Harbor Compliance Review: Pros, Cons & Pricing

What Is Harbor Compliance?

Harbor Compliance specializes in LLC formation and compliance services. It was founded to help businesses navigate the complexities of formation and legal compliance. The company offers a user-friendly process for a service fee of $99, which includes LLC name availability checks and document preparation.

Harbor Compliance aims to make it easy and clear for businesses. Their goal is to give you the right tools and advice to follow the legal rules without getting too complicated.

Packages and Pricing

Harbor Compliance offers a single-package deal for setting up an LLC, which costs $99, not including state fees. This deal includes the essentials: verifying if your chosen LLC name is available and preparing the Articles of Organization. There are also extra services like annual reports, EIN registration, and registered agent services for additional fees. This approach offers flexibility, but keep in mind, it might increase your total costs. Here’s a simple breakdown:

Harbor Compliance does not offer different packages but focuses on a singular offering, supplemented by additional a-la-carte services tailored to specific compliance needs. This model simplifies the initial process but requires attention to the ongoing costs for comprehensive compliance support.

Ease of Use

I have found Harbor Compliance to be user-friendly when going through the LLC formation process. I appreciated that, unlike a few other services, Harbor Compliance does not offer expeditions for states like Wyoming, where processing is already instant, thus offering a “1-day service” at no additional charge.

Registered Agent Service

Harbor Compliance charges an annual fee of $99 for their registered agent service. This isn’t included in their basic LLC package for the first year. However, if you decide to pay for more than a single year upfront, you could receive a discount between 5% to 10%. It’s worth noting that some other companies offer this service at no charge for the first year, and only start billing you from the second year onward.

Pricing Comparison: Harbor Compliance vs. Others

When we compare Harbor Compliance’s pricing and offerings for forming an LLC with those of its competitors, it’s clear that different services are tailored to cater to different needs and preferences.

Harbor Compliance provides a straightforward package for $99, not including state fees. This package offers the basics for setting up an LLC with additional support and compliance services available at an extra cost.

On the other hand, services like ZenBusiness and Northwest Registered Agent have more comprehensive packages. These might be a better fit for some users, especially those looking for a package deal that includes services like registered agent services at the initial cost.

Here’s a brief comparison to highlight the differences:

While Harbor Compliance keeps things straightforward and fuss-free, other services like ZenBusiness and Northwest Registered Agent pack in more features or have lower starting prices. However, these could lead to higher costs down the line for things like renewing the registered agent service. You can check my comprehensive comparison of the best LLC services to get more options.

Customer Support Quality

I have noticed in my research that Harbor Compliance is often mentioned for offering good customer support, even though they do not provide live chat services. Their support channels include email and phone, ensuring a direct line of communication with their team. Despite the lack of instant messaging options, the quality of support has been positively reviewed.

Harbor Compliance Phone Number and Email Address

For support, you can reach Harbor Compliance through email or phone. They don’t specify their support hours on their website. If you need more details or want to ask questions online, you can visit their contact page.

• Email address: [email protected]
• Phone number: +1-888-995-5895

Turnaround Time

Harbor Compliance’s turnaround time is fast, with the company being transparent about processing times across different states.

I appreciate that they do not take advantage of users by offering unnecessary expedited services in states where processing is already efficient. For instance, in Wyoming, Harbor Compliance does not offer expedited service due to the state’s instant processing capabilities, providing a “1-day service” at no additional charge.

Customer Feedback Analysis

After examining over 100 reviews of Harbor Compliance from the past year, it’s clear to me that their customer service is highly praised. Many reviews emphasize the personalized support each client receives.

High ratings on Google and Facebook emphasize the quality of customer service and efficient service delivery. However, TrustPilot shows mixed reviews, with a lower overall rating. The Better Business Bureau awards them an A+ rating, though there are a few complaints about service cancellation delays.

Harbor Compliance Mobile App

Harbor Compliance doesn’t offer a mobile app. If you want to handle your LLC tasks through an app, you may need a different service. ZenBusiness, LegalZoom, and Rocket Lawyer have apps for easier access to documents and LLC files on mobile.

The Expert Verdict

Harbor Compliance does a great job offering clear and fast compliance services, especially for U.S. businesses. They stand out with their customer service, detailed help with compliance, and simple pricing with no hidden charges.

However, their services might cost more than others. They also lack a mobile app or specific plans for forming international LLCs. This could make them less attractive to people who need these features. Still, if you’re a business that needs personalized help with U.S. compliance rules, Harbor Compliance is a good choice.

Harbor Compliance Promo Codes and Coupons

Harbor Compliance doesn’t directly offer promo codes or coupons. However, they do give discounts if you plan to use their registered agent service for multiple years and pay in advance.

Harbor Compliance Alternatives

When comparing Harbor Compliance to other LLC formation services, it’s important to look at what they offer, their prices, and what makes them unique. Here are comparisons with ZenBusiness, Bizee, and Northwest Registered Agent, which could be better suited for different needs and preferences.

Harbor Compliance vs. ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness is known for its great value and low cost, offering a basic LLC formation package for free.

Harbor Compliance vs. Bizee (formerly Incfile)

Bizee, which is recognized for its free basic offer to set up an LLC, stands as a contender to Harbor Compliance by highlighting services that don’t cost anything to start but may have fees in the next years.

Harbor Compliance vs. Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest Registered Agent stands out for its strong focus on privacy and personalized support. Both Harbor Compliance and Northwest offer a broad range of services, but Northwest has a unique approach that prioritizes privacy. Their lower cost and their commitment to client confidentiality sets them apart.

While Harbor Compliance holds its own in the compliance service field, other options like ZenBusiness, Bizee, and Northwest Registered Agent bring different advantages to the table. These can range from cost-effectiveness, and a focus on privacy, to exceptional customer support. When choosing between these services, consider your specific business needs, your budget, and how much you value things like privacy and personalized service.

Cancellation Policy

Harbor Compliance’s refund policy clearly states that once you’ve paid and they’ve started the work, you can’t get your money back. But, there’s an exception. If you cancel any subscription services within 3 business days of buying them, before any work has started, they might give you an account credit for future use.

When it comes to one-time services, if you decide to cancel, there’s no refund or credit and the cancellation takes effect as soon as they get your written notification.

Registered agent services can’t be refunded because you get immediate access to resources as soon as you buy. However, filing fees that they haven’t yet paid out could be credited or refunded depending on the situation.

For those living in the EU and UK, there’s a 14-day cancellation right under certain conditions.