June 27, 2024

Swyft Filings Review

Read more about Swyft Filings
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Swyft Filings has thousands of positive reviews, but what about the downsides? Read on for an unbiased review.

5-point scale (the higher, the better)

Pros and Cons

  • Free business formation
  • Installment payments
  • Lifetime support
  • Add-on services
  • Third-party services
  • Expensive registered agent

Bottom Line

Business formation service founded in 2015

Looking for the best provider to help launch your business? Swyft Filings' free LLC formation service is worth considering.

But is it the best option for you and your business? Learn everything you need to know about Swyft Filings—including who should use it and how it compares to other providers.

What Is Swyft Filings?

Founded in 2015, Swyft Filings is one of the newest players in the highly competitive business formation service industry. Regardless, Swyft Filings continues to cement its reputation as one of the best document filing services.

In 2022, Swyft made the Inc. 5000 list for the third consecutive year.[1] These days, it's known for free, basic business formation services and fast turnaround time.

What else is there to know about Swyft Filings? Read on for a more detailed review.

Is Swyft Filings legit?
Yes, Swyft Filings is legit. It's a limited liability company formed in 2015 as a document filing service. Swyft Filings provides services in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

How Swyft Filings Works

Compared to the registration steps of other business formation services, Swyft Filings offers a considerably quicker process.

Here's what you might expect when you purchase any of Swyft Filings' business formation packages:

  1. Select your entity type
  2. Select your state of formation
  3. Choose your package (Premium, Standard, Basic)
  4. Provide the name of your business
  5. Input contact details (name, email, phone)
  6. Choose a business purpose (drop-down list)
  7. Answer a few questions about your LLC
  8. Choose add-on services (optional)
  9. Check out with credit card details

Depending on the nature of your business and how soon you need to form it, you'll be offered several add-on services. The good thing is, compared to other competitors, you won't have to click through so many aggressive upsells.

ComplianceGuard is automatically added upon checkout.
Even if you don't choose any add-on services, you'll still see Swyft Filings' ComplianceGuard on your list of services. It may seem like it's a free add-on.

But you must read a small note at the bottom of the checkout page that your card will automatically be charged $199 after the 14-day free trial.[2] Once your account is created, you can contact support to cancel this service.

Who Should Use Swyft Filings?

If you're one of the people below, then Swyft Filings might be the best option for you:

  • Entrepreneurs looking for free business formation services
  • Businesses that need registered agents at a reasonable price
  • Those who need additional services for managing a business

That said, the preliminary qualifications above aren't all-encompassing. It would help if you still read the pros and cons in the following sections to decide for yourself.

Who shouldn't use Swyft Filings?
Having been formed in 2015, Swyft Filings isn't recommended for entrepreneurs looking for more experienced business formation services.

Why Choose Swyft Filings?

Swyft Filings' free business formation service is undoubtedly one of its biggest perks. You get professional help with preparing and filing documents for free.

Other than that, here are more things to like about Swyft Filings:

  • Comprehensive Paid Plans
    Swyft Filings offers two paid packages for those who want more help with forming a business. Features include an EIN, operating agreement, and banking resolution.

  • Installment Payments
    If you choose a paid package, you won't have to pay the full fee upfront. As a startup, this helps you stagger expenses so you can manage cash flow more effectively.

  • Lifetime Support
    All of Swyft Filings' business formation packages come with free lifetime customer support. You can ask questions by email or phone. Phone support is available Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM CST.

  • Expedited Services
    The free plan will file your formation documents within 10 days. Swyft Filings gives you the option to expedite the process if you're in a hurry.

  • Reasonable Refund Policy
    You can request a refund within 60 days of purchase, excluding any nonrefundable fees already paid to the state.[3] This is a noteworthy benefit since most competitors are only offering a 7-day refund policy.

Additionally, Swyft Filings' upsell strategies aren't as aggressive as other competitors. And its prices for add-on services are displayed on the site before you go further with the registration process, clearly a show of transparency.

Does Swyft Filings have a registered agent service?
Swyft Filings has registered agent services, but it's not included in any package. You'll have to pay for it as an add-on service for $149/quarterly.[4]

What aspect of Swyft Filings is most important to you?

Why Look Elsewhere?

Unfortunately, even with thousands of positive reviews online, Swyft Filings still has downsides. Chief among them is the add-on of ComplianceGuard during the registration process.

ComplianceGuard is a feature that helps you stay compliant with state rules.[5] It sends you reminders about annual requirements and files the Annual Report for you, if required.

ComplianceGuard costs $199/year, but you can't opt out during registration.[5] If you don't cancel it before the 14-day free trial, your card will automatically be charged. This renews automatically each year unless you cancel it.

Here are other downsides that might make you look elsewhere:

  • Pricey Registered Agent
    Swyft Filings' registered agent service costs $149/quarterly while other competitors offer it for as low as $39 a year. Even if you get Swyft Filings' most expensive package, you still have to pay for its registered agent services as an add-on.

  • Not the Best Free Formation Package
    Other competitors that offer free formation packages include an EIN and an operating agreement. With Swyft Filings, you have to get these for a fee. And if you buy add-ons, it could cost more than if you got a paid package instead.

  • Third-Party Service Providers
    Some features, like tax consultation and registered agents, come from third-party services. Thus, the 60-day refund policy may not apply to these services.

Overall, Swyft Filings' free business formation package may seem like an attractive choice on the surface. But if you consider the possible issues that could happen because of the reasons listed above, you may want to look for other options.

Plans and Pricing

Swyft Filings offers three business formation packages. Its most basic package is free. You just have to pay the state filing fees.

The features of each package are listed below:[6]

FeaturesBasic PlanStandard PlanPremium Plan
Pricing$0 + Filing Fees$199 + Filing Fees$299 + Filing Fees
Filing Duration10 Days5 DaysSame Day
Business Name Check
Formation Documents
Lifetime Support
EIN-
Operating Agreement-
Banking Resolution-
Organizational Minutes-
Electronic Documents Delivery-
250+ Customizable Documents--
1-yr Website Domain--
Expedited FedEx Shipping--
Personalized Founders Kit--
ComplianceGuard--
Statement of Incorporation--
24/7 Dashboard Access--

Notably, none of Swyft Filings' business formation packages include free registered agent services. One reason could be because its registered agents are provided by third-party services.

Additionally, even if Swyft Filings' Basic and Standard plans show that ComplianceGuard is not included, you'll see upon checkout that it's been automatically added to your bill. Unless you cancel it via phone or email, you'll be charged $199 after the 14-day free trial.

How long does Swyft Filings take to form my LLC?
Swyft Filings typically takes 10 days to file your LLC with the state if you get its free package.[6] You can get the paid package or pay for expedited services if you want it faster.

However, this processing time excludes government processing times. Depending on the state where you want to do business, it could take a few days to weeks to form your business, even if you pay Swyft Filings' expedited service.

Other Services

To complement its business formation packages, Swyft Filings also offers several a la carte services to help run and grow your business:

  • Beneficial Ownership Information: $99[7]
    A BOI report is submitted to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) as part of efforts to reduce financial crime in the U.S.

    While there's no government filing fee for this, Swyft Filings can help prepare and file the documentation on your behalf with a one-time payment.

  • Registered Agent Services: $149/quarterly
    None of Swyft Filings' business formation packages include a registered agent, but you can buy it as an add-on. The registered agent will receive legal documents on behalf of your LLC and make sure you receive them on time.

  • DBA: $99 + State Fees[8]
    A DBA allows your LLC to operate under a name different from its official registered name. It's also called a fictitious name in other states, but they all mean the same.

    If you want to avoid the hassle of preparing and filing your state's DBA requirements, Swyft Filings can do the work for you.

  • EIN: $70 - $79[9]
    Swyft's EIN service costs $79 a la carte. But it goes down to $70 if it's an add-on to the free LLC formation service.

    An Employer Identification Number is a unique nine-digit number assigned by the IRS. You can get one for free if you do it yourself. Or let Swyft Filings do this for you for a fee.

Swyft Filings offers more add-on services, including business license application and annual report filing. Many of its add-on services start at $99 if you purchase it as a la carte. You can get lower rates if you buy more as part of a bundle.

Do I need a business formation service?
No state requires you to hire a business formation service. Generally speaking, you can do everything yourself, from filing the Articles of Organization to submitting the annual report.

Swyft Filings Customer Reviews

RATINGS SOURCEAVERAGE RATING
Trustpilot4.7 out of 5 ★ from an average of 6,700 reviews
Sitejabber2.6 out of 5 ★ from an average of 1,237 reviews

Swyft Filings has thousands of positive reviews online—specifically on Trustpilot. Recent reviews like the one below praise Swyft's customer support. It's not uncommon for reviews to mention the name of the staff who helped them.

"Sanora did an incredible job! I called in upset about what I felt were random and uncalled for charges to my account. Sanora calmed me down and talked me through everything. What an incredible employee you guys have!" (from Trustpilot)

However, Swyft Filings also receives complaints. While many rave about the excellent support, some customer reviews suggest that the quality of support is inconsistent.

The review below also suggests that you might have some difficulty if you ever want to cancel services:

"Swift filings makes it nearly impossible to cancel your subscription. Their FAQ's clearly says you can "easily" cancel by email. You cannot! They will reply to you email stating that they will call. You can also try to cancel by live chat, you cannot! They will spend quite some time getting you to verify information and asking nonsensical questions, and then tell you someone will call you…" (from Sitejabber)

After reading Swyft Filings' downsides and negative reviews, you might wonder if there are better alternatives. There are some, three of which are discussed below.

Is Swyft Filings BBB-accredited?
Swyft Filings is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau. Meanwhile, its competitors, like ZenBusiness and LegalZoom, are BBB-accredited and have A+ ratings.

How Swyft Filings Compares

The reputable providers below all offer business formation services. Depending on the additional services you need and your budget, one of them may be a better option for you.

See how each compares against Swyft Filings, starting with Bizee, one of the most affordable business formation services.

Is Swyft Filings actually free?
Swyft Filings has a free business formation package, but it has paid services too. The free package includes preparation and filing of your business formation documents with the state.

Swyft Filings vs. Bizee

Bizee, formerly Incfile, is an online business formation company known for its quick and affordable services. Like Swyft Filings, Bizee can also help you form an LLC for free.

Bizee is a better option if you're also looking for a registered agent since it provides this service free for one year. And unlike Swyft Filings, you won't be charged anything for compliance alerts.

Swyft Filings vs. ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness is a Texas-based business formation service. Like Swyft Filings, ZenBusiness also helps entrepreneurs start a business for free.

Swyft Filings and ZenBusiness offer the same services for free. However, Swyft can file your business formation documents faster. On the other hand, you get 1 year of free compliance alerts with ZenBusiness.

Swyft Filings vs. LegalZoom

LegalZoom is an online legal service company that also offers business formation services. Its main priority is to make legal services more accessible through its independent network of attorneys.

At first glance, Swyft Filings seems better compared to LegalZoom. It offers free limited tax consultation and free compliance alerts for 14 days.

However, if you need to consult on complex legal matters with an experienced attorney, choose LegalZoom instead. It's a paid service, but you'll get a qualified attorney to review your documents.

Bottom Line

Overall, Swyft Filings is a decent option if you're looking for a trained professional to prepare and file your LLC documents.

Don't forget that the ComplianceGuard feature is automatically added to your total bill. If you don't want to pay for it, cancel it before the 14-day free trial ends.

Before fully committing to a Swyft Filings membership, be sure to explore other providers that might better suit your needs.

How would you rate the overall value for money provided by Swyft Filings?

References

  1. ^ Swyft Filings, LLC. About Us, Retrieved 04/01/2024
  2. ^ Swyft Filings. ComplianceGuard, Retrieved 05/13/2024
  3. ^ Swyft Filings. Terms of Service, Retrieved 05/13/2024
  4. ^ Swyft Filings, LLC. Get a Registered Agent Service for Your Business, Retrieved 05/13/2024
  5. ^ Swyft Filings, LLC. Set it and Forget with ComplianceGuard, Retrieved 04/01/2024
  6. ^ Swyft Filings, LLC. LLC Formation, Retrieved 04/01/2024
  7. ^ Swyft Filings, LLC. Stay Compliant with a Beneficial Ownership Information Report, Retrieved 04/01/2024
  8. ^ Swyft Filings, LLC. DBA Registration, Retrieved 04/01/2024
  9. ^ Swyft Filings, LLC. Obtain Your EIN (Federal Tax ID), Retrieved 05/13/2024
LegalZoom

Economy Package at $149 + State Filing Fees

Form your corporation at $149 + state filing fees, with the Economy package. The Economy package includes:
  • Name check service
  • Business consultation
  • Digital welcome packet
  • Customizable WIX website
ZenBusiness

Starter - $0 + State Filing Fees

  • Includes 1 optional free year of Worry-Free Compliance that renews at $199/year
  • Standard filing speed
  • 100% accuracy guaranteed
  • Other services are available with additional costs
Tailor Brands

Set Up Your LLC - $0 + State Fees

Get your LLC in just a few quick steps, includes:

  • Free business plan included (no credit card required)
  • Lifetime compliance alerts
  • Comprehensive name check
  • Lifetime customer support via email and phone
Northwest Registered Agent

Business Formation Service - $39 + State Fees

  • Form Your LLC, Corporation, or Nonprofit Today
  • A Fully-Formed Business
  • Registered Agent Service
  • Business Address
  • Mail Forwarding
  • Privacy by Default

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