Is Inc Authority Legit? If you’re thinking about using Inc Authority to form your LLC then check out our review and guide where we break down everything you need to know including going in-depth on pricing. We go into detail about how much Inc Authority costs as well as compare it to other major providers and give you the pros and cons.
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Inc Authority is a good option for those looking to get their LLC formed by experts quickly for free or at a low price. As long as you avoid some unnecessary upsells, this service is one of the better LLC formation services currently available for most businesses looking to save some money.
Link: IncAuthority.com (Starting At $0)
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Pros: What We Like About Inc Authority
Inc Authority has numerous pros that we like in an LLC formation company such as quick service, overall positive customer reviews, and a free formation option that’s actually free. You can find some of the pros of Inc Authority below.
- Free LLC Formation: Inc Authority is known for its free LLC and that’s one of the things that sets it apart from some of the other services. They can form your business for free and all you have to do is pay the state fee. Not every business can get by with the free formation package, but most should be able to and it’s an easy way to save some money in comparison to other business formation options.
- Simple Formation Process And Checkout: Even though they do have almost a dozen different upsells to click through, the overall process is pretty simple. All you need to do is put in the basic information for your business and Inc Authority handles the rest and gets your business set up.
- Free Registered Agent Services: When you form your business with IncAuthority they will give you one year of registered agent services for free. In your first year of business, it’s good to know that all of your filings and information are being handled correctly by a professional registered agent. After the first year, you can always cancel the service.
Cons: What We Don’t Like About Inc Authority
There is essentially one major con for Inc Authority and that’s their upsells that can make your “free” LLC formation turn into an expensive venture. Most other business formation companies do the same thing with their upsells, but Inc Authority can be a little more confusing as they start with free pricing but then allow you to add services and customize your products for an extra fee.
- Unnecessary Upsells: When putting in the information to start your business Inc Authority will offer you numerous other services. Some of the upsells such as domain names, banking, or registered agents are things a business could need, but charging $49 to fill out a small form to get an EIN seems unnecessary. Overall these aren’t horrible when compared to other LLC formation companies.
- Pushy Sales Reps: There are some complaints about sales reps offering more upsells and trying to sell extra services after the formation has been paid for. This along with some confusing pricing as you’re putting in the required data to form your company makes this a con. This is not uncommon as other major business formation brands also have pushy sales reps that try to sell services after you’ve purchased your formation.
Inc Authority Pricing And Actual Cost: Is It Really Free
Inc Authority is known for its free LLC formation services, but it also has other add-ons and services that can make your price go up. If you’re only needing the basics you can simply choose not to pay for any additional services and then all you will have to pay at checkout are the state fees (as shown below).
Prices Of Add-On Services
- Registered Agent Services – $179 per year
- EIN Employer Identification Number (Tax ID) Service – $49
- Operating Agreement – $89
- Legal Documents Package with Ownership Certificates – $99
- Minutes And Resolutions – $99
- 24-Hour Express Processing – $49
- Online Business Presence – $10
- Inc Success Advisor – $197
The prices of the add-on services and promotions are always subject to change. They will also give you the option to bundle certain services at checkout which will give you the best deal on some of the essentials. They call these “startup bundles” or “premium bundles.”
The options on the bundles are “Starter” which gives you the free LLC formation along with a few other basic add-ons that handle a few other filings for you along with a few perks like domain names, etc. The other bundle is called “Fast Track” which essentially bundles all of their services available together into one package. We don’t think either package is 100% necessary for forming your LLC, but if you would choose to pay for one to make your filing quicker and easier then we would opt for the Starter Business Bundle.
We will update this section periodically to give you a better idea of what you may have to pay to get these services. Most of these services are not necessary for basic business formation, but there are some services that certain businesses could benefit from such as the registered agent or business banking bonuses.
Inc Authority Customer Reviews
When reviewing an LLC formation company it’s always imperative to check as many customer reviews as possible. This is why we look at multiple sources to try to find real customer reviews and complaints. Every business owner can have a slightly different experience with a company so we do our best to detail and give a summary of what we found.
There are hundreds of customer reviews online for Inc Authority with Trust Pilot having the majority of those customer reviews as the company seems to direct customers to their website to give a review (as do many other companies). Another place we looked through all of the customer reviews was Google Reviews which had some reviews, but nowhere as many as Trust Pilot.
One place we always check customer reviews is Reddit. We couldn’t find any reviews of Inc Authority from customers on Reddit. We did find some potential customers asking questions, but there were no customer reviews or complaints that we could find.
Overall the customer reviews were positive with most saying that Inc Authority helped them quickly set up their business without any issues. The negative reviews that we saw were mostly complaints about being charged for other services when they thought the service was free. A few of the other negative reviews were about customer service not being responsive and
Inc Authority FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
How Is Inc Authority Free? (How Do They Make Money?)
Inc Authority can offer a free plan because they offer numerous other paid services for your business. So if you’re forming your LLC for free through Inc Authority you may also need a business bank account or website. They make their money through partnerships so they get paid a commission when you use one of these services.
They also offer other services and add-ons your business may need when forming your business. You will see when you start putting in your information to start your business that they will ask you questions about accounting, 401k, and so on. So for instance, if you answer yes to needing accounting software then they may show you an advertisement for a company like Quickbooks. This is essentially how Inc Authority makes its money and can keep the basic formation service free.
Is Inc Authority Legit?
Yes, Inc Authority is a legitimate company. They have thousands of reviews on multiple customer review websites, a registered address with employees (Their current office address is 1450 Vassar Street, Reno, Nevada), and partnerships with numerous other reputable brands such as Bank Of America, ShareASale, and more.
You can find more information on their website with information showing they’re a real company with over 30 years of being in business along with thousands of businesses formed over the years.
What Are Some Alternatives To Inc Authority?
There are a lot of competitors and alternatives to Inc Authority. A few of the most popular alternatives are the big names in the LLC formation area such as LegalZoom, ZenBusiness, IncFile, and Northwest Registered Agent. Those brands all have mostly positive reviews overall but just like Inc Authority have pros and cons depending on your unique situation.
Does Inc Authority Have Spanish-Speaking Customer Service?
Yes, their website’s customer service section says that they do have Spanish speakers that work within their customer service. This means that you can get help from a Spanish-speaking representative when forming your business or if you need help after the fact. Their customer service information is listed on their website with hours and more information about other languages.
Is Their $49 EIN Filing Fee Worth It?
Update: As of right now, Inc Authority has changed their EIN filing to be free with any LLC formation package. We still don’t recommend anyone pay for this as a stand-alone service, but it’s another great free perk added to their free formation services.
No, we don’t recommend that most business owners pay to have their EIN number generated. It only takes a few minutes on the IRS website and it’s easy to do. We’ve seen services charging anywhere from $25 to $75 to get your EIN for you and we don’t think the price is worth the convenience for most new business owners.
While we do our best to keep all of the information on this page updated, Inc Authority may always change their prices and services to be different than it was when this review was written. Also, you should always consult with a professional on any matters pertaining to legal issues or otherwise with your business as this is simply a review of their service.
Learn more about Inc Authority and find deals at IncAuthority.com.