Active Filings review
Updated September 28, 2026 · ForgeCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Active Filings suits beginners forming a US company who want the entry fee kept low. Its packages start at $0 and the registered agent comes free for the first year, then $99 a year, though the state fee is not included and lands on you.
Key facts
- Best for
- Beginners forming a US company on a tight entry budget.
- Package price from
- $0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- State fee included
- No (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Registered agent
- free for the first year, then $99 a year (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdictions
- AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY, PR (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Active Filings LLC (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Audience
- Beginners, Small business
- Official website
- activefilings.com
Pros and cons
Pros
- Package price starts at $0, well under the €78.49 across company formation services.
- The registered agent is free for the first year, then $99 a year, so the first year of agent cover carries no extra charge.
- Coverage spans AK, AL and AR, so one provider handles most US states plus Puerto Rico.
- Support reaches you on phone and help centre, which includes a phone line and a help centre.
- The service is built for beginners and small business, so the people forming a company for the first time are the ones it targets.
Cons
- The state fee is not included in the package, so the state charge is added on top of $0.
- Registered agent cover runs out after the first year, when it moves to free for the first year, then $99 a year.
- Support runs on phone and help centre only, with no live chat or email line listed.
- The package price sits at the floor of the field while the ranking spreads as wide as €1,495, so the cheapest entry buys the narrowest scope.
Who it suits
- First-time founders who want the formation fee kept as low as possible.
- Startups that already know which of AK, AL and AR they are forming in and want the state fee handled separately.
- Small businesses that only need registered agent cover for the first year.
Who should look elsewhere
- You want one all-in price, because the state fee is not included in the package.
- You need registered agent cover beyond the first year without a second charge, since the agent is free for the first year, then $99 a year.
- You want live chat or email support, as support runs on phone and help centre only. ANNA Money lists a different entry point, and ifirma starts its packages differently again.
Package contents
The entry point is $0, which puts Active Filings at the bottom of the company formation field and below the €78.49 typical starting figure. That number is the package price only. The state fee is not included, so the amount you send to the state is separate and sits on top of the Active Filings fee. Registered agent cover is free for the first year, then $99 a year, which means the first year is handled inside the package and later years are billed at the published rate. Where you can form is broad: packages run across AK, AL and AR, covering the states and Puerto Rico. The practical shape is a low entry fee, a separate state charge, and a first year of agent cover already in the plan.
Core features
The feature that stands out is the registered agent. Active Filings includes it as free for the first year, then $99 a year, so the first year of agent cover needs no add-on purchase and later years are priced openly at a yearly rate. Geographic reach is the second feature worth sizing up: formation packages are offered across AK, AL and AR, which is a wide spread of US states plus Puerto Rico in a single provider. Taken together, the two features that matter most to a new company are handled in the package itself and across a broad list of states, without a separate quote for either.
The company behind it
Active Filings is published as Active Filings LLC, which is the entity named behind the packages. Support runs on phone and help centre, so you can pick up the phone or work through the help centre. The listed audience is beginners and small business, which lines up with a service aimed at people forming a company and small businesses that need the paperwork set up without a large upfront cost.
How Active Filings compares
9.4 vs 8.8
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9.4 vs 8.5
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9.4 vs 8.8
9.4 vs 9.0- 9.4 vs 8.6
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- 9.4 vs 8.9
9.4 vs 8.6
9.4 vs 8.5
9.4 vs 8.5
9.4 vs 8.5
Where Active Filings is available
- Available
- United States
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to form a company with Active Filings?+
Packages start at $0, which is the package price alone. The state fee is not included, so the state charge is added on top. Most rivals start higher, with the company formation median at €78.49.
Is the registered agent included in the package?+
Yes. The registered agent is free for the first year, then $99 a year. The first year needs no add-on, and later years are billed at the published yearly rate, so budget for it once that first year ends.
Does the package price cover the state fee?+
No. The state fee is not included in what you pay Active Filings. Treat $0 as the service fee and expect the state charge on top, which varies by the state you choose.
Which states can I form a company in?+
Packages run across AK, AL and AR, a wide spread of US states that also includes Puerto Rico. You pick the state, and the state fee is billed separately because it is not included in the package.
How does Active Filings compare with cheaper and pricier providers?+
It anchors the low end, with packages from $0 against a ranking spread that reaches €1,495. ANNA Money starts at £19 and ifirma at PLN 0, so both sit above the entry point here.
How do I get help after I order?+
Support runs on phone and help centre. A phone line and a help centre are the routes listed, and phone support is the more common pattern among company formation services, with 72.7% against 40.9%.
Who is Active Filings aimed at?+
The listed audience is beginners and small business. That mix fits first-time founders and small businesses, and it is why the entry package is set at $0 with the state fee handled as a separate line.
Who runs Active Filings?+
The service is published as Active Filings LLC. That is the entity named behind the packages, and the packages are offered across AK, AL and AR through the same provider.
Sources
- activefilings.com checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience, Support channels
“Start a Business | Form an LLC”
- activefilings.com/about-us checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Legal entity
“About Active Filings LLC”
- activefilings.com/packages checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Jurisdictions, Package price from, Registered agent, State fee included
“AK - Alaska AL - Alabama AR - Arkansas AZ - Arizona CA - California”
Compiled from 3 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.