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Compare The Best LLC Services

Our recommendation for most people is ZenBusiness or IncFile because they simplify the process of forming an LLC and help business owners do so affordably. Start your LLC with ZenBusiness for $0 plus state filing fees, or get started with IncFile for free. 

It’s our mission to find top-tier services and products for our readers, which is why our research team spent four weeks analyzing over 1,100 reviews and numerous features, data points, and pros and cons of 13 LLC formation services. 

Our deep dive led us to the final 11 best LLC services that we’ve reviewed for this guide. Here, we deliver all the details you need to know about each, along with scenario matches and crucial points to consider when choosing the right LLC service.

The Top 11 Best LLC Services

We narrowed our initial list of 13 candidates to the following 11 services. Ultimately, ZenBusiness and IncFile are our recommendations for most businesses based on their straightforward guidance and affordable pricing. Start your business for as little as $0 plus state filing fees with ZenBusiness or file a free LLC with IncFile. 

Company logos for our best LLC services reviews

How We Evaluate the Best LLC Services

To help you narrow your options, we followed a strict methodology to evaluate and eliminate companies that didn’t quite fit the bill. Explore our process below, or you can skip straight to the reviews to learn more about each LLC service. 

How We Qualify LLC Services for Consideration

In the first evaluation round, we assessed 13 top LLC services. 

The companies we considered were BizFilings, Harbor Compliance, Inc Authority, IncFile, Incorporate.com, LegalNature, LegalZoom, MyCompanyWorks, MyCorporation, Northwest Registered Agent, Rocket Lawyer, Swyft Filings, ZenBusiness.

As a company that’s had its fair share of LLCs and other business formations, we know what goes into an incredible LLC service. Based on that knowledge and what other business owners need in an LLC service, we evaluated each company based on the following criteria:

  • Add-on services: Optional upgrades obviously aren’t necessary, but they can add a lot of value to a service. Plus, having add-ons available through your service can make it easier to keep all LLC-related features on one platform.
  • Compliance: If your state requires specific documents and annual reporting, you should look for a company with compliant-focused services to ensure you meet legal requirements.
  • Customer support: The ability to contact an LLC service when needed is priceless. Consider companies with multiple support methods, such as live chat, phone, and email.
  • Ease of use: Guided setups, knowledge bases, and free online resources allow you to navigate your LLC formation and related processes easily. Some services include interactive tools to get you set up as easily as possible.
  • Filing time: You shouldn’t have to wait weeks to form an LLC. Some services offer same-day or next-day business filing for free, while others charge extra to speed up the process.
  • Pricing: We dropped companies with a lot to offer but higher fees and pricing than their competitors. Your LLC filing should be as affordable as it is helpful.
  • Registered agent services: Registered agent services can file documents on your business’s behalf and keep your personal information confidential. Some companies give members registered agent services for one year.

Comparing each company to this set of criteria, we found that each of the 13 services exhibited the necessary qualities to stay on the list. 

How We Narrowed the List of Qualified LLC Services

Because we want to offer only the best of the best, hyper-specific options for you to choose from, our research team identified two companies that offered similar features as others on the list but without similar value. These are the companies that qualified but are not recommended:

Incorporate.com: Incorporate.com is a popular option with plenty to offer. However, its fees are higher than comparable companies, reducing its value.

MyCorporation: Similarly, MyCorporation has unnecessarily higher fees than other top contenders without providing stand-out features.

The Top LLC Services Left Standing

After eliminating the two companies above, we were left with the following 11 LLC services, each of which we believe is ideal for various business needs. 

Match Your Scenario to the Right LLC Service Solution

LLC business owners commonly fall into one or more of the following categories. To help guide your research and narrow your options, we’ve identified the top two LLC services for each scenario:

You’re a new entrepreneur

Best Option: ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness potentially has the easiest setup process for LLC owners. The guided setup wizard walks new business owners through the required documentation and steps to set up an LLC without needing to know all the details.

ZenBusiness guided setup webpage
ZenBusiness’s guided setup is ideal for brand-new business owners who haven’t had experience with business formation.

Customer support is also top-notch with this company. Get your questions answered quickly via email, phone, or live chat, with agents even available during weekend hours.

Another great choice: IncFile

IncFile offers free LLC business filing and free one-year registered agent services, making it super affordable for entrepreneurs. Its simple navigation and guided setup are also extremely helpful for new business owners.

When you’re new to the business scene, consider:

  • Ease of use: Slimmed-down dashboards, guided walk-throughs, and responsive customer service can improve the overall LLC formation experience for entrepreneurs. 
  • Customer support: Is a company available to answer questions when you need help before, during, or after filing?
  • Resources: Some companies provide numerous resources and tools for self-help, many of which are free for customers.
  • Pricing: Affordability is key for entrepreneurs, especially those bootstrapping their businesses. Look for free registered agent and filing services to cut down on costs.

You need to make changes to your LLC

Best Option: ZenBusiness

When amending or changing your LLC filing is necessary, ZenBusiness can help. It sticks with you throughout the life of your business, allowing easy access to document updates, converting to other business types, or dissolving a business.

Another great choice: LegalZoom

LegalZoom also supports multiple types of business filing and changes, including applying for business licenses and filing annual reports. 

If you don’t want to be left without support after forming your LLC, think about:

  • Add-on services: Some of the best companies feature optional add-ons you can choose as you need them, like tax preparation services, business license applications, and compliance checks.

You need a registered agent service

Best Option: Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest Registered Agent’s main service is registered agent services. The cost of the service lowers as you file with more states, making it an ideal option for businesses operating in multiple locations. 

Another great choice: IncFile

IncFile’s registered agent service is free for your first year when you file your LLC. Business owners can try it during this time to make sure it’s a good fit without committing financially.

If your state requires your business to have a registered agent, you should look for: 

  • Registered agent services: Registered agents are a must for most LLCs. Even if your company doesn’t need one, you might want one anyway for privacy and document management.

You need to register your LLC quickly

Best Option: Northwest Registered Agent

When you file with Northwest Registered Agent, you’ll automatically get same-day business filing without additional charges. You’ll also get immediate access to an online account where you can view your documents and track the progress of your filing.

Another great choice: MyCompanyWorks

File your LLC with MyCompanyWorks before 3 pm EST, and you’ll get same-day business filing. If you go past the cutoff, you can still get a quick filing the next business day with no extra fee.

When you don’t have a lot of time to spare, think about: 

  • Filing time: Every state has varying time periods for processing LLC filings, but your LLC service can also affect the total amount of time it takes. Same-day or next-day filing services can cut down the wait.

Best Option: Rocket Lawyer

Legal assistance can help business owners ensure that their company is compliant and meets all state requirements. Rocket Lawyer’s built-in legal team provides legal advice that you can purchase on an as-needed basis or use more regularly with a subscription.

The company also has legal forms and templates for convenient use on its website.

Another great choice: LegalZoom

LegalZoom’s Business Advisory Plan lets LLC owners access legal consultations and a library of legal forms on an ongoing basis. You can subscribe to the plan annually for $459.

When you want extra help from experienced attorneys, consider:

  • Access to a legal team: Ask questions, get advice, or express your concerns to a legal team that knows the ins and outs of business formation and operation.
  • Legal forms and templates: Forms and templates that have already been reviewed by a legal time can give you peace of mind knowing they contain all required information for your state.

You want help keeping your LLC compliant

Best Option: LegalNature

Although compliance isn’t LegalNature’s primary service, the company’s Compliance Guard option is one of the best of its kind. Compliance Guard provides you with just about everything you need to keep your company in the green zone, including meeting minutes, annual filings, and company resolutions.

LegalNature's Meeting Minutes webpage
Access compliant documents, like meeting minutes, when you need them with LegalNature’s Compliance Guard plan.

For just $125 a year, it’s an affordable solution to ensure compliance. 

Another great choice: Harbor Compliance

Harbor Compliance’s software, ComplianceAdviser, is a suite of tools customized to your business’s compliance needs. This service may cost more than others, but it could be the right solution for LLCs with more intricate compliance needs.

Avoid potential legal issues when forming or operating your business by prioritizing:

  • Compliance: LLC services that emphasize compliance usually provide legal forms and risk management services to help your business meet your state’s requirements.

LLC Service Reviews

The final 11 LLC services we chose best fit the common scenarios business owners use them for and have the features they typically look for in the right service.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for every business, though. That’s why we researched each company in depth to give you the details you need to know for an informed decision. Below, find our reviews of each company along with the situations they tend to work best with.

ZenBusiness – Best for Entrepreneurs and Startups

ZenBusiness, one of the best LLC services

Entrepreneurs and startup businesses likely want to get straight to the point when forming their LLCs. ZenBusiness provides one of the most straightforward setups to create an LLC in a matter of minutes.

You start with its interactive chatbot that asks the important questions necessary to give you the right documentation for your state. The guide walks you through every step, leaving no opportunities for guesswork along the way.

New or solo business owners can also appreciate ZenBusiness Academy, which includes tons of online resources free for members. This suite of tools is basically training for small businesses to learn the nuances of tax filing, accounting, creating a business plan, and more.

What Makes ZenBusiness Great

ZenBusiness carries its simplicity beyond its initial setup with an easy-to-use platform for managing your account, finding documentation, and accessing learning tools.

The company can also serve as your ongoing registered agent to manage and store important documents related to your business. This service helps you stay compliant, monitor legal notices, and learn of legal matters you may need to respond to.

ZenBusiness Registered Agent webpage
ZenBusiness can serve as your registered agent to meet your state’s requirements.

If you’re new to the entrepreneurial scene, you may need additional help as you navigate your business. ZenBusiness’s reliable and prompt customer service has proven experience assisting customers with various business needs and questions. Its broad hours of operation even include some Sunday support hours.

ZenBusiness starts at an affordable $0 plus state filing fees, keeping things affordable for entrepreneurs and startups. Numerous add-on options still allow you to scale as needed.

Read our full ZenBusiness review to see what else the service has to offer.

IncFile – Easiest LLC Setup

Incfile, one of the best LLC services

If you’re in the market for a no-frills LLC setup that gets straight to the point, you probably won’t find anything simpler than IncFile. Business owners can set up their LLCs within a couple of minutes by answering a few questions, and IncFile takes care of the rest.

It even does it for free if you choose the Silver package, which includes the necessities, like unlimited business name searches and prepared legal documents. All you pay is your state’s filing fees.

For LLCs wanting more, like registered agent services, an EIN, or an operating agreement, the free plan won’t cut it. Still, IncFile has the option of upgrading to other plans with just as simple setups.

What Makes IncFile Great

Although IncFile’s setup is highly self-explanatory and intuitive, helpful customer support is available by phone during typical business hours, Monday through Friday, to have as a backup.

To maintain its ease-of-use factor across the life of your business, IncFile also provides several optional services to add as needed. For example, you can purchase a domain name and business email through IncFile or add accounting and bookkeeping services to manage your financials all year.

IncFile Business Accounting and Bookkeeping Services webpage
IncFile’s accounting and bookkeeping services are just one of its many optional add-ons to help business owners.

Paid pricing for IncFile starts at $199, giving you free registered agent services for one year and extra documents that you may need for your LLC. However, solopreneurs can likely get by with the free plan.

Find out what IncFile can do for your business.

Northwest Registered Agent – Best for Maintaining Privacy

Northwest Registered Agent, one of the best LLC services

Privacy is something that many companies take into consideration by giving you options for how they handle your personal information. However, Northwest Registered Agent makes privacy protection the standard in everything it does for your business.

As soon as you sign up, the company protects your information by default, leaving your business address off communications and keeping your data in its hands rather than selling it to others. As your registered agent service, the company prioritizes the privacy of you and your business.

Because Northwest Registered Agent focuses on registered agent services, it doesn’t offer some of the services that other LLC formation companies do, like domain registration and business banking, which is important to keep in mind if you want an all-in-one solution.

What Makes Northwest Registered Agent Great

Registered agent services from Northwest Registered Agent are available in all states. The more states you file with, the lower the cost for services per state.

The company scans every document you receive rather than just legal communication, including state and federal mail. You’ll also get compliance alerts to keep you informed of important legal requirements, all while protecting your privacy.

Northwest Registered Agent also offers a business phone number with an easy-to-use dashboard for quick customer access. You can use the number specifically for business communications to keep your personal number private.

Northwest Registered Agent's Business Phone Number webpage
An optional business phone service helps you communicate efficiently with customers while protecting your personal number.

Northwest Registered Agent charges $100 plus your state’s filing fees for LLC formation, but its registered agent services cost an additional $125 per year. This service isn’t optional, so you will want to look elsewhere if you don’t need a registered agent.

Rocket Lawyer – Best for Affordable Legal Support

Rocket Lawyer, one of the best LLC services

Rocket Lawyer provides LLC formation services with an overarching theme of quality legal support, allowing you to be only an arm’s length from credentialed lawyers when your business needs it. 

Unlike other services with basic legal support attached to extra fees, Rocket Lawyer includes its support in an affordable subscription plan. The monthly cost gives you access to legal documents, free legal questions, and 30-minute consultations for each new legal issue.

Perhaps one caveat for some business owners to consider is that Rocket Lawyer’s customer support hours are limited to weekdays only, so you may not have access to the legal help you need outside of those hours. 

What Makes Rocket Lawyer Great

Rocket Lawyer includes a Document Defense service, which helps protect your business in the case of an issue arising with contracts or documents made through the company. You can simply request a review to have a lawyer look over the issue and respond on your behalf to assist enforcement.

The service is also incredibly easy to use, whether you’re setting up your LLC or creating a new document. The guided walk-through asks all the right questions to customize your document. Each document has gone through an extensive legal review to protect you.

Screenshot of Rocket Lawyer's Business and contracts webpage
Use Rocket Lawyer to create personalized, lawyer-reviewed documents in minutes.

Rocket Lawyer’s membership is $39.99 per month, including on-call attorney services and incorporation filing discounts. Get a 7-day free trial to test it for yourself.

Learn more about Rocket Lawyer and how it can help you with your ongoing legal needs.

LegalNature – Best for Ongoing Access to Business Documents

LegalNature, one of the best LLC services

LegalNature provides LLC formation services with done-for-you paperwork, filing, and EIN attainment so that you can begin operating as soon as possible. A guided setup with just a few questions is all you need to get started.

After forming your LLC, you can take advantage of LegalNature’s various business documents that are simple enough to customize on your own. With the help of the guided wizard, you can create operating agreements, a business plan, amendments, purchase agreements, and more, whenever you need them.

LegalNature emphasizes simplicity and speed so that each legal document can be ready in minutes. 

What Makes LegalNature Great

After forming your LLC and creating documents with LegalNature, you can view everything you’ve created in your online business portal. This easy-to-use dashboard lets you access documents at any time, create new forms, and organize everything from your computer or mobile device.

Screenshot of LegalNature's business command center webpage
LegalNature’s business command center organizes and stores all your business’s documents.

LegalNature truly provides a DIY-friendly experience, but it also offers a registered agent service for $125 per year to manage and store legal correspondence for your business. You’ll receive an email every time LegalNature receives a document on your behalf, allowing quick reviews.

LegalNature offers formation-only pricing for $49 plus state filing fees. However, to create business documents, you’ll need a subscription for $119 per year or $39 per month. Get a free 7-day trial of LegalNature before committing. 

Is LegalNature the right choice for your LLC? Read our full LegalNature review.

LegalZoom – Most Comprehensive LLC Service

LegalZoom, one of the best LLC services

LegalZoom goes above and beyond for business owners far after their initial LLC filing with a broad mix of services ranging from operating a business to managing a thriving brand. 

With LegalZoom, you’ll start with a straightforward LLC setup with guided help along the way. With select packages, experienced attorneys can help you ensure that everything gets done the way you need it to.

Once set up, you can move on to LegalZoom’s comprehensive business services, like trademarking, contract writing, and provisional patenting. LegalZoom also provides registered agent services, tax help, and a virtual mailbox.

With over 3.5 million businesses launched, LegalZoom’s track record speaks to their commitment to customer satisfaction, as demonstrated by their 100% satisfaction guarantee.

It’s notable that LegalZoom could land on the pricier side based on the services you need, as the company charges using more of a per-service format rather than offering packages. You may want to speak with customer support to get a quote for your precise needs.

What Makes LegalZoom Great

LegalZoom’s pick-and-choose-what-you-need model could be an excellent option for scaling LLCs. You’re free to add on services as needed and drop what you no longer need rather than buying a package that may include services you won’t use. 

For instance, the Total Compliance service files annual reports on your behalf and alerts you with critical dates for your business’s compliance. Its Compliance Calendar has a low annual fee and keeps important filing dates frontloaded to help you avoid penalties.

LegalZoom's Compliance Calendar webpage
Stay compliant with LegalZoom’s comprehensive and ongoing business services, like Compliance Calendar.

LegalZoom provides a range of LLC filing options, including a free plan that covers basic registration. For $249 plus state filing fees, the Pro plan offers business consultations, an operations guide, and operating agreement creation. The Premium plan, which costs $299, offers even more benefits, such as hands-on guidance from an experienced attorney. 

LegalZoom’s pricing options give businesses the flexibility to choose the plan that best suits their needs and budget. Find out more about how LegalZoom works for businesses.

BizFilings – Best for Scalability

BizFilings, one of the best LLC services

Forming an LLC can be the first step toward building a larger business. It can be helpful starting with a company like BizFilings, which has numerous available services to add on as your business grows.

BizFilings starts with a simple setup process that includes a business name search, quality and compliance checks, and done-for-you filing. When selecting your package, you can choose additional services to scale your business, like payroll tax management and registered agent services.

Business owners setting up their LLC through BizFilings can also access its BizComply tool, which sends you alerts and necessary forms to keep your business compliant, even as it scales.

What Makes BizFilings Great

An LLC filing with BizFilings includes three free months of its registered agent services to manage your documents and assist you with compliance needs. You can continue to use this service to handle tasks if you decide to incorporate in the future.

BizFilings Registered Agent Services webpage
Use BizFilings registered agent services to assist with your state’s legal and compliance requirements.

LLC owners can add operating agreements, annual report filing, business license research services, amendment filings, and numerous other options to their LLC formation package. Payroll services through ADP are also available should you need help managing employee payments for a growing team.

Package pricing starts at $99 plus state filing fees, while add-ons range from $20-$199. Get BizComply free for three months when you sign up.

Harbor Compliance – Best for Ensuring Compliance

Harbor Compliance, one of the best LLC services

Compliance is in its name, and Harbor Compliance lives up to its focus of providing businesses with helpful tools to manage their legal requirements. 

Technically, Harbor Compliance is an online tool that helps you DIY much of your business’s compliance needs. Use the software to review and file new documents, renew licenses and registrations, and receive business communications from your registered agent.

Harbor Compliance’s specialists stand behind you to review documentation and alert you when something needs your attention. 

If you one a comprehensive solution with additional services like trademarking and business domain registration, there are better options than Harbor Compliance. But for companies prioritizing compliance after filing their LLCs, this company is worth considering.

What Makes Harbor Compliance Great

A stand-out offering of Harbor Compliance is its ComplianceAdviser tool. This complete package includes registered agent services, compliance audits, DBA renewals, and other must-have features for year-round compliance. 

The license management tool within Harbor Compliance’s software also lets business owners search a state’s requirements through its database. Then, track the renewal status of each license right from your dashboard.

Harbor Compliance LicenseIQ webpage
Harbor Compliance makes license management easy with its online software.

Forming an LLC starts at $99 plus state filing fees, but there are options for expedited filing. Registered agent services begin at $89 per year, depending on your state. 

Inc Authority – Best for Free LLC Filing and Bonuses

Inc Authority, one of the best LLC services

Although there are a few services that let you form an LLC for free, Inc Authority offers more than just a free filing. Business owners also get a business name check, a funding consultation, and other extras that blend affordability with value.

Despite it being a free service, you won’t feel as though you’re not getting the quality filing your business deserves. Inc Authority includes a similar guided setup as other services to ensure that your business is formed correctly and provides premium access to experts if you need help.

Your free filing even includes a tax consultation, registered agent services for your first year, and digital document storage and management without any additional fees.

What Makes Inc Authority Great

Inc Authority has exceptional value in its free services, but it also has plenty of affordable options for businesses to create a custom plan as their needs change. 

One way to get several services for one cost is to opt for a premium service bundle with annual compliance notifications, business name searches, and a website domain. You can also add a la carte services to your free plan, including a legal documents package for $99 or an operating agreement for $89.

Inc Authority's Free LLC Service webpage
Inc Authority’s free LLC service has a lot of value compared to similar free services.

The company’s registered agent services are just $99 per year after your free first year, which gives you adequate time to test it out and ensure that it’s right for you. Premium packages start at $399 plus state filing fees.

Check out our full Inc Authority review to learn more about its perks.

MyCompanyWorks – Best for Speedy Processing

MyCompanyWorks, one of the best LLC services

MyCompanyWorks processes any of its submitted business filings the same day if they’re in the system and paid for before 3 pm EST. This is a unique feature for LLC services, many of which process filings within a few business days, only offering same-day service for an additional—and often hefty—fee. 

If you do happen to get your filing complete after the 3 pm cutoff, you’ll still be eligible for next-day filing, so long as it’s a regular business day. Again, there’s no extra cost for this service.

The company’s setup is easy to use, too, so you don’t have to worry about getting hung up on the filing process if you’re close to meeting the deadline for same-day processing.  

What Makes MyCompanyWorks Great

MyCompanyWorks simplifies single and multi-state filing with its interactive setup wizard that keeps track of your progress, so you’ll always know how much you have left to finish. You’ll also get email notifications to stay on top of any additional documentation or reminders about your filing. 

Screenshot of MyCompanyWorks webpage with headline that says "Why Do Tens of Thousands Trust Us?" with six answers
MyCompanyWorks’ speedy filing and processing lets you start your business as soon as possible.

Once you file, you’ll also see the status of your order in your online dashboard. Track it from processing to acceptance with 24/7 access and monitoring. 

MyCompanyWorks has three pricing options starting at $59 plus state filing fees. LLC owners might want to consider the Entrepreneur package for $199 plus state filing fees, which includes registered agent services and lifetime access to the company’s suite of business and legal forms. 

Read our full review of MyCompanyWorks to see what else it has to offer.

Swyft Filings – Best for Dedicated LLC Support

Swyft Filings, one of the best LLC services

Forming an LLC is usually a relatively straightforward process, but you may still need help along the way. It’s always a good idea to have available support when you need it, and Swyft Filings provides that for its customers.

Every person who uses Swyft Filings to form their LLC gets a dedicated Business Specialist on their side. You’ll get your specialist’s phone number and email, giving you direct access to them during their usual working hours. Your specialist becomes your go-to resource when you have questions about your business filing.

Registered agent services are also available per quarter, giving you additional help with managing your company’s paperwork and correspondence.

What Makes Swyft Filings Great

Not only is your business specialist available to answer your questions after filing for your LLC, but they’ll also personally review your filing to check for common errors before turning it over to your state. 

If you can’t get a hold of your specialist—for instance, if it’s outside of their usual working hours—you can still contact customer support quickly via phone or live chat, Monday through Friday. 

Automated features give you extra support, too. For instance, ComplianceGuard keeps you abreast of important due dates and renewals, while the online documents feature stores and organizes your documents for your convenience.

Swyft Filings webpage with list of three features: Save time and money, Fast turnaround time, and Personal customer support
Swyft Filings offers some of the best direct support for LLC business owners.

A Swyft Filings plan starts at $49 plus state filing fees. Each plan includes a business name verification, lifetime customer support, ComplianceGuard alerts, and a one-hour business tax consultation. An easy payment plan is available to help you get started affordably.

Learn what else Swyft Filings does well in our detailed review.

Best LLC Services: Your Top Questions Answered

Quick Sprout LLC Services Related Content

The following resources provide additional guidance that may come in handy as you find the right LLC service for your business. We’ve broken down the resources into reviews, comparisons, top lists, and guides so you can quickly locate the information you need.

LLC Services Guides and How Tos

LLC Services Company Reviews

LLC Services Comparisons

LLC Services Related Top Lists

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6 Best WooCommerce CRM to Grow Your Store in 2021 (Compared)

Are you looking for the best WooCommerce CRM for your online store?

A WooCommerce CRM can help you manage your customers, improve business decisions, and create a better experience for your customers overall.

In this article, we’ll share the best WooCommerce CRM in the market today.

Best WooCommerce CRM compared

Why Use a WooCommerce CRM?

Using a WooCommerce Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool will help you manage your customer data, send personalized marketing messages, and make better overall decisions about your business.

Most eCommerce stores need a way to manage new contacts and customers. In the early days of your online business, you might only use a spreadsheet to analyze customer information, order status, and order data.

But, as your online store grows, it’s easy for orders to slip through the cracks and customers to get mismanaged.

A WooCommerce CRM software helps to solve the problem of managing customer relationships as your eCommerce business scales.

You’ll be able to easily manage, store, and analyze your customer and purchasing data. This data can be used by your sales, marketing, and support teams for marketing automation and personalization.

Overall, WooCommerce CRM systems can help your online store increase sales, build customer relationships, and deliver a better experience across the board.

They can also improve your customer retention since your customers will be happier and stay with you longer.

That being said, let’s take a look at the best WooCommerce CRM solutions that you can use along with your WordPress website.

1. Drip

Drip WooCommerce CRM

Drip is a powerful eCommerce CRM platform that has a great WooCommerce CRM integration. The goal of this CRM is to help you increase your WooCommerce sales with marketing automation.

Even though it’s incredibly feature-rich, it’s still easy to use. Drip has intelligent marketing campaign tools and advanced email segmentation features. There are even automated workflows pre-built for WooCommerce store owners.

You’ll get contact management features, eCommerce user tracking, actionable reports, and support for one-on-one conversations with your customers.

There are various customer support options available via live chat, webinars, beginner-friendly documentation, and in-depth online courses.

Finally, you can grow your store with bundled social media workflows to help you generate leads from Facebook and Instagram.

Pricing: For those just getting started, there’s a 14-day free trial. Once the trial is up, the paid Drip plans start at $19 per month for up to 500 subscribers, $39 per month for up to 2,500 subscribers, and up.

2. HubSpot for WooCommerce

HubSpot WooCommerce CRM

HubSpot for WooCommerce lets you easily connect the powerful Hubspot CRM to your WooCommerce store.

With the WooCommerce plugin, you can automatically sync your users, products, and orders with Hubspot in real-time.

Some useful CRM features include customer tracking, contact segmenting, shopping cart abandonment emails, email templates, and in-depth store analytics data.

There are also built-in ad management tools for Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Google that you can use to grow your WooCommerce store.

You’ll also find 7 different eCommerce reports that will give you detailed data about your customer profiles, market trends, traffic, onsite behavior, and more.

Pricing: You can access the HubSpot CRM and the HubSpot WooCommerce plugin for free.

If you need access to more features, you can upgrade to individual service plans, or upgrade the Growth Suite bundle that starts at $50 per month.

3. Constant Contact

Constant Contact WooCommerce CRM

Constant Contact is a popular email marketing and CRM provider. It lets you store your contacts, manage your customer data, and track your customer activity, all from a single dashboard.

Once you connect Constant Contact to WooCommerce, your contacts will be automatically synced.

There are a ton of unique features built specifically to improve your WooCommerce store and make more sales.

For example, you can drag and drop your products from your catalog directly into your emails, segment your contacts and send targeted offers, send trackable coupons and promo codes, and more.

You can create various automated email campaigns like welcome sequences, follow up emails, and abandoned cart emails.

There are even social media marketing and advertising tools you can use to reach new customers.

There are a ton of integrations available with third-party apps. This means you can simply integrate Constant Contact with tools you’re already using, like WPForms.

Pricing: Constant Contact pricing is based on the number of contacts, starting at $20 per month. If you want to add team members to your account, then you’ll need the Plus plan that starts at $45 per month.

WPBeginner readers can take advantage of our free 60 day trial and 20% off your plan using our Constant Contact coupon code.

4. Sendinblue

Sendinblue WooCommerce CRM

Sendinblue is one of the best email marketing software in the industry. Beyond the advanced email tools, there’s a free WooCommerce CRM plugin that will automatically sync your WooCommerce store with Sendinblue.

With Sendinblue, you’ll be able to synchronize all of your WooCommerce customer data instantly and manage all of your contacts with a single tool.

You can segment your customers based on purchasing behaviors, use the collection of email templates to send email newsletters, and more.

This tool allows you to create custom automated email sequences that can trigger automatically. For example, you can send an automated email when a customer adds an item to their cart but doesn’t complete the purchase.

One stand out feature is the ability to send marketing and transactional text messages (SMS) straight from your WooCommerce dashboard.

The WooCommerce plugin also integrates with other marketing features that SendInBlue offers like, custom sign up forms, Facebook ads, retargeting features, and more.

You can also use Sendinblue as a SMTP service to send your transactional emails like order receipts, password reset emails, and more with high email deliverability rate. You just need to use the WP Mail SMTP plugin to connect Sendinblue to WordPress.

Pricing: Sendinblue has a free account for sending up to 300 emails per day.

If you need to send unlimited daily emails, then the Lite plan starts at $25 per month, while the Premium plan adds advanced marketing automation features starting at $65 per month.

5. Agile CRM

Agile CRM for WooCommerce

Agile CRM is an all-in-one WooCommerce CRM that’s built for small to medium sized businesses.

This WooCommerce CRM has tools to manage customers, create intelligent workflows, improve store engagement, track your visitor’s store activity, and more.

The tool gives you a 360-degree view of your customers. It includes everything your sales, marketing, and helpdesk departments need in a single dashboard.

You’ll also find unique marketing features that let you generate and capture leads, send out emails, create landing pages, and more.

If you’re on one of the paid plans, then you’ll also get access to social media monitoring and tools that let you create automated marketing workflows.

Pricing: There’s a free version for up to 10 users, so if your company has 10 team members or less, you can use the free plan forever.

The paid Agile CRM plans start at $9.99 per user per month when billed annually or $8.99 per user when billed for 2 years.

6. Pipedrive

PipeDrive WooCommerce CRM

Pipedrive is a sales CRM designed to help you manage your leads and deals and track communication with your customers. This CRM will help to streamline your sales and marketing process.

You can use a tool like Zapier or Automate.io to integrate Pipedrive with your WooCommerce store.

Once you set up the WooCommerce integration, all of your lead and order data will automatically be sent to Pipedrive.

Since Pipedrive is designed for sales teams, you’ll find all kinds of advanced functionality like sales reporting, forecasting, customizable pipelines, detailed activity log, and email integrations.

The built-in reporting tools will help you improve your conversion rates and see how your store performs across the board.

There’s also a growing library of integrations and addons, so you can connect your CRM to any other marketing tools you’re already using.

Pricing: Pipedrive starts at $12.50 per month when billed annually. The Advanced plan starts at $24.90 per month for users who need advanced marketing automation features.

We looked at many other WooCommerce CRM tools like Metrilo, Salesforce, WP ERP, Zero BS CRM, Ninjodo, Woosync, Magento and others. But, we decided not to list them here to make your decision as easy as possible.

Bonus: Conversion Tools for WordPress

The WooCommerce customer relationship manager tools above will help you streamline your customer relationship, sales, and marketing efforts.

However, there are additional tools you can use to improve conversions, get more leads, add popups to your site, and more.

7. OptinMonster

OptinMonster

OptinMonster is the best email capture tool for WordPress used by over 1.2 million websites. It helps you convert website visitors into subscribers and customers.

With the WooCommerce integration, there are all kinds of features that’ll help you add leads to your WooCommerce CRM of choice.

For example, you can use high-performing templates to collect leads, send personalized messages, run split-tests, and much more.

8. WPForms

WPForms

WPForms is the best contact form plugin for WordPress used by over 4 million WordPress sites. It lets you create drag and drop optin and contact forms simply.

You can use all kinds of custom field options to collect the exact customer information you require.

You can use WPForms to collect leads to send directly to your WooCommerce CRM of choice.

You can use WPForms as a connector to link your leads with CRM providers like Drip, SendinBlue, Constant Contact, Mailchimp, and more.

Or, you can use the Zapier integration to link your forms and optins with Agile CRM and PipeDrive.

9. MonsterInsights

MonsterInsights

MonsterInsights is the best analytics solution for WordPress used by over 3 million sites. It allows you to simply install Google Analytics in WordPress and shows your analytics stats right in your WordPress dashboard.

It also comes with an eCommerce analytics addon, so you can track your customer activity to see what’s working for your new and existing customers.

After you set up WooCommerce user tracking in WordPress, you’ll be able to see your conversation rate, revenue, transactions, average order value, and more.

You can use this data to improve your online store and convert more visitors into customers.

We hoped this article helped you find the best WooCommerce CRM for WordPress. You may also want to see our list of the must have WordPress plugins for business websites and the best business phone services for small business owners.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

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How to Make a Print on Demand Shop in WordPress

Do you want to create a print on demand shop in WordPress?

You can use print on demand shop as a new online business idea, or use it to sell t-shirts and other swags to support your existing brand.

In this article, we will show you how to make a print on demand shop in WordPress, so you can run an online store without dealing with any inventory or shipping.

Creating a print on demand shop in WordPress

What is Print on Demand and Why Use It?

Print on demand is a manufacturing method where a design is only printed on a product once a customer orders it. This is very similar to dropshipping except the products are custom made for you.

It can be used for clothing, bags, homeware, and more.

Print on demand isn’t as cost effective as mass production manufacturing methods, but it has some big advantages for small businesses, and it can still be very profitable.

With print on demand, you don’t pay anything until a customer pays you which makes it much easier for small businesses to get started.

There’s no need to buy inventory upfront, and you don’t need any storage space either. Plus, you can easily experiment with different designs to see which is most popular.

There are a few different print on demand companies out there. In this tutorial, we’ll be using Printful. It’s well established and integrates easily with your WordPress site through WooCommerce.

As well as printed designs, Printful also offers embroidery for some products, such as baseball caps and backpacks.

You can use it to easily sell your custom branded merchandise such as t-shirts, hoodies, shorts, hats, backpacks, bracelets, phone cases, keychains, coffee mugs, blankets, and over 249 products.

Creating an Account with Printful to Sell Your Products

First, you need to sign up for a free account with Printful. Simply go to the Printful website and click the ‘Start selling’ button:

Click the 'Start Selling' button to begin selling with Printful

Next, enter your name, email address, and password. You also need to check the box to agree to Printful’s terms and conditions:

Enter your details to sign up for Printful

Printful will ask a few questions about how you plan to use their service. Once you’ve answered these, you will see the Printful dashboard.

The welcome page for the Printful dashboard

You will also get an email with a link that you need to click to confirm your email address.

You can go ahead and set up your products straight away. Simply go to ‘Product templates’, and then click the ‘New template’ button.

Creating a new product template in Printful

Here, you will see a wide range of different templates. Just click on the product you want to use. We’re going to create a basic T-Shirt:

Creating a basic print on demand t-shirt with Printful

If you already have a design for your product, go ahead and drag it here to upload it. For example, you might use your business logo or company slogan. Here’s an example of a T-Shirt using the OptinMonster logo:

Creating an OptinMonster t-shirt with Printful

We’re going to add text and clipart from Printful to create our product. In the mockup generator, you can change the size and color of the text, and you can easily drag it to resize or reposition it.

Adding text and clipart to a print on demand t-shirt in Printful

The tabs at the top of the screen let you add designs to other areas of the product, where applicable. Once you’re happy with your design, click the ‘Continue’ button:

Editing the left sleeve of the print on demand t-shirt in Printful

Now, it’s time to give your template a title and save it. It’s easy to go back and change it if you want to make changes in the future. You can find it by going to the ‘Product templates’ tab again:

Viewing your product in the list of product templates that you've created in Printful

Go ahead and create as many products as you want.

You also need to set up a billing method for Printful. Your customers will pay you through your online store for the product, and Printful will charge you the cost of shipping it. We will show you how to setup your online store in the next step.

For now, let’s setup Printful billing. Simply go to Billing » Billing methods in Printful, then click the ‘Add new billing method’ button:

Setting up a billing method in Printful

Then, you need to enter the details for either your credit card or your PayPal account. Don’t worry, you will not be charged unless you order a shirt from your account.

Connecting Printful to Your WordPress Site

The next step is to connect your Printful account to your WordPress site. You need to have the WooCommerce plugin installed and activated on your site.

If you don’t have an online store yet, then don’t worry. We have a step by step guide on how to start your online store.

You’ll need a domain name and web hosting for your store. Domain is your website’s name, and web hosting is where your website files are stored.

We recommend using Bluehost. They’re one of the largest hosting providers in the world, and they’re officially recommended by WordPress.

They’re offering WPBeginner readers a 60% discount + free domain + free SSL + automatic WooCommerce setup. This means you can get started for $3.95 per month instead of $13.99 regular price.

→ Click here to Claim this Exclusive Bluehost offer ←

Once your online store is setup, you’re ready to connect it to your Printful account.

In order to connect Printful to your online store, you need to enable the Legacy REST API feature in WooCommerce. In your WordPress admin area, go to the WooCommerce » Settings page:

The WooCommerce settings page in your WordPress dashboard

Next, click on Advanced » Legacy API. Here, you simply need to click the box for ‘Enable the legacy REST API’ then click the ‘Save changes’ button:

Enabling the Advanced Legacy REST API in WooCommerce so you can connect to Printful

The next step is to install and activate the Printful Integration for WooCommerce plugin. For more details, see our step by step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, go to the Printful tab in your WordPress admin. Then, simply click the ‘Connect’ button:

Click the button to connect Printful to WooCommerce

You will be prompted by WooCommerce to approve the connection. Simply click the ‘Approve’ button to continue, then follow the on-screen prompts to connect and confirm your account.

Once you’ve done that, you will see a message letting you know that your product data is being synchronized. After a minute or so, your WooCommerce store will be linked.

Your WooCommerce store is now linked to your Printful account

To put your products live in your store, you need to go back to your Printful account. Then, go to the Product Templates tab in your Printful dashboard.

Then, click the checkbox above the product you want to add to your store, and click the ‘Add to store’ button.

Select one of your print on demand products and click to add it to your WooCommerce store

Note: You cannot add two or more products to your store at the same time. You need to go through an approval process for each product.

Now, simply follow Printful’s prompts. You will get to select colors and sizes, view the mockup images, and give your product a name and description.

The final step is to set the pricing. Printful will automatically suggest prices for you. These are marked up from the price that Printful charges so that you can make a profit on each item:

Setting your product prices in Printful

Once you’ve set your prices, simply click the ‘Submit to store’ button to send the product to your WooCommerce store. It will now be live on your site:

Viewing your finished print on demand product live on your website

Go ahead and repeat this process for each product that you want to add to your store.

You will then be able to see and edit your Printful products in your WordPress admin by going to Products » All Products:

The list of print on demand products in WooCommerce, viewed in your WordPress dashboard

You can create as many products as you like in Printful. You don’t need to pay anything until you get orders. Printful will handle all the production and shipping for you.

Here’s our finished online store, with a range of Printful’s products:

The finished print on demand store, with a range of products ready to buy

We hope this article helped you learn how to make a print on demand shop in WordPress. You may also be interested in our articles on the best WooCommerce plugins and best email marketing services to help you get more subscribers and sales.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

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Why Magento? All You Need To Know

As e-commerce zealots, we are very much aware of the "E-Commerce dominance" in the digital industry. Every other person we come across, who owns a business, whether large scale or small scale intends to offer services online, nowadays. The prime reason for switching businesses online is to be able to serve the customers 24*7 and make a profit out of it. As simple as such a scenario may sound, we must not forget to tell you; setting up an online business is not a tartlet!

Choosing the Right Platform: Setting Up an Online Site

When building an online site the problem pops up while deciding on which platform the site must be developed. This can be tough as there are multiple platform choices present. If not chosen wisely, many things could go haywire.

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6 Best WooCommerce Payment Gateways for WordPress

Are you looking for the best WooCommerce payment gateways for your online store?

Choosing the right WooCommerce gateway for payments is a very important decision. It will have long term effects on the success and sustainability of your online business.

In this article, we will compare the top WooCommerce payment gateways for WordPress, so you can choose the right option for your business.

Comparing the best WooCommerce payment gateways

How to Choose The Best WooCommerce Payment Gateway

If you have just started your WooCommerce store, then you will be faced with the decision to select and set up a payment gateway.

Payment gateways are third-party service providers that enable you to accept online payments on your eCommerce store.

However, not all of them have the same polices, processing rates, and features. Choosing an unsuitable payment gateway will increase your costs and hurt your business long-term.

Following are a few important aspects you should consider when choosing your WooCommerce payment gateway.

1. Transacion Fees

Most WooCommerce payment gateways charge a fee for each transaction that takes place on your store. This fee can be vary based on your business location, customers’ card type, the payment gateway you choose, etc..

You can try to remedy this by passing the burden to your customers. However, this also means you will have to increase product prices, and your customers may find the same products elsewhere at lower costs.

Alternatively, you can compare transaction fees with other providers and try to find the right balance between transaction fees and other features.

2. Other Charges

Apart from the transaction fees, some WooCommerce payment service providers may also charge you additional fees. This could be set up fees, account maintenance fees, or charges for bank withdrawals.

These charges can be a nuisance particularly for businesses that are just starting out.

3. Recurring Payments

Many businesses sell subscription-based products, like membership plans, or an online course. In that case, you may also want to look for recurring payments feature.

Some payment gateways require customers to manually complete each transaction and don’t support recurring payments. Make sure you check for this option if your business requires automatic renewals.

4. Availability in Your Target Region

Next, you need to make sure that the payment service you choose is available in your country and in your customers’ country.

For instance, if most of your customers are based in Europe, then you may want to look for a payment service that is widely available and popular in that region.

You’ll find this information on each payment gateway’s website under ‘Supported Countries’. If you cannot find this information, then email them to be certain.

These are just the most important items to look for. You may also want to see other features that your business may need. For instance, easy refunds, extra security, verification, and regulatory compliance based on your region.

That being said, now let’s take a look at some of the best WooCommerce payment gateways for WordPress, and see how they stack up on these requirements.

Top WooCommerce Payment Gateways for WordPress

WooCommerce supports a ton of payment gateways through extensions. These extensions are WooCommerce plugins that integrate those payment services into your WooCommerce checkout process.

The following are the most popular WooCommerce payment gateways trusted by thousands of businesses around the world.

1. Stripe

Stripe

Stripe is the most popular payment gateway to accept credit card payments on your website. WooCommerce comes with built-in support to select Stripe as your payment gateway.

It supports all top credit and debit cards. Your customers can also pay using Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Alipay.

Stripe is available in 40+ countries and supports 135+ currencies. There are no setup or annual fees for Stripe, but they do charge 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction.

It also offers a better checkout experience. Your customers stay on your website during checkout, and it works smoothly on mobile as well as desktop.

Stripe supports recurring payments and can be used with any subscription or WordPress membership plugin.

Note: If you’re just looking to create a simple payment form for donations or online orders without the headache of managing a full eCommerce system, then look at WPForms which offers Stripe forms for WordPress.

2. PayPal Standard

PayPal

PayPal is one of the most popular payment services available for eCommerce stores. WooCommerce comes with built-in support for using PayPal on your online store.

As one of the pioneers in the payment industry, PayPal offers a variety of services suitable for personal, business, and eCommerce.

It is available in dozens of countries, but there are different restrictions on some countries. Make sure that it is supported in your country as well as your target customers.

The Standard PayPal extension for WooCommerce requires a PayPal business account. It does not offer an on-site checkout experience which means your customers will be redirected to PayPal website to complete the purchase.

PayPal charges are based on your account type, and the number/volume of sales you make. This makes a significant impact on your business, and you would want to review them beforehand.

Note: If all you need is a PayPal payment form for your business, then check out WPForms. It allows you to easily accept payments and donations via PayPal.

3. WooCommerce PayPal Pro

PayPal Pro

PayPal Pro for WooCommerce is a paid extension developed by the folks behind WooCommerce. It enables you to use PayPal with a better checkout experience allowing customers to complete the purchase without leaving your website.

It is available in UK, US, and Canada, but you’ll need a PayPal merchant account to use it. If your business is based in Australia, then you can use it with a PayPal Pro Payflow account.

It does not support recurring payments, which means it will not work for a membership website selling subscription-based products.

PayPal pro requires a monthly payment and transaction fees vary depending on the country. This makes it more expensive for a new business.

4. Square

Square

Square is another excellent payment gateway for WooCommerce stores. Particularly, for stores with physical locations, delivery, and other selling options.

Square is available in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Japan, and the UK. The transaction fee varies for each country, but it offers a fixed transaction rate.

The WooCommerce Square Extension syncs product between your website and your Square account. You can also add products to your Square account, and they will be added to your WooCommerce store.

Additionally, it supports recurring payments when used alongside the WooCommerce Subscriptions extension.

5. Authorize.Net

Authorize.Net

Authorize.Net is a popular payment gateway used by thousands of businesses. It is available for merchants located in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Europe or Australia,

Authorize.Net for WooCommerce extension provides a seamless checkout process to your customers using credit cards. Customers don’t leave your website while transaction is securely processed in the background on Authorize.Net servers.

The extension also supports recurring payments for WooCommerce Subscriptions. It is user friendly and allows users to save their payment method and reuse it.

Note: You can create an Authorize.Net payment form with WPForms. This is perfect for websites that don’t need a full-fledged eCommerce platform.

6. WooCommerce Payments

WooCommerce Payments

WooCommerce Payments is a payment solution provided by the folks behind WooCommerce. It offers a better checkout experience and a deeply integrated payment gateway for your store.

Currently, WooCommerce Payments is only available to US-based merchants selling products in US Dollars.

It offers a pay as you go fee structure set at 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction for U.S.-issued cards. Additional 1% fee for cards issued outside the United States. This makes it slightly expensive than other solutions.

This solution is simply a white-label version of Stripe.

You’ll also need a WordPress.com account and install the JetPack plugin on your store.

Which is The Best WooCommerce Payment Gateway?

The best WooCommerce payment gateway is the one that provides you the best transaction fees, is available in your target region, and offers a better user experience for your customers.

Considering these factors, we would recommend Stripe as the best payment gateway for WooCommerce. It provides good checkout experience, competitive transaction, and is available in 40 countries.

Both PayPal Standard and Authorize.Net offer similar features. However, PayPal Standard does not provide a better checkout experience which may result in more abandoned cart sales.

Typically store owners offer multiple payment options to their users. For example, on our WooCommerce store for All in One SEO, we accept credit cards with Stripe and PayPal.

In our experience, this has proven to increase online store conversions. You can also add live chat software and an email marketing service to further boost your sales conversion.

We hope this article helped you find the best WooCcommerce payment gateway for your business. You may also want to see our comparison of the best business phone services for small businesses and online store owners.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

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How AI Companies Are Gearing up to Mitigate Digital Fraud Amid COVID-19

Since the first coronavirus report in Wuhan, China, now it has penetrated in more than 210 countries and territories with 3,066,417 and counting cases. The global economy is being affected by the crisis coronavirus bought. However, digitized businesses, on one hand, are making high profits by taking full advantage of this opportunity in which people are enforced to perform activities in a digital environment. On the other hand, a wide array of cyberattacks are targeting the online business infrastructure. The increased online liveliness and transactions have paved the way for fraudsters that could provide them more chances to perform malevolent transactions by exploiting the online system vulnerabilities. 

The digital financial crimes have made off more than 4.2 trillion dollars globally and are expected to increase amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The AI organizations are tapping into innovative and unsupervised learning technologies to reduce the alarming financial fraud by making their detection and prevention robust through Artificial Intelligence. System prevalence can be improved to a substantial level by keeping the online business practices protected from fraudulent access. 

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How to Buy a Domain Name That is Taken (9 Pro Tips)

We often hear from readers who want to buy a domain name that’s already been taken.

If you’re in that position, then you might be wondering how to go about getting hold of a domain name that someone already owns.

The easiest solution would be to find another suitable domain name. However, sometimes this may not be the best option.

In this article, we’re going to share our expert tips on how to buy a taken domain and give you some insider tips on what to watch out for. We will also cover few proven strategies that you can use if your domain isn’t available.

Tips on buying a taken domain name

Note: Unlike other guides on the internet, this resource is based on our actual collective experience of buying premium domains. We have spent anywhere from few hundred to few million dollars in buying premium domains and established website businesses.

The Basics of Buying a Domain Name That’s Already Taken

All websites need a domain name. It is your website’s address on the internet. See our beginner’s guide on how domain names work if you’re not 100% sure what a domain name actually is.

You can register a new domain name for around $10 – $15 from any of the top domain registrars. Alternatively, you can even get a free domain name when you sign up with hosting companies like Bluehost, Dreamhost, etc.

But what if the domain name you want is already taken?

In that case, you have two options: come up with a different name or buy the one you really want from it’s current owner.

Buying a taken domain name from someone who’s already registered it could be a great move for your business.

However, it’s important to beware of risks and scams, so you don’t waste time or money. That’s why we have put together these tips on how to buy a taken domain as safely as possible.

What to Consider Before Buying a Domain Name

One key question to ask yourself is whether you want to purchase a domain name alone or an established website.

Buying a website, if it’s one that has a consistent track record of making money, can be a great shortcut. It lets you get a money-making business straight away rather than having to build one from scratch.

However, it’s going to be way more expensive to buy a website than just a domain name. You’ll also have more risks and legal liabilities to consider.

How to Actually Buy a Taken Domain Name

There are two main routes to buying domain names that are already taken:

  • Privately approaching the domain name’s owner and agreeing on the sale
  • Look for the name in domain marketplaces.

The first method avoids involving a third-party into the sale, and you may be able to persuade the owner towards more favorable pricing.

If the domain name already has a website with a contact form, then you can use that to reach out to the site owner.

Alternatively, you can search for it using the Domain WHOIS tool. You may be able to get the contact details of the owner from the domain details there.

The second method is to look for the name using online domain marketplaces. This is where many domain owners go to sell their domain names.

We recommend using Domain.com. It is one of the best places to register a domain name or buy a domain name for sale.

Simply search for the domain name you are looking for to see if it is available for sale.

Domain.com search

Domain names that are already taken may be highlighted as a premium domain name with a higher price. If you find the domain name listed there, then you can add it to the cart and proceed to payment.

You can try multiple domain marketplaces like Sedo, Flippa, etc to see if the domain is listed for sale there.

If the domain name is not listed anywhere, then it is probably not available for sale. You can still try the first method of approaching the owner with your offer.

That being said, let’s take a look at tips on making sure that you buy your domain name safely.

Tip 1. Avoid Using a Different Extension Instead

Domain name extensions

If you find that your domain name is taken when using a .com, then you might be tempted to use a different domain extension like .net or .org.

However, this can cause problems as people may forget your domain name and type in .com or .org.

You may even face legal issues if the .com owner argues that you’re trying to infringe on their brand name. This is particularly the case if they’ve registered it as a trademark.

We cover more on why you need a .com domain in our article on how to choose the best domain name.

Tip 2. Check the Domain Name isn’t a Registered Trademark

Trademark and copyright

If the domain name is a registered trademark of an existing business, then you could end up having to take your website offline completely in the future.

It’s well worth doing a quick search of the US trademark database to check whether your domain name is already being used by another company. You may also want to check local databases too.

Even a domain name that uses a trademark within it could be a problem. For instance, you can’t use the word “WordPress” in your domain name.

Tip 3. Don’t Get Too Emotionally Attached

Starting a new online business idea is exciting. Since your domain name plays a crucial role, it’s easy to get emotionally attached to a specific name.

However you need to be smart and rational about all financial investment decisions, including this one.

We recommend keeping your options open and look around for multiple domain names, or at least give them serious considerations.

This will help you in negotiation, so you can get the best deal without overpaying for your domain name.

Remember, the cost of premium domain names can vary from few hundred dollars to a few hundred thousand dollars.

Having options make sure that you don’t end up paying a huge sum of money for a domain name that’s really not any better than something else that was 1/10th of the price.

Tip 4. Check if a Website Has Ever Been Built There

Viewing the website history of a domain name using the WayBack machine

Make sure that you check website history using the Wayback Machine. It is possible that the domain name may have been used by someone else.

It is alright if the domain name has been used before, but you want to make sure that it wasn’t used for malicious, spammy, or illegal activities.

This may harm your business’ reputation and may even cause legal issues in the future. If there’s a Google penalty on the domain, then that could take a lot of work and resources to wipe out.

WayBack Machine is also a smart way of finding domain owner information as well.

Tip 5. Figure Out What the Domain is Worth

Domain valuation

Domain name pricing is tricky. If you’re new to buying domains, then you might wonder whether the price you’re being quoted is a bargain, a rip-off, or something in between.

Well, the truth is that there is no standard regulation for premium domain name pricing. Sellers independently decide the price, and it’s up to you as a buyer to decide if it’s worth the investment.

Premium domain names can range from few hundred dollars to a few hundred thousand dollars. Some rare premium domain names even go into the million dollar range.

If you’re new, then you can use a tool like EstiBot to get a general idea of what the domain may be worth.

Disclaimer: Automatic domain name evaluations aren’t necessarily very accurate, but they do show similar domain sales data which is helpful.

If the domain is priced too high (and it often will be), then you’ll need to be prepared to haggle. Don’t start by offering the maximum you’d be willing to consider. Instead, start at a lower price with the expectation that you’ll likely end up meeting half-way.

Keep in mind that there’s a limit to how low the seller will go. Don’t expect someone to accept $500 if they originally asked for $20,000.

However just because someone asked for $20,000 doesn’t mean you need to meet them half way either. We’ve often secured $20k domain deals in the $3k – $6k range.

Tip 6. Know Exactly What You’re Buying

Evaluate details

Make sure you know exactly what you’re going to be getting. Is it just the domain name you’re buying? Or are you buying a website too? If you’re buying the website, then does this include all the content?

Established websites may well use lots of different plugins and tools that the owner has licenses for. It’s unlikely that these licenses will be transferred over to you along with the sale, so you’ll need to be prepared to purchase them for yourself.

You’ll also want to be clear on whether you’re receiving assets like the website’s email list data.

If the domain name or website is a large purchase, then you should definitely have a lawyer draw up a contract for you. Consult someone who’s an expert in IP (Intellectual Property) law.

Even if you’re making a small purchase, be sure to get crucial details in writing at the very least.

Bonus: ask if the owner has access to existing social media accounts for the domain name, so you can get that as part of the deal.

Tip 7. Make Sure You’re Buying From the Domain’s Owner

Scam

Imagine this. You hand over your money for a domain name, only to find that the domain has been stolen. You never see your money again, and you’re not the legal owner of the domain either.

It’s a nightmare scenario, but unfortunately, it can happen. A good initial check is to use a tool such as DNS Trails to see whether there have been any recent changes to the DNS records. If you see something odd, then ask for an explanation.

If all your contact with the domain name owner has been through email, it’s well worth getting a phone number, so you actually talk to them. Email accounts can be hacked and email addresses can be faked.

Tip 8. Use Escrow to Transfer the Money

Escrow

You might be nervous about buying a domain name, particularly for a significant sum. What if the seller takes your money and doesn’t hand over the domain name?

The best solution is to use a site like Escrow.com. You give your money to the site, and they hold it securely until you confirm you’ve received the domain name. At that point, they hand the money to the seller.

Escrow.com has been used for the purchase of some hugely famous domain names, including Twitter.com, Gmail.com, WordPress.com and more. Note that you will need to pay a fee to Escrow.com.

Important: Don’t take a shortcut here and try to save on Escrow fees. We always use Escrow for domain purchases unless the domain owner is willing to transfer the domain to us before receiving payments. Trust us, it’s not worth the risk!

Tip 9. Consider Backordering a Domain You Want

Every day, thousands of domain names get expired and are not renewed or registered. A lot of businesses fail to take off or the domain owners lose interest.

In some cases, the owner might simply forget to re-register the domain.

You don’t have to watch the domain name to see when it’s about to expire. Instead, there are plenty of services that will monitor the domain name on your behalf. They’ll automatically try to register it the moment it’s available.

You can use GoDaddy for domain backorders. There are plenty of other sites that offer a similar service too.

The problem with back-ordering is that it may not work at all. The domain owner may renew their domain name, or someone else may have placed a backorder before you which will be given priority.

Final Thoughts + Alternative Strategies

Buying a domain name that’s already taken is not easy, and the process can take anywhere from few days to a few months. And if the owner doesn’t want to sell, then it can even take years to convince them.

This is why we always recommend having few options when you’re searching for domains. You can use a domain name generator like Nameboy to come up with ideas.

Here are some clever tips that can help you come up with alternatives:

  • Add a verb to your keyword – for example: getpocket.com, getcloudapp.com, and tryinteract.com
  • Extend your brand with a keyword – for example: invisionapp.com, gogoair.com, etc. Remember Tesla didn’t own tesla.com, so they started with TeslaMotors.com. Buffer didn’t own buffer.com, so they used bufferapp.com in the beginning.
  • Use abbreviations – for example: wpbeginner.com, wpforms.com, etc.
  • Use a catch phrase or adjective – for example: optinmonster.com, trustpulse.com, monsterinsights.com, etc.

We hope this article helped you learn how to buy a domain name that’s taken. You may also want to see our guide on proven ways to make money online, and our comparison of the best website builder platforms.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

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Why & How to Add a Do Not Sell Button to WordPress

Why & How to Add a Do Not Sell Button to WordPressOver the past few years, many online business owners have taken steps to comply with privacy laws and regulations. The biggest change for many website owners came with the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018. When GDPR came into effect in the EU, online businesses had to implement cookie banners that […]

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How to Setup a Business Voicemail Greeting (with Examples)

When you call a business phone number, you are often greeted with an automated voicemail greeting that helps guide you through the phone directory and next steps.

These voicemail greeting makes your small business look professional, and they can help increase sales as well as boost customer satisfaction.

In this article, we will show you how to set up a voicemail greeting for your online store, business, or blog. We’ll also show you the best voicemail greeting examples that you can use as a template.

Setting up a voicemail greeting for your business

Why Voicemail Greeting is Important for Your Business?

More than 88% of local searches on mobile devices end up in a phone call. Mainly thanks to the nifty click to call buttons that appear in Google local search results.

Click to call button in mobile search results

For many small businesses, it may not be possible to answer all the calls immediately. Sometimes customers may call after business hours, and you may be busy or have no staff available at that time.

This is where your voicemail greeting comes in.

For many customers, this will be their first contact with your business. Not setting up a voicemail greeting can cause you to lose a customer to your competitor.

On the other hand, not getting the voicemail greeting right can also have serious consequences. Customers may hang up, not follow through, or simply reach out to your competitors.

That being said, let’s take a look at how to properly set up voicemail greeting for your online business.

The Best Way to Set up a Voicemail Greeting

Normally, small business owners use a landline or mobile phone number to manage calls. While it may get the job done, they do not allow you to properly manage business calls or set up an effective automated voicemail greeting.

The best way to manage business calls is by using a business phone service. A lot of small businesses use a virtual business phone number because it lets them effectively manage business calls without sacrificing their privacy.

Unlike a landline or mobile number, it uses the internet to manage calls. The official term for this technology is called business VoIP phone service (Voice over Internet Protocol).

Using a business phone service gives you the following advantages over the landline and mobile.

  • You can set your business hours and record different voice greetings to be played based on the time of the day.
  • You can set up auto attendant, add extensions to route the calls, let users leave a voice message, and more.
  • It works on your computer, tablet, a desk phone, and even on your mobile phone using apps.
  • Multiple users can use the same phone number regardless of their location.
  • You can easily give access to new employees without calling in a technician or buying new equipment.

We recommend using Nextiva because it is the best business phone service provider on the market. They offer a comprehensive set of features with an easy to use web-based admin panel and apps for your phone.

Nextiva

We use Nextiva in our business to manage calls for WPBeginner and other Awesome Motive properties.

If you want a different solution, then take a look at RingCentral. It is another great business phone service. They offer an incredibly feature-rich platform, with lots of tools to manage voice greetings, auto-attendants, voice messages, call transcripts, and more.

Once you have set up a business phone service, you can set up voice greetings using their easy to follow settings.

Voice Greeting Examples for Businesses

There are some basic rules that you must follow to create the most effective voicemail greetings.

  • Avoid cliches like ‘Your call is important to us’ they are overused and don’t feel sincere anymore.
  • Make sure that your voicemail recording sounds friendly and personal.
  • Try not to sound like you are reading from a script.
  • If you can, then hire a voice artist to help you record voicemail greetings. You can even find someone on Fiverr.
  • Make sure that your voicemail provides important information like business hours and contact information.

Following are some voicemail greeting templates that you can use for your business.

Off Hours Voicemail Greeting Examples

This voicemail greeting will be played when customers call you after business hours or during weekends. Make sure that this voicemail greeting informs users about office hours, alternative ways to reach customer service, or store location.

“Hi, you’ve reached [business name]. We are available by phone from [9 am] to [6 pm] [PST] Monday to Friday. You can also use the contact form on our website, [www.example.com] to leave us a message and we’ll get back to you via email. If you’d like us to call you back, then please leave your name and number after along with a short message, and our team will get back to you as soon as possible.”

“Hi, you’ve reached [business name]. We are currently unable to answer your call. Our office hours are [business hours] Monday to Friday. Our store at [store location] remains open for customers during weekends. You can also contact us via live chat on our website [www.example.com] [24 hours a day 7 days a week]. If this is not urgent, and you’d like us to callback then please leave your name and number after the beep.”

As you can see both examples deliver important information and offer customers alternate ways to contact via live chat or contact form.

Vacation Voicemail Greeting Examples

These greeting messages can be recorded during the holidays.

“Hello, you’ve reached [business name]. Our team is currently out of the office to spend holidays with friends and family. We’ll be back to work on [day and time]. Please leave us your name and number and we will get back to you ASAP. [Happy Holidays (or suitable greeting for that holiday)]”.

“Happy holidays! Our team at [business name] is away until [date]. If you are an existing customer, you can still open a support ticket on our website, we will try to get back to you within the next 24 hours. You can also contact us via live chat or contact form on our website [www.example.com]. If it is not urgent, then you can leave us your name and number after the beep. We will return your call as soon as possible.”

“Hi, you have reached [company name]. We are closed for (holiday name) and will get back to work on [date and time]. If you need an urgent response you can email us at (email_address) we will try to answer all emails within 24 hours. You can also leave us a message and we will get back to you after the holidays (Happy New Year / Holiday)”.

As you can see these voicemail greetings provide customers as much information as possible. These greetings also ensure that customers know how to get a quicker response using alternate contact methods during the holidays.

Away / Busy Voicemail Greeting Examples

If you are busy, away, or understaffed and cannot answer the customer calls immediately, then you can use these greetings as an example.

“Hi, you have reached [business name], we are unable to take your call right now but we would love to call you back ASAP. Please leave us your name and number after the beep.”

“Hi, we are currently away from the phone. If it isn’t too urgent, then you can email us at (email address). Otherwise please leave your name and number after the beep and we’ll call you back right away.”

If you are the only person answering calls, then you can make it a personal voicemail greeting.

“Hi, you have reached (Your Name). I am currently unable to answer the phone. You can send me an email to (email address) or you can leave your name and number after the beep and I’ll call you back as soon as possible.”

Test and Improve Your Voicemail Greetings

Another great reason to use a professional phone service is that you can track all your calls and view detailed reports about them. For example, this is how Nextiva’s call analytics page looks like.

Call analytics page in Nextiva

You would need to track how many users hear each voicemail greeting and how they responded. Voicemail greetings with a higher score of customers leaving a message are working efficiently.

Voicemail messages that are not even heard completely are a failure.

We recommend trying different voicemail greetings to find the perfect balance. Updating your voicemail greeting periodically can also help you fill communication gaps that you didn’t even know existed.

Follow up Your Voicemail Messages

Now that you have set up balanced, informative, and friendly voicemail greeting, the next step is even more crucial.

What happens after a customer leaves you a voice message?

If you are using a professional business phone system, then you’ll be easily able to track and respond to those messages.

Make sure that you and your staff are equally well prepared for a quick followup. A prompt callback goes a long way in strengthening business relationships and closing sales.

We hope this article helped you learn how to set up voicemail greeting for your online business. You may also want to see our guide on how to create an email newsletter for your business.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

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How to Check Domain Name Availability (Easy Domain Search Tools)

Choosing a domain name can be overwhelming because first you need to come up with an idea, and then you have to check domain name availability.

Since a lot of good domains are already taken, often beginners feel stuck.

Wouldn’t it be nice if you can check domain name availability faster and even find new ideas while you do it?

In this article, we’ll show you how to check for domain name availability with some of the easiest domain search tools.

Checking for domain name availability using domain search tools

1. Domain.com

Domain.com

Domain.com is one of the best domain registrars on the market. They offer a wide range of domain extensions at discounted rates, and have the best domain management tools for beginners.

Most importantly, they have a powerful domain search tool that let’s quickly check domain name availability. Simply go to their website and enter your desired keywords or phrase.

Check domain availability on Domain.com

Domain.com will show if the domain is available for registration. If it is, then congratulations you can go ahead and get it registered right away. Bonus: use our Domain.com coupon code to get an additional discount.

Domain available

If the domain you are looking for is not available, then it will show you different combinations to help you brainstorm and come up with a unique idea.

Once you have found a domain name, you can simply add it to cart and click on the ‘Continue’ button to register it.

Continue registration

On the next screen, enter your billing and payment information to complete the purchase.

Proceed to payment

2. Nameboy

Nameboy Best Domain and Blog Name Generator

Nameboy is one of the oldest and the most reliable domain name generator tool on the market.

If you want to quickly generate dozens of domain name ideas, then you can use this tool. Simply enter your desired keyword or phrase and it generates a list of domain names to choose from.

You can click on any domain name to view details and register the domain name. The downside is that it does not show you the availability of domain names right away.

3. IsItWP

IsItWP Domain Generator

IsItWP offers a bunch of useful tools like a WordPress security scanner, website uptime checker, password generator, and a powerful domain generator.

The domain generator allows you to look up for a domain name by simply entering keywords or phrases. It then creates a number of different domain names.

This gives you a ton of possible choices to go through. However, you will need to click on the view details button to actually register or check the availability of the domain name.

4. Blog Tyrant

Blog Tyrant

Blog Tyrant is a popular blogging resource site with several free tools including a domain name generator.

It helps you look up for domain ideas for your selected keyword or phrase. You can click on a domain name to see more details or try a different keyword combination to get even more domain name suggestions.

5. Bluehost

Bluehost

Bluehost is one of the biggest web hosting companies in the world. If you want to make a website right away, then their domain availability checker will be a good option for you.

They are offering WPBeginner users a free domain name and a generous discount on WordPress hosting. Basically, you’ll be able to start a blog or website for $2.75 per month.

→ Click Here to Claim This Exclusive Bluehost Offer ←

You can simply visit their website and click on the get started button. After that, you will be asked to choose a plan.

Select a plan

On the next screen, you will be asked to choose a domain name. Enter your desired domain name or keywords to check availability.

Bluehost domain checker

If your preferred domain name is not available, then it will show you several suggestions to choose from or search for another domain name.

Once you have found the domain name you like, then you can simply go ahead and complete the purchase.

6. GoDaddy

GoDaddy

GoDaddy is one of the biggest domain name companies on the market. You can use their website to look for domain name availability as well.

However, their suggestions usually include hyphens, lesser-known and uncommon domain extensions, or premium domain names which are available for a higher price.

There are many excellent GoDaddy alternatives that are cheaper and more reliable.

How to Choose The Perfect Domain Name?

Many beginners find it difficult to find the perfect domain name. More than 350 million domain names are already registered, and it feels like that all the good ones are already taken.

If the domain name you want is not available, then you’ll need to get creative. Here are a few quick tips that will help you find the perfect domain name for your website.

  • Stick with .com domain names and don’t choose a new domain extension
  • Use keywords associated with your business. See our guide on how to do keyword research to learn more.
  • Avoid hyphens and numbers in domain name. They would make it harder to spell and pronounce.
  • Choose a domain name that is easily memorable, doesn’t require you to spell it, and represents your brand

For more in-depth tips, see our complete guide on how to choose the best domain name.

I’ve Found a Domain Name, Now What?

You need to act fast and register that domain name.

Thousands of new domain names are registered every day. Domain names are a lucrative business and people are always looking for good domain names to register and then resell for a better offer.

If your domain name idea is good, then there is a great chance that it will not be available for long. You need to just go ahead and register your domain name.

Do I Need a Website to Get a Domain Name?

No, you don’t.

You can register a domain name without creating a website. To understand how these two things are related, see our guide on the difference between domain name and web hosting.

To make a website you’ll need to sign up with a hosting company. This is where you will store your website’s files.

Domain names are sold by domain name registrars. These are the companies licensed by ICANN (an international body that manages domain names worldwide) to register domain names.

To make a website, you need both domain name and web hosting. However, if you are not yet ready to make a website, then you can simply register a domain name.

This will give you the ownership of that domain name for the licensed period. You can make a website or start an online store later when you’re ready.

Which is The Best Tool to Check for Domain Name Availability?

We recommend using Domain.com as the best tool to check for domain name availability.

It allows you to quickly do your domain name research. You can instantly register the domain name without visiting a third-party website. They also offer the easiest domain tools and a simple domain management area.

If you just want to explore different domain name ideas, then Nameboy helps you instantly generate dozens of domain names using your keywords or business name.

We hope this article helped you learn how to check for domain name availability using smarter domain search tools. You may also want to see these easy online business ideas that you can start with your new domain name.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

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Why Should Businesses not Treat Branding as an Afterthought?

What is branding? The term branding, by definition, means ‘any and every market practice through which a company establishes a name, story, and symbol that creates an individual identity for easy recognition.’ Branding is the foundation that helps a company develop its name as a distinguishable entity that reflects the products and services being offered. [...]

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Is the Mobile App Crucial for Business Success?

These days mobile apps can do just about anything, from playing games to monitoring residential security to mobile banking. But with the latest incorporation of this technology in the commercial sector, businesses are beginning to reap the rewards. Ask any business owner, “How do you define success?” The answers typically revolve around economic sustainability and [...]

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