If you’re in the process of forming a new corporation or an LLC, you might realize that the process can be a little bit complicated. The best solution for this is to hire the right service to help you start an LLC. There are plenty of companies available that offer LLC formation services, but we understand that it can be tough to figure out which one is the best for you.
In today’s review article, we will be looking at the top two registered agents offering LLC formation services: Incfile and ZenBusiness. Depending on the unique needs of your business, you might find that one or the other is a better LLC formation service for you.
In this Zenbusiness and IncFile comparison guide, we will discuss a few crucial factors you need to consider as you analyze and decide which of these services to use. Is ZenBusiness or IncFile the right choice for your business? Let’s find out.
Key Comparison Points for Incfile vs ZenBusiness LLC Formation Service
In our review below, we will look into each of these service providers. We have even performed a stress test based on the following five crucial factors:
If it offers great value based on the prices and features offered
- Track record
- Customer service quality
- Ordering process and service’s ease of use
- Turnaround times for incorporating
- Additional Features
- Pricing and Packages
IncFile vs ZenBusiness: Overall Pricing and Value
ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness is a full-service incorporation company that offers LLC formation services with some of the lowest prices in the industry. For just $39, ZenBusiness will form your corporation and even provide a year of registered agent service.
The company will even include corporate bylaws and an assessment from one of their in-house CPAs. We also find that their $149 plan is a great deal too as it adds annual report service, compliance monitoring, federal tax ID number (EIN), and a banking resolution to make forming an LLC an even smoother process for business owners.
IncFile
At just $0 plus state fee, IncFile’s entry-level incorporation package is even cheaper than ZenBusiness. On top of that, all of Incfile’s packages include 1 year of registered agent service, after which it will only cost $119 per year. Their $149 Gold package includes some valuable features as well such as business documents and an EIN. Overall, IncFile offers its clients excellent value.
Winner
The Winner for this category is ZenBusiness.
While both companies have similar price points for the combination of business LLC formation and registered agent service (get your own registered agent here). It’s everything you’ll ever need to start an LLC for the best overall price.
IncFile vs ZenBusiness: Company Track Record & Experience
ZenBusiness
Although ZenBusiness only opened a few years ago in 2015, they’ve already successfully created thousands of businesses and aim to form one million business entities in the next five years. On top of strong motivation, ZenBusiness truly excels in terms of customer feedback with thousands of reviews available online with nearly all of them are perfect five-star scores.
IncFile
IncFile is a more mature establishment and has been in the business since 2004 with over 250, 000 businesses formed over the years. They also have stellar client feedback with thousands of positive reviews that easily outweigh a small handful of negative feedback.
Winner
The winner for this category is IncFile.
Although ZenBusiness performs amazingly in this category too, IncFile is simply on another level in the sense that it has more experience than ZenBusiness with a higher quantity of positive customer reviews. This comes as no surprise as the company has been in the industry more than 10 years longer than ZenBusiness.
Incfile and ZenBusiness: Customer Service
ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness offers customer support via phone, e-mail, or webchat application on their website. In our test, we found that all three options connect you with pleasant and well-informed representatives who were able to answer all of our tough questions. We typically received email responses within one business day while the wait times for phone and chat support were rarely more than a few minutes.
IncFile
IncFile provides customer support via phone or e-mail with plenty of experience for either option. We were always able to receive prompt responses regardless of which format used to contact them and their customer representative employees usually provide plenty of information to better answer our questions. We have also found that we were able to get more thorough answers via e-mail compared to the phone.
Winner
The winner for this category is ZenBusiness.
Though both companies offered quite similar customer support services with the exact same hour of operation, we like that ZenBusiness offers a live chat option on their website.
ZenBusiness and IncFile: Ease of Use
ZenBusiness
Preparing for the LLC incorporation process is often quick and easy with ZenBusiness as all you need to do is choose the package you want to start with, fill out their order form with your personal and business information, and the company will take it from there. The only negative point for ZenBusiness is their handful of upsells and third-party offers which the company tends to sprinkle throughout the process.
IncFile
IncFile also makes using their services quite simple. Similarly, all you need is to fill out their order form and they will personalize the steps required based on the state you’re forming your business in, as well as the type of business entity you’re forming. IncFile also provides links throughout the application to help you figure out if you need other various features in each package. IncFile also does offer a couple of third-party partnership offers, but they don’t really have anything that we would consider an upsell.
Winner
It is a tie in this category.
We find that both companies provide services that are easy to leverage, meaning that this category ultimately boils down to the upsells and third-party offers. While they both have a relatively minimal number of third-party partnerships, we found that ZenBusiness has more upsells than IncFile, providing a closely contested win in this category.
Speed of LLC Formation
ZenBusiness
Unlike the majority of their competition, ZenBusiness doesn’t actually base their turnaround times on the processing speeds provided by the state. Instead, the turnaround time is based on which level of service you purchase from them. You can expect a 3-4 week turnaround time with their Starter package, 1-2 weeks for their Pro package, or 3-5 days Premium with their more costly packages.
IncFile
Incfile promises to submit your LLC formation documents to your state in just one business day, which is a welcome attribute. However, the turnaround times will depend on how quickly each state can process an LLC formation. Some states are as quick as just a couple of days while others can possibly take up to several weeks. IncFile also has an expedited service available to drastically improve your formation speeds across many states.
Winner
The winner for this category is IncFile.
Unfortunately, the ZenBusiness method of speeding up or slowing down your formation process based on how much money you spend on their platform is not particularly ideal. We find that Incfile’s processing speeds are solid, making this an easy win for them.
Included Features
ZenBusiness stands alone in this category as it offers LLC business formation packages starting at only $39 per year (plus state fees). All 3 packages include a registered agent service, an operating agreement, and a worry-free CPA assessment which will provide you with an evaluation of your company finances and recommend a proper licensed CPA for your specific needs at no charge at all. The suggested accounting services are a great way for you to keep track of your company’s monetary flow, file taxes, and to stay organized.
ZenBusines also has business e-mail, website, and domain privacy as add-on features that could help your business so that your clients can easily contact you, gain better visibility, and protect your private information.
ZenBusiness and Incfile: Pricing and Packages
ZenBusiness
Starter ($39 + state fees) includes:
- LLC formation service
- 1 year of registered agent service ($119/year after the first year)
- Operating agreement
- Worry-free CPA assessment
- 3-4 weeks filing time
Pro ($149 + state fees) includes
- LLC formation service
- Registered agent service for 1 year ($119/year after the first year)
- Operating agreement
- Worry-free CPA assessment
- Employer ID Number (EIN)
- Worry-free compliance guarantee
- Expedite preparation and filing speed
- 1-2 weeks filing time
Premium ($249 + state fees) includes
- LLC formation service
- Registered agent service for 1 year ($119/year after the first year)
- Operating agreement
- Worry-free CPA assessment
- Employer ID Number (EIN)
- Worry-free compliance guarantee
- Domain name and domain name privacy
- Business email address
- Business website
- Rush filing speed
- 3-5 days filing time
IncFile
Silver Package ($0 + state fees) includes:
- Next-day processing
- Registered agent service for 1 year ($119/year after the first year)
- Access to a platform with company alerts
- 1-hour tax consultation
Gold Package ($149 + state fees) includes:
- Next-day processing
- Free registered agent service for one year ($119/year after the first year)
- Access to a platform with company alerts
- EIN and Operating agreement
- Contract template library
- 1-hour tax consultation
- 20 personalized stock certificates on top of normal Corporate Kit essentials
Platinum Package ($299 + state fees) includes:
- Next-day processing
- Expedited shipping to return your filings
- Free registered agent for one year ($119/year after the first year)
- Access to a platform with company alerts
- EIN and Operating agreement
- Contract template library
- 1-hour tax consultation
- 20 personalized stock certificates on top of normal Corporate Kit essentials
- Free business website and domain name
ZenBusiness vs Incfile Review: Which is the Best LLC Formation Services for You?
As you can see, ZenBusiness and IncFile do have a lot in common with many differences too. If you’re still not too sure which business formation service to choose, then let’s look at a couple of scenarios that might help you figure out which is the better LLC service for you.
Choose ZenBusiness If You:
Are looking for the top LLC service that offers the best overall value. Considering the features available with their $39 LLC formation service package which includes essentials for starting a healthy LLC, we would highly recommend going for ZenBusiness.
Choose IncFile if You:
Are looking for the most affordable LLC service with positive customer feedback then go with IncFile as their most basic package costs $0 plus state fees.
All things considered, we choose ZenBusiness as the better option between the two as ZenBusiness LLC service offers a better price for you to choose one from their expert registered agents and even includes a worry-free compliance guarantee in their Pro and Premium packages at no additional cost.
In addition, the starter package even includes a registered agent service for one full year, an operating agreement, and a worry-free CPA assessment.
While Incfile’s middle and top tier packages cost slightly less than ZrenBusiness, they don’t include as many features. After doing the math, we believe that ZenBusiness’s middle and top packages are worth the few extra dollars.
Between IncFile and ZenBusiness though, we’re confident that your LLC formation will go smoothly if you pick either one as they’re the top-rated LLC formation services available.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the biggest advantage of each service?
The most significant advantage that ZenBusiness provides is the fact that they offer an LLC formation package that costs just $39. As for IncFile, they do have quite a few advantages over ZenBusiness with the biggest one being their high level of experience in this industry with more than 10 years of expertise.
We’ve also done a comprehensive review on it for you to learn more about ZenBusiness. You should check it out if you are planning to engage with them.
Which company offers more help with ongoing compliance requirements?
Both IncFile and ZenBusiness assist with your ongoing compliance requirements, helping your business stay in good standing down the road. Both companies provide an agent service for the exact same rate of $119/year and an annual report service too. However, Incfile’s $99 price point is more expensive than ZenBusiness’s $75.
How do I reach IncFile if there’s any queries or issues?
To contact IncFile directly, you can reach them at 844-830-8267 or at 855-829-9090. The operating hours are from Monday to Friday, between 9 am and 5 pm CST.
Should I get a Registered Agent?
It depends but there’s a lot of beneficial reasonings on why you should engage a registered agent. One of the primary reasonings is that they’ll receive the official state correspondence during business hours and some registered agent even handles State responsibilities depends on their services offered.
Starting a business correctly doesn’t have to be difficult. With over 15 years of experience consulting new businesses and start ups, Matthew is probably the best person to help you set a strong foundation for your business.