No.1
Our top pick in Texas
1. Mainstay Filing: best for the formation, the agent and the Public Information Report under one charge
$199 a year plus the state fee
Score9.3out of 10
First place: Mainstay Filing. The Texas formation, the registered agent and the Public Information Report all fall under one $199 charge.
At renewal Mainstay prepares and files the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report for you. Texas charges nothing for it, due May 15, and lateness adds $50; Mainstay passes the state fee along at cost.
Its three-year total exceeds TX Registered Agent.org's by $200; the broader coverage outweighs that difference in our scoring.
In the price
- Preparation and filing of the formation document
- Your registered agent all year long
- Public Information Report prepared and filed on your behalf
- EIN application prepared
Why pick it
- One yearly charge of $199 that covers the Public Information Report
- Renews at $199 with nothing added
- Texas's fee is passed along at cost
- Covers the EIN application
Weak spots
- Its agent charge after year one is $100 a year above TX Registered Agent.org's
No.2
Best value here
2. TX Registered Agent.org: best for a Texas LLC that intends to stay put
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, with the state fee extra
Score8.8out of 10
Second place: TX Registered Agent.org. Its Texas formation is $199 plus the state fee, year-one registered agent service included, then $99 a year.
An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.
The Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report lies outside its published prices, so you file it with Texas every year.
In the price
- Formation prepared and filed
- Your registered agent for the first year
Why pick it
- $99 a year for the agent from year two
- A $199 service charge plus the state filing fee
- Includes your registered agent for the first year
Weak spots
- The Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report is not prepared for you
- The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)
No.3
Lower renewal than Mainstay
3. Texas Registered Agent.ai: best for a filing made only in Texas
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, with the state fee extra
Score8.5out of 10
Third place: Texas Registered Agent.ai. Its Texas formation is $199 plus the state fee, year-one registered agent service included, then $99 a year.
An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.
The Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report lies outside its published prices, so you file it with Texas every year.
No difference in price or features separates TX Registered Agent.org from Texas Registered Agent.ai; choose whichever you prefer.
In the price
- Formation prepared and filed
- The first year of registered agent service
Why pick it
- Forms the LLC for $199 and the state's fee
- Afterward, $99 a year keeps the agent
- The first year as registered agent is free
Weak spots
- The Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report is not prepared for you
- The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)
The 3 rulings in brief
| Rank | Provider | Ruling score | Service charge | Year two | Suited to | Link |
|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | 9.3 | $199 | $199/yr | The formation, the agent and the Public Information Report under one charge | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 2 | TX Registered Agent.org | 8.8 | $199 | $99/yr | A Texas business holding down its costs | Visit TX Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 3 | Texas Registered Agent.ai | 8.5 | $199 | $99/yr | A Texas business holding down its costs | Visit Texas Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
Every mark out of 10 reflects the editorial team's reading of the criteria on
How we rank, not any customer rating.
Texas LLC service charges in 2026: year one, renewals and the three-year total
| Provider | Year one | Year two | Year three | Total over three years | Files the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $199 | $199 | $597 | Yes |
|---|
| TX Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | No |
|---|
| Texas Registered Agent.ai | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | No |
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Each charge was taken from the provider's own pages on November 12, 2026. Texas's $300 filing fee is payable in addition to every row below and is not in the totals.
What decided the order
Two criteria carry 31% each in this ranking, charge over three years and work taken off the founder. Renewal conduct, fit with local rules and pricing in plain sight share 38%, and in Texas the decisive one was work taken off the founder.
Texas requires a report every year, with $50 added for lateness. Mainstay's price includes the filing and TX Registered Agent.org's does not, and that coverage outweighed TX Registered Agent.org's lower three-year cost.
Each criterion and its weight appear on How we rank.
The Texas LLC filing fee and form (official figures)
To file the Certificate of Formation (Form 205) with the Texas Secretary of State, budget $300. Each provider on this page adds that state fee at cost to its own charge.
Obligations after the Texas filing is accepted
File the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report every year; the date is May 15. The state takes no fee. Filing late adds $50. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Questions on Texas LLC services
What does it take, in dollars, to form an LLC in Texas?
The state filing fee is $300; service charges run $199.
What is filed to bring the company into existence?
The Certificate of Formation (Form 205), lodged with the Texas Secretary of State.
Does a Texas LLC have to name a registered agent on its formation paperwork?
Yes. The company names a registered agent when it forms and keeps one on file afterward, with a street address in Texas.
Which recurring filings follow formation?
One: the Public Information Report + Franchise Tax Report, filed every year, due May 15, with no state fee.
Does the quoted price cover the EIN application?
At Mainstay Filing it does; the application sits inside the yearly price. TX Registered Agent.org and Texas Registered Agent.ai add $99 for the application. Applying directly with the IRS carries no fee.
Which Texas LLC service does the record favor?
Mainstay Filing, since a single yearly charge of $199 covers the Texas formation, a year as your registered agent and the Public Information Report, then renews at $199.
The record
- Texas yearly filing: Annual report, official source, on the record as of October 2026
- Texas report due date, on the record as of August 2026
- Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code § 3.005, on the record as of August 2026
- Texas registered agent statute, on the record as of October 2026
- Exhibit: Mainstay Filing, Texas service page, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: TX Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: Texas Registered Agent.ai, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026