# What Claude (Anthropic) with web search answered for business formation services (small businesses) on 2026-09-13

## In short

On 2026-09-13, Claude (Anthropic) with web search was asked "best business formation services for small businesses". It named 6 brands, in this order: Northwest Registered Agent, ZenBusiness, Bizee, LegalZoom, you're, Stripe Atlas.

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Question | best business formation services for small businesses |
| Asked on | 2026-09-13 |
| Engine | Claude (Anthropic) with web search |
| Model | claude-opus-5 |
| Brands named | 6 |
| Sources cited | 6 |
| Audience | small businesses |
| Coverage | Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included. |
| Last verified | 2026-09-13 |

Page: https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/business-formation-services-small-businesses-2026-09-13
Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.

## The answer, as recorded

Asked on 2026-09-13 through Claude (Anthropic) with web search (model claude-opus-5).

> Here's how I'd actually rank these, with one caveat up front: nearly every "best LLC service" roundup online is affiliate-funded, including several that came up in my search, so treat the star ratings loosely and weigh the pricing structure instead.
> 
> **1. Northwest Registered Agent** - my default recommendation. $39 + state fee to form, registered agent free the first year then $125/yr that reportedly doesn't escalate. Two things set it apart: they let you use their address on your public filings so your home address stays off the Secretary of State's website, and they don't resell your data. No upsell maze at checkout. Roughly $289 over three years vs. ~$597 for ZenBusiness. ([llcuniversity.com](https://www.llcuniversity.com/reviews/northwest-registered-agent-llc/), [startupowl.com](https://startupowl.com/reviews/northwest-registered-agent))
> 
> **2. Just filing directly with your Secretary of State** - genuinely the right answer for a single-member LLC in your home state. You pay only the state fee ($35-$500 depending on state), and an EIN is free from the IRS in about ten minutes. The formation paperwork is usually a one-page web form. Pair this with Northwest's standalone register

## Brands named, in the order the engine gave

| Position | Brand | How it was named |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwest Registered Agent | recommended |
| 2 | ZenBusiness | mentioned |
| 3 | Bizee | mentioned |
| 4 | LegalZoom | mentioned |
| 5 | you're | mentioned |
| 6 | Stripe Atlas | mentioned |

## Sources the engine cited

- https://www.llcuniversity.com/reviews/northwest-registered-agent-llc/ (other)
- https://startupowl.com/reviews/northwest-registered-agent (other)
- https://www.legalzoom.com/articles/diy-llc-vs-formation-service (vendor)
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/best-llc-service/ (other)
- https://venturesmarter.com/northwest-registered-agent-vs-bizee/ (other)
- https://www.legalzoom.com/compare/legalzoom-vs-diy-llc-filing (vendor)

The question page: https://bikoosh.com/answers/q/business-formation-services/small-businesses

Answer Watch records what one AI answer engine said on one date, nothing more. Each page names the engine and the model, carries the date the question was asked, and lists the brands that appeared in the answer in the order the engine gave them, with the sources it cited. It is a measurement, not a ranking, not a recommendation and not a claim about the world. Brands that did not appear in an answer are not named on any public page. Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.