Doola vs ZenBusiness: Side-by-Side Comparison
Side-by-side comparison across 11 dimensions. Data is approximate and for informational purposes only.
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| Dimension | Doola | ZenBusiness |
|---|---|---|
| Entity Types | LLC, C-Corp | LLC, C-Corp, S-Corp, Nonprofit |
| Setup Fee | $297/yr + state fees (Starter) | $0 + state fees |
| Annual Fee | $297/yr (Starter; same subscription as formation) | $199/yr (Pro) – $399/yr (Premium); Starter $0 does not renew |
| Timeline | 1–2 business days | 2–3 weeks (standard) |
| States Available | All 50 states | Unknown — ask vendor |
| EIN Filing | Included | Add-on $99 (Starter); included in Pro ($199) and Premium ($399) |
| Registered Agent | Included | Add-on +$199/yr (Starter/Pro); included only in Premium ($399/yr). $99 first year with formation, renews $199/yr |
| Banking Integration | Guidance to open a US bank account; Mercury and Relay are Marketplace partners | ZenBusiness Banking (Thread Bank), $5/mo |
| Compliance Support | Partial (GS assessment) | Partial (GS assessment) |
| Non-Resident Support | Full (GS assessment) | Limited (GS assessment) |
| Platform Type | Full-service | Guided DIY |
Key Notes
Doola
Full-service formation for non-US founders, and the clearest published answer in this table on the questions that decide it: no SSN needed, no US address needed, and doola obtains the EIN either way. Registered agent is bundled free with formation. Two things to hold it to, though. doola publishes FOUR mutually inconsistent no-SSN EIN timelines across live pages — 4-6 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 2-4 months, and 2-3 weeks expedited — so no single figure is quotable; on the $297 Starter plan, expect the non-expedited one. And on compliance it reminds reliably but files ambiguously: the "we file your annual report for you" promise is attached to a "Premium Plan" that no longer exists, while the current $2,999 top plan describes the same thing as "reminders and guided help".
ZenBusiness
Free basic formation (pay only state fees), and compliance alerts are free at the $0 Starter tier. Files formations in all 50 states. Read the non-resident story carefully, because it is narrower than it first sounds: ZenBusiness says non-U.S. citizens and residents can form an LLC "with an ITIN in place of an SSN" — which assumes you have a US taxpayer ID. For a founder with neither an SSN nor an ITIN, its own EIN page answers the question by telling you to fill out an SS-4 and mail it to the IRS yourself, and it never states whether the $99 EIN service covers that path. Its pages also disagree on whether you need a US business address: the help centre says a foreign address is fine, the marketing page says a US business address is required, and the registered-agent product explicitly refuses to be that address. Annual reports are filed for you under Worry-Free Compliance; taxes are not, on their own words.
What Real Users Say
Anonymized and paraphrased observations from founder communities, review platforms, and forums.
Doola includes bookkeeping and tax filing in their Total Compliance tier [renamed "Tax and Compliance" in 2025]. ZenBusiness does not touch your taxes. For a non-resident who wants one vendor for everything, Doola wins.
Source: Reddit r/EntrepreneurZenBusiness dashboard is polished and easy to use for basic compliance tracking. Doola dashboard is more utilitarian but covers more ground.
Source: G2 reviewsZenBusiness registered agent auto-renews at a higher rate. Doola includes registered agent in all packages with no separate renewal surprise.
Source: Trustpilot reviewsFrequently Asked Questions
How We Compared
We collected pricing, included services, non-resident support levels, and formation timelines from each provider's public website. Costs are compared at initial setup and annual renewal rates.
Disclaimer: All data on this page is approximate and for informational purposes only. Pricing, features, and availability change frequently. This is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Verify all figures directly with each provider before making decisions. Data reflects conditions as of early 2026.
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