I'm finally taking the plunge and forming my first LLC for a small woodworking business. I've narrowed it down to ZenBusiness and Bizee based on price and reviews, but I'm going in circles. ZenBusiness seems to have better ongoing support, while Bizee has that free tier if you pay state fees. Does anyone have actual experience with either? I'm mostly worried about hidden fees and whether the registered agent service is worth it for a one-person operation. Thanks in advance.
LLC Formation
ZenBusiness or Bizee for a first-time LLC owner?
I used Bizee for my LLC last year. The free tier gets you the filing but they charge for the registered agent after the first year. I ended up switching to a local agent. The dashboard is pretty basic but it got the job done
ZenBusiness has higher upfront costs but their customer srrvice actually responds. Bizee's support was slow when I had a question about my EIN.
Have you checked if your state offers a cheaper direct filing? For a simple single-member LLC, hiring a service is often overkill unless you really want the hand-holding. I formed mine directly with tthe state and used a separate registered agent. Saved a few hundred bucks.
Thanks for the replies. I did look at my state's website but the instructions are a bit confusing, which is why I leaned toward a service. @dusty_sprocket, did you find the state filing straightforward? I'm worried about messing up the articles of organization and facing delays.
The state site can be clunky but it's doable. I'd say if you're not in a rush, try the DIY route first. If it gets frustrating, then pay a service. Bizee's free option still charges you for the registered agent, so it's not truly free.
One thing to watch: Bizee's registered agent pricing is low first year but renews high. ZenBusiness does the same. You could use a dedicated registered agent service like Northwest for a consistent price. That's what I ended up doing after my first year with Bizee.
It was straightforward, but I spent a couple hours reading the instructions carefully. If you have the time, the money saved is worth it. Also, you don't have to worry about upsells for things like compliance reports.
I went with ZenBusiness and had a good experience. The registered agent is included for thhe first year, then you can switch if you want. They also have a decent knowledge base for first-timers. But if your budget is tight, Bizee's free tier is still an opton as long as you read the fine print.