Inc Authority vs Tailor Brands: pricing and features compared
Data last updated: Apr 21, 2026Inc Authority starts at $0 plus state fees. Tailor Brands 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.
The registered agent renewal is the line item that actually matters over time: Tailor Brands is $199 per year, Inc Authority is $249. Over five years that delta adds up to $200, which is typically a larger swing than the formation-tier sticker price.
Inc Authority has 46,831 Trustpilot reviews compared to Tailor Brands's 14,203. 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
- Tailor Brands has the cheaper registered agent renewal ($199/yr vs $249/yr). Over five years that is a $200 difference.
- Tailor Brands includes a free operating agreement; Inc Authority charges for it as an add-on. For a single-member LLC that can use a template, this matters less. For anything with multiple members, a proper operating agreement is not optional.
- Tailor Brands offers live chat support; the other relies on phone and email only.
- Tailor Brands supports non-US founders without a US SSN. The other is primarily US-resident oriented.
Where each service fits
Pick Inc Authority when
Inc Authority is comparable to Tailor Brands on most of the dimensions we measure. The tiebreaker is usually support quality or brand preference.
Pick Tailor Brands when
Pick Tailor Brands when you're optimizing for lower long-term cost (RA renewal is cheaper); you want the operating agreement bundled at no extra cost; you're a non-US founder; you want live chat support.
What each service offers that the other does not
Only Inc Authority
- Banking partner integration
Only Tailor Brands
- Operating agreement included free
- Non-US founder support
- 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 | Tailor Brands Year 1 | Inc Authority 5-year | Tailor Brands 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 | $796 |
| 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 | $70 | $1,165 | $866 |
| Standalone registered agent only (no formation) You already formed the LLC elsewhere. Just swapping to this service's RA. | $249 | $199 | $1,245 | $995 |
Full feature comparison
| Dimension | Inc Authority | Tailor Brands |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | $199/yr |
| Free $0 tier | Yes | Yes |
| EIN application | Paid add-on | Paid add-on |
| Operating agreement | Paid add-on | Included free |
| Compliance dashboard | Yes | Yes |
| Mail scanning | No | No |
| International founders | No | Yes |
| Banking partner | Bank of America | None |
| Phone support | Mon-Fri 7:30am-5:00pm Pacific | Business hours Eastern |
| Live chat | No | Yes |
| Trustpilot rating | 4.9/5 (46,831 reviews) | 4.7/5 (14,203 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
Tailor Brands
- Lite — Free
- Essential — $199 · renews $199/yr
- Elite — $249 · renews $249/yr
Support and ratings, interpreted
Inc Authority offers phone, email. Tailor Brands offers phone, email, live chat. Tailor Brands 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; Tailor Brands is 4.7 across 14,203. 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.
Tailor Brands
Phone: Business hours Eastern.
Email: yes.
Live chat: Business hours.
Trustpilot: 4.7/5 from 14,203 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, Tailor Brands, 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 Tailor Brands 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
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Which is cheaper, Inc Authority or Tailor Brands?
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, Tailor Brands $199/yr.
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Does Inc Authority or Tailor Brands have better support?
Inc Authority offers phone, email. Tailor Brands offers phone, email, live chat. Tailor Brands 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; Tailor Brands is 4.7 across 14,203. 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 Tailor Brands 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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Can a non-US founder use Inc Authority or Tailor Brands?
Tailor Brands supports non-US founders without a US Social Security Number. The other service is primarily US-resident oriented and may require additional workarounds for the EIN application, since non-US applicants need to file paper Form SS-4 rather than use the instant online path. For heavy non-US founder needs, services like Doola, Firstbase, or Stripe Atlas are purpose-built for that market.
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Should I just file the LLC myself instead of using Inc Authority or Tailor Brands?
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. Tailor Brands renews at $199/yr. 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.tailorbrands.com/product-pricing · verified April 21, 2026
Vendor's own pricing page shows three tiers: Lite $0, Essential $199 per year (popular), Elite $249 per year. All prices exclude state fees. Lite processes in 14 business days, Essential and Elite in 1 business day. Essential and Elite include 30-day trial of bookkeeping then $30 per month. Disclaimer at the bottom confirms prices are current but subject to change, with the binding price being whatever is shown at checkout. - Registered agent: www.tailorbrands.com/llc-formation/llc-cost · verified April 21, 2026
LLC cost page cites registered agent service at $199 to $400. Tailor Brands' own add-on is $199 per year. Must be selected at formation; cannot be added later. - Features: www.tailorbrands.com/llc-formation · verified April 21, 2026
LLC formation page confirms online-only filing, AI-guided (Navi assistant), operating agreement included across all tiers, branding tools (logo, digital business card, website builder) bundled. EIN application is a paid add-on. - Support: www.tailorbrands.com/product-pricing · verified April 21, 2026
Phone support listed as 332-286-2770 throughout the site. Live chat widget available on pricing and formation pages. - Headquarters: www.tailorbrands.com/ · verified April 21, 2026
Tailor Brands is a dual-headquartered company with offices in New York (Brooklyn) and Tel Aviv, Israel. Founded 2014 by Nadav Shatz, Yali Saar, and Tom Lahat. Vendor's own about page does not state founding year explicitly; date sourced from the founders' public company history and capital raises. - Ratings: www.trustpilot.com/review/tailorbrands.com · verified April 21, 2026
4.7 of 5 stars from 14,203 reviews (Claimed profile, paid Trustpilot subscription).