The short answer
What you are buying is time and follow-up, not access to anything you couldn't get yourself. The state filing fee is the same on either path because the state charges it, not ZenBusiness. An EIN costs $0 when you apply directly with the IRS, and the IRS's EIN guidance says never to pay a third party for one. The same IRS guidance says to form the entity with your state first and apply for the EIN afterward. Under FinCEN's current beneficial ownership rule, companies formed in the United States are exempt from federal BOI reporting, so BOI filing is no longer a task on either path.
On price, ZenBusiness's LLC page lists three plans. Starter is $0 plus the state fee, Pro is $199 a year, and Premium is $299 a year. The registered agent is a separate $199-a-year service on every tier, including Premium. It is discounted to $99 for the first year when you form with ZenBusiness.
Filing yourself costs only the state fee if you are comfortable with your state's filing website, can meet your state's registered agent rules on your own, and will put your recurring state filings on a calendar. A service is worth its fee if you want someone else to hold the registered agent role and remind you when filings are due.
Fees, deadlines and requirements at a glance
| Item | Service fee | State or government fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual or periodic state report | Not applicable if DIY | Whether it is required, what it costs and when it is due all vary by state | Your state's business filing office |
| EIN | $0 (never pay a third party) | $0 | IRS, Get an Employer Identification Number |
| EIN timing | Not applicable | Form the entity with the state first, then apply | IRS, Get an Employer Identification Number |
| Federal BOI reporting | Not applicable | US-formed companies are exempt | FinCEN, Beneficial Ownership Information |
| LLC formation filing | $0 if DIY | Varies by state, and you pay it on both paths | Your Secretary of State's (or equivalent office's) published fee schedule |
| ZenBusiness Starter | $0 | State fee added | ZenBusiness LLC page |
| ZenBusiness Pro | $199 a year | State fee added | ZenBusiness LLC page |
| ZenBusiness Premium | $299 a year | State fee added | ZenBusiness LLC page |
| ZenBusiness registered agent | $99 for the first year when forming with ZenBusiness, then $199 a year, on every tier | None | ZenBusiness LLC page |
This page doesn't state any state fee or report deadline because both vary by state. Your state's filing office publishes the current figures.
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Task by task: DIY versus ZenBusiness
The options below are listed alphabetically, not ranked.
| Task | DIY (file yourself) | ZenBusiness |
|---|---|---|
| Annual or periodic report | You look up your state's rule, track the date and file it | Help with compliance filings and reminders, depending on plan |
| BOI reporting | Not required for US-formed companies | Not required for US-formed companies |
| EIN | You apply directly with the IRS for $0, after the state approves your LLC | Help with the application, depending on plan (the IRS charges nothing) |
| Formation filing | You complete and submit the state's form and pay the state fee | ZenBusiness prepares and submits it, and you still pay the state fee |
| Operating agreement | You draft your own or adapt a template | Help with a template, depending on plan |
| Registered agent | You serve yourself if you meet your state's rules, or you hire an agent | Separate service at $99 for the first year when forming, then $199 a year |
Before you buy, check which tier includes which item on ZenBusiness's own plan table. Tier contents change more often than prices, and this page doesn't list them item by item for that reason.
The most important row is the EIN. Getting one directly from the IRS is free, and the IRS explicitly warns against paying anyone for it. When a service "includes" an EIN, it is doing a free government task for you. That can be convenient, but the EIN alone is never a reason to pay a service.
The BOI row matters because a lot of older formation content still treats beneficial ownership reporting as a major hidden obligation. For LLCs formed in the US, it no longer is, per FinCEN. New York's own LLC Transparency Act likewise applies only to LLCs formed under the law of a foreign country.
Where ZenBusiness earns its fee
The registered agent role and ongoing reminders are the parts of the job that don't end after formation day. A registered agent receives legal and state mail for your LLC, and state law requires one. Some owners don't want their home address in that role, or can't reliably be available to receive service. Others simply know they won't remember a state filing that comes due once a year. If that describes you, having ZenBusiness as your agent and reminder system is a fair trade. Just budget for the agent at its renewal price of $199 a year, not only the $99 first-year price.
ZenBusiness also makes sense if you would rather spend your first weeks on the business than on state forms. The Starter plan charges no service fee, which puts the cost of letting it file close to the cost of filing yourself. In that case, the agent is the real ongoing cost.
Where filing yourself is the better call
If you can serve as your own registered agent under your state's rules, you are comfortable with a government website, and you keep a calendar, DIY is usually the cheaper path with little added risk. You pay the state fee, which you would pay anyway. You get your EIN from the IRS for $0 once the state approves your LLC. You write or adapt an operating agreement, and you look up your state's report schedule once and set a reminder.
A paid plan also doesn't remove your responsibility. You still answer your state's questions, still owe the state fee and still own the LLC's compliance. A service does the typing and the tracking. It doesn't take on the obligation for you.
How this site is paid
This site earns a commission on some links, including links to ZenBusiness. That doesn't change what this page recommends, and the case for filing yourself above stands whether or not anyone clicks.
FAQ
ZenBusiness included services vs DIY LLC formation: what's the difference?
ZenBusiness files your formation document, offers a registered agent as a separate paid service, and offers help with the operating agreement, EIN and compliance reminders depending on plan. With DIY, you do each of those tasks yourself. The state fee is identical on both paths.
Do ZenBusiness LLC formation plans include a registered agent, annual report, operating agreement and EIN?
The registered agent is not included in any plan. It is a separate $199-a-year service on every tier, including Premium, discounted to $99 for the first year when you form with ZenBusiness. Plan prices are $0 (Starter), $199 a year (Pro) and $299 a year (Premium), plus the state fee. Check ZenBusiness's current plan table for which tier covers the other items.
Can I apply for an EIN online for free from the official IRS site?
Yes. The IRS issues EINs for $0 and says never to pay a third party for one. Form your LLC with the state first, then apply.
Sources
- Internal Revenue Service, “Get an employer identification number”
- Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, “Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting”
This is general information, not legal advice, and requirements vary by state and change over time.