Short answer
ZenBusiness offers tiered LLC plans with state fees and annual plan behavior. WYOM is a focused Wyoming LLC formation workflow for non-US founders: EIN workflow without SSN, first-year Registered Agent, official mail, documents, and dashboard in one $499 package.
Not sure which state? Start with the non-US founder route.
Most founders do not start with a perfect state choice. They start with a practical goal: open a US LLC from abroad, request an EIN without SSN, keep official mail visible, and avoid a confusing upsell path.
Wyoming
Independent non-US founders who want a practical LLC route, EIN workflow, Registered Agent, official mail, and lower state-level maintenance.
Still needs federal tax review, home-country advice, truthful records, and provider-specific applications.
Delaware
VC, C-Corp, startup counsel, investor expectations, equity rounds, and Delaware-first legal workflows.
Can be unnecessary for founders who only need a simple remote LLC foundation.
Florida
Real Florida operations, local nexus, staff, inventory, customers, or Florida-specific founder facts.
Annual report costs and local obligations should be compared before choosing it from abroad.
New Mexico
Low-cost and privacy-oriented LLC research for founders ready to assemble the workflow themselves.
Registered Agent, EIN, address/mail, documents, and non-US founder workflow still need to be organized.
Real cost calculator
Compare total setup, not starting price. For non-US founders, the real first-year cost includes state fee, EIN workflow, Registered Agent, address/mail handling, documents, subscriptions, and annual renewal context.
| Route | Advertised | State fee | EIN | RA / mail | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WYOM.us | $499 one-time | Included | Included workflow without SSN | First-year Registered Agent + official mail | Optional annual service after year one |
| Low-start filing services | $0-$399 style entry price | Often separate | Tier or add-on varies | RA, address, and mail may be separate | Plan, RA, compliance, or add-on renewals may apply |
| Delaware startup route | Often one setup fee | May be included | Often included | Registered Agent renewal; mailroom varies | Delaware annual tax and RA renewal matter |
| DIY | $0 provider fee | Founder pays state directly | Founder handles IRS path | Founder hires and manages separately | Founder tracks all maintenance |
WYOM does not frame competitors as scams. The useful comparison is practical scope: what is included now, what renews later, and what the founder must still assemble.
ZenBusiness is often considered when
- A founder wants a mainstream online filing provider.
- A founder is comparing Starter, Pro, and Premium plan tiers.
- A founder wants to select add-ons such as EIN, Registered Agent, operating agreement, compliance, or document tools.
WYOM is built for
- Non-US founders who want a Wyoming LLC route instead of a general marketplace of services.
- A fixed $499 formation core with state filing fee included.
- EIN workflow without SSN, first-year Registered Agent, official mail, documents, dashboard, and status tracking.
- International founders who need the workflow explained plainly before they pay.
Real total cost context
ZenBusiness's support page describes Starter as a $0 service fee plus state fee, Pro and Premium as annual plans plus state fee, with EIN and Registered Agent availability depending on tier or add-on. That structure can work, but the founder should compare recurring plan behavior and what is included at formation.
WYOM keeps the first formation core narrow and explicit: $499 one-time for the Wyoming LLC route, EIN workflow, first-year Registered Agent, official mail, documents, dashboard, and status tracking.
FAQ
Does WYOM sell annual formation subscriptions?
The initial WYOM formation core is $499 one-time. Optional annual service after year one is separate from the initial package.
What should non-US founders compare?
Compare state fee, EIN without SSN workflow, Registered Agent, address/mail handling, documents, dashboard, support, and annual renewal terms.