If you want to form an LLC once and stop thinking about it, Northwest Registered Agent is the best LLC service for most people: $39 plus state fees, a full year of registered agent service included, then a flat $125 a year. If you need to spend $0 today, Inc Authority files for free, and the smart move is to switch your agent to Northwest before the first renewal. The difference is in the 3-year math below, which most comparisons skip.
Northwest Registered Agent
Form your LLC for $39 + state fees, with a full year of registered agent service included.
The 3-year cost of each LLC service
The first-year price is the number everyone advertises. The cost that matters is formation plus three years of registered agent service, because every LLC needs an agent for as long as it exists. State fees are left out here because you pay the same state fee whichever company files for you.
| Service | Formation | Agent year 1 | Agent years 2-3 | 3-year total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest | $39 | Included | $125 / year | $289 |
| Inc Authority | $0 | Included | About $199-$249 / year | About $400-$500 |
| ZenBusiness | $0 (starter) | About $99 | About $199 / year | About $497 |
| LegalZoom | $0 (basic) | About $249 | About $249 / year | About $747 |
Northwest prices are from its order page (November 2026). The other figures are the public standard prices shown in our video (October 2026). Inc Authority does not show its renewal price on the free sign-up page: independent reviews put it close to $200 a year, and the table in our video uses $249, so plan for $400 to $500 if you keep their agent. Check every order summary before you pay, because prices change.
Why you pay for a registered agent at all
Every LLC has to name a registered agent: a person or company with a physical street address in the state that accepts legal mail during business hours. That includes service of process, which is how you find out your business is being sued. Miss it and a court can rule against you by default. Let the agent lapse and your LLC can fall out of good standing.
You can be your own agent if you live in the state and are always there during business hours, but your address then sits on the public record and every trip or late morning is a compliance gap. That is why most owners pay for a service, and why the renewal price matters more than the formation price.
Northwest Registered Agent: best if you want to set it and forget it
Registered agent service is Northwest’s core business; the company has been doing it since 1998. Through Northwest you pay $39 plus the state fee, and the first year of registered agent service is included. After that it is $125 a year, and the renewal is shown on the order summary before you pay.
- Privacy by Default: Northwest’s address goes on your public filings wherever the state allows, instead of your home address. Northwest says it never sells your data.
- Mail scanning: state and legal mail is scanned in Northwest’s own offices and uploaded to your account.
- Real people: Corporate Guides you can call instead of a chatbot.
- Free starter tools: a domain, a starter website, a business email, a phone line, a business address and annual report reminders.
- Multiple states: $100 per state per year if you need an agent in five or more states.
Honest cons: the free extras are starter tiers, and bigger email, hosting and phone plans cost extra. The EIN filing add-on is $50 with a Social Security number, but you can get an EIN free from the IRS yourself. Northwest is not a law firm, so do not expect legal advice. It will file your annual report for $100 plus the state fee if you want, which is optional and not in the math above. More detail in our Northwest Registered Agent review.
Inc Authority: best if you need a $0 start
Inc Authority files your LLC for free: you pay only the state filing fee, and the first year of registered agent service is free too. The package also includes a free EIN filing, 24-hour processing on their side and a free starter website. Inc Authority has been around for over 30 years.
Honest cons: expect upsells at checkout, like operating agreement drafting and document packages, so decline anything you do not need. The free package includes a tax planning consultation and funding analysis, which is where paid services are pitched, so expect a follow-up call. The 24-hour processing is their part; the state still sets its own timeline. And after the free year the agent renews automatically at a price the sign-up page does not show.
The smart move: start free, switch at month 11
You can combine the two. Form with Inc Authority for $0, then set a calendar reminder for month 11, before the agent renews. At that point file a change of registered agent with your state and move the agent to Northwest at $125 a year. The state fee for that filing is small (for example $5 in North Carolina and Wyoming in November 2026), and Northwest includes its change-of-agent service.
Done that way, three years cost roughly $250 plus the small filing fee, about the same as going with Northwest from day one. The catch is that you have to remember: if you miss the reminder, the auto-renewal is what you pay.
ZenBusiness and LegalZoom
Both advertise a free basic formation. ZenBusiness charges about $99 for the first year of registered agent service and about $199 a year after that, close to $500 over three years. LegalZoom’s registered agent runs about $249 a year, every year, around $750 over three years. That is more than double Northwest for the same legal job, and the gap grows every year the LLC exists.
Cost traps to avoid
- Paying for an EIN. The IRS issues it for free online if you have an SSN or ITIN. Paid EIN filing is a convenience, mainly useful without an SSN.
- Auto-renewals on anything free for year one, including compliance add-ons.
- Assuming your agent files your annual report. A registered agent forwards mail; it does not file reports unless you pay for that service. Set reminders or pay for filing on purpose.
- Choosing on price alone. An agent that loses or delays one lawsuit notice costs far more than it ever saved you.
Why Northwest is my pick
I ran the same three-year math for every service before I recorded the video, and the result surprised me: the “free” options are not the cheapest once the agent renews. Northwest’s $125 a year is lower than what the big names charge from year two, and the price is printed on the order summary before you pay.
If you already have an LLC paying $199 or $249 a year for an agent, switching to Northwest at $125 saves money every year, and the change-of-agent service is included. If budget is the problem today, take Inc Authority’s free filing and put the month-11 reminder in your calendar right now.
Which LLC service should you pick?
- Set it and forget it: Northwest from the start. $39 once, privacy from day one, and a renewal price that does not surprise you.
- Tight budget and disciplined about reminders: Inc Authority for the free filing, then decide at month 11 whether to renew or switch.
- Already have an LLC with an expensive agent: run your own three-year math. At $199 or $249 a year, a switch to Northwest at $125 pays off every year.
Start your LLC with Northwest
$39 + state fees, 1 year of registered agent included. Renews at $125 a year.
FAQ
What is the best LLC service in 2026?
For most people, Northwest Registered Agent: $39 plus state fees with the first year of registered agent service included, then $125 a year. Over three years that is $289 before state fees, lower than ZenBusiness or LegalZoom. If you need a $0 start, Inc Authority files for free.
What is the cheapest LLC service?
Inc Authority is the cheapest upfront: $0 formation plus the state fee, with a free first year of registered agent service. Over three years it costs more than Northwest unless you switch your registered agent before the first renewal.
Do I need a registered agent service?
Every LLC needs a registered agent with a physical street address in the state. You can act as your own agent if you live there and are available during business hours, but your address becomes public. A service keeps your address off the record and makes sure legal mail is never missed.
How much does Northwest charge after the first year?
$125 a year for registered agent service, or $100 per state per year if you need agents in five or more states. Annual report filing is optional at $100 plus the state fee.
Can I switch my registered agent later?
Yes. You file a change of registered agent with your state, usually for a small state fee (for example $5 in North Carolina and Wyoming). Northwest includes its change-of-agent service, then charges $125 a year.
Is Inc Authority really free?
The filing is free and the first year of registered agent service is free; you pay the state filing fee. Expect upsells at checkout and a sales call after the free consultation, and note that the registered agent renews automatically after the first year.
Related next step
Ready to file? Follow our step-by-step guide to starting an LLC with Northwest, read the Northwest Registered Agent review, or browse every LLC guide in LLC & Business Formation. Current offers are on the deals page.
