Bizee’s (formerly IncFile) About Us page states that it lets business owners have peace of mind knowing that their business is in the hands of experts.
But is this really the case? Is Bizee (formerly IncFile) reliable as a business formation service? We’ll find out in this candid Bizee (formerly IncFile) review.
We believe that if you’re going to invest in a business formation service, it should be one that:
Does Bizee (formerly IncFile) offer that? This review will provide you with a comprehensive answer.
Bizee (Formerly IncFile) Review: The Summary BoxBizee (formerly IncFile) is one of the top business formation services in the market. As we’ll see in this Bizee (formerly IncFile) review, they offer a wide range of services to business owners, both free and paid. Business owners can form a business in any of the 50 states. All you have to do is choose an entity type, select your state, pick your package, provide your details, and they’ll do the rest for you. It’s one of the few companies that offers business formation services for free. Every formation package from Bizee (formerly IncFile) comes with unlimited name searches and a full year of free registered agent service. Higher-priced packages come with other perks like business tax consultation, a business bank account, and a federal tax identification number. Product Rating
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Cons
Before diving into the specifics of this Bizee (formerly IncFile) review, let’s take a look at their pricing structure.
As we continue our Bizee (formerly IncFile) review, it’s important to understand who can benefit most from their services. That said, Bizee (formerly IncFile) is an ideal business formation service for entrepreneurs who:
Image via Bizee (formerly IncFile)
Now, let’s delve deeper into our Bizee (formerly IncFile) review by examining their core services and features
So, what is Bizee (formerly IncFile)?
It’s an online full-service for business formation.
It offers legal document preparation and filing services, as well as additional paid services like getting an EIN, registered agents, and more.
The business began operations in 2004 and has worked with over a million business owners.
Besides being a useful full-service company for new business owners, Bizee (formerly IncFile) offers financial support to aspiring and new entrepreneurs through grants. Students with an entrepreneurial spirit get financial aid as well.
The 2023 Young Entrepreneur Scholarship Grant winner, for instance, wins $2,500 to complete their education.
Image via Bizee (formerly IncFile)
The winner of the 2023 Fresh Start Business Grant, on the other hand, gets the Bizee’s (formerly IncFile) Standard (formerly Gold) package for free and $2,500 in cash.
Image via Bizee (formerly IncFile)
A key part of this Bizee (formerly IncFile) review is understanding their business formation process. Bizee (formerly IncFile) helps business owners form a legal business entity through a straightforward process that involves a few clicks.
They can help you form:
From choosing a unique business name to picking the best entity type for your venture, Bizee (formerly IncFile) works with business owners to find solutions that fit them the best.
The business formation process will basically involve the following steps:
1. Select an entity type.
Image via Bizee (formerly IncFile)
2. Select the state in which you want to start your business.
Image via Bizee (formerly IncFile)
3. Choose a formation package.
Image via Bizee(formerly IncFile)
4. Start answering some questions about your business. Bizee (formerly IncFile) will use this information to file the required formation documents.
Image via Bizee (formerly IncFile)
Here’s some of the information you’ll need to provide:
Bizee (formerly IncFile) also offers plenty of services that business owners can use to get their businesses up and running profitably. You can also select additional services you want, such as a virtual address.
And that’s not all.
Bizee (formerly IncFile) provides its customers with ongoing support, such as:
It’s a one-stop-shop for business owners.
Once you start your process with Bizee (formerly IncFile), all your details and documents will be available on an online dashboard for easy access. This is also where you’ll get reminders and compliance alerts, making it easier to manage your new LLC.
Apart from the business formation service, here are some other services Bizee (IncFile) offers separately.
As a business owner, you’re required to file Articles of Amendment when you’ve made major changes to the details stated in your Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Organization.
This can include changes in areas like:
Bizee (formerly IncFile) can file the Articles of Amendment for you at a fee of $99 plus the respective filing fee of your state.
Image via Bizee (formerly IncFile)
Corporations, LLCs, and non-profits are required to have an individual or entity in the state they’re registered in, known as a registered agent.
The registered agent has to be present at the registered address during regular work hours. They have to receive correspondence like litigation notices, compliance-related notifications, and other legal and tax correspondence.
You can be your own registered agent but that can hamper your mobility. But with Bizee (formerly IncFile), you can get a registered agent service for $119 per year.
But as we mentioned, if you form your business through Bizee (formerly IncFile), you get free registered agent services for the first year. From the following year on, the cost falls back to $119 per year.
Image via Bizee (formerly IncFile)
For a fee, Bizee (formerly IncFile) offers you a virtual street address where you can receive your business’s mail in other states. They scan all your communication and send it to you on your dashboard.
This makes it easy to operate your business without expensive setup costs in other states. The cost of the virtual address service is $29 per month.
Businesses need an EIN for basic operations like filing income taxes, paying employees’ wages, applying for credit, opening a business bank account, and more.
Bizee (formerly IncFile) takes away the hassle of applying for an EIN. They’ll handle the process for you for a fee of $70.
Image via Bizee (formerly IncFile)
A Certificate of Good Standing provides tangible proof that your business is compliant with the laws of your state and has met its tax obligations.
You may need a Certificate of Good Standing when applying for credit, carrying out some financial and business transactions, or getting into contracts.
When the need arises, Bizee (formerly IncFile) can help you obtain a Certificate of Good Standing from your Secretary of State for $49 plus the required respective state fees.
Image via Bizee (formerly IncFile)
A DBA or fictitious business name (FBN) is a name other than your official business name that you can use to conduct business.
You could use a fictitious business name in a situation where you have multiple branches or product lines and wish to create a distinctive brand identity for them to make it easy for your customers to recognize you.
Similarly, if you have a Sole Proprietorship or Partnership, you can opt to operate under a DBA instead of your personal name.
You can register your fictitious name for $99 using Bizee (formerly IncFile), plus the respective state fees.
If you’re expanding your business operations to different states, other than the one your business is registered in (domestic state), you need to register to do business in that state with the relevant state agency.
It’s what’s known as obtaining a foreign qualification.
You get a Certificate of Authority upon successfully applying for foreign qualifications.
Bizee’s (formerly IncFile) foreign qualification service can help you gain legal standing to operate your business in any state of your choice.
They’ll do a name search for you, get you a registered agent, and file the necessary paperwork at a cost of $149 for each state. You’ll also need to pay for the respective state filing fees.
Changing your registered agent and failing to notify the Secretary of State can result in hefty fines. The consequences could go as far as losing your business license.
Besides, failing to update the address of your new registered agent means you could fail to receive correspondence in a timely manner.
To update it, you need to file a “Change of Registered Agent” with your Secretary of State and pay the stipulated processing fee. Bizee (formerly IncFile) does it for a service fee of $49.
Failure to pay your business licenses and permit fees can result in:
Yet, depending on the nature of your business, it can be hard to keep track of the licenses and permits you need.
Thankfully, Bizee (formerly IncFile) offers a package where business owners get a licensing expert who does all the research regarding the permits and licenses a business needs at the local, state, and even federal levels.
This service can help avoid recurring charges or penalties due to non-compliance.
Typically, each state has varied requirements for licensing for every type of business. Finding these requirements and working based on them can be challenging to do all by yourself. But with Bizee’s (formerly IncFile) business package, you can get it done for $99.
Image via Bizee (formerly IncFile)
Every year, businesses are required to file an annual report with their state agency and pay a set fee.
The annual report is meant to provide the Secretary of State with an update about the business’ operations, ownership, financial performance, and any legal or regulatory proceedings.
You can file your annual reports through Bizee (formerly IncFile) at a cost of $99 plus state fees.
The IRS provides Corporations with the option to be taxed as a Sole Proprietorship or Partnership by electing to become an S-Corp and not a C-Corp.
Instead of getting taxed at the corporate level, shareholders are required to report the income in their individual income tax returns. It protects them from double taxation.
Limited Liability Companies can elect to be taxed as an S-Corp as well. For LLCs, it helps reduce the self-employment tax bill.
To elect the S-Corporation tax treatment, you’ll need to file Form 2553 with the IRS, which can be a complex and burdensome process.
Bizee’s (formerly IncFile) S-Corporation Tax Election service can ensure you make the application correctly and with little stress. The service fee is $50 for LLCs and $25 for Corporations.
Registering a trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) protects your business name, logo, tagline, and slogan from use by other businesses.
Bizee (formerly IncFile) offers the service at a fee of $199 plus the required filing fee.
They’ll carry out research to ensure the artistic or literary work isn’t already registered, and then they’ll prepare and file the trademark application on your behalf.
Once a company stops operations, it’s important to officially dissolve it by filing the Articles of Dissolution.
It tells the state that the business no longer exists.
Without filing the Articles of Dissolution, the company remains liable for business taxes, annual reports, and other state requirements.
It could lead to an unnecessary accumulation of fees.
To properly terminate the company, you need to take these steps:
Bizee (formerly IncFile) takes these steps for you at a fee of $149 plus the required fees by your state.
Image via Bizee (formerly IncFile)
An inactive company or one that the state has struck off or dissolved for issues like non-compliance can get back into the state’s good books by filing for company reinstatement.
It restores the company to a registered state like it had never been deregistered. And this is way cheaper, easier, and more convenient than setting up a new company.
After you’ve sorted out the issue that got you in trouble, Bizee (formerly IncFile) can help you get back to good standing with the state for a service fee of $199 plus the respective state fees.
They’ll fill and file the required reinstatement forms with the Secretary of State and any other necessary state office.
Bizee (formerly IncFile) offers expert bookkeeping and business accounting services that are tailored to the needs of your business.
These paid services include ongoing support, such as:
The cost of the accounting service is $90 per month for the Starter package and $180 per month for the Plus package.
The service starts with a 30-minute free tax consultation. You can then choose the package that best fits the size and needs of your business. And the best bit? You have a dashboard for tracking accounts too!
Bizee (formerly IncFile) goes a step further and provides new business owners with a corporate kit.
It serves as a great way to store your official business documents in an organized way.
The kit includes:
The cost for this service is $99.
Bizee (formerly IncFile) also offers a library of contract templates that make it easy to create binding terms for your client relationships and ensure all expectations are in a concrete and enforceable form.
Some of the contract templates are free for anyone to access on their site, while the premium ones are only available to Bizee (formerly IncFile) customers.
No review would be complete without evaluating their customer support. And Bizee (formerly IncFile) takes its customer service seriously. You can easily reach them through email support, live chat, or phone support. You can also submit a support request through the site.
Bizee (formerly IncFile) says that their support team speaks both Spanish and English, which makes them more accessible. Whether you prefer phone support or email support, you can get help in the language you’re most comfortable with.
Another advantage of Bizee (formerly IncFile) is that you don’t need to pay for the highest packages to get quality support, as is the case with some other LLC service providers.
The most basic package, which is free, comes with unlimited phone and email support; the only thing it lacks is live chat support.
Bizee (formerly IncFile) users also get access to a rich knowledge base where they can get some of their questions answered without having to speak to the support staff. This site is available 24/7, complementing their phone support and email support options.
As we continue our Bizee (formerly IncFile) review, let’s break down their pricing tiers and associated features.
Bizee’s (formerly IncFile) pricing structure is straightforward, with three main tiers. All these features are designed to make starting your business easier and more efficient:
Image via Incfile
One of the major advantages of Bizee (formerly IncFile) is that you can get the business formation services for free in its Basic (formerly Silver) package.
Bizee’s (formerly IncFile) experts will file the Articles of Organization for you at no charge. The only thing you have to pay is your respective state fee.
This free package also comes with unlimited name searches and a full year of free registered agent service.
For a service fee of $199, you get everything offered in the Basic (formerly Silver) package, plus:
For this package, you pay more but also get expedited filing.
If you’re in a hurry to get your company set up, you can get the next-day filing for $299. Normal filing takes 3 to 6 weeks depending on the state in which you’re setting up your business.
The Premium package also comes with business contract templates. You also get a business email and domain name to establish your online presence.
In our opinion, Bizee’s (formerly IncFile) Standard package is the ideal choice.
If there’s an urgency to set up your business and you need an expedited filing, you can pay for it as a separate service for $50 to $75.
For your online presence, work with a website developer who’ll set up a professional and secure business site for you. Or do it the DIY way using a website builder.
The Basic package is ideal when all you want is someone to help you maneuver the technical language in the business formation forms and have no need for all the other extra features provided in the Standard and Premium packages.
In this part of our Bizee (formerly IncFile) review, we’ll highlight the company’s strengths. There are several strong points that make Bizee (formerly IncFile) an excellent business formation service.
You’re likely to come across a lot of legalese when filing the business formation forms on the Secretary of State’s site. There may be many special instructions as well about how you should fill the form.
This is one of the main reasons most entrepreneurs choose to use an LLC formation service. It should make the process easier, and Bizee (formerly IncFile) manages to provide this. Their LLC service simplifies the often complex process of starting a business.
Once you fill out your state and the type of business you wish to establish, Bizee (formerly IncFile) will personalize your steps and make the process faster and simpler for you.
You don’t need to be a Bizee (formerly IncFile) customer to access the rich resources on its site.
There’re plenty of business guides on how to start various businesses. Bizee (formerly IncFile) has even sorted these guides by business types and industries.
Image via Bizee (formerly IncFile)
Business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs can access valuable articles on financial management, tips on how to grow a business, and more.
There’s unlimited access to tools like:
You can even register for a free DIY email course.
Various tools are also available to carry out research when setting up your business and ensure you remain in good standing with your state. These include sales tax calculators and other useful resources.
Image via Bizee (formerly IncFile)
Quick results are endearing. And that’s what you get from Bizee (formerly IncFile).
Irrespective of the package or state you choose for your LLC formation, Bizee (formerly IncFile) commits to making all the necessary applications as early as possible.
Every business application is a priority in Bizee’s (formerly IncFile) internal system.
Once Bizee (formerly IncFile) files your application, the speed of the process will depend on the respective government entity.
But they’ve provided a tool that you can use to check how long the process will take in your respective state. It also indicates how that time can change if you opt for an expedited filing.
Image via Bizee (formerly IncFile)
Forming a business, whether it’s a Limited Liability Company, Corporation, or Non-Profit and keeping it compliant involves filing plenty of forms with different agencies, with some of them being time-sensitive.
It can be hard to keep track of it all. And that’s apart from the main goal of your business — look for customers to start making a profit.
Bizee (formerly IncFile) makes it easier for business owners to keep track of what’s important through a custom online dashboard.
This dashboard provides online document access for all your important formation documents. It’s also a central repository for:
In addition to SMS and email notifications, customers get compliance alerts and order updates from the online dashboard.
Launch Your Business with Bizee (IncFile)
Let’s move this review to some not-so-impressive parts of Bizee (formerly IncFile).
Phone support is only available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central Time. It would be nice if they included some weekend hours.
Besides, some customers have complained about having a hard time accessing the support team.
Image via TrustPilot
In its refund policy, Bizee (formerly IncFile) states that an order is refundable, but only if the money has not been forwarded to any government entity or third party.
And this usually happens 24 hours after placing an order.
For trademark filings, a refund is impossible if Bizee (formerly IncFile) has already done a trademark search or if they’ve made payment to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
In the event a refund is approved, Bizee (formerly IncFile) deducts a $30 cancellation fee. And if Bizee (formerly IncFile) incurs any other expense related to the order, they’ll also deduct that from the refund amount. This policy applies to all the features and services they offer.
Failing to refund money that has already been forwarded to a third party or government agency is reasonable. But the fact that you lose $30 even when you cancel your order fast enough is a bit harsh.
To provide a balanced Bizee (formerly IncFile) review, it’s crucial to see how they stack up against competitors. Let’s review Bizee (formerly IncFile) vs. its major competitors, including ZenBusiness and other similar services.
Like Bizee (formerly IncFile), Inc Authority provides a free LLC formation service with free registered agent services for the first year.
But Inc Authority has a very responsive customer support team, and it triumphs over Bizee (formerly IncFile) in that area. However, Inc Authority does not offer as many extra features as Bizee (formerly IncFile).
The experience of Inc Authority is also less than that of Bizee (formerly IncFile).
Bizee (formerly IncFile) boasts of helping over a million business owners, while Inc Authority has only made over 250,000 business formations. Both offer similar LLC services, but Bizee (formerly IncFile) provides more extra features and options for customization.
This is despite the fact that Inc Authority has been around for over 30 years, while Bizee (formerly IncFile) has only been operational for about 19 years.
The pricing plans for Bizee (formerly IncFile) and ZenBusiness are similar.
Like Bizee (formerly IncFile), ZenBusiness also offers additional services to help business owners run and grow their businesses. But with ZenBusiness, you’ll miss out on the free perks that Bizee (formerly IncFile) offers, such as free registered agents. Both companies offer several add-ons to customize your package.
However, a major difference is in the refund and cancellation policy.
For Bizee (formerly IncFile), you can only cancel if money has not been sent to the state agency or third party, and there’s a $30 cancellation fee.
For ZenBusiness, they offer a generous 60-day money back guarantee. And you get a full refund. There’s no cancellation fee.
Bizee (formerly IncFile) and LegalZoom are similar in terms of experience.
Both also offer plenty of standalone services to support business owners.
The main difference is in pricing.
Bizee’s (formerly IncFile) pricing applies across all entity types. But LegalZoom’s pricing varies depending on the entity type.
There’s a free package for LLC’s that includes filing the Articles of Organization and a namecheck service. From there, customers have to pay $249 plus state fees for the Pro package and $299 plus state filing fees for the Premium (formerly Platinum) package.
The price for Non-Profits starts at $99 plus filing fees while it starts at $149 plus filing fees for Corporations.
1. Can Bizee (formerly IncFile) be trusted?
A. Yes, Bizee (formerly IncFile) can be trusted. They’ve been in operation since 2004 and have helped over a million business owners with their business formation.
2. Is Bizee (formerly IncFile) really free?
A. Yes. Bizee’s (formerly IncFile) Basic package offers business formation services for free. All you have to pay is the respective state fees.
3. How do I get out of Bizee (formerly IncFile)?
A. You can only cancel an order if Bizee (formerly IncFile) has not forwarded payment to the concerned government entity or third party. You will be charged $30 for the cancellation.
4. What are the tiers of Bizee (formerly IncFile)?
A. Bizee (formerly IncFile) has 3 payment tiers for its business formation services:
5. Is the Bizee (formerly IncFile) Standard package worth it?
A. Yes, the Bizee (formerly IncFile) Standard package is a good deal. For $199 plus the respective state fees, you get:
It is clear from this comprehensive Bizee (formerly Incfile) review that the business formation service is worth trying. With options ranging from basic formation to comprehensive packages with several add-ons, Bizee (formerly IncFile) caters to various business needs.
Although there are weaknesses in their customer service and cancellation policy, its advantages far outweigh them, such as:
In addition, you get plenty of entity guides, tools, and other resources to get your business moving forward and keep it in good standing.
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