Filenow LLC Service Review

About Filenow

There’s essentially zero information available online about Filenow’s background as a company. Filenow’s “About Us” page says that the company was created by “a team of entrepreneurs, lawyers, business professionals, and tax experts with years of experience,” but that’s about it. Filenow doesn’t have a LinkedIn page, and we were only able to find a LinkedIn profile for one of its employees. That said, we did find 600+ mostly positive reviews of its services on Trustpilot.

Pros and Cons of Filenow

Pros of Filenow

✔ Filenow has more than 600 reviews on Trustpilot and maintains a high average rating score. There are certainly companies with higher volumes of feedback (for instance, we have 12,000+ positive reviews on Trustpilot), but it’s hard to complain about the quality of Filenow’s reviews.

✔ Including features like a year of registered agent service, EIN acquisition, an operating agreement template, and more, Filenow’s Premium ($199 + state fee) plan is a well-rounded LLC formation service package.

Cons of Filenow

✖ While Filenow charges at least $49 (+ state fee) to form an LLC, there are competitors that charge less. For instance, at ZenBusiness, we’ll form your LLC for free — just pay your state’s fee.

✖ There’s almost zero information available online about Filenow’s background. We couldn’t figure out when the company was formed, how many customers it’s served, how many employees it has, etc.

✖ Filenow has a very strict refund policy. In fact, they don’t appear to offer refunds at all — only exchanges for certain products and services, and even then, only for the first 30 days after your purchase.

Filenow LLC Formation Packages

Filenow offers two different LLC formation service packages, each with its own set of features. Take a look at the details below.

Starter: $49 + state fee

➢ Preparation and Filing of the Articles of Organization: This document includes some basic information about you and your business. It officially forms your LLC with the state. Filenow will draft and file this document with your state.

➢ Name Availability Search: Filenow will search your state’s business database to ensure that no existing business is already using the name you want for your new LLC.

➢ Company Alerts System: Filenow’s notification system will let you know when important filing deadlines (such as those for your annual reports) are approaching, helping you keep an eye on your compliance calendar.

➢ Third-Party Features: Through partnerships with Bank of America and 1-800-ACCOUNTANT, Filenow provides access to a business bank account and a tax consultation.

Premium: $199 + state fee

Everything from the Starter package, plus…

➢ One Year of Registered Agent Service: Every LLC needs a registered agent to receive important documents like service of process and government forms. Filenow will serve as your LLC’s registered agent for one year. After the year is up, you can renew this service for $119 per year.

➢ Tax ID Number (EIN) Acquisition: Most LLCs require an employer identification number (EIN), which is essentially a Social Security number for a business entity. An EIN allows you to hire employees, file taxes, open business bank accounts, and more. Filenow will obtain your EIN from the IRS.

➢ Operating Agreement Template: An operating agreement is an internal document that outlines the key operational aspects of an LLC. Filenow will provide a template that you can customize with your company’s info.

➢ Business Document Templates: You’ll receive access to 15+ customizable business contract templates.

➢ Faster Processing: Filenow will speed up its internal processing to submit your LLC formation documents to the state within 24 hours of placing your order.

In-Depth Filenow Review

Filenow Overall Pricing and Value

At $49, Filenow’s baseline price point for LLC formation service isn’t bad, but there are plenty of companies that can beat it. For instance, at ZenBusiness, we’ll form your LLC for free (you’ll pay your state’s required fee either way). Filenow’s Premium package costs $199 but it might be a better deal than its Starter package, as it adds several valuable features like registered agent service and EIN acquisition.

Track Record

We were unable to glean much information about Filenow’s background or experience level. However, the company does have 600+ mostly positive reviews available on Trustpilot.

Customer Support

Filenow offers customer support via phone or email. You can also use its web-based chat application or fill out the contact form on its website. Their representatives are knowledgeable and courteous, and they’re available from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET on weekdays.

Ease of Placing an Order

The first step with Filenow is to choose your entity type (LLC, corporation, S corp) and state. Then, you’ll choose which of Filenow’s two business formation packages you’d like to purchase. From there, you’ll walk through a couple of screens that ask for your personal details and basic business info, followed by a very long series of 11 upsell attempts. Once you finally make your way through Filenow’s exhaustive upsells, you can pay for your order.

Should you start an LLC with Filenow?

When it comes down to making a choice, Filenow may have more advantages than disadvantages. Here are some scenarios where you should or shouldn’t use Filenow for LLC formation service.

✔ When to Form an LLC with Filenow

Filenow has good customer reviews and its Premium ($199 + state fee) package is a pretty good value. If these are inviting attributes to you, give them a look.

✖ When NOT to Form an LLC with Filenow

Some competitors (like us at ZenBusiness) will form your new LLC for free — just pay your state’s fee. That’s a much better deal than paying Filenow at least $49 for a similar service.