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Northwest Registered Agent Review
| Northwest Registered Agent, LLC | |
|---|---|
| Founding Year: | 1998 |
| Registered Agent Service Price: | $125 per year |
| LLC Formation Starting Price: | $225+ state filing fees |
Pros:
- Best Customer Support
- Monthly VIP Service for less than state fee
Cons:
- Pay Upfront Option More Expensive than others
- Not as many add-on services available
Northwest Registered Agent Review Table of Contents:
Northwest Registered Agent Overview
Northwest Registered Agent is a business formation and registered agent service provider based out of Spokane, Washington, that’s been in business since 1998. Since its inception, Northwest Registered Agent has become one of the country’s largest registered agent service providers. They are most well known for having an extremely high level of customer service and excellent knowledge of their support staff.
Northwest Registered Agent Services Review
Northwest Regsitered Agent has 2 primary services:
- Registered Agent Service – $125 per year
- Business Formation – 2 Options:
- Pay Upfront – $225 +state fees
- Monthly VIP Service – $30-$73 per month (price includes state filing fees and varies by state)
Registered Agent Service – $125 per year
Northwest Registered Agent’s bread and butter service is their registered agent service. A registered agent is essentially the official point of contact listed for an LLC or corporation responsible for receiving official correspondence from the state or service of process if your business is sued. This stand-alone service costs $125 per year (does not include LLC or corporation formation).
Registered Agent Service Features:
- Locally-Scanned Documents
When a document is received at a local registered agent service office, it’s scanned into your account immediately. This increases both the speed that documents are uploaded to your account and ensures quality control - Get Your Own Corporate Guide
The biggest reason to use Northwest Registered Agent is for their Corporate Guides. These individuals are available by phone or email every day and are available to answer the most challenging questions you have about starting and maintaining your business. - Free Limited Mail Forwarding
Get up to 5 free scans per year of regular business mail. - Free Online Tools
Receive guidance on completing your annual report compliance and other important reminders for free.
Registered Agent Service Recommendation
Northwest Registered Agent’s registered agent service is a good option for those seeking to form an LLC on their own but wants to appoint a commercial registered agent. Because of the high-level customer support that Northwest Registered Agent provides, this can be an excellent option for first-time business owners who have many questions about starting their business.
Busines Formation Service
The other primary service provided by Northwest Registered Agent is business formation. This service can be used to form an LLC, corporation, or nonprofit corporation. Their business formation service has 2 payment options:
- Pay Up-Front – $225 +state fees
- Monthly VIP Service – $30-$73 per month (price includes state filing fees and varies by state)
Pay Upfront Formation Service – $225 +state fees
The pay upfront option from Northwest Registered Agent includes the filing of your formation paperwork, 1 year of registered agent service, business address, free mail forwarding, and a 60-day Phone Service trial for $225 +state fees.
Who is the Pay Upfront Option Best for?The pay upfront option is best for new business owners looking for a service to complete the filing process and want registered agent service. While other providers offer this type of service for cheaper, like Inc Authority’s free formation service, Northwest Registered Agent’s customer support and knowledge are top-notch. So if you have a lot of questions and want the best available customer support, choose this option.
Monthly VIP Service
The Monthly VIP Service provides a comprehensive formation service for a low monthly fee. This allows you to form your LLC or corporation for an upfront price that is much lower than the state filing fee and takes care of the essentials filings you need to start a business. The Monthly VIP Service includes the following:
- State Filing Fees
Every state charges a filing fee to form an LLC or Corporation legally. Northwest Registered Agent rolls this fee into the monthly cost so you can pay less upfront. - Business Formation
Northwest Registered Agent completes the required filings for your LLC or corporation and submits these to the Secretary of State’s office. - Registered Agent Service
A registered agent is essentially the official point of contact for a business with the state responsible for receiving correspondence from the state and receiving service of process in the event the business is sued. Every LLC or corporation needs to appoint a registered agent when they are formed. While you can choose to serve as your own registered agent, it can be a bit risky if you miss important messages from government organizations, which could result in your business losing good standing with the state. - EIN Filing
An EIN is an ID issued by the IRS for tax filing and employer registration. Every LLC and corporation should have an EIN, as they are required to establish a business bank account. Northwest Registered Agent will complete this filing for you and obtain your EIN from the IRS. - Operating Agreement or Bylaw
Operating agreements or corporate bylaws are highly recommended for every LLC and corporation. These documents outline important items such as the ownership percentage of each owner, establishes standards for daily operations, who has specific responsibilities within the company, how profits will be distributed, and how to resolve conflicts between owners. These documents are also critical in maintaining the limited liability protections provided by LLCs and corporations if a business is sued. - Banking Resolution Document
This is an optional document that can be provided to your bank or financial institution and clearly defines which owners, employees, and stakeholders have the authority to make banking and financial decisions. A banking resolution document is beneficial when setting up your business bank account.
The monthly VIP service is for anyone looking for a premium service that provides all the essential items for the lowest upfront cost. This can help a business owner out tremendously by lowering the upfront cost of starting their business and gives them a variety of premium services at a great value. We highly recommend Northwest Registered Agent’s Monthly VIP Service for anyone who wants the lowest upfront cost.
Our Take on Northwest Registered Agent Business Formation Services
Their upfront service is a bit on the expensive side, but you still get great value because of the excellent customer support that they provide. With this being said, we highly recommend their Monthly VIP Service option. Of the 10 business formation service providers we reviewed, Northwest’s Monthly VIP Service provides the lowest upfront cost compared to any other service. To our knowledge, they are the only provider on the market that has an upfront cost that is lower than the state filing fee. On top of that, you get all the essential services and documents you need for forming an LLC including EIN obtainment, registered agent service, and an operating agreement.
Business Formation Service Recommendation
Northwest Registered Agent’s Monthly VIP Service is the lowest upfront cost service available on the market. It allows you to form your LLC or corporation for a lower upfront cost than state filing fees and provides all the essentials you need start your business.
Customer Reviews and Feedback
Northwest Registered Agent doesn’t have nearly the same about of reviews as some other business formation providers but their ratings are still very good. Overall their rating is 4.5 out of 5 on Google and 4.26 out of 5 from the Better Business Bureau. Considering that they don’t appear to solicit reviews nearly as aggressively as other providers, their ratings are surprisingly good. Most reviews highlight just how good their customer support. Here are a few customer reviews:
“I can honestly say that NRA has been EXTREMELY ATTENTIVE to my needs as well as wants. I am very impressed with how fast they respond back to ALL EMAILS & QUESTIONS. I am more than comfortable with them assisting me with whatever it is I may need help with at that time. I am at ease & feel secure that I made the right decision in choosing them to handle business. There’s ALWAYS more than 1 or 2 individuals available.”
-Scherrie M. Google Review
“Northwest Registered Agent has been an amazing force in setting up my LLC and getting my EIN. They have been patient in explaining and offering guidance. They are not annoying and do everything they can to make the experience easy and painless. Being able to pay in monthly payments for the LLC filing and services is another amazing feature of this company. I highly recommend this business to anyone looking to form their first LLC or company. These guys and gals are just great! I couldn’t ask for more!”
-Aaron A. BBB Review
If you want to read more of their reviews you can visit their review websites here.
Alternatives and Competitor Comparisons
While Northwest Registered Agent offers great customer support, their prices can be a bit higher than other providers on the market. In our comparison to other providers there were 2 areas that we found alternatives that may be a better fit for some customers:
- Cheapest Basic LLC Formation – For those looking for the absolute cheapest option available to form an LLC, regardless of other add-ons or other features.
- Premium Package – For those seeking a full service that includes the essentials and other valuable add-on features.
Cheapest Basic LLC Formation
If you’re only concerned about getting the absolute cheapest price without regard to the level of customer support or any other features, Inc Authority is your best bet. Inc Authority provides a basic LLC formation for free, you only pay state filing fees. In addition, Inc Authority also provides their registered agent service free for the first year. After the first year their registered agent service renews for $99 per year.
Cheapest Basic LLC Formation Recommendation
Inc Authority is the superior option for those seeking the lowest cost option for forming an LLC. For those seeking basic LLC formation and registered agent service, Inc Authority provides this service for the same price as you would pay to file with the state on your own. Because of this Inc Authority is our #1 recommend provider for those seeking the lowest cost option.
Premium Package
The Monthly VIP Service from Northwest Registered Agent is completely unique within the business formation industry and allows business owners to get a premium service for a low monthly fee. However, if you’re interested in another premium option you may want to consider Better Legal. Better Legal only offers 1 package that costs $299 +state filing fees. This package includes a lot of extra valuable services that a lot of other providers don’t include. Here’s a quick comparison of Better Legal vs Northwest’s Monthly VIP Package for a Delaware LLC:
| Feature Name | NWRA Montly VIP Service | Better Legal |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization Filing | ||
| Employer ID Number (EIN) | ||
| Operating Agreement | ||
| Banking Resolution | ||
| Business Website | ||
| Tax Analysis | ||
| Business Checking Account | ||
| Insurance Evaluation | ||
| Payroll, Benefits, and HR Platform | ||
| Registered Agent Service Fee | Included in Price | $90 |
| Delaware LLC Price | $34 per month or $408 total | $439 total ($529 total with Registered Agent) |
| Form with NWRA Monthly VIP Service | Form with Better Legal’s service |
Our Recommended Premium Option
This one is really close to call and the right option will depend on which features you want. With that being said, since Northwest’s Monthly VIP Service price includes registered agent service compared to Better Legal where you’ll need to pay an extra $90 to get registered agent service, we recommend Northwest Registered Agent’s Monthly VIP Service.
Who is Northwest Registered Agent Best For?
Northwest Registered Agent is well known for its excellent customer support. Any new business owner who’s still learning the ropes can get a lot of value out of their Corporate Guides who can help answer nearly any question. With their new Monthly VIP Service, Northwest Registered Agent provides a great value service that includes all the essentials. We highly recommend the Monthly VIP Service to new business owners who want extra, hands-on assistance.