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Formation Scorecard

LLC service scorecard · Texas

3 Best LLC Services in Texas (2026)

On the Formation Scorecard 2026 scorecard for LLC services in Texas the order reads TX Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and Texas Registered Agent.ai ($199). TX Registered Agent.org posts the top score: $199 plus the Texas filing fee, first-year registered agent service included, then $99 yearly.
Researched and written by the Formation Scorecard editorial team
Rank #1 Best here

1. TX Registered Agent.org: best for a Texas LLC that stays small

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

TX Registered Agent.org leads the card: Texas 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 Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report, so you send that filing to Texas yourself every year.

Its three-year total undercuts Mainstay Filing, which earns real points on cost.

What you get

  • LLC filing done for you
  • The first year of registered agent service

Strengths

  • Forms the LLC for $199 plus the filing fee
  • Registered agent service for year one is in the price
  • $99 yearly for the agent after year one

Watch for

  • Leaves the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report with you
  • $99 extra for the EIN application
Visit TX Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. TX Registered Agent.org: the full write-up
Rank #2 Report filing included

2. Mainstay Filing: best for a bundle of formation, agent and Public Information Report

9.1 Editor score out of 10
$199 a year plus the state's fee

Mainstay Filing takes second spot: $199 a year takes in the formation filing, your registered agent and the Public Information Report, with renewal at $199.

Each renewal includes Mainstay's filing of the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report. Texas bills nothing for it, due May 15, and missing the date costs $50; Mainstay passes the state's fee along at cost.

TX Registered Agent.org undercuts Mainstay Filing by $200 over three years, and that gap costs Mainstay points on cost.

What you get

  • Preparation and filing of the formation document
  • Service as your registered agent through the year
  • The Public Information Report, filed for you each time
  • EIN application included

Strengths

  • One $199 yearly price that also files the Public Information Report
  • Texas's state fee is added at cost
  • Renews at $199 with nothing added
  • EIN application bundled in

Watch for

  • Its agent renews $100 a year above TX Registered Agent.org
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Mainstay Filing: the full write-up
Rank #3 Best for a Texas-only company

3. Texas Registered Agent.ai: best for staying local in Texas

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

Texas Registered Agent.ai takes third spot: Texas 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 Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report, so you send that filing to Texas yourself every year.

The published prices and features do not separate TX Registered Agent.org from Texas Registered Agent.ai; choose whichever you like.

What you get

  • LLC filing done for you
  • Year-one registered agent service included

Strengths

  • Formation at $199, with the state fee added
  • $99 per year for the agent after the first
  • Year one as your registered agent is included

Watch for

  • Leaves the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report with you
  • $99 extra for the EIN application
Visit Texas Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Texas Registered Agent.ai: the full write-up

The 3 entries on one card

Place Service Card score Service fee Year two Best for Go
1 TX Registered Agent.org 9.6 $199 $99/yr A Texas-only LLC on a tight budget Visit TX Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing 9.1 $199 $199/yr Formation, agent and Public Information Report together Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Texas Registered Agent.ai 8.8 $199 $99/yr A Texas-only LLC on a tight budget Visit Texas Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The marks out of 10 come from our editors and follow the weights on How we rank; none of them is a customer rating.

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

Service First year Second year Third year Three-year tally Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report included
TX Registered Agent.org $199 $99 $99 $397 No
Mainstay Filing $199 $199 $199 $597 Yes
Texas Registered Agent.ai $199 $99 $99 $397 No

Each price comes from the company's own site, read on November 12, 2026. Add Texas's $300 filing fee to each row; the tally above leaves it out.

What broke the tie

Points here: 25% for cost across three years, 25% for coverage of the price and 50% across renewal terms, state-by-state fit and pricing clarity. Texas came down to cost across three years.

TX Registered Agent.org tallies $397 across three years, $200 below Mainstay Filing. Mainstay would add the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report filing, but an owner can file it alone at no cost, so the lower price took the points.

Every criterion and weight appears on How we rank.

Texas LLC formation: the official fee and form

The Certificate of Formation (Form 205) carries a $300 fee at the Texas Secretary of State. Every service here passes that fee through at cost, on top of its own price.

Keeping the Texas LLC current

The Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report arrives every year and is due May 15. It carries no fee. Late filings add $50. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

Texas LLC service: quick questions

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

Expect $300 for the state plus $199 for the service.

What is the name of the formation form?

It is the Certificate of Formation (Form 205), and the Texas Secretary of State receives it.

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

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

What does a Texas LLC have to file after formation?

One item, the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report, due every year (May 15) with no fee.

Is the EIN application part of the price?

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

Which LLC service tops the card for Texas?

TX Registered Agent.org, since $199 to form on top of the state fee, then $99 a year for the agent.

Related pages

Where the figures come from

  1. Texas yearly filing: Annual report, official source, as of October 2026
  2. Texas report due date, as of August 2026
  3. Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 3.005, as of August 2026
  4. Texas registered agent statute, as of October 2026
  5. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for TX Registered Agent.org
  6. Read on November 12, 2026: Texas service page for Mainstay Filing
  7. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for Texas Registered Agent.ai