The cheapest way to incorporate is to file directly with your state, which in Delaware costs $109 minimum for a corporation and $110 for an LLC, per the Delaware Division of Corporations fee schedule revised August 1, 2026. Among services, Bizee and Inc Authority charge $0 plus state fees and include a first year of registered agent service, which then renews at $149 and $249 a year, according to their own sites as of October 17, 2026. For a venture-track Delaware C-corp, Rho is $400, Clerky $427, and Stripe Atlas $500.
Best for founders forming a Delaware C-corp who want their company formed and a business account opened in the same flow, subject to approval: Rho, at $400. Rho also forms LLCs for $349 all in, state filing fee included.
We assess formation options on price, what's included, and whether a business account can open in the same flow as formation.
If you care about quality and features rather than the absolute lowest sticker price, start with our quality-ranked review of the best incorporation services. This page answers a narrower question: what is genuinely cheapest, all-in.
Filing directly with the state is the lowest-cost route: Delaware charges $109 minimum for a corporation and $110 for an LLC, per the Delaware Division of Corporations fee schedule revised August 1, 2026.
Bizee and Inc Authority form companies for $0 plus state fees and include a first year of registered agent service. ZenBusiness's $0 Starter plan sells registered agent service separately at $199 a year.
Registered agent renewals are where free gets expensive: $149 a year at Bizee, $199 at ZenBusiness, and $249 at Inc Authority and LegalZoom, per each company's site as of October 17, 2026.
Over two years on a Delaware LLC, before Delaware's $400 annual LLC tax, the $0 services range from $259 at Bizee to $608 for LegalZoom's $0 package plus its registered agent.
Rho charges $400 for a Delaware C-corp, with your business account opening in the same flow, subject to approval, and $349 all in for an LLC, state filing fee included.
What each option costs up front
Here is what each route charges to form the company, from each provider's own site as of October 17, 2026. Each price is shown as the provider publishes it.
Route | Formation price | First-year registered agent |
|---|---|---|
File it yourself | State fee only | You serve or hire one |
Bizee | $0 plus state fee | Included for one year, then $149 a year |
Inc Authority | $0 plus state fees | Included for one year, then $249 a year |
ZenBusiness (LLC) | $0 plus state fees | Not included, $199 a year |
Northwest Registered Agent | $39 plus state fees | $125 a year standalone |
LegalZoom (corporation) | $149 to $349 plus state filing fees | $249 a year |
Rho (LLC) | $349 all in, state filing fee included | |
Rho (Delaware C-corp) | $400 | Covered by Rho for year one |
Clerky | $427, or $819 for the Company Lifetime Package | Includes a $125 first-year Delaware registered agent fee |
Stripe Atlas | $500 one-time | Included for year one, then $100 a year |
The true $0-plus-state-fee options
These three services charge no formation fee. You pay only your state's filing fee, and the differences show up in what is bundled and what renews.
Bizee: $0 plus state fee, free first-year registered agent
Bizee, formerly Incfile, offers a $0 Basic package plus state fee for both LLCs and corporations, with paid packages up to $299. Bizee says each package is eligible for one free year of registered agent service, which then renews at $149 a year. Our full Bizee review covers what each package includes.
Inc Authority: $0 plus state fees, free first-year registered agent
Inc Authority also charges $0 plus state fees for an LLC or corporation, and includes a free EIN filing and one year of registered agent service. After that year, its order page says the registered agent renews at $249.
ZenBusiness: $0 plus state fees, registered agent costs extra
ZenBusiness's Starter LLC plan is $0 plus state fees and does not renew, but registered agent service is not included in any ZenBusiness package; it costs $199 a year. Starter includes the first year of Worry-Free Compliance, which then costs $199 a year if you keep it, and standard processing takes 7 to 10 business days unless you pay $79 for rush.
Is there a free way to incorporate a startup?
It depends on the route. Delaware charges its own $109 minimum to file a corporation and $110 for an LLC, per the Delaware Division of Corporations, on every filing.
What does move is the service fee stacked on top of it, and that part can land at $0.
Bizee and Inc Authority list $0 plus state fees for corporations as well as LLCs, and ZenBusiness's $0 Starter plan is for LLCs. A venture-backed startup needs a Delaware C-corp, because a C-corp with standard stock is what investors expect to see before they wire money.
Every advertises a $0 Delaware C-corp on its own site, and free options also exist through certain accelerators.
Rho charges $400 for a Delaware C-corp and $349 all in for an LLC, state filing fee included.
So the honest matrix looks like this:
State filing fee: never $0 in Delaware. $109 minimum for a corporation, $110 for an LLC.
Service fee: $0 at several providers, for corporations as well as LLCs at Bizee and Inc Authority.
Rho: $400 for a Delaware C-corp, or $349 all in for an LLC with the state filing fee included.
If none of that applies to you, the lowest-cost route is filing directly with the state yourself, which is next.
The lowest-cost route of all: file directly with the state
You file the formation document with your state yourself and pay only the state fee. In Delaware, that is $109 minimum for a corporation's certificate of incorporation (the fee rises with authorized shares and no-par stock) and $110 for an LLC's certificate of formation.
What you give up:
A registered agent. Delaware requires an agent with an in-state address, so unless you are located there you will hire one anyway. Northwest Registered Agent, for example, charges $125 a year. Our Delaware registered agent guide explains how to choose.
Document templates. No operating agreement or bylaws included. Solid templates exist, but you are assembling them yourself.
EIN handling. The EIN is free from the IRS either way, but you complete the application yourself.
Compliance reminders. Nobody will nudge you before your franchise tax deadline. In Delaware, a late LLC tax payment adds a $200 penalty plus 1.5% interest per month.
DIY makes sense for a simple single-member LLC run by someone comfortable with forms. It makes less sense the more owners, states, or investors you add.
Watch the renewals: where free gets expensive
Formation is a one-time event. Registered agent service renews every year, and it is priced accordingly.
Service | Year-1 registered agent | Renewal price per year |
|---|---|---|
Bizee | Free | $149 |
Inc Authority | Free | $249 |
ZenBusiness | $199 | $199 |
LegalZoom | $249 | $249 |
Northwest Registered Agent | $125 standalone | $125 |
Stripe Atlas | Included | $100 |
LegalZoom deserves a note here. Its corporation packages run from $149 to $349 plus state filing fees, and its registered agent service is $249 a year. If you were considering it on price, our roundup of LegalZoom alternatives is the better starting point.
You can switch registered agents later, and many founders form with a free bundle and move to a cheaper standalone agent at renewal. Just remember the switch itself requires a state filing in Delaware.
Total cost over two years
Here is the math on a Delaware LLC, including the $110 state filing fee and registered agent service for both years. Every row also pays Delaware's $400 annual LLC tax, due June 1, which is left out because it is identical across routes.
Route | Formation fee | Year-1 agent | Year-2 agent | Two-year total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Bizee | $0 | $0 | $149 | $259 |
Inc Authority | $0 | $0 | $249 | $359 |
DIY, Northwest as agent | $0 | $125 | $125 | $360 |
ZenBusiness | $0 | $199 | $199 | $508 |
LegalZoom ($0 LLC package) | $0 | $249 | $249 | $608 |
Among the routes in this table, Bizee comes out lowest over two years, and Inc Authority and DIY with Northwest as your agent land within a dollar of each other.
When cheap is expensive
If you are building a venture-track startup, stop optimizing for the $0 tier. Investors expect a Delaware C corporation with standard documents: proper bylaws, board consents, stock purchase agreements with vesting, and a clean cap table. Paying a lawyer to rebuild your paperwork before a financing can cost more than a formation service.
Stripe Atlas is $500, and Clerky is $427, or $819 for its Company Lifetime Package. See how the startup-grade options compare in our guide to Stripe Atlas alternatives.
The rule of thumb: if your company will only ever have you in it, buy the cheapest thing that includes a first-year agent. If other people's money is coming in, whether investors or co-founders, buy documents you will not have to redo.
Where Rho fits
Rho Incorporation charges $400 for an attorney-reviewed Delaware C-corp formation and $349 all in for an LLC, with the state filing fee included. When you incorporate a Delaware C-corp with Rho, registered agent service is covered for the first year, your EIN application is filed for you, and you get 83(b) election support. C-corp filings take about 24 hours, with the clock starting the next business day after you submit.
When you incorporate a Delaware C-corp with Rho, your business account opens in the same flow, subject to approval: banking, invoicing, cards, and bill pay, all live the moment your account is approved. Funds can't move until your EIN is issued and attached to your account. To open a Rho account this way, your company needs at least one US-based owner or officer, a US operating address, and a business in an industry Rho supports.
Best for founders forming a Delaware C-corp who want their company formed and a business account opened in the same flow, subject to approval.
Related incorporation guides
The full ranking: See our roundup of the best incorporation services for startups, scored on price, speed, and what comes after filing.
The real cost: Our guide to how much it costs to incorporate breaks down first-year totals for three founder profiles.
The budget route: Our Bizee (formerly Incfile) review covers the $0 plus state fees option.
Beyond LegalZoom: See the best LegalZoom alternatives for startup-focused options.
doola vs Atlas: Our doola vs Stripe Atlas comparison covers the LLC versus C corp fork for non-US founders.
Ready to incorporate? Rho Incorporation forms your Delaware C-corp for $400, with your business account opening in the same flow, subject to approval. Rho also forms LLCs for $349 all in, state filing fee included.
