Is ZenBusiness Right for Your LLC?

Our Experience with ZenBusiness

After forming over 50 test LLCs across different services, ZenBusiness consistently delivers the best combination of affordability, features, and support. Their $0 starter package is genuinely free (you only pay state fees), making it accessible for budget-conscious entrepreneurs.

What sets ZenBusiness apart is their focus on ongoing compliance. While other services may be cheaper upfront, ZenBusiness includes their “Worry-Free Compliance” service free for the first year, which monitors important deadlines and sends reminders for annual reports, tax filings, and other requirements.

Formation Process

The formation process is streamlined into 4 simple steps that most users complete in under 10 minutes:

Step 1: Company Information

Enter your desired LLC name, business address, and industry type. ZenBusiness automatically checks name availability in real-time.

Step 2: Registered Agent

Choose between their registered agent service or provide your own. Their service is competitively priced at $199/year.

Step 3: Package Selection

Pick from three packages:

• Starter ($0): Basic formation with standard 7-10 day processing, free year of Worry-Free Compliance
• Pro ($199/yr): Adds Rush 1-day processing, Operating Agreement, 25+ business documents, logo kit, and online tools bundle trial
• Premium ($349 first year, $399/yr renewal): Everything in Pro plus registered agent service and Money Pro bookkeeping trial

Step 4: Review & Submit

Final review of all information before submission to the state.

Customer Support

ZenBusiness offers multiple support channels with notably responsive service:

• Phone Support: Available Monday-Friday, 8am-8pm CT with average wait times under 5 minutes
• Live Chat: Quick responses during business hours, typically under 2 minutes
• Email Support: Responses within 24 hours, often much faster
• Help Center: Comprehensive knowledge base with 200+ articles and video tutorials

In our testing, support agents were knowledgeable about state-specific requirements and went above and beyond to answer complex questions about multi-member LLCs and foreign qualification.

Pricing Analysis

Starter Package ($0 + state fees, does not renew)

The Starter package is truly $0 - no hidden fees or forced upsells. You get:

• Articles of Organization preparation and filing
• Name availability check and verified state filing
• Standard 7-10 business day processing
• Free year of Worry-Free Compliance (renews at $199/yr)
• 100% accuracy guarantee and 60-day money-back guarantee
• Compliance reminders and alerts
• Velo AI assistant and mobile app access
• Blueprint for Success program
• Award-winning lifetime support
• Unlimited document storage dashboard

Add-ons available: Rush processing (+$79), Operating Agreement (+$99), Business Documents (+$99), Logo Kit (+$60), EIN service (+$99), Registered Agent (+$199/yr)

Pro Package ($199 + state fees, renews at $199/yr)

Our recommended package for most businesses includes:

• Everything in Starter
• Rush 1-day processing (included, saves $79)
• Operating Agreement template (customized for your state)
• 25+ business document templates (liability waivers, employment agreements, contracts)
• Logo kit with professional logo generator
• Ongoing Worry-Free Compliance (annual reports + 2 amendments per year)
• 30-day free trial of Online Tools Bundle (domain name, AI website builder, business email - renews at $15/mo)

Premium Package ($349 first year + state fees, renews at $399/yr)

Best value package with everything included:

• Everything in Pro
• Registered agent service included (saves $199/yr)
• Business advisor consultation (one-on-one consultation)
• 60-day free trial of Money Pro bookkeeping (invoicing, expense tracking, payment management, tax tools - renews at $30/mo)

Best Value: Premium saves $199/yr on registered agent service alone, making it the most cost-effective choice for full compliance and protection.

Compliance Features

ZenBusiness excels in post-formation support with their compliance tools:

Worry-Free Compliance (valued at $199/yr)

• Compliance score tracking to monitor your business standing
• State-required annual report filing handled for you
• Up to 2 annual amendments to your LLC documents
• Automated deadline tracking for all 50 states
• Email and dashboard notifications 30 days before deadlines
• State-specific requirement monitoring

Included: Free for 1 year with Starter (renews at $199/yr), ongoing with Pro/Premium packages

Registered Agent Service

• Available in all 50 states
• Online portal for document management
• Email notifications within 1 hour of document receipt
• Unlimited document storage
• Privacy protection (your address stays off public records)

Processing Times

Processing speeds vary by package:

• Standard Processing (Starter): 7-10 business days for ZenBusiness to prepare and submit your filing
• Rush Processing (Pro/Premium included, or +$79 for Starter): 1 business day for ZenBusiness to prepare and submit
• State Processing: Additional time varies by state (2-30 days depending on state workload)

Note: Processing times refer to how quickly ZenBusiness prepares and submits your documents to the state. Actual state filing times vary by jurisdiction and are not included in these timeframes.

In our tests, ZenBusiness consistently met or beat their estimated timelines.

Additional Services

Beyond basic formation, ZenBusiness offers:

• Business License Research: $199 for comprehensive report
• Annual Report Filing: $199 per filing
• DBA Registration: Starting at $99 + state fees
• Foreign Qualification: $299 + state fees
• Amendment Filing: $149 + state fees
• Business Insurance: Partnership with trusted providers

Who Should Use ZenBusiness?

Perfect For:

• First-time business owners needing guidance
• Entrepreneurs wanting ongoing compliance support
• Businesses requiring fast formation
• Those who value responsive customer service

May Not Be Ideal For:

• Experienced entrepreneurs who only need bare-minimum filing
• Businesses requiring complex legal structures
• Those who prefer to handle everything themselves

Comparison to Competitors

vs. LegalZoom

ZenBusiness is significantly cheaper with better compliance tools. LegalZoom offers attorney consultations but at 3x the price.

vs. Incfile (Bizee)

Similar pricing but ZenBusiness has better customer support and more transparent pricing without aggressive upselling.

vs. Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest is cheaper for basic formation but lacks the compliance tools and additional services ZenBusiness offers.

Our Verdict

ZenBusiness earns our top recommendation for LLC formation. The combination of competitive pricing, excellent customer support, and robust compliance tools makes it the best choice for most entrepreneurs. While you can find slightly cheaper options, the value ZenBusiness provides - especially with their free first year of compliance monitoring - makes the small price difference worthwhile.

The only scenarios where we’d recommend looking elsewhere:

• If you only need the absolute minimum filing with no support (consider your state’s DIY option)
• If you need complex legal advice (consider hiring an attorney)
• If you’re forming multiple entities regularly (consider a bulk discount service)

For everyone else, ZenBusiness offers the best balance of price, features, and support in the LLC formation industry.