Short answer: Lowest yearly price: Northwest Registered Agent ($125/yr). Use of Northwest address on public filings. Free mail scanning (state/legal mail; up to 10 normal business mail scans/yr). First year included when you form with Northwest.
We ranked these on the ongoing yearly price, since that is what you pay for the life of the LLC, and noted what each includes and whether the first year comes free with formation.
The ranking
1. Lowest yearly price
Northwest Registered Agent $125/yr
Use of Northwest address on public filings. Free mail scanning (state/legal mail; up to 10 normal business mail scans/yr). First year included when you form with Northwest.
2. Free first year
Bizee $149/yr
Free for the first year with any Bizee formation package. Bizee says it runs its own offices in all 50 states and sends served papers by tracked FedEx.
3. Pairs with compliance tools
ZenBusiness $199/yr
Sold as an add-on, not included with formation. Makes sense mainly if you already use ZenBusiness for compliance reminders.
4. Brand familiarity
LegalZoom $249/yr
The highest yearly price of the four. Worth it only if you want everything under the LegalZoom account you already use.
What you'd pay, side by side
| Service | Package | Registered agent | Year one | 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File it yourself | State only | You serve | $0 | $0 |
| Northwest Registered Agent | LLC package ($39) | Included year one | $39 | $289 |
| Bizee | Basic ($0) | Free year one | $0 | $298 |
| ZenBusiness | Starter ($0) | Add-on, $199/yr from day one | $199 | $597 |
| LegalZoom | Basic ($0) | Add-on, $249/yr from day one | $249 | $747 |
Add your state's filing fee to every row. It's the same no matter who files, and runs from $35 in Montana to $520 in Massachusetts. Find your state's fee.
How we ranked them
- Long-run cost. The registered agent renews every year, so we count three years of it, not just the sticker price.
- What the cheapest package covers. A $0 plan that leaves out the agent isn't really $0 for most owners.
- Privacy. Whose address ends up on the public record.
- Published terms only. No paid placements. Affiliate links never change the order.
Questions people ask
What does a registered agent do?
It accepts lawsuits and official state mail for your LLC at a physical street address in the state, during business hours, and passes them to you. Every state requires one.
Can I be my own registered agent?
In most states, yes, if you have a street address there and are available during business hours. Your address then appears on public records. Each of our state registered agent guides has the exact rules.
What is the cheapest registered agent service?
Of the four national services we priced, Northwest has the lowest yearly rate at $125. Bizee is free in the first year with formation, then $149.
How do I switch registered agents?
File a change of registered agent form with your state. Some states charge a fee; our state guides list it. Then cancel the old service.
Sources
- Northwest Registered Agent: LLC pricing
- Northwest Registered Agent: registered agent pricing
- Bizee: LLC packages
- Bizee: registered agent pricing
- ZenBusiness: LLC packages
- LegalZoom: LLC packages
- LegalZoom: registered agent pricing
Provider prices change often, so confirm at checkout. State fees come from our state-by-state cost table.