When setting up your business, it may be a natural assumption to lower your LLC setup costs by choosing a service that offers free LLC formations. But you may save money in the long run by properly setting up your LLC setup from the outset.
Before you use a service that offers a free LLC filing fee, read our ZenBusiness Review. Read below to discover if ZenBusinessis better suited for your business entity.
What is an LLC Formation Service?
An LLC Formation Service will help your business to form as a Limited Liability Company and file as an LLC in your state. Each US state has its own rules and regulations, and LLC setup costs for LLC filing; a service such as ZenBusiness can help you make sure you are compliant and get the process completed as quickly as possible.
LLC formation services may also provide other supportive services and features that can prove helpful to new business owners, such as EIN Tax Number Guidance, Business Tax Filing Support, and Business Name Searches.
ZenBusiness Review - All Your Questions Answered!
Is ZenBusiness Legit? Is this the best service to use to form your LLC? What are the benefits of ZenBusiness LLC setup packages? Below we will look at ZenBusiness and assess what benefits and services this LLC setup can offer your organization.
Is ZenBusiness Legit? Why Should You Consider This Service?
Is ZenBusiness legit? The answer is yes! This Texas-based company is a big name in LLC services and has helped thousands of small business owners and LLC members to get their companies compliant and legal when starting up.
The organization formed in 2015 and announced in 2017 that it had hit $45M in Revenue in 2022 with 220K customers! That it has built so quickly is a testament to the level of service provided and the glowing reviews they have elicited from previous customers.
The company offers a fully comprehensive support service for LLCs, so you should not automatically dismiss them in favor of free basic packages. However, you may get better value with this provider regarding detailed and all-inclusive LLC setup support packages.
So, you should consider each option's overall value to your company rather than making your choice based solely on your LLC setup cost.
What are the Benefits of Using ZenBusiness When You Start a Business?
- Affordably priced LLC formation packages
- Fully comprehensive service
- Advice about State Filing Fees
- Simple and easy-to-use service
- Will help you if you are a Sole Proprietor, LLC, Registered Agent, DBA, or Corporation
- Dedicated and Accessible Customer Service team
- All the support and information you need to set up an LLC
- BBB Accredited with an A+ good standing for six years
- Fantastic Customer Reviews on Trust Pilot with a rating of 4.6/5 from 10,232 Reviews
- A number-one rated service on Forbes, Investopedia, and MarketWatch
- A customizable service with a personalized customer dashboard.
What are the Downsides of ZenBusiness' LLC Setup Service?
- No free basic service (but given all the services available, the cost is justified.)
- Currently does not offer Non-Profit setup support.
- Turnaround on filing may be slower than with other providers.
In our opinion, these downsides should not be deal-breakers in most cases and should be weighed against the value of the services provided.
What Services Does This Company Offer? ZenBusiness Review of Packages
There are three different plans on offer to ZenBusiness customers - The Starter Plan, The Pro Plan, and The Premium Plan. Each plan comes with its own set of services and benefits.
ZenBusiness Starter Package Review
Includes all the LLC formation services you may need, making it an excellent choice for those looking for an affordable support service to support the setup of their organization.
This base plan will be billed annually at an LLC Setup Cost of $39 (Not including your state filing fees.)
- LLC Filing
- Search for Business Name Availability
- Phone and Email Customer Support
- Registered Agent Service
- A virtual Guide to Business You Can Consult throughout your LLC Setup
- Your Personalized Online Document Dashboard.
- Credit for Google Ads
- Template Operating Agreement
- Consultations on Accounting.
This option is a great fit for small business owners and startups. You get a lot of value for your cost and will benefit from important additional services such as an Operating Agreement Template and Registered Agent Service.
ZenBusiness Pro Package Review
With the ZenBusiness Pro Plan, you can access all of the services detailed above, along with a host of other more helpful and detailed services, to help you complete LLC formations as quickly and efficiently as possible.
- LLC Setup Cost is billed at $149 annually (Not including your state LLC filing fees.)
- Expedited LLC Filing Process
- Template for Bank Resolution
- Employer Identification Number (EIN) filing
- Compliance guidance
This more involved LLC formation service is a great pick if you want to expedite the LLC filing process and need assistance assuring compliance with regulations and legal requirements in your state. In addition, you can save money on contracting separate compliance advice by picking this package.
ZenBusiness Premium Package Review
This premium ZenBusiness LLC Setup service has impressive benefits that will help you with your business website and domain. The service also includes all the benefits detailed in the two packages above. LLC Setup cost of $249 Annually (Not including your state LLC filing fees.)
- Speedy expedited LLC filing of only 4-6 days.
- A Business Website
- Business Domain Registering
- Business Doman name Privacy Service
- A Business Email Address.
This all-inclusive plan will help you with everything you need to start your filing and is suited to medium to bigger businesses that want to save time by simultaneously setting up their online presence! If you are a sole proprietor or smaller business, one of the two other packages may be a better fit.
Which Add On and Individual Services Are Available at ZenBusiness?
You can also access one-off and add one service on the ZenBusiness website for extra support in your business setup and Annual LLC filing. These include:
- Annual LLC Filing
- LLC Filing Amendments
- A Business License Report
- Access to a Business Document Library
- Template for Bank Resolution
- Filing for EIN (Employer ID Number.)
- Compliance Service
So, if the package you have chosen does not have a particular service you need, you can still access the support you need by purchasing an additional feature.
Summary: ZenBusiness Review
Whether ZenBusiness is the right service for you will depend on several factors. If you are confident about your compliancy, experienced in LLC filing, and expert in setting up a business - then going for a $0 cost LLC filing might be a good fit.
However, if you are a small business owner, new to setting up an LLC, and need support and guidance with the process, you will find that the cost is well worth the money. Setting up your LLC does not; end with filing; you also need to contend with the administration of your EIN, Operating Agreements, and Registered Agents.
Accessing a fully comprehensive LLC formation service such as ZenBusiness could reduce your admin time and ensure that you take advantage of all critical compliance issues or filings when setting up your business. In our opinion, this makes ZenBusiness well worth its LLC setup cost.