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How to Plan Your Next Cruise Like a Pro

A cruise is a great way to spend a vacation. You can find cruises for everybody: families, couples and even singles. Even the most experienced cruisers may be clueless when it comes to making plans. Whether this is your first cruise or whether you’re an experienced cruiser, you can plan a cruise like a pro with a few tips. Here’s some advice on how to make your next cruise the best one yet:

Take Advantage of Deals.

Cruises can be expensive, but you can save money if you’re willing to look for deals. Check out your favorite cruise line and see what specials they’re running, and see if you qualify for a return cruisers’ discount. Or you may consider branching out and seeing what other cruise lines have to offer. You may find a new favorite ship or route, or you may find a price that you can’t resist. Take advantage of last minute deals to save 50 percent or more. If you’re flexible and you can make plans at a moment’s notice, you can really save some money.

If You Don’t Want to Spend Extra on Alcohol, BYOB.

Most everything on a cruise is all-inclusive, but sometimes you’ll find that alcohol is extra. When you have to pay for cocktails, you can rack up quite the tab. If you don’t want to waste too much money on expensive alcohol, bring your own booze aboard the ship. You’ll want to check out the cruise line’s alcohol policy to make sure that you can bring what you want along with you. Most of the time you can bring a bottle of wine aboard, or you can grab your favorite mixer, take it with you and order just the alcohol to create your own cocktails.

Stay Onboard During a Port Day.

When a cruise ship makes its way into port, almost everybody disembarks to enjoy a day on the town. The ship is deserted, but all of the amenities and services are still available for anyone who is still on the ship. If you’re on a cruise with multiple stops, take one port day to stay on the ship. It’s almost like having the whole ship to yourself. You won’t have to wait in line for anything, and you may be able to enjoy the pool or hot tub all to yourself. Think of the ship as your own personal playground if you skip one port day.

Splurge a Little.

If you’ve been on multiple cruises, you should consider making your next cruise an unforgettable experience by splurging just a little. Upgrade your accommodations and stay in a nicer room. Plan to enjoy a formal night, especially if you’ve never been part of one before. Book a special shore excursion to do something you’ve never done before – or may never even have dreamed of doing. Some excursions take advantage of nature sights or aquatic fun, while others give you plenty of thrills. Try a cruise to a destination you’ve never experienced before. You may discover a new favorite place to visit.

Have Some Fun with Specialty Dining.

While you can enjoy terrific food in the main dining space of the ship as part of your cruise, every ship features specialty dining restaurants for an extra charge. You can take advantage of special dining experiences to add more culinary fun to your travels. Try something you’ve never tasted before, learn more about a cuisine you’re unfamiliar with or enjoy your favorite foods in a whole new setting. You can try one specialty meal or enjoy multiple experiences. An evening in a specialty dining restaurant on the ship can be the capstone to an exciting and fun vacation at sea.

AT&T Plans: The Pros and Cons of AT&T Internet

With so many options available for internet service, it can be hard to decide which provider is the best for you. However, AT&T has a number of advantages that may make it the perfect choice for you. If you’re in the market for a new internet service provider (ISP), AT&T is worth considering for a variety of different reasons. In this article, we’ll explore a few of them to help you decide whether you’re interested in fully exploring the plans and services available through AT&T.

Pros and Cons of AT&T Internet Service

AT&T internet service offers many advantages that you won’t necessarily find through other providers. For example, the service is available in many locations, it is reliable and fast, and has a good customer satisfaction rate. However, there are also some drawbacks to consider. For example, AT&T internet service can be more expensive than other providers, and the speeds can be slower in some areas, particularly rural locations. Additionally, not all plans are available in all areas — sometimes they depend on the infrastructure of an area. So it is important to compare plans and decide which one best suits your needs based on whether you can actually access all the services a plan offers.

Pricing of AT&T Internet Service

When considering whether to choose AT&T for your internet service needs, be sure to take into account the price of the service and whether it fits with your budget. AT&T offers a variety of plans and prices, depending on your location, package type, and data usage.

If you’re looking for good value for your money, AT&T is a great option. Just keep in mind that the price can be a bit high on some packages, but you may find that the cost is worth it when you consider the great features and quality of their service.

For example, AT&T offers several different data plans at prices that are incrementally higher. These plans include unlimited talk and text, as well as 5G connectivity and data each month. They also come with access to AT&T Mobile Hotspot devices, but the amount of data you can use on a monthly basis with the device varies based on the plan. The prices of AT&T’s plans can change, so be sure to check the latest rates online or in store.

The Speed of AT&T Internet Service

When it comes to the speed of AT&T internet service, there’s a variety of options available. Your access may depend on the area where you live.

Some speeds in the lower-tier plans may be perfect for people who just need enough speed to enjoy common tasks like browsing the internet, shopping online, and sending emails or looking at social media. The faster options are perfect for more intensive usage, such as streaming content or playing online games. Think about how you usually use the internet to determine what speed you might need.

Where available, AT&T internet service is a great choice for people who want the best possible internet connection. It has many advantages, including fast speeds and a solid network for connectivity. However, it may not be the best choice for everyone, due to the high price and limited availability in some areas.

This text was generated using a large language model, and select text has been reviewed and moderated for purposes such as readability.

ZenBusiness review 2023: Cost, plans, features and more

Sarah Brady

Bryce Colburn

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Updated 4:52 p.m. UTC Aug. 2, 2023

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Editorial Note: Blueprint may earn a commission from affiliate partner links featured here on our site. This commission does not influence our editors' opinions or evaluations. Please view our full advertiser disclosure policy .

ZenBusiness includes a 30-minute tax consultation with its free LLC formation package, but you may need to buy pricey add-ons to get the other services you need.

BEST FOR MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE

Zenbusiness.

Free version available

Lowest published package price

What you should know

ZenBusiness offers a free LLC formation service and has a good online reputation. It has earned an average rating of 4.6 stars on Trustpilot after more than 11,500 reviews. Additionally, the company offers a comprehensive lineup of add-on and optional features.

While some providers don’t offer refunds, ZenBusiness offers a 60-day money-back guarantee on subscriptions and add-on services. As a result, hiring the company is likely low-risk. If you end up less than satisfied with a service, you can get a full refund, minus any third-party or state fees.

Read our full ZenBusiness Review .

More details

ZenBusiness can be a good fit if you’re looking for free LLC formation from a provider with customer-friendly policies that can also offer you additional business services in the future. However, essential formation services are often only included as add-ons (such as obtaining an EIN in its free plan or obtaining an operating agreement) so initial plan prices may change substantially based on your formation needs.

Free plan available.
Each plan includes 30 minutes of tax advising.
Free iOS and Android apps.
Free worry-free compliance service for one year.
No free year of registered agent services with company formation.
Registered agent services are expensive ($199 per year).
Add-ons can get pricey.

ZenBusiness LLC Review 2023

ZenBusiness LLC overview and facts

Zenbusiness llc plans and pricing, zenbusiness add-ons and optional features, zenbusiness customer support and experience, zenbusiness vs. legalzoom, zenbusiness vs. incfile, is zenbusiness right for your business, methodology: why you can trust us.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

ZenBusiness (ZB) is a business formation platform that offers three LLC formation packages. Its packages start at $0, plus state fees, and ZB offers a long list of add-ons that can be used to tailor its services to your needs.

Each ZenBusiness package includes:

Filing of state formation documents.
An annual report.
Ongoing compliance alerts for at least one year.
Business name check.
Articles of organization preparation.
Dashboard with your documents.
Free 30-minute call with a tax expert.

ZenBusiness’s packages don’t include registered agent services. Whether or not you’ll need to pay for those extra services depends on your business. Elizabeth A. Whitman, attorney-at-law with Whitman Legal Solutions confirms, “Registered agent service is important if you’re forming or qualifying an LLC in a state where you don’t reside.”

ZenBusiness is an Austin-based business services platform that offers formation services online. The company calls itself a small business, and it technically fits the definition since it has fewer than 500 employees.

One way ZenBusiness stands out against the competition is by offering 30-minutes of complimentary tax advising with each LLC formation plan and a worry-free compliance service (with filing deadline alerts and a free annual report) for free for at least the first year. But, according to Whitman, while a tax advisor may be helpful, having a CPA and attorney on your team from the start of the business is the better bet to avoid costly tax and business formation errors.

ZenBusiness’s customers seem generally satisfied with the services. The company has an “Excellent” rating on TrustPilot and a 4.6 out of five star user rating based on over 12,500 reviews. With that said, ZenBusiness has received a handful of one-star reviews on both platforms recently, with several clients commenting that they struggled to reach a customer service rep and resolve incorrect charges.

ZenBusiness is one of a handful of business formation companies that offers free filing packages. Its LLC formation packages cost from $0 to $349, plus state fees. According to ZenBusiness, state filing fees range from $40 to $500, depending on where you register.

Aside from price, one of the main differences between the three LLC formation packages is the amount of time it will take to file your formation documents. By paying more, you can cut the timeframe down by days or even weeks.

According to Whitman, a costlier but speedier service might be worth it. “Turnaround time and expense are the two most important factors,” she says. “Some services advertise a low cost but take weeks to form your LLC, even though it can be done online in minutes with results within one or two business days.”

ZenBusiness’s Starter Package costs $0, plus state filing fees. It includes:

Standard filing (two to three weeks on average).
Filing of formation documents.
Worry-free compliance with filing deadline alerts and a free annual report ($199 per year after the first year).
30 minutes of tax advising.

The Pro package from ZenBusiness costs $199, plus state fees. In addition to all the features that come with the free plan, this package includes:

Expedited filing (one to five business days on average).
Operating agreement template.
An employer identification number (EIN).

If purchased separately, expedited filing costs $79 through ZenBusiness. In other words, you can save money by purchasing the free package and adding expedited filing, then filing your EIN on your own (a quick and free process), instead of paying for this mid-tier plan.

The top-tier plan from ZenBusiness costs $349, plus state filing fees. Unlike the other plans, the Premium plan includes:

A business website.
Business document templates.
Domain name.
Business email address.

Like the Premium Package, this plan appears to be overvalued. You can purchase web services at a much lower price through another provider. For example, WordPress charges just $4 a month for both a website and a domain name, and $3.50 a month for an email address. Its complementary business template library and EIN filing service, however, can save you a lot of time and hassle, time that could be spent making money elsewhere in your business.

ZenBusiness offers a long list of-add ons, and some customers can save money by choosing a free plan and adding the items they need instead of upgrading to a paid package. If you want to pick and choose your add-ons, however, it could be more cost effective to take your business elsewhere. For example, separate EIN filing ($99 at ZenBusiness) is cheaper through both LegalZoom ($79) and IncFile ($70) and is free on the IRS website.

ZenBusiness add-ons include:

EIN filing: $99.
Worry-free compliance (includes annual report filing and alerts): $199 per year.
Operating agreement template: $99.
Registered agent services: $199 per year.
Business document library: $99.
Rush state filing: $79.
Business license and permit report: $99.
Domain name registration: $25 per year.

Web add-ons

ZenBusiness offers services you can use to get your web presence up-and-running, but unlike some formation companies these web services aren’t complimentary: they come with the paid Premium package or they can be purchased separately.

ZenBusiness’s web add-ons are also much pricier than what you’d pay with a website builder platform like Wix. They include:

Business website: $125 per year.
Domain name registration: $25 per year.
Business email address: $25 per year.
Domain name privacy: $10 per year.

Banking add-ons

ZenBusiness offers money management add-ons and banking services that are provided by Thread Bank, including:

Business banking: $5 per month.
Money Pro (for expense tracking and invoicing): $30 per month.

ZenBusiness offers customer support by phone or by live chat during their business hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT on Monday to Friday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT on Sundays.

You can connect with a live agent in under a minute, but for phone support, you might experience hold times. You can also request a call-back, or send an email to [email protected], and ZenBusiness strives to respond within one business day.

If ZenBusiness doesn’t have what you need at the right price, you might consider LegalZoom instead.

LegalZoom offers different features from ZenBusiness in its $0 plan. Both offer free LLC formation services. However, while ZenBusiness offers free compliance services in its free plan (including filing alerts and an annual report for the first year), LegalZoom offers a customizable Wix website.

So, determining which is best for your needs comes down to which complementary features you most need. If your state offers a quick and easy way to file your annual report and your registered agent offers compliance alerts, then you might opt for LegalZoom, which doesn’t offer these services in its free plan but does offer a free website. If, however, you need compliance services to help you through your first year in business, consider ZenBusiness.

Read our full LegalZoom review to learn more.

When it comes to forming your LLC, both IncFile and ZenBusiness offer comparable features. Their second-tier plans offer the best deal. For $199, you get LLC formation services, an EIN and a free operating agreement with each. However, while ZenBusiness offers a worry-free compliance service in this plan (complete with an annual report and filing deadline alerts), IncFile offers free registered agent services for one year for free.

So, if you or someone within your company cannot serve as your own registered agent, you will save money by opting for IncFile’s second-tier plan. If, however, you would more benefit from a professional service provider helping you to stay on top of compliance obligations, like filing your annual report, during your first year in business, consider ZenBusiness.

Check out our full Incfile review for more information.

Featured LLC service offers

Via ZenBusiness’ Website

Via LegalZoom’s Website

Via Incfile’s Website

Like many other online business formation services, ZenBusiness offers a $0 plan that lacks certain useful features like an operating agreement. Depending on the add-ons you need, ZenBusiness’s free Starter plan could be the right choice for you, but its Pro package stands out by offering rush LLC formation services, a free operating agreement and EIN filing. It also offers a 100% accuracy guarantee and worry-free compliance services for one year.

So, if you are hesitant about your ability to correctly form your LLC, choosing ZenBusiness gives you a full-featured LLC formation service and peace of mind. However, if you’ve already formed a business before and feel comfortable creating an operating agreement, filing for your own EIN and managing your own compliance tasks, you may consider simply going the path alone and consulting with an attorney once or twice throughout the process.

For example, you may consider forming your LLC with LegalZoom, which offers free LLC formation services without any extra filings (such as an operating agreement) and the ability to hire a lawyer for consultations as needed for $16.59 per month.

We extensively research the key competitors within an industry to determine the best products and services for your business. Our experts identify the factors that matter most to business owners, including pricing, features and customer support, to ensure that our recommendations offer well-rounded products that will meet the needs of various small businesses.

We collect extensive data to narrow our best list to reputable, easy-to-use products with stand-out features at a reasonable price point. And we look at user reviews to ensure that business owners like you are satisfied with our top picks’ services. We use the same rubric to assess companies within a particular space so you can confidently follow our blueprint to the best LLC services of 2023 .

If you’re looking for a service to file your LLC formation documents, ZenBusiness can be a good, low-cost option. For more advanced business formation support, you may be able to find a lower-priced service elsewhere. Check out our best LLC services list for more options.

Worry free-compliance is offered in ZenBusiness’s free LLC formation plan for one year, at which point the service renews at $199 per year. This service includes filing of your annual reports, up to two business amendment filings per year and alerts for your upcoming compliance dates. Each plan also offers a 100% accuracy guarantee.

ZenBusiness provides disclosures explaining their fee policies, but customers who don’t examine them may be surprised by certain charges. For example, their “worry-free compliance” service costs $199 per year after the first year, and people who use it will be billed for state compliance fees as well. ZenBusiness also automatically renews your subscriptions upon monthly or annual expiration.

ZenBusiness has a 60-day money-back guarantee, but doesn’t refund filing fees or other fees that have already been paid to third parties (including registered agent services).

ZenBusiness provides business formation services, including a registered agent service that can be purchased as an add-on. ZenBusiness also provides add-on banking features through Thread Bank, as well as web services.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Sarah Brady is a personal finance writer and educator who's been helping individuals and entrepreneurs improve their financial wellness since 2013. Sarah's other publications include Investopedia, Experian, the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), Credit Karma and LendingTree and her work has been syndicated by Yahoo! News and MSN. She is also a former HUD-Certified Housing Counselor and NFCC-Certified Credit Counselor.

Bryce Colburn is a USA TODAY Blueprint small business editor with a history of helping startups and small firms nationwide grow their business. He has worked as a freelance writer, digital marketing professional and business-to-business (B2B) editor at U.S. News and World Report, gaining a strong understanding of the challenges businesses face. Bryce is enthusiastic about helping businesses make the best decisions for their company and specializes in reviewing business software and services. His expertise includes topics such as credit card processing companies, payroll software, company formation services and virtual private networks (VPNs).

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Why Trust Our ZenBusiness Review?

Zenbusiness overview, zenbusiness llc features, zenbusiness customer service, satisfaction guarantee, zenbusiness value, how zenbusiness compares, faq: zenbusiness llc formation review, 50 state llc formation guides, zenbusiness review 2023: pros, cons & features.

ZenBusiness is a legitimate business formation service that quickly established itself as a trustworthy, easy-to-use option offering customizable packages and a feel-good user experience. It offers the most important features like a registered agent service, formation document preparation and filing and solid customer support. ZenBusiness is great for both veteran and brand new entrepreneurs looking to set up an LLC, especially those in creative fields.

Our team found out what it’s like to form an LLC in this ZenBusiness review to help you decide if it’s the right fit for you.

Our Verdict:

ZenBusiness is the best LLC formation service overall.

What We Like

Customizable packages
Easy to use
Excellent customer support
Public Benefit Corporation

What We Don't Like

Registered agent and EIN cost extra
No legal or tax advising
Free plan only free for one year

The Bottom Line

ZenBusiness offers an intuitive user experience and guidance during the entire formation process, as well as all the necessary features for starting an LLC. It's also useful for potential new business owners who know they want to start an LLC but need a little help deciding what their LLC will offer.

Why trust what our team has to say about ZenBusiness? Our credentialed team of lawyers spent hours reviewing all of the tools ZenBusiness has to offer, including account setup, the formation process and utilizing customer service. Our rating reflects our user experience with ZenBusiness on its own and how it compares to other formation companies. Want to know more? Check out our methodology at the end of this article.

ZenBusiness is a venture-funded public benefit corporation founded in 2015 and based in Austin, Texas. According to the ZenBusiness website , the founders wanted to take the stress out of starting and running an LLC or other type of company, especially for new small business owners who may not yet know what they’re doing.

ZenBusiness boasts fast and simple business formation, worry-free services and expert support to file a business quickly and accurately. A quick comb-through of the company website gives customers an idea of the various tools and guidance offered in the ZenBusiness LLC package to launch a startup, plus additional features that may be beneficial to keep that business up and running.

We’ve spent over 250 hours reviewing LLC formation services including ZenBusiness. We’ll walk you through the most significant ZenBusiness features and describe our experience using them.

Formation Process

ZenBusiness uses an interactive chat feature to form your LLC. The agent asks you a series of questions and logs your responses to begin putting together your LLC paperwork. One of the first pieces of information you’ll provide is your proposed LLC name, and ZenBusiness performs a preliminary search to make sure your name is available in your state.

You’ll also provide contact information, a very brief description of what you plan to offer with your LLC, and information about other members, if any, of your LLC. (For LLC purposes, owners are referred to as “members.”). ZenBusiness uses this information to create your “articles of organization” (sometimes called a “certificate of formation” or “articles of incorporation”) which is the critical document which must be filed to form your business.

You’ll set up an account on the ZenBusiness website and pay for your order before the formation documents are filed. Once your account is set up, you’ll review your information one more time and provide any missing information before ZenBusiness queues your paperwork to be filed. You may not be able to change information in your filing after you’ve submitted it to ZenBusiness and before they submit it to the state for official filing. However, you can make amendments to your LLC formation documents after they’re certified.

Turnaround Time

Processing times largely depend on the time frame of the state in which you’re filing. ZenBusiness takes about 2-3 weeks to complete the formation process for you at their standard filing speed. The Pro and Premium plans offer formation within 1-2 days.

ZenBusiness Registered Agent Services

Every state requires each LLC to appoint a “ registered agent ” (sometimes called a “resident agent”) to serve as a physical address and point of contact where legal and tax documents can be delivered during business hours. LLC members can serve as the registered agent, but may not want to as it requires being present at the registered address during business hours. A business entity can serve as a registered agent, as long as it’s not the LLC itself.

Most LLC formation companies offer registered agent services, and ZenBusiness is no different. However, while other companies offer a first free year or registered agent services for as low as $49, ZenBusiness’s registered agent service costs $199 per year from the start.

Operating Agreement Template

An operating agreement outlines the business practices and policies your LLC will follow. It’s a contract signed by members of the LLC that describes the ownership and management structure and distribution of profits, losses, rights, duties and voting policies. It can describe what happens if someone dies or leaves the LLC and what can cause the LLC to dissolve .

A handful of states require LLCs to have operating agreements on file, but most states don’t. However, it’s a good business practice to have one. Otherwise, default state laws will apply to your LLC which may not be exactly how you want it to run.

Other Business Services

Like other formation companies, ZenBusiness offers extra services to help with formation and maintenance of your LLC. While not required to actually file your LLC paperwork with the state, these services are all but essential to setting your LLC up for success.

EIN Application

For many LLCs (those with more than one member or any employees), an employer identification number (EIN) (also called a federal tax ID number) is required from the IRS. Many formation services will request this number on your behalf. It’s free and relatively easy to request from the IRS website .

ZenBusiness will request an EIN for you for an additional $99 . While it’s possible to request an EIN on your own for free, some people may find it worth the cost to have ZenBusiness handle the process for them completely.

“Worry-Free Compliance” Service

ZenBusiness offers help with ongoing compliance requirements, including reminders of annual filing deadlines, to keep your business operational and legitimate. It is free for the first year year ($199 after) or is included in the Pro or Premium plans. ZenBusiness can take care of your necessary annual reporting obligations and paperwork. This helps prevent your business from getting fined or losing its liability protection. An annual report service can take ongoing stress off of you so you can focus on growing your business.

Document Templates

The ZenBusiness LLC formation service gives clients access to templates for important legal documents that might be needed to conduct business, such as operating agreements, corporate bylaws and banking resolutions. These documents are all accessible 24/7 via your personalized online dashboard, which you can try for free .

Website and Email Setup

If your business needs a website, ZenBusiness can set one up for you. The company can also register a domain name and set up a business email address for you.

ZenBusiness has partnerships with Bank of America for opening a business bank account and Chase for obtaining a business credit card. It offers special deals for ZenBusiness users specifically, including several types of credit cards with different perks, and suggestions for which one to apply for depending on your specific needs.

If you’re using a formation service — especially for the first time — you’re going to have questions at some point in the startup process. Every formation company offers some type of customer service. Is it actually helpful, or are you left in the dark? Read about our experience with ZenBusiness’s customer service.

How to Get in Touch

Customer service is accessible no matter what package you choose. Even with a $0 basic package, you can connect quickly with a customer service representative and get your questions answered. You can get in touch with ZenBusiness in one of several ways:

Email at [email protected] or [email protected]
ZenBusiness phone number is 1-844-4-ZENBIZ (1-844-493-6249)
Chat with a live agent on the ZenBusiness website

Response Accuracy and Timeliness

The automated chat responses were not as accurate as we needed, initially. However, it is easy to connect with a live agent within minutes to receive an accurate response to your question.

ZenBusiness doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee if there are errors in your filing. They do have a refund policy which offers a 100% refund “minus any expenses incurred to begin your formation.”

How We Scored Customer Satisfaction

Use the drop-down arrows in the table below to learn more about how we got our final ratings.

ZenBusiness offers starter, pro and premium plans at varying prices. Everything included in the starter plan is included in the higher tier plans. Review our comparison table and read more for details on how the plans compare.

The most basic ZenBusiness LLC package comes with a special price of $0 for first-time users, plus state filing fees (cost varies by state). The Starter package will automatically renew annually for $199 starting the second year unless you cancel your membership before that date.

The ZenBusiness LLC Starter package is a great option if you need to create an LLC or corporation and don’t mind waiting for the two- to three-week processing time to get operations up and running. If you need to file more quickly, you can pay a fee for expedited filing .

ZenBusiness’s mid-tier Pro package costs $199 per year, plus state fees. It includes everything in the Starter package plus expedited shipping and operating agreement template. This makes Pro an attractive choice, as it offers a package that an entrepreneur needs to get their business filed quickly and running smoothly.

Lastly, there’s the Premium option, the most elite ZenBusiness LLC package, which comes with a $349 annual price tag, plus state filing fee. Premium includes rush business filing, business website and email creation, plus domain name privacy and a business email address.

If quick filing and online features are important to aspiring entrepreneurs, they could save in add-on fees by choosing ZenBusiness’s Premium package over Pro.

In our opinion, the biggest downside to all ZenBusiness LLC packages is that they don’t include an EIN, which is necessary for banking and hiring employees. However, an EIN can be added to the packages for a flat fee of $99.

Among the best LLC services , how does ZenBusiness compare? We’ve done all the legwork for you. Check out our comparison table and read more for details on how the different LLC formation service providers measure up to each other.

Basic package comparison

Zenbusiness vs. legalzoom.

LegalZoom is an online legal technology company that helps its customers get the legal help they need without necessarily having to find a lawyer. Though LegalZoom offers more than just business formation services, we’ll only be looking at that feature to fairly compare its services to those of ZenBusiness.

Like ZenBusiness, LegalZoom offers three pricing tiers for its LLC filing services — Economy, Standard and Express Gold — but the basic ZenBusiness LLC costs less. For example, ZenBusiness’s Starter plan will cost first-time business filers $0 and comes with a two- to three-week turnaround time, while LegalZoom’s Economy plan is $79 and has a 20-day processing time window.

When it comes to customer satisfaction, ZenBusiness and LegalZoom both appear to have won over customers: Each entity has “Excellent” ratings on Trustpilot, but ZenBusiness has a slight edge with a rating average of 4.7 stars from over 13,000 reviews . LegalZoom has an average rating of 4.6 stars from over 3,000 reviews . (It’s worth noting that LegalZoom’s reviews are from clients who may have used the company for legal services that may not have had anything to do with running a business.)

Based on price and customer reviews, we would recommend ZenBusiness over LegalZoom for anyone looking for a simple business formation service. On the other hand, if you require legal assistance or additional business services, such as intellectual property registration, you may want to check out LegalZoom.

Read our LegalZoom review if you’d like to learn more about its online legal help offerings.

ZenBusiness vs. IncFile

Incfile is more like ZenBusiness than LegalZoom because Incfile’s sole focus is to help entrepreneurs form their businesses. The Incfile website boasts that the company has “the fastest and easiest way to set up your LLC” and promises to be “simple, affordable and supportive.”

Looking at cost and features, Incfile definitely poses tougher competition for ZenBusiness compared to other business formation services. Incfile is undoubtedly faster, promising customers that order processing will start on the next business day at no extra cost.

And speaking of cost, it’s hard to look past Incfile’s first-year special price of free — yes, free — for their basic Silver package. Silver includes LLC filing, a registered agent and other business formation services for just the cost of the state fee, and will automatically renew annually for $119 (ZenBusiness’s Starter package renews at $199 per year).

Neither Incfile’s Silver package nor ZenBusiness’s Starter package include an operating agreement document or EIN. For $99, you can add an operating agreement to the ZenBusiness LLC Starter package; for $99, you can add an EIN. Incfile’s Silver customers can add an operating agreement to their package for $40 and an EIN for $70.

Next, we turned to customer reviews. ZenBusiness has more “Excellent” reviews than Incfile on Trustpilot. Of ZenBusiness’s more than 10,000 reviews, 86% were Excellent and only 3% were “Bad.” On the other hand, of Incfile’s more than 1 5,000 reviews , 84% were “Excellent” and 4% were “Bad.” That being said, Incfile has more than 72,000 reviews on Shopper Approved and maintains an impressive rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars . (ZenBusiness is not rated on this site.) Both businesses have over 4 stars based on Better Business Bureau reviews, but ZenBusiness has had over 150 complaints filed in the past three years compared to Incfile’s over 200 complaints .

Based on customer reviews, we may recommend using ZenBusiness over Incfile for your business needs. However, Incfile is a more affordable choice, and we’ve found that both options are great for LLC formation.

If you’d like to learn more about Incfile, you can read our full Incfile review here.

ZenBusiness vs. Swyft Filings

Another competitor in the online business formation space is Swyft Filings, founded in Houston in 2015. According to its website, Swyft Filings will help you “start your business with confidence,” and promises to be affordable, fast and simple. Compared to other services, Swyft Filings offers decent prices and quick processing times.

At a quick glance, Swyft Filings’ Basic package looks pretty comparable to the ZenBusiness LLC Starter. Swyft Filings’ Basic costs $49 and promises a faster 7 to 10 business day processing window compared to ZenBusiness 2 to 3 weeks.

The biggest downside is that Swyft Filings’ low-tier package does not include a registered agent or an operating agreement. If you need Swyft Filings to act as your registered agent, it will cost you an additional $149 per year; adding on the operating agreement costs $35.

Another downside is that Swyft Filings’ customer service is only available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST, whereas ZenBusiness’s customer service is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST

It seems Swyft Filings and ZenBusiness both have thousands of happy clients, with tons of positive reviews from customers and “Excellent” ratings on TrustPilot. ZenBusiness’s rating has more weight to it, with over 10,000 reviews, compared to Swyft Filings’ just over 6,000 reviews .

If you’re new to the business formation process and think you’ll benefit from a provider that has extended support hours, you might want to choose the ZenBusiness LLC option. That being said, both ZenBusiness and Swyft Filings are solid choices for LLC formation. Read our full Swyft Filings review here.

Should I use ZenBusiness for my LLC?

If you’re an already established or aspiring entrepreneur who needs to register an LLC or corporation, ZenBusiness is the best option. For $0 plus state fees (for the first year), you can get started with the basic ZenBusiness LLC package and be in business after a relatively short processing period of two to three weeks.

On the other hand, if you already have a business but need a registered agent, ZenBusiness offers registered agent services starting at $199 a year. You would have peace of mind knowing that a ZenBusiness representative will make sure your business is in good standing with the government.

ZenBusiness may not be the best option if you need a bit more in terms of legal services when it comes to your business. If that’s you, you may want to opt for a company like LegalZoom or LegalShield that can help you form your LLC or corporation and provide you with legal help. However, if you want a little inspiration to help get your business off the ground, ZenBusiness offers unique resources to spark your creativity and learn about your strengths when it comes to operating a business.

What is ZenBusiness's refund policy?

ZenBusiness offers a 100% refund minus the costs already incurred in the business formation process. Unlike some other LLC formation companies, ZenBusiness doesn’t have a 100% satisfaction guarantee offering money back for erroneous filings, however their customer satisfaction score ranks as high or higher than companies with such a guarantee.

How much does ZenBusiness cost?

ZenBusiness offers three package tiers at $0 (which renews at $199 after the first year), $199 and $299, plus state filing fees. All packages are customizable with optional add-ons which would increase the price. ZenBusiness registered agent services aren’t included in the packages and cost an additional $199 per year.

Is ZenBusiness easy to use?

Yes! Our review of ZenBusiness confirmed that the website has an intuitive interface with a simple and enjoyable user experience.

How long has ZenBusiness been around?

ZenBusiness was started in 2015 and has quickly established itself as one of the top-ranked LLC formation services. It’s a public benefit corporation, which is a type of for-profit corporation that aims to make a positive impact on society.

Our ZenBusiness Review Methodology

Our team uses an unbiased review method for all of the LLC formation services we rate. Our method includes spending significant time using as many of the tools as we can from each of the LLC services and documenting our experience. We give ratings from 0.0 to 1.0, with 1.0 being the best, for experiences in the following areas:

Features. We look at what essential features the company offers for starting an LLC. We consider essential features to be a registered agent service, operating agreement template, EIN application, license help, expert advice, tax advisory services, compliance help and guarantee of acceptance.
Value for money. Did we feel like we were getting a deal, getting short-changed or getting what we paid for? We rated the value of every formation company’s basic, middle and premium formation packages.
Customer service. Was our customer service experience good, fair or poor? We reviewed each company’s customer service offerings over email, phone and chat, depending on timeliness and accuracy of responses.
Ease of use. We looked at whether we could navigate the website successfully and where the roadblocks, if any, came up. Did we have trouble adding features or signing into our account? We compared our experiences before and after account setup.
Customer satisfaction. We looked at customer ratings across review sites and rated our own satisfaction with the process.
Service not offered.
Service included in basic package.
Service free for one year.
Service available for additional fee.

Note that formation companies may offer promotional deals or additional free services.

Interested in starting an LLC? Below are the links to our all-inclusive, state-specific LLC formation guides.

Legal Disclaimer: This article contains general legal information but does not constitute professional legal advice for your particular situation and should not be interpreted as creating an attorney-client relationship. If you have legal questions, you should seek the advice of an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.

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ZenBusiness Review 2023 – Do NOT Buy Before Reading This!

ZenBusiness Review : If you want to start your business at $0, then ZenBusiness is for you. ZenBusiness is one of the most popular business formation services. This Texas-based company offers from top to toe services at $0 when it comes to forming your Limited Liability Company. From naming your LLC to filing your LLC annual reports, it provides 360-degree services. In my ZenBusiness Review , I will elaborate on why one should go for this service even when other free LLC formation services are available in the market.

When you compare the best LLC services available, you will find other services that also provide zero-cost LLC formation. Apart from the mandatory state filing fees, no other money is needed to form your LLC. However, if you ask me, I would prefer ZenBusiness over other free services.

“100% accuracy” and “Transparency” are the main key features of ZenBusiness. There is no hidden charges or delay in work, or compromise in service quality. ZenBusiness is a one-stop solution for you when forming an LLC. This company’s Premium Plan offers almost all the services, but it is lighter on your wallet than other competitors. A mid-sized to large LLC will benefit from its premium plan.

If I have to enlist the best LLC Services , then for me, ZenBusiness will be number one. Read this review further to know why.

On this page, you’ll learn about the following:

ZenBusiness: About The Company

Starter plan, premium plan, zenbusiness service plans: at a glance, when should you choose zenbusiness, when should you not choose zenbusiness, zenbusiness alternatives, zenbusiness review: summary, zenbusiness vs others, zenbusiness review: a quick summary.

Low-cost formation services
100% accuracy in forming an LLC
Hassle-free, fast & simple formation
User-friendly services
Finest, trustworthy & dedicated customer service
Exceptional Customer Reviews (Trustpilot)
More than 2,00,000 new businesses formed
Personalized Service
Customizable Dashboard
BBB accredited since 2019, with an “A+ rating”
No Non-profit formation
EIN is included in the Pro and Premium packages but not in the Starter Pack
Service Quality: 5/5
Turnaround Time: 4.5/5
Pricing: 5/5
Customer Feedback: 5/5
User Friendly: 4.5/5

Overall Rating: 4.8/5

Ross Buhrdorf founded ZenBusiness in 2015 in Austin, Texas. In November 2017, the company declared that it had raised $200 million. Even if the company is fairly new in the market, it still stands out with its consistency & services.

The core values of ZenBusiness are “Transparency, Protection, & paying it forward.” ZenBusiness promises that they operate with transparency, honesty, & integrity. By the word protection, the company means that it helps your business to remain in good standing. What this company earns pays it forward – by awarding small business grants to prospective entrepreneurs. ZenBusiness boasts having formed over 2,00,000 businesses & receiving numerous positive reviews from users. You will see many online business formation services, but for me, ZenBusiness surpasses them all.

With ZenBusiness, you will get three Plans: Starter Plan, Pro Plan, & Premium Plan. It is perhaps the only formation service company that offers the three important features in all its Plans. Those three important features included in every Plan are LLC ( Limited Liability Company ) formation, free registered agent & a free operating agreement draft.

Note : The credit for ZenBusiness being in the top position can be attributed to its 100% accuracy in forming an LLC & its best budget service.

Packages Offered by ZenBusiness

As mentioned above, ZenBusiness offers three Plans; Starter Plan, Pro Plan, & Premium Plan. Even the starter Plan has essential services like free registered agents & free operating agreement templates.

$0 + Additional State Fees (Tax deduction may apply)

The Starter Plan has all the essential services required to form an LLC. It is a suitable plan for you if you want a budget-friendly LLC formation plan. The Starter Plan is available at $0. However, the mandatory state filing fees must be paid to the State.

Turnaround Time: 2-3 Weeks

The Services included in this plan are,

Name Availability Search
Prepare and File LLC
Phone and Email Support
Online Document Access
Statement of Organizer
Free Accounting Consultation
Virtual Business Guide
Google Ads Credit
Standard Filing Speed

Starter Plan Beneficieraies

The ZenBusiness starter plan is beneficial for small businesses & startups with comparatively tight budgets. It is cost-effective & offers all the essential services, e.g., formation document filing and operating agreement draft. With Starter Plan, you must pay an additional cost to get an Employer Identification Number.

$199 + Additional State Fees (Tax deduction may apply)

The Pro Plan offers some essential additional services along with all the main services offered in the Starter Plan. Also, in Pro Plan, it takes lesser time to form your LLC.

Turnaround Time: 1-5 Days

The additional services included in the Pro Plan are,

Advertising Consultant LLC filing – ZenBusiness does everything needed to file your application to become an advertising consultant business and communicates with the state until your LLC is formalized.
Advertising Consultant Operating Agreement
Advertising consultant Annual Compliance service – ZenBusiness takes care of everything needed each year in your state to operate legally within your industry
Rush Filing Service

Pro Plan Beneficieraies

The Pro Plan is suitable for mid-sized businesses looking for an expedited process & filing of an Employer ID Number. It is the best fit for companies; that may not be able to handle the compliance part on their own. Startups or Small business owners may regret choosing this plan because they may be paying extra for services that are not required for their businesses.

$299 + Additional State Fees (Tax deduction may apply)

The Premium Plan is the costliest plan offered by ZenBusiness. Premium Plan offers almost all the services related to the formation of an LLC. In addition to the services mentioned in the first two plans, i.e., the Starter Plan & Pro Plan;

Turnaround Time: 1-2 Days

Premium Pan has the following additional offerings,

Fastest /Rush Filing Speed
Business Website
Business Domain Name
Business Email address

Premium Plan Beneficieraies

The premium plan is all-inclusive; hence, it is suitable for bigger businesses. These companies would require an agency to manage almost everything related to the formation, Banking Procedures, Websites, Email Addresses, etc. So, the LLCs who do not want these additional services should not opt for this plan.

Add-ons Offered by ZenBusiness

Along with the standard services offered within each plan, ZenBusiness offers several other a-la-carte services. While some of these services are offered within the plans (at an additional cost), some services must be bought individually. In short, for the services offered individually, you don’t have to buy any plans. For further assistance on pricing & services, you can mail them or chat with the customer associate.

The individual services (Services that you can buy without buying the plan) are,

Standalone Registered Agent Service – $99
Business Name Reservation- $50
Annual Report Filing- $100 + state fees
New York Publication- $200 + publication cost
Filing Amendment- $100 + state fees
Certificate of Good Standing- $100 + state fees
Business License Report- $99
Business Document Templates Library- $99

As mentioned above, ZenBusiness offers services you can add to the plan; at checkout as an upgrade. Those services are

Expedite Filing Speed- $50
Rush Filing Speed- $100
Banking Resolution Template- $30
Employer ID Number- $99
Worry-free Compliance- $199 yearly
Business Website- $129 yearly
Business Domain Name- $25 yearly
Business Domain Name Privacy- $10 yearly
Business Email Address- $25 yearly
Google Ads Credit- $150 value

Verdict: Should You Choose ZenBusiness or Not?

Choosing ZenBusiness service for your business depends on a few things. First, if you want to spend even a penny to form your LLC if yes, then go for it. If not, go for the free LLC service formation (Incfile or Inc Authority). Now, the thing is, forming LLC does not only mean filling your Articles of Organization; it includes other steps like an operating agreement , EIN , registered agents, and so on. Get a full insight into how to form an LLC from this site.

With ZenBusiness, if you go for the Starter Plan, you will get your formation documents filed, operating agreement draft, and other benefits at $0. Besides, all the plans have free accounting consultations as well. So, I would choose ZenBusiness over any other free LLC service provider any day. If you can spend more to form your LLC, you can go for the Premium Plan, which has everything under one roof. The Premium plan has services like a website, rush filing speed, and domain name for free, which otherwise costs $225 extra in other plans.

For some, ZenBusiness would not be a favorable choice. Because if you choose the Started Plan ($0), you will have to carry the cost of obtaining EIN . This additional cost can be waived if you directly apply to the IRS. On the other hand, many people are skeptical about the hidden charges that the Premium Plan has, even though the company claims that it is “Transparent” when it comes to its pricing.

ZenBusiness is a kind of company anyone can choose over any competitors. Their starter pack is available at $0. Unlike other free services, ZenBusiness has much more facilities. Especially small and mid-sized businesses, start-ups, and businesses with a limited budget can go for ZenBusiness. If you are a large business, then their Premium Plan would be the best choice. As it offers everything, you can form an LLC at a reasonable price.

A very small LLC looking for only the essential services may find it difficult to choose ZenBusiness. The starter plan is a more suitable option for them, but there is an additional cost even for the basic service like filing an EIN. So, one can not rely upon the starter plan alone to cover all the essential services.

Honestly speaking, with the range of prices and services ZenBusiness offers, there is no alternative to this company. However, you can still go for other options available in the market and explore their prices and quality before you choose anything for your business. At the end of the day, it is your money that is going to be invested. To explore other competitors in the market, look at the list of best LLC services available.

ZenBusiness is one company that takes care of everything when it comes to forming a business. Zen has everything for you, whether a corporation or a limited liability company. If you go and check the ZenBusiness review on the internet, you will find almost all the positive customer reviews, especially TrustPilot. Apart from the government fee, their own charges are comparatively lower than other registered agent service providers.

The pricing and the services it has are user-friendly. Their premium plan offers everything at a much more reasonable price compared to other services. Be it a registered agent service, bank, insurance, or any other LLCs related services, ZenBusiness is there to guide you through. My experience researching this company is incredible, as I have received impeccable customer reviews. Also, Zenbusiness focuses on the privacy of their customer.

As users share sensitive information with the company, Zen makes sure the information does not get breached. Their minimum package starts from $0 + State fee. The customer would know about the money added to their final bill.

Some users complain that ZenBusiness has hidden charges, which shows on the final billing page. In that case, it is recommended to check your final bill page before you make any payments through a credit card or any other mode of payment. If you are wrongly billed, immediately contact their customer portal or mail them to their official address. You can email them as well at their company email address. You will get an immediate response as their customer service is extremely swift. LLC formation is not easy as it involves preparing a filing document, filing a DBA, obtaining an employer identification number, and other corporate services. Zen is there to serve you with everything at reasonable pricing.

How to Use ZenBusiness

You need to set up your account by providing all the necessary details. You can use the ZenBusiness services for business name search, registered agent services, LLC filing tax planning, etc.

One of the key features of ZenBusiness is its user-friendly interface. From the moment you log on to their website, you are greeted with a clean and intuitive layout that is easy to navigate. The streamlined design ensures that you can quickly find the information and tools you need without any confusion or hassle. Whether it’s registering your business, filing documents, or managing compliance requirements, the process has never been more straightforward. One of the standout features of ZenBusiness is their exceptional customer support. Starting a business can be an overwhelming process, especially if you are a first-time entrepreneur. But with ZenBusiness, help is just a phone call or email away. Their knowledgeable and friendly customer support team is always ready to assist you in any way they can. Whether you have a simple question or need guidance on a more complex matter, they are there to ensure you have a smooth experience. Another aspect that sets ZenBusiness apart is their commitment to affordability and transparency. One of the most significant hurdles for many entrepreneurs is the hefty cost associated with starting and maintaining a business. However, ZenBusiness offers affordable pricing plans that suit a range of needs and budgets. And what’s most impressive is their transparency – there are no hidden fees or surprises along the way. You can trust that the prices you see are the prices you pay, offering incredible value for your money. Furthermore, ZenBusiness has prioritized security and privacy, providing you with peace of mind. They give utmost importance to safeguarding your sensitive information, employing state-of-the-art measures to protect your data. Their secure servers and encryption technology ensure that your information remains confidential and secure, thereby minimizing any potential risks. Aside from the various impressive features and benefits, ZenBusiness shines in its commitment to social responsibility. By partnering with different nonprofits through their Giveback program, ZenBusiness demonstrates a genuine dedication to making a positive impact in communities across the country. You can feel proud knowing that a portion of your payment contributes to causes that are making a tangible difference. In conclusion, ZenBusiness is a game-changer for entrepreneurs seeking a stress-free and efficient path to starting and managing a business. With its user-friendly interface, exceptional customer support, affordability, security measures, and commitment to social responsibility, ZenBusiness provides an unmatched solution in the market. So whether you are a novice or an experienced entrepreneur, give ZenBusiness a try, and unlock the full potential of your business dreams

Yes, ZenBusiness is a trustworthy & legitimate business, formed in 2015. It is BBB accredited since 2019 with an “A+ rating.”

It is not mandatory to have a registered agent for your LLC. But, it is highly advisable to have one for proper & timely filing of various documents & taxes so that you don’t have to bear late fees or penalties.

You can cancel your account with ZenBusiness without any penalties or fees. You can chat with customer service during the prescribed hours.

ZenBusiness offers a 60-day money-back guarantee on its offerings. You get a refund after deducting State-fees or any other third-party fees for cancellation.

The ZenBusiness starter plan costs you $0, which includes all the essential services in addition to LLC formation. The other two plans cost $199 and $349, respectively.

In Conclusion

ZenBusiness services are the best of all available in the market. In my ZenBusiness review, I have justified why one should choose it. It is priced reasonably & offers a plethora of services. The starter plan can have one or two additional services at the same cost, e.g., EIN or Business Resolution template. With the addition of these two services in the plan, it will be the best fit for start-ups or small LLCs.

I would appreciate your feedback on the same. Leave your comment below and tell me your take on ZenBusiness as well as this review article.

About Author & Editorial Staff

Steve Goldstein

Steve Goldstein, founder of LLCBuddy, is a specialist in corporate formations, dedicated to guiding entrepreneurs and small business owners through the LLC process. LLCBuddy provides a wealth of streamlined resources such as guides, articles, and FAQs, making LLC establishment seamless. The diligent editorial staff makes sure content is accurate, up-to-date information on topics like state-specific requirements, registered agents, and compliance. Steve's enthusiasm for entrepreneurship makes LLCBuddy an essential and trustworthy resource for launching and running an LLC.

2 thoughts on “ZenBusiness Review 2023 – Do NOT Buy Before Reading This!”

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Could we talk about zenbusiness’s add ons?

ZenBusiness Review

Starting a business involves lots of paperwork and can be overwhelming, but ZenBusiness makes the process easier and smoother. The company helps you file their business formation documents with your state, providing a customized experience with more guidance than new business owners have on their own. With its affordable prices, fast processing times, and a suite of available services, ZenBusiness is a valuable option for people looking to start a business.

Comparing ZenBusiness to The Best LLC Services

ZenBusiness offers many benefits, particularly when it comes to establishing your business correctly and legally. It also is known for having excellent customer service and affordable rates. In fact, ZenBusiness is our overall top recommendation in our review of the best LLC services :

ZenBusiness – Best for Most
Incfile – Best Range of LLC services
LegalZoom – Best for Speaking with Attorneys
Inc Authority – Best for Skipping Service Fees
BizFilings – Best for Choosing the Right Entity Type

Like our other top picks, ZenBusiness can help you form different types of LLCs and corporations. It doesn’t have the same depth of legal resources as LegalZoom, but our research team really appreciated the easy, step-by-step filing experience with ZenBusiness. The vast majority of people looking to form a new business won’t find ZenBusiness lacking.

ZenBusiness: The Good and The Bad

Centralized, Integrated Platform: ZenBusiness streamlines all of the work you’ll have to do to start up a new business, and it keeps all of that essential information on one platform. With ZenBusiness, it’s easy to track the progress of each step you’re taking to create your business, and you don’t have to try to manage deadlines and priorities across multiple platforms.

Excellent Support : ZenBusiness formation experts are available to provide customer support during business hours. That support is available for the entire life of your business. Additionally, ZenBusiness provides detailed Q&As and resources, including articles, to help you start your business.

Extra Add-Ons : While ZenBusiness offers three main packages, it also provides an array of add-on services, like worry-free compliance, annual reporting services, and registered agents services. You can add on the specific services you need, tailoring a package for your business without paying a high price for services you won’t use.

Worry-Free Compliance : One of the more valuable services ZenBusiness offers is its Worry-Free Compliance. With this service, ZenBusiness handles your state filings, helping keep you compliant. If you ever fall out of compliance, you’ll have support from ZenBusiness experts to get you back on track. This service can offer significant peace of mind, especially for new business owners.

Quick Processing Times: Many ZenBusiness customers report quick LLC formation processing times of just a few days. The Pro and Premium plans offer accelerated processing if you’re in a rush and want to speed up the process even more.

Pay It Forward: ZenBusiness is a Public Benefit Corporation, meaning it helps small businesses grow by awarding them grants and loans. Your business will be supporting a company that then supports other small businesses. ZenBusiness awarded more than $100,000 worth of grants to small businesses in 2020.

Helpful Resources: A quick look around the ZenBusiness site makes it evident that this business is designed to help small businesses and entrepreneurs. There’s useful guidance and information on nearly every page that gives you the background details you need to make well-informed decisions about how to best run your business.

Business Website Option: Unlike some other business formation services, ZenBusiness offers a set of tools to help you put together a professional online presence. It includes a business website, domain name, security certificate, and more.

The Bad

Filing Fees Not Included : Because filing fees vary by state, they’re not included in ZenBusiness’ pricing. This is the same with all services, but you’ll want to budget the state fees into the total costs you’ll see with ZenBusiness.

Subscription Model : ZenBusiness runs on a subscription model with annual billing. Since most of its services, like LLC formation, occur only once, these plans lose significant value after the first year. A one-time payment for business formation services would be a more practical option.

Limited Website Capabilities: Though it offers business website services, there are limited website templates and customization options. If your company is in ecommerce or otherwise relies on your website, you may be better off with a dedicated website builder with more options, functionality, and customization.

ZenBusiness Pricing and Options

ZenBusiness offers three business formation plans that are billed annually. Keep in mind that these plan prices don’t include your state’s filing fees, which can vary depending on where you live. Check your state’s filing fees and add them into the plan rates for the most accurate idea of what to budget.

The Starter plan starts at $0 plus state fees and offers the basic services you’ll need to create an LLC and start to run your business. In addition to filing your LLC paperwork, the plan includes a service to help with your annual report, as well as an operating agreement template that you can use when starting your business.

The Pro plan costs $199 and is likely the best fit for most businesses. It has everything from the Starter plan and includes valuable items like a banking resolution template and a 100% accuracy guarantee. Most importantly, the Pro plan includes an Employer ID Number, which you’ll need to operate your LLC. The Pro plan will also expedite your filing speed, ideal if you need to start your LLC quickly and are anxious to get the business running.

Stepping up to the Premium plan at $349 per year gets you a more comprehensive plan, but you’ll want to consider whether you need the additional items included in this plan. In addition to the items in the Pro plan, the Premium plan includes a business website, a business domain name, domain name privacy, and a business email address. If you haven’t yet made plans to create your business website and email yourself, this can be a convenient way to get your business online quickly. However, if you’ve already begun work on these items, this addition would be redundant and unnecessary.

It’s also important to note that some users have spoken of limited website templates and functionality. If you plan to build a business that relies heavily on your website, it will likely make more sense to go with a website builder like Wix , WordPress , or Shopify . As a dedicated service in that field, you’ll get a lot more options and be able to tailor your website to your needs.

These three plans offer various pricing options. The Starter plan is ideal for a small business on a budget, and the Premium plan offering convenience but still being highly affordable. In terms of overall value, the Pro plan makes the most sense for most businesses, especially since it gives you peace of mind with its accuracy guarantee and worry-free compliance. If you want to ensure that your business is established legally and that you’re starting it off correctly, this plan can be a worthwhile investment, particularly during the first year of business.

While these plans offer decent value because of their LLC filing assistance, that’s only essential when you’re starting your business. These plans provide less value and use in the following years, so you may want to consider canceling after your business has gotten what you need out of it.

ZenBusiness Business Formation Services

ZenBusiness is best known for its business formation services. Whether you need an LLC or a corporation structure, you can choose the appropriate services, and ZenBusiness collects and files your paperwork with your state. The state confirms everything, and ZenBusiness provides you with your documents right in your dashboard. This makes it easy to access the information that you need.

ZenBusiness offers four primary filing services:

DBA (doing business as)
Business name reservation

ZenBusiness can help you navigate the filing process for each entity. The option you choose depends on the business form that’s right for your scenario. You’ll find lots of information about the differences between these types of filings on the ZenBusiness website.

ZenBusiness also offers the option to reserve your business name, which is a strategy that some newer business owners might not be aware of. Coming up with the perfect business name can be a challenge, and you don’t want to let that name get away while you’re working out the logistics of starting your business. ZenBusiness can reserve your business name before officially registering your business, giving you some leeway to pick your structure and get the paperwork started. While the amount of time can vary depending on your state, many states let you lock in your name for 120 days.

ZenBusiness Reserve a Business Name Today webpage

In addition to these filling options, ZenBusiness offers several services that can help you get your business running faster. Its operating agreement template can help you to protect your personal assets and outline business rules and ownership. The template helps ensure you haven’t missed anything important when planning and outlining your business, and it’s an easy way to approach your business professionally.

To operate your business, you’ll also need an EIN, and ZenBusiness can help with that, too. You’ll need your EIN to open a business bank account, hire employees, and separate your business finances from your personal finances. You can request an EIN through ZenBusiness, and keep that information right in your dashboard so that it’s easily accessible.

ZenBusiness Business Operation Services

Once you’ve created your business, ZenBusiness offers a variety of services that can help you run your business professionally and efficiently.

With ZenBusiness, you can easily register for a business domain name. You can then use that domain for your website, your business email, and more. Registration costs $25 per year, and it’s one of the first essential steps in branding your business and building an online presence.

ZenBusiness register a domain name webpage.

ZenBusiness also offers the ability to create and manage a customized business website. You can pair that site with your domain name and use the available editable templates to save time in building your business. While ZenBusiness provides limited information on its website building options, it offers the convenience of having your website, domain registration, and all of the business’ state filings in one dashboard.

You can also use ZenBusiness to file your annual report. Many states require businesses to file annual reports, and it can be time-consuming. Missing filing deadlines can cause your business to fall out of compliance, but ZenBusiness can make the process of filing an annual report easier and faster. The platform sends you notifications to keep you updated about approaching annual report deadlines. You can track your annual report documents right in the ZenBusiness dashboard and access them for future reports to save time.

ZenBusiness is an appealing option for new business owners who want some guidance and reassurance as they establish their companies. This service does offer excellent value in its first year, especially if you’re worried about navigating the process of filing an LLC, establishing a C Corp, or even just taking care of all those documents you need to get your business up and running. If you aren’t ready to hire a lawyer, ZenBusiness can increase the chances of establishing your business correctly and being set up properly to pay taxes. While some of the plans’ value decreases after the first year, ZenBusiness can be a valuable tool to help entrepreneurs navigate that tricky first year of starting a business.

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ZenBusiness Review 2023 | LLC Formation is Now Free???

Last Updated: July 28, 2023
By: Greg Bouhl

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Learn more:

Visit ZenBusiness.com

ZenBusiness LLC Formation Service

Starting a new business means managing 10,000 moving parts, 19 different deadlines, and finding time to sleep. While all these things are important, we can’t forget about the most exciting topic: the legalities of forming and running a small business.

All joking aside, being compliant with local, state, and federal law is essential. Starting your business on the right foot sets a strong foundation you can build upon in the future.

No heavy lifting (on your part) is required.

Although nearly everything to do with starting a new business is complicated, forming your Limited Liability Company (LLC) doesn’t have to be. While you can file the entity formation paperwork through your state’s Secretary of State’s website (or similarly named state agency that is responsible for entity formations), business formation service providers like ZenBusiness, make forming your corporation or LLC quick, easy, and painless.

But with so many options in the industry, it’s hard to decide which business formation service is the right choice for you and your new business. To help guide you in the right direction, I'll do an in-depth review of ZenBusiness to uncover the things I liked, the things I didn’t like, their pricing plans, real-life user reviews, and more.

By the end, I think you’ll see that ZenBusiness will help you cross entity formation off your to-do list without pulling your hair out and while keeping (most of) your hard-earned money in your wallet.

Let’s get started with this ZenBusines review!

Newly released free plan!
Their guided online process walks you through the LLC formation service which is the best for someone who is afraid of doing something wrong when forming their first business.
Central dashboard where documents and business tools are held.
Free business name availability check.
Live customer support is available via live chat, phone, and email Monday through Friday and Sunday.
Free registered agent service for one year.
60 day money back guarantee (with the exception of state fees).
Add on services are expensive
There are several upsells throughout the registration process (though all free services do this, ZenBusiness isn't the worst offender).
I question the filing speeds. By filing an LLC directly in some states, the paperwork is filed immediately, but it can take a couple of weeks with ZenBusiness (unless you pay for expedited filing). ZenBusiness offers three different entity formation filing speeds when most states offer at most two.
No customer support on Saturdays. This is a minor gripe, especially since their customer service is really good and is available Sunday through Friday, but a lot of people go to their day job during the week, and Saturday is open for them to work on their business.
While I think the guided wizard is great for someone new to starting a business as it is very thorough, I think someone with entity formation experience would find it a little tedious.

ZenBusiness Review 2023

Featured llc formation services.

Best for beginners Pricing: $0 + State Fees

Most additional services Pricing: $0 + State Fees

Best privacy protection Pricing: $39 + State Fees

ZenBusiness Pricing

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Using ZenBusiness to form an LLC is an affordable and easy choice for new and seasoned business owners alike. They use a tiered pricing model, which means you can bundle services to save money.

Or you can build your own package if their standard packages don’t fit your needs.

ZenBusiness has three plans to choose from, and they now have a free plan (plus state fees) to form your corporation or LLC. The three plans are:

The Starter Plan ($0 + state fees – was $49!)
The Pro Plan ($199/year + state fees)
The Premium Plan ($349/year + state fees)

Starter Plan

The Starter Plan is the most basic service from ZenBusiness, but most people are going to be more than happy with it. For $0 plus the state formation fee, you get the entity formation paperwork filed with the state, a free registered agent, along with a free subscription to the limited ZenBusiness Money accounting program to track expenses in your business. For an additional $30, you can upgrade to the Money Pro program, which is a viable alternative to the Quickbooks accounting software . I’ll talk about Money Pro later.

This is the slowest of the three packages to give the state paperwork processed. For most people, the average 2-3 weeks (some states will take longer because of how long it takes the state to process the paperwork) isn’t going to be an issue, but if it is, you can pay extra or bump to the other two packages to speed things up.

It is important to know that unless you cancel, the ZenBusiness Starter Plan comes with the Worry-Free Compliance service, which will start at the end of the first year for $199 and an additional $199 to cover the registered agent service (remember, the first year is free on the registered agent).

What is included with the Worry-Free Compliance? Well, for $199, ZenBusiness will file the entity’s annual report to the state for you. Most states have an annual report, though some have you file less frequently, and that report simply updates the state with the contact information of the owners of the business and registered agent. It’s a pretty simple form to fill out and usually takes just a few minutes to do, but I know that some people have anxiety attacks when thinking about sending wrong information to the state. If this filing is overlooked, your LLC will no longer be in good standing with the state and will eventually be dissolved. For some, the $199 per year will be worth it to have one less thing to worry about, and for others, not so much.

Also, regarding the registered agent. Every state requires a registered agent. Provided you, as the owner, live in the state and will generally be at an address in that state during normal business hours, you can legally be the registered agent and pay nothing. That said, the name of the registered agent is listed as an official contact for the business, and some people don’t want the loss of privacy.

While free sounds good, if you don’t intend to keep the ZenBusiness registered agent service after the first year, I wouldn’t recommend signing up for the service to start with, as you will have to file a form and pay a state fee in most states to change the registered agent to someone else.

The ZenBusiness Pro Plan is similar to the Starter Plan, but it adds the Worry-Free Compliance up front, reduces the filing time to 1-2 days, and a guided operating agreement for an additional $199.

We have covered the first two items but haven’t touched the operating agreement yet. An LLC operating agreement is basically a framework for how the entity will operate. This isn’t required in most states, with the exception of Delaware, Maine, and Missouri, but some states even allow a verbal agreement (I’m not an attorney, but it’s safe to say this is never a good idea). The operating agreement is never filed with the state but should be kept with the other company documents.

One of the big improvements to the Pro and Premium plan that started in July 2023 is that the EIN registration is included. Entity formation companies charge $50 and up for this service.

Even if an operating agreement isn’t required, it’s often a very good idea, especially for multi-member LLCs. Without an operating agreement, if the LLC is sued, it may be subject to generic state rules that may be detrimental to the business or the members. Additionally, the operating agreement is used to formalize the roles and responsibilities of the members, which should help avoid disagreements later down the road.

Purchased separately, the guided operating agreement is $99. I highly recommend getting one, especially if there are multiple members in the LLC. Depending on the size and complexity of your business, I would consider having an attorney draft your operating agreement, as you might be looking at a little most in a cost of around $500-$600, but it would be completely customized to your business. We also have operating agreement templates for free to download , or you can find others online. While these are better than nothing, it would be beneficial to have an attorney review. The ZenBusiness guided operating agreement is a nice option between doing it yourself and hiring an attorney, as it asks questions along the way to get a majority of the important and state-related requirements in the document.

Don’t forget that after the first year, you will be billed $199 to cover the Worry Free Guarantee and an additional $199 for the registered agent unless you cancel those services. This is in addition to the renewal cost paid to the state to renew the LLC.

Premium Plan

The ZenBusiness Premium Plan is the highest-priced plan at $349. It offers the same features as the Pro Plan but also adds business documents, domain name, email address, and website.

The super fast filing is more of a bonus in some states than in others, depending on the state’s turnaround time, but the premium plan also adds some additional online services that I think are worth looking at.

For starters, you are going to get a domain name. This is the address someone would type in to get to your website. For example, the website could be www.yourbusinesswebsite.com. To buy this separately, you are looking at around $15 a year.

The email address is another service in this package and something I recommend many people use. Instead of using [email protected], the domain would be [email protected], which looks way more professional. Some companies that bundle the domain and website also offer custom email addresses. The challenge with this is that it can be a little challenging to set up, depending on how technical you are.

Last is the business website. This is an interesting offering and something worth considering if you need a website. ZenBusiness offers a website builder that will be a good solution for someone who isn’t a web designer to quickly get a website up without a lot of hassle.

I would have liked to see some more templates included in this website builder so there were more options on how the website would look, but overall it’s a good option for someone that wants a basic website that doesn’t look like it was made in 2010.

A provider like GoDaddy (which I’m not recommending, but they are popular) charges at a minimum of $10 a month for their website builder, plus the cost of the domain. So for $135 a year, with the ZenBusiness Premium Plan only being $150 more than the Pro Plan, may make this a great value for you.

After the first year, you would be billed the state fee for the annual renewal with the state, plus $349. The state fee you won’t be able to get around, but many people are surprised by the $349 renewal fee.

Which ZenBusiness LLC package should I choose?

Picking the right package is going to be different for everyone, but I think for most, the Starter Package is going to be the favorite, especially if you aren’t in a hurry. I know for me, the Worry-Free Compliance service is a bit expensive, in my opinion, to file a simple annual report each year. I’ve had clients that really like services like this, though, because they already had a lot on their plate and just don’t like dealing with state paperwork – and I get it.

The Pro plan basically adds the ZenBusiness Worry-Free compliance from the start, in addition to faster filing, EIN filing, and the guided operating agreement. They have greatly improved the Pro Plan, and I think there is better value than in the past, as they included faster processing and EIN filing. I don’t know that I would personally renew each year, as filing annual reports is pretty easy, but for others it takes the worries off of their shoulders.

I used to think the Premium Plan was a better bargain, but all it really added was the EIN filing. If you really want to bundle services under one account, I would say it’s worth it, but otherwise, I think the Basic of Pro plans are the best value.

How easy is it to form an LLC with ZenBusiness?

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

The LLC formation process with ZenBusiness is possibly the easiest and most intuitive out of all that have been tested, especially for someone completely new to business. ZenBusiness uses a guided online process that asks various questions to make sure everything is covered. Their wizard even works well on mobile too.

To form an LLC, visit ZenBusiness.com and select the LLC option and enter your state on ZenBusiness’s home page. Then, click the “Start Now” button.

Then, ZenBusiness will walk you through the formation process by asking a series of questions and providing “recommendations,” aka upsells. Some of these services you need, and others you may not, and I know it’s easy to want to err on the side of caution to avoid a mistake, but the downside of maybe spending more than you need. I’ll go through each of these and explain what your options are so you can make an educated decision.

If you come up with a question during your formation, ZenBusiness actually has helpful customer service chat that is just a click away. Just click on the ? bubble, and during my testing, someone (not a bot) was there to answer my question in less than two minutes. If you would rather talk to someone over the phone, they have that option too.

After entering a business name as I did above with StartingYourBusiness.com, this next screen confirms that we want to form an LLC, which we do, and I’ll click Yes, I’m ready to start my LLC.

Next, we are asked what state the LLC will be formed in. Enter your state, then click send to move on. I’ll choose Florida in this example.

ZenBusiness then does a preliminary search of the state database to see if your business name is available. Note that each state requires a unique name, and when ZenBusiness does their final checks, you may have to change it, and that’s the reason why.

Next, ZenBusiness asks for your first name. Enter yours and then click Send.

Next, ZenBusiness asks about your experience in business to tailor upcoming questions. I’ll choose None to get the most prompts.

The next prompt asks about the number of expected employees. You aren’t tied to this number by any means, but if you plan to have any employees in the first year, you would be guided to additional paperwork you need to file as an employer.

In this example, I’ll select No, as the owner will be the only one working in the business for this example.

Next, we are asked if the LLC will have a physical location other than the home. If you will have a storefront, warehouse, etc., where business activities will take place, choose Yes; otherwise, choose No.

In this example, I’ll choose No for a home-based business.

ZenBusiness then asks what stage your business is at. In this ZenBusiness review, I’ll choose Launching Soon.

Next, we are asked what the goals for our business are. We can choose Side Business, Primary Income, or Next Big Thing. There isn’t a wrong answer, as I’m not sure yet if they affect any remaining questions, but in this example, I’m choosing Side Business.

Then we are asked what industry our business is in, and this can be tricky for a lot of people since their business does a lot of things. Again, you can’t have a wrong answer here, but I would recommend choosing the activity where you plan to spend the most time or where the most income will be made.

When you begin typing, there will be industries that come up. It may take a few different keywords to get something relevant to show up, but if there isn’t anything that is close to your business, the field will take anything you enter.

In this example, I’ll choose Graphic Design Service.

We have the option to save and continue or skip and continue. ZenBusiness then uses the previous information to come up with a list of recommended services and to begin filing the LLC.

Let’s go over these to see which ones you really need.

First off, the registered agent is the first recommended service.

A registered agent is an appointed person or company that accepts important legal documents, summons, notices of lawsuits, etc., on behalf of a business and every state requires corporations and LLCs to have and maintain one.

A registered agent must either be an individual 18 years old or older or a company registered in the state of formation that is generally available at an address in the state during normal business hours. A PO Box or virtual address isn’t an acceptable address for the registered agent.

Many people choose to be their own registered agent, which keeps them from having to pay for this service, while others don’t want their name listed as the registered agent or just don’t want the hassle. ZenBusiness provides a registered agent at no cost in the first year and then $199 each year after that. The price of the ZenBusiness registered agent is pretty high, and there are other providers like Harbor Compliance at $99 per year, or Northwest Registered Agent which charges $125.

I’m going to choose to appoint my own registered agent.

ZenBusiness asks again, as I guess they realllly want to be your registered agent :), and while I don’t disagree that hiring a registered agent service can be a good idea, $199 a year is just too high, unless having the convenience of everything under one roof outweighs the higher cost.

I’ll pick Yes, I want to appoint someone else (meaning the owner or someone else will be the registered agent) and then continue.

The next recommended service is for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) and business documents. The bundle price is $149, the EIN by itself is $99, and the business documents by themselves are $99.

The Employer Identification Number is a nine-digit number that is assigned by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that uniquely identifies a business, much like what a Social Security Number does for an individual.

You only need an EIN if there is more than one member in your LLC, you have employees, or you elect to be taxed as a corporation. Otherwise, the individual owner would use their Social Security Number for the business identification number.

While $99 isn’t the highest price that I’ve seen from a company filing this document, many don’t realize that it only takes about 5 minutes and is free when filing directly with the IRS. If you want to do this yourself, here are detailed instructions on how to apply for an EIN . If you don’t want to file yourself, but want a less expensive option, Northwest does the same EIN filing for $50 . If you are filing with the Pro or Premium plan, the EIN filing is now free as of July 2023!

The ZenBusiness business documents may or may not be a good deal for you. It just depends on whether you actually need them or not. There are 25 documents, from a liability waiver, freelancer agreement, non-compete, confidentiality, employment, and more, and these documents will be conveniently stored in your ZenBusiness dashboard. See the full list of documents that are included in the package to make sure there are any that you would need. If you opt not to get the documents but want them later, you can log into your dashboard and purchase them at any time. I wouldn’t recommend buying them just in case, as if you don’t see one that you will need, it is likely that you won’t need them ever.

Moving on from this add-on, we get to pick one of the three packages. They do make you look at both the Starter and Pro Plans before allowing you to pick one.

I think the Starter Plan will cover most people, but if you decide later that you want additional services, ZenBusiness offers many options to help you run and grow your business that you can access at any time in your dashboard.

In this example, I’m going to choose the Starter Plan and continue.

The next service that is recommended is the ZenBusiness Money Pro accounting software. This is a pretty new software that I think is a real competitor against Quickbooks, Xero, Freshbooks, and others. At the end of the day, your business will likely need some system to track income and expenses.

From the testing that I’ve done so far, Money Pro looks like it should be a solid choice, especially for freelancers, as there is a function where you can track your time on a job, and then when you are ready, you can click a button to invoice the customer and request payment. It won’t replace the advanced functions of Quickbooks, but for a lot of businesses, many of the Quickbook features are going to go unused anyway.

Unless you have already done the research, before committing to paying $300 for accounting software, I would recommend taking the free limited version (Money Essential) for a test drive, along with the others, to see which one works best for you. They all offer free trials, so test them out and also talk with your accountant if you have one to see which one they support. You are likely in overload at this point anyway, and remember, you can come back to your ZenBusiness dashboard at any time to pick up the service.

After deciding on the accounting software, you can decide whether it’s worth paying for expedited service. To go from 2-4 weeks to 5-7 days, you would spend $49, or 2-3 days increases the price by $99. You can continue working on your business while the paperwork is moving forward, so don’t feel rushed to pay for faster service unless you really need it.

The next recommended service is for the website, domain name, and email address. The price by itself is an additional $149 per year.

We are getting close now, and the next to last upsell is for a customized operating agreement. We covered this earlier, and while it’s optional in most states, it is strongly encouraged to have an operating agreement of some sort for multi-member LLCs.

Now to the last upsell, ZenBusiness offers the annual Worry-Free Compliance service. This upsell automatically files your annual state filings, though some states are once every other year or, in the case of Pennsylvania, once every 10 years. While it’s nice that there is a second set of eyes on making sure this filing is done on time, the state will send a reminder as well.

Regardless of whether you pay for this service or skip it, I would look up when your annual report is due and put a recurring reminder on your calendar as an additional way to stay on top of the renewal.

Once you decide on this, you will review your order, pay the state fee and any optional ZenBusiness services, and then check out!

What I Like About ZenBusiness

During the process of setting up an LLC with ZenBusiness, I took note of everything I enjoyed about the experience. Furthermore, I want to cover each one and talk about the added value it provides to business owners and entrepreneurs looking for a simple LLC solution.

1. Free Business Name Availability Check

There are thousands of businesses licensed in each state. So, ZenBusiness does a name availability check to make sure yours is unique and not currently in use by someone else in the same state.

This step makes sure you don’t waste time and money filing for a name that’s already taken. Some states are more forgiving, but imagine paying hundreds of dollars in state fees to find out there’s another business with the same name!

With ZenBusiness, you don’t have to worry about it.

They run the check for you and let you know if there are any issues before filing your paperwork with the state, so you don’t waste your time or money.

2. Live Chat Customer Support

Although their LLC service is pretty easy to navigate, you may have questions along the way. If so, you can start a live chat in your browser window to talk with their support team right away. They’re available to help:

8 am – 8 pm CT Monday through Friday
10 am – 7 pm CT on Sundays

Additionally, you can give them a call during the same time or shoot them an email to get a response within one business day.

Your mileage may vary, but an actual human answered the chat and phone when I contacted them, and I was talking with someone within 2 minutes the two times that I contacted them. With the answers provided, I don’t believe this was an off-shore call center, which is unusual in this day and age.

3. Free Registered Agent Services for One Year

As an LLC (or corporation), you are required to have a registered agent in every state where you have a physical presence (office, warehouse, employees, etc.). A registered agent offers their address (in place of your own) for legal correspondence from state and federal agencies.

This person (or entity) could be you, another member of your LLC, or a service (like ZenBusiness). To qualify as a registered agent, this person (or entity) must:

Have a physical address on file with the state (no PO boxes).
Be available during normal operating hours at the address filed to receive communications (generally 9 am – 5 pm during the week).
Accept any legal documents/communications and deliver them to the correct members of the LLC.

Meeting these guidelines on your own isn’t always easy, especially if you don’t have a physical business address and don’t work during “normal operating hours.” This also keeps your address private.

This is why many business owners hire someone to be their registered agent. ZenBusiness offers this service for free to all new LLCs they help form for the first year. After that, it’s a steep $199 per year.

Other providers provide a similar service for a lot less, like Northwest Registered Agent at $125/per year or the basic Harbor Compliance service at $99 per year.

4. You Get a Personalized Dashboard

Keeping documents and correspondence organized is essential for the seamless operation of your business. But, it’s not always easy to do if everything is stored in different locations rather than in one centralized place.

ZenBusiness conquers this by giving you access to a personalized dashboard. Inside, they store the documents they prepare for you and any correspondence you receive from the government (if they’re your registered agent).

Additionally, you can track the status of your orders and get alerts if something needs your attention along the way.

5. Worry-Free Compliance Guarantee

The Worry-Free Compliance Guarantee (an additional $199 annual fee) takes care of your annual reports and filings. While these are pretty easy to do, if you forget to file on time, there is the potential for losing the entity’s status of good standing with the state, fees, and the state eventually dissolving the entity. This service gives you one less thing to worry about.

What I Don’t Like About ZenBusiness

Although few and far between, I came across a few potential issues I came across when doing this review. None of these are deal-breakers (in my opinion), but I do want to walk through each one, discuss why I didn’t enjoy it, and what it means for you.

1. They Charge $99 for an EIN Number

An EIN (sometimes called a Federal Tax ID Number) is a number that lets you hire employees and protect your personal social security number. If you choose the Starter Plan or build your own plan, ZenBusiness charges $99 for this service. While this does save you time and effort, it’s not hard to do on your own. And you can get one for free through the IRS. The EIN filing comes with the Pro or Premium plan.

Learn how to apply for an EIN at no cost!

If you would prefer to have someone else file for you, Northwest charges $50 for the EIN registration .

2. Upsells Throughout the Registration Process

Like most LLC formation packages, especially the free ones, ZenBusiness makes its money by offering add-ons and upgrades. Every formation service I’ve used does this, so this isn’t a unique downside to ZenBusiness. And while this isn’t inherently a bad thing, many new business owners may not know which services they need when first forming their LLC.

As a result, they might end up spending more money than they planned on things they aren’t going to use.

With that being said, ZenBusiness provides ample explanation throughout the process. I also go over each of the upsells in my walkthrough so that you can learn more about each one.

3. No Customer Support on Saturdays

Some services don’t provide support on weekends at all. Others have reduced hours on the weekends. ZenBusiness does provide support on Sundays… but not Saturdays .

It’s hard to complain when the customer service people I talked with during the review actually seem to be knowledgeable and were quick to answer, but I know a lot of people who work through the week and use the weekend to work on their business.

This is kind of an odd quirk, but it’s not the end of the world or a big deal. At least you won’t have to wait all weekend for answers or clarification as you go through the process of forming your LLC!

Exploring ZenBusiness’s Reputation

ZenBusiness has an exceptional reputation online and is considered a trustworthy, affordable, and quick LLC entity formation solution. Although they’re relatively new to the game (since 2015), they’ve built a strong foundation on transparency, protection, and paying it forward.

Furthermore, they have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

Despite their BBB rating, it’s important to note they have 50 complaints in the last 12 months. Most of these complaints mention not meeting the estimated delivery date and not understanding why they were charged for certain services.

With that being said, instead of ignoring them, ZenBusiness has responded to each complaint in a professional manner offering full refunds and explanations as to what happened and how they worked together to solve each issue.

Click here to see the full list of complaints filed with BBB .

ZenBusiness Customer Feedback

Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars, better business bureau (bbb).

The ZenBusiness customers on the BBB website show an average of 4.28 stars out of 5. You can see the complete list of official reviews . Take a look at what some of their customers have to say:

“I just finished up on the phone with *****************, and i have to say that he was an absolute pleasure to deal with. Very professional and informative. You could tell that he loves his job. He made it a very comfortable process for me and i am very grateful for all the information he provided for me.” – Josh P (November 1, 2022)

The very next review was a negative one.

“Refused to allow cancellation of service. Provided no help. Complete rip off. Still charging despite I closed llc down with state. Do not recommend.” – Amit G (October 28, 2022)

While every company is going to have negative reviews, it looks like ZenBusiness made several attempts to contact the customer to resolve the issue, but he didn’t respond.

Trustpilot has several ZenBusiness reviews to look at. Of the over 10,000+ ZenBusiness reviews, 94% rate them above 4 stars, and 86% rate them as excellent. After reading through the first several pages, I noticed a recurring theme.

Most reviews mention quick turnaround times, amazing customer service, and ease of use. You can check them out for yourself . Or keep reading to see what some of their customers have to say.

“The process was simple to understand. There was a good level of communication, and our LLC package was actually processed faster than expected.” – Connor. ( November 16, 2022 )

“Don’t waste your time. Comparing Zen Business and Legal Zoom I have to say Legal Zoom goes above and beyond to make sure your business is set up for success. I tried to get my business set up through Zen Business they successfully set up my business so thats good but in terms of setting you up to succeed they fail. I’ve never once had anyone from zen business reach out to me and see how the process on my business is going and if I’m taking the steps needed to make sure I’m getting things done right. Fast forward to this year that business I set up through them is gone. I set up a new business now this time through Legal Zoom it hasn’t even been a month yet and I’ve already been called by Legal Zoom 4-5 times just to check in on me and making sure I’m doing things properly. I’m telling you Zen Business has NEVER CALLED ME ONCE to check in on my business! Save yourself time and headaches Legal Zoom will set you up to win. Coming from someone that’s used both services.” – Wartortle (November 5, 2022)

ZenBusiness User Reviews Conclusion

ZenBusiness is a legitimate business offering business formation services and other compliance products to help entrepreneurs start and run their businesses. They have thousands of happy customers, despite their short tenure in the industry.

It’s safe to say they’re a trusted and reliable source of friendly customer service, quick turnaround times, and responsiveness. They’re quick to address their mistakes and work to make things right for their customers.

In the reviews, it appeared that customer service attempted to contact clients, both good and bad, meaning they are taking the time to monitor their reputation and help their customers.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a new business owner or have set up countless LLCs, ZenBusiness is a quick, affordable, and trustworthy LLC formation, service provider. They offer more value for your dollar than other companies out there, such as LegalZoom and Northwest Registered Agent , and their customer service is top-notch. For those that may not need as many add-on services, IncFile and Inc Authority both offer free business entity formation services.

Their process is easy to use, and their transparency is second to none. Plus, with thousands of happy customers, you can rest assured they know what they’re doing and get the job done.

Get started forming your LLC with Zenbusiness , today!

Common Questions About ZenBusiness

What is the order process like with zenbusiness.

ZenBusiness uses a very intuitive process that guides you to a successful LLC formation by asking a variety of questions. I think ZenBusiness has the best order process for someone starting their first LLC because they are very thorough. It’s not the fastest process, and for someone who already knows what they want, it will take longer than other services to get to the submit button.

Does ZenBusiness help with ongoing compliance requirements?

ZenBusiness offers the Worry-Free Compliance service that sends alerts to notify you of upcoming filing events, plus it files your annual report and up to two business amendment filings per year for $199 per year.

Does ZenBusiness give you a business address?

ZenBusiness does not offer a business address, however, you can get an address by signing up for the registered agent service, which is free for the first year if you have ZenBusiness form your business entity.

The registered agent’s address is only supposed to be used for official correspondence with the Secretary of State or to receive notices of legal documents and not for general mail.

Does ZenBusiness have good customer support?

In my review, I tested ZenBusiness customer support, and I believe it is one of the best in the entity formation services industry. They offer chat and phone options where an actual human responded in under two minutes, as well as an email option where you will get a response in one day.

Chat: M-F 8 am – 8 pm, Sunday 10 am – 7 pm Phone: M-F 8 am – 8pm, Sunday 10am – 7 pm

The only knock against ZenBusiness’s customer service is that they don’t offer support on Saturdays.

How much does it cost to form an LLC with ZenBusiness?

ZenBusiness offers three different packages ranging from $0 – $299, plus state filing fees (LLCs are $40 – $500 depending on the state).

The Starter Plan is $0 plus state filing fees and files the entity formation paperwork with the state, free registered agent, and more.

The Pro Plan is $199, plus state filing fees which includes everything in the Starter Plan, plus faster filing, Worry-Free Compliance, and a guided operating agreement.

The Premium Plan is $299, plus state fees, and includes everything in the Pro Plan, plus even faster filing, domain name, email address, and a website builder.

How much does the registered agent cost with ZenBusiness?

The registered agent with ZenBusiness will cost $199 per year.

Other providers, such as Northwest Registered Agent at $125/per year or the basic Harbor Compliance service at $99 per year.

Does ZenBusiness handle New York publication requirements?

Yes! ZenBusiness will take care of the publication requirements for new LLCs in New York.

After forming the LLC, you can go to ZenBusiness to start the process. The cost is $200 plus the state fee and can take up to 2 weeks.

What is the ZenBusiness customer support phone number and email?

ZenBusiness can be contacted by phone at 844-493-6249 and by email at [email protected].

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Customer reviews

Alternatives.

If you’re looking to incorporate your small business, you may have discovered that doing so isn’t necessarily the easiest or most straightforward endeavor. Thankfully, there are online legal services, like ZenBusiness, that can make the whole process a bit easier.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best online legal services for small businesses

ZenBusiness makes straightforward legal filings easier and more affordable for small-business owners. With ZenBusiness, you can prepare and file your own business formation documents, avoiding the need to bring lawyers or other potentially costly professionals in to do the work for you.

If you’ve tried to go it alone in terms of carrying out one of the many legal steps required to start a business, you know how challenging it can be to make sure you’ve taken care of each and every task — especially when states vary in terms of business licenses, requirements and forms. Not only does this require steadfast attention to detail, but it also takes up a significant amount of time on your side (and can take a long time for the state to approve your documents).

Luckily, as an online business formation service, ZenBusiness makes it easier to keep track of these tasks, as well as many others that you are likely to encounter as your business grows. Although the features you receive with ZenBusiness will vary based on your pricing plan and location, some of its most noteworthy services include:

Business formation ( LLCs or corporations).

Name availability search.

Registered agent services.

DBA (doing business as) registration.

Operating agreements.

Federal employer ID number.

Ongoing state compliance requirements.

Annual business reports.

New York state business formation publication.

Filing amendments.

Certificates of good standing.

Banking resolutions.

The ZenBusiness suite of services also includes add-on features, such as a complimentary assessment from a certified accountant to help set up bookkeeping, accounting and tax considerations within your first year of operation.

You can also acquire a business domain name from ZenBusiness, get quotes for business insurance from leading providers and weigh your options for the best business credit cards from within the platform itself.

ZenBusiness offers three service tiers, varying in terms of the number of features included and price. Anyone can start off at a more basic (and less expensive) service tier and upgrade as necessary afterward, which prevents you from overpaying for features and services you may not need.

You can also opt-in for certain services at an additional cost, such as a business website and domain name, while remaining on a lower-priced plan. Plans include:

Starter : $0, plus state filing fees.

Pro : $199 billed annually, plus state filing fees.

Premium : $349 billed annually, plus state filing fees.

Although ZenBusiness hasn’t been around as long as some of its competitors, this online legal service has plenty of reviews (both positive and negative) across the internet. For starters, ZenBusiness has 4.7 out of 5 stars from Trustpilot and 4.8 out of 5 stars from Google.

Most positive ZenBusiness reviews cite how easy it is to navigate the platform and set up an LLC with minimal effort. ZenBusiness also gets praise for walking customers through the process, making it easier to wade through the otherwise challenging prospect of registering a business.

The main thread that connects most of the positive feedback centers around just how simple it is to use the platform — a positive attribute for any program designed to get people up and running with their business.

ZenBusiness reviews aren’t perfect, however. Some users have complained about the software guiding them through the process of setting up an LLC, only to need a limited liability partnership (LLP) based on where they live.

Others have expressed confusion about recurring charges, particularly around registered agent services they may not have canceled. According to some reviews, other competitors provide faster service.

Here are a few of the top pros for using the ZenBusiness platform.

All-inclusive business formation service: In terms of giving business owners everything they need to get their new business registered and filed with their respective state, ZenBusiness hits the mark. The platform makes the filing process straightforward, quick and about as painless as possible.

Variety of add-on products: Moreover, if you don’t want to shop around for other products, such as business credit cards, web hosting or registered agent services, ZenBusiness has you covered there too.

Pricing: ZenBusiness gets high marks for its straightforward pricing model, especially for a-la-carte services. Not every business wants or needs the suite of services ZenBusiness includes in its annual plans (for example, if you only want help setting up your LLC). If that’s the case, it’s easy to pay for a single service without having to purchase a yearly subscription. For those who want an easy and inexpensive way to take care of annual forms and filings, ZenBusiness’s three tiers are competitively priced.

Alerts: One of the other key features ZenBusiness provides is a set of alerts to help business owners keep track of when certain recurring filings are due. This can be a huge help that not every filing company provides. Keeping on top of deadlines for form submissions can be a chore if done manually, and therefore, having ZenBusiness keep track for you means one less thing to worry about.

On the other hand, ZenBusiness has a few drawbacks that are important to consider:

Better deals for ancillary services elsewhere: ZenBusiness includes a range of features that aren’t necessarily helpful for most business owners looking for help filing registration and incorporation documents. Finding the right business credit card isn’t something most business owners need from their filing provider. Rather, they should consider getting the advice of a financial professional. Other features, such as domain name registration and web hosting, might be more affordable if done elsewhere too.

Recurring fee for registered agent services in basic package: Including a year’s worth of registered agent services in a basic-tier package is a helpful thing to have for most businesses. Opting purchasers into a recurring registered agent service after buying a year’s subscription to ZenBusiness isn’t the best user experience, however. It may, in fact, be cheaper to find your own registered agent. Or, at the very least, users should not have to worry about making sure they cancel their registered agent services before the $119 fee kicks in.

If you’re trying to decide if ZenBusiness is right for your business, you may want to consider one of the many ZenBusiness alternatives on the market before making a final decision. Fortunately, there is a variety to choose from.

LegalZoom is perhaps the best-known player in this space and has the incumbent’s advantage as far as ZenBusiness alternatives go. This platform is an originator when it comes to offering basic legal services for small businesses.

With a platform as robust as LegalZoom, there’s likely to be a solution for any of your common legal needs, but expect to pay more than you might with a straightforward document filing service like ZenBusiness.

Swyft Filings

Swyft Filings provides many of the same services as ZenBusiness, as it is also a digital service provider designed to file all the forms needed to get a company registered and ready for operation. Swyft Filings includes all the same state filing capabilities as ZenBusiness, as well as some of the other add-ons like web hosting and employer identification number filing.

Note that Swyft Filings doesn’t include an option to purchase registered agent services, however. The entry-level option also costs $49, and the mid-priced tier is slightly less expensive than ZenBusiness, at $149 annually.

Incfile is another solid option for an online business document filing system. This platform also costs $49 at the base level, and includes the same suite of tools that you’d get with ZenBusiness.

You can also get registered agent services with Incfile as you would with ZenBusiness. All in all, ZenBusiness gets an edge in terms of cost, as it comes out to be less expensive in most cases, depending on the services included.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best small-business apps

A version of this article was first published on Fundera, a subsidiary of NerdWallet

On a similar note...

ZenBusiness Review 2023

Looking for the best LLC service in 2023? We used ZenBusiness to form an LLC (limited liability company), and explored the platform’s features.

In our ZenBusiness review , we go over its pros, cons, pricing, and more. Read on to determine if it's the right formation service for you.

Recommended: Check out our list of the best LLC services .

Is ZenBusiness Right For You?

Based out of Texas, ZenBusiness is a platform dedicated to helping entrepreneurs launch, maintain, and grow their businesses. It was founded in 2015 by a team of entrepreneurs who experienced the barriers that others continue to face today; ZenBusiness simplifies and accelerates the small business formation process for aspiring founders.

We used ZenBusiness to form an LLC ourselves and analyzed the platform’s features. Overall, we determined that although it is a decent choice for LLC formation, there are other options on the market that offer a large number of features at a more affordable price.

Need a little more information on ZenBusiness? Here’s a list of its main pros and cons:

Worry-free compliance free first year (Auto-renewal price: $199/yr)
Free expense tracking and tax deduction tagging
Lifetime support by phone or chat
Thousands of excellent customer reviews
100% accuracy guarantee
If you're looking for more personalized, premium customer support, there are better options out there
You’ll have to pay extra for other essential features such as an EIN and registered agent service

Still having trouble making a decision? Continue reading for a more in-depth review!

Our Approach

For our ZenBusiness LLC review, we kept the following questions in mind:

Is it a good deal?
Is there a better deal for business formation services?
Who uses the platform and how did they review their experience?

Pricing & Features

Alternatives & Competitors

Customer Reviews

Review Ratings

ZenBusiness Pricing & Features

Similar to other business formation services, ZenBusiness offers multiple LLC plans: Starter, Pro, and Premium. We break down and review the differences between each pricing plan below.

ZenBusiness Starter: $0* + State Fees

The Starter package offers basic LLC services, beginning at just $0* plus state fees. Competitors charge $25 to $100 more to form your LLC.

Filing Articles of Organization
Unlimited name availability searches
Customer support through phone and email
Online dashboard to access to important documents and paperwork for your limited liability company
Free accounting consultation
Free automatic expense tracking
Free tax deduction tagging
Worry-free compliance free first year (Auto-renewal price: $199/yr): Includes annual report service (state fees may apply), two free filing changes per year (excludes state fee if applicable), and insurance on document filings to maintain good standing if documents are not submitted on time.

Who should purchase ZenBusiness Starter?

Competing service providers charge hundreds of dollars extra for these LLC services and benefits. Starter will appeal to customers who want an affordable way to file their LLCs and receive annual report service. This package is all you need if you don't mind putting in a little time for other necessities like registering for an Employer Identification Number (EIN).

ZenBusiness Pro: $199 + State Fees

Pro includes all the services in the Starter package and some additional business formation features.

Custom operating agreement template
Filing speed (1 - 2 business days) - business formation documents completed and posted on dashboard within a week
Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Who should purchase ZenBusiness Pro?

The Pro package is ideal for new business owners who are interested in the necessary services to get their business up and running.

ZenBusiness Premium: $349 + State Fees

Premium covers all of the business formation services listed above and some additional ones

Rush Filing Speed - documents completed and posted within a few days (normally $100)
Online tools (business domain name, email, business website)
Business Document Templates

Who should purchase ZenBusiness Premium?

The Premium LLC formation package is great for a stress-free experience. ZenBusiness will handle a lot of the details needed to run a business so you don’t have to and instead can focus on growing your business. It's also an excellent choice if you're looking for a business domain name and business website to boost your brand.

ZenBusiness Alternatives & Competitors

One of the best ZenBusiness alternatives is Northwest Registered Agent . Northwest offers affordable LLC packages starting at $29, as well as extremely knowledgeable customer support and premium registered agent service.

If you’re looking for legal services beyond company formation, we recommend checking out Rocket Lawyer .

If you're seeking powerful brand-building tools in addition to LLC formation, we recommend Tailor Brands .

LegalZoom is another competitor that holds more brand power; however, if you're looking for more affordable, high-quality LLC and registered agent services, we recommend ZenBusiness. For a more in-depth comparison, check out our ZenBusiness vs LegalZoom review.

For more alternatives, you can also visit our review of the best LLC services .

Need more details? Read on for a more in-depth breakdown and review of our research on ZenBusiness LLC services.

ZenBusiness Customer Reviews

A plethora of positive ZenBusiness reviews from small business owners and entrepreneurs can be found online. Here are some ZenBusiness LLC reviews (from Trustpilot) by customers who used the company's formation services to help launch their businesses:

“I am extremely happy with the service. They are reasonably priced and professional and really make things easy for you to form an LLC . They also offer a variety of services. They completed my order much quicker than I had planned. I really think if you are starting a business, there is no better way to go! I will be using their services again!”

"Zen was extremely easy to use. I must admit, I was skeptical because the price was so low, but I was able to ask questions online via chat and was answered immediately. The process was extremely easy and fast. I definitely recommend Zen Business to anyone!"

“I thought this was too good to be true, but it was completely legit. I was very pleased with how quick and easy ZenBusiness made the process of becoming an LLC. They offer plenty of helpful add-on options that you can pay for, but they don't push them on you. It's also nice that everything is conveniently in a dashboard on their site for me. When I want to get an EIN or make amendments or anything, I can do it super easily from their site. Definitely would recommend.”

"Setting up my LLC was so simple. I didn't need to go crazy trying to understand lots of legal jargon as their online portal streamlined the whole process. I was up and running in under a week with everything that I needed to start my business."

Best LLC Formation Services

ZenBusiness Review Ratings

We further reviewed what you should keep in mind before choosing ZenBusiness. We’ve separated these points into four topics which are outlined below.

Cost Value - 4.3/5

ZenBusiness offers carefully created LLC packages with small business owners in mind. In addition, they provide other helpful products (e.g., business website, custom operating agreement template, annual report service, etc.) that take into account businesses of all sizes.

However, there are more affordable options for basic LLC formation services, such as our top-rated, Northwest Registered Agent.

Customer Service - 4.9/5

ZenBusiness's friendly staff is quick to offer state-specific guidance that’s simple and clear to understand. Additionally, in ZenBusiness reviews online, entrepreneurs rave about the quality customer support during the business formation process. This is especially useful if you’re a new business owner.

If you really value expert, knowledgeable customer service, competitors such as Northwest Registered Agent also excels in this area. Their experienced Corporate Guides offer personalized support and help throughout the business journey.

Ease of Use - 3.9/5

Our main complaint with ZenBusiness is the user experience when it comes to the checkout process. The service uses a chatbot to guide customers through the LLC formation journey. While this may seem innovative, this type of checkout process takes longer than simply filling out a few pages of information, due to all the messages sent by the chatbot.

For instance, Northwest’s quick checkout process involves filling out a few pages of information and choosing which LLC features you’d like added on. The details are all there for you to see; you don’t have to wait for a chatbot to send you more information on features and pricing.

Included Features - 4.9/5

ZenBusiness offers a Worry Free Compliance Guarantee , which is a great option for busy entrepreneurs. This guarantee includes the following:

Annual filing report alerts
Documents submitted on your behalf (you will only be responsible for state filing fees).
Two free changes to your filings per year (state filing fees may still apply).
Covers the costs required to regain good standing if your company should miss a deadline or state requirement.

Business website, business email address, and domain privacy are add-on features that are included in the Premium package. These are great services that can help your business so your clients can easily contact you, gain visibility, and protect your private information.

One of the downsides is that the platform does not include free registered agent services for a year like some competitors.

Learn how to cost-effectively start your LLC on our How to Save Money Forming Your LLC page.

All things considered, ZenBusiness is a good choice for those who:

Want premium-level LLC service, registered agent service, and customer support.
Want ongoing alerts and reminders about upcoming filing deadlines.
Enjoy the benefit of an annual filing and submittal through a worry-free compliance guarantee.
Value companies who believe in paying it forward.

Form an LLC with ZenBusiness or explore your options .

You can learn everything about starting an LLC — and form one on your own — by following the steps outlined in our comprehensive state-based guides !

Yes, it is a good service for small businesses! However, there are other LLC formation companies that offer additional features at a more affordable price, such as Northwest Registered Agent.

No, it is not free; however, no service is actually free when you take into account the state filing fees.

It is worth it if you are looking for a convenient formation service. They aren't the cheapest option, but they also aren't the most expensive one.

The TRUiC Team

TRUiC’s team of researchers, writers, and editors dedicate hours to ensure howtostartanllc.com’s articles are accessible and actionable for both established and aspiring entrepreneurs. The team is made up of experts on a variety of topics from company formation to business growth. They consistently optimize the website’s content to ensure that all of the information is accurate and up-to-date.

Featured Articles

TRUiC Reviews

Top llc formation services compared.

Operating Agreement Tool

Form an LLC

Is ZenBusiness the Right Choice for You?
ZenBusiness Quick Overview
ZenBusiness Pricing
ZenBusiness Pros
ZenBusiness Cons
ZenBusiness Services
ZenBusiness Add-ons and Offers
Do We Recommend ZenBusiness?
ZenBusiness FAQs

ZenBusiness Review 2023: The Best LLC Service for Your Business?

In this review, we will cut to the chase and go over what you really need to know:

ZenBusiness’ true costs and pricing
The turnaround time you can expect for LLC formations or incorporations
Zenbusiness’ reliability, customer reviews, support, and much more

Plus, we’ll provide jargon-free explanations of the many other relevant, formation-related services that ZenBusiness offers.

Below is a quick summary of our findings. Further down, you’ll find our more comprehensive review, which details our conclusions and also explains everything you need to know about ZenBusiness.

Scoring Weights : Pricing ( 2x ), Turnaround Time ( 2x ) and Customer Satisfaction ( 1.5x ) have been given additional weights in our scoring.

ZenBusiness's Starter plan is 100% free (only pay state fees) and perfect if you're looking for a bare-bones formation service. Don't worry about messing up LLC paperwork; just let the pros handle it for you. At $0 we think this service is unbeatable value and we highly recommend it.

If you're looking for a more comprehensive, white glove service, you would be better served with Zen's Pro package. For $199 /yr, this package includes a much quicker filing, a guided operating agreement, an ongoing worry-free compliance service for your LLC , a two-day turnaround time and all filings for your LLC's new IRS tax number (EIN) .

Whatever your need is, ZenBusiness is one of the best choices for business owners looking to form an LLC or a corporation and we rank them #2 in our LLC services comparison .

Visit ZenBusiness.com or continue reading our review to learn how we arrived at our ratings.

Zenbusiness is a venture-funded public benefit company based in Austin, Texas. The company was founded in 2015 by Ross Buhrdorf, who was previously the Chief Technology Officer at HomeAway.

The company’s mission is to help everyday Americans fulfill their dreams of becoming entrepreneurs. ZenBusiness offers affordable LLC formations and incorporation plus several other services necessary for a successful startup launch.

In November 2021, ZenBusiness announced they had raised $200 million at a $1.7 billion valuation, becoming one of Austin's latest unicorns. According to Reuters , Billionaire investor Mark Cuban will be joining the company as an advocate and spokesperson.

According to their About Us , new business owners working with ZenBusiness will enjoy:

Worry-free services, world-class support, and an all-inclusive platform that provides everything they need to be successful throughout their business lifecycle. www.ZenBusiness.com

ZenBusiness states that their core values are:

Transparency: Operating with honesty and integrity, and with zero hidden charges.
Protection: Helping you remain in good standing with the government.
Paying it forward: In 2020, the company has awarded over $100,000 in small business grants.

ZenBusiness offers a comprehensive set of services to those looking to start a business. Their offering includes:

Business entity formation services : Available in all states. Includes verifying the availability of your chosen business name and handling any additional formalities (such as publication requirements in New York).
Registered agent services : All businesses are required by law to have a registered agent. ZenBusiness can help you fulfill this requirement by acting as your registered agent.
Compliance services : ZenBusiness can help ensure your company maintains its good standing with the government by taking care of your annual reporting obligations.
Help with required IRS paperwork : ZenBusiness can obtain a tax number from the IRS for your business.
Setting up a website for your business : ZenBusiness can register a domain with your business name and set up a basic website for your LLC or corporation.
Providing commonly-used legal documents : ZenBusiness can provide you with templates for important legal documents, such as an Operating Agreement, corporate bylaws, or a banking resolution.

We have listed ZenBusiness’ most important formation plans in the table below:

ZenBusiness offers three different formation plans – the Starter plan, the Pro plan, and the Premium plan.

All three include the essential business formation service:

Verification of your chosen business name
Preparing of your Articles of Organization
Coordination of filing documents with the Secretary of State
Digitally return all confirmations to your dashboard

The Pro and the Premium plans include several additional services in addition to the basic LLC filing.

The Pro plan includes expedited filing , custom operating agreement and worry-free compliance for your new LLC. It also includes rush filing (with an average turnaround time of two days) as well as handling the filings for your LLC's Employer Identification Number.

The Premium plan includes the same benefits as the Pro plan, as well as some more additions, such as a website bundle for your company (including the URL domain name registrations for your business) and a number of business documents that you are likely to need as you set up your new company.

Registered agent services are not included ZenBusiness plans . They can be purchased separately for $199/year.

Below, in our pricing review section, we go over the details and costs of each individual service. Many individual services can be added to whatever plan you're looking to go with.

Unlike many other competitors, ZenBusiness’ formation plans use a subscription pricing model. However, it is possible to cancel your subscription after your business is formed without any penalties or other fees.

ZenBusiness Starter Plan: $0 + State Fees

ZenBusiness’ bare-bones starter plan serves your basic formation needs. We recommend this plan if you simply want to have your LLC formed as cheaply as possible and can handle compliance on your own.

The main features of this plan are:

Basic Business Filing Service : Filing articles of organization with the Secretary of State. Includes unlimited name searches for your desired business name. By default, this package does not include expedited filing, which can be added separately.

You can track the progress of your order through ZenBusiness’ online dashboard and obtain electronic copies of your finalized formation documents as soon as they are available.

The starter plan also includes a few minor services, which you may find useful:

A free accounting consultation : ZenBusiness will perform a quick assessment of your company’s accounting requirements and recommend further steps based on your individual needs.
Google Ads credits worth $150 : Useful for entrepreneurs who already intend to use Google Ads. ZenBusiness will provide you with a promotional code. Once applied to an eligible Ads account, Google will match your advertising expenses up to a total value of $150.

By default, the Starter plan does not include any form of order expediting. Normal turnaround times can vary wildly depending on the state where your LLC is formed – from only a few days to several weeks.

You can find out more by heading to their website and choosing the state you plan to form your LLC in.

This service does not renew annually by default. It's completely free, you only have to pay for state filing fees, which Zen will forward to the Secretary of State.

You do have the option to opt into ZenBusiness's Worry-free compliance service. If you accept this offer, you won't have to pay for the first year. Afterwards it will renew at $199 per year unless you cancel it.

ZenBusiness Pro Plan: $199 + State Fees

We recommend the Pro plan to the majority of new business owners.

The ZenBusiness Pro plan is their most popular plan and includes several additional features added on top of everything from the ZenBusiness Starter plan. The main additions are faster formation turnaround times, compliance services and tax ID filings.

With ZenBusiness Pro, you get everything that comes with the standard plan, plus:

Rush Filing Service: This provides you with ZenBusiness's fastest turnaround time and allows you to skip the line for faster processing. The exact amount of time varies depending on your state but is generally between one and two days on average, although your formation may take longer in some states.
Custom Operating Agreement : The single most important document for your LLC. It protects all your personal assets from potential lawsuits and establishes your LLC's nature, operation, and rules.
Employer Identification Number (EIN) filing: ZenBusiness will handle all the formalities with the IRS to obtain your LLC's tax ID number from the IRS. Most LLC's are required by law to obtain an EIN.
Worry-Free Compliance: Sends alerts and provides mandatory annual filings + 2 amendments per year + compliance related customer support in case you miss a deadline.

This plan renews at $199/year , which covers your LLC's annual filings and compliance monitoring service.

ZenBusiness Premium Plan: $349 + State Fees

The Premium plan offers the fastest possible formation turnaround and includes several basic web-related services. The Premium plan is a good option for those who want their LLC formed as soon as possible and need a basic website

If your business involves e-commerce or requires a more customizable website, we recommend looking into dedicated website builders such as Wix or Shopify.

With ZenBusiness Premium, you get everything included with Pro, plus:

Rush Filing Service: With rush filing, you will benefit from the fastest possible turnaround times. As always, the exact time frame depends on your state – usually just a few days. In some states, Premium plan customers can receive a filing response in as little as one day.
Business Document Templates: This will provide you with a starting set of commonly used business documents, allowing you to streamline the set-up process of your LLC.
Business Domain Name: ZenBusiness can secure a domain name with your chosen LLC name if it is available.
Business Website: Using your business information and domain name, ZenBusiness can quickly create a basic, customizable website for you.
Business Email Address: ZenBusiness will set up a business email account using your business’s domain name. You will have access to 5GB of storage for your professional correspondence.

Most business owners can safely ignore this upsell and tackle website creation later on. We generally recommend using other services when building your website.

This plan renews at $349/year, which covers everything in Pro + all your website services.

ZenBusiness vs. Competitors

Below, you’ll find our table that compares ZenBusiness’ formation prices with those of its main competitors.

The prices quoted in this table are independent of ZenBusiness’ package prices. They are standardized for comparison with competitors.

We define Basic Formation and Full Formation below the table.

Formation only: Covers the essential business entity formation. Includes – at minimum – filing formation articles with your chosen state's secretary of state office.

We recommend this level of service to experienced business owners, who do not need an operating agreement and can serve as their LLC's registered agent.

Full Formation: Additionally includes – at minimum – a custom operating agreement and one year of registered agent service , which most new owners will find essential.

Are you looking for a more in-depth comparison between ZenBusiness and some of their competitors? Check out these summaries, or read our full service comparisons in their respective articles.

ZenBusiness vs LegalZoom

We recommend ZenBusiness over LegalZoom. Compared to ZenBusiness, LegalZoom performed worse in several categories.

Simply put, LegalZoom’s formation costs are far too high – the service is among the most expensive we have seen, yet it does not offer any significant added value compared to alternatives.

ZenBusiness offers a faster and more affordable service and boasts much higher levels of customer satisfaction.

Check out our ZenBusiness vs. LegalZoom article for a full comparison.

ZenBusiness vs Swyft Filings

Compared to most other services, Swyft Filings offers decent prices and above-average turnaround times. However, ZenBusiness matches or exceeds the performance of Swyft Filings while also costing significantly less.

Plus, Swyft Filings provides many of its services via third parties and upsells a lot of unnecessary add-on services – we prefer ZenBusiness’ more streamlined approach.

Check out our ZenBusiness vs. Swyft Filings article for a full comparison.

ZenBusiness vs Incfile

ZenBusiness performs significantly better than Incfile across virtually all categories. While both companies offer easy-to-use online formations, ZenBusiness’ customer satisfaction is much higher than Incfile.

ZenBusiness also offers better turnaround times, more affordable pricing, and better customer service. Overall, we see little reason not to pick ZenBusiness over Incfile.

Check out our ZenBusiness vs. Incfile article for a full comparison.

Which plan is the best value for money?

All three of ZenBusiness’ services are priced competitively.

Unlike many of their competitors, ZenBusiness doesn’t excessively pad their offering with unnecessary items to inflate their prices. You also have complete flexibility to add services from higher pricing tiers to lower ones.

We recommend the Pro plan for most businesses . It offers fast formation and your compliance worries taken care of. This plan fulfills all essential administrative requirements so you can get going immediately.

Zenbusiness' Premium plan may be a good fit if you only need a basic online presence.

If your business functions primarily online, however, we recommend you look into Shopify or Wix for specialized website building purposes.

ZenBusiness Additional Costs and Hidden Fees

There are no hidden fees with ZenBusiness’ services. You pay the amount you see at checkout – and nothing more.

Keep in mind that if you go for the Pro or Premium plan, you're subscribing to services that renew annually until you decide to cancel your subscription. Their Starter plan does not renew.

Cancelling ZenBusiness services

In their cancellation policy, they state that you have the right to “discontinue some or all of your paid services at any time by contacting [email protected] .”

As we mentioned above, you can opt out of the annual subscription renewal at any time by sending a message to the ZenBusiness support team. In some specific cases, you may incur a $25 cancellation fee.

One significant difference applies to the cancellation of registered agent services. As with all other service providers, you will need to appoint a new registered agent before canceling ZenBusiness’ services if they are currently acting as your company’s registered agent.

Here’s what makes ZenBusiness stand out from competitors such as LegalZoom, IncFile, and RocketLawyer.

1. Great Formation Pricing + $240 in Freebies

Starting a new LLC and business is never cheap, but overspending on the basics will definitely hurt. The last thing startups need is to waste money on administrative and legal necessities.

ZenBusiness provides a “100% Accuracy Guarantee” free formation service for budding entrepreneurs. While this service may not come with everything you'd need or want, it's an unbeatable offer and the best deal on the market.

Their Pro package is priced competetively as well, if you're looking for a more comprehensive service.

Low prices alone are not the only thing that makes ZenBusiness great value – it’s the bonus freebies that make them stand out from the competition.

Google Ads Credit: $150 Value

This is the perfect way to validate your business, find your customers online, and/or hone your acquisition costs. After formation, you will receive a coupon that will match every dollar you spend on Google ads, up to $150.

Free accounting assessment: $40 Value

ZenBusiness will help you determine your unique bookkeeping, accounting, and tax needs. You will receive helpful resources and advice to kickstart your entrepreneurial journey. Accounting assessments are never free, so this is a huge plus!

Virtual Business Guide: $50 value

The guide includes a basic checklist with everything you need to run your new business online. The recommendations for productivity, online communication, and marketing tools will save you hours of research time.

2. Quick Turnaround Times

Many customers report that their business entity’s formation took only a few business days, even during peak season!

Check out these customer reviews from Trustpilot :

ZenBusiness Fast Filing Customer Review One

To check out more recent reviews related to turnaround times, just go to ZenBusiness' Trustpilot page and type in “days” in the search field. That’s how we found the reviews above.

Turnaround times are generally tough to predict. Factors including the state in which you’re filing, the time of year, and pure luck all impact how long it’ll take you to register your LLC. Please don't consider these reviews bomb-proof guarantees.

3. A Seamless Experience for First Time Business Owners

Creating your first LLC is both exciting and a little bit overwhelming. ZenBusiness has made it all so much easier. They carefully guide you through the whole process, step-by-step. The entire formation process is done online and can be completed in just a few minutes – ZenBusiness handles the rest on their end.

After finalizing your order, ZenBusiness' well-made dashboard will let you follow the progress of your LLC’s formation in real-time. You will receive notifications and updates throughout the entire formation process.

At no point will you feel confused about what’s going on, not know what to do, or be left to fend for yourself. We love that!

4. Professionals Through and Through

ZenBusiness has filed documents for thousands of LLCs, Corporations, DBAs, and business name registrations. They are the #1 specialized filing service in the US.

Many people – Lawyers, CPAs, and Advisors among them – offer LLC filing services (almost always at a much greater cost), but few besides ZenBusiness focus solely on LLC filings. In fact, many law firms quietly outsource LLC formations to specialist companies such as ZenBusiness. This is why we always recommend working with folks who specialize in just one area.

You will be hard-pressed to find professionals more specialized in business formation than the pros at ZenBusiness.

5. Great Customer Reviews

We read over a hundred ZenBusiness customer reviews on Trustpilot. The majority of LLC owners speak highly of them.

Check out some of their 10,200+ Trustpilot reviews for yourself.

ZenBusiness is one of the best-reviewed services among the competition. They hold an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 on major review portals such as Trustpilot. A large number of positive reviews is all the more impressive considering that ZenBusiness has only been in business since 2015.

The overwhelming majority of reviewers praise the service for its simplicity and rapid turnaround times. We also appreciate how they proactively contact customers who had less than perfect experiences to fix whatever their issue seems to be.

6. Extended Phone and Chat Customer Support Hours

Once you enter the business world, you realize that 24 hour + weekend services are practically nonexistent.

However, ZenBusiness provides extended customer support hours:

ZenBusiness Extended Customer Support Phone Email Chat

Monday to Friday 8 am – 8 pm central time + Sunday, 10 am – 7 pm central time.

Chat: You can chat online at zenbusiness.com during their extended support hours.

Phone: Call ZenBusiness at 1-844-493-6249 during their extended support hours.

Email: Get in touch at [email protected] and expect a reply within one business day.

Extended customer support hours are especially convenient when you are processing your legal documents and need to contact the registered agent department. Only a very small number of ZenBusiness’ competitors offer similar support hours, so we consider this a strong plus .

7. They are a Public Benefit Company

Public Benefit Corporations merge the goals of traditional for-profit businesses with non-profit companies’ emphasis on doing social, economic, and/or environmental good. PBCs must include public good causes in their statement of purpose.

To help businesses get through 2020, ZenBusiness awarded over $100,000 in grants to small businesses . Their statement of purpose includes helping launch over one million businesses by 2025.

As passionate entrepreneurs ourselves, we support this mission!

ZenBusiness has it almost all figured out. But they’re not perfect.

Here are the areas where we think ZenBusiness can improve. We don’t think they will be of significant concern to most people.

1. Business Website functionality is limited

We always recommend choosing providers that are specialists in the services they provide.

As a business formation service, ZenBusiness is near perfect and ranks as our top recommendation. But as a website builder and domain provider, they cannot compete with more popular specialized online service providers.

If you are creating an online business, we strongly recommend checking out Shopify for e-commerce sites or Wix for any other service website. You will have access to proprietary and proven website builders, tools, and services.

We will say, ZenBusiness’ overall website cost (Website, Domain, Privacy, and Email) is only $110. This is very competitive compared to other popular website builders. If your website is not a major element of your business, ZenBusiness’ offer might still fit the bill.

2. Subscription messaging

One of the most frequently asked questions about ZenBusiness is: “ Why does ZenBusiness need to bill me annually ?”

They could probably do a better job of communicating which services are subscription-based and which only have one-time fees.

Let us clear up the confusion.

If you purchase the Pro plan, the annual $199 renewal fee covers your Worry-Free Compliance service. As mentioned earlier, this service handles all necessary ongoing compliance filings with your state and make sure that your business maintains its good standing.

With a Premium plan, a yearly subscription also additonally covers:

Website Hosting
Domain Name (URL) Registration
Domain Privacy
Business Email

Something to keep in mind is that ZenBusiness doesn’t lock you into long-term contracts – if you no longer wish to use their services, you can cancel them at any time with no penalties.

Below we have listed all of the ZenBusiness services you may be interested in, along with some additional details.

We have provided individual service pricing information for your reference. Keep in mind that ZenBusiness discounts most services when you buy any of their packaged business formation plans.

Business Formation

Free. Included with all plans.

Forming a new legal entity is generally the first step one should take when launching a new business venture. Having a separate business entity for your business confers several advantages and can protect you from liability.

The limited liability company is the most popular option for small to mid-sized businesses. LLCs have three important features that make them attractive to entrepreneurs:

Limited Liability: Arguably the most important feature, an LLC’s limited liability means that your personal assets are not at risk in the event that your company is sued or goes bankrupt. The LLC insulates you from economic damage and allows you to take risks when engaging in business.
Pass-through taxation: By default, LLCs don’t pay separate taxes. Instead, incomes and losses are filed on the personal tax returns of the LLC’s members. In essence, the IRS treats single-member LLCs as sole proprietorships and multi-member LLCs as partnerships.
Administrative flexibility: Compared to corporations, LLCs have fewer legal requirements with regard to how they operate internally and have less stringent reporting obligations.

The formation of new LLCs is handled at the state level. It generally involves filing Articles of Organization (the exact name may vary in some states) with the Office of the Secretary of State and paying a small processing fee.

Business formation is the primary service ZenBusiness provides to future business owners. State websites tend to be poorly built, hard to use, and slow – if it is even possible to do the paperwork online.

ZenBusiness will save you the hassle of dealing with government bureaucracies and ensure everything is filed properly.

You will need to choose a business name for your future LLC. You can select your top choice during sign-up and ZenBusiness will run a business name search in order to verify that your LLC name is free. If it’s not, ZenBusiness will contact you before moving forward with your formation.

In order to avoid unnecessary delays when forming your business, we recommend that you check the availability of your chosen business name before placing an order. Most states let you search their business registers on their websites. You can also do a name search with the federal trademark register .

Once your order is finalized, ZenBusiness will send your documents to the Secretary of State on your behalf, completely free of charge. Every state, however, charges a fee for filing and processing your documents. This fee varies depending on the state – between $40 and $500.

ZenBusiness collects the state fees on your behalf and forwards them to the Secretary of State. There are no hidden fees for this service.

The amount of time it takes until you receive your final formation documents can differ significantly between states. If you need a quick LLC formation, you can pay an additional fee for expedited processing. ZenBusiness will display a turnaround time estimate before your order is finalized.

Custom Operating Agreement

Included with Pro, and Premium. $125 otherwise.

The operating agreement is an essential document for your LLC. In simple terms, it’s a contract signed by all LLC members outlining the nature, structure, and operation of your business.

Without an operating agreement, your LLC may resemble a sole proprietorship and your limited liability as a member could be disputed. If someone files a lawsuit against your LLC, your own money, real estate, 401k, and other personal assets could be at risk.

Without an operating agreement, your LLC will function more like a sole proprietorship, defeating its entire purpose.

ZenBusiness can help address this risk by providing you with an operating agreement that thousands of LLCs use today.

Among other things, operating agreements formalize via contract:

How ownership interest is divided between the LLC’s members
What happens if one of the LLC’s members decides to exit the business or passes away
Who runs the LLC – is it member-managed or manager-managed
How major business decisions are taken
How the LLC will be funded
How profits should be distributed between members

LLCs created in California , Delaware , Maine , Missouri , and New York are legally required to have an operating agreement – you don’t need to file your operating agreement with the government, but you have to have one.

In other states, it is highly recommended – but not required – that new business owners sign an operating agreement.

Registered Agent Service

All states require LLCs and corporations to appoint and maintain a registered agent. Your company’s registered agent serves as your business’s official point of contact for certain types of vital legal correspondence – such as court summons. A registered agent is not a business mail address or virtual office, although some providers may offer these services in addition.

The Secretary of State, IRS, other government agencies, and law offices will always send official correspondence to your registered agent. The registered agent is obligated to receive these legal documents on behalf of your LLC or corporation.

Your registered agents must be available during regular business hours. Acting as your LLC’s registered agent yourself is possible, but discouraged. If you miss a legal notice because you were sick, on vacation, or otherwise out of your office, it’s your fault.

Appointing a professional registered agent also helps protect your privacy and personal information – the registered agent’s contact details are part of the public record and can be accessed by anyone.

Registered agents must also maintain a physical address in the state where your business operates. Should you wish to work in several states, a registered agent service is a must – you will need to have a registered agent in every state where your business is foreign qualified.

Many LLC formation companies, including ZenBusiness, offer a registered agent service. When you use this service you:

Ensure your business remains compliant with state and federal agencies
Receive all critical documents online, organized and ready to download
Protect your storefront (if you have one) from embarrassing legal or tax notices
Avoid the massive amount of spam mail all newly registered businesses deal receive

People often wonder how they can contact their registered agent after forming an LLC or corporation with ZenBusiness. ZenBusiness is your registered agent; you can contact them directly.

Employer Identification Number (EIN)

$99. Included with ZenBusiness Pro and ZenBusiness Premium

Your Employer Identification Number, also known as an EIN, is your LLC’s nine-digit federal tax ID. Think of it as your business’s social security number.

You need an EIN to open a business bank account, hire employees, and file your business’s tax returns. For more information about Employer ID numbers, check out this IRS webpage .

The majority of businesses in the US are legally required to get an EIN from the IRS. In particular, you must obtain an EIN if any of the following apply to your business:

Your LLC will need to file excise tax returns
Your LLC will have employees
You have chosen for your LLC to be treated as an S-Corp
Your LLC will have more than one member

ZenBusiness will prepare and digitally file your EIN with the IRS after your LLC is registered.

Note that if you are not a US resident and you don’t have a social security number, you will need to obtain an Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) from the IRS before an EIN can be assigned to your business.

Banking Resolution Template

The banking resolution is a document that determines who has the authority to open a bank account and sign banking documents within an LLC or corporation.

Many banks require you to present this document when opening a business bank account.

ZenBusiness will save you time and legal fees by providing a template you can use.

Business Document Templates Library

$99. Included with ZenBusiness Premium.

ZenBusiness Business Document Template Library

You can purchase access to a growing library of 25+ business documents, including:

Contractor and Service-Related

Individual liability waiver
Company liability waiver
Waiver – release of liability
Waiver – release of liability (minor)
Website maintenance agreement
Freelancer agreement
Service agreement
Marketing agreement
Consulting agreement
Graphic design agreement

Business and Intellectual Property

Non-compete agreement
Confidentiality agreement
Employment offer letter
Employment termination
Employment agreement
Employee compensation agreement
Loan agreement
Purchase order agreement
Termination of agreement and release
Breach of contract notice
Partnership dissolution agreement
Amendment to agreement
Letter of intent (transaction)
Purchase agreement
Business purchase agreement
Joint venture agreement

Your access includes unlimited uses, prints, and endless customizability.

Free Accounting Assessment

Included with Starter, Pro, and Premium. Not sold separately.

Every business has unique accounting needs. ZenBusiness will assess your new startup’s bookkeeping obligation regarding:

Tracking and paying invoices
Managing your books
Filing Taxes and more

ZenBusiness’ accounting assessment is available through their online dashboard after your LLC is formed.

As a new business owner, this service will buy you time to focus on what’s truly important to growing your business. Plus you’ll save on at least an hour’s worth of accounting consultation fees.

Expedited and Rush Filing

Standard: Usually up to three weeks, Free Expedite: Usually up to 10 days, $50 Rush: Usually 1-6 days, $79

ZenBusiness Expedited Rush Filing California

ZenBusiness operates on a first-come, first-served basis. Paying for expedited or rush filing lets you skip the line. This can come in handy during busy times of the year (e.g., tax season).

It is worth noting that the final turnaround time for your formation depends on both ZenBusiness and the Office of the Secretary of State in the jurisdiction where you are forming your LLC. Thus, the real turnaround time will differ depending on your state.

Note that Rush filing comes included for free with ZenBusiness Pro and ZenBusiness Premium.

Worry-Free Compliance

Included with ZenBusiness Pro and Premium, optional with ZenBusiness Starter. Renews at $199 per year.

Most US states require you to submit an annual report with potentially severe penalties for missed deadlines. For a fee, ZenBusiness will perform an audit and file all necessary documents on your behalf. You also get two free amendment filings per year.

They will also watch your status with the state and notify you when you need to take action.

If you miss these deadlines still, you will receive help free of charge. You will receive a detailed action plan to fix the issue. They will also cover any penalty fees should your business lose its good standing due to negligence from ZenBusiness.

The worry-free guarantee helps you focus on your business without having to keep an eye out for deadlines, changes in legal requirements, or other regulations.

Website, Domain and Branded Email

Included with Premium. $149 per year otherwise.

Most businesses can’t go without a website these days. Whether it’s being used to sell products or services, offer up contact information, create a platform for communication, or simply boost credibility, having a website can be invaluable.

ZenBusiness can help you register a domain name (URL), protect your sensitive data, and create a basic website for your business. You will also receive an email address that’s branded with your domain name – e.g., [email protected] .

You will be able to choose from their six business site templates, which you can then customize to fit your needs.

In addition to the services we have already gone over, ZenBusiness can help you out with many of the tasks that become immediately necessary after your LLC is formed.

Here are some offers you can take advantage off:

Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) insurance quote

ZenBusines Business Owner Policy Free Insurance Quote

In partnership with Commercial Insurance Center, you can receive a free quote for an insurance bundle, which will include general liability insurance and commercial property insurance.

Small Business online banking account

$110 per year.

ZenBusines Business Checking Account Online Bank Radius

In partnership with Radius Bank, you can apply for a discounted bank account that includes:

Unlimited Transactions
Online Banking
Debit card and more

Yes, we do.

ZenBusiness will provide you with hassle-free LLC formation and incorporation at a very reasonable price – and it offers quick turnaround times to boot.

The formation process takes place entirely online. It’s quick and easy from start to finish and provides you with everything we consider essential. ZenBusiness will assess your accounting needs, and you will have access to a library of business documents immediately.

After formation, ZenBusiness helps you remain compliant and in good standing with the government. They will answer any questions you may have, free of charge, six days a week.

Having filed and formed thousands of LLCs since 2015, we believe that ZenBusiness will continue to improve on its already fantastic track record for years to come.

For a more general look at the LLC formation service landscape, check out our Best LLC Services and Best Incorporation Services articles. If you’re interested in seeing how ZenBusiness stacks up against specific competitors, check out our comparison articles.

Have you used ZenBusiness before? Please consider leaving a review below — good or bad — as long it’s helpful to our visitors. Thank you!

We rank ZenBusiness as our #2 LLC formation service. They provide everything you'll need to create your LLC – and at competetive prices.

ZenBusiness is an LLC and Corporation formation service. They handle all the filing and administrative requirements for your LLC or Corporation, so you can focus on growing your business.

Basic LLC formation is free! We recommend the $199 plan for most business owners which includes significantly faster filing and a custom operating agreement.

We recommend the ZenBusiness Pro plan to most founders. It covers almost everything you will need to kickstart your business immediately.

ZenBusiness charges an annual fee for their registered agent service. Companies are required by law to appoint and maintain a registered agent in order to receive legal correspondence. You can always switch your registered agent to someone else.

Zenbusiness offices are located at 5900 Balcones Dr Suite #5000, Austin, Texas.

ZenBusiness will request your EIN from the IRS as soon as your business entity is successfully registered. Most people receive their EIN within hours after registering.

ZenBusiness is the registered agent. Call them at 1-844-493-6249 or contact them via email at [email protected] .

ZenBusiness offers a refund, minus expenses. If you made an error, contact them immediately, as state fees are not refundable if they have already been forwarded.

Yes, ZenBusiness has excellent customer support. They are one of the few services offering extended support hours on top of live chat, phone and email support.

ZenBusiness' Worry-Free Guarantee covers your annual report and up to two amendments. They will handle your filings so you won't have to worry about compliance deadlines or making errors.

No, you are not required to use a formation service. ZenBusiness offer all their services with standalone pricing. You can pick and chose to create the best service package for your business.

ZenBusiness offers great value. Their formation service packages are some of the best on the market, starting from as little as $49 + state fees.

ZenBusiness average 4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot. They have excellent and consistent reviews on all review sites. Customers praise their filing turnaround time, excellent prices and helpful customer support.

ZenBusiness provides more, for less. Prices start at $49 + state fees for LLC formation, which are some of the best on the market. Turnaround times for formation/incorporation are very quick and their customer support is excellent.

Yes, alternatives exist. We recommend Northwest Registered Agent as alternative LLC formation services to ZenBusiness.

Yes, Zenbusiness is legit. The company was founded in 2015 and has since created hundreds of thousands of LLC's, corporations and non-profits.

I launched my first small business in 2015. I loved airsoft, so I created a small website where I would go on to educate parents about the sport and help them buy the safest gear for their kids. Since then, I have started many similar ventures, educating millions of people on topics including entrepreneurship, marketing, website development and online privacy.

I really appreciate all of your reviews. They are very thorough and made it easier for me to choose a LLC company. I would like to know if you have any recommendations for the best business apps? Again thanks for your reviews.

Thank you so much for your kind words, Donald! That means a lot to us. As for apps, nothing really comes to mind at the moment. It’s very dependent on the business you are running. Best, Andrey

What website builder does Zenbusiness use to build the website? If i want to make modifications and hire a pro on Fiverr. Is that more complicated than just having gone with their pro plan instead and paying an individual website builder to start from scratch?

Hi Bryan, very good question.

Our general recommendation is to use specialized services whenever possible. Zen is great at everything business formation and compliance related. For website building, it’s difficult for them to compete with other website builders who have been building out their products for decades.

If the choice is between ZenBusiness and a Fiverr dev, I would definitely opt for Zen. If the choice is between them and one of the many professional website building platforms, I’d go with the pros.

I would look into Wix or Shopify.

Hope that helps!

Best, Andrey