Best LLC Service in Texas (2026): Top Picks for TX Formation
Published: May 1, 2026 · Last updated: May 1, 2026
Frédéric has used Northwest Registered Agent 3 times to form his own and his clients' companies and NGOs. These are real, honest reviews.
Last verified: May 2026. Texas filing fees and franchise tax thresholds confirmed from the Texas Secretary of State and Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
Texas is the second-largest economy in the United States and one of the most active states for new LLC formation, the Texas Secretary of State processes tens of thousands of new LLC filings each year. The state offers some genuine advantages: no state income tax, no annual report requirement for most LLCs, and same-day processing available through SOSDirect. The one thing to know before you start: the Texas Certificate of Formation costs $300, one of the higher state filing fees in the country.
This guide ranks the best LLC formation services specifically for Texas, with Texas-specific pricing, the May 15 franchise tax compliance requirement, and the nuances of SOSDirect filing in mind.
Texas LLC At a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Formation document | Certificate of Formation (Form 205) |
| Filing agency | Texas Secretary of State (SOSDirect portal) |
| State filing fee | $300 |
| Processing time | 2–3 business days online; same-day expedited ($25) |
| Annual report | None required for most LLCs |
| Franchise tax | Tiered. most LLCs with under $2.47M revenue owe $0; report still due May 15 |
| State income tax | None (Texas has no state income tax) |
| Registered agent required | Yes, physical Texas address required |
| Operating agreement | Not required by law; strongly recommended |
| Name reservation | Optional; $40 for 120 days |
Texas LLC Formation Services Compared
| Service | TX Service Fee | TX State Fee | RA Year 1 | RA Renewal | Year-1 Total* | 3-Year Total* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest | $39 | $300 | $0 (included) | $125/yr | $339 | $589 |
| ZenBusiness | $0 | $300 | $99 (add-on) | $199/yr | $399 | $797 |
| Inc Authority | $0 | $300 | $0 (included) | $179/yr | $300 | $658 |
| Bizee Basic* | $0* | $300 | $0 (included) | $119/yr | $300* | $538* |
| LegalZoom Basic | $0 | $300 | $249 (not included) | $249/yr | $549 | $1,047 |
| DIY (self as RA) | $0 | $300 | $0 (self) | $0 (self) | $300 | $300 |
*State fee ($300) included in all totals. DIY assumes you serve as your own registered agent with a physical Texas address.
#1 Pick for Texas: Northwest Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent: $39 + $300 TX State Fee
Year-one total: $339 (RA included free)
3-year total: $589 (RA renews at $125/year)
TX Certificate of Formation: Filed via SOSDirect by Northwest on your behalf
Privacy: Northwest's Texas address used in all address fields, your home address stays off public records
May 15 compliance: Annual franchise tax report reminders included
Registered agent: Physical Texas address; same-day document scanning
Northwest's specific advantage for Texas: they file through SOSDirect, the correct filing system, and use their Texas address throughout the Certificate of Formation. Texas public records are fully searchable through the Secretary of State's Taxable Entity Search. Every address field you put on your Certificate of Formation is visible to anyone who searches your LLC name. Northwest's full-filing address coverage means your personal address does not appear in any of those fields.
Texas's $300 filing fee is one of the highest state fees in the country, making the choice of formation service less consequential as a proportion of total cost. A a $39 service fee on top of a $300 state fee is only 13% added cost. The registered agent renewal rate ($125/year vs. $199–$249 at competitors) is where the meaningful savings accumulate over time.
Form your Texas LLC with Northwest: $39 + $300 TX state fee = $339 total year one.
Registered agent included free year one (renews $125/year). Their Texas address throughout your Certificate of Formation. May 15 franchise tax reminders. Never sells your data.
Form Your Texas LLC with Northwest ($39) →#2: ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness Starter: $0 + $300 TX State Fee
Year-one total: $399 (service fee $0, RA is $99/yr1 add-on — NOT included)
3-year total: $797 ($99 RA yr1 + $199/yr × 2 + $300 state)
Advantage: Velo AI compliance dashboard, Worry-Free Compliance for May 15 tracking
Consideration: RA not included in any plan ($99 yr1, $199/yr after). Worry-Free Compliance auto-renews at $199/year. Shares data with marketing partners.
ZenBusiness ranks second for Texas thanks to its user-friendly dashboard and Velo AI compliance tools, genuinely useful for tracking Texas's May 15 franchise tax deadline. The main limitation: registered agent is not included in any plan and costs $99 year 1, then $199/year. Watch the auto-renewals: Worry-Free Compliance ($199/year) plus RA ($199/year) means ongoing costs of $398/year after year 1.
#4: Bizee (formerly Incfile): $0 Basic or $199 Standard
Bizee: $0 Basic or $199 Standard + $300 TX State Fee
Year-one total: $300 (service fee $0, RA free year one)
3-year total: $538 (RA renews at $119/year)
Data sharing: Shares customer data with marketing partners
Bizee's $0 Basic plan files your Texas Certificate of Formation for the state fee only ($300) — but excludes operating agreement ($99 extra) and EIN ($70 extra). The $199 Standard includes both. Over three years: Bizee Basic costs $538* (incomplete), Northwest costs $589. Bizee Basic is cheaper only if you source your own operating agreement. Lowest RA renewal at $119/yr.
Form your Texas LLC with Bizee for $0 (+ $300 state fee) → Note: data shared with marketing partners.
#5: LegalZoom (Not Recommended for Most Texas LLCs)
LegalZoom Basic: $0 + $300 TX State Fee
Year-one total: $549 ($300 state + $249 RA not included in Basic)
3-year total: $1,047
When it makes sense: Only if you need LegalZoom's Business Attorney Plan ($39/month) for ongoing legal questions
LegalZoom is the most expensive option for Texas LLC formation at $1,047 over three years, $458 more than Northwest, $509 more than Bizee. The "$0 formation" headline is misleading in Texas because the registered agent service is not included in the Basic plan, adding $249 immediately. LegalZoom's legal services ecosystem is its only genuine advantage, if you do not need attorney access, it has no competitive case for Texas formation.
Texas Compliance: The May 15 Date You Cannot Miss
Texas LLCs face one critical ongoing compliance obligation that many owners overlook: the annual franchise tax report, due May 15 every year. This requirement applies to all Texas LLCs, including those that owe $0 in franchise tax.
The Texas franchise tax has two components:
- No Tax Due threshold: Texas LLCs with annualized total revenue under $2.47 million (2026 threshold, adjusted annually for inflation) owe $0 in franchise tax. This covers the vast majority of small business LLCs.
- Public Information Report (PIR) or Ownership Information Report (OIR): Even if you owe $0 in franchise tax, you must file either the PIR (Form 05-102) or OIR (Form 05-167) with the Texas Comptroller by May 15. Failure to file triggers penalties and eventually forfeiture of the right to do business in Texas.
DIY Filing in Texas: When It Makes Sense
Texas makes DIY LLC formation reasonably straightforward through the SOSDirect portal (SOS.Texas.gov). You complete Form 205 (Certificate of Formation) online, pay the $300 filing fee by credit card, and typically receive approval in 2–3 business days (same-day with a $25 expedited fee). The form itself is simple. LLC name, registered agent information, organizer information, management structure, and effective date.
DIY makes sense when: you have a non-residential Texas address to list on the filing, you are comfortable serving as your own registered agent or have a trusted individual who can, and you are confident completing an online government form without hand-holding. The $300 state fee is the same whether you file DIY or through a service. You save the service fee ($39 with Northwest or $0 with Bizee), but you assume responsibility for all compliance tracking, including the May 15 PIR/OIR deadline every year.
Related: How to Form an LLC in Texas (Complete Guide) • Texas Registered Agent Requirements • Cheapest LLC Service 2026 • Northwest vs LegalZoom