ZenBusiness reviews its own products and services and compares them to others in the industry.
Starts at $0 + state fee and only takes 5-10 minutes
Last Updated: April 25, 2025
If you’re looking for an overall, excellent LLC formation service in Iowa, go with us at ZenBusiness. We’ve already formed 800,000+ businesses since 2017!
✔ Free LLC formation (only pay Iowa state fees)✔ $5,000 grant program for customers✔ 60-day money-back guarantee✔ 21591+ reviews with a 4.8 average rating✔ Award-winning customer support✔ Extended customer service hours, including Saturdays and Sundays✔ Socially conscious company (Public Benefit Corporation)
✘ Registered agent service costs extra after the first year✘ Some advanced features require higher-tier plans
If you want socially conscious Iowa LLC formation services with a service discount, choose ZenBusiness.
Another LLC service is Bizee (formerly known as Infile), with a basic formation service that would only require you to pay Iowa’s state filing fee. Bizee is a well-known choice, with more than one million businesses formed since they opened in 2004. They also have a variety of features to suit a business owner’s needs.
✔ Free LLC formation (only pay Iowa state fees)✔ Includes one year of registered agent service ($119/yr afterward)✔ Large customer base with 20,932+ reviews (as of April 2025)✔ Phone and email support
✘ Lots of upsells can increase overall costs✘ Customer support can be slow during peak times✘ No weekend phone support available
Keep in Mind: Even though their Iowa LLC formation service is free, you’re going to deal with more upsells and potentially higher overall prices as a result.
Want to learn more? See our Bizee review.
LegalZoom is the most well-known service in this industry, handling millions of LLC formations since 1999. They handle huge volumes of entity formations in Iowa and offer legal services beyond formations.
✔ Established brand with 4 million+ LLCs formed✔ Extended customer service hours, including Saturdays✔ Offers legal services beyond Iowa LLC formation
✘ Aggressive upsells during the ordering process✘ Registered agent service is expensive ($249/yr)✘ Not the best value compared to other services available in Iowa
Want to learn more? See our LegalZoom review.
Northwest Registered Agent also offers a good business formation service in Iowa, with personalized customer support as their standout feature. They’ve been forming businesses since 1998.
✔ Personalized customer support✔ Includes one year of registered agent service ($125/yr afterward)✔ Industry experience since 1998
✘ Higher starting price than competitors who offer free Iowa LLC formation✘ No customer service hours on Saturday or Sunday and no chat support✘ Limited brand recognition compared to larger competitors
Want to learn more? See our Northwest Registered Agent review.
Compare ZenBusiness Plans
Identify the package that's right for your business and then get started.
Starter
Pro
Premium
Processes in 7 to 10 business days*
PLUS STATE FEES
Processes in 1 business day*
Top Features
**SPECIAL OFFER – Starter is $0 plus state fees with one optional free year of Worry-Free Compliance (renews at $199/yr).† ZenBusiness is a financial technology company and is not a bank. Banking services provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC.
In addition to the costs of a business formation service or hiring an attorney (which are optional, as we’ve discussed), there are quite a few other required and optional expenses when forming and maintaining an Iowa business. You cannot form an LLC in Iowa without filing the Certificate of Organization, the document that officially registers your business within the state. Iowa only offers online filing for this, which keeps the filing fee at a minimal $50.
Your LLC will need to file the Biennial Report every other year. Most states require this filing every year, but Iowa keeps it every other year, saving you money. This form is pretty simple, but it keeps the state up-to-date regarding some basic but vital business information. It costs $60 to submit on paper or $45 online. Read more about Iowa costs – Iowa LLC costs.
We invite you to take a look at our comprehensive guide to forming a limited liability company in Iowa. This article walks you through the LLC formation process in this state step by step, ensuring that you don’t miss any crucial elements.
One of the most important steps in forming an Iowa LLC is choosing a business name. Once you come up with ideas for your name, you should search through the Secretary of State’s business entity search to make sure your desired name is available. For more information on conducting a business name search in Iowa, check out Iowa business search on the topic.
You can fill out the Iowa Certificate of Organization on the Secretary of State’s website.
All LLCs operating in the state of Iowa are required to submit a biennial report to the Secretary of State. It’s due by April 1 of odd-numbered years, and there is a $45 filing fee for online submissions ($60 on paper).
Chances are, you’ll require at least one license or permit to operate your LLC in compliance with Iowa state law. For more information about business licenses and more in this state, check out the state’s convenient Licenses and Permits webpage.
The Secretary of State should be able to process your LLC’s online formation within one business day at most. The majority of LLCs are formed immediately.
If you want more details about what these companies can offer in this state, or you’d like to take a look at some other options, check out our complete guide to Iowa registered agents.
Unfortunately, not all businesses last forever. If the time comes when you need to close your LLC’s doors, you’ll need to do so in a manner consistent with the state’s regulations. That’s why we wrote our guide to Iowa LLC dissolutions, so you can complete the process in a compliant manner.
If your LLC already exists in another state, you don’t actually need to “form” it in Iowa. Instead, you’ll need to foreign qualify the business in this state. This process is somewhat similar to LLC formation, but there are some crucial differences as well. Take a look at our guide to foreign qualifications in Iowa for more information.
Iowa Business Resources
Top LLC Formation Services in All 50 States
We've broken down the best LLC formation services in all 50 states. Select your state for more information.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
Written by Team ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness has helped people start, run, and grow over 800,000 dream companies. The editorial team at ZenBusiness has over 20 years of collective small business publishing experience and is composed of business formation experts who are dedicated to empowering and educating entrepreneurs about owning a company.
Ready to Start Your Business?
Start Your Iowa LLC