Sections of this topic
Do you want to avoid the tangled and bewildering landscape of starting and maintaining a business? ZenBusiness might be your solution. In this review, we’ll explore this inventive platform to see how it aids entrepreneurs and small business owners in easily launching and growing their ventures.
Whether you’re looking at forming an LLC, needing registered agent services, or handling annual report filings, ZenBusiness covers all bases. Let’s break down this robust tool to see how it can elevate your business to the next level.
>> Start Your Business With ZenBusiness >>
What Is ZenBusiness?
ZenBusiness is a public benefit company based in Austin, Texas. Founded by Ross Buhrdorf in 2015, this venture-funded firm aims to equip everyday Americans with the resources they need to become entrepreneurs.
ZenBusiness offers features designed to help people properly register their startups, navigate the early stages of launching, and successfully grow their businesses.
In late 2021, ZenBusiness made headlines with significant investments totaling over $200 million. Their most recent Series C funding round elevated their valuation to $1.7 billion.
This impressive growth has earned ZenBusiness the title of Austin’s fastest-growing business. It has attracted high-profile investors like Mark Cuban, who has recently joined as an advocate and spokesperson.
>> Use ZenBusiness to Start Your Business >>
Our Verdict on ZenBusiness – ZenBusiness Review
ZenBusiness specializes in business formation services. Though it’s a relatively new player, it outshines competitors with budget-friendly plans and top-notch customer service. You can pick from three plans to start a Limited Liability Company (LLC) or corporation.
Each plan includes an annual report service, ensuring you get all the filing deadlines. When you join ZenBusiness, you get access to features often absent in other LLC services.
They provide an invoicing app, an operating agreement template, and many additional resources beyond just filing for an LLC. The higher-tier plans offer even more, including services to help you start a business, like obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN), website domain and hosting, and expedited filing service.
ZenBusiness at a Glance
ZenBusiness tops our list of the best LLC services for affordability, ease of use, and unique offerings. They provide three paid plans to help you form your business, be it an LLC or a corporation. These plans range from free to $299 per year, plus state filing fees.
Each plan covers the preparation and filing for your business entity and includes one year of annual report service. You’ll have free access to an invoicing app to send invoices to clients without needing another software. The time to form your LLC varies based on the state you’re filing in and whether you opt for a plan with expedited or rushed filing.
Who Should Use ZenBusiness?
ZenBusiness provides services tailored to help regular folks become entrepreneurs. This includes startups, gig workers, online sellers, freelancers, artists, real estate investors, or anyone looking to register a business.
The process can be intimidating, leading many to abandon their dreams early. ZenBusiness offers legal help during these critical, stressful, and confusing times.
Specializing in LLC and corporation formations, ZenBusiness may sometimes recommend forming a partnership or sole proprietorship during your consultation. In such cases, seeking help elsewhere to register your business might be more appropriate.
>> Use ZenBusiness to Start a Business >>
ZenBusiness Pricing
ZenBusiness offers three service tiers, each varying in features and price. You can start with a basic, more affordable tier and upgrade later if needed. This flexibility ensures you don’t overpay for services you might not use.
You can choose to add specific services, like a business website and domain name, for an extra cost while sticking to a lower-priced plan. This way, you get exactly what you need without breaking the bank.
ZenBusiness Starter
ZenBusiness Starter costs $0 when billed annually, excluding state-level fees (which depend on your state and business entity type) or additional costs from add-on services.
With this plan, you’ll be able to take advantage of the standard business filing service, which includes name availability search tools, standard filing speed, phone and email support, and access to your documents through the ZenBusiness portal.
You’ll also get a complimentary year of registered agent support, which provides companies with a dedicated address for being served legal notices. Note that this service auto-renews at $119 per year once the first year of service is completed.
This service tier includes the production of operating agreements and bylaws, as well as a CPA assessment to help determine what kind of accounting and bookkeeping you may need for your business as it gets off the ground.
You can also incorporate a few a-la-carte options in this plan, such as expedited or rushed filing, EIN registration, and website hosting, among others. These add-on services, of course, will each have their own respective fees.
ZenBusiness Pro
ZenBusiness Pro builds on the Starter plan’s features, offering even more valuable tools for business formation. This plan includes expedited filing, banking resolution documents, Employer Identification Number (EIN) creation, and compliance checks and reminders.
Priced at $199 annually, plus state filing fees and any additional features you choose to add, the Pro plan offers comprehensive support. For an extra $100, you can add rush filing. You can opt for a business website and domain registration for $100 and $25 per year, respectively.
ZenBusiness Premium
ZenBusiness Premium offers a comprehensive package that includes every service the platform provides for $299 annually, plus state filing fees.
This plan is ideal for business owners seeking an all-inclusive legal service to manage the intricacies of starting a new business. It covers all the filing essentials, registered agent services, and help in setting up a website, email addresses, and other annual forms required for businesses.
ZenBusiness A-La-Carte
ZenBusiness also provides a build-your-own package service, offering more flexibility in selecting your needed services.
To access this customizable option, you must register for an account and share some personal information. Detailed pricing for each service is available on the ZenBusiness pricing homepage, allowing you to tailor your package to fit your needs.
>> Check Out Pricing for ZenBusiness >>
Is ZenBusiness Right for You or Your Business?
ZenBusiness ranks among the top LLC services for any business. The platform is user-friendly, and you can select from various add-on services to create a plan tailored to your needs. If you’re seeking an affordable and convenient way to form an LLC, ZenBusiness is an excellent choice.
What Are the Pros of Using ZenBusiness?
Customer reviews for ZenBusiness are overwhelmingly positive, though a few users have encountered some issues. Here’s an overview of the most commonly cited advantages of using ZenBusiness:
Pricing
When your business is just starting out, every dollar matters. ZenBusiness offers some of the lowest prices for most services on the market. Competitors often charge several times more for similar features, and hiring a business lawyer can cost up to ten times as much.
User Friendly
Creating your first business can be both thrilling and daunting. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but ZenBusiness provides careful, guided assistance at every step.
Meeting your incorporation needs and filing deadlines becomes simple with their user-friendly online platform and excellent customer support. You’ll only need to spend a few minutes, while ZenBusiness handles the rest.
Add-on Features
ZenBusiness offers a variety of specific add-on services that you can include in your plan, avoiding the need to purchase a different tier. Some commonly sought-after services and their additional costs include:
- Standalone registered agent: $99 ($149 when with compliance assistance)
- Expedited filing speed: $50
- Rushed filing speed: $100
- Annual report filing: $75
- Filing amendment: $100
- Certification of good standing: $75
- Business license report: $99
- Business document template library: $99
- Business bank account: $110 annually
- Banking resolution templates: $30
- Employer Identification Number filing: $70
- Worry-Free Compliance services: $119 annually
- Business Website: $100 annually
- Domain name registration: $25 annually
>> Use ZenBusiness to Start Your Business >>
Exceptional Turnaround Time
ZenBusiness operates in all 50 U.S. states (plus Washington, D.C.) and is known for its quick business formation process, especially compared to other service providers. The highest-priced tier can have your business fully formed within a few days, even during peak seasons.
While the less expensive plans take longer, they are still relatively fast compared to other options. At worst, it should take only a few weeks to register and form officially your business.
Worry-Free Compliance
The legal responsibilities of owning a business are ongoing. You need to file an annual report on a specific date each year, and failure to comply can lead to severe financial penalties and loss of good standing with the government.
It’s easy for this task to slip your mind as you focus on running your business. ZenBusiness helps keep you in good standing by sending reminders, auditing your report, and assisting you with timely filing.
Accounting Consultation
Setting up your accounting and finances is a crucial but overlooked aspect of starting a business. It can be more complicated than expected and challenging to navigate alone. ZenBusiness offers various accounting assistance services, including tracking invoices, filing taxes, and setting up company books.
Online Assistance
Establishing an online presence is essential for any modern business. Going it alone can be time-consuming and expensive. ZenBusiness offers help with building a website, acquiring a domain, and setting up a business email address. These services boost your business’s credibility and make it easier for customers to find you online.
>> Use ZenBusiness to Start Your Business >>
What Are the Cons of Using ZenBusiness?
Certain Features Are Expensive
ZenBusiness provides a wide range of services, but some, like the $70 EIN filing, might be unnecessary for those simply seeking registration assistance. You can choose individual features, but popular ones can be pricey.
Recurring Registered Agent Fees
ZenBusiness includes registered agent service in the first year, but it automatically renews at $119 annually. This might not be ideal if you don’t anticipate needing their services long-term. However, unlike some competitors, ZenBusiness offers a transparent 60-day refund policy for the renewal.
Online Features Are Lacking
While ZenBusiness includes website building, domain selection, and email setup, these features might not be the deciding factor in choosing their services. You can likely find better options elsewhere if these are your primary needs.
ZenBusiness Features – ZenBusiness Review
ZenBusiness simplifies the often complex and expensive process of legal filings for small business owners. By using their service, you can prepare and submit your business formation documents yourself, eliminating the need for costly lawyers or other professionals.
Anyone who has attempted to navigate the legal steps of starting a business knows the challenges. State variations in business licenses, requirements, and forms can make it a daunting task requiring meticulous attention to detail and significant time investment. The state approval process itself can be lengthy.
ZenBusiness, as an online business formation service, streamlines this process and helps you manage the initial legal tasks and those that may arise as your business grows. While the specific features offered by ZenBusiness depend on your chosen plan and location, some of their most valuable services include:
- Business formation (LLCs or corporations)
- Name availability search
- Registered agent services
- DBA (Doing Business As) registration
- Operating agreements
- Federal Employer Identification Number
- Ongoing state compliance requirements
- Annual business reports
- New York State Business Formation Publication
- Filing amendments
- Certificates of good standing
- Banking resolutions
ZenBusiness goes beyond just filing paperwork. Their services include additional features like a free consultation with a certified accountant to help you set up bookkeeping, accounting, and tax strategies during your first year.
You can also purchase a business domain name directly through ZenBusiness, obtain quotes for business insurance from leading providers, and compare options for the best business credit cards, all within their platform.
ZenBusiness Reviews From Real Users – How Legit Is It?
To give you a sense of how real people experience ZenBusiness, we combed through a mountain of online reviews. This will help you decide if ZenBusiness is a legitimate service that delivers.
Trustpilot User Reviews:
With a 4.5-star rating on Trustpilot out of over 11,800 reviews, ZenBusiness seems to satisfy most customers.
Alternatives to ZenBusiness – ZenBusiness Review
Swyft Filings focuses on making LLC formation swift and simple. Their services extend beyond just filing paperwork, offering incorporation assistance, compliance tools, and even registered agent services. To help businesses navigate the LLC process and stay on top of regulations, Swyft Filings provides personalized support.
Tailor Brands empowers businesses to build a strong brand identity online. Through their branding packages, you can get a logo, business card designs, and social media branding elements that all work together seamlessly. Tailor Brands even offers design tools and resources so you can create and personalize your branded materials yourself.
Focusing on LLCs, Northwest Registered Agent goes beyond just being a registered agent. They offer personalized support and a suite of business services, including compliance management and document filing.
Their expertise helps businesses form LLCs, stay compliant, and thrive with ongoing support and resources. This makes them a trusted partner for LLC formation needs.
ZenBusiness Review – Frequently Asked Questions
The following are frequently asked questions people ask about ZenBusiness and its services.
>> Try ZenBusiness to Start an LLC >>
Bottom Line on ZenBusiness Review
Despite minor drawbacks, ZenBusiness stands out as a top choice for business registration. Its subscription plans offer exceptional value, bundling a comprehensive list of features at a competitive price.
With the complexities of formation documents, state fees, and naming considerations, ZenBusiness simplifies the process and is worth considering when comparing business formation services.
>> Use ZenBusiness to Start a Business >>
