How To Form A US LLC With Bizee : The Complete, Step-By-Step Guide
By JoshWP Team | Updated: | ~21 min read | LLC Formation Step-By-Step Guide
Quick Answer
Forming a US LLC with Bizee (formerly Incfile, founded 2004, headquartered at 17350 State Highway 249, Suite 220, Houston, TX 77064) takes roughly 15–20 minutes of data entry across a 14-step checkout, followed by 3–4 weeks of state processing (or faster with paid expediting). The core LLC formation is genuinely $0 plus your state’s filing fee ($0–$500 depending on the state), with a full year of registered agent service included free — renewing at roughly $119–$149/year afterward.
You’ll need: a company name, a formation state, a registered agent (Bizee can serve as yours), member/owner information, a business address, and — if you want one filed for you — an EIN. This guide walks through every single screen in the actual signup flow, plus what to do afterward: opening US business banking (via Payoneer or Wise), getting a US phone number for verification steps, and understanding the add-ons Bizee will offer you at checkout so you know exactly what to accept and what to skip.
Forming a US LLC sounds intimidating until you actually sit down and do it. The paperwork is genuinely manageable — the confusing part is usually not knowing what’s coming next, or which optional add-ons you actually need.
This guide removes that uncertainty entirely. We walk through every screen of Bizee’s actual formation flow, explain exactly what each field is asking for and why, and flag which upsells are worth it and which you can safely skip.
By the end, you’ll also know how to set up US business banking and get a US phone number for verification — the two steps most people get stuck on immediately after their LLC is approved.
Table of Contents
- 1. What Is Bizee?
- 2. What You’ll Need Before You Start
- 3. Why Form An LLC In The First Place?
- 4. Step-By-Step: The Full Bizee Formation Walkthrough
- 5. Full Pricing Breakdown
- 6. Setting Up US Business Banking
- 7. Getting A US Phone Number For Verification
- 8. Timeline: What Happens After You File
- 9. Bizee By The Numbers
- 10. Pros and Cons
- 11. Bizee vs Alternatives
- 12. Common Mistakes To Avoid
- 13. Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Bizee?
Bizee (formerly Incfile) is an LLC and corporation formation service founded in 2004 and headquartered at 17350 State Highway 249, Suite 220, Houston, TX 77064. It rebranded from Incfile to Bizee in 2023 — same company, same team, new name.
Over its 20+ year history, Bizee reports having formed over 1 million businesses, making it one of the most established names in this category alongside LegalZoom, ZenBusiness, and Northwest Registered Agent.
The Bizee homepage — the $0 + state fee formation offer is front and center.
What You’ll Need Before You Start
Have these ready before you begin, and the entire checkout takes 15–20 minutes instead of stalling halfway through.
- A company name (plus 1–2 backups, in case your first choice is taken in your state)
- A formation state — usually your home state if you’re US-based, or Delaware/Wyoming if you’re not
- A registered agent — Bizee can serve as yours, free for the first year
- Member/owner information — full legal names and addresses of everyone with ownership in the LLC
- A business address — this can be a virtual/registered agent address if you don’t have a physical US office
- A contact person’s details — name, phone, and email for state correspondence
- An EIN plan — decide whether Bizee files it for you or you apply directly with the IRS yourself (free, but slower without an SSN/ITIN)
If You’re Not A US Resident
Everything above still applies, but the EIN step is where non-US residents usually hit friction, since the IRS process assumes an SSN. For a deeper dive on that specific scenario — plus which providers handle it best — see our guide on how to form an LLC as a non-US resident and our roundup of the best LLC formation services for non-US residents.
Why Form An LLC In The First Place?
🛡️ Liability Protection
An LLC separates your personal assets from business debts and legal claims — the core reason most people form one at all.
💰 Business Banking & Payment Processing
Many payment processors, marketplaces, and banks require a formal business entity before they’ll open an account.
📺 Monetization Requirements
Some creators form an LLC specifically to formalize ad revenue and sponsorship income — see our guide on forming an LLC for a YouTube channel and Google AdSense.
📊 Structuring Multiple Revenue Streams
Some site owners and publishers use separate entities to manage multiple properties — related to this is our guide on opening multiple AdSense accounts the right way.
Step-By-Step: The Full Bizee Formation Walkthrough
Here’s exactly what you’ll see, screen by screen, from the moment you start to the moment you pay.
Choose Your Entity Type & State
Select LLC (or corporation) and pick your formation state. Most US-based founders choose their home state to avoid foreign-entity registration fees elsewhere.
Step 1 — Selecting your entity type and the state you’ll form in.
Choose Your Business Formation Package
Pick Basic ($0), Standard (~$199), or Premium (~$299–$349) — see the full pricing section below before deciding.
Step 2 — Comparing the Basic, Standard, and Premium packages.
Enter Company Information
Your chosen company name, plus backups in case of a name conflict in your state’s business registry.
Step 3 — Entering your company name and details.
Choose Your State Filing Time
Standard filing is free but takes 3–4 weeks; expedited options cost extra and can cut this down significantly.
Step 4 — Choosing between free standard filing and paid expedited options.
Enter Contact Person Details
The name, phone number, and email the state (and Bizee) will use to reach you about your filing.
Step 5 — Adding your contact details for state correspondence.
Enter Company Address Information
Your business’s official address — this can be your registered agent’s address if you don’t have a US office.
Step 6 — Providing your company’s official address.
Provide Members’ Information (For LLCs)
Full legal names and addresses for every owner/member of the LLC — required for the Articles of Organization.
Step 7 — Adding member/owner information for the LLC.
Choose Bizee As Your Registered Agent
Included free for year one, renewing at roughly $119–$149/year afterward. You can decline and use your own registered agent if you already have one.
Step 8 — Confirming Bizee as your registered agent (or opting out).
Enter EIN / Tax Identification Number Information
Have Bizee file your EIN application for you, or skip this and apply directly and for free with the IRS yourself (slower without an SSN/ITIN).
Step 9 — Choosing whether Bizee files your EIN application.
Small Business Banking (Can Be Done Later)
Bizee will prompt you about banking here, but you can safely defer this — see our full banking section below for the better route via Payoneer or Wise.
Step 10 — Banking setup prompt (safe to skip and handle afterward).
Tax Strategy / Free Consultation Upsell
An optional consultation offer. It’s free to accept, but not required to form your LLC — decline if you already have a tax advisor.
Step 11 — The tax strategy consultation offer (optional).
Business License Research Package Upsell
A paid add-on that researches local licensing requirements for you. Useful if you’re unsure what licenses your city/county requires — skippable if you already know.
Step 12 — The Business License Research Package offer (optional).
Review Your Order Summary
Every line item — package, state fee, registered agent, and any add-ons you accepted — is itemized here before you pay. Double-check it against what you actually wanted.
Step 13 — The full itemized order summary.
Add Billing Information To Complete Your Order
Enter payment details to submit your filing. You’ll get dashboard access immediately, with state approval following in 3–4 weeks (or faster if expedited).
Step 14 — Entering billing information to finalize your order.
The Honest Takeaway On This Flow
Steps 1–9 are the actual legal formation process. Steps 10–12 are optional upsells presented along the way — none of them are required to form your LLC, so don’t feel pressured to accept anything you’re not sure about.
Full Pricing Breakdown
| Package | Cost | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0 + state fee | Articles of Organization filing, 1 year registered agent, 1 month virtual address |
| Standard | ~$199 + state fee | Everything in Basic + EIN filing, operating agreement, banking resolution, compliance alerts |
| Premium | ~$299–$349 + state fee | Everything in Standard + expedited filing, domain name, business email |
| Registered agent (Year 2+) | ~$119–$149/year | Ongoing registered agent service after your free first year |
| State filing fee | $0–$500 | Mandatory, varies entirely by which state you form in |
Pricing reflects publicly listed rates as of mid-2026 and may change — confirm current pricing at checkout, and note the registered agent renewal rate has varied ($119–$199) across recent reporting.
The Real Minimum Cost
If you only need the legal formation and nothing else, your actual out-of-pocket cost is just your state’s filing fee — the Basic plan itself is genuinely $0.
Setting Up US Business Banking
Once your LLC and EIN are approved, you’ll need somewhere to actually receive and hold business money — especially if you don’t live in the US and can’t walk into a branch.
Two of the most practical options for this are Payoneer and Wise, both of which support non-US founders with US receiving accounts tied to your new EIN.
Payoneer
Strong pick if you’ll be paid through marketplaces like Amazon, Upwork, or Fiverr, since it integrates directly with them.
Read the full Payoneer account setup guide →Wise
Strong pick if you’ll be invoicing clients directly and want the lowest-cost currency conversion available.
Read the full Wise account setup guide →Getting A US Phone Number For Verification
Several steps in this process — banking sign-up, EIN follow-ups, and some marketplace verifications — go more smoothly with a US phone number, which non-US founders often don’t have.
Receive-SMS.com is a low-cost way to get a US number for exactly these kinds of verification steps, without needing a physical SIM or carrier plan.
🎟️ Discount Code
Use code JOSHWP at checkout for a discount on your Receive-SMS.com purchase.
Timeline: What Happens After You File
- Day 0: You submit your order; dashboard access is immediate
- Days 1–3: Bizee reviews and submits your Articles of Organization to the state
- Weeks 1–4: The state processes and approves your filing (faster with paid expediting)
- After approval: You receive your approved formation documents, then can proceed to EIN, banking, and any licenses
Bizee By The Numbers
Pricing By Package ($, Excl. State Fee)
Example State Filing Fees ($)
Illustrative examples — confirm your specific state’s current fee before filing.
Registered Agent Renewal: Bizee vs Competitors ($/Year)
Feature Comparison: Bizee vs Common Alternatives
Editorial scoring (0–10) based on researched features, not an official benchmark from any provider.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Genuinely $0 formation — you only pay the state fee if you skip add-ons
- First year of registered agent service included free
- Over 1 million businesses formed since 2004 — long track record
- Clear, itemized order summary before you pay
- Free lifetime compliance alerts for deadlines
Cons
- Standard processing (3–4 weeks) is slower than some competitors
- Checkout includes multiple upsell screens — easy to accidentally add cost
- Registered agent renewal pricing has been reported inconsistently ($119–$199) across sources
- EIN filing and operating agreement require the Standard tier, not Basic
Bizee vs Alternatives
| Service | Formation Cost | RA Renewal | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bizee | $0 + state fee | ~$119–$149/yr | Budget-conscious US-based founders |
| Northwest Registered Agent | $0–$39 + state fee | ~$125/yr | Privacy protection, no upselling |
| ZenBusiness | $0 + state fee | Included in $199+/yr tiers | Polished, subscription-style compliance |
| Doola | $297/yr | Included in plan | Non-US founders needing EIN without an SSN |
Pricing shifts frequently across this category — confirm current rates directly on each provider’s site.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Accepting every upsell reflexively — review each one; several are genuinely optional
- Skipping the EIN entirely — you’ll need it for banking, so plan for either Bizee filing it or doing it yourself with the IRS
- Forgetting the year-two renewal — budget for the registered agent fee before it surprises you
- Not confirming your state’s exact filing fee — this varies significantly and isn’t Bizee’s decision
- Delaying business banking — set this up as soon as your EIN is approved to avoid mixing personal and business funds
Frequently Asked Questions
Is forming an LLC with Bizee really free?
Yes — the Basic package is genuinely $0. You only pay your state’s mandatory filing fee, which ranges from $0 to $500 depending on the state.
How long does Bizee take to form an LLC?
Standard processing typically takes 3–4 weeks. Expedited filing is available as a paid add-on for founders who need faster approval.
Do I need a registered agent?
Yes, every US LLC is legally required to have one. Bizee includes this free for your first year, renewing at roughly $119–$149/year afterward.
Can non-US residents form an LLC with Bizee?
Yes, but the EIN step can be slower without an SSN or ITIN. If you’re specifically a non-US founder, it’s worth comparing Bizee against providers built around that use case in our non-US resident LLC guide.
Which upsells at checkout are actually worth it?
None are strictly required. The EIN filing and operating agreement (bundled in Standard) are genuinely useful for most new LLCs. The tax consultation and business license research package are situational — skip them if you already have a tax advisor or already know your local licensing requirements.
What should I do right after my LLC is approved?
Confirm your EIN, then set up business banking (Payoneer or Wise both work well for non-US founders), and get a US phone number if you don’t already have one for verification steps along the way.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links for Bizee, Payoneer, Wise, and Receive-SMS.com. If you sign up through these links we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Figures on pricing and processing times reflect publicly available information at the time of writing and may change — always confirm current details directly with each provider, and consult a qualified legal or tax professional for advice specific to your situation.
