One of the most important decisions you will make when starting a new business is choosing the right entity type for your business, and LLC is a popular choice for many entrepreneurs.
When forming an LLC, working with a reputable and reliable formation service that can guide you through the process can make your life easier. Two popular options for LLC formation are Incfile and ZenBusiness.
ZenBusiness features low cost formation services, expert support, personalized services, and a customizable dashboard.
Below, we will compare Incfile and ZenBusiness in various areas crucial for business owners such as pricing, customer support, ease of use, features, and more. By analyzing their similarities and differences, you’ll be able to determine which of these services aligns better with your current needs and preferences. Whether you’re looking for affordability, excellent customer service, or advanced features, we’ve got you covered. So let’s dive in and find out which of these LLC formation services comes out on top.
Comparison Chart
| Incfile | ZenBusiness | |
 |  | |
| Pricing and Plans | Check Price | Check Price |
| Starting Plan | $0 + State fee | $49 + state fee |
| Business Name Availability Search | Yes | Yes |
| Registered Agent Service | Free for the first year, $119/year after | $199/year |
| Order Processing Time | Next business day | 2-3 weeks (starter) 3-9 business days (pro) 2-5 business days (premium) |
| EIN Registration | $70 (silver) Included (gold & platinum) | $99 |
| Operating Agreement | $40 (silver) Included (gold & platinum) | $125 (starter) Included (pro & premium) |
| Annual Compliance | Yes | Yes |
Overview
Incfile and ZenBusiness are both popular LLC formation services that have been in the industry for several years. Incfile was founded in 2004, making it one of the oldest online business formation services available. In contrast, ZenBusiness is a newer player in the market, founded in 2015.
Incfile has served over 500,000 businesses since its inception, which is an impressive track record. They offer a wide range of services such as business formation, registered agent services, compliance filing, and more. Incfile also boasts an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which is a testament to their commitment to quality service.
ZenBusiness, on the other hand, has served over 400,000 businesses in a relatively short time. Although they are a newer company, they have made a name for themselves with their affordable pricing and excellent customer service.
Both Incfile and ZenBusiness have a strong online presence, making it easy for customers to access their services. Incfile has a user-friendly website that offers a lot of information about their services, and they have over 10,000 reviews on Trustpilot and an overall rating of 4.7/5. ZenBusiness has also received plenty of positive reviews from customers, with a 4.8/5 rating.
In terms of experience and reputation, Incfile has a more established track record, having been around for almost two decades. ZenBusiness, on the other hand, is a newer company but has quickly gained popularity due to its affordability and commitment to providing their services.
Features
Both Incfile and ZenBusiness offer registered agent service. A registered agent is a third-party representative who receives legal documents on behalf of your business. Incfile includes registered agent service for free for the first year, and their registered agent service renews at $119 per year. You can read more about their registered agent service here. ZenBusiness, on the other hand, charges $199 annually for their registered agent service with their LLC formation plans.
When it comes to turnaround times, Incfile offers next business day processing while ZenBusiness’s processing time ranges from 2-3 weeks to 2-5 business days, depending on the package you choose. Both companies provide you with the option to track your order’s status online and it’s worth mentioning that turnaround times can also vary depending on the state where you’re forming your LLC.
The two companies also offer additional services such as intellectual property filing, compliance, and tax filing. Incfile’s premium package includes features like business contract templates, domain name registration, and expedited filing, while ZenBusiness’s premium package includes features like customized website, EIN acquisition, and bookkeeping software.
Incfile provides a range of additional services, including filing of federal trademarks and copyright registration, but these services are not available with ZenBusiness. On the other hand, ZenBusiness offers compliance tracking and guarantees 100% accuracy, while Incfile charges extra for compliance alerts and does not offer any guarantees.
Plans and Pricing
Incfile’s basic package (Silver plan) is free but requires payment of state filing fees. It includes features such as registered agent for the first year, name availability search, preparation, and filing of articles of organization. On the other hand, ZenBusiness’s lowest-tier plan, called Starter, starts at $49, plus state fees, and includes features such as compliance tracking, accounting consultation and an operating agreement template.
The mid-tier plan of Incfile, called Gold, starts at $149, plus state fees, and includes all the features of their Silver plan plus compliance notifications, and a business tax consultation. Meanwhile, ZenBusiness’s Pro plan starts at $199, plus state fees, and includes additional features such as EIN acquisition, and a custom website. Incfile’s Gold plan provides more value for money with a free business tax consultation and a year of registered agent service, while ZenBusiness’s Pro plan offers a custom website, EIN acquisition, and expedited filing.
Incfile’s Platinum plan starts at $299, plus state fees, and includes additional features such as expedited filing, business contract templates, and document storage. ZenBusiness’s Premium plan, starts at $299, plus state fees, and includes additional features such as rush filing, domain name registration, and bookkeeping software.
User Experience
When it comes to user experience, both Incfile and ZenBusiness offer user-friendly websites that are easy to navigate. However, new business owners may find some of the language used on the websites a bit confusing, especially when it comes to legal terms. Incfile does have a live pricing guide that shows you the total cost of the package in real-time as you add additional services, while ZenBusiness has an automated chat feature that can guide you through the LLC formation process.
If you do decide to go with either, both of them offer intuitive dashboards that are well-organized and easy to use. When it comes to mail forwarding, both Incfile and ZenBusiness offer the same level of service. They scan and upload all legal mail that they receive for your business, which can be accessed on your user dashboard.
In terms of customer support, Incfile offers both email and phone support, but they don’t have a live chat service. The level of support is good since they can actually help you with your queries. On the other hand, ZenBusiness offers online chat and phone support but not email support. The inclusion of a live chat service is definitely an advantage as it is faster than email correspondences.
Verdict
Incfile and ZenBusiness are similar in many ways. Both are highly reputable and they have a high trust rating among their customers. If you are a new business owner looking to form an LCC, choosing between the two will come down to a few factors.
ZenBusiness features low cost formation services, expert support, personalized services, and a customizable dashboard.
ZenBusiness is a bit more expensive, but their basic and mid-tier packages have more additional features. If you think that you’ll be needing services such as compliance tracking, EIN acquisition and business tax consultation, then ZenBusiness is the better choice for you. These services are also available with Incfile, but they cost extra, so in the end, you will pay more.
Incfile is a good choice if you want to save as much money as possible and you don’t really need any additional services such as intellectual property filing and DBA filing, to name a few. They have one of the fastest turnaround times in the industry and the inclusion of a free one year Registered Agent service is an excellent value.