ZenBusiness reviews its own products and services and compares them to others in the industry.
Are you in the process of forming a limited liability company (LLC) but you don’t want to go the full do-it-yourself route? There are plenty of LLC services out there like CorpNet and Northwest Registered Agent that can assist you with your formation, but it can be tough to figure out which company is the best choice for you. In this CorpNet vs. Northwest comparison, you’ll find the info you need to make the right pick.
1) Affordable: With either CorpNet or Northwest, you’re getting a service that bridges the gap between hiring an attorney and going it alone. They both save hundreds of dollars over hiring a lawyer, and you won’t be left to handle your formation by yourself.
2) Customer Support: Customer service is one of the main reasons people hire these companies, as you can give them a call or send them an email anytime you have a question. This saves time because you won’t have to go digging for answers yourself.
3) Experience: Experience is a major selling point for CorpNet and Northwest, as they’ve both served thousands of customers over the years.
4) Additional Services: Both of these companies offer far more than just LLC formation services. If you need registered agent services, a federal employer ID number (EIN), or many other business services, Northwest and CorpNet can help you start and maintain your business.
5) Security: There’s no need for concern about online security. CorpNet uses Norton products to protect its website from malware and encrypt data transfers, while Northwest writes its own code and keeps everything tech-related in-house. Your private info will remain private.
6) Educational: If you need more information about formations or any of a number of other business issues, CorpNet and Northwest have extensive online learning centers filled with valuable information. Whether you require info about business types, licensing issues, or taxation, they have a wealth of info to help you out.
Northwest: At $225, their price point is high compared to many competitors. Still, the inclusion of a full year of their registered agent service is a good feature that makes their pricing more attractive. Once the first year is up, the registered agent service will renew at $125 per year.
CorpNet: CorpNet charges $29 for shipping and handling of every order, so we added that fee to the price of each package to make their service easier to compare with their competitors. Their baseline LLC formation package costs $108 (+ state fee). Their $228 Deluxe and $278 Complete packages include a full year of registered agent service (normally $149 per year) but are rather expensive compared to some other services.
Northwest: Northwest Registered Agent has been around since 1998, and since then, they’ve served 2+ million customers.
CorpNet: CorpNet’s ownership group got its start in 1997, with more than 100,000 businesses served since then.
Northwest: Northwest offers phone and email support. We first tested their email support, and while it took nearly 24 hours to receive an email back, the response was detailed, and the rep went beyond simply answering our question and checking off an email response. We also called and received similarly impressive service. The representative who answered the phone took the time to ask for details so that he could give us the most accurate answer.
CorpNet: CorpNet offers phone, email, and chat support. Unlike some competitors, they also offer bilingual support, which is a nice feature for Spanish-speaking customers. We tested all three support options and received prompt responses, with accurate answers that were expanded upon to an impressive degree.
Northwest: Northwest Registered Agent doesn’t have a ton of customer feedback, but they do have around 800 reviews, and they’re mostly positive.
CorpNet: CorpNet has similarly high ratings but with a smaller volume of feedback. Still, we were able to find around 700 mostly positive reviews of their services.
Northwest: The application process with Northwest is streamlined and easy to follow. You simply enter your personal info and business details and pay for the order. There aren’t any upsells, and Northwest only offers one LLC formation service package.
CorpNet: Your total price adds up at the bottom of the package selection page as you choose your package and add-on features, and it includes your state fee so that you know exactly how much your formation will cost before you start entering your information. Once you’ve made your choices, you’ll fill out their order form, which is where you give them your contact info, along with any relevant business information that they’ll need to form your company.
Northwest: When you select your state from the dropdown menu of the application, an estimated turnaround time will display on the screen. Most states have expedited service available for an additional fee, so you’ll see two turnaround times on the order form.
CorpNet: CorpNet lists turnaround times for both standard and expedited service on the package selection screen. Depending on your state, this could be as quick as a couple of business days, or it could take as long as several weeks. Their Deluxe and Complete packages both include 24-hour document preparation, which means CorpNet will prepare and submit your formation paperwork within 24 hours of you placing your order.
CorpNet and Northwest Registered Agent have many similarities in the way they provide LLC service, but they also differ in a few key ways. Furthermore, depending on your specific needs and priorities, your preference may vary. If you haven’t yet decided which company to use for your LLC formation, let’s review a couple of scenarios that may sway your opinion.
Do you want to save some money over Northwest’s LLC formation package? Do you prefer to use smaller businesses? If so, CorpNet could be a candidate for your LLC formation.
Does their personalized customer support appeal to you? Do you want an LLC formation service bundle with registered agent service? Northwest might be worth a look.
If you’d like to form your LLC with ZenBusiness. We offer free (+ state fee) LLC formations, and we have a larger volume of positive customer reviews than either CorpNet or Northwest. Form your LLC quickly and get more tools to start your dream business.
Recommended article: Northwest Registered Agent Alternatives
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Frequently Asked Questions
Northwest’s biggest advantage is its personalized customer support. Even though CorpNet has solid support as well, they don’t always have the same level of personalization offered by Northwest.
CorpNet’s most significant advantage is its 100% satisfaction guarantee, which we think is one of the best refund policies you’ll find anywhere (more on this in a moment).
Northwest offers registered agent service for $125 per year. They also offer annual report service, which is available for $100 plus state fee. CorpNet charges $99 for annual reports, and it has a $149 annual rate for registered agent service.
These companies take somewhat different approaches to refunds. We mentioned earlier that CorpNet has a satisfaction guarantee that provides excellent peace of mind.
If you request a refund within 60 days of making your purchase, CorpNet will grant your refund in full, with no processing or cancellation fees. It’s nearly identical to our refund policy at ZenBusiness. Northwest isn’t quite so generous in this way, as they’ll also grant refunds within 60 days, but they charge a $25 processing fee.
In some states, you need to publish your company’s formation in a regional newspaper. For example, Arizona and Nebraska require publication for LLCs and corporations, New York requires it for LLCs only, and Pennsylvania and Georgia have this requirement for corporations only.
CorpNet offers to handle the publication step on your behalf, whereas Northwest simply provides a set of instructions to help you complete your own requirement. If you need help with NY publication requirements, we may be the best LLC service for you. Check out our New York publication service for more information.
No, forming your own LLC is always an option in any state. In fact, quite a few entrepreneurs form their own LLCs every day. However, we would simply like to mention that because there is no one set way to form an LLC across the country, each state has its own rules and regulations for LLCs.
Therefore, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the specific requirements of your own state, which can take a bit more effort than you might expect. Of course, the other factor here is that the do-it-yourself route doesn’t provide the peace of mind that we get from using a professional service because we can trust their expertise to get the job done right.
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.
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