LegalZoom and Swyft Filings are two reputable players in the online LLC formation market.
For entrepreneurs looking to start a business, choosing between the two can be a daunting task. While both services offer similar products, there are key differences between the two that can impact your decision.
Form your LLC quickly and easily with LegalZoom's comprehensive services, including preparation and filing of legal documents and access to legal advice.
Below, we compare LegalZoom and Swyft Filings in terms of pricing, features, and customer service to help you determine which one is right for you.
We’ll take a deep dive into their offerings, including the ease of use, turnaround time, and additional services offered by each company.
Contents
Comparison Chart
| LLC Formation | LegalZoom | Swyft Filings |
 |  | |
| Price | Check Price | Check Price |
| Available Plans | Three plans | Three plans |
| Registered Agent | No; sold as a separate service | No; sold as a separate service |
| Company Name Verification | Yes | Yes |
| Articles of Organization | Yes | Yes |
| Operating Agreement | Select plans only | Select plans only |
| EIN Registration | Select plans only | Select plans only |
| Business Website | Yes | Yes |
| Compliance Services | Yes | Yes |
Company Overview
Swyft Filings and LegalZoom are two of the most prominent LLC formation service providers in the industry. Both companies offer an array of services, including business formation, compliance, registered agents, and filing assistance for entrepreneurs.
Established in 2012, Swyft Filings is a Texas-based company that has helped thousands of entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. Swyft Filings is known for its affordable pricing, fast turnaround times, and exceptional customer service.
One of their unique selling propositions is their dedicated support team that is available to answer questions and provide guidance throughout the entire process.
LegalZoom, on the other hand, has been around since 1999 and is considered the pioneer in the online legal services industry. LegalZoom offers an extensive range of legal services, including LLC formation, trademark registration, and legal advice from their network of attorneys.
One of their standout features is their personalized legal advice, which provides customers with access to licensed attorneys who can answer legal questions and provide guidance specific to their business needs.
In terms of pricing, Swyft Filings offers competitive rates with no hidden fees. LegalZoom is slightly more expensive but offers more comprehensive legal services.
Plans, Pricing, and Features
LegalZoom
LegalZoom offers three different LLC formation plans to fit your specific needs.
| Basic | Pro | Premium |
| $0 + state filing fees | $249 + state filing fees | $279 + state filing fees |
Basic Plan: LegalZoon’s entry-level package caters to those on a budget. It includes basic services like name check service, preparation and filing of your articles of organization, and a digital welcome packet. Keep in mind that state filing fees still apply.
Pro Plan: If you need more features to operate a fully compliant business, the Pro Plan is the way to go. It includes all the benefits of the Basic package, plus an operating agreement, EIN, business licenses, and phone consultations with business insurance and tax specialists.
Premium Plan: LegalZoom’s Premium plan is the most comprehensive package for LLC formation. It includes everything in the Basic and Pro plans, plus 30-minute legal consultations with an attorney and access to customizable legal forms. You’ll also get copyright registration and revisions to your LLC formation documents within the first 30 days.
Form your LLC quickly and easily with LegalZoom's comprehensive services, including preparation and filing of legal documents and access to legal advice.
Under the premium plan, attorney consultations are included for free for up to 30 days. Afterward, the service renews monthly at $49. All plans include a customizable Wix website for your business.
It’s also important to note that none of LegalZoom’s LLC formation packages include a registered agent. You’ll need to purchase that service separately for $299 a year.
Swyft Filings
Swyft Filings offers three different LLC formation packages: Basic, Standard, and Premium, each with varying features and benefits.
| Basic | Standard | Premium |
| $49 + state filing fees | $149 + state filing fees | $299 + state filing fees |
Basic Plan: While the Basic plan is not free, it includes more features than LegalZoom’s entry-level package. With the Basic plan, you receive name verification, articles of organization, a free statement of the organizer, and filing services, along with online access to your incorporation documents and first-class shipping and handling.
Standard Plan: For additional LLC documents, you can choose the Standard plan, which includes all of the features from the Basic package plus a Federal Tax ID, a custom LLC operating agreement and banking resolution, and custom organizational minutes.
Premium Plan: If you need a more comprehensive solution, the Premium plan includes all of the features from the Basic and Standard plans, as well as electronic delivery of state documents and upgrades to FedEx shipping and tracking. Swyft Filings also provides a digital LLC kit for your business.
Additionally, all Swyft Filings plans come with a free domain name for the first year courtesy of Squarespace, as well as lifetime customer support and compliance alerts.
However, like LegalZoom, Swyft Filing does not include a registered agent with any of its plans, which must be purchased as an upsell for $199 a year. Business licenses and compliance packages are also add-ons that cost $99.
Ease of Use
LegalZoom’s platform guides clients through a series of questions instead of an online form. However, before seeing the total cost, users will need to navigate through a series of upsells. Fortunately, clients can opt out of these add-ons on the final order page or skip them during the QA process.
On the other hand, Swyft Filings also uses a conversational sign-up process. Once the user fills in their business name, they immediately receive the name availability result. After selecting a package, the application process takes only a few minutes. While Swyft Filings does have upsells, they are generally less intrusive and do not detract from the user experience.
In terms of turnaround time, Swyft Filings is more upfront about its processing time. The basic and standard packages have a processing time of 5 to 10 days, while the premium package offers expedited filing with a one-business-day filing time. It’s important to note, however, that the actual processing time will depend on government timelines, which vary by state.
Ultimately, both LegalZoom and Swyft Filings offer similar services, but Swyft Filings may provide a more streamlined and less intrusive user experience. It’s important to carefully consider the upsells and processing times before making a decision, and keep in mind that actual processing time may vary.
Customer Support
When it comes to customer support, LegalZoom and Swyft Filings have different approaches.
LegalZoom’s Basic plan only offers email and chat support, while the Pro and Premium Packages provide email, chat, and phone support. LegalZoom also offers prepaid legal support through its network of independent attorneys.
LegalZoom’s phone support is available Monday through Friday, from 5 am to 7 pm PT, and on weekends from 7 am to 4 pm PT. They also have an email form on their website for customer inquiries.
In comparison, Swyft Filings offers lifetime full-service customer support, which includes legal services such as amendment and name changes.
Swyft Filings customers can reach a real business specialist over the phone from 9 am to 6 pm CST Monday through Friday or by sending a message through their support page.
Both LegalZoom and Swyft Filings offer a 100% money-back guarantee if you are unsatisfied with their service.
Verdict
After a thorough comparison of LegalZoom and Swyft Filing, we recommend Swyft Filing for its Basic plan, which offers more features than LegalZoom’s comparable Basic package. Swyft Filing’s Basic plan includes name availability check, filing of Articles of Organization, and access to an online dashboard with compliance alerts.
LegalZoom’s Basic plan only provides Articles of Organization filing and name availability checks. While Swyft Filing’s Basic plan isn’t free, it offers more value for your money. However, for clients who need more than just LLC formation, we recommend LegalZoom’s Premium Plan. This plan offers copyright registration and access to legal advice through LegalZoom’s independent network of attorneys.
Pricing between the two services is comparable, with Swyft Filing costing slightly more in some instances. However, it makes up for this by offering more affordable registered agent services and lifetime customer support, which includes legal services like amendment and name changes. LegalZoom may be cheaper in some plans, but it doesn’t provide lifetime support or compliance alerts.
Form your LLC quickly and easily with LegalZoom's comprehensive services, including preparation and filing of legal documents and access to legal advice.