Bizee vs ZenBusiness (2026): Which LLC Service Really Costs Less?

Over three years in Texas, Bizee Standard costs $499 in total and ZenBusiness Pro costs $897. That gap is the heart of the bizee vs zenbusiness question. Bizee’s $0, $199 and $299 packages are one-time fees, and its registered agent is free the first year. ZenBusiness’s $0 Starter is also one-time, but its Pro ($199) and Premium ($299) packages renew every year, and a registered agent costs $199 a year extra in every package.

The cheapest option of all is filing yourself. You pay only the state fee.

Prices in this guide are as of October 2026 and come from each company’s own website. They change, so confirm them at checkout. Bizee is the company formerly called Incfile, so if you searched “Incfile vs ZenBusiness,” you’re in the right place.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you sign up through our links, we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Specifically, HowToIncorporateForFree.com earns a commission if you buy through our Bizee link. We have no affiliate relationship with ZenBusiness and earn nothing from it. That doesn’t change the numbers below, and where ZenBusiness is the better fit, we say so.

Last updated: October 17, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Bizee’s packages ($0, $199, $299) are one-time. ZenBusiness Pro ($199) and Premium ($299) renew yearly at the same price.
• In Texas, Bizee Standard totals $499 over three years. ZenBusiness Pro totals $897.
• Bizee includes a registered agent free for year one, then lists $149 a year. ZenBusiness charges $199 a year from the start.
• ZenBusiness states faster processing and a longer refund window: 60 days, against Bizee’s typical 24 hours.
• Filing yourself costs only the state fee, and it’s the cheapest route.

Bizee vs ZenBusiness at a Glance: Prices, Renewals and Refunds

According to Bizee, the rebrand from Incfile didn’t change its leadership or operating team, and existing services were unaffected.

All package prices below are plus your state’s filing fee. That fee goes to the state, not to either company.

Sources: Bizee’s homepage, order page and cancellation policy; ZenBusiness’s formation pricing and add-on pricing pages. Processing times are each company’s own claims. They don’t include the state’s own processing time.

Also weighing Northwest Registered Agent? See our Bizee vs Northwest comparison. Weighing LegalZoom? See Bizee vs LegalZoom.

What You Actually Get for $0

Both companies advertise a $0 package. Neither is truly free, because you still pay the state filing fee. Here’s what each one includes.

Bizee Basic ($0 + state fee)

Bizee says the package price is a one-time formation fee. Basic covers the filing itself, plus a registered agent free for the first year. A registered agent is the person or company that accepts legal papers and official state mail for your LLC at a physical address in the state.

Bizee says the registered agent service renews annually, and it lists the standalone price at $149 a year. Its partner LegalInc bills the renewal. Per Bizee’s cancellation policy, you can stop the service by naming a new registered agent with the state and notifying Bizee before the expiration date.

Bizee also says a virtual address is free for the first month, with a monthly fee after that. It’s optional, so decline it if you don’t want it.

Basic doesn’t include an EIN, an operating agreement or faster processing. Those start at Standard.

ZenBusiness Starter ($0 + state fee)

ZenBusiness says Starter is a one-time fee that doesn’t renew. It says standard processing takes 7-10 business days, and rush costs $79 extra. Starter includes:

• One optional free year of Worry-Free Compliance. It renews at $199 a year if you keep it.
• A 30-day website builder trial, preselected at checkout. It renews at $15 a month, but you can remove it before you buy.

No ZenBusiness package includes a registered agent. It’s a $199-a-year add-on. That’s the biggest reason the two $0 plans end up with different real costs.

The Big Difference: One-Time vs Yearly Fees

Here’s a worked example. Say you’re forming a one-person LLC in Texas. The Texas Secretary of State lists the LLC certificate of formation filing fee at $300, as of October 2026.

Year One, Cheapest Route

Using the company as your registered agent:

• Bizee Basic: $300 (the state fee; registered agent is free in year one)
• ZenBusiness Starter: $499 ($300 state fee plus $199 registered agent)

Being your own registered agent:

• Bizee Basic: $300
• ZenBusiness Starter: $300
• Filing yourself: $300

Serve as your own agent and all three cost the same in year one.

Bizee vs ZenBusiness Over Three Years: Mid-Tier Packages

Say you want the EIN and operating agreement bundled in, and you act as your own registered agent.

• Bizee Standard: $199 once plus the $300 state fee = $499 total over three years.
• ZenBusiness Pro: $199 plus the $300 state fee in year one, then $199 in year two and $199 in year three = $897 total.

The gap exists because Bizee Standard is paid once and ZenBusiness Pro renews.

Here’s what most comparisons skip: that renewal isn’t pure overhead. ZenBusiness says Pro includes Worry-Free Compliance, where it files your state-required annual report and up to 2 amendments a year. An annual report is a periodic filing most states require to keep your LLC in good standing. An amendment changes information on your formation document, such as the company name or address.

That renewal covers ZenBusiness’s filing service only. Your state’s own annual report fee is separate. Texas is a mild case: its yearly report is a franchise tax report with no filing fee for most small LLCs. Many other states charge a real fee. Check our annual report fees by state guide and the annual report deadline finder to see what your state requires.

Registered Agent Costs (and Being Your Own)

Every LLC must have a registered agent. You have two options.

1. Be your own. You can if you have a physical street address in the state and are there during normal business hours to accept papers. Your address becomes part of the public record, and you need to be reachable. Confirm the rules with your state’s filing office.
2. Hire one. This makes sense if you work from home and want privacy, travel often, or form an LLC in a state where you don’t live.

If you hire one:

• Bizee: free the first year with formation, then $149 a year.
• ZenBusiness: $199 a year from the start, as an add-on to any package.

After year one, Bizee’s standalone price is $50 a year lower. The catch is that Bizee’s service may renew automatically. If you don’t want it after the free year, follow the cancellation steps above before it expires. ZenBusiness bills you from day one, so there’s no free year to forget about.

Speed: What Each Company Says About Processing Times

Both companies state their own processing times. Neither includes the state’s review time.

• Bizee says Standard takes about 2 weeks instead of the 4-6 weeks for Basic, and Premium has what it calls priority 4-day processing.
• ZenBusiness says Starter takes 7-10 business days, rush adds $79, and Pro processes in 1 business day.

On paper, ZenBusiness is faster. Starter’s stated time beats Bizee Basic’s, and Pro’s 1-business-day claim is the fastest figure either company advertises.

But the state’s own processing time gets added on top, and ZenBusiness says it can vary. Check your Secretary of State’s current wait before paying for speed. If your state already approves online filings quickly, a faster tier may buy you very little.

Refunds: 24 Hours vs 60 Days

ZenBusiness is more forgiving here, and that deserves plain credit.

• ZenBusiness has a 60-day money-back guarantee. You can cancel a subscription or add-on within 60 days for a refund, minus any state or third-party fees. After 60 days, there are no refunds.
• Bizee says an order is generally refundable until it forwards payment to the state, typically within 24 hours of ordering. It deducts any other expenses paid or incurred.

If you might change your mind, ZenBusiness gives you more time. With Bizee, double-check your business name, state and package before you submit.

Either way, expect the state filing fee to be gone once the state has it.

Which Should You Choose: Bizee vs ZenBusiness or Filing Yourself?

Choose Bizee if…

• You want the lowest total cost over several years.
• You want a one-time package with no yearly renewal on the formation bundle.
• You want a registered agent free in year one and a lower renewal price later.
• You’re confident in your choices at checkout. You can start with Bizee here.

For more detail, read our Bizee review.

Choose ZenBusiness if…

• You value the longer 60-day refund window.
• You want the company to file your annual report each year and you’re fine paying the renewal for that convenience.
• You want the fastest stated processing, such as Pro’s 1 business day, and your state’s own processing is quick too.
• You’d rather let one subscription handle filings than track deadlines yourself.

File yourself if…

• You want the lowest possible cost. You pay only the state fee, which is $300 in Texas.
• You’re comfortable using your state’s Secretary of State portal.
• You can be your own registered agent.

An EIN is free directly from the IRS. According to the IRS, you never have to pay a fee to get one. You can also write your own operating agreement, the document that sets out how your LLC is owned and run. Our guide to how to incorporate yourself walks through each step. For a wider look at the market, see our LLC formation services compared.

FAQ

Is ZenBusiness really free?

Only partly. Starter has a $0 service fee, but you still pay your state’s filing fee. A registered agent, if you want one, costs $199 a year extra. Also watch the preselected 30-day website builder trial, which renews at $15 a month unless you remove it at checkout.

Is Bizee really free?

Bizee Basic is $0 plus your state fee. A registered agent is included free for the first year, but it renews after that (Bizee lists $149 a year) unless you cancel or replace it. Basic doesn’t include an EIN, operating agreement or faster processing. Those start with the $199 Standard package.

Which is faster, Bizee or ZenBusiness?

By each company’s own stated times, ZenBusiness is faster. Starter takes 7-10 business days and Pro takes 1 business day. Bizee says about 2 weeks for Standard and 4-6 weeks for Basic, with priority 4-day processing on Premium. All of these exclude your state’s processing time, so check your state’s current wait.

Does ZenBusiness charge every year?

It depends on the package. Starter is a one-time fee and doesn’t renew. Pro renews at $199 a year and Premium at $299 a year. A registered agent is $199 a year, and Worry-Free Compliance renews at $199 a year if you keep it after the free first year on Starter.

Do I need either one?

No. You can form an LLC yourself through your state’s Secretary of State website, get an EIN free from the IRS, write your own operating agreement, and serve as your own registered agent if you meet your state’s requirements. A formation service saves time and paperwork, but you’re not required to use one.

Your Next Step

Plug your own state’s filing fee into our LLC cost calculator to see your real year-one and three-year totals before you pick a package.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Business formation rules, fees, and deadlines vary by state and change often. Always consult a qualified attorney, CPA, or tax professional before making decisions about your business.