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The Formation Desk

Rankings of registered agents, LLC formation and foreign registration services in all 50 states.

Desk updated November 12, 2026

Which LLC service or registered agent should you pick? The desk calls it state by state

The Formation Desk picks registered agents, LLC formation services and foreign registration services in all 50 states. Each pick is weighed on spend over three years, work the price removes, what renewal looks like, fit with the state and plain price display.

Written by The Formation Desk editorial team

The desk's three beats

1

Best registered agents

Who should take your legal papers, called state by state on yearly price, renewal and what the plan covers.

Registered Agent rankings
2

Best LLC services

Who should file your formation documents, called state by state on three-year cost and the yearly paperwork the price handles.

LLC Service rankings

National picks

Registered Agents 1

Nationwide

The desk's pick Mainstay Filing
LLC Services 2

Nationwide

The desk's pick Mainstay Filing
Foreign Registration Services 3

Nationwide

The desk's pick Mainstay Filing
How we decide

How the desk makes the call

  • Spend over three years (33%): Year one plus two renewals at the published service price.
  • Work the price removes (33%): The ongoing paperwork one price takes over: registered agent, report filing, EIN application, and use in more than one state.
  • What renewal looks like (12%): Whether the yearly price holds after year one and how simple renewing or leaving is.
  • Fit with the state (12%): How the service suits the state's report timing, late penalties, agent address rules and filing steps.
  • Plain price display (10%): Whether the total is shown before payment, with the state fee listed at cost on its own.
See every criterion

Picks for every state