ZenBusiness Review (Is It The Best?): Pros & Cons, Pricing, Top Alternatives
Jump to Pros & Cons of ZenBusiness

Are you looking for a cost-effective and competent business formation service? Do you want to be certain that you will be working with a highly reputable and dependable LLC formation service? Then sign up for 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. Choose among the packages they offer and unfold a wide range of services packed in perfect bundles that will definitely satisfy your incorporation needs.
Currently, on our best LLC services list — ZenBusiness reigns supreme! So you might want to check our article dedicated to top-rated LLC services and see if Zen truly fits you.
Now let’s find out more about the company and see if their services are really worth your money and whether they’re the best in this industry. Also, let’s check out how other comparable services perform and see if they offer a better deal.
Or if you don’t feel like reading – just head straight to www.ZenBusiness.com and check them out for yourself.
- Jump to Pros & Cons of ZenBusiness
- ZenBusiness Background
- Don’t Feel Like Reading? – A Quick ZenBusiness Video Overview
- 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 Builder Tool From ZenBusiness
- 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
- How to Start With ZenBusiness?
- Pros & Cons of Zenbusiness
- Other (3rd Party) Customer Reviews of Zenbusiness
- Overall Value of ZenBusiness
- When To and Not To Use 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
ZenBusiness is a professional LLC formation provider that is dedicated to creating the simplest way to start and run a successful business. Also, they intend to help business owners file and maintain a compliant and successful LLC.
To keep the trust they get from their clients, ZenBusiness remains true to the following core values:
- Empathy: We’re right there with our customers on their path to success and truly care about how they’re feeling throughout the entire journey.
- Innovation: We’re constantly evolving our products and services to meet the needs of our customers. Have suggestions? Please let us know!
- Impact: We believe that our business and all of our customers have the power and ability to make a huge impact on the lives of everyone we touch.
- Self Care: We put the well-being of our people and customers first, because we know you can’t take care of business if you don’t take care of yourself.
Although they are relatively new on the scene, as they only opened in 2015 in Austin, Texas, ZenBusiness has already helped thousands of entrepreneurs get started forming their LLCs. Since then, they were able to make the dream of starting a new business available to everyone across the state by giving everything an entrepreneur will need, such as registered agent services, EIN registration, CPA assessing, and even a website for your newly formed business.
Despite their size, they are capable of supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs, startups, and freelancers by providing what others fail to offer, such as worry-free services, world-class assistance, and an all-inclusive online tool that all customers need to be effective throughout their business lifetime.
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 though is the lower amount of upselling you get from even the lowest-priced package.
Indeed, ZenBusiness is here to assist and encourage those fearless entrepreneurs and business owners who would like to take the risk of pursuing their ambition of establishing a successful LLC and creating a better life. So, let us have an in-depth look at their packages and see what they cost with the benefits they provide.
Don’t Feel Like Reading? – A Quick ZenBusiness Video Overview

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.
Evidently, one of the driving factors we gave ZenBusiness a 9 out of 10 is that we feel it’s everybody’s goal to collaborate with a company that values consumers and their startups. We found their pricing to be decent, realistic, and clearly customer-friendly, which is why we placed them above the other LLC formation services we had reviewed.
With totally positive client feedback and relatively high scores, they were able to build a strong presence online, putting them ahead of larger industry competitors. These just reflect how committed this organization is to staying faithful to their purpose of assisting budding entrepreneurs in setting up and running their enterprises through a low-cost and effective service.
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.
Despite being one of the newest organizations in the business formation market, ZenBusiness has made a name for itself in this competitive industry with its highly skilled workforce.
ZenBusiness completes a variety of business services online by completely embracing technology and the opportunities it offers – the major reason for their lower rates that appeal to the people and, notably, to their satisfied customers.
As a result, they are capable of forming 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 are 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!
Unlike other companies in this industry, ZenBusiness handles your formation pace based on the plan or rush filing you choose.
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, compared to other formation services, ZenBusiness does a truly great job, so you will not have to wait long or be disappointed.
Plus, you can always select the “rush” package if you need your LLC ASAP.
3. Their Customer Support | 9/10
When you get to Zenbusiness, you’ll see that you can contact them via web live chat, email or phone.
The ZenBusiness website has a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page as well as a Help Center with a series of articles that can solve customer queries.
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. During normal business hours, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central Time, the website provides real-time chat support.
And, if you’re in a rush — definitely contact the company by phone for more information. 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.
Regardless of how you contact them, it looks like they are exerting all their efforts to respond to inquiries and to fix any difficulties.
4. Pricing and Value Ratio | 10/10
Zenbusiness has one of the most attractive pricing packages from all LLC services. The starter package is only $49 + state fees. It includes full preparation and filing of your articles of incorporation, registered agent service, operating agreement template, and free accounting consultation. This makes it one of the best “bang for your buck” choices overall.
If you subscribe to their $149/year Pro plan, you will receive a managed annual report and compliance monitoring service, an EIN, and a banking resolution form, making this plan exceptional and well worth having.
Meanwhile, we believe their most expensive plan, the Premium package at $249 a year, is also a decent deal. But, we prefer and recommend the first two bundles because no other plans can compete with what they include.
In our opinion — Zenbusiness shines in this area. Package pricing and all the additional services are very clear and not confusing. When compared to all other LLC services available on the online formation business, they have the highest quality packages at a significantly lower cost. They even provide an array of additional fundamental resources to businesses of all sorts.
So, want to save money and get great service? You can’t go wrong with ZenBusiness!
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 Builder Tool From ZenBusiness
Every business should have a website since an online presence is 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.
They also provide a website builder tool where you can easily create your own, personalised business website quickly and effectively.
To give you a short review of their website builder — all we can say is that it’s a perfectly easy drag-n-drop tool where you don’t need any technical knowledge to create a superb-looking biz website.
Visit ZenBusiness.com & 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.
How to Start With ZenBusiness?
ZenBusiness, as previously said, assists new enterprises in getting off the ground by integrating advanced technologies and products with their own small-team approach. If you purchase a bundle from ZenBusiness, the transaction is quite straightforward. To give you a glimpse of what you may experience during the application process, here’s a quick rundown:
- Choose your bundle: There are three bundles to choose from. To have an accurate estimate of your costs, begin by selecting the state where you intend to incorporate as well as your business model on the top most portion of the page.
- Provide personally identifiable information: In order to formally register your company and to ensure that you have everything in place, ZenBusiness will ask you to input some basic details, such as your name, contact information, and business information. (Note: ZenBusiness will not publish your contact details unless you give them the power.)
- Provide your LLC details to ZenBusiness: In reality, this is the phase of the process that will require a ton of your time and patience but it is pretty simple. All you have to do is give ZenBusiness all the data about the LLC or company you would like to form. This information includes the business name you desire, your office address, the company owner, the company manager, and all others. This information will be used by ZenBusiness in completing required documents with the Secretary of State and other government offices concerned in the establishment of your business.
- Input your payment details: At this point, you will need a credit card to finalize your transaction. The payment should cover their processing costs as well as any state-required LLC formation fees.
Pros & Cons of Zenbusiness
Pros
Cons
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.
When To and Not To Use ZenBusiness?
While ZenBusiness has huge benefits, it may not be the perfect option for every entity. As a result, we have compiled more instances for you to ponder, which may impact your decision to choose ZenBusiness as your formation service or not.
Use ZenBusiness if…
You want one of the most affordable LLC services with the best overall value. They are also a responsible corporate citizen with a higher level of customer satisfaction.
You already have a company but require a registered agent. ZenBusiness may meet that need for you for as little as $99 per year. You can even bundle in their compliance services for a sum of $149 and have peace of mind knowing that a ZenBusiness specialist will ensure your company is in a competitive and compliant status with the state.
Do Not Use ZenBusiness if…
You need a bit more legal assistance when it comes to your business, most especially in the future. If that’s the case, you might want to go with a service like LegalZoom, which will help you form your LLC or corporation as well as give legal assistance.
Still, we consider ZenBusiness to be the best LLC formation service for any business. Even though their basic bundle is incomparable to IncFile and IncAuthority in terms of price point, ZenBusiness offers different tiers of plans that could fit any budget and suit any new startup. Their website and services are pro-customers and they offer a wide-range of optional services which you can avail to personalize your purchase experience and ensure that you are meeting your business needs.
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 has a lot of crucial features that set it apart as one of the best online LLC formation services. 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.
ZenBusiness will provide you with a seamless LLC formation and incorporation at a low cost, as well as a totally online formation approach that is simple and straightforward from beginning to end and contains everything you need. We appreciate and even recommend their $39 Starter plan to budding businesses due to the overall value it provides.
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.
Ignoring the fact that ZenBusiness lacks the background of established incorporators such as LegalZoom or Mycorporation, considering that they have registered and established hundreds of LLCs since 2015, we anticipate that they will continue to progress on their already great track record in the forthcoming years.
Indeed, ZenBusiness is the best option 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.
Now, do you think we recommend ZenBusiness? Well, DEFINITELY!
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.