I'm finally taking the leap and forming my first LLC for a small woodworking side gig. I've been comparing ZenBusiness, Inc Authority, and Bizee and I'm honestly stuck. They all seem to have similar pricing at the basic level but then nickel and dime you for stuff. Does anyone have first hand experience with any of these? I'm mainly worried about hidden fees and bad customer service after reading some horror stories. Also don't need a ton of hand holding, just want it filed correctly without paying an arm and a leg.
LLC Formation
ZenBusiness, Inc Authority, or Bizee for a first LLC?
Went with Bizee (formerly Incfile) a couple years ago for my LLC. The $0 formation was real, but they hit you with the registered agent upsell after the first year. I just switched to a cheaper RA service and it was fine. No major complaints though, filing was fast.
Inc Authority called me nonstop for weeks after I just downloaded a free guide. Not my favorite.
Honestly, if you don't need hand holding, do it yourself directly with your state's secretary of state website. It's way cheaper and you avoid all these upsells. Then just hire a registered agent separately if your state requires one. The three companies you listed are basically the same service with different branding and price traps. Not trying to be dismissive, just my two cents after helping a friend with this stuff.
Circuit_bored, I thought about DIY but the state site is confusing and I'm worried I'll miss something. Did you use a service for RA or just do it yourself?
I used a local registered agent service, but honestly if you don't mind your name and address being public, you can be your own RA in many states. If you're worried about privacy, look into a cheap RA service separately. Much less hassle than dealing with the upsell calls.
Forgot to mention - ZenBusiness has a decent dashboard and their customer service was okay the one time I calld. But again, that's just one data point.
You're overthinking it. Pick the cheapest one now and switch later if you need to. It's not a marriage.
Pineapple, that's fair. I think I just needed to hear it. Leaning toward just DIY with the state and getting an RA separately. Appreciate the replies everyone.
Yeah, that's probably the best route. Let us know how it goes, or don't, whatever.