Northwest Registered Agent vs CorpNet
Northwest Registered Agent and CorpNet are both services that can conveniently form a company on your behalf. In this comparison, we’ll walk through the five main factors you need to consider when choosing between these services. Which one is the better overall option?
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Key Comparison Points
In our review and comparison of each online incorporation service, we performed a “stress test” on each based on five key factors:
- Compared pricing and features to determine overall value.
- Researched their track record.
- Assessed the quality of customer service.
- Tested their ordering process and service’s ease of use.
- Reviewed the turnaround times for incorporating online.
As you’ll see in this comparison, both Northwest and CorpNet are reputable and affordable incorporation services.
Overall Pricing and Value
Northwest: At $225, their price point is quite high compared to many of their 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: Their Basic package costs $108 and provides a decent value if you don’t need registered agent service or many bells and whistles. While the Basic package only includes a 60-day trial of registered agent service, their $228 Deluxe and $278 Complete packages each include a full year.
Company Track Record & Experience
Northwest: Northwest was founded in 1998 and has helped form around 2 million businesses. They share on their site that they are currently working with more than 200 new LLCs and corporations each day. We found around 800 reviews online for the company, and most of the ones we found were very positive and aligned with the mission and values promised by Northwest.
CorpNet: The husband-and-wife duo of Philip and Nellie Akalp runs CorpNet, a company they launched in 2005. The Akalps have been in the incorporation industry for longer than that though, as they started providing LLC and corporation formation services back in 1997, and they’ve formed more than 100,000 businesses in that time. They have positive customer reviews, with hundreds available, and nearly all of them with 4- or 5-star ratings.
Customer Service
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 most competitors, they also offer bilingual support, which is a wonderful feature for Spanish-speaking customers. We submitted a question via email and received a response by mid-morning the next day. Our question was answered and elaborated upon to give us additional information.
We also called and received a similar response. The representative who answered the phone took the time to ask if we had any other questions and seemed to genuinely care about our inquiry. Finally, their chat feature works quite well, and the representative we were connected with was courteous and professional.
Ease of Use
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. It doesn’t get more straightforward than this.
CorpNet: As you select your package and add-ons, CorpNet displays your total price in real time, and it includes your state fee so that you know exactly how much your formation will cost before you even start entering your information. Once you fill in your business info and payment method, you’re done.
Speed of Formation
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 conveniently lists turnaround times for both standard and expedited service on the package selection screen. Their top two formation packages both include 24-hour document preparation.
FAQ's
Northwest’s biggest advantage is its personalized customer support. Even though CorpNet has solid support as well, they don’t approach the level of personalization offered by Northwest, which has customer support provided by highly trained Corporate Guides.
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…).
These services each have their own advantages when it comes to ongoing compliance requirements. Northwest’s inclusion of 12 months of their registered agent service with any LLC or incorporation package is a nice help, and their $125 annual rate after that is lower than CorpNet’s $149 price point.
On the other hand, Northwest charges $100 for annual report service, which CorpNet offers for just $69. All told, both of these companies do a good job helping keep you compliant into the future, but they each have their strengths in this regard as well.
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. Northwest isn’t quite so generous in this way, as they will 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.
If you require this service, CorpNet is the better option, because they offer to handle the publication step on your behalf, whereas Northwest simply provides a set of instructions for you to complete your own requirement.
There is no legal requirement that says you need to use a professional formation service to create your new business entity. In fact, there is a DIY option available for LLCs, and we have a comprehensive guide to forming one on our website.
Of course, you can. In fact, thousands of American entrepreneurs form their own business entities each year. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with doing this, we will caution that because each state is allowed to create its own rules regarding how LLCs are formed, there is some variance from state to state regarding how an LLC is formed.
Furthermore, we appreciate the peace of mind we receive from hiring a reputable company to form our businesses.
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