If you want to have a separate legal entity and benefit from liability protections, it’s better to have an LLC than a DBA. Forming an LLC helps protect your personal assets from lawsuits and debts, whereas a DBA or fictitious name does not. LLCs also have more tax flexibility than DBAs. It’s possible to have an LLC and a DBA. You can form an LLC and also apply for DBA to operate your business under a different name for branding and banking purposes.