LegalZoom vs ZenBusiness: pricing and features compared
Data last updated: Apr 21, 2026LegalZoom 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, LegalZoom is $249. Over five years that delta adds up to $200, which is typically a larger swing than the formation-tier sticker price.
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.
- LegalZoom includes mail scanning (physical mail delivered to the registered agent gets scanned and forwarded digitally). The other does not.
Where each service fits
Pick LegalZoom when
Pick LegalZoom when you need mail scanning bundled with the registered agent.
Pick ZenBusiness when
Pick ZenBusiness when you're optimizing for lower long-term cost (RA renewal is cheaper).
What each service offers that the other does not
Only LegalZoom
- Mail scanning
Only ZenBusiness
- Banking partner integration
Both services
- Free $0 formation tier
- Compliance dashboard
- Phone support
- Live chat 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 | LegalZoom Year 1 | ZenBusiness Year 1 | LegalZoom 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 | LegalZoom | ZenBusiness |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price Cheapest tier, excludes state fees | Free | Free |
| Registered agent year 1 | Not 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 | Yes | No |
| International founders | No | No |
| Banking partner | None | Thread Bank |
| Phone support | Monday to Friday 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT, Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT | Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT, Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT |
| Live chat | Yes | Yes |
| Trustpilot rating | 4.6/5 (30,014 reviews) | 4.8/5 (28,984 reviews) |
Pricing tiers side by side
LegalZoom
- Basic — Free
- Pro — $249
- Premium — $299
ZenBusiness
- Starter — Free
- Pro — $199 · renews $199/yr
- Premium — $399 · renews $399/yr
Includes RA year 1 · renews $199/yr
Support and ratings, interpreted
LegalZoom offers phone, email, live chat. ZenBusiness offers phone, email, live chat. Trustpilot: LegalZoom is 4.6 across 30,014 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.
LegalZoom
Phone: Monday to Friday 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT, Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT.
Email: yes.
Live chat: Monday to Friday 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT, Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT.
Trustpilot: 4.6/5 from 30,014 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 LegalZoom, 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 LegalZoom 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, LegalZoom 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: LegalZoom $249/yr, ZenBusiness $199/yr.
-
Does LegalZoom or ZenBusiness have better support?
LegalZoom offers phone, email, live chat. ZenBusiness offers phone, email, live chat. Trustpilot: LegalZoom is 4.6 across 30,014 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 LegalZoom'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, LegalZoom'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 LegalZoom 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?
LegalZoom 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.legalzoom.com/business/business-formation/llc-overview.html · verified April 21, 2026
LLC overview page lists three one-time packages: Basic $0 plus state filing fees, Pro $249 plus state filing fees, Premium $299 plus state filing fees. Basic explicitly excludes EIN and Operating Agreement; Pro bundles both plus 30 days of the Business Attorney Plan that renews at $49 monthly. - Registered agent renewal: www.legalzoom.com/business/business-operations/registered-agent-overvi… · verified April 21, 2026
Page advertises Registered Agent Services for $249 per year with an auto-renewal disclosure and a note that the renewal rate is subject to change. - Features: www.legalzoom.com/business/business-formation/llc-overview.html · verified April 21, 2026
Feature callouts on the LLC overview page confirm online filing, free formation tier, paid EIN and Operating Agreement, and a 100 percent accurate filing guarantee. Pro includes a customizable website powered by Google. - Mail scanning: www.legalzoom.com/business/business-operations/virtual-mail · verified April 21, 2026
LZ Virtual Mail is offered as a separate product that scans and uploads business mail to a digital dashboard. - Founded: www.legalzoom.com/about-us · verified April 21, 2026
About page says 'Since 2001' and 'For more than 25 years, LegalZoom has been transforming how people navigate the legal system.' - Headquarters: www.legalzoom.com/careers · verified April 21, 2026
Careers page lists Los Angeles, CA, Austin, TX, and Bay Area, CA as their primary metros. LegalZoom does not name a single explicit headquarters on consumer pages; Los Angeles is the long-standing corporate base. - Support: www.legalzoom.com/contact-us · verified April 21, 2026
Contact page lists Customer Care at (888) 379-0854 and Sales at (855) 787-1221. Hours are Monday to Friday 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT and weekends 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT. A 'Chat with us' option is shown next to each phone line. - Ratings: www.trustpilot.com/review/www.legalzoom.com · verified April 21, 2026
Trustpilot profile shows 4.6 stars across 30,014 reviews on the date of verification. - 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.