LegalZoom vs Northwest Registered Agent: Cost and Refunds

First check whether you need help forming an LLC or only a registered agent, because LegalZoom and Northwest Registered Agent lead with different things. Northwest describes registered agent service as its core product, and its pages also list business formation and LLC setup. LegalZoom sells LLC formation packages that start at $0 plus state filing fees, and its two paid tiers add a monthly charge after the first 30 days.

LegalZoom vs Northwest Registered Agent at a glance

Start with the price and monthly charge rows, then match each company’s listed terms to what you need. Terms are as listed on October 28, 2026. Some links on this page are affiliate links, and we may be paid a commission if you buy through them.

What is a registered agent, and do you need one?

A registered agent is the person or company that receives legal notices and legal papers for your LLC during business hours. Northwest’s registered agent page says every state requires an LLC to name one. LegalZoom’s LLC page says most states require it. The rule depends on your state, so check your state’s business filing office before you assume the answer.

Northwest’s FAQ says all states allow you to be your own registered agent. It adds that if you are not regularly available in person at the address on your public documents, you should not be.

What does Northwest Registered Agent do?

Northwest says its registered agent service covers four main things:

• It accepts all state and legal mail and shows instant scans of it in your account.
• It lists its own business address on your public filings instead of yours.
• It scans normal business mail, up to 10 scans a year, at no charge.
• It reminds you of annual or biennial report deadlines and takes care of the report for you, automatically.

Its About page also says anyone can sign up for free identity services: a domain name, website, email address and phone line, with no strings attached.

Is Northwest Registered Agent legit?

Northwest presents itself as an established company. Its footer names Northwest Registered Agent, LLC, and its copyright line reads 1998–2026. Its About page says it employs “over 1,300 people nationwide,” and its homepage calls it “the largest Corporate Filing Service in the country.” Those are Northwest’s own claims, and they are reported here as its words.

To check any registered agent for yourself, look up your LLC in your state’s business records and confirm that the agent named there is the company you paid. Keep the receipt and the company’s written terms.

Is LegalZoom legit?

LegalZoom presents itself as a legal services company with attorneys in its network. Its footer says: “LegalZoom is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, except where authorized through its subsidiary law firm LZ Legal Services, LLC.” Its homepage describes “Legal solutions trusted by millions,” and its LLC page describes “Vetted attorneys focused on your needs.”

How much does Northwest Registered Agent cost per year?

Northwest’s registered agent page lists $125 per year. It says it has not raised its price in 20 years and that the $125 comes with “no hidden fees or per document charges.” For five or more states, it lists $100 per year per state, so five states would be $500 a year. Prices as of October 28, 2026; check today’s price at Northwest’s checkout, since prices change.

How much does LegalZoom cost?

LegalZoom’s LLC page lists three packages. Basic starts at $0 plus state filing fees. Managed Service starts at $249 plus state filing fees. Expert Service starts at $299 plus state filing fees. LegalZoom says LLC filing fees vary by state.

Managed Service and Expert Service both include 30 days of service, then a monthly charge. The page says the Managed Service advisor auto-renews at $49 a month and the Expert Service team at $99 a month, and that you can cancel anytime. After the included first 30 days, each month costs $49 (Managed) or $99 (Expert), so 11 further months would be $539 or $1,089, plus the package price and state fees. For LegalZoom’s registered agent price on its own, check the checkout before you choose a package, because the packages above are formation bundles.

What is included in LegalZoom’s formation packages?

LegalZoom’s LLC page lists what each package covers. Basic includes a company name check, the state filing of your articles of organization (the document that creates your LLC with the state), and a tax consult from 1-800Accountant. Managed Service adds an EIN (federal tax ID), an operating agreement (the document setting out how the LLC is run) “for liability protection,” a dedicated business advisor, and 150+ customizable legal documents with unlimited eSignatures. The advisor’s filing review is described as “not an attorney review.” Expert Service adds a professional review of your LLC filing by a licensed attorney, along with a tax expert and your business advisor.

Does Northwest file articles of organization, provide an EIN or write an operating agreement?

Northwest’s registered agent page lists “Articles of Organization or Incorporation filed with the state” and “An operating agreement or corporate bylaws to get you started” among what a good registered agent should provide. It also says it signs as organizer on your public documents. Before you pay, ask Northwest whether its yearly fee covers the articles filing, an EIN and an operating agreement. LegalZoom lists an EIN and an operating agreement in its Managed Service package and the articles filing in Basic.

Does Northwest forward mail, and does it have an app?

Northwest says its instant scans give you “immediate access in your account.” Its scans are the mail service it describes, so ask Northwest whether it also forwards original paper mail. Its pages describe an online account and a phone line. Ask whether it has a mobile app before you buy.

LegalZoom’s LLC page says it can handle the registered agent for you, and its privacy policy mentions information about mail received through its Registered Agent services.

How long does it take?

Northwest’s pages describe instant access: an instant account and instant scans. It says emails are answered the same day, and that if you reach voicemail during business hours you should get a call back within two hours. LegalZoom says most of its questionnaires “can be completed in minutes,” and that it will “ensure all requests are fulfilled and distributed accurately.” For the time from your order to a filed document, ask each company directly before you pay.

Refunds, guarantees and mistakes

LegalZoom’s homepage describes an Accurate Filing Guarantee: “If your filing is rejected or incorrect due to our error, we’ll correct it with the government agency at no additional cost to you.” Its footer links to an “LZ Guarantee and Refund Policy,” so read that policy before you pay.

Northwest’s About page says: “If we screw something up, we will give your money back.” It also says, “We will not take your money twice.” Ask Northwest for its refund terms in writing, including how long you have to ask for one.

How do you cancel each one?

LegalZoom’s LLC page says the Managed Service and Expert Service monthly services can be cancelled online or by calling (888) 310-0151. It describes both as cancel anytime.

Northwest’s registered agent page explains resigning as a registered agent. It says you can resign at any time by notifying the business and, in most states, filing a statement of agent resignation with the state, and that the process differs by state. That describes stepping down as an agent, which is not the same as ending a subscription, so call Northwest at 509-768-2249 and ask how to close your service. Its About page also says its phone service lets you “easily view any stored data (and delete it whenever).” Ask about deleting your data at the same time.

What do reviews say about each one?

Northwest’s registration page says it is “Rated 4.7 / 5 stars by 1881 clients on Google,” and its homepage shows the same 4.7 / 5 rating next to customer reviews. One review on its homepage says Northwest is “really good at following up and letting you know the process for whatever you need.” These are ratings and reviews Northwest chooses to display on its own site.

LegalZoom’s homepage says its services are “trusted by millions” and shows a customer quote about a will. Each company’s ratings come from its own site, so for outside reviews read the LegalZoom reviews, cost and services guide.

How do they handle your personal information?

Northwest says it never sells your data, and it lists its own business address on your public filings instead of yours. It also says its privacy protection is automatic and needs no opt-in. For unrelated reading, Tulane University’s public safety office has guidance on preventing residential burglaries, and research indexed on PubMed covers healthcare product residues and biodiversity. For more on its privacy claims, see the Northwest reviews and privacy guide.

LegalZoom’s privacy policy lists the personal information it may collect. That includes identifiers, sensitive information such as social security, driver’s license and passport numbers, and usernames and passwords. It says that, with your consent, it may work with vendors including Stripe, Onfido and Veriff to compare a digital image of your face with your government ID. It also says it may make audio recordings of telephone calls. Read the policy before you send it documents.

Who each one suits

Northwest fits a business owner who wants a registered agent on one yearly fee, a business address on public records and scanned mail. That works whether the LLC is already formed or Northwest’s own pages for business formation and LLC setup are part of the plan. LegalZoom fits someone who wants a formation package that can include a name check, an EIN and an operating agreement, and who is comfortable with monthly charges after the first 30 days.

Questions that decide it for you

• Do you need help forming the LLC, or only a registered agent for a business that already exists?
• Do you need original paper mail forwarded, or are scans enough?
• Would you rather pay one yearly fee, or a monthly charge you can stop?
• Do you need an EIN and an operating agreement included in your price?
• Does your state require a registered agent, and does it allow you to act as your own?

Before you order

• Ask Northwest for its refund terms in writing, and whether its fee covers the articles filing, an EIN and an operating agreement.
• Ask LegalZoom for the registered agent price on its own, and read its LZ Guarantee and Refund Policy.
• Ask each company how long its state filing takes.
• Check today’s prices at each checkout, since prices and bundles change.

By LegalHelpOnline.org Legal Research & Editorial Team