The limited liability company is an increasingly popular business structure in America, with thousands of new LLCs being formed every day. The LLC is effectually a hybrid business type, occupying the space between the rigid formalities of a corporation, and the casual nature of a general partnership or sole proprietorship.
If you want to form an LLC in the United States, you will need to designate a registered agent. The role of the registered agent involves the usage of their address as your official business address, which means they’ll receive important document deliveries on your behalf, including court summons and other official correspondence from your state government.
There are many companies that offer LLC formation and registered agent services online, and it’s sometimes difficult to determine which one has your best interests in mind. In this comparison, we’ll take a close look at Nationwide Incorporators and Zen Business. Which one is the better choice to form your new LLC and provide registered agent service?
30-Second Summary of Nationwide Incorporators vs. Zen Business
Zen Business wins!
Nationwide Incorporators’ claim to fame is that every document they prepare is either drafted or reviewed by an experienced business attorney. While their prices may be a bit higher than some competitors, their “Attorney-Powered” slogan is more than just a catchphrase.
Zen Business automates several different parts of the business formation process in order to offer their customers the lowest possible price points. Zen Business has only been around for a few years, but they’ve steadily increased their foothold in the online business services industry, with thousands of customers served to date.
Overall, we think Zen Business is the more widely appealing option between these companies, thanks in large part to their superior pricing. Nationwide Incorporators is a solid company as well, but they just can’t compete with Zen Business’ pricing.
Pricing & Additional Features
Nationwide Incorporators:
- LLC formation (starts at $200) – This package includes the essential elements of LLC formation, including a name availability check, and the drafting and filing of your articles of organization. Additionally, you’ll receive a sample operating agreement and organizational minutes.
- Registered agent (call for price) – Nationwide Incorporators does not offer registered agent service online, and you’ll need to call them to acquire a pricing estimate.
Who should use their services? We think Nationwide Incorporators is a great option for any entrepreneur who wants the additional peace of mind that comes with having an attorney review your filings. The main reason they don’t score higher in our overall rankings is that some businesses are quite simple, and therefore not everyone needs this layer of expertise.
Zen Business:
- LLC formation (starts at $39) – Zen Business will form your LLC for just $39 (except for your state fee) with the following features: a business name availability search, the preparation, and filing of your articles of organization, registered agent service, a risk-free accounting assessment, and a sample operating agreement.
- Registered agent ($99/year) – Registered agent service from Zen Business costs $99 per year, although you can get your first year for free if you purchase business formation service from them. Aside from the basics of serving as your registered agent, this service does not include any additional features.
Who should use their services? Zen Business is our #1 overall pick for LLC formation service, and they came in second in our registered agent list as well. With that in mind, we strongly recommend them for anyone looking to form a business and/or acquire registered agent service. Especially considering that low $39 price point to combine both services, how can you go wrong?
Total Price for LLC Formation + 1 Year Registered Agent
Nationwide Incorporators: Call for quote
Zen Business: $39 (plus state fee)
Customer Satisfaction
Nationwide Incorporators: We were only able to track down five reviews for Nationwide Incorporators, with four on Yelp and another one on Google. While that’s obviously not a large volume of reviews, all of them are positive, with customers commenting on how easy they make the business formation process. Their clients also discuss the excellent peace of mind they receive from having a qualified business attorney handling their business services.
Zen Business: We found more than 4,700 Zen Business reviews on Trustpilot, and 97% of them are positive in nature. Their reviewers clearly enjoy their affordable business entity formation service, and they also frequently comment on the ease of use provided by Zen Business.
Quality of Customer Service
Nationwide Incorporators: Nationwide Incorporators provides access to their customer support team through email and phone. We have experience with both options, and are pleased to report that we received strong support through both email and phone. In fact, when we called Nationwide Incorporators, we actually got to speak to company owner Robert E. Stenson ― a business attorney with 25+ years of experience ― directly.
Zen Business: You can reach the Zen Business customer support team by phone, email, or web chat. In general, Zen Business has a service department that can compete with most of the other companies in this industry. Their representatives always reply quickly, and they seem to be knowledgeable as well, in our experience.
Company Stats and Track Record
Nationwide Incorporators: Nationwide Incorporators opened in 1997, and company CEO Robert E. Stenson has two-and-a-half decades of experience as a business lawyer. They don’t handle the same volume of clients that some competitors do, but as they say on their website, “Don’t confuse volume with quality.”
Zen Business: Zen Business is a recent addition to the business formation industry, as they just opened in 2015. The Texas-based company is trying to flip the online business services market on its head by offering highly affordable services that still include everything you need to maintain a compliant business entity.
Final Scores and Our Recommendation
Zen Business wins!
Nationwide Incorporators (4.2/5): We’re impressed by their attorney-reviewed document filing process, but especially with their registered agent service pricing operating on a variable basis, we understand that they’re not the right choice for everyone. If your company could benefit from their attorney-powered services, they could be the right choice for you.
Zen Business (4.9/5): While we really appreciate Nationwide Incorporators, Zen Business is actually our favorite LLC formation service. For just $39, they’ll provide the full formation process of your LLC, while also including a year of registered agent service. It’s tough to beat the affordability of Zen Business’ services.