Best LLC Service in Connecticut (2026): Ranked and Reviewed
By Frederic Deltour, Entrepreneur and Business Consultant, 22+ years forming and operating companies.
Published: May 5, 2026 · Last updated: May 5, 2026
Connecticut charges $120 to form an LLC and $80/year for the annual report, placing it in the mid-to-upper range of formation costs for New England. The good news is Connecticut has no franchise tax for pass-through LLCs, and the Business.CT.gov online portal has streamlined formation significantly in recent years.
Connecticut's graduated income tax (3% to 6.99% based on income) is higher than most southern and western states, but this reflects Connecticut's broader tax structure rather than any LLC-specific burden. The annual report's anniversary-month deadline creates the same tracking challenge as other anniversary-based states.
Top LLC Services in Connecticut: Quick Comparison
| Service & Plan | Service Fee | What's Actually Included | Registered Agent | EIN | Operating Agreement | Processing Speed | Data Privacy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest RA Best Overall |
$39 + $120 state fee |
Articles + op agreement template + mail scanning + address privacy all year + BOI help | Free year 1 $125/yr after |
$50 add-on (free at IRS.gov) |
Included | 1-5 days prep | Never sells data |
| Bizee Basic Cheapest entry |
$0 + $120 state fee |
Articles only. Op agreement +$99, EIN +$70 if needed. To match NW features: add ~$169+ | Free year 1 $119/yr after |
Not included +$70 extra |
Not included +$99 extra |
~3 weeks standard | Shares with partners |
| Bizee Standard Fairer NW comparison |
$199 + $120 state fee |
Articles + op agreement + EIN + banking resolution + tax consult. Still lacks full address privacy. Expedited prep included (but state processing same) | Free year 1 $119/yr after |
Included | Included | ~1 day prep (state: 3 wks common) |
Shares with partners |
| ZenBusiness Pro Fairer NW comparison |
$199 + $120 state fee Renews $199/yr |
Articles + 1-day rush + op agreement + EIN + logo builder. No RA included (add $199/yr). Worry-Free Compliance auto-renews $199/yr if not cancelled | Not included +$199/yr extra |
Included | Included | 1-day prep | Some data sharing |
| LegalZoom Pro For legal access |
$249 + $120 state fee |
Articles + op agreement template + EIN + 90-day bookkeeping trial (auto-renews $9.99/mo if not cancelled). Attorney access only in Premium ($299). No RA included at any plan level | Not included +$249/yr extra |
Included | Included | 1-2 weeks prep | Shares with partners |
All fees exclude mandatory $120 Connecticut state filing fee. EIN is always free at IRS.gov , never pay a service for this. Registered agent is legally required in every state. "Fairer NW comparison" plans include similar core features to Northwest's $39 package.
What Makes Connecticut LLC Formation Unique
- $120 filing fee: Filed online through Business.CT.gov. Standard processing: 3-5 business days. Expedited options available through the portal.
- Annual report: $80/year, due in anniversary month. Connecticut uses anniversary-month reporting. A March 15 formation date means annual reports are due in March each year. Late filings trigger penalties and eventual loss of good standing.
- No franchise tax for LLCs.
- State income tax: 3% to 6.99% (graduated). Connecticut has one of the higher state income tax burdens in the northeast. LLC members pay Connecticut income tax on their share of LLC income.
- Business Entity Tax (BET): eliminated as of 2021. Connecticut previously charged a $250 biennial Business Entity Tax. This was eliminated, making ongoing Connecticut LLC costs lower than historical guides suggest.
- Registered agent: Must have a physical Connecticut street address. P.O. boxes not accepted.
- Connecticut minimum tax: Some LLCs may be subject to Connecticut's minimum tax depending on their income levels. Most small pass-through LLCs are not affected.
- No publication requirement.
Service-by-Service Rankings for Connecticut
#1 BEST OVERALLNorthwest Registered Agent , $39 + state fee
At $39, Northwest is the only service that includes: Articles filing, a custom operating agreement template, free first-year registered agent with their physical Connecticut address on all public filings, full-year mail scanning, and access to dedicated Corporate Guides by phone with no upsells, no data selling, and no auto-renewing subscription traps.
Northwest provides accurate current Connecticut compliance info: the Business Entity Tax was eliminated in 2021 and no longer applies.
What you get for $39: Articles of Organization, operating agreement template, free RA year 1 (then $125/yr), their address replaces yours on all public Connecticut SOS records, mail forwarding and scanning, compliance reminders, BOI filing guidance.
What is not included: EIN ($50 add-on, or get it free directly at IRS.gov in 5 minutes).
3-year service total (excl. state fees): $289 ($39 + $125 + $125). Data privacy: Never sells customer data
Start with Northwest →#2 BUDGET ENTRYBizee Basic , $0 + state fee
Bizee's Basic plan is $0 and includes: Articles of Organization and free first-year registered agent. That's it. No operating agreement (add $99). No EIN (add $70, or do it free at IRS.gov). Standard filing preparation takes approximately 3 weeks. Heavy upsells throughout checkout. Bizee shares customer data with marketing partners per their terms of service.
Real cost to match Northwest's features: $0 formation + $99 op agreement + $70 EIN = approximately $169 upfront, plus the data-sharing tradeoff, slower processing, and no full address privacy.
3-year service total (excl. state fees): $238 ($0 + $119 + $119 RA renewals). Shares data with partners
View Bizee Basic (cheapest entry)#2B FAIRER BIZEE COMPARISONBizee Standard , $199 + state fee
At $199, Bizee Standard includes: Articles + operating agreement + EIN + banking resolution + business tax consult + expedited in-house preparation (1 day, though state processing still takes the same time). This is the plan that is comparably featured to Northwest's $39 package, not the $0 Basic. The $160 premium over Northwest buys: expedited prep and a banking resolution. Northwest wins on: price ($39 vs $199), data privacy, address substitution policy, and support quality.
Still missing vs Northwest: Full address privacy (Bizee data-shares regardless of plan), and the same state processing time applies (state agencies process in the same timeframe regardless of which service you used).
3-year service total (excl. state fees): $437 ($199 + $119 + $119 RA renewals). Shares data with partners
#3 DASHBOARD TOOLSZenBusiness Pro , $199 + state fee (renews $199/yr)
ZenBusiness Pro at $199 includes: Articles, 1-day rush preparation, operating agreement, EIN, and a logo builder. What it does not include that Northwest does: registered agent service. You must add RA separately at $199/year. To get equivalent coverage to Northwest, ZenBusiness Pro + RA = $199 + $199 = $398 year one, renewing at $398/year. ZenBusiness's Starter plan is $0 but includes neither RA, EIN, nor an operating agreement. The Worry-Free Compliance service included with Starter auto-renews at $199/year if not cancelled. Read the checkout screen carefully.
Best use case: Founders who want a polished guided dashboard, are comfortable with $199/year recurring costs, and don't mind adding RA separately.
3-year total (Pro + RA, excl. state fees): $597 + $199 RA x 2 yrs = ~$995. Some data sharing
#4 ATTORNEY ACCESSLegalZoom Pro , $249 / Premium $299 + state fee
LegalZoom Pro ($249) includes: Articles + operating agreement template + EIN + 90-day bookkeeping trial (auto-renews at $9.99/month if not cancelled before day 90). LegalZoom Premium ($299) adds a 30-day attorney consultation trial (auto-renews at $49/month if not cancelled before day 30). Registered agent is not included in any LegalZoom plan at any price. Adding it costs $249/year, making LegalZoom the most expensive registered agent fee of any major service.
True first-year cost to match Northwest: LegalZoom Pro $249 + RA $249 = $498, vs Northwest's $39 total (with RA included free). LegalZoom's primary advantage is attorney access, if and only if you need it. For basic LLC formation without legal complexity, Northwest provides better value by a wide margin.
Watch the auto-renewals: The bookkeeping trial (Pro) auto-renews at $9.99/month. The attorney plan trial (Premium) auto-renews at $49/month. Set calendar reminders before day 30 (attorney) and day 90 (bookkeeping) if you don't plan to continue.
Best for: LLCs with complex legal questions, attorney access needs, or founders who anticipate ongoing legal consultation.
Shares data with partners
Original Research: True 3-Year Cost for Connecticut LLCs
| Service | Service + RA (3yr) | CT State Fees (3yr)* | Total 3 Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest RA | $289 | $280 | $569 |
| Bizee | $238 | $280 | $518 |
| ZenBusiness | $597 | $280 | $877 |
| LegalZoom | $747 | $280 | $1,027 |
*CT state costs: $120 formation + $80 x 2 annual reports = $280. Does not include income tax obligations.
Finding: Connecticut's 3-year total with Northwest is $569, reasonable for a northeastern state. The eliminated Business Entity Tax (previously $250 biennial) has lowered Connecticut's maintenance costs significantly since 2021. Guides that still include the BET in their Connecticut cost analysis are providing outdated information.
How to Choose the Right Connecticut LLC Service
- Does privacy matter? Only Northwest commits to never selling your data. End of comparison if privacy matters.
- Is $39 a genuine barrier right now? If yes, Bizee delivers the core service at $0 upfront. Accept the data-sharing tradeoff consciously.
- Do you want fully automated annual report filing? ZenBusiness's Worry-Free Compliance plan handles this automatically at a higher overall cost.
- Do you need attorney consultations? LegalZoom is the only major service with this included. Worth the premium only for complex legal questions.
For most Connecticut LLC formations: Northwest Registered Agent at $39 is the correct answer. The $51 savings from Bizee over 3 years does not justify the privacy and support quality tradeoffs for most business owners.
When Northwest Is NOT the Right Choice for Your Connecticut LLC
- You want a low-income-tax environment. Connecticut's income tax (3-6.99%) is among the highest in the northeast. For income-tax minimization, forming in a no-income-tax state is more effective, though you still owe Connecticut income tax if you reside there and earn income there.
- You read a guide that includes the Business Entity Tax. Connecticut eliminated the $250 BET in 2021. Any guide that still includes this fee is outdated. Current ongoing costs are $80/year annual report only (plus registered agent).
- You need same-day processing. Connecticut's Business.CT.gov portal processes in 3-5 business days for standard online filings. Expedited options exist but check current availability on the portal.