Are you ready to form your own limited liability company (LLC), but you’re not quite sure how the formation process works? You’ve come to the right place! There are plenty of business formation services like Northwest Registered Agent and LegalZoom that can help you launch your company today.
In this Northwest Registered Agent vs. LegalZoom comparison, we’ll aim to answer all your tough questions about which company provides the best LLC services!
Our Pick: Northwest
Form your LLC quickly and affordably with Northwest’s streamlined service for just $29 plus state fees.
Start NowNorthwest vs. LegalZoom At a Glance
| Basic Plan Features | Northwest | LegalZoom |
| LLC Filing | $29* | $0* |
| Registered Agent | Free for one year, then $125/year | $249/year |
| Operating Agreement | Free | $99 |
| EIN | $39 | $79 |
| Get Started | Get Started |
*Does not include state fee
What Is Northwest Registered Agent?
Northwest Registered Agent is a business formation and compliance company that specializes in LLC formation services and registered agent services. Northwest has built a reputation for personalized customer service and privacy protection. The company offers a simplified approach to LLC formation, handling all necessary paperwork and filings with state agencies. Northwest also provides ongoing compliance support and a full year of free registered agent services included with their LLC formation packages.
Who Is Northwest Best For?
Northwest Registered Agent suits entrepreneurs looking for additional services included with business formation and who value privacy as well as personalized support.
Read our full Northwest review to learn more.
What Is LegalZoom?
LegalZoom is a well-known online legal services provider that offers a wide range of legal solutions, including LLC formation services. Since the company’s inception, LegalZoom has helped millions of customers with various legal needs. Their LLC formation service is designed to be user-friendly, guiding customers through the process with a simple questionnaire. LegalZoom offers several tiers of LLC formation packages, including a free option, that range from basic filings to more comprehensive services that include operating agreements and tax consultations.
Who Is LegalZoom Best For?
LegalZoom is ideal for first-time business owners who want a recognizable brand name and a broad array of legal services beyond just LLC formation.
Read our full LegalZoom review to learn more.
Northwest vs. LegalZoom: In-Depth Comparison
Both LegalZoom and Northwest take care to provide seamless LLC formation experiences. But, as an entrepreneur, there are some additional traits of your online formation service you should consider before selecting a provider. These include pricing, turnaround times, and customer support to name a few. We’ve broken down how LegalZoom and Northwest compare in several key areas below to help business owners determine the right fit for their new venture.
Pricing
🏆 Northwest
While Northwest doesn’t offer a free formation package like LegalZoom, the company’s $29 formation package (plus state filing fees) includes more valuable services than LegalZoom’s free Basic package. With Northwest, businesses receive one free year of registered agent services, free mail forwarding, an operating agreement template, and more for a competitive price.
Turnaround Times
🏆 Northwest
With LegalZoom, business owners must pay for premium packages in order to receive quick turnaround times. While none of LegalZoom’s packages involve a slow turnaround, Northwest includes quick processing and filing services for all formation customers.
Money-Back Guarantee
🏆 LegalZoom
LegalZoom customers who purchase services that involve filings made with government agencies receive a LegalZoom Guarantee. This money-back guarantee is active for 60 days or until documents are filed with government agencies, giving business owners peace of mind when they know the service is refundable.
Registered Agent Services
🏆 Northwest
Both LegalZoom and Northwest offer registered agent services. However, Northwest offers a year of free registered agent services with formation packages and a less expensive ongoing service once that year is up: $125 per year compared to LegalZoom’s $249.
User Experience
🏆 Northwest
Northwest has a reputation for providing a seamless LLC formation experience. With an easy-to-use interface and expert guidance to ensure any roadblocks get cleared immediately, Northwest simplifies the business formation process.
Customer Support
🏆 Northwest
Entrepreneurs who form their business with Northwest receive expert support from Corporate Guides. These dedicated experts come armed with local and state expertise to support business owners through the formation process and beyond.
Legal Services
🏆 LegalZoom
LegalZoom is known for robust legal services — a valuable offering for businesses seeking affordable legal guidance. LegalZoom customers who choose a paid business formation plan gain access to an extensive library of customizable legal documents, attorney consultations, and more.
Experience
🤝 Tie
Both Northwest and LegalZoom have extensive experience forming businesses for entrepreneurs. Each provider has dedicated years to developing strong relationships with states as well as resources to keep up with changing regulations and requirements to ensure their customers receive the best service possible.
Online User Reviews
🏆 LegalZoom
LegalZoom boasts higher online reviews as well as more reviews overall than Northwest Registered Agent. We’ve shared samples of their verified user reviews below to provide further context on both LegalZoom’s and Northwest’s customer reviews — including negative and positive reviews.
Educational Resources
🤝 Tie
LegalZoom and Northwest both provide robust educational resources in the way of customizable business documents and helpful guides for business owners. Additionally, each of these companies offers resources available to business owners for free.
LegalZoom vs. Northwest: Customer Reviews
LegalZoom boasts higher customer ratings on Trustpilot, as noted above, earning 4.2 out of five stars compared to Northwest’s 3.1 out of five stars. LegalZoom also has amassed far more customer reviews than Northwest.
LegalZoom customers commented positively on the platform’s simplified services as well as the ease with which they were able to contact customer support. Northwest’s customers, in contrast, praised the platform’s quick turnaround times, unmatched privacy policy, and customer support team. Both services respond to most negative reviews quickly with additional assistance and efforts to remedy existing issues.
Here are some verified LegalZoom reviews (from Trustpilot) by customers who used this LLC formation service to help launch their business:
“LegalZoom made the process of setting up my LLC seamless and stress-free. Their knowledgeable and professional team provided clear guidance every step of the way, ensuring all my legal needs were met promptly and efficiently”
“Always having someone on call and available to answer questions with patience and informative answers is important to me. They are very thorough and take a lot of the guesswork out of starting a new business.”
“All in all, they did a decent job simplifying the primary process and the attorneys you can consult with seem to be competent enough and helpful, but just beware all of the upsells. Most people probably don’t need most of them and they are going to work hard to convince you to use them even if it isn’t ultimately making anything better for you.”
“Legal zoom made opening my LLC very easy I would recommend everyone to use them.”
Here are some verified Northwest reviews (from Trustpilot) by customers who used this formation service to help launch their business:
“I’ve found [Northwest] Registered Agent to be so incredibly helpful. My experience with them has been stress free. They are knowledgeable and efficient. I have nothing short of glowing reviews for them.”
“Formed my LLC in Delaware super fast. Got an EIN and didn’t have to sacrifice my home address and I didn’t have to pay extra. Their corporate guides were great [and] answered all my questions, even though I called like 20 times and their privacy by default policy is pretty dang refreshing.”
“I have had an excellent experience for the most part with Northwest Registered Agent. They filed my paperwork for me and efficiently explained anything I had questions about. My only issue with them is that I could not use the address from my formation state on my billing descriptor. This was the main reason I chose to use a registered agent in the first place.”
“Easy to contact, an actual person picks up. Emails I’ve sent have been responded to within the same day. Plenty of free information if you’d like to perform tasks yourself to save money.”
Northwest vs. LegalZoom: Pricing
LegalZoom and Northwest take different approaches to pricing. LegalZoom offers three different LLC formation packages that vary in price and included features. In contrast, Northwest offers one formation plan with extensive features and the ability to add on additional services, as needed. Here’s how the two online LLC formation services compare to each other in terms of pricing and features.
Be aware that LLC formation packages could change at any time.
Northwest LLC Formation Package
Incorporation Service ($29 plus state fees) includes:
- LLC formation service
- Corporate Guides® (experts) who will take care of the LLC filing
- Premium registered agent services (included for one year)
- Operating Agreement template
- Business address
- Free mail forwarding
- Privacy by Default®
- Free business phone service for 60 days
- Online account to access important business documents
LegalZoom LLC Packages
Basic ($0 + State Fees) includes:
- LLC formation
- Articles of Organization
- 30-day order processing guarantee (this does not include state processing times).
Pro ($249 + State Filing Fees) includes:
- Operating Agreement
- EIN
- Faster processing times than Basic package
Premium ($299 + State Filing Fees) includes:
- All features in Basic and Pro
- Attorney consultations
- Legal forms
- Faster shipping and processing
The Bottom Line
LegalZoom and Northwest Registered Agent are both excellent choices for LLC formation and other business services. However, Northwest offers a better value overall. For just $29 plus state filing fees, business owners receive more than just state filing services from Northwest; they also gain a year of free registered agent services, free mail forwarding, an operating agreement, and more. Plus, Northwest customers benefit from access to Corporate Guides to support them throughout their formation journey.
Go Beyond LLC Formation
For $29 plus state filing fees, receive LLC formation, registered agent services, and more with Northwest Registered Agent.
Get StartedFrequently Asked Questions
Why choose Northwest Registered Agent?
Northwest Registered Agent stands out for its commitment to privacy and personalized customer service. The company offers a dedicated account representative, ensuring you always have a consistent point of contact. Northwest is known for its transparent pricing with no hidden fees as well as for including a full year of registered agent services with its LLC formation packages. The company’s focus on data security and in-house customer support team make it an attractive choice for business owners who prioritize privacy and personalized assistance.
How much is the monthly fee for LegalZoom?
LegalZoom doesn’t charge a standard monthly fee for LLC formation services. Instead, the company offers different packages with one-time fees. LegalZoom does have a subscription service called LegalZoom Business Advisory for ongoing legal support, however, which typically costs around $39.09 per month when billed annually.
What does it mean to choose a registered agent?
Choosing a registered agent means designating a person or entity to receive official correspondence and legal documents on behalf of your business. This agent must have a physical address in the state where your business is registered and be available during regular business hours. The registered agent serves as the official point of contact for your company, receiving important notices, tax forms, and legal papers like service of process documents.
What does LegalZoom help with?
LegalZoom offers a wide range of legal services for both individuals and businesses. For businesses, the company assists with entity formation (including LLCs, corporations, and nonprofits), registered agent services, business compliance, trademark registration, and preparation of various legal documents. LegalZoom also provides personal legal services, such as wills and trusts, divorce papers, and power of attorney documents. Additionally, LegalZoom offers access to independent attorneys for legal advice through subscription plans.
