LegalZoom vs Northwest Registered Agent: pricing and features compared
Data last updated: Apr 21, 2026LegalZoom starts at $0 plus state fees. Northwest Registered Agent starts at $39 plus state fees. Sticker-price differences between LLC formation services rarely tell the full story, since the cheapest tier usually excludes the EIN filing and operating agreement most filers need.
The registered agent renewal is the line item that actually matters over time: Northwest Registered Agent is $125 per year, LegalZoom is $249. Over five years that delta adds up to $496, which is typically a larger swing than the formation-tier sticker price.
LegalZoom offers a genuine $0 formation tier; Northwest Registered Agent does not. The free tier is meaningful if you only need state filing and are comfortable applying for an EIN yourself on irs.gov. It stops being free the moment you bundle the basic documents most LLCs need.
LegalZoom has 30,014 Trustpilot reviews compared to Northwest Registered Agent's 217. The volume gap is usually about review solicitation rather than quality, but the higher-volume score tends to be the more statistically stable signal.
For most filers, the decision between two services is decided by three things: whether you need a $0 tier or can absorb a mid-tier to get the EIN and operating agreement bundled, how much the registered agent will cost you in year two and onward, and whether the support quality matters to you (it matters more if you're paying $200+ for the service in the first place).
Key differences at a glance
- LegalZoom is $39 cheaper at the starting tier (one of them has a free tier).
- Northwest Registered Agent has the cheaper registered agent renewal ($125/yr vs $249/yr). Over five years that is a $496 difference.
- Northwest Registered Agent includes a free operating agreement; LegalZoom charges for it as an add-on. For a single-member LLC that can use a template, this matters less. For anything with multiple members, a proper operating agreement is not optional.
- LegalZoom has a genuine $0 formation tier. The other does not.
- Northwest Registered Agent supports non-US founders without a US SSN. The other is primarily US-resident oriented.
Where each service fits
Pick LegalZoom when
Pick LegalZoom when you want the lowest possible day-one sticker price; you want a genuine $0 formation tier (and don't need the add-ons); you want a high-volume review history (30,014 Trustpilot reviews vs 217).
Pick Northwest Registered Agent when
Pick Northwest Registered Agent when you're optimizing for lower long-term cost (RA renewal is cheaper); you want the operating agreement bundled at no extra cost; you're a non-US founder.
What each service offers that the other does not
Only LegalZoom
- Free $0 formation tier
Only Northwest Registered Agent
- Operating agreement included free
- Non-US founder support
Both services
- Compliance dashboard
- Mail scanning
- Phone support
- Live chat support
What it costs under your specific situation
Running the same LLC through three common scenarios. Year-1 and 5-year totals exclude state fees, which are identical for both services.
| Scenario | LegalZoom Year 1 | Northwest Registered Agent Year 1 | LegalZoom 5-year | Northwest Registered Agent 5-year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Just the basics: state filing, RA year 1, nothing else You file the EIN yourself at irs.gov and skip a written operating agreement. | $0 | $39 | $996 | $539 |
| You want EIN and operating agreement handled too Most new LLCs end up here. Assumes $70 EIN and $99 OA add-ons where the service charges for them. | $169 | $109 | $1,165 | $609 |
| Standalone registered agent only (no formation) You already formed the LLC elsewhere. Just swapping to this service's RA. | $249 | $125 | $1,245 | $625 |
Full feature comparison
| Dimension | LegalZoom | Northwest Registered Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price Cheapest tier, excludes state fees | Free | $39 |
| Registered agent year 1 | Not included | Included |
| Registered agent renewal Year 2 onward, annual | $249/yr | $125/yr |
| Free $0 tier | Yes | No |
| EIN application | Paid add-on | Paid add-on |
| Operating agreement | Paid add-on | Included free |
| Compliance dashboard | Yes | Yes |
| Mail scanning | Yes | Yes |
| International founders | No | Yes |
| Banking partner | None | None |
| Phone support | Monday to Friday 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT, Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT | Mon-Fri 6:00am-5:00pm Pacific |
| Live chat | Yes | Yes |
| Trustpilot rating | 4.6/5 (30,014 reviews) | 3.8/5 (217 reviews) |
Pricing tiers side by side
LegalZoom
- Basic — Free
- Pro — $249
- Premium — $299
Northwest Registered Agent
- Full Service LLC — $39
Includes RA year 1 · renews $125/yr
Support and ratings, interpreted
LegalZoom offers phone, email, live chat. Northwest Registered Agent offers phone, email, live chat. Trustpilot: LegalZoom is 4.6 across 30,014 reviews; Northwest Registered Agent is 3.8 across 217. A high-volume sample with a 4.5+ rating is the strongest signal; a small sample with either extreme rating is the weakest.
LegalZoom
Phone: Monday to Friday 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT, Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT.
Email: yes.
Live chat: Monday to Friday 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT, Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT.
Trustpilot: 4.6/5 from 30,014 reviews.
Northwest Registered Agent
Phone: Mon-Fri 6:00am-5:00pm Pacific.
Email: yes.
Live chat: Mon-Fri business hours Pacific.
Trustpilot: 3.8/5 from 217 reviews.
Before you pick either service
A few things apply no matter which one you choose. These catch enough first-time filers to be worth stating plainly.
The state fee is identical. Whether you use LegalZoom, Northwest Registered Agent, or neither, your state charges the same formation fee. Nothing a service does lowers that number. The fee ranges from $35 in Montana to $500 in Massachusetts depending on where you form. See the state-by-state guide for exact numbers.
You can get an EIN for free at irs.gov in five minutes. Both LegalZoom and Northwest Registered Agent either bundle EIN filing or sell it as a paid add-on. You're never required to pay for EIN filing; the IRS charges nothing and the online form takes about five minutes. If a service is pitching "we'll handle your EIN" as a headline feature, that's convenience pricing, not necessity.
The registered agent renewal is what matters long-term. The formation fee is a one-time cost. The registered agent is what recurs every year for as long as you keep the LLC open. Over five years, the RA renewal cost usually exceeds the formation fee. Compare on that number, not just the day-one sticker.
Operating agreements are separately priced at most services. Any LLC with more than one member, and any LLC relying on its liability shield, should have a written operating agreement. It governs ownership percentages, profit splits, management structure, and dissolution. California, Maine, Missouri, and New York require it by statute; every other state treats it as strongly recommended. Don't skip it to save $99.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Which is cheaper, LegalZoom or Northwest Registered Agent?
LegalZoom is cheaper at the starting tier ($0 vs $39). Over 5 years including RA renewals, the gap is about $457.
-
Does LegalZoom or Northwest Registered Agent have better support?
LegalZoom offers phone, email, live chat. Northwest Registered Agent offers phone, email, live chat. Trustpilot: LegalZoom is 4.6 across 30,014 reviews; Northwest Registered Agent is 3.8 across 217. A high-volume sample with a 4.5+ rating is the strongest signal; a small sample with either extreme rating is the weakest.
-
Is LegalZoom's free tier really free?
The $0 tier covers state filing and typically includes year one of registered agent service. It does not include EIN filing (you can still get one for free from the IRS directly) or an operating agreement, which most filers need. Once you add those, LegalZoom's free tier ends up around $169, which is very close to what Northwest Registered Agent charges for its bundled mid-tier package. Pick the free tier if you're comfortable doing the add-ons yourself; pick a bundled service if you want everything in one place.
-
Can a non-US founder use LegalZoom or Northwest Registered Agent?
Northwest Registered Agent supports non-US founders without a US Social Security Number. The other service is primarily US-resident oriented and may require additional workarounds for the EIN application, since non-US applicants need to file paper Form SS-4 rather than use the instant online path. For heavy non-US founder needs, services like Doola, Firstbase, or Stripe Atlas are purpose-built for that market.
-
Should I just file the LLC myself instead of using LegalZoom or Northwest Registered Agent?
You can. The state fee is identical whether you use a service or not. What these services sell is convenience: a handled registered agent (which you can also buy standalone), a bundled operating agreement, compliance reminders, and in some cases banking and tax integrations. If your time is worth more than $50 an hour and you would rather not research your state's specific filing quirks, a service pays for itself. If you like DIY administrative work, file directly at your state's Secretary of State portal.
-
How much does the registered agent cost with each service from year 2 onward?
LegalZoom renews at $249/yr. Northwest Registered Agent renews at $125/yr. This number matters because it recurs every year for as long as you keep the LLC. Over a five-year window, the registered agent renewal cost typically exceeds the formation fee, so it's worth more attention than most reviews give it.
Full reviews
Sources
- Pricing: www.legalzoom.com/business/business-formation/llc-overview.html · verified April 21, 2026
LLC overview page lists three one-time packages: Basic $0 plus state filing fees, Pro $249 plus state filing fees, Premium $299 plus state filing fees. Basic explicitly excludes EIN and Operating Agreement; Pro bundles both plus 30 days of the Business Attorney Plan that renews at $49 monthly. - Registered agent renewal: www.legalzoom.com/business/business-operations/registered-agent-overvi… · verified April 21, 2026
Page advertises Registered Agent Services for $249 per year with an auto-renewal disclosure and a note that the renewal rate is subject to change. - Features: www.legalzoom.com/business/business-formation/llc-overview.html · verified April 21, 2026
Feature callouts on the LLC overview page confirm online filing, free formation tier, paid EIN and Operating Agreement, and a 100 percent accurate filing guarantee. Pro includes a customizable website powered by Google. - Mail scanning: www.legalzoom.com/business/business-operations/virtual-mail · verified April 21, 2026
LZ Virtual Mail is offered as a separate product that scans and uploads business mail to a digital dashboard. - Founded: www.legalzoom.com/about-us · verified April 21, 2026
About page says 'Since 2001' and 'For more than 25 years, LegalZoom has been transforming how people navigate the legal system.' - Headquarters: www.legalzoom.com/careers · verified April 21, 2026
Careers page lists Los Angeles, CA, Austin, TX, and Bay Area, CA as their primary metros. LegalZoom does not name a single explicit headquarters on consumer pages; Los Angeles is the long-standing corporate base. - Support: www.legalzoom.com/contact-us · verified April 21, 2026
Contact page lists Customer Care at (888) 379-0854 and Sales at (855) 787-1221. Hours are Monday to Friday 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT and weekends 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT. A 'Chat with us' option is shown next to each phone line. - Ratings: www.trustpilot.com/review/www.legalzoom.com · verified April 21, 2026
Trustpilot profile shows 4.6 stars across 30,014 reviews on the date of verification. - Pricing: www.northwestregisteredagent.com/llc/cost · verified April 21, 2026
Vendor cost page is Cloudflare-protected; pricing verified through vendor press release and multiple independent reviews citing the $39 promotional formation price (regularly $100) plus $125 per year registered agent renewal. Additional verification via Northwest press release https://www.einpresswire.com/article/887201355/ confirming the $39 discount continues through 2026. - Ein: www.northwestregisteredagent.com/ein · verified April 21, 2026
EIN filing add-on is $50 with SSN/ITIN, $200 for non-US residents without one. - Registered agent only: www.northwestregisteredagent.com/registered-agent · verified April 21, 2026
Standalone registered agent service $125 per year, flat, with a price-lock guarantee. Multi-state 5+ rate is $100 per state. - Features: www.northwestregisteredagent.com/privacy-by-default · verified April 21, 2026
Privacy by Default guarantee: Northwest states on its own page that it does not sell customer data. Formation includes operating agreement, address use, mail forwarding, phone service, and domain. - Headquarters: www.northwestregisteredagent.com/office-locations · verified April 21, 2026
Corporate headquarters 522 W Riverside Ave Suite N, Spokane, WA 99201. Founded 1998 (27 years in business as of 2026). BBB profile https://www.bbb.org/us/wa/spokane/profile/incorporation/northwest-registered-agent-llc-1296-64196830 corroborates. - Support: www.northwestregisteredagent.com/contact-us · verified April 21, 2026
US-based Corporate Guides available by phone (509-768-2249) and email (support@northwestregisteredagent.com). Hours published on contact page. - Ratings: www.trustpilot.com/review/www.northwestregisteredagent.com · verified April 21, 2026
3.8 of 5 stars from 217 reviews. Low review count relative to Inc Authority and ZenBusiness because Northwest does not actively solicit Trustpilot reviews.