ZenBusiness Review (Is It The Best?): Pros & Cons, Pricing, Top Alternatives
Jump to Pros & Cons of ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness is one of the most popular LLC formation companies out there today. Many business owners have been able to start from scratch and form a successful LLC using this provider to start. However, is it the best choice?
So let’s take a look at the company and see if their services are really worth it. Also, we will compare it to other comparable services and see if the other providers offer a better alternative.
Overall, on our best LLC services list — ZenBusiness is the winner. So you might want to check our other top-rated LLC services and see if Zen is the best fit for you.
- Jump to Pros & Cons of ZenBusiness
- ZenBusiness Background
- A Quick ZenBusiness Video Review
- ZenBusiness Reviewed in a Few Sentences
- Packages & Pricing
- Deeper Dive Into ZenBusiness Review
- 1. Is ZenBusiness Reliable? | 9/10
- 2. Turnaround Time for ZenBusiness (How quick is it?) | 8/10
- 3. Their Customer Support | 9/10
- 4. Pricing and Value Ratio | 10/10
- Best Features That Zenbusiness Offer For Their Created LLCs
- Registered Agent Service
- Operating Agreement With ZenBusiness
- Continued Compliance
- Zenbusiness Formation Speed Options
- EIN (Employee Identification Number)
- DBA Name Registration
- Banking Resolution
- Annual Reports
- Domain Name Registration
- Domain Name Privacy
- Business Website
- Business Email
- New York Publication
- Free Amendments With ZenBusiness
- Certificate of Good Standing
- Business Bank Account
- Business Insurance
- Business Name Reservation
- CPA Assessment
- ZenBusiness Live Customer Support
- Pros & Cons of Zenbusiness
- Other (3rd Party) Customer Reviews of Zenbusiness
- Overall Value of ZenBusiness
- Best Zenbusiness Alternatives
- Conclusion
- FAQs About ZenBusiness
- Form an LLC With ZenBusiness Today
- Still Not Convinced by ZenBusiness? Here Are Some of Our Other LLC Service Reviews
ZenBusiness Background
They are a professional LLC formation provider that helps business owners file and maintain an LLC. They are relatively new on the scene, starting in 2015 in Texas.
Though they are relatively new, ZenBusiness has already helped thousands of entrepreneurs get started forming their LLCs. Their LLC formation services will give you everything you need, such as registered agent services, EIN registration, CPA assessing, and even a website for your newly formed business.
Like several LLC providers, ZenBusiness divides its services into three tiers divided by price. Though, unlike a very few providers, they do not offer a free package, their lowest-priced tier is quite affordable. The advantage of this is the lower amount of upselling you get from even the lowest-priced package. So, let’s look at their packages, both what they cost and provide.
A Quick ZenBusiness Video Review
ZenBusiness Reviewed in a Few Sentences
When forming an LLC it’s very important to take into account several things if you chose to use an incorporation service. In the case of Zen, here are the ones that we reviewed:
- Is ZenBusiness reliable? 9/10
- How quick is their service? 8/10
- Do they offer good customer support? 9/10
- How’s the overall pricing and value of? 10/10
Overall, Zenbusiness truly deserves a rating of 9/10 or 4.8/5.
We’ll be reviewing each of those 4 points in detail further in the article. However, if you’re already convinced – we can definitely say that you can freely try them and you won’t be disappointed.
Packages & Pricing
ZenBusiness offers three packages with different prices and features. You can choose between these depending on the level of prices and services you would like. However, unlike some formation services, these plans are billed annually and continue to provide services to keep you in compliance. Keep in mind, for each of these, you would be responsible for paying the state filing fees in addition to the cost of the package.
1. Starter Package ($49/year)
This is the starting package for those who are looking for the cheapest option. It includes:
Check out the Starter package on ZenBusiness website.
2. Pro Package ($199/year)
This is ZenBusiness’s mid-priced package. It includes the services provided in the lower-priced package as well as these additional ones.
Check out the Pro package on their website.
3. Premium Package ($299/year)
This is ZenBusiness’s highest tier package. Like the Pro package, it contains the lower tier packages contents as well as these additional features.
Check out the Premium package on ZenBusiness website.
Deeper Dive Into ZenBusiness Review
1. Is ZenBusiness Reliable? | 9/10
As we mentioned earlier — they are based in Austin, TX, and is a relatively young company. Most people would see that as a flaw, but in this case, it’s definitely not.
They form a ton of new LLCs every year and based on their reviews on various sites — they do it very well on a consistent basis. Being a young company may have its own advantages when you’re a bit smaller and quicker with less bureaucracy to deal with.
So yes, we’d say Zenbusiness is truly reliable and worth trying.
2. Turnaround Time for ZenBusiness (How quick is it?) | 8/10
I will say it right away — it’s quick!
They will give you an estimated time of your LLC creation when you select the state in which you want to form your LLC. It will definitely vary from state to state.
But when it comes to TAT — they do a truly great job. Plus, you can always select the “rush” package if you need your LLC ASAP.
3. Their Customer Support | 9/10
When you got to Zenbusiness, you’ll see that you can contact them via web live chat, email or phone.
Mainly, you won’t have to wait longer than 5-10 mins when on chat. If you contact via email — they promise to answer within ~24 hours. And if you’re in a rush — definitely use their phone.
You can call them on: Monday – Friday from 8am – 8pm Central time or Sunday from 10am – 7pm Central time.
The fact that they do work on Sundays definitely sets them apart from their competitors. And reviews on BBB and Trustpilot also praise their customer service.
4. Pricing and Value Ratio | 10/10
Zenbusiness has one the most attractive pricing packages from all LLC services. The starter package is only $49 + state fees. It includes preparation and filing of your Articles of Organization, registered agent service, operating agreement template, and free accounting consultation.
This makes it one of the best “bang for your buck” choices overall.
In our opinion — Zenbusiness shines in this area. Pricing and all the additional services are very clear and not confusing.
Want to save money and get a great service — you can’t go wrong with Zen!
Best Features That Zenbusiness Offer For Their Created LLCs
Now you know a little about what ZenBusiness offers at every tier. However, let’s go into a little bit more detail about what all of these features really mean. This may help you to decide if any of their packages are right for you.
Registered Agent Service
Every one of ZenBusiness’s packages includes FREE registered agent services for the 1st yea . This is a good deal given this service alone generally carries a heavy price tag. A low price LLC formation service such as the $49 standard plan is an incredible deal.
A few services, such as Incfile, offer free enrolled agent service; however, for Incfile, this is only free for the first year. After that, it is $119 every year for registered agent services.
This is possibly the biggest reason why many business owners review them so highly. This low-cost registered agent comes along with the other services offered in the starter package and will receive all correspondence with the Secretary of State.
If you’re unsure if you need this service, check out our guide on Registered Agent here.
Visit ZenBusiness website & see all features by clicking here.
Operating Agreement With ZenBusiness
Every service plan provides your business with an operating agreement. This basic legal document is often required for forming an LLC and is advisable regardless. This document establishes the ownership of your company as well as the duties of all of its members.
Visit their website & see everything about Operating Agreements by clicking here.
Continued Compliance
ZenBusiness includes its continued compliance services with its Professional and Premium plans. This service will send your business alerts of significant filing deadlines. It will also handle your annual filing as well as two yearly amendments.
If you do miss an important filing date, they will provide you with a plan to return to good graces with the state. This plan will also handle any related costs, so you don’t have to worry and can focus on growing your business.
Visit ZenBusiness website & see all features by clicking here.
Zenbusiness Formation Speed Options
The company has multiple options for speed available, depending on what you need. These options have no effect on the time the state will take to process your filing; however, you can choose a plan that will cut the amount of time significantly, depending on your choice.
ZenBusiness guarantees a 2-3 week processing time with their starter plan, and this isn’t that bad if you are not in a rush. For their Pro plan, it is 5-8 business days, and for the Premium plan, it will be 2-4 business days
These filing times are based on your choice of business formation tier. The advantage of this system is that it allows a business owner to decide if they have time to wait and can save some money with a slower filing time.
However, on the other hand, some other LLC formation services offer same-day filing options. So, for those in a hurry, this is something to consider.
Visit their website & see formation speeds by clicking here.
EIN (Employee Identification Number)
An EIN is used to open a business bank account or hire employees. It is basically like a social security number for a business.
If you purchase the Pro or Premium Package, ZenBusiness will obtain an EIN for your business for free. If you choose the Starter Package, you can pay them an additional fee to secure an EIN for you. You could also obtain an EIN yourself for free on the IRS website.
Visit ZenBusiness site & check for EIN options by clicking here.
DBA Name Registration
DBA means doing business as. Registering a DBA name allows your business to use a name other than its legal name. These names are often called trade names.
Obtaining a DBA in the United States is not easy, but ZenBusiness can help you. They can help you secure your DBA while following any state guidelines or requirements. This will save you the time and trouble of doing it yourself.
Visit ZenBusiness website & see all DBA features by clicking here.
Banking Resolution
A banking resolution is included in the Pro and Premium Packages. This document shows a bank who is allowed to open and use a bank account for your business. As part of the banking resolution feature included in the Premium Package, you can access a record of the decisions your company has made.
Visit ZenBusiness website & see all features by clicking here.
Annual Reports
Many states require LLCs to file annual reports to stay in compliance with state laws and regulations. If your business is required to file an annual report and fails to do so, your business could be subject to large fines. It may even result in your business license being revoked.
ZenBusiness can help you avoid this problem. They can file your annual report for you, thus making sure your business stays compliant. Annual report filing is included in the Pro and Premium Packages as a part of worry-free compliance. But, you can purchase annual reports or worry-free compliance as an add-on feature for the Starter Package. The worry-free compliance feature costs $119/year, and annual reports cost $75/year plus state fees.
Domain Name Registration
Every business today should have a website. It helps establish your business’s legitimacy. They can help you with this task by obtaining a domain name for your business.
Visit their website & see possibilities for your business domain by clicking here.
Domain Name Privacy
Once you have a domain name, you need to be concerned about your privacy. Privacy can be a problem because when you file your domain name, it is kept in a public database, the WHOIS.
However, if they provide you with a domain name, they include a domain name privacy service. As part of this service, ZenBusiness will replace your information with that of a forwarding service in WHOIS. This keeps your private information out of the public database.
Business Website
Every business should have a website since an online presence a necessity today. But, you won’t need to create a website on your own. ZenBusiness will make your website for you if you choose the Premium Package, or you can get the service as an add-on.
Visit ZenBusiness website & get your own website by clicking here.
Business Email
As a new business owner, you’ll need a business email address. It will allow you to do marketing and communicate with your customers as well as improving your credibility. This is one of the useful services included in the Premium Package, or you can purchase it as an add-on for $25/year.
Visit ZenBusiness website & check for business email options by clicking here.
New York Publication
As part of section 206 of the Limited Liability Company Law of New York, an LLC wanting to do business in New York must publish a notice in 2 newspapers. This is a requirement for businesses forming an LLC in New York or registering an out of state LLC.
The newspapers you choose need to be in the county your LLC is located in. After you publish these notices, you’ll receive a Certificate of Publication and an Affidavit of Publication.
You will need to send these certificates to the New York Division of Corporations. Then, you can do business in New York. Although ZenBusiness will not do this for you, they are willing to help you and answer questions about the process.
Visit their website & see NY publication costs by clicking here.
Free Amendments With ZenBusiness
The company offers two free amendments per year to help you adapt your LLC as needed. This service makes modifications to your business a lot easier.
Visit ZenBusiness website & see all features by clicking here.
Certificate of Good Standing
ZenBusiness does a lot to try to help you get off to a good start with your LLC. One useful add-on they offer is a Certificate of Good Standing.
This certificate issued by the state shows that you meet all the requirements to operate in your state. It is available for $75 plus state fees. It is useful for renewing permits or showing potential investors.
Business Bank Account
You’ll receive many benefits by opening a business bank account. It will help keep your business and personal finances separate while establishing a relationship with a bank. They does this through Radius Bank.
Visit ZenBusiness website & see all features by clicking here.
Business Insurance
ZenBusiness will help you obtain business insurance. They work with a company called Bold Penguin to help you secure business insurance for your LLC.
Obtaining business insurance for your LLC is a good idea; it can help protect your personal assets as well as your business assets.
Visit ZenBusiness website & see all features by clicking here.
Business Name Reservation
ZenBusiness offers many useful features, and reserving your business name is one of them. If you’re thinking about starting an LLC but aren’t quite ready to start, they will reserve your name. However, before you can reserve it, Zen will do a name availability check to make sure your desired business name isn’t already taken.
CPA Assessment
Accounting is often one of the more difficult parts of starting and running a business. But, ZenBusiness offers a CPA assessment that evaluates your finances to help you with this task.
As a part of this service, company will match you with a CPA that will suit your business. This will help you with your bookkeeping and other finances.
Visit ZenBusiness website & see their CPA service by clicking here.
ZenBusiness Live Customer Support
They do offer live customer support online during their business hours. Their hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. E. T. on weekdays or 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends. This is probably the best way to reach customer support. Although, if you don’t want to use the chat feature, phone and email support are also available.
ZenBusiness has generally received good reviews. People tended to be particularly happy with their prices and ease of use. Many people felt the formation process went very smoothly. They appreciated the fact that there were no unrelated upsells.
Pros & Cons of Zenbusiness
Pros
Cons
$49
Rating: 4.8/5
Review count: 4500+
Form an LLC today with ZenBusiness for only $49. They Have 98% customer satisfaction rating and over 4500+ verified reviews.
Other (3rd Party) Customer Reviews of Zenbusiness
We have told you what we think, but let’s see what their customers have to say about their service. Mainly, people have a great experience with their service. They praise their ordering process and website speed. Also, customer support is considered “personal and helpful”.
Zenbusiness has a whopping 4.8/5 rating on Trustpilot (from 6,900+ reviews).
If you want to see their reviews on BBB (Better Business Bureau) – you can see them here.
And if you’re planning to read some Zenbusiness Google reviews — unfortunately they don’t have any of them on Google.
They are not reviewed on Yelp also.
And if you’re looking for Zenbusiness reviews on Reddit — you can do so, but the client testimonials will be scattered around, since they don’t have a subreddit for them specifically.
Here are some customer reviews from TrustPilot:
Positive Reviews
“Great experience! Easy LLC set up, super easy to navigate the website. Also had them reserve a domain name and create/host business email fir me. A+ experience”
“After researching multiple options to use as a facilitator for the forming of my LLC, I chose ZenBusiness and was not disappointed, but surprised at how easy and economical it was. In addition, their customer service was very personal and helpful. I am excited about going forward and utilizing them again if I need help.”
Negative Reviews
“It felt like all that my support person wanted was to get me in and out. In addition, no support or help getting the banking statement and operating agreement filled out.”
“They were on top of all the paperwork. I just didn’t fell I had gotten any real explanations/ understanding of the entire process”
Overall Value of ZenBusiness
The overall value is superb! ZenBusiness scored 9/10 or 4.8 out of 5 stars.
Best Zenbusiness Alternatives
ZenBusiness has a number of competitors in the LLC formation industry. Two of their biggest competitors include Incfile and Northwest Registered Agent. Let’s take a short look at the pros and cons of these companies compared to them.
Alternative #1: Incfile
Pros
Cons
Check our full review of IncFile here as well.
Alternative #2: Northwest Registered Agent
Check out our full review of Northwest.
Pros
Cons
Conclusion
ZenBusiness offers LLC formation services and receives extremely positive reviews from business owners. Though they are not the absolute cheapest option out there with no free options, they offer a very competitively priced starting package. One of their biggest advantages over their competitors is their offer of free registered agent service in even their cheapest package. The yearly cost of this service after the first year is among the best out there. For any entrepreneurs just getting started or current business owners looking to file an LLC, they certainly have some of the best deals on the market.
FAQs About ZenBusiness
Does ZenBusiness Provide Good Customer Support?
They provides excellent customer support. It is probably their best feature. They receive many positive customer reviews on their excellent customer service.
Their customer support hours are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. E.T. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 6 a.m. on weekends.
Which LLC Package Should I Choose?
The package you should choose really depends on what features you need. If all you want to do is form your LLC and have a registered agent service, you’ll probably just want the Starter Package. If you want more services, such as a business website or an operating agreement, then you may want one of their more expensive packages.
Is ZenBusiness as Good as Other LLC Formation Services?
They are cheaper than most other LLC formation services. Its Starter Package is only $49 dollars, which is cheaper than most of its competitors and still offers many features.
Does ZenBusiness a Refund Policy?
Yes, they do have a refund policy. If you decide you do not want their service, you can get your money refunded minus ZenBusiness’s expenses. But, you must request a refund before your money is received by your chosen state. Once this is done, you can no longer get a refund.
Should I Reserve My LLC Name Before Forming my LLC?
It is not really necessary to reserve your LLC name before forming your business. It might make sense to reserve your name if you’re not quite ready to form your LLC. But, it won’t make the formation process any easier.
Can I Form an LLC Without Formation Service?
You can form an LLC on your own, but it isn’t easy. There is a lot of complicated paperwork, ad it is easy to make mistakes. Most people want some assistance.
Does ZenBusiness guarantee their service is error-free?
ZenBusiness does not guarantee that it will not make a mistake. But, you can contact them to ask about any mistakes.
What is ZenBusiness’s Processing Time?
The biggest factor in how long it will take to form your LLC is the state’s processing time. But, ZenBusiness’s filing time also affects your order, and the speed of this depends on the package you choose.
Their Premium Package offers a 3 to 5 day filing time. With the Pro Package, you’ll get a 1 to 2 week filing time. The Starter Package has the slowest filing time of 3 to 4 weeks. So, you can choose the plan that has an acceptable filing time for your needs.
Is ZenBusiness Worth the Cost?
ZenBusiness is worth the cost, especially for new business owners. If you have not formed an LLC before, you will probably find the help to be very useful. They makes the whole process easy, and it provides great customer support if you need it.
Form an LLC With ZenBusiness Today
Rating: 4.8 Stars out of 5
ZenBusiness
Only $39 for their starter package and one of the best-rated LLC formation services our there.
