Head-to-Head

BetterLegal

Fastest Business Formation in 2 Days

VS

Business Initiative

Business Intelligence That Forms Your Business

Side-by-side comparison. Data as of 2026-02-16.

Founded
BetterLegal: 2017
Business Initiative: 2021
Rating
8.0/10
8.7/10
First Year Cost
~$419+ (formation + RA)
~$310+ (LLC formation + RA)
Formation Speed
2 business days standard
7-14 business days standard
RA Annual
$120/year ($10/month); add-on only
$125/year per state (multi-company discounts)

Company Background

BetterLegal

HQ: Austin, Texas (1003 Rio Grande St)

Ownership: Private (founder-owned; Chad Sakonchick)

Employees: 7

Formations: 20,000+ businesses formed

Key Milestones

  • Founded 2017 in Austin, TX
  • Grew to $4.1M revenue with 7-person team
  • Pivoted to no-code (Bubble) in 2022 for rapid features
  • Expanded to full one-stop shop (formation + partners)
  • Hit 20k+ formations; AI tools launched

Business Initiative

HQ: New York, NY (virtual/nationwide operations)

Ownership: Private (founder-owned)

Employees: 1

Formations: Not publicly disclosed (quality-focused, low volume)

Key Milestones

  • Launched 2021 as educational platform
  • Evolved to full-service formation + RA services
  • Built AI tools, stats library, and provider directory

Core Services

BetterLegal Services

Formation types:

  • LLC
  • Corporation (C-Corp, S-Corp)
  • Foreign Qualification (all states)
  • Change of Registered Agent

Differentiators:

  • 2-business-day formation (fastest standard)
  • No upsells; one simple package
  • AI-powered legal translator (Chrome extension)
  • Freebies: website, tax analysis, insurance eval
  • All essentials included (EIN, docs, resolutions)

Business Initiative Services

Formation types:

  • LLC
  • Corporation (C-Corp, S-Corp)
  • Partnerships
  • Foreign LLC/Corp qualifications
  • Change of Registered Agent

Differentiators:

  • All state/federal fees included upfront
  • Business intelligence platform (stats, AI selector, education)
  • Directory of other providers
  • Founder-led, transparent education

Both offer nationwide RA coverage. Compare differentiators above to see where each shines.

Pricing & Value

Category BetterLegal Business Initiative Winner
First Year Total ~$419+ (formation + RA) ~$310+ (LLC formation + RA) Business Initiative
RA Annual Fee $120/year ($10/month); add-on only $125/year per state (multi-company discounts)
Value Score 8.2/10 8.5/10 Business Initiative

Speed & Performance

BetterLegal

Avg formation: 2 business days standard

Expedited: Included (2 days); same-day in select cases

Business Initiative

Avg formation: 7-14 business days standard

Expedited: 1-3 business days ($25-$200); same-day before 1 PM EST

Pros & Cons

BetterLegal — Pros

  • 2-day formation (fastest)
  • Simple $299 package
  • AI translator & freebies
  • All docs/EIN included
  • No-hassle onboarding

BetterLegal — Cons

  • ✗ RA $120/year extra
  • ✗ Support issues on RA
  • ✗ Billing complaints
  • ✗ Basic vs. full suites
  • ✗ Small team scale

Business Initiative — Pros

  • All fees included (transparent value)
  • Privacy-first RA ($125 flat)
  • Educational platform (stats/AI tools)
  • Fast human support
  • Nationwide + foreign quals

Business Initiative — Cons

  • ✗ Newer (fewer formations track record)
  • ✗ Limited review volume
  • ✗ Basic add-ons
  • ✗ No 24/7 chat
  • ✗ Virtual-only operations

The Verdict

Choose BetterLegal if: Ideal for founders who prioritize speed over hand-holding—form fast, then layer RA. Watch reviews on ongoing service.


Choose Business Initiative if: Beats competitors on all-in costs and smarts—perfect for informed operators who want a partner, not just a filer.

Higher rating: Business Initiative (8.7/10)