Best LLC Filing

Best LLC Filing › California

Best LLC service in California (2026)

Mainstay Filing is the best overall LLC service in California. The state fee is $70 (Articles of Organization (LLC-1), filed with the California Secretary of State); with Mainstay Filing the three-year total is $687.

  • Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
  • Prices verified October 2026
Best overall in California

Mainstay Filing

Our rating: 4.9 out of 5

$199 / year + $70 state fee

  • LLC formation, prepared and filed
  • Registered agent, all year
  • EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
  • Annual report filed every year it is due where the state requires one
  • Compliance reminders and stored documents

Price from the Mainstay Filing pricing and FAQ pages, checked October 21, 2026. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before you pay.

Best-for picks with California costs

  1. Best overall: Mainstay Filing ($597 over 3 years; $687 over 3 years with California costs). One $199 price a year covers the formation filing, registered agent, EIN application and annual report, and it stays $199 at renewal.
  2. Lowest first-year cost: Bizee ($0 for year 1 with an agent; $388 over 3 years with California costs). Its entry package is $0 plus the state fee and the registered agent is free for the first year when you form with it. Why
  3. Lowest three-year cost: Northwest Registered Agent ($289 over 3 years; $379 over 3 years with California costs). A $39 package with the agent included the first year, then a $125 agent, adds up to the smallest service total over three years. Why
  4. Lowest agent price after year 1: Northwest Registered Agent ($125 a year from year 2; $379 over 3 years with California costs). Its registered agent renews at the lowest rate of the five. Why
  5. Most included in one price: Mainstay Filing ($199 a year, all-in; $687 over 3 years with California costs). Formation, agent, EIN application and annual report filing share one yearly price; the others sell the agent, EIN or report filing separately. Why

California rules that affect your choice

State filing fee
$70
Yearly report
Statement of Information, every two years, $20
Registered agent
Required. A California resident, or a corporation registered with the Secretary of State as a corporate agent under Corporations Code § 1505. A business cannot act as its own agent for service of process.

Questions

What is the best LLC service in California?

Mainstay Filing. In California it totals $687 over three years including the $70 filing fee, with the agent, EIN application and annual reports covered.

What is the cheapest way to start a California LLC?

Filing yourself costs the $70 state fee and you still need a registered agent with a street address in the state. Among services, Bizee is lowest in year 1 and Northwest Registered Agent over three years.

Is a service worth it in California?

California requires a registered agent, which a service provides for you. A service can also file the Statement of Information each time it is due.

Sources