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.
Is ZenBusiness the Right Choice for You?
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Pricing:
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Turnaround Time:
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Help & Support:
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Customer Satisfaction:
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Ease of Use:
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 Quick Overview
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.
ZenBusiness Pricing
We have listed ZenBusiness’ most important formation plans in the table below:
Starter ($0) | Pro ($199/yr) | Premium ($349/yr) | |
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Basic LLC Filing | Included | Included | Included |
Registered Agent Service | $199 | $199 | $199 |
Obtain EIN | $99 | Included | Included |
Customized Operating Agreement | $99 | Included | Included |
Expedited Filing | $49 | Included | – |
Rush Filing | $79 | Included | Included |
Worry-Free Compliance | First Year Free, then $199 | Included | Included |
Accounting Consultation | Included | Included | Included |
Automatic Expense Tracking | Included | Included | Included |
Tax Deduction Tagging | Included | Included | Included |
Website Bundle (Website, Domain, Email, Privacy) | $149 per year | $149 per year | Included |
ZenBusiness Money Pro | $300 | $300 | $300 |
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
Tip:
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.
Service | Formation only | Full Formation | Rating |
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Northwest Registered Agent | $29 | $29 | ★★★★★ |
ZenBusiness | $0 | $324 | ★★★★☆ |
LegalZoom | $79 | $427 | ★★★☆☆ |
Swyft Filings | $49 | $545 | ★★★☆☆ |
Rocket Lawyer | $100 | $290 | ★★★★☆ |
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 support@zenbusiness.com.”
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.
ZenBusiness Pros
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.
However!
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:
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:
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 support@zenbusiness.com 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 Cons
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.
ZenBusiness Services
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.
Tip:
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
Tip:
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
$199/yr
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
Tip:
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
$30
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.
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
- Non-compete agreement
- Confidentiality agreement
- Loan agreement
- Purchase order agreement
- Employment 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 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., name@YourDomainName.com.
You will be able to choose from their six business site templates, which you can then customize to fit your needs.
ZenBusiness Add-ons and Offers
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
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.
In partnership with Radius Bank, you can apply for a discounted bank account that includes:
- Unlimited Transactions
- Online Banking
- Debit card and more
Do We Recommend ZenBusiness?
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!
ZenBusiness FAQs
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Are ZenBusiness a good choice?
We rank ZenBusiness as our #2 LLC formation service. They provide everything you’ll need to create your LLC – and at competetive prices.
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What does ZenBusiness do?
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.
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How much does ZenBusiness Cost for an LLC?
Basic LLC formation is free! We recommend the $199 plan for most business owners which includes significantly faster filing and a custom operating agreement.
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Which LLC package is the best for ZenBusiness?
We recommend the ZenBusiness Pro plan to most founders. It covers almost everything you will need to kickstart your business immediately.
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Why would I need ZenBusiness annually?
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.
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Where is Zenbusiness located?
Zenbusiness offices are located at 5900 Balcones Dr Suite #5000, Austin, Texas.
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How long does EIN take with ZenBusiness?
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.
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How do I contact my ZenBusiness registered agent?
ZenBusiness is the registered agent. Call them at 1-844-493-6249 or contact them via email at support@zenbusiness.com.
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Do ZenBusiness have a refund policy?
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.
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Does ZenBusiness have good customer support?
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.
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What is included ZenBusiness Worry-Free Guarantee?
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.
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Are customers required to use business formation services?
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.
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Does ZenBusiness Offer Good Value?
ZenBusiness offers great value. Their formation service packages are some of the best on the market, starting from as little as $49 + state fees.
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Are ZenBusiness Reviews from Customers Any Good?
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.
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What is the difference between ZenBusiness and other business formation companies?
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.
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Are there any alternatives to ZenBusiness?
Yes, alternatives exist. We recommend Northwest Registered Agent as alternative LLC formation services to ZenBusiness.
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Is ZenBusiness Legit?
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 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