We've compared Incfile vs. LegalZoom across every point that matters to a first-time founder, like pricing, filing speed, compliance tools, and more. Keep reading!
You're ready to make your business official. You've narrowed it down to two names everyone seems to recommend: Incfile (now rebranded as Bizee) and LegalZoom. Both promise to handle your paperwork, both have hundreds of thousands of customers, and both look solid on paper.
So which one to choose?
Well, here is the short answer: Choose Bizee (Incfile) if you want a free first-year registered agent and a simple filing experience.
Choose LegalZoom if you need ongoing legal services or estate planning in addition to your business formation.
Consider their alternatives if you want fast processing times, transparent pricing, and a formation service built to get small businesses started without friction.
What’s New In 2026?
Before we compare, two things you should know:
Incfile rebranded to Bizee in 2023. The service, pricing structure, and team are largely the same; only the name has changed. You may still see "Incfile" in older articles and search results.
LegalZoom has launched an AI-Powered Grant Finder, a free tool to help small businesses identify funding opportunities. [1]
While both LegalZoom and Incfile offer their base LLC formation packages at $ 0 plus state fees, the included features differ significantly, and that's where the real comparison begins.
| Feature | Bizee (Incfile) | LegalZoom |
|---|---|---|
| Basic package price | $0 + state fees | $0 + state fees |
| Registered agent (year 1) | Free | $249/year |
| Registered agent (year 2+) | $119/year | $249/year |
| EIN filing | $70 add-on | $79 add-on |
| Operating agreement | Included in Standard ($199) | Included in Pro ($249) |
| Standard processing time | 2–5 weeks (varies by state) | 5–14 business days |
| Expedited filing | Available (Premium plan) | Available (extra cost) |
| Attorney access | No | Yes (subscription plans) |
| Customer support hours | Mon to Fri, 9 am to 6 pm CT | Mon to Fri, 5 am to 7 pm PT; weekends too |
| Trademark Registration | $199 + fees | $599 + fees |
| Annual Report Filing | $99 + state fees | $99 + state fees |
| Money-Back Guarantee | Limited (24hr strict policy) | 60 days |
| Trustpilot score (approx.) | 4.7 / 5 (~25,000 reviews) | 4.6 / 5 (~29,200 reviews) |
How Are Incfile And LegalZoom Different?
Incfile was founded in 2004 and rebranded as Bizee in recent years. They've helped over 1,000,000 entrepreneurs start businesses across all 50 states. Bizee (Incfile) is a business formation-only company. They don't offer personal legal services, estate planning, or attorney consultations.
LegalZoom was founded in 2001. They've helped over 4.8 million businesses launch and have served more than 9 million legal needs overall. Unlike Incfile/Bizee, LegalZoom is a full legal services platform. They handle business formation, but also estate planning, wills, trusts, trademark registration, attorney consultations, divorce paperwork, and more.
Incfile Vs. LegalZoom: How Much Does It Cost To Start An LLC?
Both companies start at $0 + state fees, but what you get inside each package is very different. Here's the complete breakdown.
How Much Does Incfile (Bizee) Charge For LLC Formation?
Basic
$0 + state filing fees
- Articles of Organization
- Free registered agent service for your first year
Standard
$199 + state filing fees
- Everything from basic:
- EIN (Federal Tax ID)
- Operating Agreement
- Domain Name + Business Email
Premium
$299 + state filing fees
- Everything from standard
- Expedited filing
- Business contract templates
- Business phone number
How Much Does LegalZoom Charge For LLC Formation?
Basic
$0 + state filing fees
- Business name check
- Articles of Organization filing
- Tax consultation (1-800-Accountant)
Pro
$249 + state filing fees
- Everything in Basic
- Operating agreement
- EIN (Federal Tax ID)
- Legal template library (1 year)
- 30-day attorney consultation trial
Premium
$299 + state filing fees
- Everything in Pro
- Bookkeeping tools
- Expense tracking
- Invoicing tools
At the free tier, Incfile is significantly more valuable at the same price ($0 + state fees) but includes free registered agent service worth $119–$299. That's a substantial difference for a first-year founder.
At the mid-tier, Incfile's Gold ($199) and LegalZoom's Pro ($249) are $50 apart. Incfile includes more formation-specific documents (banking resolution, compliance alerts, IRS Form 2553); LegalZoom includes attorney consultations and a broader legal document library.
At the premium tier, both are $299, but with very different extras. Incfile adds expedited filing, business contract templates, and a phone number. LegalZoom adds bookkeeping tools and financial tracking.
True First-Time Cost: What You'll Actually Pay?
Here is what a typical first-time LLC formation costs with each service, including the essentials most founders need: formation filing, registered agent, and EIN. We are comparing mid-tier packages for both services:
Bizee (Incfile) Standard Package
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Standard formation package | $199 |
| Registered agent (included free year 1) | $0 |
| EIN (included in Standard) | $0 |
| State filing fee (example: Illinois) | $154 |
| First-year total | $353 |
LegalZoom Pro Package
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Pro formation package | $249 |
| EIN (included in Pro) | $0 |
| State filing fee (example: Illinois) | $153 |
| Total | $402 |
| Registered Agent charges | $249 |
| Final Total | 651 |
There is a $298 difference between Bizee and LegalZoom mid-tier LLC formation fees.
Hidden Fees and Upsells: What To Watch For?
Bizee (Incfile)
Bizee's checkout is relatively straightforward. The main add-ons to watch for are:
- Expedited 3 business days filing at $50
- Virtual address at $29 month (first month free)
- Business license research $99
If you don't need any of these, opt out during checkout.
Note: The free Basic plan does not include an operating agreement or EIN. Many founders discover this after signing up and end up adding both, which puts the total closer to the Standard plan price anyway.
LegalZoom
LegalZoom's checkout includes more add-ons like
- Compliance Filings plus Licenses, at $249 per year (10-day free trial)
- 1-day expedited processing for an extra cost of $99
- Founders Kit with important documents in one place $99
- Registered agent service at $249/year
These services appear during checkout and are easy to accept without fully reading what you're agreeing to. Make sure to double-check your cart before you check out.
Turnaround Time: How Fast Will Your LLC Be Filed?
Processing speed contains two things:
- The state processing time: How long does your state take to review and officially approve your LLC filing (A Faster submission means you get to the front of the state's queue sooner)
- Service processing time: How quickly the LLC formation company prepares and submits your documents
Bizee Vs. LegalZoom: LLC Processing Speed:
| Package | Bizzee Turn Around Time | LegalZoom | Turnaround time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 4 Weeks | Basic | 5–14 business days |
| Standard | 4 Weeks | Pro | 5–7 business days |
| Premium | 3 Days | Premium | 1 business day |
We compared state processing time data shared by Bizee and found that the average time to file an LLC is 3 to 6 weeks. If we talk about expedited processing, the average time Bizee takes is 3.1 days. LegalZoom charges a $99 expedited fee for 1-business-day processing. State-wise LLC processing data is not available for LegalZoom.
If speed matters, check your specific state's current processing time before choosing an expedited option. In many states, approval takes 2 to 4 weeks regardless of the filing service.
Registered Agent Service: Which Company Is Worth It?
How Much Does Incfile (Bizee) Charge For Registered Agent Service?
Incfile includes one full year of registered agent service free with every formation package. After year one, the annual fee is $119/year.
Features included:
- Expert handling of all documents received
- Automatic mail forwarding (digital)
- Email and SMS notifications when documents arrive
- Personalized online dashboard
- Available in all 50 states
How Much Does LegalZoom Charge For Registered Agent Service?
LegalZoom's registered agent service is not included in any formation package. It's an add-on at $249/year. Features include:
- Mail scanning and uploading to the secure dashboard
- Email alerts for received mail and compliance deadlines
- $1 million identity theft protection and credit monitoring
- Unlimited cloud storage
- LegalZoom handles paperwork if you need to switch registered agents
Is the Cost Difference Worth It?
| Service | Year 1 cost | Year 2+ cost | Year 5+ cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| LegalZoom | $249/year | $249/year | $1245 |
| Bizee (Incfile) | Free (with any plan) | $119/year | $476 |
| Total Difference | $769 |
Bizee's first-year fee for registered agent service, and a lower yearly price than LegalZoom, is a genuine advantage for budget-conscious founders. LegalZoom's registered agent service costs more but includes identity theft protection and unlimited cloud storage for documents.
Legal Services: What LegalZoom Offers That Bizee Doesn't
LegalZoom’s Business Advisory Plan gives you access to an independent attorney network through a prepaid subscription:
- 6 month plan: $259 total (~$43/month)
- 12 month plan: $469 total (~$39/month)
What's included in the subscription:
- 30 minute vetted attorney consultations on new legal matters
- Contract and legal document reviews (up to 10 pages)
- Annual business evaluation (12-month plan only)
- Unlimited downloads from a 150+ template legal form library
- Discounts on other LegalZoom services
Beyond this subscription, LegalZoom also offers trademark registration, copywriting and filing, estate planning, and business tax services.
Bizee does not offer attorney consultations, legal advice subscriptions, or personal legal services. They are a document-filing and business-formation company. Their additional services include trademark registration, annual report filing, virtual address service, and business license research. If you need a lawyer to review a contract, advise on an employment dispute, or help with a business legal question, you'll need to find one separately.
Compliance Services: Keeping Your LLC In Good Standing
Both services offer help with ongoing compliance, which includes the filings and deadlines that keep your LLC legally active after formation.
Does Incfile Help You Stay Compliant After Formation?
Yes. Incfile offers lifetime company compliance alerts as part of its Gold and Platinum packages. These alerts notify you of upcoming annual report deadlines, state fee due dates, and other filing requirements. Incfile also offers a range of compliance services as standalone purchases.
| Service | Incfile Price |
|---|---|
| Annual Report Filing | $99 + state fees |
| Amendment | $99 + state fees |
| EIN (standalone) | $70 |
| Foreign Qualification | $149 + state fees |
| Business License Research | $99 |
| S Corp Election | Start at $0+state fees |
Does LegalZoom Help You Stay Compliant After Formation?
LegalZoom offers more individual compliance products, but they're sold separately rather than as an integrated system:
| Service | LegalZoom Price |
|---|---|
| Annual Report Filing | $99 + state fees |
| Initial Report | $35 + state fees |
| Compliance Calendar | $69/year |
| Record Keeping | $99/year |
| Operating Agreement (standalone) | $99 |
| Bylaws and Resolutions | $99 |
LegalZoom also offers a Compliance Concierge service in which a dedicated compliance specialist manages your compliance obligations.
Incfile wins on compliance alerts being included in paid formation packages. LegalZoom wins on the breadth and depth of its individual compliance products, particularly for businesses seeking professional management of their compliance calendar.
Refund And Cancellation Policies: Which Is More Customer-Friendly?
What Is Incfile's Refund Policy?
Incfile's refund policy is notably stricter than most competitors. Refund requests must generally be made within 24 hours of placing an order. After that window, refunds may not be available, particularly if your paperwork has been submitted to the state.
State filing fees and third-party fees (such as registered agent services) are non-refundable regardless of timing.
This is one area where Incfile falls significantly short of its competitors. A 24-hour refund window is very tight for a decision that often takes a few days of research to be sure about.
What Is LegalZoom's Refund Policy?
LegalZoom offers a 60 day money back satisfaction guarantee, one of the more generous policies in the industry. You can request a refund within 60 days of your purchase. State filing fees already paid to the government are non-refundable, but if the state hasn't yet received your filing, some fees may be refundable.
Customer Reviews: What Real Users Say About Bizee And LegalZoom?
Bizee (Incfile): ~4.7 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot across roughly 25,000 reviews (as of April 2026). Positive reviews frequently mention ease of use and helpful support. Negative reviews often reference delays in resolving filing errors and difficulty canceling add-on services. [1]
LegalZoom: ~4.6 out of 5 across roughly 29,200 reviews. Positive reviews highlight the attorney's helpfulness and the ease of the process. Negative reviews most often involve unintentional subscription charges and difficulty reaching support for cancellations. [2]
Both services have a meaningful share of negative reviews. The pattern in both cases is similar: customers who end up with services they didn't intend to purchase and have difficulty resolving them afterward.
Customer Support: Hours And Channels
| Feature | Bizee | LegalZoom |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | Yes | Yes |
| Chat | Yes | Yes |
| Email/form | Yes | Yes |
| Weekday hours | Mon to Fri, 9 am to 6 pm CT | Mon to Fri, 5 am to 7 pm PT |
| Weekend hours | Not available | 7 am to 4 pm PT |
LegalZoom has broader availability, including weekends. If you run your business on weekends or need help outside standard business hours, that matters.
What Is Similar In LegalZoom And Bizee?
LegalZoom and Bizee can help you form:
- LLC (all 50 states)
- C Corporation
- S Corporation
- Nonprofit
- DBA
- Sole proprietorship
- Foreign Qualification
Both companies cover the standard business entity types that most small business owners need. LegalZoom also covers estate-planning entities and personal legal structures that Incfile doesn't cover.
Who Should Choose Which Service?
Choose Bizee (Incfile) if:
- You want the lowest total cost in year one
- You only need basic LLC formation and registered agent service
- You value a simple, focused process without many extras
- You're simply forming an LLC or an S Corp
Choose LegalZoom if:
- You anticipate needing attorney consultations or legal advice beyond formation
- You want trademark registration, contract review, or personal legal services on the same platform
- Weekend customer support access is important to you
- You're comfortable with a higher upfront and ongoing cost for broader services
What Is The Alternative To Swyft Filings And Bizee?
If you've read this far and neither Incfile nor LegalZoom feels exactly right, Swyft Filings is worth a serious look. Here's why founders consistently choose Swyft Filings:
Faster Processing With State-Specific Transparency
Same-day processing is available on Swyft's Premium package or as an add-on.
Built-In Compliance Alerts Through Complianceguard
Swyft's proprietary ComplianceGuard technology monitors your state's filing deadlines and sends you automated reminders. Every formation package includes a 14-day free trial.
Lifetime Customer Support With Business Specialists
When you call Swyft Filings, you reach formation specialists; people trained specifically on business filing processes across all 50 states. Reviews consistently highlight named staff members who went above and beyond. This specialist access is included with every package at no extra charge.
More Competitive Compliance Pricing
Swyft charges $35 for an operating agreement, standalone, vs. LegalZoom's $99. Swyft offers a $64 saving on this document.
Over 5,000 Five-Star Reviews On Trustpilot
Swyft Filings has a 4.7-star rating on Trustpilot. Out of which 88% of ratings are 5-star. Swyft has a strong reputation for customer experience in far less time than older companies have been operating. [3]
How Does Swyft Filings Compare In A Quick Table?
| Factor | Incfile (Bizee) | LegalZoom | Swyft Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLC Starting Price | $0 + state fees | $0 + state fees | $0 + state fees |
| Same-Day Processing | 3 days | 1 Day | Available |
| Compliance Alerts Built In | Gold+ plans | $69/year add-on | ComplianceGuard |
| Attorney Access | No | Yes (subscription) | Unlimited attorney consultations |
| Lifetime Specialist Support | Yes | Varies | Yes |
| Operating Agreement (standalone) | $40 | $99 | $35 |
| Trustpilot Rating | 4.7 | 4.6/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Refund Window | 24 hours | 60 days | 60 days |
The Bottom Line
Bizee (Incfile) and LegalZoom both work. The question is what you need, and what you're willing to pay for it.
If you want a formation service focused on doing this one thing well, Swyft Filings has helped over 600,000+ businesses get started. We keep pricing clear and processing fast, so you can focus on running your business, not on figuring out your bill.
Bibliography
- YahooFinance. LegalZoom Launches Free AI-Powered Grant Finder. Accessed on May 6, 2026
- Trustpilot. Bizee. Accessed on May 6, 2026
- Trustpilot. LegalZoom. Accessed on May 6, 2026
- Trustpilot. Swyft Filings. Accessed on May 6, 2026
Disclaimer: Pricing and service details are based on publicly available information as of April 2026. Fees are subject to change. State filing fees are set by each state and are not controlled by any formation service. This article does not constitute legal advice.
