ZenBusiness vs. IncFile – Which One Should You Choose?

zenbusiness vs incfile featured image Do you want to launch your own brand and company but do not have the time to deal with the paperwork and add it to your workload? Or are you looking for an incorporation service to help you start a business but you are not sure which is suitable for you? If your answer to both questions is yes, then you are in the right place!

Well, we are aware that there are a lot of companies that provide LLC formation services, such as IncFile and ZenBusiness. We also understand how difficult it would be for you to decide which one is the perfect option for you and your business.

To assist you and resolve your burden, we have prepared an in-depth comparison guide that will go over the important aspects of both ZenBusiness and IncFile that you should be aware of, such as their strengths and weaknesses, similarities, and customer feedback.

Also, we will disclose the answers to customers’ most frequently asked questions and even recommend the service that works best between the two.

So, which provider is the best option for incorporating your new company? Will it be ZenBusiness or Incfile? Find out in the next sections.

Want to see the websites and what they have to offer live?

Visit www.zenbusiness.com now or visit www.incfile.com.

Overal value
95
Pricing
95
Ease of use
89

$39 + state fees

Overall value
85
Pricing
98
Ease of use
80

$0 + state fees

ZenBusiness and IncFile Comparison Overview

Before we connect you to a detailed comparison of ZenBusiness and IncFile, we have below the criteria that we used to evaluate and compare both companies to arrive at our final judgement.

Main Comparison Criteria:

  • Cost Efficiency
  • Track Record and Reliability
  • Customer Service Quality
  • Ease of Process
  • Service Speed

After reviewing ZenBusiness and Incfile, we realized that both firms offer excellent value for money in terms of their services and package options. However, ZenBusiness was the clear winner in this match, as it provided just enough additional services to offset Incfile’s offers.

ZenBusiness’ low-cost bundles and its inclusions ensure that your company gets off to a good start. Although Incfile’s services are similarly reasonably priced, ZenBusiness’s bundles provide you with more essential items at a lower price, saving you some dollars in the long run. ZenBusiness’s service is also exceptionally fast and dependable, as proven and frequently stated in positive customer reviews it receives through various review platforms.

In the next sections, you will witness that ZenBusiness performed admirably in nearly all of our main comparison criteria, which is too difficult to match. With that, we can confidently recommend ZenBusiness to you who deserves the finest formation service.

 

 

Packages and Service Pricing

We, like other customers and readers, value the pricing of the packages provided by LLC formation services. When analyzing and comparing products, we believe that pricing should always come first.

To appropriately evaluate the pricing of ZenBusiness and Incfile, we did not just look at the prices reflected on their websites. We also considered the actual value that each bundle may offer you and your company. Through this,  we identified which service genuinely provides value and long-term savings.

Similarities Between ZenBusiness and IncFile

 

  • Budget-friendly: Aside from being one of the top 10 LLC formation services, ZenBusiness and IncFile currently offer the cheapest business formation services. This has remained their top asset that the competitors, including those considered as pillars of the industry such as MyCorporation and LegalZoom, fail to match.

 

  • Highly Used and Recommended: Another attractive quality of both companies is the overwhelming customer feedback that they continuously earn from their large pool of clients. Although IncFile has a higher number of reviews, both of them emerged as one of the most positively reviewed companies in different review sites.

Most of these reviews are rooted not only in their affordable prices but also in the one of a kind service that their customer support delivers, leaving a positive impact on their clients.

 

  • Free Registered Agent Service Inclusion: Truly there are a lot of reasons to love both ZenBusiness and IncFile. They are not only known for having an economical price, but also for the registered agent service included in all of their formation packages. Although it will only be free for a year, it is definitely better than not having one since a registered agent service is essential to form and maintain your business.

Once the free full year of registered agent service is over, it will only cost you $119 annually. This is not questionable because this fee has been the standard of the industry.

 

  • Pro Customer Support: As already mentioned, these two services both have excellent customer support reps who are capable of delivering a “WOW” experience to their customers. They have well-versed and professional customer care specialists who can answer tough questions and resolve complex issues.

Also, as one of their pride, both companies’ customer service is highly praised and reviewed.

 

  • Clean Track Record: Having dedicated staff, positively reviewed customer service, and competitive pricing, it is no surprise that ZenBusiness and IncFile managed to maintain a clean and solid track record. Despite having more experienced competitors, they earned so much trust from their customers and helped over a million businesses form and flourish. Until now, they continue to be one of the top business formation service providers which invites more entrepreneurs to partner with them. This is just a proof of their efficacy, consistency, and dedication in treating their clients’ businesses like their business.

 

  • Speedy and Efficient: To protect their clean track record, both ZenBusiness and IncFile matched it with efficiency. You can rely on both services if you want a speedy process of LLC formation. With them, you can get your business formed in from 2 days to 4 weeks.

However, if you are really in a rush, they also offer an expedited option that you can get for $50 – $99, depending on your formation state. Through this option, you have the opportunity to adjust the turnaround time according to your needs.

 

  • User-friendly LLC Process Dashboards: Unlike most competitors available out there, ZenBusiness and IncFile’s websites both have user-friendly dashboards where you can track your application status, access document templates, and even store your business information for easy access.

 

Side-by-Side Comparison of Their LLC Service Features

ZenBusiness Plans & Cost Efficiency

ZenBusiness has carefully and successfully designed a three-tiered framework for its formation and incorporation packages with small business owners in mind.

Firstly, they offer a Starter plan for $0.00 per year that includes the three fundamentals of business formations: preparation and filing of your Articles of Organization or Incorporation, a year of registered agent service, and an Operating Agreement or Corporate Bylaws.

Meanwhile, in addition to the benefits of the Starter plan, upgrading to their $149/year Pro plan gets you a managed yearly report and compliance management service, an EIN, expedited filing service, and a banking resolution template, making this plan exceptional and well worth the money.

We believe their most expensive plan, the Premium package, which costs $249 per year, is also an excellent buy. However, we prefer the first two packages because no other bundles can compete with them.

As you can see, all three tiers include the services we believe are vital for a business formation and to cater to businesses of all sizes, with the higher tiers offering a variety of additional valuable services. When you consider the whole cost and what you get, Zenbusiness is truly a wonderful deal.

While both ZenBusiness and Incfile perform well in the pricing category, ZenBusiness still wins. When it comes to pricing, it is true that no one can compete with IncFile, as the idea of a free incorporation is undoubtedly appealing. But, ZenBusiness’s Starter tier is quite competitively priced and includes everything you need to get started.

 

Although Incfile can start your business for free, you will still need to pay state fees and purchase additional services merely to ensure that you have all the fundamentals to start your business. In the end, the cost that you will be spending will be more than what you are expecting to pay, as opposed to ZenBusiness, which already includes all necessities in their most basic plan, saving you some dollars in the long run.

Furthermore, their higher-tier plans provide more value than Incfile’s comparable packages, especially given ZenBusiness’s inclusion of annual report service and compliance management service.

It is honestly a close call, but ZenBusiness comes out on top.

Winner: ZenBusiness

IncFile Plans & Cost Efficiency

Similarly, Incfile uses a three-tiered pricing model: Silver for $0, Gold for $149, and Platinum for $299.

With the Silver plan, IncFile is sure that for $0 plus state fees, they can help you incorporate your company and provide registered agent service for a full year. After the first year, the registered agent service will renew for $119 a year, which is still a terrific deal. While this bundle may appear to be a fantastic value, you should be aware that, unlike its competitors, it does not include an Operating Agreement.

The higher-tier packages from Incfile include a variety of other services. Their Gold package, which is in the middle of the price category, is only $149. Despite being substantially more expensive than the basic plan, this package includes a number of additional benefits that make it beneficial to acquire. It includes an Operating Agreement, the application for an EIN, yearly report reminders, and a number of offers, such as the opening of a company bank account and a business tax consultation.

Meanwhile, Incfile’s Platinum package costs $100 more than the Gold plan. However, it may be worthwhile because it includes a bunch of other services such as expedited filing for your formation documents, an online library of business contract templates, and an online domain name and email address for your company.

Overall, Incfile provides a comprehensive collection of services to consumers at a fair cost. Moreover, none of the tiers appears to be overburdened with needless features. These are, certainly, high-quality bundles at a great price.

Winner: ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness Track Record and Reliability

Despite being one of the newest companies in the business formation industry, this Texas-based start-up established in 2015 has already successfully formed thousands of businesses and forged their path in this competitive market by completely embracing technology and the benefits it provides.

This allows ZenBusiness to complete a variety of business services online, which is the main reason for their lower rates and which appeals to the masses, especially, to their loyal customers, who never tire of praising this company online, resulting in thousands of reviews and nearly perfect five-star ratings.

Now, ZenBusiness is expecting to form over a million new business entities in the next five years.

Winner: IncFile

IncFile Track Record and Reliability

With an aim to provide a superior customer experience at an incomparable value, Incfile was formed in Houston, Texas, in 2004. Since then, they have helped over 500,000 entrepreneurs establish businesses.

They have excellent client feedback, with thousands of good reviews greatly outnumbering a small handful of negative reviews. Customers were easily drawn to Incfile’s cost-efficiency and reliability. Recently, they have created a name for themselves, with a year-over-year increase of more than 200 percent which currently challenges its competitors like ZenBusiness.

ZenBusiness performed well in this category, but Incfile is clearly superior. ZenBusiness is a newcomer to the business, having only been created in 2015, implying that Incfile has more experience.

Furthermore, IncFile has a bigger number of good customer evaluations and, as mentioned earlier, a recent history that is difficult to match. So, it is undeniable that IncFile deserves the spot in this category.

Winner: IncFile

 

ZenBusiness Customer Service Quality

ZenBusiness can be reached through a variety of channels, including email, regular mail, phone support, and online chat. ZenBusiness guarantees that it will reply to inquiries and concerns within 24 hours. As per our experience, they respond to all emails within one business day, and phone or chat support wait periods are rarely more than a few minutes. When we tried to contact them, we received prompt assistance and precise responses.

They even provide customer service outside of normal business hours, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT on weekends. Most of the companies we looked at only provided support during weekday business hours, so this makes them exceptional.

Meanwhile, ZenBusiness’s website provides a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page as well as a Help Center with a collection of articles that can help clients with their questions. A customizable dashboard and real-time chat support are included with the Starter Option and all programs above it. During normal business hours, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Central Time, the website also provides real-time chat support.

Based on customer experiences and reviews, ZenBusiness’ customer support is highly commendable for the helpfulness and competence of their representatives, as well as for the speed in responding to concerns and issues.

Although there have been a few complaints about ZenBusiness’s customer service, accusing them of failing to acknowledge or handle concerns and difficulties in a timely manner, ZenBusiness responds quickly to these concerns via the TrustPilot website and the Better Business Bureau, making an effort to resolve any issues.

These two companies’ customer service offerings are very comparable, and their hours of operation are nearly identical. ZenBusiness, on the other hand, performed better in this category. Their customer service has everything a consumer could want: several contact channels, a responsive customer service team, and extended business hours.

Despite the fact that IncFile has been in business for a long time, there is still a lot of opportunity for improvement in this area, such as their contact methods and the quality of experience they provide to their customers through their contact channels.

Winner: ZenBusiness

IncFile Customer Service Quality

Incfile offers customer service via phone or email, and we have collected first-hand experience of what their customers commonly complain about through testing both contact methods.

Customer support via phone is available only during business hours – between 9 am and 6 pm CST, Monday through Friday. To be honest, the one expectation that was not met was the amount of time and effort required to speak with real customer support professional. When we used their phone assistance, it took several phone calls for a person to respond.

When we emailed them after hours with a similar question, though, we received a response the next day. To be honest, we’ve received more detailed responses via email than via phone.

It is also worth noting that many of the clients who shared online reviews have heavily criticized Incfile’s customer care. Long wait times, difficulty contacting their representatives, and inquiries and calls that go unanswered are among the highlights of these complaints.

Overall, their email service appears to be significantly better than their phone support, as we received a lot more detailed response and it has garnered less criticism from their customers.

Winner: ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness Ease of Order Process

Indeed, the purpose of hiring a formation service is to save time and money by outsourcing this important phase. Fortunately, ZenBusiness, unlike most of its competitors, is an excellent fit for this. ZenBusiness’s website is designed to be simple and stress-free.

It simply takes a few minutes to complete the ZenBusiness formation service order form. All you have to do is select the package you want to purchase, enter some basic information about your company as if you were creating a new social media account, and they will handle the rest.

There are no hidden fees or unnecessary upsells later in the checkout process, and pricing information and the specific contents of formation packages are displayed upfront at the start of the order process.

Though there are few upsells and third-party offers scattered throughout the process, they are very subtle and considerably useful so you will not get irritated during the whole course.

Winner: It’s a tie!
Visit zenbusiness.com
Visit incfile.com

IncFile Ease of Order Process

Hiring an incorporation service is solely for the goal of saving time and simplifying the formation process. Similar to its competitor, this has been the goal of IncFile.

Their website is built out in a clear and simple manner, guiding clients step by step through the process of forming an online corporate entity. Before you begin, keep in mind that it is preferable to have all of your necessary business information ready before beginning the process. If you do not have enough time to finish the order in one sitting, there is no need to worry because Incfile will save your progress and allow you to resume it later.

As you go through the signup process, your steps are customized based on the state you live in and the type of business you wish to start. There are small question marks and a few fast links throughout the application to learn more about a specific topic or form item.

In addition, their website includes a few minor but important tools, such as a sales tax calculator and a tool for determining compliance report due dates.

During the signup process, Incfile’s pricing is prominently displayed, and those rates, importantly, include the state processing fees.

They also allow you to add services that are not included in your formation plan. If you do not require these, simply disregard them.

 

In terms of usability, ZenBusiness and Incfile offer essentially the same experience. Both websites make it very obvious what each service entails and how much it costs.

Despite the upsells and third-party offers, both are simple to navigate. Neither site goes above and beyond in this aspect, so there is no hassle in either site.

Most significantly, both feature educational materials designed specifically for new business owners.

Winner: It’s a tie!
Visit zenbusiness.com
Visit incfile.com

ZenBusiness Service Speed & TAT

Unlike other companies in this industry, ZenBusiness manages your formation pace based on the package or rush filing you choose.

When compared to other formation services, ZenBusiness is on par with or somewhat ahead of them, so you will not have to wait long or be frustrated. Normal order processing periods might vary greatly according to the state, with some jurisdictions requiring several weeks and others requiring only seven days or less.

ZenBusiness’s middle-tier pricing plan includes expedited filing, but you may purchase it separately for $50.

Meanwhile, rush filings provide the fastest filing rates, with formations generally completed in just a few days – and in some cases, same-day or next-day formations are feasible. This is included in their most expensive tier. However, if you wish to use this as a stand-alone service, you will be charged $100.

If you want a more precise estimate, ZenBusiness offers a tool on their website that allows you to explore expected processing times as well as the availability and costs of expediting options across states.

 

Obviously, ZenBusiness got this category, as they often provide faster turnaround times for standard orders.

ZenBusiness also makes expedited filing more accessible to customers by including it in two of their packages instead of just having it with the most expensive one. Indeed, this is a huge benefit for anyone who has to incorporate quickly yet is on a tight budget.

Winner: ZenBusiness

IncFile Service Speed & TAT

IncFile’s turnaround times are also dependent on how quickly each state can process a business formation, so they can be as fast as a couple of days in certain states and many weeks in others. These projected processing times are listed in a dedicated turnaround time post on Incfile’s website.

The majority of states expect formations to take between two and three weeks when using regular filing. In most circumstances, expedited filing cuts this period to 1-5 days. Regardless of pricing tier, Incfile assures that all orders are processed by the next business day.

Unlike ZenBusiness, Incfile does not provide expediting with either of their lower two tiers, so customers must opt into their $299 Platinum plan if they want the best possible formation times included at no extra expense.

Still, if you select a lower tier, you can purchase expedited service as an add-on for an additional $50 price.

Winner: ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness Customer Feedback

Despite being a newcomer to the industry, ZenBusiness has established itself as dependable and trustworthy service, having formed over 150,000 businesses so far. As a result, they were able to get an A rating and 4.32 stars from the Better Business Bureau.

Furthermore, ZenBusiness receives high marks on Trustpilot. Currently, they have a 4.8 out of 5 rating with over 5,900 unique reviews. This number of good evaluations is undeniably outstanding given its newness in the industry.

According to the reviews, most customers praised the efficiency and ease of use of ZenBusiness. They are unquestionably time-bound, therefore you will most likely receive your documents sooner than planned. Additionally, they appreciate their customer care for their assistance in guiding them through the entire process.

On our end, we enjoy the fact that ZenBusiness’s customer support team responds to the majority of reviews and, in particular, reaches out to the small number of complainants to resolve any issues they have with them.

Here, we’ve collected a few screenshots of ZenBusiness customer feedback from Trustpilot:

zenbusiness-testimonial-1-positive zenbusiness-testimonial-2-positive zenbusiness-testimonial-3-positive

Winner: ZenBusiness

IncFile Customer Feedback

Since IncFile has so much industry expertise, it is simple to get customer feedback online, which may give you a sense of what to expect as a client.

Unlike ZenBusiness, IncFile is not yet BBB accredited, but it is boasting a 4.5-star rating on this site. Thus, the situation is different on Trustpilot, where 54% of the evaluations are totally negative, resulting in a significant drop to 2.2 stars.

Nonetheless, some of the most noticeable characteristics that clients appreciated were their low pricing, the convenience of use, and packages.

Customers, on the other hand, often complain about the low quality of Incfile’s customer service. We have read about a number of major problems and delays. Furthermore, it appears that Incfile’s customer support does not respond to complaints for days, even when they are negative and require resolution.

And here you can see a few screenshots from IncFile’s Trustpilot reviews:

incfile trustpilot average testimonial 1 incfile trustpilot positive testimonial 1 incfile trustpilot positive testimonial 2

Winner: ZenBusiness

Which One of the Services is Best For You?

ZenBusiness and IncFile have a lot in common, as the side by side comparison highlights almost all these commonalities. However, if you read it attentively, you will discover numerous disparities between the two. This must have left you uncertain, unable to weigh their plans and services offered.

Regardless of whether you choose IncFile or ZenBusiness, we are confident that your LLC formation will go easily because they are two of the LLC formation providers that have topped our previous reviews.

Now, let’s take a look at a few examples that can help you decide which option is best for you.

Choose ZenBusiness if… (click here to visit www.zenbusiness.com)

  • You want the LLC service that offers the best overall value and will save you more money in the long run since they have a $0.00 (FREE!) LLC formation package that includes more than just the necessities to put up your compliant and stable LLC.

Choose IncFile if… (click here to visit www.incfile.com)

  • You are looking for the most cost-effective LLC service with a bundle of basic business formation services, as well as a large number of satisfied customers and years of experience to boast about.

Overall Winner of the Comparison – ZenBusiness!

As you have seen, ZenBusiness effortlessly passed a number of the categories. Most importantly, they came out on top in the most essential category, cost-effectiveness. Despite this, we can still say it was a close and tense match.

ZenBusiness has a lot of distinguishing traits that make it a formidable contender and one of the best online creation services.

Despite the fact that ZenBusiness lacks the same level of experience as incorporators such as IncFile and LegalZoom, we feel that, given their track record of filing and forming hundreds of LLCs since 2015, they will continue to improve in the years ahead.

ZenBusiness’s basic and premium packages provide excellent value to every type of business owner, as they include everything we believe is necessary to start a company.

Meanwhile, rather than being crammed with useless upsells, ZenBusiness’s higher-tier products really include more important features and services.

Without a doubt, we suggest ZenBusiness to anyone wishing to register an LLC or corporation for their new or existing business. It would be a fantastic choice that gives you a lot of bang for your cash. And, their numerous advantages, in our opinion, much exceed their few disadvantages.

For a more in-depth look at their service and to learn why it received a 9/10 rating, check out our dedicated ZenBusiness review.

$49 + State Fees

Go tozenbusiness.com
zenbusiness logo new-min

ZenBusiness is the top-rated LLC service with one the best quality to price ratios in the market. It ranks #1 in our best LLC services list.

FAQs

What Is the Biggest Advantage of Each Service?

The major strength that ZenBusiness has over Incfile is that their incorporation packages include more valuable features at a reasonable price.

When it comes to Incfile, they only hold a few advantages over ZenBusiness. The most important of which is their extensive industry experience.

Which Service Offers The Best Bundle?

The ZenBusiness Starter plan ($0 plus state fee) is without a doubt the best among both companies’ packages because it includes everything you need, including full preparation and filing of formation documents, a year of registered agent service, a corporate bylaws template, and an accounting assessment.

Which Service Has Fewer Upsells?

IncFile has extremely fewer upsells since they do not bother their consumers by constantly urging them to upgrade their service package or add services that are not necessary.

ZenBusiness, though they did not go crazy with upsells, has tried to offer more frequently than IncFile.

Does Either of These Services Have a Refund Policy?

As per ZenBusiness’ refund policy:

“Once ZenBusiness has submitted your business for filing with the State under no circumstances can you charge-back or dispute the fees associated with forming your business. If you contact ZenBusiness before your business has been submitted for filing with the State, ZenBusiness may refund the charge, less a $50 cancellation fee, if certain conditions are met.”

Meanwhile,  IncFile’s refund policy states:,

“An order is generally refundable until payment is forwarded to any government entity, such as a state or the U.S. federal government (typically within twenty-four hours after an order is placed), less a $30.00 cancellation fee and less any other expenses which have been paid or incurred in furtherance of an order, including payments to any entities, including state agencies or the Federal government or third party vendors. Once payment has been forwarded to any government entity or third party, Incfile cannot accept any cancellations or any other changes to an order.”