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Explore our in-depth comparison of CorpNet and ZenBusiness to determine the ideal partner for your business formation and kickstart your entrepreneurial dreams.
Pricing:
$99 - $419
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Pricing:
$199/yr - $349/yr
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Best For:
Businesses looking for LLC formation services, business filings and compliance services, licenses, and permits
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Best For:
Entrepreneurs and small business owners who want to form an LLC or corporation quickly and affordably.
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Starting out on your entrepreneurial journey and in need of the perfect partner to assist you on the path of business formation?
Look no further. In this comprehensive comparison, we put CorpNet vs. ZenBusiness, two industry-leading business formation services, head-to-head to help you make the right choice for your venture.
We’ll delve into key considerations:
- Which service aligns with your specific business goals?
- Who provides the best value for your investment?
- What level of support do each of these services offer?
So, join us as we navigate this comparative exploration, and together, we’ll discover which business formation service is the perfect fit for you.
Pro-tip: For a more in-depth look at these two contenders, be sure to explore our comprehensive reviews of CorpNet and ZenBusiness.
CorpNet vs. ZenBusiness at a glance
Feature | CorpNet | ZenBusiness | Winner |
---|---|---|---|
SMB Guide’s Rating | 8/10 | 9.1/10 | ZenBusiness |
Business Formation Services | LLC, C-Corp, S-Corp, LLP, Nonprofits | LLLC, S-Corp, DBA | CorpNet |
Processing Time | 30-40 days | 2 – 3 weeks | ZenBusiness |
Registered Agent Services and Costs | $149/year | 1st year free, then $119/year | ZenBusiness |
Name Availability Search | ✅ | ❌ | CorpNet |
Online Document Access | ✅ | ✅ | Tie |
Money-Back Guarantees | 60 days | 60 days | Tie |
Platform User-Friendliness | Simple to navigate | Very user-friendly | Tie |
Customization Options | ✅ | ❌ | CorpNet |
Compliance Assistance | ✅ | ✅ | Tie |
Industry-Specific Expertise | Established in 2009 | Founded in 2015 | CorpNet |
Customer Education and Resources | ✅ | ✅ | ZenBusiness |
Customer Support | Phone, email, and fax | Phone, email, chat | Tie |
Pricing | $99 – $419 | $199/yr – $349/yr | CorpNet |
Scalability | ✅ | ✅ | Tie |
CorpNet: Key Features, Pros, Cons, & Pricing
CorpNet provides business formation services for a wide range of business types, including LLCs, Partnerships, Corporations, Non-profits, and Sole Proprietorships.
They also offer services for business name reservations, name availability searches, and in-depth trademark searches using legal and Government data sources.
For established businesses, CorpNet offers assistance with business filings and compliance services, in addition to nationwide registered agent services.
Pros & Cons
Fast and reliable
100% satisfaction guarantee
Multiple business entities
Live experts at your service
No live-chat support
No mobile app
Pricing
CorpNet offer three pricing plans:
- Basic package starting at $99 + state fee with Standard Processing
- Deluxe package starting at $219 + state fee with Standard Processing
- Complete package starting at $269 + state fee with Standard Processing
CorpNet is the smartest way to start a business, register for payroll taxes, and maintain business compliance across the United States.
ZenBusiness: Key Features, Pros, Cons, & Pricing
ZenBusiness operates as an online platform dedicated to simplifying the process of registering small businesses and providing them with essential tools to initiate and manage their enterprises.
ZenBusiness is well-known for its cost-effective approach and offers a highly user-friendly platform brimming with abundant resources.
It’s especially renowned for its exceptional customer support.
ZenBusiness provides a range of fundamental services, including assistance in business establishment, Registered Agent support, access to online documents, a business website builder, and reporting capabilities.
Pros & Cons
$0 starter plan
1 year free registered agent
Fast filing
Expert customer service
Limited online features
EIN unavailable on starter pack
Pricing
ZenBusiness offers three pricing tiers:
- Starter: This plan begins at $0, with state fees as an additional cost. It provides essential business formation tools and guidance, with the first year including ZenBusiness’s worry-free compliance service at no extra charge.
- Pro: Priced at $199 per year, along with state fees, this plan offers features such as EIN generation, expedited filing options, and dedicated operating agents.
- Premium: Available at $349 per year, plus state fees, this comprehensive package extends the features of the Pro plan. It includes advanced components like business documents and templates, a business website builder, a dedicated domain name, and a business email address selector.
ZenBusiness has all the tools you need in one place to start, run, and grow your own business.
Business Formation Services
The business formation professionals at CorpNet specialize in facilitating the establishment of your company by handling all the necessary documentation.
They offer services for registering a wide range of business types, including:
- Limited Liability Company (LLC)
- C Corporation
- S Corporation
- Professional Corporation
- Non-Profit
- Sole Proprietorship
- Partnership
CorpNet takes on the responsibility of preparing all the essential paperwork, ensuring a streamlined process that allows you to kickstart your business promptly.
ZenBusiness presents an all-encompassing business formation service, placing a notable emphasis on aiding the establishment of Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) and corporations.
Their proficiency is evident in their ability to assist you in securing an appropriate business name, guaranteeing strict compliance with state regulations, and facilitating seamless adjustments when necessary.
The process is straightforward – you simply provide your details and specific needs, and ZenBusiness takes it from there, delivering an all-in-one solution tailored to promote business growth and ensure uncomplicated compliance.
CorpNet wins this category as it offers business formation services for more entity types.
✅ Winner: CorpNet
Processing Time
CorpNet provides three processing timelines for filing business creation documents: Standard, Express, and 24-hour Rush processing.
The standard processing time varies, typically ranging from 20 to 30 days, depending on the state’s requirements.
CorpNet offers the option to file documents on the same day, Monday through Friday, through their express service.
Additionally, they provide the fastest 24-Hour Rush Processing, which allows for same-day processing.
It’s important to note that rush and express services may not be available in all states.
If you need to expedite the state office processing, you have the option to pay an expediting charge.
For online documents, the processing time is typically 24 hours from the date the certificates are ordered and the order is received.
However, for compliance-related documents, the processing may take a few weeks to complete.
ZenBusiness is known for its impressive processing speeds, frequently exceeding the benchmarks set by the industry.
On average, the processing time typically falls within the 2 to 3-week range, and this can vary based on your chosen state and package.
Notably, the higher-tier plans, such as Pro and Premium, offer expedited processing, with the quickest turnaround taking just 1 to 3 days.
If you’re in need of even faster service, ZenBusiness offers expedited processing options for an additional fee.
These expedited choices are available at costs ranging from $49 to $99 per order, ensuring a tailored solution that caters to your specific needs.
ZenBusiness’s expedited services are more cost-effective and faster so ZenBusiness wins this category.
✅ Winner: ZenBusiness
Registered Agent Services and Costs
Starting with retail rates at $149 and unit rates beginning at $119 for up to 50 units, CorpNet offers registered agent services across all 50 states.
Keep in mind that state, shipping, and handling taxes are not incorporated in these prices.
Furthermore, they provide complimentary registered agent services for one year with the Deluxe and Complete business formation packages, and for six months with the Basic business formation package.
ZenBusiness offers registered agent services for an annual cost of $199, which can be seamlessly integrated into your selected business formation package.
This service guarantees the professional management of crucial company documents like tax notifications and legal summonses, sparing you the continuous task of monitoring incoming mail and legal notifications.
Furthermore, ZenBusiness provides a straightforward procedure for transitioning to an alternative registered agent service provider without incurring penalties or cancellation fees.
This adaptability ensures that your business can easily adjust to changing needs.
✅ Winner: ZenBusiness
Name Availability Search
CorpNet provides a convenient state registration database search to verify the availability of your desired business name.
The process is user-friendly and simple. You only need to fill out an online form with your contact details, company name, location, and type.
CorpNet will then perform a comprehensive examination to ensure that the chosen name won’t encounter any objections from the state government.
ZenBusiness does not offer its own internal name availability search tool. Instead, they direct users to the Secretary of State’s websites in each state to conduct name availability checks.
They also provide comprehensive guidance on efficiently navigating these state websites, streamlining the process for users, even if it involves not having their own integrated name search tool.
✅ Winner: CorpNet
Online Document Access
CorpNet offers convenient online document access, allowing you to retrieve the following documents promptly:
- Operating Agreement for LLCs
- Member Certificates for LLCs
- Corporate Stock Certificates
These documents will be processed within a day after your order is placed and the certificates are received.
CorpNet also provides access to essential compliance records, which include:
- Initial Reports
- Annual Reports
- Certificates of Good Standing
- Document Certification Copies
- Apostille
Please note that processing times for these compliance documents may take a few weeks, but you have the option to expedite the processing for a quicker turnaround.
ZenBusiness provides easy online access to vital business documents such as formation certificates, annual reports, compliance records, and EIN confirmation letters.
These documents are readily available for viewing, downloading, printing, and management from any location with an internet connection.
By adopting this digital system, ZenBusiness effectively eliminates the requirement for physical document storage and the concerns associated with losing crucial records, streamlining organizational efficiency.
✅ Winner: Tie
Money-Back Guarantees
CorpNet offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee for their services.
If you’re not satisfied with their document filing services, they will refund your entire service fee.
In the event that they make an error in filing your paperwork, they commit to correcting it promptly without any additional cost to you.
It’s important to note that this guarantee covers the recovery of CorpNet’s service fees exclusively and does not include shipping and handling costs.
To be eligible for a refund, you must make your claim within 60 days from the date of service purchase.
ZenBusiness provides customers with two robust money-back guarantees to secure their satisfaction.
The first is a comprehensive 100% satisfaction guarantee, granting clients the opportunity to request a full refund within 60 days of their purchase in the event of dissatisfaction with their membership or any add-on service.
The second guarantee, known as the worry-free guarantee, goes a step further by committing to refund fees and rectify any issues if clients miss filing deadlines or incur fines due to ZenBusiness’s negligence.
This additional layer of assurance serves to ensure heightened peace of mind among customers.
✅ Winner: Tie
Platform User-Friendliness
CorpNet’s user interface is designed for simplicity and ease of use. It provides clear and straightforward navigation, offering all the essential information required for starting or managing a business.
The platform offers detailed insights into each service, ensuring users have a comprehensive understanding before proceeding.
Additionally, users can access a wealth of resources such as blogs, free guides, and checklists to further enhance their knowledge of the platform and its offerings.
ZenBusiness is celebrated for its highly user-friendly online platform, which excels in simplifying the often intricate process of business formation.
Their platform features an intuitive website layout that offers clear, step-by-step guidance at every stage.
The interface is thoughtfully structured to streamline the entire formation process, covering everything from reserving a business name to filing the required paperwork.
✅ Winner: Tie
Customization Options
CorpNet offers not only its three preset packages but also a variety of additional services that can be tailored to your specific needs.
These additional services encompass options like a Comprehensive Trademark Search, Business Name Search and Reservation, as well as assistance with business licenses and permits.
ZenBusiness’s dedication to personalization includes offering a diverse collection of customizable templates, which are readily available online and optimized for mobile use.
These resources empower customers to adjust their documents and materials to precisely match their unique business requirements.
ZenBusiness also presents a range of add-on services and packages. These encompass features such as Registered Agents, New York Publication, business credit cards, business banking solutions, and more.
With this wide selection of options and the flexibility to mix and match services, businesses have the freedom to create a bespoke package that meticulously caters to their specific needs.
✅ Winner: CorpNet
Compliance Assistance
CorpNet provides nationwide registered agent services that not only support single-state registrations but also cater to multi-state, multi-company, and bulk registrations.
CorpNet provides nationwide registered agent services that not only support single-state registrations but also cater to multi-state, multi-company, and bulk registrations.
You also get access to a variety of compliance reports and documents, including initial reports, annual reports, annual meeting minutes, and Certificates of Good Standing.
ZenBusiness offers registered agent and annual report filing which is crucial for clients looking to maintain their good standing with the state by ensuring the timely submission of essential annual reports.
You also get dedicated compliance management and worry-free compliance assistance.
These services are designed to empower businesses to effectively track and oversee deadlines related to various regulatory obligations.
✅ Winner: Tie
Industry-Specific Expertise
CorpNet, established in 2009, is a relatively newer player in the industry, allowing them to incorporate recent insights and innovative approaches into their services.
Notably, CorpNet was founded by a team of attorneys, providing them with a profound understanding of legal intricacies and regulatory compliance.
Their core positioning revolves around advisory services. They leverage their legal expertise to offer guidance and consultation to businesses, aiding them in navigating the complexities of legal procedures and regulatory adherence.
This focus on advisory services underscores their commitment to providing personalized and well-informed support.
ZenBusiness boasts a rich history spanning over 8 years in the industry, making them a trusted choice for businesses across a diverse range of sectors.
With their extensive experience in business formation, compliance, and ongoing management, they present a versatile option for entrepreneurs from various industries.
Having assisted over half a million small businesses, ZenBusiness has built a solid foundation of expertise and a range of services that can be tailored to cater to the distinctive requirements of businesses across different sectors.
✅ Winner: CorpNet
Customer Education and Resources
CorpNet provides an abundance of customer resources designed to assist individuals in the process of signing up with them and running their businesses.
You can access their blogs, articles, and free guides to gain valuable insights into various aspects of business, and you also have the option to subscribe to their newsletter for regular updates.
Their extensive articles cover a wide range of topics, including seed and development, startup and launch, growth and expansion, crisis management, maturity, exit, and more.
In addition, you can make use of their free guides and checklists to help you get started with business setup, incorporation, obtaining press coverage, and launching blogs and social media platforms.
CorpNet is also active on major social media channels, where they provide additional insights and information about business matters.
ZenBusiness offers a treasure trove of high-quality educational resources geared toward helping customers comprehend the complexities of business incorporation, compliance requirements, and the ongoing management of their businesses.
Their website hosts an extensive library of informative guides, articles, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and tutorials, all of which provide valuable insights and step-by-step guidance on a wide spectrum of facets related to business formation and management.
One remarkable feature setting ZenBusiness apart is the ZenBusiness Academy, an exclusive resource that further enriches its collection of available learning tools.
These resources are thoughtfully designed to empower entrepreneurs with the knowledge necessary to make well-informed decisions and effectively oversee their businesses.
ZenBusiness wins this category, primarily due to its dedicated ZenBusiness Academy resource.
✅ Winner: ZenBusiness
Customer Support
CorpNet has garnered numerous positive reviews across various platforms, highlighting the consistently excellent quality of its customer service.
Their agents are known for their supportiveness and their willingness to provide guidance, even on the most basic inquiries.
CorpNet’s customer service representatives are available from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, and they can be reached via multiple channels, including phone, fax, email, and regular mail.
While they may not offer round-the-clock support, they compensate for this with their swift response times.
ZenBusiness offers a range of customer support options, ensuring accessibility through multiple communication channels.
You can connect with their customer service team via phone, email, chat, or various social media platforms.
Their support services are available on weekdays, commencing at 8 a.m. and concluding at 8 p.m. CST.
Additionally, ZenBusiness extends its phone and chat support to Sundays, with operational hours spanning from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST.
This expanded availability offers customers a wider window for seeking assistance, further enhancing their customer support experience.
Both providers tie in this category. Where ZenBusiness falls behind in live chat, CorpNet offers it.
Likewise, where CorpNet doesn’t provide weekend support, ZenBusiness does — a perfect balance of flaws making this a tie.
✅ Winner: Tie
Pricing
CorpNet provides three business formation packages to meet different needs, each with its own set of services and processing options:
Basic Package:
- Cost: $99 + state fee for Standard Processing
- Cost: $199 + state fee for Express Processing
- Cost: $249 + state fee for 24 Hour Rush Processing
Deluxe Package:
- Cost: $219 + state fee for Standard Processing
- Cost: $319 + state fee for Express Processing
- Cost: $369 + state fee for 24 Hour Rush Processing
Complete Package:
- Cost: $269 + state fee for Standard Processing
- Cost: $369 + state fee for Express Processing
- Cost: $419 + state fee for 24 Hour Rush Processing
Each package is designed to cater to specific needs, providing different levels of service and processing speed options to best suit your business requirements.
Here’s a table breaking down ZenBusiness’s available plans:
Plan | Price | Features | Who’s It For |
---|---|---|---|
Starter | $0 + state fee | Basis business formation tools and guides One-year worry-free compliance | Small businesses/individual entrepreneurs |
Pro | $199 + state fee | Fast filing speeds EIN Operating Agreement | Small businesses who want expedited processing times and worry-free taxing process |
Premium | $349 + state fee | Business documents Business domain name and email address Business website builders | Medium to large sized business formation services that can make use of the features fully |
✅ Winner: CorpNet
Scalability
CorpNet provides a range of packages tailored to businesses in various stages of growth.
Whether you’re starting a new venture and require assistance with business formation or you’re already operating a business and need support for filing and compliance, CorpNet has solutions to meet your needs.
Their pricing plans are flexible and can be adjusted as your business scales.
ZenBusiness, on the other hand, primarily follows a subscription-based pricing model.
They offer a selection of subscription plans designed to be adaptable to your specific business requirements.
These plans are crafted with scalability in mind, featuring different tiers that offer increasing features and services as you progress.
Both CorpNet and ZenBusiness tie in as they both provide suitable options for businesses at different stages of development.
✅ Winner: Tie
Standout Features of CorpNet
CorpNet is recognized for its exceptional customer service, providing efficient support and quick issue resolution through phone or email.
They also offer valuable additional services, including business name and trademark searches, along with business name reservation, which proves beneficial during the business formation process.
Furthermore, they can supply customizable business materials and kits that include seals and embossers for official corporate documents.
Standout Features of ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness offers a standout feature with integrated web editing capabilities, empowering businesses to create a strong online presence.
This encompasses domain name setup, website template selection, and the ability to customize content and design.
Through a personalized dashboard, you have the flexibility to fine-tune your business website at your convenience.
What sets ZenBusiness apart even further is its swift business formation process, particularly with the Pro and Premium plans, which offer the fastest filing speeds.
This means you can establish your business within a matter of days, a significant improvement compared to the typical wait of several weeks.
CorpNet vs. ZenBusiness: SMB Guide’s Verdict
After our thorough evaluation, CorpNet slightly takes the lead.
CorpNet emerges as the overall winner due to its extensive industry experience and its focus on advisory services and operational guidance.
This makes it an excellent option for businesses looking for comprehensive support that goes beyond legal expertise.
ZenBusiness, on the other hand, offers a wide range of services, positioning it as the preferred choice for entrepreneurs seeking versatile and robust solutions to meet their diverse business requirements.
To begin your journey with ZenBusiness, click here.
ZenBusiness has all the tools you need in one place to start, run, and grow your own business.
Beatrice is a seasoned productivity writer with a knack for uncovering game-changing productivity hacks that simplify life routines. Armed with a triple major in Commerce, Accounting, and Insurance, she also runs her own digital consulting firm. You'll usually find her immersed in crafting captivating literary novels and traveling the world.