What Is Bizee?
Bizee is a full-service, online legal document preparation and filing service. It handles paperwork for LLCs, S-corps, C-corps and nonprofits. All of this paperwork can be done yourself, but Bizee makes it easy to quickly form a business structure and take care of the other details. Plus, it offers packages that include additional services such as registered agent service and lifetime company alerts.
Pros
Bizee offers a vast array of services that make it stand out from the rest. From preparing and filing documents to providing registered agents, tax consultations and lifetime alerts, Bizee has everything you need when it comes to setting up your business. Moreover, it offers an unbeatable deal; the Silver plan is free, just pay your state filing fee. With these benefits, entrepreneurs can manage all details related to company formation without any hassle.
In addition to paid services, Bizee has plenty of free tools and resources for business owners, such as a DIY email course, business entity quiz, how to start a business guide, entity guides, state guides and infographics. You can also find sales tax calculators, S-corp tax calculators, an annual report due date tool, a payroll tax calculator and a business name generator.
Cons
Nearly all the information Bizee provides can be done online for free if you have the time to sort through what you need. Most states offer comprehensive websites for business owners, explaining in detail what to file and when, all without the expense of an intermediary. For example, you need the Gold or higher package to get an employer identification number (EIN). If you do it yourself through the IRS, it takes a few minutes and you should get the number within seconds of filing.
Per Bizee’s terms and conditions, it may renew your service automatically to keep your legal entity in compliance with your state. For example, any plan you choose comes with a free registered agent for the first year. It will charge your card on the anniversary of the filing for being your registered agent. This amount is $119 per year after the first year.
Featured Partners
1
ZenBusiness
$0 + State Fees
Varies By State & Package
2
LegalZoom
$0 + State Fees
Varies By State & Package
3
Northwest Registered Agent
$39 + State Fees
Varies By State & Package
How Bizee Works
Bizee assists individuals in starting their own businesses through a host of done-with-you services. With their proprietary filing system, in just a few clicks, the process of filing for LLCs, C-corps and nonprofits is straightforward. Its pricing plans are affordable, starting at $0 plus state filing fees, which is helpful for fledgling businesses trying to get their feet under them.
In addition to business filing, Bizee offers ongoing support, including startup services such as banking and bookkeeping, making it a one-stop shop for new business owners. It takes care of everything from verifying the availability of company names to preparing and filing necessary documents and providing lifetime company alerts. In addition, its clients can enjoy free business tax consultations and lifetime customer support.
Bizee Services
- LLC formation
- C-corp formation
- Nonprofit formation
- S-corp formation
- Amendment
- Company name change
- Registered agent
- Virtual address
- EIN
- Certificate of good standing
- Doing business as (DBA) name
- Foreign qualification
- Change of registered agent
- Business license or permit
- Annual report submission
- Free tax consultation
- File an S-corp election
- Apply for a trademark
- Order a corporate or LLC kit
- Finances and accounting
- Company dissolution
- Reinstatement
Bizee Pricing and Plans
Bizee offers pricing plans based on the service you need and even has one of the lowest-cost plans we’ve come across. The Silver plan doesn’t have a package fee. Instead, it’s free, and you only pay for the state filing fee. Its Gold plan costs $299 plus the state fee. Platinum is $399 plus the state filing fee.
Silver
The Silver plan is ideal for businesses that need to get started quickly and don’t need all the frills of a more involved package. As it’s free and you only pay the state filing, this plan makes it simple to cut through the legalese you might find on a state filing website and get up and running quickly. You won’t get access to the online dashboard and lifetime company alerts, but you’ll still get free registered agent services for one year, unlimited name searches and articles of incorporation.
Cost: $0 package fee plus state fee
- Prepare and file articles of organization
- Unlimited name searches
- Free registered agent for a year
Gold
The Gold package is great for those who need a little more than the basic filing services. This plan includes the essential formation documents and adds in an EIN and IRS Form 2553 to make filing taxes a breeze. It’s missing a few of the bells and whistles from Platinum, such as expedited filing, templates, domain names and business email, but if you’re a small or medium-sized business, it should cover most of your needs.
Cost: $299 package fee plus state fee
- Everything in the Silver plan
- EIN business tax number
- Operating agreement
- Banking resolution
- Lifetime company alerts
- Online access dashboard
- Unlimited phone and email support
- Business banking account
- Business tax consultation
Platinum
The Platinum package is great for businesses that want to make sure they have everything covered. It includes all the essentials plus extras such as an operating agreement, banking resolution, business contract templates and domain name and business email. It also offers expedited filing so you can get your business up and running quickly. It’s the most expensive plan of the three, but if you need all these features in one package, it can be a great value. Plus, you get unlimited phone and email support to help with any questions that might arise.
Cost: $399 package fee plus state fee
- Everything in the Gold plan
- Expedited filing
- Domain name
- Business email
Renewal Costs and Other Fees
In addition to the Silver, Gold and Platinum packages, choose from several add-ons. Despite the filing process taking several minutes if done on your own, Bizee advertises a six-week filing time. Details on the site reveal that a filing can take three weeks to 30 weeks, depending on your state. However, you can pay an extra $50 to $100 to have filing done within one to 20 business days.
When going through the checkout process, you’ll receive offers to upgrade your package at a discount, besides à la carte options. For example, for $29 per month, use a business address and virtual mail service rather than your own personal address for business correspondence. This helps protect your privacy.
Featured Partners
1
ZenBusiness
$0 + State Fees
Varies By State & Package
2
LegalZoom
$0 + State Fees
Varies By State & Package
3
Northwest Registered Agent
$39 + State Fees
Varies By State & Package
Getting Started With Bizee
Getting started with Bizee is straightforward and is a relatively painless process since it simplifies the sometimes complex filing requirements you’d usually have to go through your state for.
First, the user needs to select the entity type that they want to form, such as an LLC, S-corp, a C-corp or nonprofit. The pricing plans range from $0 plus the state filing fees for the basic package to more advanced packages that offer additional features and services. Its three plans include Silver, Gold and Platinum. The package fee for the Gold plan is $199, and the package fee is $299 for the Platinum plan.
Keep in mind, this is in addition to the state filing fee, which varies by state. For example, in the state of Iowa, the state filing fee is just $50. California has the cheapest filing fee at just $5, while Massachusetts has the highest filing fee at $520 per year. And most states require an annual or biennial fee, which may be more or less than the filing fee. For example, California has an $800 annual fee, plus $20 every two years.
After selecting your plan, fill in basic details about the business, such as the business address, registered agent info and the name of the company. The registered agent is a person or company that will receive legal and tax documents on behalf of the business. Many businesses will opt to use a third-party service provider for registered agent services because the address of the registered agent—often a personal address—is public record. Bizee provides a year for free, then it’s $119 per year thereafter.
After the user has filled in the basic business information, Bizee handles the rest. It will verify the availability of the company name, prepare and file the necessary documents with the state and provide the user with updates on the status of their order. Bizee also provides a free first-year registered agent service and a lifetime of company alerts that help the user stay compliant with state regulations.
Potential users should know that they’ll have access to ongoing support from Bizee, and its team of experts can help with a variety of startup services, such as banking and bookkeeping. Additionally, there’s a satisfaction guarantee, which means that it will refund the user’s money if they’re not satisfied with the service.
Bizee Customer Service and Support
Bizee has a customer service chat where we connected with a live agent within 30 seconds. Support hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central time via email, phone and chat. Users also have access to a knowledge base with helpful tips and documentation. You won’t have to pay for its highest-tiered package for support, either. Its cheapest plan, where there’s no package fee, provides unlimited phone and email support.
Virtual Address
For an additional fee, Bizee offers a virtual address and mail forwarding service. This can be useful for business owners who don’t have a physical office and need a professional address for their business.
Trademark Registration
Bizee can help business owners register their trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This can protect the business’s brand and prevent others from using the same name or logo.
Annual Report Filing
Many states require businesses to file an annual report to maintain their good standing. Bizee can help business owners file their annual reports and stay in compliance with state regulations.
Foreign Qualification
If a business wants to expand its operations to another state, it may need to qualify as a foreign entity in that state. Bizee can help businesses navigate this process and file the necessary paperwork.
Business License Research Package
Bizee offers a business license research package that can help business owners determine the licenses and permits they need to operate legally in their state.
Corporate or LLC Kit
Bizee offers a corporate or LLC kit that includes important documents, such as a corporate seal, stock certificates and a sample operating agreement. This can be useful for businesses that want to maintain a professional image and stay organized.
Compare Bizee Alternatives
While Bizee is a great choice, it’s not the only one. Competitors such as ZenBusiness, Northwest Registered Agent and LegalZoom offer similar services with different pricing structures. Here, we give a rundown of the biggest differences between Bizee and its competition.
Bizee vs. ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness offers a lot of services Bizee provides, and similar to Bizee, most of its offerings are à la carte. For example, with ZenBusiness, an annual report, amendment and Certificate of Good Standing filings cost $100 each. Bizee charges $99 to file an annual report, $49 (plus state filing fees) for a Certificate of Good Standing and $99 (plus state filing fee) for an amendment. In Bizee’s higher-tiered plans, you’ll save money compared to paying for each à la carte service offered from ZenBusiness.
Bizee vs. LegalZoom
LegalZoom can help you form your business, but it shines by offering advice, whether you need legal or tax advice. Bizee offers a more straightforward approach to forming your business without an exorbitant amount of upsells as you’ll find with LegalZoom. You also won’t find a free plan offered by LegalZoom and to have them file for your EIN, you must purchase a separate package during the checkout process.
Bizee vs. Northwest Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent’s biggest feature is its registered agent service, which costs $125 per year. It will give you the LLC formation forms, walk you through the process or you can hire them to do it for you. Bizee’s site is a little more user-friendly, though they both offer similar services at similar prices.
Summary: Is Bizee Right for You?
Bizee is a great way to easily file to incorporate your business online, especially if you want someone else to handle the details. However, if you have the time to poke around your state’s website, you can file yourself more quickly and for less, all without the use of an intermediary. However, some state sites aren’t as user-friendly as others. Most states have a phone number you can call, and someone can usually explain over the phone what form you need and where to find it.
When To Choose Bizee
- If you’re pressed for time and want to get your business up and running quickly
- If you need help understanding the paperwork associated with forming an LLC
- If you want a full suite of business formation services, such as registered agent service
- If you want to package services together at a discount, rather than paying for each service à la carte
- If you’re willing to pay for the convenience of someone filing paperwork that otherwise costs you nothing (aside from a state filing fee, which you’ll pay either way)
When To Choose Another Online Legal Service
- If you plan to do the paperwork yourself or have help from an attorney
- If you only need one service, such as registered agent service
- If you need help with international filings
- If you don’t need a package of services and want to select each one separately
When To Do It Yourself
- If you have time to research the paperwork and filing process with your state
- If you’re comfortable doing it yourself or have help from an attorney
- If you only need one or two services and want to select them separately
- If you’re not comfortable with online filings and prefer to do everything in person
- If you don’t want to pay for services that are available free from your state
- If you’re okay with the extra steps and slower processing times of filing by mail
- If you don’t need a package of services and want to select each one separately
- If you don’t mind communicating directly with your state to resolve any issues
- If you want to ensure that all of the paperwork is correctly and accurately filed
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Bizee good for an LLC?
Bizee is a great option for forming an LLC. It offers straightforward pricing and various packages so that you can choose the services you need without having to pay for extra features. Plus, it offers a free LLC formation service if you don’t need the bells and whistles of its other packages.
Is Bizee really free?
While Bizee offers several free resources and tools, it’s not completely free to file to incorporate your business. This is because states charge filing fees. Bizee provides the Silver plan, which only costs you the state filing fee, but no other fees.
What’s Bizee’s return policy?
If your payment hasn’t been forwarded to the state yet, you can get a refund, less a $30 cancellation fee. You must contact Bizee within 24 hours of placing the order for a refund.
How much does Bizee cost?
The cost of using Bizee depends on the package you choose. The Silver plan is its most basic and only costs the state filing fee. The Gold plan is its most popular and comes with additional features, such as unlimited phone and email support, an EIN, operating agreement and online dashboard. The Platinum package includes all the features of the Gold plan plus features such as expedited filing, a domain name, business email and tax consultation.
Is Bizee trustworthy?
Bizee is a well-known, trustworthy service helping businesses incorporate online. Since 2004, it has helped over 800,000 businesses launch.
How can I dissolve an LLC with Bizee?
To dissolve an LLC, you need to file articles of dissolution and notify the IRS. To do this with Bizee, you’ll pay a $149 fee plus your state filing fee, which varies by state.
How long does it take to form an LLC with Bizee?
Bizee will file your paperwork with your state within one business day. However, the amount of time it takes for the LLC process to complete will vary by state. Some states take hours, while others can take weeks or days.
What does an LLC service help with?
LLC services can provide different variations in offerings, but all of the LLC services on Forbes Advisor’s list include name availability search, online document access, the option for a registered agent add-on, creation of articles of organization and additional legal services. Some, if not most, of these services may only be available through add-on fees or the more expensive packages, depending on the service provider.
