Northwest Registered Agent Service Review

If you want to form a business in the United States, you will need to designate a registered agent. The role of the registered agent involves the usage of their address as your official business address, which means they’ll receive important document deliveries on your behalf, including service of process and official correspondence from your state government.

While you can legally serve as your own agent and still operate a compliant business entity, there are some other benefits of hiring a registered agent service. Having a registered agent makes it so that you don’t need to be available at your place of business during all standard business hours, and it also cuts down on the amount of junk mail you’ll receive.

There are many companies that offer this vital service to businesses, and it can be difficult to discern which one is the best option for your company. In this review, we’ll take a close look at Northwest Registered Agent, one of the most popular service providers in the industry. Are they the right registered agent service for your business?

About Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest opened for business in 1998. Since then, they’ve helped around 2 million customers. They also form hundreds of new LLCs and corporations each day. Overall, Northwest isn’t one of the industry giants, but they’re not a small mom-and-pop operation either.

A fun fact about Northwest is that they were the first major nationwide registered agent service provider to locally scan every document they receive on your behalf. Some competitors only scan the government-issued forms they’re legally required to scan.

30-Second Summary of Our Review

Northwest provides solid registered agent service at reasonable price points. They have personalized customer support, and they receive positive customer reviews. While there are companies that have lower prices for registered agent service, Northwest’s pricing is still quite competitive. However, Northwest charges $225 (plus your state’s fee) for business formation services.

Northwest Strengths

• Solid registered agent pricing model – Northwest charges $125 per year for registered agent service. They even have volume discounts available if you require service in at least five states.
• Personalized customer support – Northwest takes customer service seriously. They refer to their representatives as “Corporate Guides,” and they have the expertise necessary to answer your tough questions.
• Plenty of experience – While many companies in this industry were just formed within the last few years, Northwest has already been around for decades.

Northwest Weaknesses

• Cheaper options available – There are other companies that undercut Northwest’s pricing models, especially for business formation services. For example, Northwest charges $225 to form an LLC, while ZenBusiness will form your LLC for free (you’ll pay your state’s required fee either way).

Pricing & Additional Features

Northwest has a rate of $125 per year for registered agent service, although if you require service in five or more states, they’ll drop that rate to a $100 price point. Their local scanning is a good selling point, and they also include free online tools like annual report compliance reminders.

If you haven’t yet formed your LLC or corporation, Northwest will handle your formation for $225. By contrast, some competitors like ZenBusiness will form your new business for free (plus your state’s required fee).

Northwest vs Other Registered Agent Services

Northwest Registered Agent is a solid overall pick for online registered agent service. Their local scanning is a good selling point that can help ensure the accuracy of their service, and their personalized customer support is a positive as well.

There are some cheaper options, especially if you need business formation service — Northwest charges $225, while ZenBusiness charges $0 (add your state’s fee either way). For more information on your other options, take a look at our guide to the top registered agent services available.

Online Customer Reviews

Northwest doesn’t have a huge quantity of client feedback, but we were able to track down 700+ reviews of its services on Google. Of those reviews, the majority are positive. In their positive reviews, Northwest’s customers often point out how helpful their customer support representatives are and how easy it is to use their services. We will note, however, that some competitors like ZenBusiness have 10,000+ positive reviews available online.

Customer Service Quality

Northwest’s customer service is provided by their Corporate Guides, which is what they call their support representatives. Each Northwest client is connected with these representatives, and you can contact them directly if you ever have any questions or concerns. Their Corporate Guides are knowledgeable about a variety of issues that you may come across as a client. In addition, their response times are always impressive, as they respond to emails and calls quickly.

Main Reasons to Use Northwest

If you prioritize high-quality customer support, Northwest Registered Agent is a solid option. They also provide good registered agent service at reasonable price points.

Main Reasons Not to Use Northwest

If you’re looking for the absolute lowest price points in the industry, there are services that offer registered agent service at a lower overall cost. Additionally, Northwest charges $225 (+ state fee) for business formations, while ZenBusiness has a free business formation plan (just pay your state’s fee).