Zenbusiness VS BetterLegal 2024: Best LLC Service
Reviewed by Kristina Knight, Journalist , BA
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Starting $49/year
Starting $299/year
A free registered agent service can be a big help to those setting up a limited liability company, corporation, or other business licenses. Some offer a money-back guarantee. Most registered agent services can help by providing the experience and knowledge necessary to be in legal compliance with the state’s rules and regulations, but you can act as your own registered agent. However, a registered agent service such as this is designed to perform certain actions and receive certain official documentation from official entities like tax registration, process servers, and courts for which some new owners may need assistance. Some services include free registered agent services.
ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness has the most reasonable pricing and offers two services that set them apart from other business formation services: Zenbusiness Money Essential and Worry Free Compliance, both are available with an online account. Money Essential tracks expenses and offers a tax deduction finder. Worry-Free Compliance is a service guarantee for filing services. Zenbusiness has three pricing tiers, starting at $49 per year pulse state fees; this includes business formation services, state compliance features, and limited liability company incorporation documentation. They also have expedited processing.
BetterLegal
Better Legal’s services are comparable to the higher tiers of other service providers, however, their package, which begins at $299 + state filing fees, doesn’t have as many additional services, and does not include LLC formation service.
Read More: Best LLC Services 2024
Zenbusiness vs BetterLegal – Brand Comparison Details
| Compare | Zenbusiness | BetterLegal |
| Order Processing Time | Same day, expedited processing option | Same day |
| Starting Price | $49/year pulse state fees | $299/year plus state fees |
| Formation Services |  | |
| Registered Agent Service | |  |
| EIN Registration Fee | | |
| Operating Agreement | | |
| Web Domain | | |
| Annual Compliance | | |
| Worry-free Cpa Assessment | | |
| Customer Service | | |
| Detail | Read Detail | Read Detail |
| Link |
Best Overall Pricing and Value: Zenbusiness
Zenbusiness
Zenbusiness has the most reasonable price when compared with other services, with packages starting at $49 per year plus state filing fees. Zenbusiness has three pricing tiers with the highest coming in at $299 per year. This makes them a leader in the entire industry.
BetterLegal
BetterLegal is also priced competitively, but their lowest tier is $299/year plus state filing fees. This is the highest-priced tier for Zenbusiness making them the cheaper option.
Best Track Record & Experience: Zenbusiness
Zenbusiness
According to customer reviews Zenbusiness has high customer satisfaction with the Better Business Bureau, but they are significantly younger than many competitors. They are a reliable LLC formation provider that has an expedited tier for those needing same-day electronic delivery, legal services, legal documents, and business formation, and will serve more than a million business clients by 2025.
BetterLegal
BetterLegal has a good track record, positive customer reviews, and a high customer satisfaction level. They have been in business for many years and provide same-day service for clients.
Best Common Features: Zenbusiness
Zenbusiness
Zenbusiness offers business formation documents, and legal paperwork including annual report filing and best-registered agent service included, documents for business formation, and also has a number of stand-alone services for those who do not need a bundled package. They are also one of the most affordable LLC formation services and do have some free business formation services within the first year of working together.
BetterLegal
Both services include website formation, EIN services, and online access. BetterLegal offers business formation documents and legal operating agreements, too, but they do not offer free registered agent services. These are only available at an additional cost BetterLegal also offers a free checking account to clients.
Best Customer Support: Zenbusiness
Zenbusiness
According to the better business bureau website, Zenbusiness offers a live customer support team during standard business hours, however, you will not always speak to the same representative. They offer phone, email, and online chat features for clients.
BetterLegal
BetterLegal offers customer service support via phone or live chat. Their customer service line is open from 9 am – 7 pm EST. If you have issues outside of these hours, you may have to wait for a service call-back.
Best Ease of Use: BetterLegal
Zenbusiness
Zenbusiness’ online services are simple to navigate and understand. Their online portal and dashboard will keep your business updated with any upcoming tasks or deadlines.
BetterLegal
As with Zenbusiness vs. LegalZoom, the online portal is simple to use and navigate and includes online chat features to assist with any issues, and a personalized online dashboard for tasks. From basic LLC formation services to an operating agreement, compliance services, and more that will be completed within the business day.
Best LLC Formation: BetterLegal
Zenbusiness
Incorporation service can be confusing, but for businesses, it will help avoid tax pitfalls and ensure the businesses are compliant with state regulations. Zenbusiness offers comprehensive LLC service that is reliable, cost-effective, has a compliance calendar, and has a fast turnaround time.
BetterLegal
BetterLegal has one of the best LLC formation service plans and a business advisory plan which includes typical corporation formation, LLC filing fee, and basic formation services at an additional cost. BetterLegal services include document research, state compliance services, and a business name search or license search.
Best Registered Agent Services: Zenbusiness
Zenbusiness
Zenbusiness has been in operation for a shorter time than some competitors, which means they have slightly less experience. However, their customer support and pricing tiers offer significant savings for businesses, they have positive customer reviews, and they will help your business get into operation quickly and effectively.
BetterLegal
BetterLegal doesn’t offer stand-alone registered agent service, however, their add-on cost is reasonable.
Best Speed of Formation: Zenbusiness
Zenbusiness
Zen business promises quick turnaround time in all of their services, and they have an expedited option that will ensure the business is ready to operate in a shorter period of time.
BetterLegal
BetterLegal also has a same-day guarantee for requests.
Which Should You Choose?
Even with state fees and other costs, both companies have a lot to offer a business entity according to customer feedback, from LLC services, and money-back guarantees, to developing business documents, business attorneys, and the best business formations.
Choose Zenbusiness if:
For affordable LLC formation services, Zenbusiness is the right choice. Their pricing starts at $49/year plus state fees for basic services, and they have a number of packages with LLC formation service included so that you can choose exactly what you need for your business. They also have add-on services that can be chosen if a full package is not needed.
Choose BetterLegal if:
A few services set BetterLegal apart. These include their access to a more comprehensive legal library, including an operating agreement. If you have more legal requirements than an initial LLC filing, BetterLegal’s services may have more to offer. Their price point is steep, starting at $299 pulse state filing fees, but if the business will need additional document research and creation, possible banking resolution, or official court filings, BetterLegal services will offer those additional products.
Final thought
What is the right service? One that helps fulfill legal requirements. There are several reasons to consider using an agent from extras like creating other helpful documents to a separate business address. The top LLC services and the best LLC formation services use a principal office address separate from the company storefront. The entity can accept notifications for legal services, and a new entity or agent may represent an individual or business as they transact business. A commercial entity or agent in the United States will have experience in report creation, and ensuring compliance paperwork, like an operating agreement, is current with the state entities, and allows the owner to focus on growing the business. Other benefits to working with the best business formation service include limited liability partnerships, company’s formation document service, and providing annual reports.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, it is mandatory to have a registered agent service, but the entity or agent service does not have to be an outside entity. An owner or employee can act as their own agent. The service operates during the business hours of 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday.
This a service offered to combine many small complicated tasks into one larger service. Many times, LLC formation packages will include other legal offerings like document creation, tax advice, linked bank account options, banking resolution, and other services.
There are many other products offered by a formation service including local scanning, legal document creating or filing, RA service, operating agreements, llc formations tax filing, and tax analysis.
Many registered agents will act on your behalf for legal services, including the creation and filing of annual reports. Once a new business registered, the legal advisor will offer legal filings, professional contact details for clients, tax advice, and even mail forwarding.
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- Formation Pricing, Products and Services. ZenBusiness Inc. Accessed December 17, 2022. https://www.zenbusiness.com/pricing-products/
- ZenBusiness Inc | Better Business Bureau® Profile. www.bbb.org. Accessed December 17, 2022. https://www.bbb.org/us/tx/austin/profile/incorporation/zenbusiness-inc-0825-1000146024
- ZenBusiness is rated “Excellent” with 4.6 / 5 on Trustpilot. Trustpilot. Accessed December 17, 2022. https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.zenbusiness.com
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Set Up Your LLC with Betterlegal. betterlegal.com. Accessed December 17, 2022. https://betterlegal.com/?type=llc
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Employer ID Numbers | Internal Revenue Service. Irs.gov. Published 2012. Accessed December 18, 2022. https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/employer-id-numbers