ZenBusiness Review: Pros, Cons, & Alternatives

BY Basma F, Updated on Mar 2, 2023


Zenbusiness
Review Summary

Service Name:


Zenbusiness

Service Type:


Business Formation Services

Monthly fee:


Get Starter for $0 plus state fees

Summary:

ZenBusiness provides formation services and other services like worry-free compliance and EIN. ZenBusiness can help you if you want to start a business and do not know how to go about business formation documents.

Rating:

Business formation services help many companies start their business without worrying about paperwork. ZenBusiness offers business and LLC formation with registered agent services, compliance, etc.

This review focuses on introducing the ZenBusiness services, reviewing how they compare to other service providers, and what people think about the service on some popular review sites, and some FAQs.

What is ZenBusiness?

ZenBusiness provides formation services and other services like worry-free compliance and EIN. ZenBusiness can help you if you want to start a business and do not know how to go about business formation documents.

Who Would Benefit from the Services of ZenBusiness?

  • Small business owners
  • Limited liability company or LLC
  • Corporations

What are the Services that ZenBusiness Provides?

  • Business formation services like LLCs, corporations, nonprofits
  • Registered agent services (statutory agent)
  • Operating Agreement
  • Employer Identification Number (EIN)
  • Business License or Permit
  • Business website and business domain
  • Annual report service
  • A business address in any state of your choice

ZenBusiness provides comprehensive services to businesses that do not stop at business formation. They also offer a business website, business domain, accounting, and annual report services. They do all the heavy lifting when it comes to businesses.

Pros

  • Low-cost formation services for the starter plan. Businesses only pay state fees.
  • Special offer of $150 Google Ads Credit.
  • Free tax-saving consultation.
  • Straightforward pricing with no hidden fees.
  • You can contact ZenBusiness through phone calls, chat, or email.
  • Scans, uploads, and forwards important business mail
  • Extended customer support hours

Cons

  • ZenBusiness does not offer statutory agent to Professional Limited Liability Companies (PLLCs) or Nonprofits.
  • The packages do not include many additional services, whether the starter or the premium plan.
  • You must pay additional costs for basic services like the registered agent (S199/year) and the EIN (one-time fee of $99).
  • Not many essential services are included in the packages.
  • Add-on services like a certificate of good standing, statutory agent, and annual report service can make the service extremely expensive.

Main Services of ZenBusiness

LLC formation service

LLC services, also known as limited liability company, are included in ZenBusiness LLC formation services. ZenBusiness LLC formation services include naming your LLC and choosing a registered agent.

Filing the certificate of formation or articles or organization, getting operating agreements, applying for EIN, and reviewing tax requirements are some of the services they provide. When you form an LLC with ZenBusiness, they also offer worry-free services.

C Corporation

C Corporation is a business type that any business owner may favor. Some of the benefits of this business entity include protection from legal liabilities, and the corporation's structure is not affected by the death of stockholders.

ZenBusiness business formation also offers this business model. ZenBusiness offers expert support when you choose its formation service and helps you comply with state and federal laws.

S Corporation

S Corporation or S Corp is not a business structure like LLC. LLCs and corporations can apply for S Corp if they meet the criteria. An S Corp has several tax benefits.

ZenBusiness can help you with S Corp. You get worry-free services and expert support with ZenBusiness. They also help with registering a business name, appointing a statutory agent, filing formation documents, filing S-Corp status forms, and applying for an EIN.

Registered Agent Service

ZenBusiness registered agent service is a service that comes with other business formation services. A registered agent - sometimes called a resident agent or statutory agent - acts as your legal point of point. A statutory agent receives state and tax legal documents for your company.

ZenBusiness provides a registered agent for LLCs and Corporations in 50 states whether or not you filed the business through ZenBusiness. ZenBusiness receives scans and uploads documents for you to view online and notifies you about tax and legal correspondence.

Worry-free Compliance

ZenBusiness offers worry-free services for businesses. ZenBusiness notifies you about any compliance events. In addition, ZenBusiness provides an annual report service and business amendment filings.

ZenBusiness handles state filings and helps you make any changes to your filings (2 amendments per year) in addition to compliance experts in case you encounter any problems.

Employer Identification Number (EIN)

When you set up your business, you'll need an Employer ID Number, a business tax identification number also called EIN, for filing business taxes and setting up a business bank account. This number helps employers hire employees.

ZenBusiness can help you get your EIN from the IRS. You need to provide your information, and the team will submit all paperwork required and notify you when the process is complete.

Operating Agreement

When creating your LLC, you need an operating agreement. ZenBusiness provides this service that you can use to outline your business rules. This agreement helps in protecting personal assets. As a new business owner, you can easily use their operating agreement to help you instead of starting from scratch.

Business License or Permit

New business owners might find themselves struggling with amounts of paperwork. Which business licenses or permits do they need? ZenBusiness simplifies the process and helps you navigate the paperwork maze of company formation.

Other Services

ZenBusiness offers other services for businesses. They include a business name checker, reserving a business name, and registering a business domain name. They also help build a business website and get a business email address.

Zen Business also offers tools to help you with your finances by helping you track revenue and expenses in addition to tax preparation tools.

ZenBusiness Pricing and Options

ZenBusiness offers three packages to meet the needs of different businesses. They offer Starter, Pro, and Premium. Let's see the details of every package.

Starter

The Starter package costs $0 + the state filing fees. It does not renew automatically. With this package, you'll be ready to start your business in 2 to 3 weeks. This is a basic package with limited features.

  • The starter package comes with standard filing speed.
  • It also comes with expense and deduction tracking.
  • Free tax-saving consultation is included.
  • Bank of America's offer is also included.

Who is it for?

This package is for LLCs and small businesses with a limited budget who want to pay only the state filing fees without worrying about the paperwork and the details. You can always add more services if needed and pay the fees.

Pro

Pro is their most popular package. It costs $199 plus the state filing fees. This package includes faster processing, and you'll be ready to start your business in 4 to 6 days. In addition, this package includes more features.

  • The services for forming a business are included in this package.
  • Pro also offers worry-free compliance.
  • A guided operating agreement is also included in the Pro package.
  • An expedited filing service is available.
  • Free tax-saving consultation is included.
  • Bank of America's offer is also included.

Who is it for?

For businesses who want additional services to get their paperwork done, like the worry-free compliance and the operating agreement, and want to get started fast.

Premium

The premium package aims to provide services that take your business to the next level. It costs $299 plus the state filing fees and is billed annually. The premium plan comes with a fast service, and you'll be ready to start your business in 1 to 2 days.

  • Breakneck filing speed
  • It comes with the domain name and email address.
  • It also comes with a customizable business website.
  • Available tax-saving consultation service.
  • Bank of America's offer is also included.

Who is it for?

This is for small, medium, and large businesses that would like additional services plus the formation service and would benefit from rush filing speed. In addition, this is useful for LLC formation and those filing for a corporation.

Zenbusiness FAQs

Is ZenBusiness a good website to get your LLC?

ZenBusiness is one of the highest-rated websites on Trustpilot, with a rating of 4.6.

Do I have to pay ZenBusiness every year?

Yes, for many Zen Business services, you pay an annual fee. However, ZenBusiness offers a one-time fee for some services like the operating agreement template and the EIN number.

Does ZenBusiness help with taxes?

Yes, ZenBusiness offers tax preparation tools and tools that help you track your revenue and expenses.

Which ZenBusiness package is best?

It all depends on your business needs. A starter package is an excellent option for forming an LLC or a corporation. The pro package is a perfect choice to include worry-free compliance.

Does ZenBusiness have worry-free compliance?

ZenBusiness provides worry-free compliance services for an annual fee of $199 (included in the Pro package).

Is Zenbusiness a reliable and trustworthy platform?

Yes, Zenbusiness is a reliable and trustworthy platform for entrepreneurs and small business owners. They have helped thousands of businesses get started and grow over the years. They have a 4.8/5 rating on Trustpilot and many positive reviews from satisfied customers. Additionally, Zenbusiness has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

How does Zenbusiness help me form a business?

Zenbusiness offers a simple and affordable way to form a company. You can choose from business structures like LLC, Corporation, Nonprofit, and Sole Proprietorship. Zenbusiness will guide you through the entire process. They handle all the paperwork and filing requirements, making getting your business up and running easy.

Can I use Zenbusiness to manage my business compliance?

Yes, Zenbusiness offers compliance services to help you stay up-to-date with all the legal requirements for your business. They can assist you with filing annual reports, obtaining business licenses and permits, and more. This ensures that your business stays in good standing with the state and avoids penalties or legal issues.

How much does Zenbusiness cost?

The cost of Zenbusiness services varies depending on the specific service you need. For example, the cost of forming an LLC is $39 plus state fees. Registered agent services start at $99 per year. You can also purchase additional services like business name registration, annual report filing, and more. Zenbusiness offers transparent pricing and a variety of plans to choose from.

What Do Customers Say About Zenbusiness?

We'll list some ZenBusiness customer reviews so that you know what other business owners think of this service. Let's see reviews and ratings on some review sites.

On Trustpilot, ZenBusiness has received a rating of 4.6. As with any review site, some people were happy about the service of ZenBusiness, while others had some concerns. Some said their experience with LLC service has been good, and they were mostly satisfied with customer support. However, some complained about the cancellation process, saying everything was perfect until you tried to cancel.

On BBB, it has a rating of 4.2 based on 186 customer reviews. Some positive reviews about their LLC service said this service provider made the entire process easy. One customer, however, complained that ZenBusiness kept charging his credit card even after cancellation.

On G2, ZenBusiness has a 2.5 rating from one person who said the formation of the business was generally good and their customer service agents are helpful and knowledgeable but complained that ZenBusiness frequently increases pricing and recommends using a different statutory agent.

Zenbusiness Alternatives & Competitors

For business and LLC formation, there are many service providers worth mentioning. Here are some ZenBusiness alternatives you should consider if you're looking for a business or LLC formation service provider. Let's see how ZenBusiness compares to some of the best service providers.

NorthWest Registered Agent logo

Northwest Registered agent provides many extra services besides starting a business as mail forwarding, virtual office services, business address, phone number, and affordable legal help. Unlike ZenBusiness, this company charges $100 filing service fees. The statutory agent from Northwest Registered Agent costs $125.

Pros

  • Data protection is one of the main priorities of Northwest Registered Agent.
  • Mail forwarding for businesses who want more services for their business.
  • Offer virtual office services for $29 per month to give a professional image to your business, especially with their prestigious locations.
  • Availability of legal help.

Cons

  • Expensive filing service fees compared to different service providers who only charge state fees.
Incfile logo

The main difference between ZenBusiness and Incfile is that Incfile offers the service of the registered agent for free for the first year. As for ZenBusiness, the service costs $199 for this service from the beginning. 

Incfile and ZenBusiness both provide business tax consultation. Also, Incfile and ZenBusiness don't charge formation service fees. Instead, they only charge the state filing fees.

Pros

  • Incfile offers free registered agent service for the first year.
  • Zero filing fees for business and LLC formation.
  • Registered agent costs $119 after the first free year, which is cheaper than ZenBusiness ($199).

Cons

  • Not easy to cancel and ask for a refund.
leglazoom logo

Legal Zoom

3.8

Unlike ZenBusiness, which specializes only in formation services, LegalZoom provides legal services. LegalZoom packages start at $79 plus the filing fees for LLC services and could be higher for corporations and nonprofits.

ZenBusiness charges $0 plus state filing fees for the starter plan. As for the registered (statutory) agent, LegalZoom costs $299 per year, and ZenBusiness only costs $199 per year.

Pros

  • Refund within 60 days if customers are unsatisfied with the service.
  • LegalZoom offers various legal services that could be beneficial to businesses.

Cons

  • LLC services package is more expensive than ZenBusiness.
Inc authority logo

Inc Authority

3.5

Like ZenBusiness, Inc Authority offers free formation and only charges state fees. But unlike ZenBusiness, Inc Authority offers free registered agent services for the first year.

Inc Authority has many services like website and marketing solutions, business planning, business funding, federal trademark, revocable living trust, and business credit.

Pros

  • Extra services like marketing and federal trademark.
  • Free formation and free registered agent for the first year.

Cons

  • Pricing is unclear. You have to pick the services you need to know how much you'll pay
Harbor Compliance

Harbor Compliance

4

Besides business and LLC formation that starts at $99 plus state fees, Harbor Compliance offers compliance software to oversee and organize licenses.

As for the registered service agent, it costs $99 per year with a discount of 5-10% for purchasing this service for two years. Therefore, it is cheaper than ZenBusiness pricing for the same service ($199 per year).

Pros

  • Harbor Compliance registered agent services are reasonable with a 5-10% discount.

Cons

  • Business and LLC formation is not free.
BetterLegal-logo

BetterLegal

3

For business formation, Better Legal costs $299 + state fees. It is expensive compared to different service providers. Their package includes filing type, Employer ID Number (EIN), banking resolution, setting up a free website, and free tax analysis.

Better Legal offers registered agent services for a fee ($10 per month or $90 per year). State Compliance services are also subscription-based and cost $10 per month or $90 per year.

Better legal offers permit and license research for $125, which you can include in the original plan.

Pros

  • Reasonable cost for the registered agent service.
  • Monthly subscription for added services.

Cons

  • Expensive business formation package.
Rocket Lawyer-logo

Rocket Lawyer

3

Rocket Lawyer offers legal help in addition to business formation. With Rocket Lawyer, you can seek legal advice. You get a 7-day free trial with Rocket Lawyer. Rocket Lawyer offers free LLC business formation for those who already pay a monthly membership for their other services.

For forming a business, you pay $99 + state filing fees and $149.99 for the statutory agent.

Pros

  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Free LLC for those using Rocket Lawyer services.

Cons

  • Business formation fees are considered expensive.

Final CONCLUSION

The process of starting your dream business does not have to be complicated. As seen in this review, some business and LLC formation packages are available with excellent customer reviews.

Choosing the best LLC service from this list depends on your business needs. We hope this guide has helped you find out more about the services of ZenBusiness and its competitors so you can make better decisions for the success of your business.