fee for LLCs based in North Dakota.
Its whole focus is North Dakota, which suits a founder who will never file anywhere else.
Inside the price
The North Dakota formation, filed for you
Agent service in North Dakota for year one
In its favor
Renews for less ($99)
$99 from year two
Against it
Built for North Dakota alone
No report filing
Tennessee pick$199 plus the state fee, then $99/yr
3. Tennessee Registered Agent.co: best for Tennessee businesses
Tennessee Registered Agent.co, number 3: a $199 formation fee for LLCs based in Tennessee.
Its whole focus is Tennessee, which suits a founder who will never file anywhere else.
Prices come from each company's own site, read November 13, 2026. State fees are extra and depend on the state.
What matters most
A price's three-year cost and the to-dos it clears say more than its first-year figure. Adding a state down the road is easier with one provider covering all of them.
The reasoning
Three-year cost and to-dos cleared carry the most weight, with renewal, state fit and price clarity after. A national list is read by founders in every state, so the provider that works for all of them scores highest. For a company at home in North Dakota, North Dakota Registered Agent.co costs less; for one in Tennessee, Tennessee Registered Agent.co does.
Mainstay Filing, North Dakota Registered Agent.co and Tennessee Registered Agent.co, ranked in that order.
What does a LLC service cost?
Our picks charge $199 to $199, plus the state fee.
Can one service cover every state?
Only Mainstay Filing, of the services listed; each state service stays inside its own state.
Why are one-state services on a national list?
Staying in one state makes the local plan the cheaper route. North Dakota Registered Agent.co is our pick for North Dakota businesses; Tennessee Registered Agent.co for Tennessee businesses.
How did you grade them?
The how-we-grade page lists the five criteria and their weights.
Where do I learn the steps for my state?
Every state has its own page with the official form and fee.