In Short: BusinessAnywhere vs ZenBusiness
Both services form an LLC for $0 plus the state fee. The difference is the upkeep: ZenBusiness sells its registered agent at $199 a year and packs extras into yearly plans, while BusinessAnywhere includes the agent free in year one, renews it at $147 and is built for founders outside the US.
- Choose ZenBusiness if you live in the US and want 1-day processing, a website, domain and business email bundled into one yearly plan.
- Choose BusinessAnywhere if you live outside the US, need an EIN without an SSN and want the lowest cost to keep the LLC.
- Registered agent: ZenBusiness charges $199 a year and includes it in no plan. BusinessAnywhere’s agent is free in year one and $147 a year after.
- Two-year cost: a Wyoming LLC with an agent and an EIN costs $398 in year one and $259 a year after on ZenBusiness Starter, against $197 and $207 with BusinessAnywhere.
- US address: ZenBusiness lists no virtual mailbox on its pricing pages. BusinessAnywhere’s virtual mailbox starts at $20 a month with unlimited scanning.
ZenBusiness is one of the largest US formation services and markets to founders who live in the United States. BusinessAnywhere forms the same LLCs and corporations but is built for founders abroad: no SSN, US visit or US address required, with an EIN service and a US mailbox made for non-residents.
This comparison uses ZenBusiness’s own pricing pages and BusinessAnywhere’s published prices as of October 2026. It covers plan costs over two years for a Wyoming LLC, the registered agent, the EIN, mail handling, compliance and who each service suits. It replaces our earlier ZenBusiness comparison, so everything is in one place.
BusinessAnywhere vs ZenBusiness at a Glance
| Feature | BusinessAnywhere | ZenBusiness |
|---|---|---|
| Formation fee | $0 plus the state fee | Starter $0, Pro $199 a year, Premium $299 a year, plus state fees |
| Registered agent | Free year one, then $147 a year | $199 a year, not included in any plan |
| EIN | $97, with or without an SSN | $99, included in Pro and Premium; no stated non-resident process |
| Operating agreement | Template $97 | Template $99, included in Pro and Premium |
| Annual report filing | $50 a year plus the state fee | $100 per report, or Worry-Free Compliance at $199 a year |
| US mailing address | Virtual mailbox from $20 a month, unlimited scans | Not listed on its pricing pages |
| Formation speed | 10 to 14 working days; 5-day $57, 2-day $77 | Starter 7 to 10 business days, rush $79; Pro and Premium 1 business day, plus state time |
| Website and domain | Not offered | Website builder trial; domain and email in Premium |
| Built for | Founders outside the US | Founders in the US |
What ZenBusiness Is
ZenBusiness is a US business formation and services company. It forms LLCs and corporations in every state and sells compliance, website, banking and bookkeeping tools around the formation.
ZenBusiness’s LLC pricing page lists three plans, all with state fees extra. Starter costs $0 and covers the name search, the articles filing and Worry-Free Compliance free for year one, which renews at $199 a year; filing takes 7 to 10 business days, or $79 for rush processing. Pro costs $199 a year and adds 1-day processing, the EIN, an operating agreement template and annual report filing with up to 2 amendments a year. Premium costs $299 a year and adds a domain name with privacy, business email, Advanced Compliance Protection, a business documents library and an advisor consultation.
Its registered agent costs $199 a year and is not included in any package. Standalone, the EIN costs $99, the operating agreement template $99, an annual report filing $100 per report and a certificate of good standing $100.
What BusinessAnywhere Is
BusinessAnywhere forms US LLCs and corporations for founders who live outside the United States, with no citizenship, residency, US visit or SSN required. Formation is $0 plus the state’s filing fee in all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico. The first year of registered agent service is free and renews at $147 a year, with legal mail scanned to your dashboard. The EIN application service costs $97 and covers applicants with or without a Social Security number.
Every other service is priced on its own, so you pay only for what you use: a virtual mailbox from $20 a month billed annually with unlimited scanning, state annual report filing for $50 a year plus the state fee from year two, operating agreement and bylaws templates for $97 each, an S corporation election filing for $97, Form 5472 and pro forma Form 1120 filing for $497 a year, 5-day expedited filing for $57 and 2-day filing for $77. Standard filing takes 10 to 14 working days. There is no subscription and no minimum term.
Price Comparison: A Wyoming LLC Over Two Years
Wyoming charges $100 to form an LLC and at least $60 a year for the annual report, per our breakdown of Wyoming LLC costs. The table compares ZenBusiness Starter and Pro, each with its $199 registered agent, against BusinessAnywhere for the same Wyoming LLC.
| Option | Year one | Each year after |
|---|---|---|
| ZenBusiness Starter, agent and EIN | $398: $0 plan, $100 state fee, $199 agent, $99 EIN | $259: $199 agent plus $60 state fee |
| ZenBusiness Pro and agent | $498: $199 Pro, $100 state fee, $199 agent | $458: $199 Pro, $199 agent, $60 state fee |
| BusinessAnywhere, formation and EIN only | $197: $100 state fee plus $97 EIN | $207: $147 agent plus $60 state fee |
| BusinessAnywhere with mailbox and annual report filing | $437: adds a $240 mailbox year | $497: $147 agent, $60 state fee, $240 mailbox, $50 filing |
For formation, the EIN and a registered agent, BusinessAnywhere costs $201 less than ZenBusiness Starter in year one and $52 less each year after. Against Pro, which adds annual report filing, BusinessAnywhere with its $50 filing service costs $301 less in year one and $201 less each year after.
Starter’s Worry-Free Compliance renews at $199 a year after the free first year unless you cancel it, so check your renewals. The table leaves it out because it is optional.
EIN for Founders Without an SSN
This is the largest practical difference for founders abroad. ZenBusiness sells an EIN service at $99, but its pages give no process for applicants without an SSN; its non-resident guide explains that without an SSN you cannot apply online and must file Form SS-4 with the IRS by mail or fax. BusinessAnywhere’s $97 EIN application service is built for that case and covers applicants with or without an SSN.
Registered Agent and US Address
ZenBusiness charges $199 a year for its registered agent from day one. BusinessAnywhere includes the agent free for the first year and renews it at $147, with legal mail scanned to your dashboard. For a usable US business address, BusinessAnywhere’s virtual mailbox starts at $20 a month billed annually with unlimited scanning and worldwide forwarding. ZenBusiness lists no mailbox on its pricing pages, so a founder abroad needs a separate address provider.
Compliance and Extras
ZenBusiness bundles more around the company: Worry-Free Compliance, Advanced Compliance Protection, a website builder, domain, business email and bookkeeping software at $30 a month. BusinessAnywhere keeps to the company itself: formation, EIN, agent, mailbox, annual report filing, amendments and dissolution, each priced on its own through its company maintenance services, with no plan to renew.
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose ZenBusiness if
- You live in the US, have an SSN and want 1-day processing on Pro or Premium.
- You want a website, domain and business email from the same provider.
- You want compliance alerts and amendments bundled into one yearly plan.
Choose BusinessAnywhere if
- You live outside the US and need an EIN without an SSN.
- You want the registered agent free in year one and $147 a year after.
- You need a US mailing address with unlimited scanning.
- You prefer to pay only for the services you use, with no yearly plan.
Comparing more providers? See our BusinessAnywhere vs Stripe Atlas comparison, our BusinessAnywhere vs LegalZoom comparison and our review of whether ZenBusiness is legit.
Start Your US Company With BusinessAnywhere
BusinessAnywhere forms your US LLC or corporation for $0 plus the state filing fee, includes a free first year of registered agent service so state notices reach you, and gets the EIN for non-residents without a Social Security number for $97.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is BusinessAnywhere cheaper than ZenBusiness?
Yes, once you add a registered agent. A Wyoming LLC with an agent and an EIN costs $197 in year one and $207 a year after with BusinessAnywhere, against $398 and $259 with ZenBusiness Starter.
How much is the ZenBusiness registered agent?
ZenBusiness lists its registered agent at $199 a year, and no formation plan includes it. BusinessAnywhere’s agent is free for year one and $147 a year after.
Is ZenBusiness really free?
The Starter plan costs $0 plus the state fee, but it includes no registered agent, EIN or operating agreement, and Worry-Free Compliance renews at $199 a year after the first year.
Can a non-US resident use ZenBusiness?
ZenBusiness forms LLCs for anyone, but its pages describe no EIN process for applicants without an SSN and list no US mailbox. BusinessAnywhere is built for non-residents, with a $97 EIN service that works without an SSN and a virtual mailbox from $20 a month.
What do ZenBusiness Pro and Premium cost?
Pro costs $199 a year and Premium $299 a year, both plus state fees. Both include the EIN, an operating agreement template, annual report filing and 1-day processing; Premium adds a domain, business email and extra compliance protection.
Can I switch from ZenBusiness to BusinessAnywhere?
Yes. BusinessAnywhere becomes your registered agent for $147 a year, files the change of agent for $37 and can file your annual reports for $50 a year plus the state fee. Appoint the new agent before cancelling the old one.
This comparison uses ZenBusiness’s own published pages, BusinessAnywhere’s published prices and state filing office figures as of October 2026. Prices and features change, so confirm current terms with each provider before you sign up. It is general information, not legal or tax advice.
