BizFilings vs Northwest Registered Agent: LLC formation compared (2026)

BizFilings and Northwest Registered Agent in one table

Each column shows the plan our rating uses for that company, then the other published plans, prices before state fees, what is kept for good, what runs only for a set period, and the agent, cancelling and refund terms.

Auto-renewal, cancelling and refunds are as each provider states them for its registered agent and subscription services.

Neither price includes the fee your state charges to accept the filing. Look it up in the state fee table, or let the LLC cost calculator add it to either plan. Every plan side by side puts both companies next to the rest of the providers we compare.

What separates BizFilings from Northwest Registered Agent?

Price, the length of the free agent period, stated speed and the paperwork in each plan separate them most. Each point in the list is decided by the fact named beside it.

• Lower two-year plan cost: Northwest Registered Agent: $39 vs $199
• More services included for good: Northwest Registered Agent: 3 vs 1
• Higher Trustpilot score: BizFilings: 4.5/5 vs 4.1/5
• All-in-one platform: Northwest Registered Agent: sells 6 of 10 business service types we track vs 4
• Founders outside the U.S.: BizFilings states it serves non-U.S. founders; Northwest Registered Agent doesn't say

How the plans are built

Northwest sells one formation package. For $39 plus the state fee it files the LLC and adds an operating agreement, legal form templates, a domain, website and business email, a phone line, report reminders and its business address. It does not list an EIN in the package; its EIN service costs $50 (with SSN).^{1, 3}

BizFilings sells Basic at $99, Core at $199 and All-Inclusive at $399, plus a package for owners abroad. Core adds certified copies and the EIN (the federal tax ID banks ask for). All-Inclusive adds rush filing, a certificate of good standing and business license research. An operating agreement sample comes in its compliance kit, sold alone for $129.^{2, 4}

What happens when the free agent period ends?

Northwest's formation service page lists a free first year of agent service against a few months at BizFilings, and Northwest's later yearly price is lower. After that year Northwest charges $125/yr; BizFilings bills $220/yr once its free 3 months end.^{1, 2, 5}

A registered agent receives court papers and state notices for the LLC at an in-state address. BizFilings sells longer terms up front, quoting two years of Registered Agent Service for $370 or three years for $489. Its agent customers are automatically enrolled in BizFilings' auto-pay program, and its FAQ mentions notice approximately a month before auto renewal. Northwest's auto-pay terms say Some of our Services are billed via an automatic payment feature, without saying whether the agent service is one of them.^{5, 6, 7}

Mail handling is where the two read differently. Northwest scans legal papers and also scans normal business mail, up to 5 docs per year at no charge, and offers Mail Forwarding $20/month in some states. BizFilings scans court papers to its online account. For tax and annual report notices from the state, it says it will log this mail in your company record and forward it to you.^{5, 8, 9}

Northwest also states that its business address is listed on public filings instead of the owner's. Every agent's own address fills the agent field; Northwest's plan adds a business address for as long as its agent service runs. BizFilings doesn't publish a business address product.⁸

Which company states a faster filing time?

BizFilings is the only one of the two that publishes a time, and it varies by tier. Basic states 7 to 10 business days (submitted), Core states 3 to 4 business days (submitted) and All-Inclusive states 1 business day (submitted).²

Northwest doesn't publish a figure for its own step or a rush option. BizFilings also sells a separate Rush Filing Service, said to secure a filed date in as little as 24 hours in certain states, with no published price. The state's review comes after either company submits. Our LLC timeline guide explains the two stages, and the fastest filing list orders providers by stated time.¹⁰

Who files the annual report, and what does support look like?

Northwest files it for a set fee per report; BizFilings files it too but prices it by quote. Northwest charges $100 + state fees per report, billed when it files, and buying its agent service enrolls you in that filing service by default.¹¹

BizFilings sells a Managed Annual Report Service with no published price; you ask for a quote. Its BizComply monitoring tool costs $75 a year alone and is free while you keep its agent service. The annual report guide covers what states ask for.^{12, 13}

Support channels differ. BizFilings names its channels as Phone and chat, open Mon-Fri 8:00 AM-6:00 PM Central. Northwest says customers can call or email and doesn't publish a live chat.^{10, 14, 15}

How do cancelling and refunds compare?

Northwest makes leaving simpler, while BizFilings publishes what it refunds on a formation order. Northwest says you can cancel online with no cancellation fee; BizFilings cancels the agent service only with written proof of a new registered agent on file.^{6, 16}

On refunds, BizFilings returns a formation order less a $70 processing fee ($95 after preliminary name check), and no pro-rata refunds. Northwest's terms make purchases final and non-refundable after 90 days, and state fees are not returned. Our guide to cancelling or switching a service lists the steps that keep the LLC's agent on file.^{6, 7}

Can founders outside the U.S. use either one?

BizFilings sells a package for owners outside the U.S.; Northwest doesn't publish whether it serves founders abroad, though it sells an EIN service for people without a Social Security Number.

The BizFilings package costs $389 + state fees and lists free Registered Agent Service for 6 months, an Apostille for proof of U.S. incorporation and international shipping of the documents. Its EIN service is the catch. The EIN service requires an SSN or ITIN and BizFilings does not help obtain an ITIN, which leaves a founder without either number to get one some other way first. Northwest's foreign EIN service, for anyone without a Social Security Number, costs $200. The list for non-U.S. founders shows which other providers state they serve owners abroad.^{3, 17, 18}

Which reader does each one fit?

These fits rest on published terms, one per line, and say nothing about service quality.

• Lower plan price, Northwest at $39 against $199 for BizFilings Core, both paid once and before state fees or agent renewals.^{1, 2}
• A lower agent bill once the free period ends, Northwest at $125/yr against $220/yr.^{1, 5}
• A published filing time, BizFilings, whose Core states 3 to 4 business days (submitted); Northwest states none.
• An EIN inside the plan price, BizFilings Core. Northwest sells it separately.
• More items kept for good, Northwest with 3 against 1.
• Annual reports filed for a known fee, Northwest at $100 + state fees per report. Neither plan includes report filing, coaching or AI guidance, and report filing is the only one of those either company publishes. The first-time founder list shows plans that include them.¹¹
• One company for more business services, Northwest, which sells 6 of the 10 types we track against 4. The all-in-one list covers the rest.
• Forming from abroad, BizFilings, the one of the two with a package for non-U.S. owners at $389 + state fees.¹⁷
• Live chat with support, BizFilings (channels listed as Phone and chat); Northwest doesn't publish a chat option.¹⁰

More detail sits in the BizFilings review, the Northwest review, BizFilings pricing and Northwest pricing. If neither fits, see BizFilings alternatives or Northwest alternatives.