Northwest Registered Agent vs Bizee (formerly Incfile): LLC formation compared (2026)

What do the second year and later cost?

With both, the formation fee is paid once and the registered agent is what bills again. Northwest's agent renews at $125 per year, and Bizee's at $149 a year.^{3, 4}

Northwest lists its agent as "Free for first year, just $125/yr after." Bizee says, "With any of our business formation packages, you get one year of Registered Agent Service for free." Bizee also states, "Unlike companies that charge annual fees, our formation fee is one-time." So the agent is the main repeat charge from either company, and Northwest's is the lower of the two.^{1, 5, 6}

Other charges can add to it. Bizee's virtual address is free for the first month, then $29/month. Northwest enrols agent customers in its annual report service, which charges $100 plus state fees each time it files. Neither total includes your state's own yearly report fee or tax; the LLC cost guide explains those, and the calculator adds a state's fee to any plan.^{7, 8}

Northwest and Bizee, row by row

Our rating compares Northwest's single service with Bizee Premium, the fullest Bizee package at or under the price cap. The table shows both, every Bizee tier, the cost across the first and second year, and the agent terms.

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

Plan cost in the table excludes the state filing fee, which the state fee table lists for each state.

Where do Northwest and Bizee differ most?

The gaps are price, what stays included, published speed and Trustpilot score. Each line gives the fact that decides it.

• Lower two-year plan cost: Northwest Registered Agent: $39 vs $299
• More services included for good: Bizee (formerly Incfile): 5 vs 3
• Higher Trustpilot score: Bizee (formerly Incfile): 4.8/5 vs 4.1/5
• All-in-one platform: Bizee (formerly Incfile): sells 7 of 10 business service types we track vs 6
• Founders outside the U.S.: Bizee (formerly Incfile) states it serves non-U.S. founders; Northwest Registered Agent doesn't say

One caution on the price line. The compared plans sit at different levels: Northwest's service is its only plan, and Bizee Premium is Bizee's top tier. A closer price match is Bizee Basic at $0, which also includes the free agent year and is listed at 4 to 6 weeks.^{2, 6}

The plan costs over the first and second year also leave out the agent renewal in the second year: $125 per year at Northwest and $149 at Bizee. With the renewal added, Northwest still costs less than Bizee Premium, but Bizee Basic comes in below Northwest. Northwest's annual report service, charged at $100 plus state fees when it files, can add to its side.^{3, 4, 8}

What is included with each?

Northwest bundles a lot of small extras into one fee. Bizee spreads its extras across its tiers, with the EIN and operating agreement starting at Standard.

Northwest's service includes the free agent year, an operating agreement, legal form templates and a business address; Northwest says, "We provide a free business address with Registered Agent Service." It also promises a domain name, website, email address, and phone number for your business for free, and lists Free Brand Protection. Its EIN service is an add-on at $50 when you have a Social Security Number.^{9, 10, 11}

Bizee Basic includes the filing, the free agent year, a month of virtual address, an online dashboard and an S corporation election filing. Standard adds the EIN (otherwise $70) and an operating agreement (otherwise +$99), plus Unlimited Phone & Email Support. Premium adds expedited filing, a domain and business email, 25+ attorney-written legal documents and a first year of business phone with an AI employee; for the phone, "Offer valid only for US-based clients." Our method counts 5 services kept for good on Premium and 3 for Northwest.^{6, 12}

How long does each take to file?

Bizee publishes a time for each tier, from 4 to 6 weeks on Basic to approximately 4 business days on Premium. Northwest doesn't publish a processing time or a rush fee.⁶

Bizee Standard is listed at approximately 2 weeks, which Bizee says includes expedited filing. For Premium it says it files within one business day of your order. Its order page also lets you add individual features like an EIN, operating agreement, or expedited filing from your dashboard after checkout, though no price is shown for that rush add-on. Without a Northwest figure there is nothing to set against these. Our LLC timeline guide covers state review, and the fastest filing list only ranks providers that state a time.⁶

Who files the annual report, and at what price?

Northwest files it for a published fee and enrols agent customers automatically. Bizee sells a filing service but doesn't publish its price.

Northwest's annual report page says, "When you sign up for our registered agent services, you'll automatically be enrolled in our renewal service." The fee is $100 plus state fees, and "Renewal service is charged at filing." Bizee lists an annual report service with no standalone price stated, and it isn't part of any package. Bizee Standard and Premium list Lifetime Compliance Alerts. Neither company includes the filing in a plan for good, so on our first-time founder measure both come out at none of the three supports.^{6, 8, 13}

How do cancelling and refunds compare?

Northwest's terms say you may terminate or cancel your Service anytime by logging onto your account, and they add, "There are no fees to cancel." Bizee's agent is cancelled by assigning a new registered agent with state and notifying Bizee of the change.^{14, 15}

Northwest's terms call purchases final and non-refundable after 90 days, and say "All state filing fees are non-refundable." Our record also notes the agent page does not say whether the agent itself auto-renews, while compliance services are billed by auto-pay and you must cancel at least one business day before next charge date. Bizee says orders are generally refundable until payment is forwarded to any government entity, typically within twenty-four hours after an order is placed; cancellation requests are not accepted by phone or email, our record notes. So Bizee's refund window is short and tied to the state filing, and Northwest's cutoff comes later.^{15, 16}

On mail, Northwest scans legal papers to your account, plus ordinary business mail up to 5 docs per year free; a fee may apply to legal documents above a 15 per year limit. Originals can be forwarded for a fee within 30 days of receipt if there is a scanning issue. Bizee sends papers out instead of only scanning them, and its agent page says, "All Service of Process (SOP) are mailed via FedEx with tracking."^{3, 17, 18}

Can founders outside the U.S. use either?

Neither says plainly that it takes orders from founders abroad. Northwest sells an EIN service for people without a Social Security Number at $200; Bizee publishes general guidance.¹¹

Bizee's article says non-U.S. citizens and non-residents can start their own businesses, and our record notes it does not explicitly say Bizee's service accepts non-US orders. The same article adds about one EIN route, "This option is not typically available to those who do not have an SSN or ITIN." Northwest doesn't publish a position on non-resident owners. Founders abroad can compare more providers on the non-U.S. founders list.¹⁹

Which reader suits Northwest, and which suits Bizee?

The lines below match a reader's priority to the fact that settles it, in no ranked order.

• Lower cost than Bizee Premium across the first and second year: Northwest, $39 against $299 in plan price, with a lower agent renewal too. Against Bizee Basic the order flips once both renewals are counted.
• Lower agent price from the second year: Northwest at $125 per year, against $149 at Bizee.^{3, 4}
• A stated filing time: Bizee, at approximately 4 business days on Premium; Northwest publishes none.
• More kept in the package: Bizee Premium, 5 services against 3.
• The most kinds of business services from one company: Bizee, which sells 7 of the 10 types we track against 6.
• A published annual report price: Northwest, at $100 plus state fees per filing.⁸
• An EIN without a Social Security Number: Northwest sells one at $200.¹¹
• A higher Trustpilot score: Bizee's profile shows 4.8 / 5 (Excellent), 26,217 reviews; Northwest's shows 4.1 (306 reviews).^{20, 21}

Full records are on the Bizee review and the Northwest review, with tier prices on Bizee pricing and Northwest pricing. Other options, in rating order, are on Northwest alternatives and Bizee alternatives.