Inc Authority vs Swyft Filings: pricing and features compared
Data last updated: Apr 21, 2026Inc Authority starts at $0 plus state fees. Swyft Filings starts at $0 plus state fees. Sticker-price differences between LLC formation services rarely tell the full story, since the cheapest tier usually excludes the EIN filing and operating agreement most filers need.
Inc Authority has 46,831 Trustpilot reviews compared to Swyft Filings's 7,779. The volume gap is usually about review solicitation rather than quality, but the higher-volume score tends to be the more statistically stable signal.
For most filers, the decision between two services is decided by three things: whether you need a $0 tier or can absorb a mid-tier to get the EIN and operating agreement bundled, how much the registered agent will cost you in year two and onward, and whether the support quality matters to you (it matters more if you're paying $200+ for the service in the first place).
Key differences at a glance
- Swyft Filings offers live chat support; the other relies on phone and email only.
Where each service fits
Pick Inc Authority when
Pick Inc Authority when you want a high-volume review history (46,831 Trustpilot reviews vs 7,779).
Pick Swyft Filings when
Pick Swyft Filings when you want live chat support.
What each service offers that the other does not
Only Inc Authority
- Banking partner integration
Only Swyft Filings
- Live chat support
Both services
- Free $0 formation tier
- Compliance dashboard
- Phone support
What it costs under your specific situation
Running the same LLC through three common scenarios. Year-1 and 5-year totals exclude state fees, which are identical for both services.
| Scenario | Inc Authority Year 1 | Swyft Filings Year 1 | Inc Authority 5-year | Swyft Filings 5-year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Just the basics: state filing, RA year 1, nothing else You file the EIN yourself at irs.gov and skip a written operating agreement. | $0 | $0 | $996 | $0 |
| You want EIN and operating agreement handled too Most new LLCs end up here. Assumes $70 EIN and $99 OA add-ons where the service charges for them. | $169 | $169 | $1,165 | $169 |
| Standalone registered agent only (no formation) You already formed the LLC elsewhere. Just swapping to this service's RA. | $249 | $0 | $1,245 | $0 |
Full feature comparison
| Dimension | Inc Authority | Swyft Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price Cheapest tier, excludes state fees | Free | Free |
| Registered agent year 1 | Included | Not included |
| Registered agent renewal Year 2 onward, annual | $249/yr | Not published |
| Free $0 tier | Yes | Yes |
| EIN application | Paid add-on | Paid add-on |
| Operating agreement | Paid add-on | Paid add-on |
| Compliance dashboard | Yes | Yes |
| Mail scanning | No | No |
| International founders | No | No |
| Banking partner | Bank of America | None |
| Phone support | Mon-Fri 7:30am-5:00pm Pacific | Monday-Friday 9am-6pm CT |
| Live chat | No | Yes |
| Trustpilot rating | 4.9/5 (46,831 reviews) | 4.7/5 (7,779 reviews) |
Pricing tiers side by side
Inc Authority
- Free — Free
Includes RA year 1 · renews $249/yr - Starter Business Bundle — Free
Includes RA year 1 · renews $249/yr - Fast Track Business Bundle — Free
Includes RA year 1 · renews $249/yr
Swyft Filings
- Basic — Free
- Standard — $169
- Premium — $269
Support and ratings, interpreted
Inc Authority offers phone, email. Swyft Filings offers phone, email, live chat. Swyft Filings is the only one of the two with live chat, which matters if you anticipate back-and-forth questions during filing. Trustpilot: Inc Authority is 4.9 across 46,831 reviews; Swyft Filings is 4.7 across 7,779. A high-volume sample with a 4.5+ rating is the strongest signal; a small sample with either extreme rating is the weakest.
Inc Authority
Phone: Mon-Fri 7:30am-5:00pm Pacific.
Email: yes.
No live chat.
Trustpilot: 4.9/5 from 46,831 reviews.
Swyft Filings
Phone: Monday-Friday 9am-6pm CT.
Email: yes.
Live chat: Monday-Friday business hours per vendor; exact hours not published.
Trustpilot: 4.7/5 from 7,779 reviews.
Before you pick either service
A few things apply no matter which one you choose. These catch enough first-time filers to be worth stating plainly.
The state fee is identical. Whether you use Inc Authority, Swyft Filings, or neither, your state charges the same formation fee. Nothing a service does lowers that number. The fee ranges from $35 in Montana to $500 in Massachusetts depending on where you form. See the state-by-state guide for exact numbers.
You can get an EIN for free at irs.gov in five minutes. Both Inc Authority and Swyft Filings either bundle EIN filing or sell it as a paid add-on. You're never required to pay for EIN filing; the IRS charges nothing and the online form takes about five minutes. If a service is pitching "we'll handle your EIN" as a headline feature, that's convenience pricing, not necessity.
The registered agent renewal is what matters long-term. The formation fee is a one-time cost. The registered agent is what recurs every year for as long as you keep the LLC open. Over five years, the RA renewal cost usually exceeds the formation fee. Compare on that number, not just the day-one sticker.
Operating agreements are separately priced at most services. Any LLC with more than one member, and any LLC relying on its liability shield, should have a written operating agreement. It governs ownership percentages, profit splits, management structure, and dissolution. California, Maine, Missouri, and New York require it by statute; every other state treats it as strongly recommended. Don't skip it to save $99.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Which is cheaper, Inc Authority or Swyft Filings?
Both start at $0 for the cheapest tier, plus state fees. The real pricing difference shows up in the registered agent renewal from year two onward: Inc Authority $249/yr, Swyft Filings varies/yr.
-
Does Inc Authority or Swyft Filings have better support?
Inc Authority offers phone, email. Swyft Filings offers phone, email, live chat. Swyft Filings is the only one of the two with live chat, which matters if you anticipate back-and-forth questions during filing. Trustpilot: Inc Authority is 4.9 across 46,831 reviews; Swyft Filings is 4.7 across 7,779. A high-volume sample with a 4.5+ rating is the strongest signal; a small sample with either extreme rating is the weakest.
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Is Inc Authority's free tier really free?
The $0 tier covers state filing and typically includes year one of registered agent service. It does not include EIN filing (you can still get one for free from the IRS directly) or an operating agreement, which most filers need. Once you add those, Inc Authority's free tier ends up around $169, which is very close to what Swyft Filings charges for its bundled mid-tier package. Pick the free tier if you're comfortable doing the add-ons yourself; pick a bundled service if you want everything in one place.
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Should I just file the LLC myself instead of using Inc Authority or Swyft Filings?
You can. The state fee is identical whether you use a service or not. What these services sell is convenience: a handled registered agent (which you can also buy standalone), a bundled operating agreement, compliance reminders, and in some cases banking and tax integrations. If your time is worth more than $50 an hour and you would rather not research your state's specific filing quirks, a service pays for itself. If you like DIY administrative work, file directly at your state's Secretary of State portal.
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How much does the registered agent cost with each service from year 2 onward?
Inc Authority renews at $249/yr. Swyft Filings renews at a price the vendor doesn't clearly publish. This number matters because it recurs every year for as long as you keep the LLC. Over a five-year window, the registered agent renewal cost typically exceeds the formation fee, so it's worth more attention than most reviews give it.
Full reviews
Sources
- Pricing: www.incauthority.com/ · verified April 21, 2026
Homepage explicitly advertises FREE LLC registration, FREE 24-hour processing, FREE custom built website, and FREE registered agent for year one. Customer pays state fees only. - Premium-bundles: www.incauthority.com/premium-packages · verified April 21, 2026
Starter Business Bundle and Fast Track Business Bundle are listed with feature checklists but no prices. Vendor explicitly states these can only be ordered by phone (877-684-2836), so published pricing is not available. Priced tiers kept at 0 as placeholder; readers should be told to call. - Registered agent only: www.incauthority.com/registration/service/info/reg-ind · verified April 21, 2026
Inc Authority registered agent service listed at $249 per year, described as a $199 value, on their own registration add-on detail page. - Features: www.incauthority.com/free-llc · verified April 21, 2026
Free LLC page lists what the $0 tier actually includes. Operating agreement and EIN are not part of the free tier; both are upsells. - Banking partner: www.incauthority.com/ · verified April 21, 2026
Homepage promotes a Bank of America Business Advantage Banking bonus offer as a bundled partner perk. - Headquarters: www.incauthority.com/company/contact · verified April 21, 2026
Corporate address: Inc Authority, 1450 Vassar Street, Reno, NV 89502. Site references 30-plus years in business under the Inc Authority brand and predecessors; founding commonly cited as 1989. - Support: www.incauthority.com/company/contact · verified April 21, 2026
Phone support 877-462-6366 and local 775-333-5902, Monday through Friday 7:30am to 5:00pm Pacific. Email info@incauthority.com. No live chat offered. - Ratings: www.trustpilot.com/review/www.incauthority.com · verified April 21, 2026
4.9 of 5 stars from 46,831 reviews (Claimed profile, paid Trustpilot subscription). - Pricing: www.swyftfilings.com/ · verified April 21, 2026
Homepage shows three tiers: Basic $0, Standard $169 (strike-through $199), Premium $269 (strike-through $299), all plus state fees. Homepage banner reads 'Spring into savings. Limited time. Save $30 off Standard and Premium.' - Features: www.swyftfilings.com/ · verified April 21, 2026
Inclusions per tier as listed on homepage cards: Basic is filing only; Standard adds EIN and operating agreement; Premium adds same-day processing, professional business address, custom digital kit, unlimited attorney consultations, and compliance monitoring. - Registered agent only: www.swyftfilings.com/registered-agent/ · verified April 21, 2026
Registered agent landing page markets the service (compliance, privacy, document scanning) but does not publish an annual price. Page routes to 'Get Started' flow or phone at (877) 777-0450. - Features: www.swyftfilings.com/ · verified April 21, 2026
Online filing confirmed. Phone, email, and chat signup available. Basic tier excludes EIN and operating agreement (paid add-ons bundled into Standard). Swyft offers annual report filing as a standalone service per top nav Run a Business menu. - Support: www.swyftfilings.com/contact-us/ · verified April 21, 2026
Phone (877) 777-0450 Monday-Friday 9am-6pm CT. Email support@swyftfilings.com. Vendor also lists a fax line at (877) 669-8624. About page references phone, email, and chat. - Founded: www.swyftfilings.com/about-us/ · verified April 21, 2026
About page timeline states 'July 2015 Swyft Filings was founded by two serial entrepreneurs, later joined by Travis Crabtree.' Homepage also reads 'since 2015.' - Headquarters: www.swyftfilings.com/about-us/ · verified April 21, 2026
About page references the company being named one of the Houston Chronicle Best Places to Work, indicating Houston, TX as HQ. No specific street address published. - Ratings: www.trustpilot.com/review/swyftfilings.com · verified April 21, 2026
Trustpilot profile page shows 4.7 out of 5 stars across 7,779 total reviews as of 2026-04-21.