Formation MathLLC service costs, worked out step by step.
LLC formation worksheets · Texas
3 Best LLC Services in Texas (2026): Worked Prices
The 2026 math for Texas LLC formation services gives Mainstay Filing ($199), Texas Registered Agent.ai ($199) and TX Registered Agent.org ($199), ranked best value first. Do the sum for three years and the rows fall in the $397 to $597 range, with $300 owed to Texas on top.
Worked by the Formation Math editorial team
↓ Sorted by:Cost first (42%), items covered second (28%), three smaller checks after. See the working
Texas in brief
Charge for filing$300sos.texas.gov (checked October 2026) as the source
One-year range$199Excludes the state
Three-year results$397 to $597Includes both renewals
Three-year state total$300Official amounts only
Where rows crossDoes not occurRows keep their positions through year 10
Rows ranked by value
Each row shows year one, the price after that and the three-year sum. Texas's $300 comes on top.
#Sorted byYear-1 priceRenewal priceSum of 3 years
1
Top score
1. Mainstay Filing: best for a cost that stays flat
$199 per year, renewing at $199
Year-1 price$199
Price after year 1$199/yr
Sum of 3 years$597
Mainstay Filing takes row one because formation, registered agent and Public Information Report all sit inside $199 a year, renewing at $199.
Pay $200 more than Texas Registered Agent.ai over three years and the recurring paperwork stops being your job.
It handles the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report; the state fee for it is zero.
The price buys
Formation paperwork, done for you
Registered agent, covered all year
Public Information Report, filed when due
EIN application, handled
Government fee passed along with no markup
Adds up
No increase at renewal ($199)
EIN application is part of the price
Flat at $199 each year
Does not add up
From year two it costs $100 above Texas Registered Agent.ai
2
Built for Texas
2. Texas Registered Agent.ai: best for a no-extras start
Year 1: $199. Year 2 on: $99.
Year-1 price$199
Price after year 1$99/yr
Sum of 3 years$397
Texas Registered Agent.ai is row 2: $199 to start (agent service for year one included), then $99 each year.
Allow time for the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report; it is not covered.
The price buys
The Texas formation filing
Year-one agent service
Adds up
A small $99 renewal
Starts at $199
Agent included to start
Does not add up
The price omits the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report
EIN application costs $99 more
3
Built for Texas
3. TX Registered Agent.org: best for owners who do their own reports
Year 1: $199. Year 2 on: $99.
Year-1 price$199
Price after year 1$99/yr
Sum of 3 years$397
TX Registered Agent.org is row 3: $199 to start (agent service for year one included), then $99 each year.
Allow time for the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report; it is not covered.
No difference in price from Texas Registered Agent.ai.
The price buys
The Texas formation filing
Year-one agent service
Adds up
A small $99 renewal
Starts at $199
Agent included to start
Does not add up
The price omits the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report
Working: filing fee, plus the recurring report in years two and three, plus any minimum tax. The sum is the three-year state line.
Notes on the order
Mainstay Filing wins items covered per dollar, worth 28%, with Texas Registered Agent.ai close behind.
Texas wants the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report every year, so a price that files it scored above a lower price that does not.
Include the EIN application in the math and Mainstay Filing passes Texas Registered Agent.ai in year 2.
Texas LLC filing fee and rules, from the source
The Certificate of Formation (Form 205) and $300 go to the Texas Secretary of State, under Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 3.005. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Official wording: sos.texas.gov (checked October 2026) as the source
The state-fees-only case
Skip the service and Texas still collects $300 across three years while you handle every form. The services charge $397 to $597 for that work.
Quick answers
What does an LLC formation service cost in Texas?
$199 for the service and $300 for the state.
What do the services add up to over three years?
$397 to $597 across the rows, not counting state fees.
What is the Texas fee to file an LLC?
Filing costs $300, and you submit the Certificate of Formation (Form 205).
What does Texas collect each year after formation?
The recurring item is the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report, free annually (May 15).
Does the price include the EIN application?
Mainstay Filing at no added charge, Texas Registered Agent.ai at $99 and TX Registered Agent.org at $99.
In what year does one service pass another in total cost?
Never in ten years: the order of the running sums does not change.
Which LLC formation service is best value in Texas?
Mainstay Filing takes the first row, Texas Registered Agent.ai the second, TX Registered Agent.org the third.