Incfile vs LegalZoom in 2026: The Bizee Rebrand and How It Really Stacks Up
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If you’ve been searching for “Incfile vs LegalZoom” and landing on pages that feel out of date, there’s a reason: Incfile no longer exists by that name. The company rebranded to Bizee in late 2023, though its core service — and its flagship free LLC formation offer (you pay only state filing fees) — remains intact. So the real question in 2026 is: Bizee vs LegalZoom — which one should you use to form your LLC?
The short answer: for most first-time LLC owners, Bizee offers significantly more value per dollar. But LegalZoom has meaningful advantages in specific situations. This comparison breaks down pricing, features, turnaround time, and hidden costs so you can make a clear-eyed decision before you file.
What Happened to Incfile? The Bizee Rebrand Explained
Incfile was one of the original disruptors in the LLC formation space — it introduced the now-common “$0 + state fees” model that forced the entire industry to rethink pricing. In 2023, the company officially rebranded as Bizee, citing a desire to better reflect its broader suite of business services beyond just formation.
The rebrand was largely cosmetic. The website changed, the logo changed, and new branding rolled out across social channels — but the underlying formation platform, pricing structure, and service tiers remained substantially similar. If you formed an LLC with Incfile in 2019, your dashboard is now called Bizee. Your registered agent service transferred over. Your documents are the same.
What the rebrand did signal, though, is an intent to compete more directly with LegalZoom and ZenBusiness in the post-formation services category: registered agent, annual report filing, EIN procurement, operating agreements, and small business legal documents. For a full breakdown of every major player, see our best LLC formation services guide.
Bizee vs LegalZoom: Pricing Breakdown
This is where the comparison gets interesting — and where the “Incfile vs LegalZoom” debate has always lived. Let’s look at current 2026 pricing.
Bizee (formerly Incfile) Pricing
| Plan | Price | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| Silver | $0 + state fees | LLC filing, registered agent (1 year free), order tracking |
| Gold | $199 + state fees | Everything in Silver + EIN, operating agreement, banking resolution, IRS Form 2553 (S-Corp election) |
| Platinum | $299 + state fees | Everything in Gold + business contract templates, expedited filing, domain name, business email |
After year one: The registered agent service renews at $119/year — a critical number to know. That changes the “free” calculus significantly over a 3–5 year horizon.
LegalZoom Pricing
| Plan | Price | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0 + state fees | LLC filing, registered agent (1 year free) |
| Pro | $249 + state fees | Everything in Basic + EIN, operating agreement, rush filing |
| Premium | $299 + state fees | Everything in Pro + business name search, expedited review, LLC compliance calendar |
After year one: LegalZoom’s registered agent renews at $249/year — more than double Bizee’s renewal rate. For a business running on tight margins, that $130 annual difference adds up to $650+ over five years.
Bottom line on price: Bizee wins on cost at nearly every tier. The Gold plan at $199 undercuts LegalZoom’s Pro plan at $249 while delivering a comparable feature set. The registered agent renewal gap is particularly stark.
Features Compared: What You Actually Get
Price alone doesn’t tell the whole story. Here’s how the two services compare on the features that matter most to new business owners in 2026.
Registered Agent Service
Both services include one free year of registered agent service with any paid or free formation plan. This is the person or company authorized to receive legal documents on behalf of your LLC — a registered agent is required in every state.
After year one:
- Bizee: $119/year
- LegalZoom: $249/year
If budget is your primary concern, Bizee is the clear winner here. Worth noting: Northwest Registered Agent offers registered agent service at $125/year with a notably stronger privacy-forward approach, and its formation service — while not free — is widely regarded as the most full-featured in the market. See our full Northwest Registered Agent review for details.
EIN (Employer Identification Number)
Bizee includes EIN procurement in its Gold plan ($199). LegalZoom includes it in its Pro plan ($249). Both services handle the IRS filing on your behalf, though you can also get an EIN directly from the IRS for free if you’re comfortable with the online application.
Operating Agreement
Both services include an operating agreement template in their mid-tier plans. Bizee’s is a standard single-member or multi-member template; LegalZoom’s is similar but with slightly more customization prompts. Neither replaces the work of an actual attorney for complex ownership structures — but for a solo LLC or a two-person partnership, either is adequate.
Legal Access and Attorney Consultations
This is where LegalZoom has a genuine, durable advantage. Its Premium plan and subscription tiers include access to attorney consultations — something Bizee simply doesn’t offer in a comparable way. If you anticipate needing ongoing legal guidance (reviewing contracts, navigating employment questions, handling disputes), LegalZoom’s attorney network is a meaningful differentiator.
In my experience reviewing these platforms since 2021, this is the single most undervalued feature in LegalZoom’s lineup. Most people skip it — until they need it.
Business Dashboard and Post-Formation Tools
Both platforms offer an online dashboard for tracking your LLC’s status, storing documents, and managing compliance deadlines. Bizee’s dashboard is clean and functional; LegalZoom’s has more integrations and a more mature compliance calendar. For 2026, both have mobile-friendly interfaces.
Turnaround Time and Filing Speed
Filing speed depends heavily on the state, not just the service — but the formation company’s internal processing time matters too.
Standard filing:
- Bizee: typically 2–3 business days to submit to the state
- LegalZoom: typically 3–5 business days to submit to the state
Expedited filing:
- Both services offer rush processing for an additional fee ($50–$100 depending on the plan and state)
- State processing times then apply on top of that (e.g., California takes 3–5 business days; Texas is often 1–2 business days)
For most founders, the difference between 2 and 5 business days doesn’t materially affect their launch timeline. But if you’re racing a contract deadline or a bank account opening, Bizee’s slightly faster standard turnaround is a point in its favor.
Customer Support: A Realistic Assessment
Neither Bizee nor LegalZoom is known for exceptional customer support — and that’s worth saying plainly before you choose.
Bizee offers phone, email, and live chat. Response times for live chat are generally reasonable during business hours, but complex questions often get routed to email. Support agents are knowledgeable about the formation process but can struggle with state-specific nuances.
LegalZoom has a larger support operation and offers phone support with longer hours. Its attorney consultation access (on premium plans) is genuinely useful when you have substantive legal questions. However, its support is organized more like a large corporation — longer hold times, more tier-based escalation.
For a head-to-head on support quality, our full LegalZoom review and Bizee review go deeper on real user experiences.
Hidden Costs: The Numbers They Don’t Lead With
One of the most important things to understand about LLC formation services in 2026 is that the headline price is rarely the total price. Here’s where costs accumulate:
State filing fees — always separate, always required. These range from $50 in states like Kentucky to $520 in Massachusetts. California charges an $800 minimum annual franchise tax on top of the $70 filing fee. See our full cost breakdown before you choose your state.
Registered agent renewal — as noted, Bizee charges $119/year vs LegalZoom’s $249/year after the first free year. This is often the biggest surprise cost for new LLC owners.
EIN filing — free on mid-tier plans, but $70–$80 as an add-on if you start with the free Silver/Basic plan.
Operating agreement — free on mid-tier plans, but $99–$125 as an add-on on base plans.
Annual report filing — some states require annual or biennial reports with filing fees. Both services offer to handle this for an additional fee (~$100–$150/year). You can also file these yourself directly with the state for free (you pay only the state fee).
BOI Report — under the Corporate Transparency Act, most LLCs formed after January 1, 2024 are required to file a Beneficial Ownership Information report. Both Bizee and LegalZoom will file this for you for an additional fee. You can also file it yourself at no cost via FinCEN’s online portal. For more on deadlines and requirements, see our BOI Report Guide.
Which Service Is Right for You?
Here’s a practical framework:
Choose Bizee if:
- Budget is your primary driver and you want the lowest all-in cost
- You need a quick, no-frills formation with basic post-formation docs
- You’re comfortable handling ongoing compliance yourself or with minimal support
- You’re forming a simple single-member LLC for freelancing, e-commerce, or a side business
Choose LegalZoom if:
- You want attorney access and are willing to pay a premium for it
- You’re forming a multi-member LLC with a more complex operating agreement
- You value a well-known brand name for bank account and investor optics
- You anticipate needing ongoing legal document support
Consider alternatives if:
- You want the best registered agent privacy protections → Northwest Registered Agent
- You want a middle ground on price with strong compliance tools → ZenBusiness
- You want to compare all options side by side → Best LLC Formation Services
It’s also worth considering whether you need an LLC at all for your specific situation. Our LLC vs Sole Proprietorship guide walks through the liability and tax tradeoffs clearly.
Bizee vs LegalZoom: Summary Scorecard
| Category | Bizee | LegalZoom |
|---|---|---|
| Base formation price | $0 + state fees | $0 + state fees |
| Mid-tier price | $199 | $249 |
| Registered agent (yr 1) | Free | Free |
| Registered agent renewal | $119/year | $249/year |
| Attorney access | No | Yes (premium plans) |
| EIN included | Gold and up | Pro and up |
| Operating agreement | Gold and up | Pro and up |
| Turnaround time | 2–3 days | 3–5 days |
| Overall value | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Incfile and Bizee the same company? Yes. Incfile rebranded to Bizee in 2023. The company, ownership, platform, and service offerings are the same — only the name and branding changed. If you formed an LLC with Incfile, your account is now under the Bizee brand.
Is Bizee really free to form an LLC? Bizee charges $0 in service fees on its Silver plan, but you still pay your state’s filing fee — which ranges from $50 to $520 depending on the state. The “free” refers only to Bizee’s preparation and submission fee, not the government costs.
How much does LegalZoom charge for LLC formation in 2026? LegalZoom’s base (Basic) plan starts at $0 in service fees plus state fees, just like Bizee. Its Pro plan is $249 and its Premium plan is $299, both plus state fees.
Which is faster: Bizee or LegalZoom? Bizee generally processes and submits filings slightly faster — typically 2–3 business days vs LegalZoom’s 3–5 days before state processing begins. Both offer expedited options for an additional fee.
Do I need a registered agent if I use Bizee or LegalZoom? Yes — every LLC in every state is legally required to have a registered agent. Both services include one free year of registered agent service. After that, you can continue with them, switch to another provider, or act as your own registered agent in states that allow it.
What happens after the first free year of registered agent service? Bizee charges $119/year and LegalZoom charges $249/year for continued registered agent service. You can switch to a different registered agent (like Northwest at $125/year) or, if your state allows it and you have a physical street address, designate yourself.
Is LegalZoom worth the extra cost over Bizee? It depends on your needs. If you want attorney consultation access or anticipate ongoing legal document needs, LegalZoom’s premium plans can be worth the premium. For straightforward formations with no anticipated legal complexity, Bizee delivers equivalent formation outcomes at a lower cost.
Can I switch from Bizee to LegalZoom (or vice versa) after formation? The formation itself is done — once your LLC is filed with the state, the formation service’s role is largely complete. You can switch your registered agent at any time. Any post-formation services (annual reports, legal documents) can be handled by a different provider going forward.
The Bottom Line on Incfile vs LegalZoom in 2026
The Incfile vs LegalZoom comparison has evolved — because Incfile itself has evolved into Bizee. But the fundamental value proposition hasn’t changed: Bizee is the price-conscious choice, LegalZoom is the brand-name choice with attorney access. For the vast majority of solo founders and small business owners forming a straightforward LLC in 2026, Bizee delivers more value per dollar.
That said, neither service is the absolute best option for every situation. If you want the most comprehensive formation experience, Northwest Registered Agent remains the gold standard for privacy and included features. If you want to see how all the major services stack up in a single table, our best LLC formation services guide is the right starting point.
Whatever you decide, don’t let the choice of formation service become a bottleneck. The state fees are what they are, the paperwork is largely the same, and the most important thing is getting your LLC filed and your business moving.
The author name used in this article may be a pen name or pseudonym and is used for illustrative and editorial purposes only. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. LLC formation requirements, pricing, and regulations vary by state and change frequently — verify current details directly with your chosen formation service and your state’s Secretary of State website before filing. Consult qualified legal and tax professionals before making financial or business structure decisions.
Sarah Mitchell
Sarah has researched and tested over 20 LLC formation services since 2021. She has personally formed LLCs in 5 states.