2026 Comparison

TrueFormed vs Inc Authority

"Free formation" with the most aggressive upselling in the industry.

Inc Authority's $0 formation is a lead magnet. The actual checkout path layers in bundled upsells — Express filing, Operating Agreement, EIN, compliance calendar — that routinely push the final total past $300. Their flagship product is the $199/yr Registered Agent that gets attached to every order.

Inc Authority — Year 1
$199 /yr

Formation + Registered Agent (1st yr)

Year 2+ ongoing
$284/yr

RA renewal + annual report

Save $110 in Year 1
TrueFormed — Year 1
$89 /yr

Formation bundle (1st-yr RA included)

Year 2+ ongoing
$198/yr

Save $86/yr every year after

Line-by-line cost breakdown

Same services. Same state forms. Different markup over wholesale cost.

ServiceInc AuthorityTrueFormed
Formation bundle (LLC + EIN + OA)
$0
Free; every useful feature is upsold
$89
Includes 1st year of RA
Registered Agent (annual)
$199/yr
After free first year
$99/yr
Year 2+ renewal
Annual Report Filing
$85
Per filing + state fee
$99
+ state fee
Amendment
$95
Per filing + state fee
$99
+ state fee
Certificate of Good Standing
$100
+ state fee
$59
+ state fee
Year 1 total (formation + first year RA)$199$89
Year 2+ ongoing (RA + annual report)$284/yr$198/yr

All prices are service fees. State filing fees are separate and the same regardless of provider. Competitor prices based on publicly listed rates as of 2026.

Same infrastructure. Different markup.

Inc Authorityand TrueFormed use wholesale registered agent infrastructure to do the actual filing work — that part is identical. The difference is what each brand marks that wholesale rate up to.

Inc Authority

Year 1 cost to customer$199
Year 2+ ongoing$284/yr
Approx. markup over wholesale4-5x

TrueFormed

Year 1 cost to customer$89
Year 2+ ongoing$198/yr
Approx. markup over wholesaleNear wholesale

Retail prices are Inc Authority's and TrueFormed's public rates. See how our wholesale pricing works.

Inc Authority— honest pros and cons

What Inc Authority does well

  • The formation fee genuinely is $0 if you decline every upsell
  • Can be the cheapest option if you truly only need the state filing
  • Brand is older/more established than some competitors

Where Inc Authority falls short

  • Real Year 2 cost ($284) is among the highest in the industry
  • Checkout funnel is known for sticker shock from bundled upsells
  • RA renewal at $199/yr — 2x TrueFormed, locked in across most customers
  • Bundle pricing to get parity features runs $300+

Inc Authority is a real company that serves real customers. We just think you shouldn't have to pay 4-5x what the services cost wholesale.

Like our competitor, we don't handle everything.Federal and state income taxes, sales tax, payroll, local business licenses, and industry-specific permits aren't part of TrueFormed (or any of the providers on this page). A CPA handles taxes; your city or county clerk handles local licenses. We're upfront about our scope.

Frequently asked questions

Isn't Inc Authority genuinely free?+

The state filing prep is free. But EIN, Operating Agreement, Express filing, and the compliance calendar are all upsold in-flow — most customers end up paying $199–$300+ by the time they check out. And RA at $199/yr recurring starts year two.

How does Inc Authority's total cost compare to TrueFormed?+

If you truly accept only the free state filing and self-file for everything else, Inc Authority is cheaper Year 1 by $89. But from Year 2 on, their $284/yr (RA + annual report) is $86/yr more than our $198/yr — payback inside 13 months.

Can I switch RA from Inc Authority to TrueFormed?+

Yes. Change of Registered Agent through us is free — state fees only. You can cancel any other Inc Authority services separately; your entity is unaffected.

Ready to switch from Inc Authority?

Same services. $110 less in Year 1. $86 less every year after. We handle the Change of Registered Agent for free.

Start — $89

State filing fee is separate and paid at cost.