doola vs LegalZoom: Which LLC Service Is Right for You in 2026?
The short version
TL;DR: doola and LegalZoom both form your LLC, but they serve different founders. LegalZoom starts at $0 plus state filing fees for a basic filing, with the Pro plan at $249 and Premium at $299. doola has no $0 tier; its Starter plan is $297 per year and bundles EIN plus a US business address, and it leans hard into ongoing bookkeeping and tax work. Pick LegalZoom for a one-and-done cheap formation with DIY help. Pick doola if you want your books and taxes handled as part of the package, especially from outside the US.
What does each service actually charge?
LegalZoom sells formation three ways, and you can see them all on its LLC overview page. Basic is $0 plus state filing fees and covers the articles of organization, a business name check, and a tax consult. Pro is $249 plus state fees and adds an operating agreement, an EIN, a 30-day subscription to unlimited 30-minute attorney consultations, a year of access to 150+ legal document templates, and eSignatures. Premium is $299 plus state fees and layers on bookkeeping tools, proposals, invoices, income and expense tracking, and mileage capture.
doola's pricing page lists four plans and every one is billed annually. Starter is $297 per year and covers US LLC or C Corp formation, an EIN, and a US business address, with filing done in 1-2 business days. Pulse bookkeeping is $300 per year. Tax and Compliance is $1,999 per year and adds IRS and state tax filing plus a 1:1 tax consultation. Business-in-a-Box is $2,999 per year (about $329 per month) and tops out with monthly financial statements, synced bookkeeping and taxes, and estimated quarterly taxes.
| Plan | List price | Notable inclusions |
|---|---|---|
| LegalZoom Basic | $0 + state fees | Articles of organization, name check, tax consult |
| LegalZoom Pro | $249 + state fees | Operating agreement, EIN, 30-day attorney consults, legal templates |
| LegalZoom Premium | $299 + state fees | Pro plus bookkeeping tools, invoicing, mileage capture |
| doola Starter | $297/yr | LLC or C Corp filing, EIN, US business address |
| doola Tax and Compliance | $1,999/yr | Tax filing, 1:1 tax consult |
| doola Business-in-a-Box | $2,999/yr | Monthly statements, synced books and taxes, quarterly taxes |
What will the state filing fees actually cost me?
Both companies price their services before you pay your state. LegalZoom's own cost article puts the national average LLC filing fee at $130, with most states charging between $50 and $200 and the range running from $35 in Montana up to $500 in Massachusetts. Budget $130 as a rough midpoint, then check your Secretary of State's fee schedule for the real number.
You usually face a few recurring costs on top of the filing fee no matter which service you pick. LegalZoom lists registered agent services at $100 to $300 per year and annual report fees at $15 to $300 depending on your state. California adds a separate $800 franchise tax. An operating agreement from LegalZoom runs $99 on its own, though it is included in the Pro and Premium plans.
doola's marketing repeats a common framing: doing it yourself often lands between $2,000 and $5,000 in year one once you count state fees, a registered agent, and compliance filings. Their Starter plan at $297 per year is meant to sit well under that DIY figure, which may be true if you are starting from scratch and would otherwise buy a registered agent plus an EIN and a business address separately.
Who is LegalZoom for?
LegalZoom is the safer default for a US-based founder who wants a low-cost, recognizable service and plans to handle their own books. You can get a legit LLC filed for $0 plus your state fee, and the Pro tier gives you attorney consultations for only $249.
Who is doola for?
doola is built around the idea that formation is only step one. Its higher tiers bake in bookkeeping and tax compliance, and its international focus is explicit: the site notes non-US citizens can incorporate, and a passport is needed to open the companion bank account. That is a genuine differentiator LegalZoom does not lead with.
The real decision is what you will not do yourself
Strip away the marketing and the choice is simple. If you will file your own taxes and keep your own books, LegalZoom's $0 Basic or $249 Pro gets you formed cheaply, and you stop there. If bookkeeping and tax compliance are exactly what you do not want to touch, doola sells those as first-class products, and its $297 Starter is a reasonable on-ramp before you step up to its $1,999 and $2,999 tiers.
The pricing structures are not apples to apples. LegalZoom's $0 plan is formation only. doola has no free formation tier at all. Compare like for like: LegalZoom Pro at $249 plus fees vs doola Starter at $297 per year plus fees. The LegalZoom number is a one-time charge; the doola number renews each year, though the registered agent and address it bundles also recur annually on most competing setups.
- Get your state filing fee from your Secretary of State, and add the national average of roughly $130 only as a planning guess.
- Decide who keeps your books. DIY means LegalZoom Basic or Pro makes sense. Outsourced means doola's bookkeeping and tax tiers.
- Check where you are based. Non-US founders get a dedicated path with doola; LegalZoom is more US-centric.
- Compare like for like: LegalZoom Pro ($249 one-time) against doola Starter ($297/yr) and note what each bundles.
- Add recurring line items, like registered agent ($100-$300/yr) and annual report fees ($15-$300), before you commit.
FAQ
Is doola cheaper than LegalZoom?
At the entry point, yes on price per year, but not on first cash out. LegalZoom Basic is $0 plus state fees, while doola Starter is $297 per year. LegalZoom Pro at $249 plus fees is a one-time charge; doola Starter at $297 renews every year, though it includes EIN and a US business address.
Does doola include a registered agent?
doola's Starter plan bundles a US business address for $297 per year, which covers the kind of ongoing need a registered agent serves for many owners. LegalZoom charges $100 to $300 per year for registered agent services separately.
Can I use doola if I am not a US citizen?
Yes. doola states it works with entrepreneurs from around the world to incorporate US businesses, and a passport is required to open the companion business bank account. LegalZoom is a larger, more US-oriented service that does not lead with an international path.
How fast is filing with each service?
doola states US LLC or C Corp formation is filed in 1-2 business days on its pricing page. LegalZoom's own site emphasizes accurate filing and a 100% Accurate Filing Guarantee rather than a firm same-day turnaround promise.
Which is better for tax help, doola or LegalZoom?
doola packages tax filing and bookkeeping directly into its $1,999 and $2,999 per year plans, with a 1:1 tax consultation. LegalZoom's formation plans include a 6-month bookkeeping tools subscription at Premium but do not bundle ongoing tax filing as core service.
Prices verified against doola.com and legalzoom.com official pages in August 2026. State filing fees and annual costs vary by location and can change at any time.