LLC Review Desk's 2026 picks for LLC services in Texas, favorite first, are Texas Registered Agent.ai ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and TX Registered Agent.org ($199). Texas Registered Agent.ai is our favorite, because the Texas formation costs $199 over the state's fee, with the registered agent free the first year, and keeping the agent is $99 a year.
By the LLC Review Desk editorial team
Position 1
Top pick on this page
1. Texas Registered Agent.ai: best for a Texas LLC that will stay put
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, with the state fee on top
Our score
9.4out of 10
9.4 out of 10
Our favorite is Texas Registered Agent.ai, because $199 for formation on top of the state fee, then $99 a year for the agent.
You get a street address in the state for your registered office, and any papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.
The Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report isn't part of its published price, so you send it to Texas yourself every year.
Over three years it costs less than Mainstay Filing, and cost is one of our two biggest criteria.
In the price
Articles prepared and filed
A first year as your registered agent
What we like
Formation costs $199 before state fees
Then $99 a year to keep the agent
Year-one registered agent service is covered
Trade-offs
Doesn't take care of the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report
2. Mainstay Filing: best for formation, agent and Public Information Report in one simple price
$199 a year, and the state fee goes on top
Our score
8.9out of 10
8.9 out of 10
Coming in second is Mainstay Filing, because the Texas formation, your registered agent and the Public Information Report all come in a single $199 price.
When your plan renews, Mainstay files the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report for you. Texas doesn't charge for it, and the date is May 15, and a late one costs $50 more. Mainstay passes the state's fee along at cost.
Texas Registered Agent.ai is $200 cheaper over three years, so Mainstay Filing comes second on cost.
In the price
Formation paperwork prepared and sent in
A full year as your registered agent
Your Public Information Report, prepared and filed for you
Your EIN application, taken care of
What we like
Renews at $199, no add-ons
One yearly price of $199 that includes the Public Information Report
Texas's fee is passed through at cost
The EIN application is included
Trade-offs
After year one, its agent costs $100 a year more than Texas Registered Agent.ai's
The 10-point scores are ours. They come from the criteria on How we rank and don't use customer ratings.
What Texas LLC services cost in 2026: year one, renewals and three years
Service
First year
Second year
Third year
Three-year total
Handles the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report too
Texas Registered Agent.ai
$199
$99
$99
$397
No
Mainstay Filing
$199
$199
$199
$597
Yes
TX Registered Agent.org
$199
$99
$99
$397
No
We took each price from the company's own pages on November 12, 2026. On top of every row, Texas charges a $300 filing fee, which isn't in these totals.
How the order came together
In Texas, three-year cost decided the order. If you're curious about the weights, three-year cost is 29%, filings in the price is 29% and renewal price, state fit and up-front totals share 42%.
Texas Registered Agent.ai comes to $397 over three years, which is $200 less than Mainstay Filing. Mainstay would file the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report too, but you can do it yourself for free, so the lower price won here.
You can read every criterion and weight on How we rank.
The Texas LLC filing fee and form, from the state
Heads up: the Texas Secretary of State takes $300 when you file the Certificate of Formation (Form 205). Every service below adds that fee at cost.
What a Texas LLC needs after it is formed
There's one recurring item: the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report, every year, by May 15. The state charges nothing for it. A late filing adds $50. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Your questions about Texas LLC services
How much does forming an LLC in Texas set you back?
The state charges $300 to file, and services charge $199.
What paperwork makes the LLC official?
You send the Certificate of Formation (Form 205) to the Texas Secretary of State.
Does the Texas formation form ask me to name a registered agent?
Yes. You list a registered agent when you file and keep one on record, using a street address in Texas.
Is there paperwork after the LLC is formed?
Yes, one item: the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report. It comes every year, by May 15, and the state asks nothing.
Is the EIN included in the price?
With Mainstay Filing, yes; it comes with the yearly price. Texas Registered Agent.ai and TX Registered Agent.org tack on $99 for it. You can also ask the IRS for an EIN yourself, free of charge.
Who should I use to form my Texas LLC?
Texas Registered Agent.ai, because forming in Texas is $199 plus the state fee, and your first year as registered agent is included, then $99 a year.