ZenBusiness vs BetterLegal

It depends on what you mean by “better.” If by “better” you mean “more cost-effective,” then ZenBusiness is a better option than hiring a lawyer to form an LLC. ZenBusiness can help you start an LLC for $0 plus state fees (or $349 for our Premium plan). Hiring a business attorney typically costs anywhere from $500 to $2,000 or more, depending on the state and hourly rate.

That said, some business owners may prefer personalized legal guidance tailored to their specific state and industry. In that context, hiring a lawyer might be the better choice for forming an LLC.

Yes, BetterLegal is a legitimate LLC formation service. They’ve been in business since 2006 and have been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since 2017. In that time, they’ve formed more than 20,000 businesses, so they’re smaller compared to some competitors.

However, they currently have a Trustpilot score of 3.8 out of 5 stars, based on approximately 360 reviews (as of this writing). If brand reputation is important, ZenBusiness maintains higher customer satisfaction with a 4.8 average rating.

We certainly think so — but it might sound biased for us to say that. Don’t just take our word for it, though; thousands of customers on Trustpilot agree. Across 25,784, we have a 4.8 out of 5-star average rating. To date, we’ve helped form more than 850,000 business entities, and we’re committed to delivering the same high-quality service to every customer.

There are several advantages to hiring ZenBusiness to form an LLC. We handle formation paperwork efficiently, reducing the risk of errors on state forms like the Articles of Organization or EIN applications. Our additional services — such as Worry-Free Compliance and registered agent service — help keep businesses compliant with state requirements.

There are a few potential downsides. Forming an LLC independently is allowed by law and can be cheaper if a business handles all paperwork itself. We work to provide expertise and peace of mind that make our services worth the investment.

It depends on which package you choose. The Starter plan ($ plus state fees) provides a 7-10 business-day turnaround. Both our Pro and Premium plans include our fastest processing speed: one business day (from receipt of completed information).

The BetterLegal base package includes processing within two business days, which currently costs $299 plus state fees. LegalZoom’s standard processing time is 5-14 business days for most LLC formations, with optional expedited processing available for an extra $99.

Keep in mind that these times reflect how fast each service processes and submits documents to the state — actual state processing times can vary.

Our Starter plan turnaround time is roughly 7-10 business days, while our Pro and Premium plans provide a turnaround of 1 business day (from the moment we receive all required information). These timeframes don’t include the processing speeds of the Secretary of State, which can vary by state.

ZenBusiness offers more long-term value because our compliance and registered agent services are included in key packages rather than sold separately. Our Worry-Free Compliance service is free for the first year in the Starter package ($ + state fees) and included in both the Pro and Premium plans. After the first year, it renews for $199 annually. Registered agent service is available as an add-on for $199 per year in the Starter and Pro plans and included at no extra cost in the Premium plan, which starts at $349 for the first year and renews at $399 annually.

To break this down, BetterLegal charges $299, plus state fees, for its base LLC formation package, with compliance services as add-ons to that plan. They offer two separate add-ons: State Compliance Service ($120 per year) and Registered Agent Service ($120 per year). If a business chooses both, that’s $240 per year in addition to the $299 formation fee.

At those prices, BetterLegal’s State Compliance Service provides annual report reminders and filing support but doesn’t include amendments, which cost $199 per change. ZenBusiness includes two amendment filings per year with its Worry-Free Compliance service (included in the Pro and Premium packages).

In short, BetterLegal’s services require purchasing separate add-ons, while ZenBusiness builds core compliance features directly into its plans. That structure gives ZenBusiness customers more built-in protection and value per dollar.

Yes. Our Worry-Free Compliance service is specifically designed to help businesses stay compliant with all state requirements, including annual reports and amendments. We also offer registered agent service, operating agreements, a business license report, and more — all crafted to help your business grow compliantly, no matter what state you’re in.