Compare the whole bill, not the headline: the filing fee, the registered agent renewal you pay every year after the first, and what each add-on costs. State filing fees are the same whichever company files, so they are left out of every total below. Registered agent service is provided by Registered Agents Inc., the registered agent of record; Vermilion Vitez is the reseller.
Side-by-side prices
Each figure is the published price on that company's own page, checked October 23, 2026: ZenBusiness formation, ZenBusiness registered agent, Vermilion Vitez pricing. These are not checkout quotes and can change.
| Item | Vermilion Vitez | ZenBusiness |
|---|---|---|
| Formation service fee | $123.75 + state fee | From $0 + state fee |
| Registered agent | $74.25/yr, same every year | $99 first year, then $199/yr |
| EIN | $41.25 with an SSN, $165 without | $99 |
| 5-year total (formation + agent) | $495 | $895 |
ZenBusiness lists Starter, Pro and Premium plans starting at $0 + state fees; its pricing page does not itemize each plan. Worry-Free Compliance is a separate $199/yr. Our checkout total also includes card processing, shown before you pay.
Five years of formation plus registered agent
Where ZenBusiness is the better choice
- You want a $0 service fee on the filing itself: ZenBusiness starts at $0 + state fee, ours is $123.75 + state fee.
- You want a paid compliance plan that files annual reports for you on a subscription ($199/yr Worry-Free Compliance).
- You want website, banking and bookkeeping add-ons sold by the same company.
Where Vermilion Vitez is the better choice
- The renewal is the price. Our registered agent is $74.25 a year in year one and year five, with no teaser rate, and nothing is set to auto-renew on your card.
- Every total is shown before you pay, including the state's own fee and card processing, in one order form.
- Your documents are yours. Filed articles, the operating agreement and the EIN letter are delivered to you, not held inside a plan.
- A filing guarantee. If we make an error on your filing, we correct and refile it at no cost, including the state fee, when it is reported within 60 days of state approval.
How to verify this
Open each pricing page linked above and price the same order: one LLC, one state, a registered agent, and an EIN if you need one. Then check the renewal line and whether anything auto-renews. See also the registered agent cost comparison across nine providers and LLC cost by state. Other head-to-head pages: Vermilion Vitez vs LegalZoom and Vermilion Vitez vs Northwest.