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Formation Scorecard

LLC service scorecard · Montana

3 Best LLC Services in Montana (2026)

On the Formation Scorecard 2026 scorecard for LLC services in Montana the order reads Mainstay Filing ($199), Montana Registered Agent.co ($199) and Registered Agent MT.org ($199). Mainstay Filing posts the top score: a $199 yearly price pays for the Montana formation, a year of registered agent service and the annual report, then renews at $199.
Researched and written by the Formation Scorecard editorial team
Rank #1 Our top pick

1. Mainstay Filing: best for a bundle of formation, agent and annual report

9.1 Editor score out of 10
$199 a year plus the state's fee, $234 due at checkout

Mainstay Filing leads the card: $199 a year takes in the formation filing, your registered agent and the annual report, with renewal at $199.

Each renewal includes Mainstay's filing of the annual report. Montana bills $20 every year for it, due April 15, and missing the date costs $15; Mainstay passes the state's fee along at cost.

Mainstay's three-year total sits $200 above Montana Registered Agent.co's, which the extra coverage earns back in our scoring.

What you get

  • Formation filing prepared and submitted
  • Your registered agent, all year long
  • The annual report, filed for you each time
  • EIN application included

Strengths

  • Montana's state fee is added at cost
  • Renews at $199 with nothing added
  • EIN application bundled in
  • One $199 yearly price that also files the annual report

Watch for

  • Its agent renews $100 a year above Montana Registered Agent.co
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Mainstay Filing: the full write-up
Rank #2 Best value here

2. Montana Registered Agent.co: best for a Montana LLC that stays small

8.8 Editor score out of 10
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, state fee extra

Montana Registered Agent.co takes second spot: Montana formation for $199 beyond the state's fee, with a free first agent year, and $99 a year to keep the agent.

The plan puts the company at an in-state street address and scans papers served on it to your online account.

Its prices leave out the annual report, so you send that filing to Montana yourself every year.

What you get

  • Montana formation filed for you
  • A year as your registered agent, up front

Strengths

  • Registered agent service for year one is in the price
  • Then $99 a year to keep the agent
  • A $199 formation fee before the state's

Watch for

  • Leaves the annual report with you
  • $99 extra for the EIN application
Visit Montana Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Montana Registered Agent.co: the full write-up
Rank #3 Lower renewal than Mainstay

3. Registered Agent MT.org: best for staying local in Montana

8.6 Editor score out of 10
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, state fee extra

Registered Agent MT.org takes third spot: Montana formation for $199 beyond the state's fee, with a free first agent year, and $99 a year to keep the agent.

The plan puts the company at an in-state street address and scans papers served on it to your online account.

Its prices leave out the annual report, so you send that filing to Montana yourself every year.

Registered Agent MT.org mirrors Montana Registered Agent.co on price and plan features, so little divides them.

What you get

  • Montana formation filed for you
  • First-year registered agent service

Strengths

  • Registered agent service for year one is in the price
  • $199 to form, state fee extra
  • $99 per year for the agent after the first

Watch for

  • Leaves the annual report with you
  • $99 extra for the EIN application
Visit Registered Agent MT.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Registered Agent MT.org: the full write-up

The 3 entries on one card

Place Service Card score Service fee Year two Best for Go
1 Mainstay Filing 9.1 $199 $199/yr Formation, agent and annual report together Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Montana Registered Agent.co 8.8 $199 $99/yr A Montana-only LLC on a tight budget Visit Montana Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Registered Agent MT.org 8.6 $199 $99/yr A Montana-only LLC on a tight budget Visit Registered Agent MT.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Formation Scorecard assigns each mark out of 10 itself, using the weighted criteria on How we rank. No customer ratings feed in.

Montana LLC service cost in 2026: first year, renewal and the three-year tally

Service First year Second year Third year Three-year tally Annual report included
Mainstay Filing $199 $199 $199 $597 Yes
Montana Registered Agent.co $199 $99 $99 $397 No
Registered Agent MT.org $199 $99 $99 $397 No

Each price comes from the company's own site, read on November 12, 2026. Add Montana's $35 filing fee to each row; the tally above leaves it out.

Reading the order

Coverage of the price decided the Montana card. The method puts 25% on cost across three years and 25% on coverage of the price, then shares 50% among renewal terms, state-by-state fit and pricing clarity.

Montana asks for a report each year at a $20 fee, and a late one adds $15. The Mainstay price covers that filing, while Montana Registered Agent.co's leaves it to you, so the coverage points beat Montana Registered Agent.co's cost advantage.

Every criterion and weight appears on How we rank.

Montana LLC formation: the official fee and form

The Articles of Organization carries a $35 fee at the Montana Secretary of State. Every service here passes that fee through at cost, on top of its own price.

Keeping the Montana LLC current

The annual report arrives every year and is due April 15. It carries a $20 fee. Late filings add $15. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

Montana LLC service: quick questions

How much will an LLC in Montana cost to set up?

Expect $35 for the state plus $199 for the service.

What is the name of the formation form?

It is the Articles of Organization, and the Montana Secretary of State receives it.

Must a Montana LLC appoint a registered agent when it forms?

Yes. A registered agent with a street address in Montana has to be on file from the start.

What does a Montana LLC have to file after formation?

One item, the annual report, due every year (April 15) with a $20 fee.

Is the EIN application part of the price?

Mainstay Filing folds it into the yearly price. Montana Registered Agent.co and Registered Agent MT.org add $99 for it. Applying for an EIN costs nothing at the IRS itself.

Which LLC service tops the card for Montana?

Mainstay Filing, since one $199 charge each year bundles the Montana formation, the registered agent and the annual report.

Related pages

Where the figures come from

  1. Montana Secretary of State fee page and fee sheet: standard annual report fee, as of October 2026
  2. Montana yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source, as of October 2026
  3. Montana yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source, as of October 2026
  4. Montana report due date, as of August 2026
  5. Mont. Code Ann. § 35-8-201, as of August 2026
  6. Montana formation fee: Filing fee, official source, as of October 2026
  7. Montana registered agent statute, as of October 2026
  8. Read on November 12, 2026: Montana service page for Mainstay Filing
  9. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for Montana Registered Agent.co
  10. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for Registered Agent MT.org