Inc Authority vs ZenBusiness: pricing and features compared
Data last updated: Apr 21, 2026Inc Authority starts at $0 plus state fees. ZenBusiness starts at $0 plus state fees. Sticker-price differences between LLC formation services rarely tell the full story, since the cheapest tier usually excludes the EIN filing and operating agreement most filers need.
The registered agent renewal is the line item that actually matters over time: ZenBusiness is $199 per year, Inc Authority is $249. Over five years that delta adds up to $200, which is typically a larger swing than the formation-tier sticker price.
Inc Authority has 46,831 Trustpilot reviews compared to ZenBusiness's 28,984. The volume gap is usually about review solicitation rather than quality, but the higher-volume score tends to be the more statistically stable signal.
For most filers, the decision between two services is decided by three things: whether you need a $0 tier or can absorb a mid-tier to get the EIN and operating agreement bundled, how much the registered agent will cost you in year two and onward, and whether the support quality matters to you (it matters more if you're paying $200+ for the service in the first place).
Key differences at a glance
- ZenBusiness has the cheaper registered agent renewal ($199/yr vs $249/yr). Over five years that is a $200 difference.
- ZenBusiness offers live chat support; the other relies on phone and email only.
Where each service fits
Pick Inc Authority when
Inc Authority is comparable to ZenBusiness on most of the dimensions we measure. The tiebreaker is usually support quality or brand preference.
Pick ZenBusiness when
Pick ZenBusiness when you're optimizing for lower long-term cost (RA renewal is cheaper); you want live chat support.
What each service offers that the other does not
Only ZenBusiness
- Live chat support
Both services
- Free $0 formation tier
- Compliance dashboard
- Banking partner integration
- Phone support
What it costs under your specific situation
Running the same LLC through three common scenarios. Year-1 and 5-year totals exclude state fees, which are identical for both services.
| Scenario | Inc Authority Year 1 | ZenBusiness Year 1 | Inc Authority 5-year | ZenBusiness 5-year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Just the basics: state filing, RA year 1, nothing else You file the EIN yourself at irs.gov and skip a written operating agreement. | $0 | $0 | $996 | $796 |
| You want EIN and operating agreement handled too Most new LLCs end up here. Assumes $70 EIN and $99 OA add-ons where the service charges for them. | $169 | $169 | $1,165 | $965 |
| Standalone registered agent only (no formation) You already formed the LLC elsewhere. Just swapping to this service's RA. | $249 | $99 | $1,245 | $495 |
Full feature comparison
| Dimension | Inc Authority | ZenBusiness |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price Cheapest tier, excludes state fees | Free | Free |
| Registered agent year 1 | Included | Not included |
| Registered agent renewal Year 2 onward, annual | $249/yr | $199/yr |
| Free $0 tier | Yes | Yes |
| EIN application | Paid add-on | Paid add-on |
| Operating agreement | Paid add-on | Paid add-on |
| Compliance dashboard | Yes | Yes |
| Mail scanning | No | No |
| International founders | No | No |
| Banking partner | Bank of America | Thread Bank |
| Phone support | Mon-Fri 7:30am-5:00pm Pacific | Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT, Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT |
| Live chat | No | Yes |
| Trustpilot rating | 4.9/5 (46,831 reviews) | 4.8/5 (28,984 reviews) |
Pricing tiers side by side
Inc Authority
- Free — Free
Includes RA year 1 · renews $249/yr - Starter Business Bundle — Free
Includes RA year 1 · renews $249/yr - Fast Track Business Bundle — Free
Includes RA year 1 · renews $249/yr
ZenBusiness
- Starter — Free
- Pro — $199 · renews $199/yr
- Premium — $399 · renews $399/yr
Includes RA year 1 · renews $199/yr
Support and ratings, interpreted
Inc Authority offers phone, email. ZenBusiness offers phone, email, live chat. ZenBusiness is the only one of the two with live chat, which matters if you anticipate back-and-forth questions during filing. Trustpilot: Inc Authority is 4.9 across 46,831 reviews; ZenBusiness is 4.8 across 28,984. A high-volume sample with a 4.5+ rating is the strongest signal; a small sample with either extreme rating is the weakest.
Inc Authority
Phone: Mon-Fri 7:30am-5:00pm Pacific.
Email: yes.
No live chat.
Trustpilot: 4.9/5 from 46,831 reviews.
ZenBusiness
Phone: Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT, Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT.
Email: yes.
Live chat: Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT, Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT.
Trustpilot: 4.8/5 from 28,984 reviews.
Before you pick either service
A few things apply no matter which one you choose. These catch enough first-time filers to be worth stating plainly.
The state fee is identical. Whether you use Inc Authority, ZenBusiness, or neither, your state charges the same formation fee. Nothing a service does lowers that number. The fee ranges from $35 in Montana to $500 in Massachusetts depending on where you form. See the state-by-state guide for exact numbers.
You can get an EIN for free at irs.gov in five minutes. Both Inc Authority and ZenBusiness either bundle EIN filing or sell it as a paid add-on. You're never required to pay for EIN filing; the IRS charges nothing and the online form takes about five minutes. If a service is pitching "we'll handle your EIN" as a headline feature, that's convenience pricing, not necessity.
The registered agent renewal is what matters long-term. The formation fee is a one-time cost. The registered agent is what recurs every year for as long as you keep the LLC open. Over five years, the RA renewal cost usually exceeds the formation fee. Compare on that number, not just the day-one sticker.
Operating agreements are separately priced at most services. Any LLC with more than one member, and any LLC relying on its liability shield, should have a written operating agreement. It governs ownership percentages, profit splits, management structure, and dissolution. California, Maine, Missouri, and New York require it by statute; every other state treats it as strongly recommended. Don't skip it to save $99.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Which is cheaper, Inc Authority or ZenBusiness?
Both start at $0 for the cheapest tier, plus state fees. The real pricing difference shows up in the registered agent renewal from year two onward: Inc Authority $249/yr, ZenBusiness $199/yr.
-
Does Inc Authority or ZenBusiness have better support?
Inc Authority offers phone, email. ZenBusiness offers phone, email, live chat. ZenBusiness is the only one of the two with live chat, which matters if you anticipate back-and-forth questions during filing. Trustpilot: Inc Authority is 4.9 across 46,831 reviews; ZenBusiness is 4.8 across 28,984. A high-volume sample with a 4.5+ rating is the strongest signal; a small sample with either extreme rating is the weakest.
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Is Inc Authority's free tier really free?
The $0 tier covers state filing and typically includes year one of registered agent service. It does not include EIN filing (you can still get one for free from the IRS directly) or an operating agreement, which most filers need. Once you add those, Inc Authority's free tier ends up around $169, which is very close to what ZenBusiness charges for its bundled mid-tier package. Pick the free tier if you're comfortable doing the add-ons yourself; pick a bundled service if you want everything in one place.
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Should I just file the LLC myself instead of using Inc Authority or ZenBusiness?
You can. The state fee is identical whether you use a service or not. What these services sell is convenience: a handled registered agent (which you can also buy standalone), a bundled operating agreement, compliance reminders, and in some cases banking and tax integrations. If your time is worth more than $50 an hour and you would rather not research your state's specific filing quirks, a service pays for itself. If you like DIY administrative work, file directly at your state's Secretary of State portal.
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How much does the registered agent cost with each service from year 2 onward?
Inc Authority renews at $249/yr. ZenBusiness renews at $199/yr. This number matters because it recurs every year for as long as you keep the LLC. Over a five-year window, the registered agent renewal cost typically exceeds the formation fee, so it's worth more attention than most reviews give it.
Full reviews
Sources
- Pricing: www.incauthority.com/ · verified April 21, 2026
Homepage explicitly advertises FREE LLC registration, FREE 24-hour processing, FREE custom built website, and FREE registered agent for year one. Customer pays state fees only. - Premium-bundles: www.incauthority.com/premium-packages · verified April 21, 2026
Starter Business Bundle and Fast Track Business Bundle are listed with feature checklists but no prices. Vendor explicitly states these can only be ordered by phone (877-684-2836), so published pricing is not available. Priced tiers kept at 0 as placeholder; readers should be told to call. - Registered agent only: www.incauthority.com/registration/service/info/reg-ind · verified April 21, 2026
Inc Authority registered agent service listed at $249 per year, described as a $199 value, on their own registration add-on detail page. - Features: www.incauthority.com/free-llc · verified April 21, 2026
Free LLC page lists what the $0 tier actually includes. Operating agreement and EIN are not part of the free tier; both are upsells. - Banking partner: www.incauthority.com/ · verified April 21, 2026
Homepage promotes a Bank of America Business Advantage Banking bonus offer as a bundled partner perk. - Headquarters: www.incauthority.com/company/contact · verified April 21, 2026
Corporate address: Inc Authority, 1450 Vassar Street, Reno, NV 89502. Site references 30-plus years in business under the Inc Authority brand and predecessors; founding commonly cited as 1989. - Support: www.incauthority.com/company/contact · verified April 21, 2026
Phone support 877-462-6366 and local 775-333-5902, Monday through Friday 7:30am to 5:00pm Pacific. Email info@incauthority.com. No live chat offered. - Ratings: www.trustpilot.com/review/www.incauthority.com · verified April 21, 2026
4.9 of 5 stars from 46,831 reviews (Claimed profile, paid Trustpilot subscription). - Pricing: www.zenbusiness.com/ · verified April 21, 2026
Homepage 'Compare and select a package' section lists Starter at $0 plus state fees, Pro at $199 plus state fees renewing at $199 per year, and Premium at $399 plus state fees renewing at $399 per year. Only Premium bundles Registered Agent Service in the formation package. - Registered agent: www.zenbusiness.com/registered-agent/ · verified April 21, 2026
Page headline 'SPECIAL OFFER: 50% OFF REGISTERED AGENT' with fine print '$99 + state fees for the first year. Renews at $199/yr.' The $199 figure is treated as the regular annual rate. - Features: www.zenbusiness.com/ · verified April 21, 2026
Package comparison table confirms online filing, free formation tier, paid EIN and Operating Agreement at Pro and above, ongoing state-required filing compliance, and an online dashboard with compliance tracking. - Banking partner: www.zenbusiness.com/ · verified April 21, 2026
Homepage and footer disclaim: 'ZenBusiness is a financial technology company and is not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC.' - Velo: www.zenbusiness.com/velo/ · verified April 21, 2026
Homepage 'Say Hello to Velo' section introduces Velo, the ZenBusiness AI assistant that automates filings, tracks deadlines, and builds a website. - Founded: www.zenbusiness.com/about/ · verified April 21, 2026
About page: 'In 2015, Ross Buhrdorf and Shanaz Hemmati founded ZenBusiness.' - Headquarters: www.zenbusiness.com/contact-us/ · verified April 21, 2026
Contact FAQ states 'The ZenBusiness headquarters are in Austin, Texas, and we offer services in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.' The company is fully remote. - Support: www.zenbusiness.com/contact-us/ · verified April 21, 2026
Contact page lists phone (844) 493-6249 and a chat option with matching hours: Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT, Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT. - Ratings: www.trustpilot.com/review/www.zenbusiness.com · verified April 21, 2026
Trustpilot profile shows 4.8 stars across 28,984 reviews on the date of verification.