ZenBusiness reviews its own products and services and compares them to others in the industry.
Compare the best registered agent services as reviewed by ZenBusiness below.
scroll for more
Starts at $0 + state fee and only takes 5-10 minutes
Last Updated: July 2, 2025
Looking for the best registered agent service for your business? We’ve compared top providers based on price, features, customer support, and reliability to help you choose the right fit. Whether you value affordability, legal guidance, or personalized service, this guide highlights the best options available today.
Founded in 2015, ZenBusiness has quickly become a top player in the business formation and compliance space. With over 850,000 businesses formed and a strong reputation, our registered agent service offers solid value and top-tier support.
✔ First year is 50% off at $99 plus state fees (renews at $119/year)✔ 60-day money-back guarantee✔ 23022+ reviews with a 4.8 average rating✔ Responsive, award-winning customer support via phone, email, and chat✔ Transparent pricing with no hidden fees
✘ Registered agent service is not included with formation packages✘ No multi-state discount for businesses operating in more than one state
Rocket Lawyer is a legal services platform that also offers registered agent service as part of its suite of tools. While not the cheapest option, it may appeal to users who want bundled legal help. If you find value in their legal services plan, Rocket Lawyer is an intriguing choice for registered agent service. If you don’t need its subscription service, you can probably find a more suitable alternative.
✔ Includes access to legal documents and attorney consultations✔ 30-day money-back guarantee✔ Discount of 50% with legal plan subscription
✘ Registered agent service is basic and lacks advanced features✘ Higher ongoing costs unless you’re on a subscription✘ Not a core focus of their platform — limited functionality compared to standalone services
Bizee, formerly known as Incfile, has been a popular choice for business formation and compliance services since 2004. With over 1 million businesses served, Bizee is best known for its basic, free LLC formation package (only pay state fees), which includes one year of registered agent service.
✔ Free 1st year with LLC formation✔ $119/year after the first free year✔ Good value for basic compliance needs
✘ Registered agent service must be manually renewed✘ Customer support is slower and less detailed than top competitors✘ No refund policy on services once submitted
LegalZoom is a household name in online legal services, with over 3 million businesses served. Its registered agent service is backed by brand trust and comes with useful compliance tools. While its registered agent service comes at a higher price, the added perks and company reputation may justify the cost for some business owners.
✔ Compliance calendar and deadline reminders included✔ 60-day money-back guarantee✔ Large support team with extended hours
✘ $249/year pricing is one of the highest on this list✘ No first-year discount or bundling options✘ Less value for cost compared to smaller, more focused competitors
Northwest Registered Agent has been offering registered agent services since 1998 and is known for being a solid choice. Northwest Registered Agent now has thousands of registered agent service subscribers across the country.
✔ $125/year pricing✔ Scans all mail, not just government documents
✘ Not the cheapest option for LLC formation✘ Limited refund policy✘ No online compliance dashboard or automation tools
If you want to receive personalized registered agent service at reasonable price points, Northwest Registered Agent might be worth a look. However, keep in mind that Northwest charges at least $39 to form an LLC, so there are many cheaper options for that service.
CorpNet is a mid-sized business services provider with over 100,000 LLCs and corporations formed to date. Known for its personalized support and straightforward service, CorpNet offers a registered agent solution that’s backed by positive customer reviews and a 60-day satisfaction guarantee. While not the cheapest option on the market, its pricing is competitive, and the company is often recognized for reliability and ease of use.
✔ $149/year pricing is competitive among mid-tier providers✔ 60-day money-back guarantee on service fees✔ Strong customer satisfaction with hundreds of positive reviews
✘ Lacks standout features like online dashboards✘ Not the most affordable option compared to other providers✘ Limited brand recognition compared to larger competitors
MyCorporation has over two decades of experience and has served more than 1 million customers since 1998. Their registered agent service is priced affordably at $179/year and delivers reliable, no-frills support. While the service doesn’t come with many extras, customers generally appreciate the company’s responsive support and straightforward offerings.
✔ Affordable annual price of $179/year (the first year is discounted at $120)✔ Responsive customer support via phone and email✔ Transparent ownership and long-standing reputation
✘ Registered agent service includes only the basics — no extra tools or features✘ Fewer and less impressive online reviews than some competitors; TrustPilot rates them at 3.5 out of 5 (as of May 2025)✘ Interface and user experience can feel outdated
Handling registered agent duties yourself can be annoying, and when you’re planning out a new business, you’ve got enough on your plate.
Hiring a registered agent service lets you hand off those responsibilities so you can focus your energy where your passion lies: starting and growing your business.
Yes, it’s an added expense to what’s likely a growing list of costs, but these three benefits are totally worth it:
By now, you’re basically a registered agent expert — or at least a well-informed entrepreneur. Still, there are a lot of registered agent misconceptions floating around out there:
This one is partially true, but only if your LLC operates in just one state. If you execute business transactions in multiple states or want to expand your operations into a new state, your company needs to have a registered agent in each of those states. Most major registered agent services like ZenBusiness provide service in all 50 states, but if you serve as your own agent, designate an attorney or accountant, or hire a friend or family member, this could cause some problems.
Some business owners successfully serve as their own agents, but the idea that “anyone can do it” simply isn’t true. Individual agents need to be diligent and dedicated, remaining at the place of business during all regular business hours. Missing state communications or service of process isn’t something you want to risk, so if you’re unsure about the responsibilities, we recommend handing them off to a professional service. (Here’s more on the service of process definition.)
In reality, hiring a professional registered agent is quite affordable, especially compared to the expense of some other business services. While prices fluctuate from company to company, in general, you can find options for less than $20/month.
This isn’t necessarily a legal requirement, but it’s a good business practice that can save you a lot of trouble in the future, so we strongly recommend it. Any reputable registered agent will hold onto official government notices ― whether they’re for annual reports, tax forms, etc. ― or at least keep a digital record of the delivery. It’s important to be vigilant about keeping records regarding deadlines with your state so you can easily maintain your good standing.
Sorting through junk mail is the least glamorous and most tedious part of a registered agent’s job, but this is just one small aspect of registered agent service. The key aspect of this role is to contact business owners as quickly as possible if they receive a service of process delivery (and forwarding it and other important notices to them as quickly as possible).
FAQs About the Best Registered Agent Services
With any of the registered agent services discussed in this guide, you’ll need to provide them with some essential information about yourself and your business. You will also need to designate which state you need service for and pay the service fees. From there, you can sit back and relax.
Whenever your agent receives government documents or service of process on your behalf, they will alert you of the delivery and immediately forward you the forms. Usually, you will need to renew your registered agent service once per year. Aside from that, there aren’t many requirements to keep this service going.
Designating yourself as your company’s registered agent is a simple process. First, you’ll need to fill out your own information when asked to provide registered agent info in your Articles of Organization or equivalent document for your state. Alternatively, if you use an LLC filing service, it can guide you through the process.
Of course, you’re only eligible to do so if you have a physical street address within the same state your business operates in. Just enter your own name and address in this space, and you’re ready to go.
Once your business is formed, you’ll need to be present and available to receive document deliveries every weekday during standard business hours. If you’re not present, you run the risk of missing a service of process delivery. This could result in a lawsuit progressing against your business without your knowledge.
If your business is already formed, and you want to replace your current registered agent with yourself, the process looks a little bit different. In this scenario, you’ll likely need to file what’s usually called a “Statement of Change of Registered Agent” form. Just like with forming a new business, you’ll need to enter your own name and address on this form to become your own registered agent.
Keep in mind that we don’t typically advise that you serve as your own registered agent. In addition to needing to be present at your listed location during all standard business hours, serving as your own agent means that you could be served with notice of a lawsuit in front of clients.
You’re also likely to receive much more junk mail than you ever have before. Especially considering how low-cost many of these services are, we strongly recommend hiring one instead of being your own agent.
A registered agent (for more information, please see our “What Is a Registered Agent?” page) is an individual or business entity that receives document deliveries on your behalf from your state of formation. Your registered agent informs you whenever they receive a document for your business and forwards any relevant documents to you. A registered agent is also known in some states as a statutory agent or resident agent.
Yes, you must designate a registered agent when forming an LLC.
While it is legal in all states to serve as your LLC’s own registered agent, we almost never recommend doing so. While it can save you around $20/month, the biggest issue is that you could be notified of a lawsuit at your place of business in front of customers, which is bad for business.
In addition, if you serve as your own registered agent, you will need to be available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday because if someone tries to serve you for a lawsuit and you’re not around, the suit could continue in your absence, without your knowledge.
Some entrepreneurs do choose to designate their accountant (or their lawyer) as their registered agent. This is a better idea than serving as your own agent because most accountants keep standard business hours at their offices and are therefore available to be registered agents. Plus, because you already do business with them, you know you can trust them.
On the other hand, accountants often charge high rates for this service and may not have any experience as registered agents. Also, if you want to expand to additional states, you’ll need a different registered agent because most accountants only have locations in one state.
In some cases, yes. Many professional registered agent services include some sort of compliance monitor tool that allows you to keep track of your important filing deadlines.
If you’d like to learn more about the best registered agent services on our list, check out our reviews:
Note: Our reviews specifically focus on the LLC formation services for each provider, but they’ll give you an idea of what to expect from each company.
This varies by state, but in most states, you will need to file a “Change of Registered Agent” form with the state you do business in.
This is typically a rather simple form, although there is usually a small fee required. In some states, you can also change registered agents by indicating the change in your LLC annual report or by amending your Articles of Organization. (See our Articles of Organization definition.)
If you’d like a more in-depth look at the process, check out our full guide to changing a registered agent.
Nope. If you try to form an LLC without designating a registered agent, the state will reject your filing as being incomplete. You would then need to get a registered agent and re-file your business formation documents to be able to form a compliant company.
While not all registered agent services provide ongoing compliance assistance, some of them do. Usually, this is in the form of an online compliance dashboard, where you can track due dates for your important business filings and access digital copies of scanned documents.
Get a Registered Agent in Your State
Best Registered Agent Services Reviewed in All States
We break down the best registered agent services in every state. View all of our guides below.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
Written by Team ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness has helped people start, run, and grow over 850,000 dream companies. The editorial team at ZenBusiness has over 20 years of collective small business publishing experience and is composed of business formation experts who are dedicated to empowering and educating entrepreneurs about owning a company.
Choose ZenBusiness Today
Get Your Registered Agent