BizFilings vs Northwest Registered Agent: pricing and features compared
Data last updated: Apr 21, 2026BizFilings starts at $99 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, BizFilings is $220. Over five years that delta adds up to $380, which is typically a larger swing than the formation-tier sticker price.
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
- Northwest Registered Agent is $60 cheaper at the starting tier (both charge upfront).
- Northwest Registered Agent has the cheaper registered agent renewal ($125/yr vs $220/yr). Over five years that is a $380 difference.
- Northwest Registered Agent includes a free operating agreement; BizFilings 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.
- Northwest Registered Agent offers live chat support; the other relies on phone and email only.
- Northwest Registered Agent includes mail scanning (physical mail delivered to the registered agent gets scanned and forwarded digitally). 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 BizFilings when
BizFilings is comparable to Northwest Registered Agent on most of the dimensions we measure. The tiebreaker is usually support quality or brand preference.
Pick Northwest Registered Agent when
Pick Northwest Registered Agent when you want the lowest possible day-one sticker price; you're optimizing for lower long-term cost (RA renewal is cheaper); you want the operating agreement bundled at no extra cost; you need mail scanning bundled with the registered agent; you're a non-US founder; you want live chat support.
What each service offers that the other does not
Only Northwest Registered Agent
- Operating agreement included free
- Mail scanning
- Non-US founder support
- Live chat support
Both services
- Compliance dashboard
- Phone 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 | BizFilings Year 1 | Northwest Registered Agent Year 1 | BizFilings 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. | $99 | $39 | $979 | $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. | $268 | $109 | $1,148 | $609 |
| Standalone registered agent only (no formation) You already formed the LLC elsewhere. Just swapping to this service's RA. | $220 | $125 | $1,100 | $625 |
Full feature comparison
| Dimension | BizFilings | Northwest Registered Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price Cheapest tier, excludes state fees | $99 | $39 |
| Registered agent year 1 | Not included | Included |
| Registered agent renewal Year 2 onward, annual | $220/yr | $125/yr |
| Free $0 tier | No | No |
| EIN application | Paid add-on | Paid add-on |
| Operating agreement | Paid add-on | Included free |
| Compliance dashboard | Yes | Yes |
| Mail scanning | No | Yes |
| International founders | No | Yes |
| Banking partner | None | None |
| Phone support | Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Central Time | Mon-Fri 6:00am-5:00pm Pacific |
| Live chat | No | Yes |
| Trustpilot rating | 4.5/5 (170 reviews) | 3.8/5 (217 reviews) |
Pricing tiers side by side
BizFilings
- Basic — $99
- Standard — $229
- Complete — $359
Northwest Registered Agent
- Full Service LLC — $39
Includes RA year 1 · renews $125/yr
Support and ratings, interpreted
BizFilings offers phone, email. Northwest Registered Agent offers phone, email, live chat. Northwest Registered Agent is the only one of the two with live chat, which matters if you anticipate back-and-forth questions during filing. Trustpilot: BizFilings is 4.5 across 170 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.
BizFilings
Phone: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Central Time.
Email: yes.
No live chat.
Trustpilot: 4.5/5 from 170 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 BizFilings, 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 BizFilings 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, BizFilings or Northwest Registered Agent?
Northwest Registered Agent is cheaper at the starting tier ($39 vs $99). Over 5 years including RA renewals, the gap is about $440.
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Does BizFilings or Northwest Registered Agent have better support?
BizFilings offers phone, email. Northwest Registered Agent offers phone, email, live chat. Northwest Registered Agent is the only one of the two with live chat, which matters if you anticipate back-and-forth questions during filing. Trustpilot: BizFilings is 4.5 across 170 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.
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Can a non-US founder use BizFilings 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.
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Should I just file the LLC myself instead of using BizFilings 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.
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How much does the registered agent cost with each service from year 2 onward?
BizFilings renews at $220/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.wolterskluwer.com/en/solutions/bizfilings · verified April 21, 2026
BizFilings markets LLC formation starting at $99 plus state fees on the Wolters Kluwer solutions landing page. Package tiers (Basic $99, Standard $229, Complete $359) are shown on the PackageSelect ordering screen at secure.bizfilings.com/PackageSelect.aspx. Prices vary by state. - Registered agent renewal usd: www.wolterskluwer.com/en/solutions/bizfilings/registered-agent-service… · verified April 21, 2026
Registered Agent Services page quotes $220 for 1 year, $370 for 2 years, and $489 for 3 years. All formation packages include 3 months free registered agent, then auto-renew at standard rates. - Registered agent only: www.wolterskluwer.com/en/solutions/bizfilings/registered-agent-service… · verified April 21, 2026
Registered agent available as a standalone product independent of formation package. - Features: www.wolterskluwer.com/en/solutions/bizfilings · verified April 21, 2026
BizComply online compliance monitoring tool bundled with registered agent. EIN only included at Complete tier. Operating agreement template included at Standard and up. No mail scanning, no international founder product, no named banking partner. - Support: www.wolterskluwer.com/en/solutions/bizfilings/contact · verified April 21, 2026
Contact page lists phone 608-827-5300 with office hours 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Central Time Monday to Friday. Email via web form. No live chat advertised on the contact page. - Headquarters: www.wolterskluwer.com/en/solutions/bizfilings/contact · verified April 21, 2026
Contact page lists 525 Junction Road Suite 5000, Madison, WI 53717. Area code 608 matches Madison, WI. - Founded: www.wolterskluwer.com/en/solutions/bizfilings · verified April 21, 2026
BizFilings was founded in 1996 and acquired by Wolters Kluwer (CT Corporation) in 2002. Now operated under the Wolters Kluwer solutions portfolio. - Ratings: www.trustpilot.com/review/wolterskluwer.com/en/solutions/bizfilings · verified April 21, 2026
Trustpilot profile for BizFilings (Wolters Kluwer) shows approximately 4.5/5 across roughly 170 reviews as of April 2026. Review volume is modest relative to consumer-facing competitors. - 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.