Fact Checked by Editorial Staff
LegalZoom vs. Harbor Compliance: When you’re willing to start an LLC, LLC formation services like LegalZoom and Harbor Compliance are the first things you look for. They are competent, offer diverse deals in business formation, are affordable, and help you go through a hassle-free process of LLC formation. However, not all services are the same, like Harbor Compliance offers different services and prices than LegalZoom.
As we share our take on LegalZoom and Harbor Compliance, we pointed out the pros and cons of both services for you to decide which one is suitable for your business. LLCBuddy editors dug up a lot and brought a detailed comparative guide on LegalZoom vs. Harbor Compliance for the budding entrepreneur.
LegalZoom vs. Harbor Compliance: Quick Review
| Services | LegalZoom | Harbor Compliance |
|---|---|---|
| LLC Formation | Available | Available |
| Starting Price | $0 + State filing fee | $99 + State filing fee |
| Registered Agent Service | Available at $299 a year | Available at $99 per year |
| Legal Advice | Available at an additional fee | Not Available |
| EIN | Available at $79 | Available at $99 |
| Operating Agreement | $99 | $99 |
| Annual Report | $99 + state filing fee | $100 to $175 per state + state filing fee |
| Attorney Service | Depends on services | Not available |
| Website | LegalZoom | Harbor Compliance |
| Review | LegalZoom Review | – |
Before we make a purchase, we always look for affordability and quality rather than the name or brand. Of course, brand matters, however, depending on your requirements, sometimes we have to choose unpopular names over a big brand. When it comes to deciding on which service we are going to choose or purchase, we look for a few general points.
- Reliable
- Reasonable
- Meet requirements
Our main goal is to share the insights of features and prices both these services offer. We researched the details of LegalZoom and Harbor Compliance to bring the comparison study for you.
LegalZoom vs. Harbor Compliance: Our Take
It is a bit difficult for us to say what you should choose. It depends on what services you’re looking for. Both services offer LLC formation, however, LegalZoom is more focused on legal assistance and attorney services. On the other side, Harbor Compliance specializes in compliance services more than direct legal support. It also offers divers business software that helps small businesses to manage their company without any hassle. Harbor Compliance is not as old as LegalZoom but it does have a brand presence when it comes to offering LLC formation services. Choosing LegalZoom over Harbor Compliance will be wise if you’re looking for LLC formation at $0..
LegalZoom vs. Harbor Compliance: Price and Packaging
LegalZoom offers LLC formation at $0; however, the required state filing fee must be paid. On the other hand, Harbor Compliance offers the LLC formation at $99 plus state filing fee. . When forming your LLC with LegalZoom or Harbor Compliance, there are many more things than the formation fees. With Harbor Compliance, a registered agent costs $99 per year. However, with LegalZoom, it is $299 a year. Hence, it is better to go with LegalZoom as Harbor Compliance is more expensive than LegalZoom. Harbor Compliance does not offer free service. Hence, at the checkout it shows not-so-affordable price compared to LegalZoom’s LLC formation price..
LegalZoom Price & Package
LegalZoom offers three packages for LLC formation. Basic ($0 + state fees), Pro ($249 + state fees), and Premium ($299 + state fees).
- Business Formation Packages start at $0 + state fees and go up to $299 + state fees. Additional services can be added with a la carte options.
- Registered agent services cost $299 per year.
- Legal document review services start at $39 and can go up to $219, depending on the complexity of the document.
- Business compliance services start at $69 a year.
- Intellectual property services start at $199 and go up to $499, depending on the requirements.
Add-ons by LegalZoom
- Trademark registration: Assisting with the US trademark application process
- Copyright registration: Guidance on registering copyrights for creative works
- Patent services: Support in obtaining utility, design, and plant patents
- Estate planning: Offering personalized wills, trusts, and power of attorney documents
- Legal advice: Access to a network of lawyers for consultations and legal guidance
- Expedited Filing: With an additional $99, you can speed up your filing process.
Harbor Compliance Price & Package
- LLC formation: $99 + state filing fee
- Registered Agent: $89-$99 per state per year
- Initial Report Starting at $175 plus state fees
- Annual Reports: $100 to $175 per state plus filing fees
- Dissolution & Withdrawal: $399 plus state fees
- Articles of Reinstatement: $399 plus state fees
- Certificate of Good Standing: $85 plus state fees
- Foreign Qualification: $399 service fee includes registered agent
- Nonprofit Registration Services from $1
- 799 plus filing fees
Add-ons By Harbor Compliance
- Initial Report Starting at $175 plus state fees
- Establish Payroll Tax Accounts one-time package $600
- Sales and Use Tax Ids one-time package $300
- publishing Starting at $300 plus state fees
Starter/Basic Package: Comparison
| Services | LegalZoom | Harbor Compliance |
|---|---|---|
| LLC formation | $0 + state filing fee | $99 + State filing fee |
| Processing time | 30 days | Standard filing |
| Business Name Search | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| EIN | $79 | Available at $99 |
| Operating Agreement | $99 | $99 |
| Business Compliance | $280 per year | On demand |
| Web domain & web hosting | Not Available (website building through WIX) | Not available |
Pro/Mid-Level Package:
| Services | LegalZoom | Harbor Compliance |
|---|---|---|
| LLC formation | $249 + state filing fees | $99 + state filing fees (flat) |
| Processing Time | 15 days | Standard filing |
| Business Name Search | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| EIN | Yes | $99 |
| Operating Agreement | Yes | $99.00 |
| Business Compliance | $280 per year | On demand |
| Web domain & web hosting | Not Available (website building through WIX) | Not Available |
| Domain Name Registration | Not Available | Not Available |
| Business Email | Not Available | Not Available |
Premium/Top Level Package:
| Services | LegalZoom | Harbor Compliance |
|---|---|---|
| LLC Formation | $299 + state filing fee | $99 + state filing fees (flat) |
| Processing Time | 15 days | Standard filing |
| Business Name Search | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| EIN | Yes | $99 |
| Operating Agreement | Yes | $99.00 |
| Business Compliance | $280 per year | On demand |
| Web domain & web hosting | Not Available (website building through WIX) | Not Available |
LegalZoom vs. Harbor Compliance: How They Are Different or Similar
LegalZoom and Harbor Compliance offer similar services. Both companies have many things in common, while some things are different. Let’s look at the similarities and differences Harbor Compliance and LegalZoom have with each other.
Business Formation
LegalZoom provides a complete business formation service that helps customers create their legal entity. They offer various business entity types, including LLC, Corporation, and Non-profit. LegalZoom offers different packages for each business entity type, including a basic package that offers the basic requirements for business formation, such as legal document filing and registered agents. With LegalZoom, you can get access to attorneys and other legal services.
Harbor Compliance does not have a series of formation packages. It has only one flat rate for LLC formation. Other services like Registered Agent is much cheaper than what LegalZoom offers. However, the overall price is much more in Harbor Compliance than LegalZoom for formation of LLC
Legal Support & Attorney Services
LegalZoom, as per its name, provides in-and-out legal support to entrepreneurs. The company also offers attorney consultation services. LegalZoom is your solution if you want to hire an attorney to form your business. Not only the professional purpose but LegalZoom offers personal legal help as well. Property lawyers, Will, Power of Attorney, and other personal legal services are available in LegalZoom.
Harbor Compliance does not offer legal support or attorney service. Hence, users who are looking for legal service Harbor Compliance would not be a wise option.
Overall Cost
LegalZoom offers LLC formation at $0. However, other services, like a registered agent, cost $299 a year, making the overall cost more than other close competitors. It is a bit expensive compared to Harbor Compliance.
Harbor Compliance, no doubt is a bit expensive than LegalZoom. If we calculate the overall price, Harbor Compliance’s price is much more than LegalZoom. Though the price of registered agent service is much lesser, however, other services such as EIN is much higher than LegalZoom. Besides, it does not offer any free LLC formation like LegalZoom.
Customer Support
Regarding customer support, LegalZoom has the best in the industry. The company is old, and the team is much more experienced than Harbor Compliance. LegalZoom’s customer service is swift and available during working hours. One can contact them by asking questions and by phone. The LegalZoom official site has many business-related articles that help you understand their services.
Users can reach Harbor Compliance Service Help Center via 4 ways. First, users can call them directly. You can drop a mail at their main office in Pennsylvania, you can email them, Fax them, and/or you can call them from Monday to Friday during official hours.
Harbor Compliance Additional Services
There are some services that LegalZoom does not provide, but Harbor Compliance does. The following services are offered by Harbor Compliance, but LegalZoom has no such services.
Establish Payroll Tax Accounts with Harbor Compliance available at one-time package at $600
Some sepcific state needs publishing after creating the LLC. Harbor Compliance offers this service at $300 plus state publishing charges.
Some states require Initial Business Report filing. Harbor Compliance offers this service starting at $75 plus state filing fee
LegalZoom vs. Harbor Compliance: Pros & Cons
Before you choose either of these options, you must specify what requirements you have. If you’re establishing an LLC and looking for a basic business formation package, then both these companies, LegalZoom and Harbor Compliance, can be considered. Both companies offer LC formation at a reasonable price.
LegalZoom: Pros & Cons:
| Pros of LegalZoom | Cons of LegalZoom |
|---|---|
| Comprehensive legal services: LegalZoom offers a vast range of legal services that can help entrepreneurs meet all their legal obligations. | Higher prices: LegalZoom has higher prices than other competitors in the business formation industry, especially for add-on services. |
| Established brand: LegalZoom has been around since 1999 and has helped over four million businesses. Thus, it has a reputation and tracks records of forming businesses. | Limited customer support: LegalZoom offers customer support, but it may not be as extensive as expected. Some customers have mentioned they had difficulty getting support from LegalZoom. |
| 100% satisfaction guarantee: LegalZoom offers a 60-day money-back guarantee, and if you are not satisfied with their services, you will get a full refund. |
Harbor Compliance: Pros & Cons:
| Pros of Harbor Compliance | Cons of Harbor Compliance |
|---|---|
| Harbor Compliance has been in business for over a decade and has successfully helped thousands of businesses with their compliance needs. | Hiring a professional service like Harbor Compliance comes with a cost. While their services can save you time and provide peace of mind, it may not be the most cost-effective option for everyone |
| Harbor Compliance ensures that all the necessary legal and compliance requirements for forming an LLC are met. | Some users may value a personalized experience when creating their LLC. As Harbor Compliance works with many clients, there may be limited opportunities for one-on-one communication and customization |
| Harbor Compliance provides ongoing support, even after your LLC is formed. They can help with annual report filings, business licenses, and other compliance requirements that may arise throughout the life of your LLC. | Some users may prefer more control over the formation and compliance process of their LLC. Harbor Compliance offers standardized services, which may not cater to the specific needs or preferences of certain businesses. |
FAQs
Also Read
Conclusion
LegalZoom and Harbor Compliance are reputable companies offering quality services at competitive rates. However, which one you choose depends on your specific business needs. LegalZoom is an excellent choice if you are looking for a more straightforward pricing model and a wide range of legal support services. If you are looking for a more affordable option and an excellent business formation package, Harbor Compliance is the perfect choice.
It is worth noting that both companies offer a satisfaction guarantee, so if you are not satisfied with their services, you might get a refund.
To summarize the comparison, LegalZoom is suitable for entrepreneurs who want a one-stop shop for all business-related and legal services. It has higher prices, but it is worth the investment for entrepreneurs who want personalized advice from legal professionals. On the other hand, Harbor Compliance is better for budget-conscious entrepreneurs who want a more streamlined and efficient business formation process.
Finally, before making your final decision, it is crucial to research other business formation companies and determine which one is the best fit for your business needs. By doing so, you can make an informed decision that will help you build a strong legal foundation for your business.