LegalZoom and ZenBusiness are two of the best-known online LLC formation services, and on the surface they look almost identical.
Both offer a $0 entry plan plus state fees, both promise accurate filings, and both sell compliance help after you're set up.
The real differences show up in the details: what each mid-tier plan includes, whether you get lawyer access, how fast filing is, and what you'll pay in year two.
This comparison walks through both services using pricing and feature pages each company updated in September 2026, plus independent testing, so you can pick the one that fits your situation.
Both companies publish their own comparison pages, and each naturally favors itself. Where a claim comes from a company's page, this article says so.
Choose ZenBusiness if you want a lower-priced Pro plan, one-day rush filing included, and an app-style dashboard for guided setup and compliance.
Choose LegalZoom if you value attorney consultations, a big library of legal templates, and intellectual property services under one roof.
Either works if you simply need to file articles of organization for the cost of your state fee.
Here are the LLC formation packages as listed on each company's own site in September 2026. All prices are plus state filing fees.
Plan
ZenBusiness
LegalZoom
Entry plan
Starter: $0
Basic: $0
Mid-tier plan
Pro: $199
Pro: $249
Top-tier plan
Premium: $299
Premium: $299
Typical filing speed (base)
7 to 10 business days (Starter)
5 to 14 days
One-day rush filing
Included in Pro and Premium
$99 add-on
Ongoing compliance
$199/year (first year free on Starter, optional)
$199/year
Third-party comparisons don't always match. A July 2026 Wolters Kluwer comparison, for example, listed ZenBusiness Premium at $399 a year, while both companies' own September pages show $299.
Prices and package contents change, so confirm at checkout. For a closer look at plan features, check ZenBusiness pricing before you decide.
What the "$0" plans really give you. Both entry plans file only the articles of organization with your state.
In one independent test by Venture Smarter, forming a Montana LLC with ZenBusiness cost just the $35 state fee, and forming a Maine LLC with LegalZoom cost only Maine's $175 filing fee.
State fees vary widely, so check your state's fee before you compare totals.
This is LegalZoom's biggest edge. Its Pro and Premium plans include one month of unlimited 30-minute attorney consultations, per LegalZoom's page.
ZenBusiness doesn't offer attorney consultations. ZenBusiness's page notes that LegalZoom's attorney trial renews at $49 a month if you don't cancel before it ends, so set a reminder if you don't want it.
LegalZoom also states that it isn't a law firm and doesn't provide legal advice except through its subsidiary law firm, so the attorneys work independently.
LegalZoom says its Pro and Premium plans include 150+ attorney-drafted templates for a year, with unlimited eSignatures.
According to LegalZoom's page, ZenBusiness offers about 25 templates, available as a $99 add-on or included in its premium plan.
That's LegalZoom's claim, so check ZenBusiness's current template list.
Both companies include an operating agreement and EIN in their Pro-level plans, per their comparison charts.
LegalZoom's standard turnaround is generally 5 to 14 days, and ZenBusiness typically takes 7 to 10 business days.
Both offer one-day expedited filing, though the state's own processing time still applies. ZenBusiness includes rush processing in Pro and Premium, while LegalZoom charges $99 for it.
Every state has ongoing requirements such as annual reports, and most require a registered agent.
Both companies list ongoing compliance at $199 a year. ZenBusiness lists registered agent service among its formation services, and Wolters Kluwer's July 2026 comparison reported that LegalZoom sells registered agent service separately at $249 a year.
Because these details vary, confirm the registered agent price and what's included in the plan you choose.
ZenBusiness's Premium plan adds a business advisor consultation, business documents, and a domain name and email.
LegalZoom's Premium adds bookkeeping tools, income and expense tracking, and mileage tracking.
Both bundle a website builder that's free for 30 days, and LegalZoom's page says its website builder renews at $15 a month afterward.
ZenBusiness notes that special offers automatically renew at regular price after the intro period.
LegalZoom offers trademark, copyright, and patent services and says it operates a law firm subsidiary focused on IP.
ZenBusiness doesn't offer comparable IP services, according to LegalZoom's page.
ZenBusiness promotes Velo, an AI guide built into its platform for planning, forming, and compliance.
ZenBusiness's page says LegalZoom's AI capabilities are delivered through third-party assistants such as ChatGPT, which may require their own subscriptions.
That's ZenBusiness's description, so verify what LegalZoom currently offers.
Both companies offer phone and chat support. According to LegalZoom's page, its hours are Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
ET and weekends 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, versus ZenBusiness at 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET weekdays and the same weekend hours.
ZenBusiness's page lists its own hours as 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT weekends, which is the same window.
On reviews, ZenBusiness's page cites a 4.8 Trustpilot rating across 32,695 reviews, and LegalZoom's page cites 4.6 across 33,223 reviews.
Both are strong, and ratings change daily, so check the live ZenBusiness Trustpilot page and LegalZoom Trustpilot page.
ZenBusiness also cites an A+ Better Business Bureau rating and a 2024 Silver Stevie Award for front-line customer service.
On experience, LegalZoom points to 25+ years and 5 million businesses formed, while ZenBusiness reports 11 years and 950,000+ businesses.
Venture Smarter's hands-on test concluded that ZenBusiness is the stronger overall pick for most first-time LLC founders, thanks to a polished dashboard, proactive guidance, and a simple checkout, and that LegalZoom makes sense mainly if attorney access is worth the premium.
The testers also noted that LegalZoom collected payment before asking for LLC details and presented a trademark upsell after payment, while they didn't see similar framing on the ZenBusiness order.
Read the full Venture Smarter comparison for details. Keep in mind that review sites may earn affiliate commissions and that experiences vary.
State filing fees. These are separate from both companies' fees and vary by state.
Registered agent renewals. Year two is when many owners get surprised.
Compliance service renewals. Both list $199 a year.
Auto-renewing trials. Attorney consultations, website builders, and other trials can renew at regular prices.
Rush fees. One-day filing costs extra with LegalZoom's lower plans.
State-specific requirements. Some states add costs such as publication requirements or annual franchise taxes, so read your state's rules.
Pick ZenBusiness if:
You want the lower-priced Pro plan and one-day filing included
You prefer a guided dashboard and bundled compliance help
You don't expect to need attorney advice right away
Pick LegalZoom if:
You want lawyer consultations in your first month
You plan to use lots of contracts and legal templates
You want trademark or other IP services from the same company
Consider doing it yourself or an alternative if you only need the state filing and are comfortable handling paperwork, since your state's fee is the only required cost.
If you decide ZenBusiness fits, look for a current $100 off ZenBusiness coupon code and read the terms carefully, since promotions can change and may apply only to certain plans.
Also Read: LegalZoom and ZenBusiness LLC Services Compared
At the Pro level, yes: $199 versus $249 plus state fees, per each company's September 2026 pricing pages. At the entry level both are $0 plus state fees, and both Premium plans are listed at $299.
No, according to LegalZoom's comparison page, while LegalZoom's Pro and Premium plans include a month of attorney consultations.
Both offer one-day rush filing. ZenBusiness includes it in Pro and Premium, while LegalZoom sells it as a $99 add-on. State processing times still apply.
Most states require one. Check whether your plan includes it or whether you must pay separately.
Yes. You can file directly with your state, and the state fee is the main cost, though you'll handle paperwork and compliance yourself.
LegalZoom states that it isn't a law firm and provides legal advice only through its subsidiary law firm. ZenBusiness focuses on formation and compliance services.
ZenBusiness generally wins on price at the Pro level and on bundled rush filing, while LegalZoom wins on attorney access, legal templates, and IP services.
If you just want a straightforward LLC with compliance help, ZenBusiness is the value pick for many first-time founders.
If you expect legal questions early, LegalZoom's extras may justify the higher price. Compare the exact plan contents, watch for auto-renewals, and check your state's fees before you pay.