Quick Comparison
| Feature | Edeal | LegalZoom |
|---|---|---|
| Registration price | $1 + state fees | $0 + state fees (basic) |
| Built for non-residents | Yes — designed for foreign owners | US-oriented product |
| Registered Agent (year 1) | Included | Included |
| EIN for non-residents | Specialized support | Standard approach |
| Form 5472 (foreign owner) | In-house professionals | Via attorney marketplace |
| Russian-language support | Yes | No |
| Legal services | Direct team | Large attorney marketplace |
| Accounting / bookkeeping | Available as add-on | Available as add-on |
| Customer support | Dedicated team, direct access | Chat and phone (English) |
1. Pricing: What You Actually Pay
Both services advertise low entry prices, but the full picture looks different depending on where you are in the world.
LegalZoom offers a free basic LLC formation — you pay only state fees. That sounds appealing. However, access to most useful features requires a LegalZoom Business subscription starting at $17/month. For a foreign founder who needs occasional help rather than an ongoing subscription, this model adds up quickly.
Edeal charges $1 + state fees for LLC formation — a flat, transparent price. There is no subscription required to use the core service. The $1 covers the filing work; state fees depend on the state you choose and are the same regardless of which service you use.
2. Non-Residents: Where the Gap Is Widest
LegalZoom was built for US-based entrepreneurs — people with Social Security Numbers, US addresses, and familiarity with the American legal system. The product works well for that audience. For foreign founders, the experience is different.
EIN Without an SSN
Getting an Employer Identification Number (EIN) without a US Social Security Number requires a specific process with the IRS. LegalZoom offers EIN service, but it follows a general approach. Edeal handles this process regularly for clients who have no US tax ID — it is part of the standard workflow, not an exception.
Form 5472
Foreign-owned single-member LLCs are required to file Form 5472 with the IRS to report reportable transactions. Missing this form carries significant penalties. LegalZoom can connect you to attorneys through its marketplace who can handle this. Edeal has in-house professionals who understand these obligations as a core part of serving foreign clients — not as an add-on service you need to source separately.
Language and Familiarity
LegalZoom operates entirely in English. For founders from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, or other CIS countries, navigating US legal concepts in a foreign language adds friction and the risk of misunderstanding critical details. Edeal's team works in Russian — the same language you think in when making business decisions.
The Core Difference
LegalZoom is a general-purpose legal platform optimized for US residents. Edeal was designed from the start for founders who do not live in the United States. If you are a non-resident, you are LegalZoom's edge case. At Edeal, you are the main customer.
3. Support: How You Get Help
LegalZoom's support model scales through chat and phone with English-speaking agents. For common questions this works fine. For complex situations — a foreign owner trying to understand their IRS obligations, or a founder unsure whether they need to file Form 5472 this year — a general support agent may not have the specific knowledge required.
LegalZoom's strength here is its attorney marketplace. If you need a lawyer for a specific task, you can find one through the platform. This gives access to broad legal expertise, though it means navigating multiple service providers rather than working with one team.
Edeal operates as a direct team. The people who register your company are also the people you contact when questions come up. There is no routing through a marketplace or escalation to a third party.
4. Legal Services: Marketplace vs Direct Team
LegalZoom has built an impressive legal marketplace — hundreds of attorneys across practice areas, available for hourly or flat-fee engagements. If you need trademark filing, contract review, or other general legal work, the marketplace provides real value. This is one area where LegalZoom's scale is a genuine advantage.
Edeal focuses on what non-resident founders actually need most: company formation, compliance for foreign-owned entities, EIN, and the first year of operations. The team handles these directly without routing you to outside attorneys for standard work.
If your needs go beyond company formation into complex US legal work — litigation, IP, employment law — LegalZoom's attorney network may be more useful. If your priority is getting your US company running correctly from day one as a foreign owner, Edeal's focused model is the more direct path.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use LegalZoom if I'm not a US resident?
Technically yes — LegalZoom will file your LLC. However, the platform is designed for US-based founders. The process, support, and add-on services assume you have a US address, SSN, and English as your working language. Non-residents can use it, but will encounter gaps in support for foreign-owner-specific requirements like Form 5472 and EIN without SSN.
Is the $1 Edeal price the total cost?
The $1 is Edeal's service fee for LLC formation. State fees are additional and set by each state — they range from around $50 to several hundred dollars depending on the state. These fees are the same regardless of who files your LLC. There is no hidden subscription required.
What is Form 5472 and why does it matter?
Form 5472 is an IRS information return required for foreign-owned US LLCs. It reports transactions between the LLC and its foreign owner or other related parties. The penalties for failing to file or filing incorrectly are substantial. This is one of the most common compliance issues for foreign founders who use services not specifically designed for non-residents.
Does LegalZoom offer services in languages other than English?
LegalZoom's platform and support operate in English. There is no Russian-language support. For founders whose primary language is Russian or another CIS language, this creates a communication barrier around legally important details.