Inc Authority vs ZenBusiness: LLC formation compared (2026)

What does each plan include, side by side?

Inc Authority's Free LLC plan and ZenBusiness Premium are the plans our rating scores, and the table compares them line by line, from price and processing through agent fees, auto-renewal and refunds.

Auto-renewal, cancelling and refunds are as each provider states them for its registered agent and subscription services.

Plan prices from both leave out the state filing fee. The state fee table shows your state's charge, and the LLC cost calculator builds a first-year total with it. To compare a different tier, all published plans sit on a single page.

How are Inc Authority and ZenBusiness different?

They split on the price of the plan, on who files the yearly report and on what the registered agent costs each year. The facts deciding each split are listed below.

• Lower two-year plan cost: Inc Authority: $0 vs $598
• More services included for good: ZenBusiness: 6 vs 1
• Higher Trustpilot score: Inc Authority: 4.9/5 vs 4.8/5
• First-time founders: ZenBusiness: 3 of 3 supports included (annual report filed for you, business coaching, AI guidance) vs 0 for Inc Authority
• All-in-one platform: ZenBusiness: sells 7 of 10 business service types we track vs 4

What a free order gets you

Both companies have a $0 entry point. ZenBusiness Starter comes with a name search, Personal Velo AI guidance, compliance alerts and one optional free year of its report filing service, which then renews at $199/yr. Its processing is 7-10 business days, with a paid rush option shown in the table.^{2, 5}

Inc Authority's Free LLC order brings the registered agent instead. The company puts it plainly: "We'll be your registered agent for the first year." It states 24 hours, and its FAQ says your order is submitted within 24 hours during business hours. Neither company controls the state's review; Inc Authority's FAQ puts state turnaround from one week to six months.¹

Paid tiers

ZenBusiness Pro costs $199 and renews at $199/yr. It adds an EIN (the federal tax ID a bank asks for), an operating agreement template, a logo builder and report filings with up to 2 amendments/yr. Premium adds a domain, a business email, a document library and a one-on-one consultation with a business advisor. Both state 1 business day.^{2, 5}

Inc Authority's only priced plan in our records is the free one. It sells pieces one at a time: an EIN for $49, a custom operating agreement for $89 and an advisor program for $299/year. Bought outside a plan, ZenBusiness charges $99 for the EIN and $99 for the operating agreement, each paid once.^{6, 7, 8, 9}

Who files the annual report, and what does it cost?

ZenBusiness files it inside Pro and Premium for as long as the plan renews. Inc Authority doesn't publish an annual report filing service, so the filing is yours to make.

ZenBusiness also sells the filing outside a plan, as its Worry-Free Compliance subscription at $199/year or as a single filing at $100 per report. Inc Authority's pages mention compliance reminders but don't say what they cover. The annual report guide explains the filing itself.⁹

Whose registered agent costs less over time?

Inc Authority's is cheaper in year one, when it is free. From year two on, ZenBusiness charges less: $199/yr against $249/year.^{3, 4}

ZenBusiness gives 50% off the first year ($99) when you form an LLC. No ZenBusiness plan includes the agent, so it is an extra purchase there. Both renew on their own, and both keep the right to change the price: Inc Authority's terms say "The cost of your subscription is subject to change", and ZenBusiness's say it may increase its fees for RA Services.^{3, 4, 10}

ZenBusiness describes its mail handling as scanned copies, with originals forwarded only if they can't be copied. Inc Authority doesn't publish how its agent handles mail. If you would rather act as your own agent, the registered agent guide covers what that takes.¹⁰

What do refunds and cancellation look like?

Inc Authority publishes the clearer window: a 60-day money-back guarantee on initial online purchase, with state/third-party filing fees held back. ZenBusiness refunds its agent service only if the service has not yet been used.^{10, 11}

ZenBusiness's general terms for yearly subscriptions add: "After 30 days, we can cancel your subscription but no prorated refunds will be issued." To cancel its agent, you call, since cancelling means contacting customer support by phone. Inc Authority takes cancellations by phone or email, and its terms say the request may require proof of new agent or dissolution. Plan for the new agent first with either one; our guide to switching or cancelling a service sets out the order.^{10, 11}

Which company suits which founder?

Every fit here comes from a published term or figure. None reflects a view of either company's quality.

Inc Authority fits if you

• want the lowest first-year cost, with a $0 plan and a free agent year;¹
• want a stated refund window on the first purchase;
• plan to file your own annual reports and add only the services you need.

ZenBusiness fits if you

• want annual report filing handled inside the plan, on Pro or Premium;
• are a first-time founder who wants guidance included. Its Premium plan includes all three supports we count, against none of the three supports at Inc Authority;
• want more business services from one company: 7 of the 10 types we track, against 4;
• want weekend support hours (Sat-Sun 9am-6pm CT), though there is no email support.¹²

Neither one fits better on founders abroad: Inc Authority takes no clear position and ZenBusiness doesn't publish one. The list of services for non-U.S. founders names those that do. More on each company is in the Inc Authority review, the ZenBusiness review, Inc Authority pricing and ZenBusiness pricing, and ZenBusiness alternatives and Inc Authority alternatives list other options.