Updated October 29, 2026
Inc Authority and LegalZoom split this matchup at the checkout counter.
By Jon Morgan · Fact-checked by Jon Tobin, Business Attorney · How we test
LegalZoom
$0 + state feeSee LegalZoom plans (opens in a new tab)Save 20% with code: venturesmarter20
Inc Authority
$0 + state feeSee Inc Authority plans (opens in a new tab)Prices checked October 29, 2026. State filing fees are extra.
Inc Authority chases the lowest possible sticker price, while LegalZoom leans on a deeper support bench once the LLC exists. Real filings with each company show exactly where that split holds up.
We formed Mile High Bicycle Company LLC in Colorado with Inc Authority on June 8 and paid $50, just the state fee. LegalZoom's own order followed that day, Maine Spoons LLC in Maine, with the entire $175 coming from Maine's filing fee.
Once the LLC is filed, Inc Authority hands you an AI logo picker and nothing else ongoing, while LegalZoom opens into an attorney network, AI contract review and a bookkeeping tool that keep working long after checkout.
Starting price, registered agent timing and post-formation support drive most of the year-one decision, and the table below lines up both providers on all three.
| Feature |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Venture Smarter Rating | ★★★★½ | ★★★★ |
| Starting LLC Package | $0 + state fee | $0 + state fee |
| EIN Filing | Included on Pro ($249) | Free (your choice) |
| Registered Agent Year 1 | $249/year (not bundled) | Free with Starter |
| Registered Agent Renewal | $249/year | $249/year |
| Post-Formation Dashboard | Attorney network, AI contract review, LZ Books | AI logo picker only |
| Customer Support Hours | Phone and chat, every plan | Phone, weekdays 7:30am-5pm Pacific |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 60 days | 60 days |
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Inc Authority walks every order through eight upsell screens, from the EIN-or-Express-Processing choice through Compliance360 and an S-Corp election pitch.
A live countdown timer sits on each paid screen, though in our testing the offer itself never actually disappeared once the clock hit zero.
LegalZoom flips the order entirely, collecting payment before asking for the LLC's real details. The post-payment screen greeted us with an "ACTION REQUIRED" banner rather than a finished order.
LegalZoom then followed with a trademark-search pitch stamped "TODAY ONLY 50% OFF," cutting its listed $199 down to $99 once we were already past the register.
Both companies land on the same $249-a-year renewal for registered agent service, so the real difference is what happens in year one.
Inc Authority bundles the first year free with its Starter formation. LegalZoom never bundles it into any plan and doesn't surface it once during checkout.
States require every LLC to name a registered agent, but paying one of these companies for that job isn't required.
Appointing yourself is free if you meet the state's address and availability rules, so either $249 figure buys convenience rather than a legal requirement.
Inc Authority's post-formation experience stops at a logo picker. Sign the order and the only tool waiting is an AI logo generator, alongside an order confirmation email, with no dashboard or compliance tracker behind it.
Phone hours max out at 7:30 am to 5 pm Pacific on weekdays, and the line goes quiet entirely on Saturday and Sunday.
LegalZoom's Pro and Premium tiers add a real support bench. Independent attorneys review contracts up to ten pages, and an AI tool pulls key clauses from anything you upload.
LZ Books adds tax projections and invoicing that stay included after the trial period, while its mileage tracking and expense features shift to $9.99 a month once that trial window closes.
Inc Authority backs its formation with a Compliance360 add-on, free for 30 days and then $147 a year, adding state compliance alerts and two free amendments annually.
A Business Funding Analysis comes free with every order, and a 60-day money-back guarantee covers the whole formation package.
LegalZoom layers on trademark and patent tools inside the same dashboard used for formation, plus a standalone attorney subscription at $39.09 a month for ongoing legal access. Its own money-back guarantee also runs 60 days.
Inc Authority backs its $0 pitch with strong third-party marks. It holds a 4.9 rating on both Trustpilot and Google, spanning tens of thousands of Trustpilot reviews and thousands more on Google.
Our own scoring puts LegalZoom slightly ahead on User Ratings, 4.4 against Inc Authority's 4.3, reflecting testing across support, pricing and feature depth rather than aggregated public review counts alone.
LegalZoom
Pros
Cons
Inc Authority
Pros
Cons
Neither pick fits every founder, so compare the wider field in our best LLC services guide.
Inc Authority is actually free for the formation, the EIN, and the first year of registered agent service (then $249/yr), all $0. We paid $50 to close out our Colorado order, and every dollar of it went to the state, not to Inc Authority.
LegalZoom does not include a registered agent in any plan, and the option never appeared during our checkout. It's a standalone purchase ($249 first year, then $249/yr) you add once your LLC already exists, so budget for it as its own line item.
After you pay with Inc Authority, you land on a page with AI-generated logo options and an order confirmation email. There's no dashboard to log back into, no compliance calendar, and no document storage beyond that first screen.
LegalZoom has the deeper post-formation support, by a wide margin.
Its attorney network, AI contract review, and LZ Books bookkeeping tool all sit inside the same account, while Inc Authority's account stops at the logo picker with nothing ongoing behind it.
Between these two, LegalZoom wins. Its Pro plan adds unlimited 30-minute attorney consults for 30 days, renewing monthly unless you cancel. It also has the deepest post-formation toolkit we tested, including 150+ legal documents.
Its compliance plan ($199 for the first year) files annual reports and pays the fine or penalty if it misses anything. Pick Inc Authority instead if a $0 filing is all you need; note its agent renews at $249 a year after year one.
We formed Maine Spoons LLC with LegalZoom in June 2026 and paid $175 on the $0 Basic plan, which was Maine's state filing fee.
Two costs to plan for: registered agent service is sold separately, and Pro's attorney consults renew at $49 a month after the first 30 days unless you cancel. If you expect legal questions after filing, LegalZoom is the one to pick.
Our verdict
$0 + state fee. 60-day money-back guarantee.
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Prices checked October 29, 2026. State filing fees are extra.