ZenBusiness vs. LegalZoom 2025: Which LLC Formation Service is Best?
Daniel Zvi
Forming an LLC is critical for small business owners and entrepreneurs looking to protect their personal assets, establish credibility, and streamline their operations. But deciding how to form that LLC—especially whether to do it yourself or use an online service—can be just as important. Two of the most popular options on the market are ZenBusiness and LegalZoom, both offering LLC formation packages, compliance tools, and varying levels of customer support.
In this comparison, we’ll compare ZenBusiness and LegalZoom across key categories, including pricing, features, turnaround time, ease of use, and support, to help you make the smartest decision for your business.
ZenBusiness and LegalZoom 2025 at a Glance
ZenBusiness 2025 at a Glance
Founded in 2015, ZenBusiness is a modern, tech-forward LLC formation service that focuses on affordability and automation. It caters to small business owners who want a simple, guided experience without unnecessary upsells. ZenBusiness has built a reputation for solid customer support, free compliance tools, and transparent pricing. It’s particularly well-suited for entrepreneurs launching their first business or side project.
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Start your LLC in 5-10 minutes
LegalZoom 2025 at a Glance
Established in 2001, LegalZoom is a veteran in the online legal services space. It’s one of the most recognized names in business formation and offers a wide range of legal tools beyond LLC creation, including intellectual property protection, contracts, and ongoing legal help. LegalZoom’s services are more expensive overall, but its strong brand recognition and legal resources make it a go-to for some business owners who want a one-stop shop.
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ZenBusiness vs. LegalZoom 2025 Pricing & Plans Comparison
Cost is a significant factor for small business owners choosing an LLC formation service. While both ZenBusiness and LegalZoom advertise $0 starting plans (plus state filing fees), the actual value and included features vary dramatically once you dig into the details.
ZenBusiness 2025 Pricing
ZenBusiness keeps its pricing simple and transparent with three clear tiers: Starter, Pro, and Premium.
- The Starter plan is free (plus state fees) and includes basic LLC filing, a name availability check, and their 100% accuracy guarantee. For budget-conscious entrepreneurs, it’s one of the most generous no-cost LLC formation packages available today.
- The Pro plan, priced at $199 per year, adds major value with EIN filing, a personalized operating agreement, and ZenBusiness’s Worry-Free Compliance service. This tier is ideal for business owners who want to stay compliant without worrying about deadlines or paperwork.
- The Premium plan costs $349 per year and includes everything in Pro, plus tools to launch your brand online—like a custom business website, domain name, and email address. It’s a solid all-in-one solution for entrepreneurs building an online presence from day one.
All plans come with one year of registered agent service included, which renews at $199 per year after the first year. Starter plan users can add EIN filing for $99 if they don’t upgrade to Pro or Premium.
ZenBusiness’s Worry-Free Compliance feature (available in Pro and Premium) covers annual report alerts, filing assistance, and up to two free business amendments per year—something that would cost extra with most competitors.
LegalZoom 2025 Pricing
LegalZoom advertises a $0 starting point for LLC formation, but once you go beyond the basics, most essential features come with extra fees. Its pricing is structured into three main packages: Economy, Standard, and Express Gold.
- The Economy plan ($0 + state fees) includes business name availability checking and filing of your Articles of Organization. However, it lacks foundational tools like an operating agreement or EIN—both must be purchased separately.
- The Standard plan ($249 + state fees) adds some presentation-based extras, like a personalized organizer and business certificates, as well as faster processing than the base tier. Still, the actual formation essentials are often upsells.
- The Express Gold plan ($299 + state fees) offers the fastest processing and priority support. But even at this level, registered agent service and key compliance tools remain separate purchases.
LegalZoom does not include registered agent service in any formation plan. If you want it, you'll need to pay $299 per year, making it one of the priciest in the industry. The EIN filing service costs $79, and an operating agreement is also treated as an optional add-on.
What this means is that while LegalZoom offers flexibility and name recognition, its total cost can rise quickly—especially for users who assume essentials are built into the base price.
ZenBusiness vs. LegalZoom 2025 Pricing Verdict
ZenBusiness wins on price and transparency. You get more essential features—like compliance alerts, EIN filing, and an operating agreement—at a lower overall cost. LegalZoom leans on its brand recognition but charges extra for nearly every core service, which can quickly inflate the total price.
ZenBusiness vs. LegalZoom Core Features Compared 2025
ZenBusiness and LegalZoom both handle the basics of forming an LLC, but they differ in how much they include upfront and how much they charge for extras. Here's a breakdown of the most essential features:
LLC Filing Process
- ZenBusiness
- Streamlined, guided online process
- Filing handled automatically with real-time updates
- Turnaround time: ~2–3 weeks (faster with upgraded plans)
- LegalZoom
- Simple but upsell-heavy filing flow
- Slower processing unless you upgrade to Express Gold
- Turnaround time: ~2–6 weeks, depending on plan and state
EIN (Employer Identification Number)
- ZenBusiness
- Included in Pro and Premium plans
- Optional add-on for Starter plan ($99)
- Delivered digitally and quickly
- LegalZoom
- Always an add-on ($79), not included in any base plan
- Requires separate checkout and processing
Operating Agreement
- ZenBusiness
- Included in all plans, even the free Starter plan
- Fully customizable and ready for immediate use
- LegalZoom
- Only available as a paid add-on unless bundled with higher-tier plans
- Not provided automatically with LLC formation
Registered Agent Service
- ZenBusiness
- Free for the first year, then $199/year
- Automatically included with all formation plans
- Helps ensure state compliance and legal document handling
- LegalZoom
- Not included in any LLC plan
- Must be purchased separately for $299/year
- One of the priciest registered agent options in the industry
Compliance Tools
- ZenBusiness
- "Worry-Free Compliance" (Pro & Premium plans)
- Annual report alerts
- Filing assistance
- Two free business amendments per year
- Helps keep your LLC in good standing automatically
- "Worry-Free Compliance" (Pro & Premium plans)
- LegalZoom
- Offers compliance services, but always as separate add-ons
- No included alerts or auto-reminders in base plans
Extra Features
- ZenBusiness
- Offers optional business website, domain name, and email setup
- Bundled in the Premium plan or available separately
- Great for solopreneurs launching online brands
- LegalZoom
- Strength is in legal services: trademarks, attorney consultations, business documents
- Good fit for those who may need ongoing legal help beyond LLC filing
ZenBusiness vs. LegalZoom Features 2025 Bottom Line
ZenBusiness includes more of the essentials by default, making it better suited for first-time LLC filers who want a straightforward, all-in-one experience. LegalZoom leans heavily on paid add-ons, so while it's a trusted name, the true cost adds up fast.
ZenBusiness vs. LegalZoom User Experience & Ease of Use 2025
Beyond pricing and features, ease of use can make a huge difference, especially if you’re forming an LLC for the first time. Here’s how ZenBusiness and LegalZoom compare in terms of setup, interface, and overall user experience.
ZenBusiness: Clean, Guided, and Built for Beginners
- Simple Onboarding: ZenBusiness guides users through the LLC formation process step-by-step. Their clean dashboard and minimal jargon make it approachable, even for first-time entrepreneurs.
- Modern Interface: The platform is modern, mobile-friendly, and responsive. Users can track filing progress in real time and access documents through a secure client dashboard.
- Automation Built In: Helpful reminders, document storage, and compliance alerts are automated and built into the experience—no need to manage separate tools.
- Setup Time: Most users can complete the initial setup and submit their application in under 15 minutes.
Ideal For: Solo founders, side hustlers, and anyone who values simplicity and clarity over customization.
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LegalZoom: Trusted, But Less Streamlined
- Straightforward, but Salesy: LegalZoom’s setup flow is clear, but it’s heavy on upsells. Users may find it frustrating to skip past unnecessary add-ons or unclear pricing during checkout.
- More Legal Options: The interface is designed to serve users beyond LLC formation—offering services like wills, trademarks, and legal documents—which can make it feel more cluttered or complex for someone just trying to form an LLC.
- Less Automation: LegalZoom lacks built-in compliance automation or reminders unless you purchase specific add-ons. The experience is more transactional and less personalized.
- Setup Time: Filing setup takes a bit longer—often 20–30 minutes due to optional upgrades and form customization.
Ideal For: Business owners who may want access to legal services beyond LLC filing or those already familiar with LegalZoom’s ecosystem.
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Bottom Line on Usability
ZenBusiness is designed for speed and simplicity. Its user-first design helps entrepreneurs get up and running quickly without needing prior experience. LegalZoom offers broader legal tools, but its interface and setup process are more geared toward users who know what they want and are comfortable navigating upsells and extra services.
ZenBusiness vs. LegalZoom: What Should You Choose in 2025?
Both ZenBusiness and LegalZoom offer legit LLC formation services, but they serve different kinds of entrepreneurs. The right fit depends on your budget, how hands-on you want to be, and whether you need legal help beyond just forming your LLC.
Choose ZenBusiness If...
- You're starting your first business or side hustle and want a guided, beginner-friendly process.
- You prefer transparent pricing and want essentials like an operating agreement and compliance reminders included without needing to upsell yourself into a higher tier.
- You want automation—annual report alerts, filing notifications, and a simple dashboard that keeps you organized.
- You're budget-conscious but still want professional-looking results.
🟢 ZenBusiness is ideal for small business owners who value convenience, simplicity and don’t want to overpay for basics.
Choose LegalZoom If...
- You need more than just an LLC—like trademark filing, custom legal documents, or ongoing access to attorneys.
- You're already familiar with the brand and comfortable navigating upsells and add-ons.
- You run a business in a regulated industry or foresee needing legal consultations for contracts, disputes, or intellectual property.
- You want a single provider for long-term legal support, even if it comes at a higher cost.
🔵 LegalZoom is better suited for established entrepreneurs or businesses that expect to need full-service legal support beyond formation.
ZenBusiness or LegalZoom in 2025?
If you're forming an LLC in 2025, both ZenBusiness and LegalZoom can get the job done. But they take very different approaches.
ZenBusiness stands out for affordability, simplicity, and value-packed plans. It’s built for new entrepreneurs who want to launch quickly and stay compliant without digging through legal jargon or racking up fees. With included features like an operating agreement, EIN (in higher plans), and a full year of registered agent service, it delivers real startup value without overwhelming complexity.
LegalZoom, on the other hand, is better for business owners who want the option to consult attorneys or who need services beyond LLC formation. If you're dealing with trademarks, contracts, or legal risk, LegalZoom offers an ecosystem that may justify the higher overall cost—especially if legal support is part of your long-term growth strategy.
Want to go deeper before you commit?
👉 Read our in-depth ZenBusiness review
👉 Read our full LegalZoom review
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Daniel Zvi
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