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Formation Rated

Rankings of registered agents, LLC formation and foreign registration services in all 50 states.

LLC service ratings · Illinois

3 Best LLC Services in Illinois (2026)

From the Formation Rated editorial team
Formation Rated's 2026 ratings for LLC services in Illinois, highest first: Illinois Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and IL Registered Agent.org ($199). Illinois Registered Agent.co holds the top rating: Illinois formation at $199 beyond the state's amount, first agent year included, then $99 a year for the agent.
Position1
Number one here

1. Illinois Registered Agent.co: best for an Illinois LLC that will not expand

$199 to form, $99 a year for the agent, state fee extra

Our score9.5out of 10

Illinois Registered Agent.co is rated first: $199 to form, state fee on top, then $99 a year for the agent.

The plan lists an in-state street address as the registered office and scans papers served there into your account.

The Limited Liability Company Annual Report sits outside its published prices; you file it with Illinois yourself every year.

Across three years it costs less than Mainstay Filing, and cost carries heavy weight in the rating.

What you get

  • Illinois formation filed for you
  • The first year as your registered agent

Pros

  • Agent line of $99 from year two
  • A $199 formation amount before the state fee
  • Registered agent service for year one is included

Trade-offs

  • The Limited Liability Company Annual Report is not on its price list
  • EIN application billed at $99
Position2
Best all-in yearly price

2. Mainstay Filing: best for formation, agent and annual report on a single line

$199 a year plus the state fee, $349 due at checkout

Our score9.2out of 10

Mainstay Filing is rated second: $199 a year includes the formation filing, the registered agent and the annual report; renewal is $199.

Mainstay files the Limited Liability Company Annual Report at each renewal. The state's line is $75 every year, due before the first day of the entity's anniversary month, with $100 added if late, and Mainstay passes that fee on at cost.

Illinois Registered Agent.co is $200 cheaper on the three-year sum, and that lowers Mainstay Filing's cost rating.

What you get

  • Your formation paperwork, handled
  • Your registered agent through the year
  • Annual report prepared and filed
  • EIN application

Pros

  • EIN application is in the package
  • One $199 yearly line that includes the annual report
  • Illinois's fee goes through at cost
  • $199 on renewal with no extras

Trade-offs

  • Agent renews $100 a year above Illinois Registered Agent.co
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. The Mainstay Filing entry
Position3
Best local option

3. IL Registered Agent.org: best for staying local in Illinois

$199 to form, $99 a year for the agent, state fee extra

Our score9.1out of 10

IL Registered Agent.org is rated third: $199 to form, state fee on top, then $99 a year for the agent.

The plan lists an in-state street address as the registered office and scans papers served there into your account.

The Limited Liability Company Annual Report sits outside its published prices; you file it with Illinois yourself every year.

Illinois Registered Agent.co and IL Registered Agent.org list identical amounts and plan features, so the ratings are close and either is a fair pick.

What you get

  • Illinois formation filed for you
  • A year of registered agent service at the start

Pros

  • Registered agent service for year one is included
  • $99 per year to keep the agent
  • Formation line of $199, plus the state's fee

Trade-offs

  • The Limited Liability Company Annual Report is not on its price list
  • EIN application billed at $99
Visit IL Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. The IL Registered Agent.org entry

The 3 ratings summarized

LineServiceRatingService feeYear twoBest forOpen
1 Illinois Registered Agent.co 9.5 $199 $99/yr An Illinois-only LLC counting every dollar Visit Illinois Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing 9.2 $199 $199/yr Formation, agent and annual report on one line Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 IL Registered Agent.org 9.1 $199 $99/yr An Illinois-only LLC counting every dollar Visit IL Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Ratings out of 10 are Formation Rated's own, built from the criteria on How we rank. They are not customer ratings.

Illinois LLC service amounts for 2026: year one, renewal and three-year sum

ServiceYear oneYear twoYear threeThree-year sumLimited Liability Company Annual Report filed by them
Illinois Registered Agent.co$199$99$99$397No
Mainstay Filing$199$199$199$597Yes
IL Registered Agent.org$199$99$99$397No
Each amount was read from the company's own site on November 12, 2026. Illinois's $150 filing fee is paid in addition to each line and sits outside these sums.

Reasoning behind the order

Cost over years one to three decided the order in Illinois. Of the rating, 27% is cost over years one to three, 27% is inclusions per price and 46% is renewal price and terms, fit with state rules and price clarity.

Illinois Registered Agent.co sums to $397 across three years, $200 below Mainstay Filing. Mainstay would also file the Limited Liability Company Annual Report, but an owner can file it directly for the state fee alone, so the lower amount decided the rating.

Each criterion and its weight is listed on How we rank.

Illinois LLC formation: official amount and form

Filing the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-5.5) costs $150, paid to the Illinois Secretary of State. Each service here passes that amount through at cost, added to its own.

Ongoing items for a Illinois LLC

Plan on the Limited Liability Company Annual Report every year; the date is before the first day of the entity's anniversary month. State amount: $75. Late: $100 extra. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

Illinois LLC service: your questions

What are the total costs to form an LLC in Illinois?

$150 to the state plus $199 to the service.

What is the formation document called?

It is the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-5.5), lodged with the Illinois Secretary of State.

Is a registered agent a requirement for an Illinois LLC?

Yes. Illinois wants a registered agent on file at all times, with a physical street address in the state.

Which filings recur each year for an Illinois LLC?

One line item: the Limited Liability Company Annual Report, every year, due before the first day of the entity's anniversary month, fee $75.

Is the EIN application a separate charge?

Mainstay Filing includes it in the yearly price. Illinois Registered Agent.co and IL Registered Agent.org charge $99 separately. At the IRS the EIN itself costs nothing.

Which LLC service holds the top rating in Illinois?

Illinois Registered Agent.co, as $199 plus the Illinois filing fee, first-year registered agent service included, then $99 a year.

Source lines

  1. Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Limited Liability Division (ledger date August 2026)
  2. Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Limited Liability Division (ledger date August 2026)
  3. 805 ILCS 180/5-5 (ledger date August 2026)
  4. Illinois formation fee: Filing fee, official source (ledger date October 2026)
  5. Illinois formation fee: Filing fee, official source (ledger date October 2026)
  6. Illinois registered agent statute (ledger date October 2026)
  7. Illinois Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages: amounts read November 12, 2026
  8. Mainstay Filing, Illinois service page: amounts read November 12, 2026
  9. IL Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages: amounts read November 12, 2026