If you’ve been thinking about starting a business, you’ve probably been told:
“Just register an LLC. It’s safer.”
And you nod along… but in the back of your mind you’re asking, “Okay, but who’s actually winning big as an LLC? Is this really worth it for me?”
Here’s the truth: the most convincing case for an LLC isn’t a tax chart or a legal handbook. It’s real companies using the structure to protect their owners, scale without drowning in red tape, and stay flexible when the market shifts.
So today, we’re looking at 10 Top LLC Examples from Popular Companies in 2025, not as random trivia, but as fuel for your own plans.
Quick, Plain-Talk: What’s an LLC?
Let’s strip it down. LLC stands for Limited Liability Company.
The “limited liability” part? That’s just a fancy way of saying your personal stuff, your savings, your car, even your couch, stays off the table if your business ever gets sued or lands in debt. The business takes the hit, not you.
On the tax side, an LLC usually keeps it simple. The profits your business makes can flow straight to your personal tax return, so you avoid that double-tax headache that C-Corps deal with.
And in the business family tree? An LLC sits comfortably between a sole proprietorship (super easy but risky) and a corporation (full of formalities). You get protection and credibility without the corporate red tape. Think of it as the “just right” bowl of porridge in the business world.
LLC vs. Other Business Structures in the US
- Sole Proprietorship: Easiest to start, but if the business goes under, your personal savings could go with it.
- Partnership: In a partnership, you’ve got company, which is great… until you’re also sharing the legal and financial mess if things go wrong.
- C-Corp / S-Corp: C corps and S corps are great for attracting investors, but expect more rules, more filings, and often, more taxes.
- LLC: Gives you a legal safety net, keeps your tax options open, and skips the endless corporate red tape.
10 Top LLC Examples from Popular Companies in 2025
Forming a business is one thing; choosing the right structure is another story entirely. A lot of people think LLCs (Limited Liability Companies) as a choice just for small businesses, but the truth is much more interesting. Some of the biggest names in tech, retail, entertainment, and manufacturing have also used the LLC model at certain points in their journey.
Here’s a closer look at 10 well-known and popular LLC companies that operate, or have operated once, as the mentioned business structure, and why this structure made sense for them.
1. Google LLC: Tech Giant with Humble Beginnings
Before it became a trillion-dollar tech titan, Google started in a California garage in 1998. In 2017, Google formally restructured much of its U.S. business as Google LLC, moving away from its earlier corporate designation.
Industry & Role
Google dominates global search, digital advertising, cloud computing, and software innovation. It’s the go-to tool for billions of daily information searches.
Why LLC
The LLC format allows Google to segment specific operations, protect assets, and enjoy a more streamlined tax arrangement in certain cases. It’s not about avoiding corporate status altogether. It’s about tailoring the legal framework to the business unit’s needs.
Extra Insight
For founders, Google’s LLC shows that you don’t “grow out” of the LLC model, you just learn to use it strategically. Sometimes, the biggest moves are about structure, not size.
Fun Fact
Google’s “I’m Feeling Lucky” button is said to cost the company around $110 million a year in lost ad revenue. Still, they’ve kept it, because this button gives the brand a human, playful touch.
2. Blockbuster LLC: A Lesson in Adapting
Once the king of video rentals, Blockbuster LLC represents both the heights of business success and the dangers of missing market shifts.
Industry & Role
Blockbuster was once a giant in home entertainment. The company had thousands of stores all over the world at its peak in the 1990s and early 2000s. What a time those were!
Why LLC
When ownership changed hands, structuring as an LLC offered more flexibility for asset management, licensing, and potential buyouts. Especially, as the company entered its decline and bankruptcy proceedings.
Extra Insight
While Blockbuster’s story ended in Netflix’s shadow, its LLC phase shows how this structure can make it easier to manage a company’s winding-down process while protecting certain assets.
Fun Fact
In 2000, Blockbuster was riding high and had the chance to buy Netflix for just $50 million. But they passed. Now, decades later, there’s only one Blockbuster left, tucked away in Bend, Oregon, living on as a nostalgic little tourist stop.
3. IBM Credit LLC: Financing Innovation
IBM Credit LLC is the financing arm of IBM, serving as a backbone for customers purchasing IBM products and services.
Industry & Role
Operating in financial services, it enables businesses to acquire IBM technology without heavy upfront costs, boosting sales and client loyalty.
Why LLC
By using the LLC format, IBM Credit could maintain liability protection while enjoying greater flexibility in structuring financial agreements across multiple jurisdictions.
Extra Insight
This is a perfect example of how an LLC can be used within a larger corporate group to isolate risk while still contributing directly to the parent company’s revenue engine.
Fun Fact
IBM Credit once reduced its loan approval time from seven days to four hours by simply improving communication between departments, a case study now taught in business schools.
4. Hertz Vehicles LLC: Driving a Century of Rentals
Hertz Vehicles LLC sits under The Hertz Corporation’s umbrella, focusing on the ownership and leasing of its massive rental fleet.
Industry & Role
Hertz is one of the most recognized names in car rentals, getting millions of travelers, businesses, and rideshare drivers on the road worldwide.
Why LLC
An LLC structure lets Hertz keep its vehicle assets separate from other business risks. That way, financing, lease agreements, and even tracking fleet depreciation become much easier to manage.
Extra Insight
For an asset-heavy business like car rentals, housing the fleet in an LLC is a strategic move. It shields the rest of the company if the vehicle division faces legal or financial trouble.
Fun Fact
Hertz once rented a $1 million customized Corvette Z06 for $344 a day as part of a luxury pilot program. And yes, people actually booked it.
5. Amazon Services LLC: Powering the World’s Biggest Marketplace
Amazon Services LLC handles a range of Amazon’s core U.S. business activities, including its vast marketplace operations.
Industry & Role
Amazon stands as a giant in e-commerce, cloud services, and digital streaming, but its marketplace arm alone handles millions of seller transactions every single day.
Why LLC
Setting up this arm as an LLC lets Amazon keep liability separate, make the most of state tax advantages, and maintain the kind of operational flexibility that’s essential in a retail world that never stops changing.
Extra Insight
It’s a reminder that even global giants use LLCs to keep different parts of their business neatly compartmentalized and financially efficient.
Fun Fact
Amazon’s early warehouses had employees walking the equivalent of 10–12 miles a day to pick orders, prompting the company to invest heavily in robotics for efficiency.
6. Johnson & Johnson LLC: Health, Trust, and Global Reach
Johnson & Johnson, a household name in healthcare, operates certain subsidiaries as LLCs. Especially in product-specific or region-specific markets.
Industry & Role
From pharmaceuticals to medical devices to baby care, J&J serves consumers and hospitals worldwide.
Why LLC
LLCs help J&J isolate liabilities tied to specific product lines, manage intellectual property, and streamline partnerships or joint ventures.
Extra Insight
In industries with high regulatory oversight, an LLC can be a strategic shield, containing risk without slowing down innovation or distribution.
Fun Fact
Johnson & Johnson’s famous baby shampoo slogan, “No More Tears,” isn’t about crying. It means the formula won’t irritate your eyes like soap, a fact many parents still misunderstand.
7. ExxonMobil (LLC Entity): Fueling Industries Across the Globe
ExxonMobil, one of the world’s largest publicly traded energy giants, also runs some of its U.S. subsidiaries as LLCs.
Industry & Role
From oil and gas to petrochemicals, ExxonMobil is a heavyweight powering a huge share of the world’s energy flow.
Why LLC
For some U.S. projects, especially joint ventures or work in high-risk extraction areas, an LLC can be a real advantage. It shields you from personal liability, keeps taxes efficient, and gives you more room to operate the way you need.
Extra Insight
Energy projects often carry significant environmental and legal exposure, making LLCs a smart containment strategy within a giant’s broader corporate network.
Fun Fact
ExxonMobil’s research team once developed a fuel from algae that could, in theory, replace crude oil. But the project is still in experimental stages after more than a decade.
8. Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLC: Brewing Legacy and Market Leadership
Anheuser-Busch, famous for Budweiser and countless other beer brands, operates its U.S. headquarters entity as Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLC.
Industry & Role
It’s a leader in brewing, distribution, and beverage innovation, reaching markets in over 50 countries.
Why LLC
The LLC status supports operational agility, helps manage distribution agreements, and allows for smoother integration of acquisitions.
Extra Insight
When a business is both a cultural icon and a corporate giant, the LLC format can still serve as a practical tool for legal and financial flexibility.
Fun Fact
During Prohibition, Anheuser-Busch survived by selling non-alcoholic “near beer” and even making ice cream. Budweiser-branded ice cream was a real product.
9. SpaceX Holdings LLC: Launching the Future of Space Travel
SpaceX Holdings LLC manages certain operational and ownership elements of SpaceX, Elon Musk’s space exploration company.
Industry & Role
SpaceX is redefining aerospace by developing reusable rockets, launching satellites, and paving the way for interplanetary travel.
Why LLC
The LLC holding structure helps separate investment interests, manage joint ventures, and protect the parent company’s core assets.
Extra Insight
In industries with astronomical risks, literally, the LLC format acts as a strong legal and financial firewall.
Fun Fact
SpaceX’s very first rocket, the Falcon 1, blew three launches in a row before finally making it to orbit. That fourth try wasn’t just a win; it came when the company was only weeks away from going broke.
10. Uber Technologies, LLC: Redefining How the World Moves
Before it became Uber Technologies, Inc., the company was actually running as Uber Technologies, LLC, a deliberate move during its high-speed growth years.
Industry & Role
Uber flipped the transportation game on its head by connecting riders and drivers through one simple app, and later expanded its reach into food delivery and freight.
Why LLC
The LLC gave Uber room to scale fast without the rigidities of corporate shareholder structures, while still protecting founders and investors from personal liability.
Extra Insight
This early LLC phase helped Uber test and expand aggressively before transitioning to a public corporation.
Fun Fact
Uber originally went by the name “UberCab”, and its first app worked only on iPhones. Android users had to wait nearly a year before they could book a ride.
Each of these LLC examples tells a real story: whether you’re guarding against risk, growing at full speed, staying true to your mission, or spreading investments far and wide, an LLC lets you handle it all in a clear, secure way with room to choose your path.
Why These Companies Chose the LLC Route
Every one of those LLC examples had options; they could’ve gone full corporation, stayed as partnerships, or tried some hybrid setup. But they picked LLC for reasons, and let’s explore some of those reasons here:
- Protection without the headaches: They wanted a solid legal wall between personal assets and business risks, without getting buried in endless corporate paperwork.
- Ownership and operation that bends with them: Whether it’s a solo founder or a room full of investors, an LLC can adapt to match the team and its priorities.
- Tax choices that actually fit: Begin with simple pass-through taxation, and if the math points that way, move to an S-Corp or C-Corp down the road.
- Managing more than one business, made easier: Many big-name brands on our list run several LLCs under a single umbrella, each one handling its own slice of the work to keep risks contained.
- Privacy when it matters: In some states, LLC owners can stay off the public record. Something high-profile brands often value.
In short, they weren’t after a flashy label. They went with an LLC because it gave them the freedom to grow their way, without getting locked into a stiff, investor-controlled corporate setup.
Thinking About Your Own LLC?
Here’s where people trip: they love the idea but stall on the paperwork, state requirements, or what’s actually needed to make PayPal, Stripe, Amazon, or banks take them seriously.
That’s where Business Globalizer comes in. We help nonresidents and residents alike form US or UK companies the right way, with the right documents, tax IDs (EIN, ITIN), required licenses, and compliance from day one. No wasted filings. No mismatched info that gets accounts flagged.
Wrapping It Up
So here’s the takeaway: those 10 Top LLC Examples from Popular Companies aren’t random trivia. They’re proof that this structure works whether you’re running a small online shop or building the next billion-dollar brand.
An LLC gives you that perfect middle ground; strong enough to protect what’s yours, light enough to run without getting tangled in endless rules, and flexible enough to grow right alongside you.
If industry giants rely on it and everyday founders use it to build businesses that last, then maybe it’s time to ask: what’s really stopping you from putting your own idea under that same layer of protection?
Because in business, “just right” isn’t boring. It’s exactly what lasts.
Frequently Asked Questions about LLC
Do all big companies start as LLCs?
Answer: Not at all. Some go straight to C-Corporations, especially if they’re chasing venture capital from day one. But plenty of popular LLC companies you see today, like Amazon.com Services LLC or Patagonia, LLC, started (or stayed) as LLCs because it gave them flexibility and protection without corporate red tape.
What are examples of LLC businesses?
Answer: Think of small-to-medium companies that want flexibility without the heavy corporate formality, like local restaurants, eCommerce brands, real estate firms, or digital agencies. Even well-known names such as Nike or Sony operate parts of their business through LLC subsidiaries in the U.S.
Is Google an example of an LLC?
Answer: Yes, Google LLC is legally formed as an LLC under U.S. law.
That said, it’s a huge multinational subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. and operates more like a corporation in practice, so for most small-business comparisons it still serves better as a “corporation-type” example rather than your typical single-owner LLC.
Can a single person really run an LLC?
Answer: Absolutely. A single-member LLC is a real thing, and many small business LLC examples began this way. You get the same liability protection and tax benefits without needing partners or a board.
Which company is best for LLC?
Answer: If you’re forming your LLC as a nonresident, Business Globalizer is one of the smartest picks. They’re IRS-authorized Certified Acceptance Agent (CAA), meaning they can help you form your LLC, get your EIN, and even apply for your ITIN directly through IRS verification, without mailing passports overseas.
They handle everything from formation to compliance, so you can focus on building your business instead of wrestling with paperwork.
What type of LLC is most common?
Answer: The single-member LLC. Simple to run, flexible taxes, and great for solo founders.
Why would a large brand keep the LLC structure instead of becoming a corporation?
Answer: Because not every growth plan requires going public or adding shareholders. Some companies that are LLC prefer privacy, management freedom, and simpler taxes. Especially family-owned or closely-held brands.
Are LLCs only for U.S.-based founders?
Answer: Nope. Many non-U.S. founders form U.S. LLCs to access payment platforms, open U.S. bank accounts, or serve American clients. Some of the most inspiring LLC business examples are owned by international entrepreneurs who just needed a legal U.S. presence.
Is it expensive to maintain an LLC each year?
Answer: It depends on the state. Annual fees and compliance vary, but compared to corporation costs, it’s usually lighter. That’s one reason so many small business LLC examples stick with the structure; they get protection without draining the budget.
Where is the best place to start my LLC?
Answer: It’s not a one-fit-all-size answer. Take a look below:
- If you’re already selling/operating in a state: form in that state (nexus rules).
- If you’re remote/non-U.S. based: common picks are Delaware (investor-friendly courts), Wyoming (low fees/privacy), and New Mexico (low cost/annual requirements).
How fast can I form an LLC if I decide today?
Answer: If your documents are ready, it can be done in just a few days in some states. That’s why working with an experienced partner like Business Globalizer matters; they know the state timelines, the quirks, and how to avoid delays that most first-timers stumble into.
