Head-to-Head

Harbor Compliance

Multi-State Compliance & Entity Management Platform

VS

incorporate.com

Long-Established Business Formation & Compliance

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

Founded
Harbor Compliance: 2012
incorporate.com: 1899
Rating
7.9/10
7.2/10
First Year Cost
~$99 + state fees (RA-focused; higher for full compliance)
~$334+ (formation + mandatory RA; state fees extra)
Formation Speed
1-5 business days standard
1-5 business days standard
RA Annual
$99 first year; $149 renewal (multi-year discounts)
$235/year (mandatory; no free year; can't opt out easily)

Company Background

Harbor Compliance

HQ: Lancaster, Pennsylvania (812 N Prince St)

Ownership: Private (founder-led; Mike Montali CEO)

Employees: 51-200

Formations: 40,000+ clients served (focus on compliance, not pure formation)

Key Milestones

  • Founded 2012 by regulatory specialists & tech experts
  • Hit Inc. 5000 for 7th year in 2025
  • Acquired Labyrinth Inc. (added nonprofits)
  • Launched Compliance Core™ algorithm
  • Grew to 40k+ clients across 50 states

incorporate.com

HQ: Wilmington, Delaware (2711 Centerville Road)

Ownership: Private (subsidiary of Corporation Service Company - CSC)

Employees: 100+

Formations: 750,000+ businesses

Key Milestones

  • Founded 1899 as The Company Corporation
  • Rebranded to incorporate.com
  • Expanded to 50 states + DC
  • Integrated with CSC Navigator compliance tools
  • Served Fortune 1000 & law firms

Core Services

Harbor Compliance Services

Formation types:

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

Differentiators:

  • Compliance Core™ scans 22,000+ requirements
  • Air-Tight Onboarding™ (90% issue resolution)
  • SaaS + managed hybrid for enterprises
  • Direct SOS database feeds for real-time status
  • Unlimited users & collaboration tools

incorporate.com Services

Formation types:

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

Differentiators:

  • 120+ years legacy (CSC)
  • CSC Navigator compliance platform
  • Corporate Veil Guarantee ($75k)
  • Mandatory RA integration
  • Full-service for law firms & corps

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

Pricing & Value

Category Harbor Compliance incorporate.com Winner
First Year Total ~$99 + state fees (RA-focused; higher for full compliance) ~$334+ (formation + mandatory RA; state fees extra) Harbor Compliance
RA Annual Fee $99 first year; $149 renewal (multi-year discounts) $235/year (mandatory; no free year; can't opt out easily)
Value Score 7.9/10 6.8/10 Harbor Compliance

Speed & Performance

Harbor Compliance

Avg formation: 1-5 business days standard

Expedited: Same-day document delivery (included)

incorporate.com

Avg formation: 1-5 business days standard

Expedited: Same-day (add $20)

Pros & Cons

Harbor Compliance — Pros

  • 22k+ regulatory scans
  • SaaS + managed hybrid
  • All 50 states RA
  • Entity management suite
  • Proven for enterprises

Harbor Compliance — Cons

  • ✗ Premium pricing
  • ✗ Mixed Trustpilot (3.5)
  • ✗ Billing complaints
  • ✗ Steep for startups
  • ✗ Basic formation vs. specialists

incorporate.com — Pros

  • Longest track record (1899)
  • 750k+ formations
  • Enterprise compliance tools
  • All 50 states coverage
  • Corporate Veil Guarantee

incorporate.com — Cons

  • ✗ RA $235 mandatory
  • ✗ No free Year 1 RA
  • ✗ High overall costs
  • ✗ Mixed reviews
  • ✗ Restrictive policies

The Verdict

Choose Harbor Compliance if: The powerhouse for complex, multi-state compliance—ideal for growing businesses needing software + service. Skip if you're a solo founder on a budget.


Choose incorporate.com if: The granddaddy of formation services—reliable for complex needs, but overpriced and restrictive for most founders. Use only if you need full CSC ecosystem.

Higher rating: Harbor Compliance (7.9/10)