If you're a business owner in search of a trustworthy cheap registered agent service for an LLC, the abundance of choices available can make it challenging to make a decision.
However, you don't have to worry because we have conducted thorough research to curate a list of the finest registered agent companies that are currently available.
Our recommendations encompass a wide range of features, including exceptional customer support and advanced compliance functionalities, among others. To discover the ideal cheap registered agent services for your business requirements, continue reading.
>> Try Out Northwest Registered Agent Now >>
6 Best Registered Agent Services
- Northwest Registered Agent - Best Registered Agent Service Overall
- ZenBusiness - Best for Small Businesses
- Swyft Filings - Best for Quick Turnaround Time
- Tailor Brands - Best for Branding Solutions
- Incfile - Best for Affordability
- Inc Authority - Best for Startups
Our assessment was based on several essential aspects, including their history of dependable service, their proficiency in compliance, the standard of customer support they offer, and the value they provide for the price.
We also took into account other features like document management, privacy protection, and online portal accessibility. Our comprehensive evaluation led us to rank the best cheap registered agent services using these criteria to aid you in making an informed choice for your enterprise.
Northwest Registered Agent - Best Registered Agent Service for Small Businesses
Star Rating: 4/5
Northwest Registered Agent specializes in offering cheap registered agent services to various business entities, as indicated by its name. Moreover, the company also provides business formation services, which encompass setting up LLCs and corporations.
If you conduct business in multiple states, it’s mandatory to have a registered agent in each state. Northwest offers cheap registered agent services for a fee of $125 per state per year for up to four states and $100 per state per year for five or more states.
Unlike other providers, the fees will remain constant and won't increase after the first year.
Northwest offers a service where they can both state and legal mail and store it in your account, making it accessible to you at any time. They also offer the added benefit of scanning up to five nonlegal business mail documents per year without any extra charges.
Additionally, Northwest provides annual report reminders to ensure that you don't miss any important legal filing dates.
Northwest guarantees Privacy by Default, which means that they will not sell your business data, unlike other providers who may sell your contact information resulting in an influx of solicitation targeted towards new businesses.
Whenever a new account is created, a dedicated Northwest Corporate Guide is assigned to provide customized assistance and guidance in dealing with complex state regulations.
You can reach out to your guide using email, phone, or an online support form, and you can expect a response within two hours.
Who should use it: For small businesses in need of cheap registered agent services, Northwest Registered Agent is considered the top choice.
Pros:
- The fees are disclosed clearly and are fair
- Free mail forwarding
- Customer support is outstanding
- The client's data isn't sold to others
- Inconsistent time taken for completion of tasks
- Charges for obtaining an EIN may also differ
Pricing & Plans
At a cost of $225 annually, Northwest Registered Agent provides LLC formation services that cover all necessary elements including preparation and submission of the Articles of Organization, verification of name availability, and registered agent services for a period of one year.Furthermore, Northwest Registered Agent services businesses with the convenience of accessing all their documents online, forwarding legal and tax-related mail free of charge, and receiving reminders and alerts for compliance purposes.
The company provides a variety of optional features and add-ons for a fee, allowing businesses to tailor their LLC establishment experience to their specific needs.
Overall, Northwest Registered Agent offers a highly flexible and customizable solution for businesses seeking to establish their LLCs effortlessly.
>> Form An LLC With Northwest Registered Agent >>
ZenBusiness - Best Registered Agent Service Overall
Star Rating: 4.9/5
ZenBusiness is a company that focuses on offering cheap registered agent services for creating businesses. Additionally, this company can be trusted to provide cheap registered agent services for LLCs and corporations, both old and new, in all states and the District of Columbia.
When you designate ZenBusiness as your registered agent, they're responsible for receiving all official government communication, legal paperwork, tax documents, and service of process notifications (which inform you of legal action against your business).
Once your documents reach ZenBusiness, they're digitized and added to your business dashboard. ZenBusiness will inform you about receiving these documents and give you instructions if necessary. Any important concerns will be sent to you via mail.
For the initial year, ZenBusiness provides cheap registered agent services for $99, and for the subsequent years, it charges $199. Alternatively, you can opt for a package deal that includes cheap registered agent services as well as Worry-Free Compliance services for $199 for the first year.
The package will renew at a cost of $398 annually.
ZenBusiness offers worry-free compliance services that take care of your annual filing, provide reminders for important compliance deadlines, and keeps track of your standing with the state to ensure that you're in good standing.
In the event that you lose your good standing status, ZenBusiness will develop a plan to restore your business to full compliance and will cover any costs incurred due to any errors made by them.
ZenBusiness provides customer support services via both chat and phone on weekdays and Sundays. Additionally, email support is available, and the company usually responds to all emails within a single working day.
Who should use it: For those in need of cheap registered agent services and other legal assistance, ZenBusiness provides a broad range of options and is an excellent choice.
Pros:
- Initial pricing is affordable for the first year
- Diverse range of individual legal services available to choose from
- Customer service is highly attentive and responsive
- Fees for renewing are expensive
- Additional services that come at a high cost
- Pricing models can be a bit perplexing
Pricing & Plans
- Premium Plan: For a yearly cost of $299, the Premium Plan offers everything that the Pro Plan does, along with faster filing, supervision for compliance, and assurance of stress-free service.
- Pro Plan: The Pro Plan, which costs $199 annually, provides all the features available in the Starter Plan with added services like Operating Agreement, EIN registration, and banking resolution.
- Starter Plan: For the first year, the Starter Plan costs nothing in addition to state filing fees and provides fundamental LLC formation services, including a search for name availability, the preparation and submission of Articles of Organization, and cheap registered agent services.
Swyft Filings - Best Registered Agent Service for Quick Turnaround Time
Star Rating: 4.6/5
Swyft Filings is a service provider that assists business owners in adhering to state regulations effectively and dependably by acting as their registered agent service for LLC. They offer a wide range of services that include receiving and forwarding crucial legal documents, such as subpoenas, lawsuits, and other correspondence to their clients.
Swyft Filings' registered agent service for LLC is known for its cost-effectiveness. It's affordable for businesses to use their services without facing any financial difficulties.
Additionally, they offer discounted rates for multiple years of service upfront, which makes it a more economical option for long-term requirements.
Aside from its cheap registered agent service, Swyft Filings boasts of its outstanding customer support. Clients can reach out through phone or email for assistance, and their representatives are well-informed and ready to address any concerns.
Moreover, their website features an extensive knowledge center and a section for frequently asked questions, which can guide clients in navigating their way through the service.
Who should use it: For business owners who are looking for a dependable, inexpensive, and effective approach to comply with state regulations, Swyft Filings offers a cheap registered agent service that's perfect.
Pros:
- Offers very affordable base prices
- Option to pay in installments
- Filing can be done quickly with fast turnaround times
- Initial cost for formation does not cover registered agent service, and EIN application
- Additional fees for extra services can accumulate rapidly
- The basic package does not encompass all the necessary documentation for formation
Pricing & Plans
- Basic plan: For a price of $49 along with state fees, the package includes the drafting and submission of the Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Organization, a search to ensure name availability, and registered agent services that remain valid for a year.
- Standard plan: For a price of $149 plus state fees, clients can expect to receive all the features included in the Basic plan.
- Premium plan: For a cost of $299, plus state fees, the Enhanced plan offers all the features of the Standard plan, as well as a business website and domain, a business email, and phone number, and a report on the business license.
Tailor Brands - Best Registered Agent Service for Branding Solutions
Star Rating: 4.3/5
Tailor Brands is a company that specializes in branding and provides various services to assist businesses in creating and expanding their brands.
Among these services is a registered agent service for LLCs that guarantees compliance with state regulations. This service involves receiving and forwarding crucial legal documents, such as lawsuits, subpoenas, and other types of correspondence, to their clients.
Tailor Brands offers registered agent services that stand out because it's combined with its brand identity design tools. This means that customers can use Tailor Brands' branding services to keep a consistent and polished brand image while also meeting the state's regulations.
Tailor Brands provides a convenient online platform that enables clients to handle their essential documents and communication with ease. Customers can access their documents, modify their contact details, and receive alerts regarding important deadlines through the user-friendly portal.
Tailor Brands offers a clear pricing structure as an advantage of using them as registered agents. They charge a fixed yearly fee for their registered agent services without any undisclosed costs or expenses.
This simplifies the process of budgeting and planning for businesses looking to obtain registered agent services for LLC.
Who should use it: Tailor Brands offers cheap registered agent services that are perfect for businesses seeking a complete solution that integrates compliance services with branding services.
Pros:
- Offers a comprehensive solution for setting up your online business with all the necessary components
- User-friendly and can be initiated in just ten minutes with a few clicks
- Provides tools that concentrate on creating a brand and enhancing your online existence
- Offers more customization options than other similar services, encompassing graphic design and logo creation tools
- To fully utilize Tailor Brands, one must invest in its highest-priced plan, which may not be suitable for individuals looking for more affordable alternatives
Pricing & Plans
- Basic: Monthly subscription fee of $9.99, or you can choose to pay for a year upfront at a discounted rate of $3.99 per month
- Standard: Monthly subscription fee is $19.99, or you can choose to pay for a year upfront at a discounted rate of $5.99 per month
- Premium: Monthly subscription fee is $49.99, or you can choose to pay for a year upfront at a discounted rate of $12.99 per month
Incfile - Best Registered Agent Service for Affordability
Star Rating: 3.8/5
Incfile provides cheap registered agent services for LLC across the US in addition to its range of services related to business formation. Like any other registered agent, Incfile will receive crucial legal, regulatory, and tax-related documents on behalf of its clients.
Once you select Incfile as registered agent service, you will be provided with an exclusive online dashboard that will allow you to access and retrieve all of your documents.
You will receive email and SMS notifications from Incfile when new documents are received, and all legal correspondence will be forwarded to you automatically.
In case you decide to register your new company with Incfile, you will receive free registered agent services for the initial year. Subsequently, you will need to pay $119 annually for the same.
Incfile provides customer assistance via phone on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT. Alternatively, you can submit a support request form online to reach their customer service team, but it's worth noting that the waiting time for assistance may be long.
Although Incfile offers business formation services, it has received negative feedback regarding its reliability and timeliness.
According to complaints on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website and reviews on service review sites, customers have experienced delays in document scanning and slow turnaround times.
Who should use it: Individuals who are launching a new business and have limited resources will find value in the cheap registered agent services for LLCs provided by Incfile, which are free for the first year for those who incorporate their business using the company's services.
Pros:
- Initial year is free when you file a new corporation
- Dashboard for registered agents is easy to use
- Legal documents are forwarded automatically
- Document scanning is that it may not always provide reminders
- Turnaround times for the filing process may be inconsistent
- Customer support may be sluggish
Pricing & Plans
- Platinum Package: $299 including State Fees
- Gold Package: $199 including State Fees
- Silver Package: $0 + State Fees (Only pay state fees)
Inc Authority - Best Registered Agent Service for Startups
Star Rating: 3.5/5
Inc Authority is a popular choice for new businesses seeking legal assistance due to their offer of a free LLC setup, which also includes a free year of registered agent services for LLC.
As your registered agent, they handle communication from government agencies on your behalf, and they operate in all 50 states, making them a suitable option for businesses that operate across state borders.
However, it's unclear how much their cheap registered agent services cost after the first year, which is why they do not receive as high of a score as other registered agent services.
Customer support is available via phone, email, and chat during specific hours, and online customer reviews indicate that Inc Authority provides timely and attentive customer service.
Pros:
- The initial year is free of cost when you sign up for a free LLC
- The registered agents are very attentive
- The process of signing up for the service is simple
- Does not provide clear information about renewal prices
- Process for managing documentation is unclear
- Not possible to opt-out of registered agent services when creating an LLC
- Frequent attempts to upsell additional services
Pricing & Plans
- Starter Package: Free, but only state fees need to be paid
- Starter Business Bundle: $399 plus state fees
- Business LLC Executive Bundle: $499 plus state fees
- Tycoon LLC Business Bundle: $799 plus state fees
Ranking Methodology for the Best Registered Agent Service
To properly assess registered agent service for LLC, it's essential to take into account various important elements. These factors consist of::- Reliability: To ensure that your company receives legal documents in a timely manner, it's important to have a cheap registered agent who is available during normal business hours. Failure to do so could result in missed deadlines and legal issues.
- Compliance expertise: Cheap registered agent services must possess extensive knowledge of the legal and regulatory requirements that pertain to it. This encompasses adhering to industry-specific regulations and meeting state-mandated filing deadlines.
- Customer support: When it comes to registered agent service for LLCs, it's crucial to have reliable customer support. It's important to have access to someone who can assist you promptly and effectively if you have any queries or issues.
- Value for the price: When it comes to registered agent services, the pricing can differ considerably. It's crucial to search for a provider that provides a suitable combination of quality and affordability.
- Additional features: Certain companies providing registered agent services have extra benefits that can simplify your life. One such benefit's access to document management tools that enable you to safely store and retrieve vital legal papers online.
After scrutinizing registered agent services using these standards, we have pinpointed the leading suppliers available. It's advisable to take these elements into account while selecting a registered agent service for LLC to guarantee to receive the most excellent service.
>> Try Out Northwest Registered Agent >>
Best Registered Agent Service – Buyer’s Guide
What Is a Registered Agent?
If you have a business, you can appoint a registered agent service for LLC who will be responsible for receiving official mail and service of process on your behalf. These agents may also be referred to as statutory agents, resident agents, or agents for service of process.When a business entity like an LLC, corporation, or nonprofit's registered in a state, it's mandatory to designate a registered agent service for LLC in the formation documents.
These documents, also known as "articles of organization" or "articles of incorporation," are submitted to the state, and the data mentioned in them are made available as public records..
Who Can Be a Registered Agent?
To qualify as a registered agent service for LLC, one must fulfill some basic conditions, which are not complex. The primary requirement is that the registered agent services should be a resident of the state where the company is registered or where the registration is being processed.A registered agent service for LLC needs to possess a physical address for document delivery purposes. The use of a P.O. mailbox isn't permitted. It's crucial to carefully consider who you choose to designate as your registered agent services provider, even though the requirements are easy.
5 Reasons You Might Need to Use a Registered Agent Service
If you're unsure about whether to serve as your own registered agent or outsource the task to a third-party provider, there are some crucial factors to take into account:- Legal Compliance: In order to comply with state laws, it's typically mandatory for business entities to appoint a registered agent for LLC for the purpose of receiving legal documents such as subpoenas, lawsuits, and other crucial legal notices.
- Privacy: In case you run a small business from your residence, you might not prefer to utilize your home address as the official business address.
- Availability: If you're a small business owner who cannot always be present to receive mail or packages, it's crucial to have a cheap registered agent service that can ensure the availability of someone to receive important documents during business hours..
- Convenience: If you utilize a registered agent service for LLC, you can have all your legal documents and significant correspondence sent to either your business address or email, resulting in saved time and less stress.
- Credibility: Using a registered agent service for LLC can enhance the credibility of your business as it portrays your commitment towards adhering to state regulations and safeguarding your business concerns.
What Can Happen If You Don’t Have a Registered Agent?
When registering an LLC, it's mandatory to appoint a registered agent, and not doing so can expose the company to various risks.If a registered agent isn't appointed, the company may not receive legal notice on time, which can lead to default judgments, loss of credibility, and monetary penalties.
It's necessary to send the state-mandated yearly report to the registered agent, as failing to do so may cause the company to lose its good standing if the report isn't up to date. Non-compliance with legal requirements can lead to administrative dissolution, which can make the business owners liable for debts owed to creditors.
>> Try Out Northwest Registered Agent >>
Best Registered Agent Service – Frequently Asked Questions
We have compiled a list of the most commonly asked questions to address any additional inquiries you may have.What Does a Registered Agent Do?
When you assign a registered agent service for LLC, you're appointing someone to receive certain documents, which typically include legal, regulatory, state, and tax-related ones.The agent will then pass on those documents to you by either scanning and uploading them to an online portal or mailing them to your address.
Additionally, if there's an urgent matter, such as a court notice or impending deadline, the registered agent may reach out to you via phone or text message.
Can I Use Myself as a Registered Agent?
It's possible for you to serve as a registered agent for your business. However, you must have a physical street address to be contacted on behalf of your business, as states do not allow the use of P.O. boxes for registered agents.Is a Registered Agent Really Necessary?
The requirement for LLCs, partnerships, and corporations to have a registered agent and/or registered office is mandatory in all US states. These registered agents may be referred to as resident agents, agents for service of process, or statutory agents depending on the state.>> Try Out Northwest Registered Agent >>
Bottom Line on Best Registered Agent Service
It's essential to select the appropriate cheap registered agent services for your business, as it can significantly impact your operations.These services not only help ensure that your company complies with legal and regulatory requirements, but they also offer valuable customer support to help you avoid expensive errors.
Our evaluations have led us to highlight the most exceptional cheap registered agent services available, each with its own set of advantages and features.
We suggest looking closely at ZenBusiness, our top choice, and assessing your business's specific requirements before selecting a registered agent service for LLC.
>> Use Northwest Registered Agent To Start An LLC >>
Moneycontrol Journalists were not involved in the creation of the article.
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