FB
File.Business
$0 formation + paid compliance plans starting $99/yr.
3Wins
4.9★8,200+ reviews
220KFormed
$0
Formation
vs CorpNet $0+$249 RA
$149
RA/year
vs CorpNet $299/yr
$99
Annual Report
vs $135 + state
All 51
Jurisdictions
same coverage
SOC 2 Type II · 2025 report
4.9 · 8,200+ reviews
E&O Insured · carrier on request
51 Jurisdictions
220,000+ Formed
Lower RA, lower annual report, same 51 jurisdictions
CorpNet vs File.Business
CorpNet, founded in 2009 by Phil and Nellie Akalp, is a respected business filing service known for compliance specialty and business license research. File.Business is the modern all-in-one operating system covering formation, compliance, banking integration, payroll, contracts, and the 25 interactive legal form builders. Here is the honest, current comparison.
2026 pricing comparison
| Item | CorpNet | File.Business |
|---|---|---|
| Basic formation tier | $99 one-time + 3% convenience fee | $49 one-time (Starter) |
| Standard formation tier | Deluxe $219 one-time | Standard $149/yr |
| Premium tier | Complete $269 one-time | Pro $299/yr |
| Registered agent year 1 | 60 days free (Basic), 1 year free (Deluxe+) | Included on Standard+ |
| Registered agent renewal | $149/yr (volume discounts available) | Included on Standard+ |
| EIN application | +$69 online | Included |
| Annual report filing | +$99 per filing | Included on Standard+ |
| Express filing | +$150 (any tier) | Included on Premier ($599/yr) |
| 24-hour rush | +$250 (any tier) | Same-day on Premier (DE/WY/NV/FL/TX) |
| Business license research | Specialty service (included higher tiers) | $149 add-on |
| 3-year cost (single state, mid-tier) | $517+ plus state fees | $447 + state fees |
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | CorpNet | File.Business |
|---|---|---|
| Registered agent · all 51 jurisdictions | Yes | Yes |
| Same-day formation (5 states) | 24-hour rush available (+$250) | Same-day included on Premier |
| Business license research | Specialty strength | Add-on ($149) |
| Compliance calendar | Yes (basic) | Federal + 51-jurisdiction automation |
| Annual report automation | Per-filing pricing ($99 each) | Auto-file all 51 (Pro+) |
| Document vault | Yes (basic) | Audit-ready, SOC 2 certified |
| 25 interactive legal form builders | No | Yes |
| 200+ attorney-reviewed contracts | No | Yes (Standard+) |
| Business banking integration | No | Mercury, Chase, Brex, Relay |
| Payroll integration | No | Gusto, ADP, Justworks |
| 8 calculators (S-Corp, formation cost, etc.) | No | Yes |
| Glossary (377 terms) | No | Yes |
| Public API + webhooks | No | Yes |
| Mobile app | No | Yes (iOS + Android) |
| Penalty-free guarantee | No | Yes (Pro+) |
| SOC 2 Type II certified | No public certification | Yes |
| Phone support | Included all tiers | Pro+ tiers |
| Founded | 2009 | 2017 |
Where CorpNet wins
- Business license research is their specialty. CorpNet has built deep expertise in identifying federal, state, county, and city licenses required for specific industries. For highly-regulated industries (food service, alcohol, healthcare, contracting), their license research is genuinely best-in-class.
- 17-year track record (founded 2009) versus our 9 years. Longer history of compliance work.
- Phone support included at all tiers. CorpNet customers can call directly even on the $99 Basic tier. We reserve phone support for Pro and Premier customers.
- Family-owned, founders still active. Phil and Nellie Akalp remain involved. Some customers prefer this versus venture-backed competitors.
- Strong reputation in compliance specialist circles. Particularly known among accountants and small-business attorneys.
Where File.Business wins
- Modern all-in-one platform. Banking, payroll, bookkeeping, contracts, document vault, calculators, glossary, mobile app, public API. CorpNet is filings-focused without the broader operating system.
- Annual report automation across all 51 jurisdictions. CorpNet charges $99 per filing. File.Business Pro+ includes unlimited annual reports.
- Penalty-free guarantee. If we miss a state deadline, we pay the late fee. CorpNet offers no equivalent guarantee.
- SOC 2 Type II certification for document storage and customer data handling.
- Lower 3-year cost on comparable tiers: $447 vs $517+.
- No "convenience fee." CorpNet adds a 3% convenience fee on top of every package. File.Business does not add hidden fees.
- 25 interactive legal form builders with state-specific data: operating agreement, NDAs, employment agreements, contractor agreements, etc.
- Public API and webhooks for accounting firms and SaaS platforms automating multi-client formation workflows.
- 8 free calculators (S-Corp savings, formation cost, self-employment tax, business name generator, etc.).
Which is the right choice?
Choose CorpNet if: Your business operates in a heavily-licensed industry (food service, alcohol, healthcare, contracting) and you value their business license research depth as the primary need. You also want phone support at the lowest tier and prefer a family-owned company.
Choose File.Business if: You want the full operating system (formation + banking + payroll + compliance + contracts + tools) at a lower 3-year cost. You value automation (annual reports auto-filed in all 51 jurisdictions), modern technology (mobile app, API, SOC 2), and the penalty-free guarantee. You can pay $149 for our business license research add-on if needed.
Migration playbook: switch from CorpNet to File.Business
Most CorpNet customers save $70-$200 over 3 years and gain banking/payroll/contract integration by switching. Process:
- Sign up for File.Business Standard or Pro.
- We file a change of registered agent with your state at no charge.
- We import your existing entity records and filing history into your document vault.
- Your compliance calendar starts tracking all your deadlines automatically.
- Cancel your CorpNet renewal and pocket the savings.
CorpNet vs File.Business by service
LLC formation$99 CorpNet vs $49 File.Business Starter
Registered agent service$149/yr vs included in Standard
Annual reports$99/filing vs auto-file all 51 jurisdictions
BOI reporting (foreign entities)For foreign-formed only
Compliance suiteFederal + 51 jurisdictions
Foreign qualificationMulti-state ops
TrademarkUSPTO filing
EIN application$69 vs included
Business bankingPartner integrations
FAQ: CorpNet vs File.Business
Is File.Business cheaper than CorpNet?
Yes for most use cases. File.Business Standard ($149/yr all-in) is cheaper than CorpNet Deluxe ($219 + $149/yr RA after first year + $99 per annual report). Over 3 years, File.Business saves about $70 and includes more compliance automation.
What does CorpNet do better than File.Business?
Business license research. CorpNet has built deep expertise in identifying every federal, state, county, and city license required for your industry. For regulated industries this is genuinely valuable. File.Business offers it as a $149 add-on but does not market it as a specialty.
Can I keep CorpNet for license research and use File.Business for everything else?
You can, but you would be paying for two services. Most customers find File.Business compliance suite plus a one-time business license add-on covers their needs.
Is CorpNet a Better Business Bureau A+ rated company?
Yes. CorpNet maintains a strong BBB reputation. File.Business also holds BBB A+ rating and is SOC 2 Type II certified.
What about CorpNet's 3% convenience fee?
CorpNet adds a 3% surcharge to every package as a "convenience fee." On a $269 Complete package that adds $8. File.Business does not add this fee.
Does CorpNet offer same-day formation?
CorpNet offers 24-hour rush filing for an additional $250. File.Business Premier ($599/yr) includes same-day formation in DE, WY, NV, FL, and TX at no additional cost.
File.Business vs CorpNet
Compared across the seven dimensions that matter to a US founder: pricing transparency, compliance automation breadth, international-founder support, API and builder access, customer support depth, brand recognition, and mobile experience. File.Business leads on the first four; CorpNet leads on business-license research depth, extended phone-support hours, on-shore 100+ staff. The full line-by-line breakdown is below.
CO
CorpNet
$99-$269 + state
0Wins
, Public reviews
, Customers
DimensionFile.BusinessCorpNet
Formation cost$0 + state$99 Basic + state
Business license research$149 add-onIncluded on Deluxe+
Phone support hoursBusiness hoursExtended
Convenience feeNone3% on payments
Compliance dashboardFullLimited
$129/yr Compliance Annual Filings · penalty-free
On the $129/yr Compliance Annual Filings plan, we cover state late fees.
When you autofile your annual report through the $129/yr plan and we miss the deadline, we pay the state's late fee. The guarantee applies to that specific plan and the filings it includes. Other File.Business services are billed at the prices on this page.