Last Updated: February 16, 2024 by TRUiC Team


LegalZoom VS Inc Authority 2024

Which Is the Best LLC Service for You?

Looking for the best service to start your LLC? We used Inc Authority and LegalZoom to form LLCs, then compared their features.

In this LegalZoom vs. Inc Authority review, we’ll let you know if either is worth your time and money. We also recommend checking out our list of the top 5 LLC formation services.

Inc Authority vs LegalZoom Review Image.

Recommended Step Before Using LegalZoom or Inc Authority

It’s important to name your business before going through the LLC formation process with a service provider. TRUiC’s Free LLC Name Generator will help you to do the following:

  • Discover the perfect business name for your company.
  • Conduct a business name search to make sure your desired name is available in your state and not already taken.
  • Help verify the availability and secure a domain name for your LLC.

LegalZoom vs Inc Authority: Which Is Best for Your Business?

Our Approach:

When we started researching LegalZoom and Inc Authority, we focused on three main questions for our comparison review:

  • Is it a good deal?
  • Is there a better deal?
  • Who uses this LLC service and how did they review their experience?

We analyzed the LLC formation services’ overall value, customer reviews, customer service, included features, and ease of use to determine which company is best for you and your business.

Quick Comparison:

1. Choose LegalZoom if you don’t mind paying a little more to form your LLC through a company with a well-established brand.

2. Choose Inc Authority if you want to take advantage of its $0 plus state fees basic LLC formation package.

3. Choose ZenBusiness if you want a more full-featured LLC formation package at a reasonable price.

Need more details? Read on for a more in-depth breakdown of our LegalZoom vs Inc Authority LLC services comparison.

LLC Packages: LegalZoom vs. Inc Authority

LLC Formation: Basic Plan Comparison

Inc Authority vs LegalZoom Side by Side Comparison

Inc Authority LegalZoom
ORDER PROCESSING TIME 1-3 weeks 30 days
REGISTERED AGENT Included for one year $159 extra per year
OPERATING AGREEMENT No $99 extra
EIN REGISTRATION No $60 extra, must be bundled with Operating Agreement for a total of $159
ANNUAL COMPLIANCE No One month free, $320/year after
ADVISORY Tax Planning Consultation and Business Funding No

LLC Formation: Middle Plan Comparison

Inc Authority vs LegalZoom Side by Side Comparison

Inc Authority LegalZoom
ORDER PROCESSING TIME 1-3 weeks 15 days
REGISTERED AGENT Included for one year $159 extra per year
OPERATING AGREEMENT Yes $99 extra
EIN REGISTRATION Yes $60 extra, must be bundled with Operating Agreement for a total of $159
ANNUAL COMPLIANCE No One month free, $320/year after
ADVISORY Tax Planning Consultation, Business Funding Analysis, and Inc Protection Advisor No

LLC Formation: Top Plan Comparison

Inc Authority vs LegalZoom Side by Side Comparison

Inc Authority LegalZoom
ORDER PROCESSING TIME Express processing saves you several days 15 days
REGISTERED AGENT Included for one year $159 extra per year
OPERATING AGREEMENT Yes $99 extra
EIN REGISTRATION Yes $60 extra, must be bundled with Operating Agreement for a total of $159
ANNUAL COMPLIANCE No One month free, $320/year after
ADVISORY Tax Planning Consultation, Business Funding Analysis, Inc Protection Advisor, and More No

Best LLC Formation Services

four point eight out of five Northwest ($29 + State Fees)
four out of five LegalZoom ($0 + State Fees)
four out of five ZenBusiness ($0 + State Fees)
four out of five Tailor Brands ($0 + State Fees)
four out of five Bizee ($0 + State Fees)
three point eight out of five Swyft Filings ($0 + State Fees)
three point seven out of five Rocket Lawyer ($99 + State Fees)

FORM AN LLC FOR FREE USING OUR GUIDE

RECOMMENDED SERVICE

four point three out of five Inc Authority ($0 + State Fees)

LegalZoom vs. Inc Authority: Customer Reviews

LegalZoom is used by entrepreneurs who:

  • Are willing to pay a premium to get LLC formation services through a well-established company
  • Do not mind paying extra for registered agent service
  • Want access to the wide range of legal forms that LegalZoom provides

Here are some verified LegalZoom reviews on Trustpilot by customers who used this formation service to help launch their business:

“GREAT SERVICE FOR LLC!!! I am pleased with the service. The website was easy to view and pinpoint which services I needed. JUST READ BETWEEN ALL DOTTED LINES. I needed assistance and LiveChat answered my questions FAST, courteous, and accurate while updating information to avoid charges for services mistakenly added before reading complete details. I highly recommend this service if you are like me with a busy lifestyle and need your LLC without making errors. This is a well-known company and expect to pay a penny more but, expect to get offers you need here in one place with express options, and customer support. They have email representatives, live chat, online services and a toll free number you can reach out to. They are there to help and reach out to you if you may need help. CHECK YOUR EMAILS & DASHBOARD!!!”

“I think too many people expect too much from this company. Let’s be clear, when you do business with Legal Zoon, it’s not the same as hiring an attorney. But for simple legal tasks, it’s hard to beat Legal Zoom and their great prices.”

“Placed an order for LLC paper work on 11/4, requested 11/5 to cancel order via email and once again on 11/7. 11/10 revived an email from legal zoom stating my order could not be canceled because it had been processed. Now I am being told I have to pay an additional $129 to have it dissolved. And no refund of almost $500”

Inc Authority is used by entrepreneurs who:

  • Are searching for an extremely affordable, basic LLC formation service
  • Do not need the perks that come with premium packages
  • Want a full year of free registered agent service

Here are some verified Inc Authority reviews on Trustpilot by customers who used this formation service to help launch their business:

“JB was a great representative, he stayed on top of my request to turn my ministry into a non profit. He was so adamant about the purpose of my ministry that he contacted me regularly to see if there was anything he could do to make it more affordable for me. He applied a law enforcement and military discount, he made sure that my ministry received everything I asked for and explained everything in the package perfectly. I’ll be telling others about this great company.

“From the first call with Tycho to my most recent call with Jairo Reyes the experience has been amazing. Jairo calmed my nerves and solved my issue immediately. They both made the process gentle and friendly for a first time business owner. Please contact them to help you start your dreams!!”

“I have been trying to communicate with them for more than a month and they tell me it still does not come out, but do not issue me in what state or how is my LLC, I really thought it was a good company but it is unfortunate, I do not recommend it”

Inc Authority responded to the above review with the following:

“Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please call us directly at 877-684-2836 so we may assist and answers all questions.”

LegalZoom vs. Inc Authority Review Ratings

After conducting a quick comparison, we completed a more comprehensive review of Inc Authority and LegalZoom LLC services based on:

  • Cost Value
  • Customer Service
  • Ease of Use
  • Included Features
Inc Authority LegalZoom
Overall 4.3/5 3.4/5
Cost Value 4/5 3/5
Customer Service 5/5 3.7/5
Ease of Use 4/5 3.7/5
Included Features 4/5 3/5

Cost Value

Inc Authority gives you more for your money, particularly if you are choosing the $0 plus state fees basic package.

LegalZoom’s Economy package delivers the same services as Inc Authority’s Free LLC Formation package – but it costs $79 more. Both will conduct a business name check, prepare your documents, and file those documents. In fact, Inc Authority gives you more. You get a free year of registered agent service as well. The same year of registered agent service from LegalZoom is $159.

Customer Service

Inc Authority has much better reviews regarding customer service and is less likely to charge you for services you don’t want.

The customer service reviews for Inc Authority are generally positive, while the majority of the reviews for LegalZoom are average or even negative. Some LegalZoom customers complain of being charged for subscription services that they didn’t order and many complain of slow processing times and lack of clear communication.

Ease of Use

Inc Authority is slightly easier to use to set up your LLC, but LegalZoom is not difficult to use, either.

You are unlikely to be dissatisfied with your user experience whether you use Inc Authority or LegalZoom. Both services are fairly straightforward and take you through the formation process in a logical manner.

Included Features

Inc Authority is a clear winner here. It gives you more features than LegalZoom does, even in its free LLC formation package.

Both of the lower-tier packages from Inc Authority and LegalZoom will cover the basics of setting up your LLC. But Inc Authority will include a free year of registered agent service, while LegalZoom will charge you $159 for the same service. Inc Authority also gives you a tax planning consultation, a business funding analysis, and more.

Summary

After thoroughly researching LegalZoom and Inc Authority, we determined that Inc Authority is the better choice for most business owners. It delivers more services for less money – a lot less money – which makes it a clear winner in this comparison.

FAQ

You can learn everything about starting an LLC — and form one on your own — by following the steps outlined in our comprehensive state-based guides!

Inc Authority is a better LLC service in our opinion.

LegalZoom does offer legal services, but they are not included in their LLC formation packages.

You can find LegalZoom and Inc Authority alternatives by checking out our list of the top 5 LLC services.