How we compare and score providers
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This page explains how our comparisons and scores work. It applies to every ranked page on this site, including Best LLC formation services and Best business bank accounts.
What a score is
A score measures what a provider publishes on its own pages against a checklist that we publish in full on each ranked page. It is not a rating of product quality or customer service, and it does not use customer reviews. We show the evidence for each check and the date we read the page.
Where the inputs come from
Inputs come only from the provider’s own published pricing and product pages (and, for state fees, the state’s official pages). Every page lists the sources we read and the date we checked them. We do not use rumors, third-party summaries or customer reviews as inputs. If we cannot load or read a page, we say so.
Categories and weights
Each category is scored from 0 to 10, then weighted. The overall score is the weighted sum, shown to one decimal place.
| Category | Weight |
|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 30% |
| Total cost for a typical small business | 25% |
| Features | 20% |
| Contract and fee fairness | 15% |
| Support and reputation signals | 10% |
- Checklist categories (pricing transparency, features, fairness, support): each category has a short list of yes/no checks of equal weight. The score is the share of checks that pass, times 10.
- Cost: each ranked page names one cost input, for example the service fee of the cheapest LLC package confirmed to include an EIN service and an operating agreement. Each unit of dollars named on the page (for example $50) subtracts one point from 10, with a floor of 0.
- “Support and reputation signals” uses only published facts, such as a named support channel or the stated FDIC coverage amount. We do not use star ratings or review sites.
Rules that apply to every provider
- No evidence, no points. A check passes only if we found evidence on the provider’s published pages. If we could not find it, the check scores zero, and the page says so. That does not mean the provider lacks the feature.
- No verified cost, no score. If we could not verify a provider’s cost input, we do not score or rank it. We list it as “Not scored” with the reason.
- Same checklist for everyone. Every provider on a page is checked against the same list.
- Rankings are not for sale. Commissions and affiliate status are never inputs. Some providers we rank have no affiliate link, and a provider with an affiliate program can rank last. Affiliate links are labeled and use
rel="sponsored". See our affiliate disclosure. - Our own use of a product earns no points. If the site owner has first-hand experience with a provider, it can appear in a clearly labeled “Owner’s experience” box, written as the owner supplied it. It is never a score input.
State fee data
For state LLC fees, we read each state’s official page directly. We show a fee only if we found it on an official page and link to that page. If a state’s site blocked automated access or the fee was unclear, we show a link to the state’s Secretary of State instead of a number, and our LLC cost calculator says how many states we could verify.
Keeping data current
Pages show when they were last updated and when prices were last verified. If you spot an error, tell us at hello@merchantfindusa.com and we will check it against the source.