In this review, we will help you decide if Harbor Compliance is the right fit for you. We will outline the pros and cons of their services and get down to specifics about the cost of each of their packages.
Let’s dive right in.
Harbor Compliance Review
by Benjamin AronsonUpdated May 29, 2024
(3/5)
Top LLC Formation Services
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Harbor Compliance is an online and licensing service. They handle the formation process of many organizations, from a business to a non-profit.
They’re also quite the experts in adhering to compliance guidelines. And that makes them ideal for protecting yourself from bureaucratic nuances that can cost you money and time.
The company was founded in 2012 and from then they have helped more than 25,000 businesses to be up and running. As a relatively new company, that’s an impressive track record within that time-frame.
Their headquarters are located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. But no matter what state you want to form your company in, they can help you; they have one Harbor Compliance registered agent in each state.
What is Harbor Compliance?
When it comes to the services, Harbor Compliance has you covered with a wide variety whatever your needs. Their experienced agents and flawless software make them ideal for any related service.
More specifically, they offer:
- Annual report filing to make sure that you file the report on time
- License issuance and management that makes legal operation a few steps away in many industries
- Foreign qualification for cross-state transactions by expert compliance agents
- 501(c) non-profit formation through a careful review of your mission and the preparation of your 501(c)(3) application
- Fundraising compliance for non-profits
- Registered agent service
Now that you have an understanding of who they are and what they offer, let’s take a look at the main pros and cons of Harbor Compliance…
Harbor Compliance: Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Premium Customer Service
- User-Friendly Software
- Free Software Demo
- 1-Year Free Registered Agent Service
- Overwhelmingly Positive Feedback
Cons:
- Both of the Harbor Compliance packages are expensive compared to what most similar services offer out there
Speaking of which…
Harbor Compliance Pricing
Harbor Compliance offers two packages called Formation and Compliance.
Let’s examine what each one costs and includes to see which one you will benefit from according to your needs.
Formation Package
The Formation package is priced at $399 (+ state fee) and it includes:
- Name Availability Research
They ensure that the name for your corporation isn’t already used by any other by searching through the databases
- Articles of Organization Filing
They prepare and file the necessary documents regarding your incorporation required by the state
- Operating Agreement Template
A template that outlines the ownership structure of your LLC to create your own operating agreement.
- 1-Year Free Registered Agent Service
Harbor Compliance helps you get started by offering one year of registered agent service. After the year ends, you can renew the service if you like which costs $99 per year.
- Employer Identification Number (EIN)The EIN is a Social Security Number for your business that allows you to open a bank account for it, hire staff, file corporate taxes, etc.
As you can see, this package offers everything you need to effortlessly form your company. It is ideal for you if you want to pay as low as possible for the value you get, but can handle compliance requirements on your own.
If that last part made you shudder though, keep reading…
Compliance Package
The Compliance package costs $799 (+ state fee) and it offers everything in the Formation package plus:
- Annual Report Filing Management
They will take care of the preparation and filing of your annual reports, keeping track of your due dates to ensure you submit them on time.
- Initial Report Filing
If necessary (depending on the state), Harbor Compliance will file an initial report which is required after formation.
- Press Release Publishing
After you form your LLC, some states require that you publish a press release in the local media. Harbor Compliance will take care of the process from creation to publishing.
- Corporation Tax Election
If you want to be taxed as a corporation, they can prepare the necessary documents and file them with the IRS.
- Ongoing Customer Support
They will offer ongoing support even after the formation process has ended.
- LLC Kit
A logo-embossed binder, a seal embosser, stock certificates, and a customizable document library.
You obviously pay far more here but the extra value is worth it. This package is for those who don’t mind paying more than usual. It’s also for those who require the completely hands-off approach and appreciate the value that Harbor Compliance aims to deliver.
Harbor Compliance Reviews
| Website | Score |
| Better Business Bureau (11 reviews) | 3.91 out of 5 |
| Featured Customers (49 reviews) | 4.8 out of 5 |
| Facebook (20 reviews) | 5 out of 5 |
Like Incorproate.com, there are honestly not too many Harbor Compliance reviews out there. But those that exist are overwhelmingly positive across three platforms.
They mostly seem to indicate that Harbor Compliance consists of many experts in the field who are willing to help every step of the way. Well, that’s a great way to confirm that what they say about themselves is actually true.
With that being said, it’s important to also note that there are a couple of complaints about their service. But just by looking at the facts, Harbor Compliance’s responses seem to indicate some misunderstandings.
Nevertheless, we advise you to take them with a grain of salt just like the positive reviews.
Is Harbor Compliance the Right Fit for You?
Harbor Compliance is definitely a great choice when compared to its competitors. Mainly because of their strengths which they share with only a few of them. With that being said, they’re obviously not for everyone and we’re here to help you decide for yourself…
Here are some reasons you may want to choose them over their competitors:
- You are interested in the full service (Compliance package)
- Your business is in a stage where the price of the Compliance package cannot be considered a huge investment
- You’re in a state where the compliance requirements are complicated
- You want an expert to give you guidance and support every step of the way
Now, it goes without saying that Harbor Compliance will not be a very good choice if you can only afford the Formation package. It’ll also not be the obvious choice if you are a startup and don’t require the work of the elite in this field.
If that’s the case, let’s consider some alternatives…
3 Harbor Compliance Alternatives to Consider
Incfile is a well-established online legal services company that can get your LLC up and running starting from a price of $0 (+ state fee). After more than 15 years of experience and 500,000 happy clients, you bet you can trust them with your money (no matter how little you give them).
And just like Harbor Compliance, they also offer a full year of free registered agent service.
If you’re interested in Incfile, take a look at our Incfile vs LegalZoom review and see how they compare.
Why we like Incfile
Why we dislike Incfile
ZenBusiness is one of the top business formation services. The company was founded back in 2015 by 3 entrepreneurs driven to help small business owners incorporate.
ZenBusiness offers an unbelievably affordable price point of $39. They undoubtedly make the 5 best incorporation services.
We paid close attention to customer feedback with our research. Almost all of the reviews that we read were positive when it came down to online incorporation at ZenBusiness!
ZenBusiness does a great job of giving legal online service. To be honest, it was hard to find a single negative aspect of their business. However, we noticed that they aren’t completely accurate with their turnaround time estimates. Truth be told, they are usually faster than their advertised turnaround time.
Bottom line, ZenBusiness can help you register your business fast, easy, and cheap.
Why we like ZenBusiness
Why we dislike ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness is not just another online formation service. It’s the real deal for small businesses and startups with a price point as low as $49 (+ state fee) and with over 80,000 successful formations.
They also offer one year of registered agent service for free like Incorporate Fast.
Also, make sure you read our Incfile vs ZenBusiness comparison if you’re torn between the two.
Why we like Northwest Registered Agents
Why we dislike Northwest Registered Agents
The Verdict
All in all, we recommend Harbor Compliance for people who can afford the Compliance package and require an expert to guide them in every step. Besides, their user-friendly software will provide everything you need to keep track of things at all times.
Where they fall short, though, is the price, which can be quite high for someone who has a low budget. But if you decide to bite the bullet and go with them, it’s not just a price that they’re worth; it’s an investment that your business deserves.
But in the end, if you think you can’t afford it right now and you need to go forward with your LLC formation, consider our 3 alternatives and you’ll be in good hands…
Now, we want to thank you for taking the time to read this review and we’d love it if you shared it with others who might benefit from it. Just use the social media buttons below.
Also, don’t be afraid to ask us anything down in the comments. You may need more guidance or some clarification on a point… Whatever it is, we’d love to help you!
Benjamin is the Co-Founder and CEO of FinancePond. He worked at a private accounting firm before he created FinancePond. Benjamin is an entrepreneur at heart and firmly believes in strong personal finance and investing education. He has a passion for finance and his goal is to cut out the fluff and make personal finance simple for everyone.