The Incfile vs ZenBusiness dilemma is one most new entrepreneurs face before settling on a business formation partner. So if you’re torn between the two services, you’re in the right place.
Starting a business involves lots of paperwork, especially for corporations and LLCs, both during formation and after. Having an online incorporation service with the right experts makes it easier.
Incfile and ZenBusiness are both great online services, and your choice will depend on what your business needs.
We have compared both tools based on their features, user experience, price, and customer support, to help you make a decision. Read on to get the full details.
Incfile vs ZenBusiness: A Quick Summary
| Incfile | ZenBusiness |
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| Founded in 2004, Incfile has helped over 1 million entrepreneurs start their businesses. At zero costs, this online legal business takes away all the stress of filing lots of paperwork during and after formation, giving you the peace of mind you need to focus on your business. All you’ll need to pay for are the state filing fees. Plus you’ll get registered agent services for free for a year. | ZenBusiness is known for its inexpensive, yet reliable business formation services. It was founded in 2015 in Austin, Texas to help small businesses get started. At zero fees, you can incorporate your business and only pay state filing fees and an extra $199 annual fee for registered agent services. You can rely on their services even after formation to grow your business and keep it compliant. |
ZenBusiness
- Founded in 2004, Incfilehas helped over 1 million entrepreneurs start their businesses. At zero costs, this online legal business takes away all the stress of filing lots of paperwork during and after formation, giving you the peace of mind you need to focus on your business. All you’ll need to pay for are the state filing fees. Plus you’ll get registered agent services for free for a year.
LegalZoom
- ZenBusinessis known for its inexpensive, yet reliable business formation services. It was founded in 2015 in Austin, Texas to help small businesses get started. At zero fees, you can incorporate your business and only pay state filing fees and an extra $199 annual fee for registered agent services. You can rely on their services even after formation to grow your business and keep it compliant.
Product Ratings
| Incfile | ZenBusiness | |
| Overall | ||
| Support | ||
| Features | ||
| User-Friendliness | ||
| Value for Money |
Incfile
- Overall:
- Support:
- Features:
- User-Friendliness:
- Value for Money:
ZenBusiness
- Overall:
- Support:
- Features:
- User-Friendliness:
- Value for Money:
Pros and Cons: Incfile
| Pros | Cons |
| Free package and you only pay filing fees | No live support |
| You can conduct unlimited name searches | Customer service team needs to be more responsive |
| Free registered agent services for a year. | |
| Unlimited phone support and email support | |
| Quick service turnaround |
Pros
- Free package and you only pay filing fees
- You can conduct unlimited name searches
- Free registered agent services for a year.
- Unlimited phone support and email support
- Quick service turnaround
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Cons
- 1. No live support
- 2. Customer service team needs to be more responsive
Pros and Cons: ZenBusiness
| Pros | Cons |
| Has affordable plans | EIN services are costly |
| You get annual report compliance services on all plans | You pay for registered agent services |
| Expedited formation services on paid packages | |
| Domain name, email address and customizable website available on the Premium plan | |
| Get customer support beyond working hours | |
| Great customer reviews |
Pros
- 1. Has affordable plans
- 2. You get annual report compliance services on all plans
- 3. Expedited formation services on paid packages
- 4. Domain name, email address and customizable website available on the Premium plan
- 5. Get customer support beyond working hours
- 6. Great customer reviews
Cons
- 1. EIN services are costly
- 2. You pay for registered agent services
Start Your Business with ZenBusiness
Pricing Details: Incfile
| Pricing Plan | Price |
| Silver | $0 + state filing fees |
| Gold | $199 + state filing fees |
| Platinum | $299 per year + state fees |
- Silver: $0 + state filing fees
- Gold: $199 per year + state fees
- Platinum: $299 per year + state fees
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Pricing Details: ZenBusiness
| Pricing Plan | Price |
| Starter | $0 + state filing fees |
| Pro | $199 billed annually + state filing fees |
| Premium | $299 billed annually + state filing fees |
- Starter: $0 + state filing fees
- Pro:$199 billed annually + state filing fees
- Premium:$299 billed annually + state filing fees
ZenBusiness vs Incfile verdict: Incfile wins this round as it offers free registered agent services to their customers for a year.
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Incfile vs ZenBusiness: Who is It For?
| Incfile | ZenBusiness |
| Businesses that want to enjoy free registered agent service for 1 year. | Businesses that want to enjoy free accounting consultation. |
| Small businesses looking to get more value for their money. | Businesses that don’t need that many services during formation. |
| If you want to package all services together. | If you don’t mind paying for some services separately from time to time. |
ZenBusiness
- 1. Businesses that want to enjoy free registered agent service for 1 year.
- 2. Small businesses looking to get more value for their money.
- 3.If you want to package all services together.
LegalZoom
- 1. Businesses that want to enjoy free accounting consultation.
- 2. Businesses that don’t need that many services during formation.
- 3. If you don’t mind paying for some services separately from time to time.
Incfile vs ZenBusiness: Features Comparison
| Category | Incfile | ZenBusiness |
| Free business formation | ☑ | ☑ |
| Free registered agent services | ☑ | ☑ |
| EIN number application | ☑ | ☑ |
| Annual reporting | ☑ | ☑ |
| Operating agreement | ☑ | – |
| Business license report | ☑ | ☑ |
| Unlimited phone and email support | ☑ | ☑ |
| Free accounting and tax consultation | ☑ | ☑ |
| Certificate of good standing | ☑ | ☑ |
| Trademark registration | ☑ | ☑ |
Incfile
- Free business formation
- Free registered agent services
- EIN number application
- Annual reporting
- Operating agreement
- Business license report
- Unlimited phone and email support
- Free accounting and tax consultation
- Certificate of good standing
- Trademark registration
ZenBusiness
- Free business formation
- Free registered agent services
- EIN number application
- Annual reporting
- Operating agreement
- Business license report
- Unlimited phone and email support
- Free accounting and tax consultation
- Certificate of good standing
- Trademark registration
Detailed Review: Incfile
Incfile makes your LLC formation process easier, relieving you of the otherwise tedious paperwork involved. This online LLC formation company will help with application filing, annual reporting, registered agent services, and more.
This detailed review discusses the services offered by Incfile, their process, and pricing.
Incfile Pricing and Plans
Pricing plans are designed to meet the needs of different types of clients. Incfile offers three packages—Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
Image via Incfile
The Silver package is free but you’ll have to pay the state fees, which vary by state. The Gold package costs $199 plus state filing fees, while the Platinum package costs $299 plus state filing fees.
Below is a summary of the services you get on each plan.
|
Plan |
Features |
| Silver |
|
| Gold
(Everything on Silver Plus) |
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| Platinum
(Everything on Gold Plus) |
|
Select Your Incfile Plan
Incfile Services
Here’s an in-depth review of Incfile’s services and how much they cost.
Business Formation
Forming an LLC can be difficult. From sorting out the paperwork to abiding by state regulations, there’s a lot to do. If you’re doing it yourself, you can get overwhelmed, especially if it’s your first time.
Luckily, Incfile’s team of experts helps you through the process. With their basic plan, you get the service for free and all you have to do is pay for the state filing fees. Filing fees vary by state and they range anywhere from $0 to $500.
You won’t need to research your state filing fees as the Incfile website automatically fills out this information before you get started. Business formation costs $199 with the Gold plan and $299 with the Platinum plan.
With Incfile, you’ll be able to register your LLC entirely online in a matter of days. The processing time also varies by state and could take up to 3 weeks.
Registered Agent Services
As a newly formed LLC, your business will need a registered agent to receive legal documents on its behalf. Their role will be to receive legal and tax documents, send important notices, and forward important business documents to you.
Unlike ZenBusiness, Incfile offers free registered agent services for a year with all their plans, including the free plan. This reduces your initial business expenses.
As your registered agent service, Incfile will preserve your privacy and respond on your behalf in the case of any non-compliance notice, lawsuits, fines, etc.
This reduces your paperwork workload, letting you focus on your business without any worry.
While you can act as your own registered agent, it’s easier to have the experts do it for you. This is especially so if you don’t have a permanent local address or if you keep moving and may not be at your registered address when you receive notices.
EIN Application
During your LLC formation process, you’ll need an EIN (Employer Identification Number) or Tax ID. This is the number that the IRS uses to track your LLC business entity for tax purposes.
This acts as your business’s social security number and is required if your company plans on hiring employees. Sometimes, your business will be required to have an EIN to open a bank account.
Incfile provides this service in their Gold and Platinum paid packages.
Annual Compliance Reports
After registration, you’ll be required to submit annual compliance reports to your Secretary of State every year. These are mostly meant to help your state monitor the businesses operating legally in their locality.
Each state has different rules for filing these reports. Incfile helps you track these filing dates, ensuring you keep up with the deadlines and remain compliant.
This way, you won’t have to worry about remembering these dates and you’ll avoid penalties.
Most states charge penalties of as much as $100. Sometimes failing to file annual reports can lead to your business losing its good standing and eventually getting dissolved. While it may seem like a simple process, failing to stay compliant can have serious consequences.
It, therefore, makes sense to let experts like Incfile take this role off your plate. You’ll only pay $99 for this service.
Business License Search
Besides the standard requirements for LLC formation, your business may also need licenses and permits to operate. These could be federal, local, or state requirements, depending on the industry you operate in or your business type.
Incfile’s Business License Search helps you understand which licenses and permits you need for your business.
This helps you keep up with state, federal, and local regulations. Once you’ve received the relevant information, however, you’ll still need to file for these licenses and permits on your own.
The search only helps you find relevant information so you’re not missing anything in your formation process.
The Business License Search flat fee is $99.
Operating Agreement
This service is included in Incfile’s Gold and Platinum plans.
Every LLC needs an Operating Agreement especially those with more than one member. While it may not be a legally required document in every state, it’s a crucial document for every LLC.
An LLC Operating Agreement is a document that spells out each member’s responsibilities and rights and states how the LLC will be run.
It contains items like
- Profit-sharing rules between members
- Decision-making processes for members
- How ownership is divided in the LLC
- What happens if members leave the LLC
- Conflict resolution and steps to be followed
The document can help you protect the limited liability status of your LLC and helps you prepare for any unexpected events in the future.
Name Change and Amendment
This service costs $99. You’ll need business amendment services if your business wants to:
- Change its name on the Articles of Organization
- Add new members to your LLC
- Change your business address etc
Incfile helps you file an amendment on your Articles of Organization with your Secretary of State to make these changes. You’ll enter the information you want to be changed, and Incfile will send the documentation to the relevant authority.
Name change amendments take time and you may be required to wait up to several weeks before getting a response from your state.
Doing Business As (DBA)
You’ll need to file for a fictitious name, commonly known as a DBA, if you want to do business under a different name than your legal business name.
LLCs apply for a DBA name for various reasons, such as:
- To be able to operate multiple businesses under a single LLC
- To use a business name with a better marketing advantage
- To protect the privacy of business owners
For $99, Incfile takes care of your DBA application paperwork and files it with the relevant authority making your work much easier.
Certificate of Good Standing
This is a certificate issued by your state stating that you’re compliant with all requirements, updated with all filings, and have paid all fees.
Your business may need this certificate if you’re planning on expanding your operations to other states. You’ll also need this document before you can dissolve your LLC.
Incfile charges $49 to file for a Certificate of Good Standing on your behalf.
Trademark Registration
Incfile charges a one-time fee ($199 plus federal fees) to help you with a single trademark registration.
Trademarks are a company’s intellectual property that gives them a competitive advantage in the market. You can trademark logos, taglines, designs, words, etc.
The process can be tedious and letting a specialist do it for you is a good decision.
Incfile will take care of your trademark registration within 3-7 business days, then you can wait for a few months for federal approval.
Dissolution
If you’re dissolving an LLC, you’ll need to file for a Certificate of Dissolution with your Secretary of State. This lets you declare that your business will no longer be in operation.
You’ll also need to notify the IRS that you’re dissolving your business.
Incfile offers to conduct this process on your behalf at a $149 flat fee, letting you know about the necessary requirements and taking care of the paperwork.
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Detailed Review: ZenBusiness
Besides business formation, ZenBusiness offers many other services to entrepreneurs to ensure the growth and smooth running of their businesses.
Here’s a comprehensive review of this platform, its pricing, and features.
ZenBusiness Pricing and Plans
ZenBusiness is known for its affordability and ease of use. It offers three pricing plans for business formation.
Image via ZenBusiness
The starter package is free (plus state filing fees) and includes basic LLC filing. All you have to do is fill out an online form and ZenBusiness will take it from there.
Unlike Incfile, ZenBusiness does not offer free registered agent services along with its plans. You’d have to pay an annual fee of $199 for this service.
The Pro plan costs $199 while the Premium plan costs $299 per year, plus state filing fees. Both paid plans come with useful extra features as stated below.
|
Plan |
Top Features |
| Starter |
|
| Pro
(Everything on Starter plus) |
|
| Premium
(Everything on Pro plus) |
|
Choose Your ZenBusiness Package
ZenBusiness Services
Below is a deep dive into each of ZenBusiness’s services including the prices of each service not included in the plans.
Business Formation
This is ZenBusiness’s primary service and is included in all packages for free. It includes a free name search to make sure your business name isn’t already in use.
ZenBusiness has a team of experts that will prepare your Articles of Organization, and forward your application to your state’s Secretary of State. They’ll then track your application and update the approval status on your dashboard.
You’ll need to pay the state filing fees though. These vary heavily by state and range anywhere from $0 to $500.
This makes your work much easier as you won’t have to struggle to apply on your state website. The time within which you get your response varies. However, the ZenBusiness paid plans offer expedited business formation services.
Registered Agent Service
Unlike Incfile which offers this service for free for a year, ZenBusiness offers it as a separate paid service.
For $199 per year, ZenBusiness will handle all your correspondence with your state, the IRS, and other authorities. They’ll handle all your legal documents, and ensure your notices are received and responded to and that they remain confidential.
This way your business will always remain compliant and your documents are kept safe.
Worry-Free Compliance
You’ll need to file a compliance report with your state every year as a requirement. For most businesses, this is an easy thing to forget.
Failure to keep up with your filings often has consequences including penalties, losing your good standing, and, in the worst-case scenario, dissolution.
ZenBusiness audits your documents to find out what you need and files all the necessary annual reports for you. They’ll also keep you posted when it’s time to file any documents and tell you about any other notice from the state.
Worry-free compliance costs $199 every year.
Employer ID Number (EIN)
The IRS assigns a tax ID number or EIN to every business to help them track its financial operations.
You can let the ZenBusiness expert team help you get your EIN for your LLC at a one-time fee of $99.
Having a tax ID also helps you seamlessly:
- Open a business bank account for your LLC
- File tax returns
- Have more members and employ more people
- Apply for S-corp status
Customizable Operating Agreement
Included in the Pro and Premium plans, this is an essential service for LLCs. It’s a document that determines your LLC’s rules of operation.
ZenBusiness provides you with an operating agreement you can customize to fit your specific business.
If you opt for the free Starter plan, a customizable Operating Agreement will cost you $125.
Expedited and Rush Filing
You can pay more to have your business formation application pushed to the front of the line. Expedited and rush filing options are provided in the Pro and Premium packages.
Regular applications take up to 3 weeks to process, expedited ones take up to 10 days, and rush filings less than a week. Expedited filing is useful if you need your business formation done faster for an upcoming launch date, etc.
If you choose the Starter package, you can get expedited filing for a one-time fee of $49-$99.
Custom Website, Domain Name, and Business Email
Businesses need an online presence, whether it’s for ecommerce, providing information, or for further contact.
ZenBusiness can help you create a website for your business, get a domain name, and get a professional email address. A professional website and email address make your business appear more credible.
Here are the costs of each service:
- Getting a business website costs $129 a year
- Unique domain name for $25 a year
- Domain name privacy for $10 a year
- Business email address for $25 a year
Business License Report
Just like Incfile, ZenBusiness also offers license research for your business. This helps you find out which permits and licenses you need to comply with your city, state, or federal government.
You’ll get a comprehensive list of every other license or certificate application you should make besides the basics.
This service costs $99.
Other services ZenBusiness offers include:
- Certificate of Good Standing application: One-time fee of $100
- Amendment filings: A one-time fee of $100
- Annual filing fee: One-time fee of $100
- Business banking: $5 per month
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What Do Their Customers Say About Them?
|
Incfile |
ZenBusiness |
| “The process to get my LLC was extremely easy. I had a few questions prior to starting the process and I contacted customer service. All my questions were answered, and I was able to get everything I needed done quickly. I will recommend Incfile.com to others.”
– Cynthia Adams |
“I appreciate the speed in which I was able to set up my LLC. It was easier than when I first formed a company more than 25 years ago. I most appreciated the “one-stop” shopping for my EIN, my registered agent, email, and web domain. Can’t wait to see how setting up my van account and other fiduciary services unfold! Thank you ZBiz!!!”
– Larry M |
| “We did the basic package and it was so affordable. FREE registered agent for 1 year. very easy to fill out and easy to ask questions / actually get responses. highly recommend.”
– William & Angel Baird |
“Easy to sign up for and manage all my business needs. The customer service chat portal is THE BEST. People are so nice, knowledgeable, and quick to help with all my questions and concerns.’
– Heather Shapiro |
FAQs
1. Is Incfile really free?
Yes, the Silver plan offered by Incfile is free. You’ll get free unlimited name searches and free registered agent services for a year.
You’ll just need to pay the state filing fee. The package, however, lacks other fundamental services you may need.
2. How much does it cost to form an LLC with Incfile?
Incfile provides three LLC formation packages and the basic one (Silver) is free, but you’ll pay state filing fees. The other two packages, Gold and Platinum, cost $199 and $299 respectively.
3. How long does it take to form an LLC with Incfile?
It takes Incfile one business day to file your paperwork with your state. However, from there, it depends on how long your state takes to process your application. Some take days while others take weeks.
4. How much does ZenBusiness cost for an LLC?
ZenBusiness has a Starter package that’s free. This only includes basic LLC filing. The Pro package costs $199 while the Premium plan costs $299. These paid packages offer more business formation services that you’ll need.
5. Which LLC package is the best for ZenBusiness?
The ZenBusiness Pro plan is the most popular as it offers most of the services you’ll need for your LLC formation at a fair price.
Final Verdict
Incfile vs ZenBusiness: which one is the best for LLC formation?
Both businesses offer great business formation services as well as follow-up solutions to help your business run smoothly. Both have a free service offering and both paid plans have the same costs.
Each of these two platforms, however, has its distinct perks. Incfile, for instance, offers free registered agent services for a year on all their plans.
The bottom line is that while both tools have the same cost, you can get more value for your money with ZenBusiness’s paid packages. However, Incfile’s free plan offers more for companies that need just the LLC formation service.
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