If you are thinking about forming an LLC or a corporation in the United States, you will be required to have a registered agent in each of the states where your company will do business.
Why is a registered agent service important? The truth is that a registered agent is responsible for receiving and handling legal documents on behalf of your company. It will be essential that the agent you hire receives these documents and keeps you constantly informed about their status.
Below is a list of the best registered agent services, taking into account different aspects such as the quality of the services offered, pricing and customer service. Let's get started!
DoolaHQ
- Cost: $297 + state fees
- Provider: National
- Services: LLC formation, EIN number and bank account
Doola is a great option for hiring a registered agent. It offers company formation services that are ideal for foreign nationals.
It's an all-in-one platform that gives founders the tools they need to successfully start and manage an LLC.
On average, the time it takes to process and file the company formation paperwork is 8 days.
One of the reasons we recommend this platform is that it offers one free year of registered agent service when you sign up.
With Doola, founders can easily open a company in the USA and a bank account, accept payments and manage regulatory compliance and tax filings.
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Northwest Registered Agent
- Cost: $39 for an LLC
- Provider: National
- Services: Starting an LLC
Visit Northwest Registered Agent
Why do we recommend it?Northwest Registered Agent is a registered agent service provider with more than 3 million clients across the United States, which guides entrepreneurs through the formation of an LLC.
We recommend it because it's extremely easy to get started with its LLC formation services. All you need to do is go to its website and choose to have the company complete the process for you.
Northwest Registered Agent's clients highlight its warm, personalized service. This is because it is a family-owned business.
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Firmaway
- Cost: From $399 to $545
- Provider: National
- Services: LLC formation, bank account, after-sales service
Firmaway is, without a doubt, one of the most recommended registered agent services on the market.
Its main solution is LLC formation. It helps clients with drafting the articles of organization, with the operating agreement and with obtaining the EIN number.
It also offers a U.S. dollar bank account with $0 maintenance fees, which can be Relay or Mercury, which you can operate online without having to travel to the USA.
According to its clients, the service they receive and the services provided are of great quality.
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LegalZoom
- Cost: $249 per year
- Provider: National
- Services: Legal
Since its founding in 2001, LegalZoom has earned a great reputation for helping small businesses grow in the United States.
We recommend this service for small businesses that want an all-in-one solution that fits their budget.
It stands out for its legal consultation services, since it has an online team of business attorneys.
As for pricing, there are three plans available with different services. The most basic one is free and is meant for those who already have an idea of how to form a company. Then there are two premium versions at $249 per year and $299 per year, always including the fees of the state where you operate.
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ZenBusiness
- Cost: $199
- Provider: National
- Services: Document management
Zen Business is a well-known registered agent service provider that has helped form more than half a million companies.
Among the many tasks ZenBusiness performs as a registered agent, we can highlight receiving government mail, legal documents, tax forms and service of process documents on behalf of your company.
ZenBusiness's pricing for its registered agent service is $199 per year on any of the plans offered.
The basic service only offers the standard filing of an LLC. You can then choose two other paid plans at $199 per year or $399 per year.
In addition, for $15 you can add an additional website creation service.
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Globalfy
- Cost: $49 per month
- Provider: National
- Services: LLC registration
If you want to start and run your business in the United States, Globalfy is the ideal platform for you.
It lets you access the U.S. market from anywhere to expand, manage and grow your company.
Globalfy takes care of registering your LLC, getting an EIN number and handling all the documents after the organization is formed.
It offers three different plans (Start, Essential and Scale) priced at $49, $109 and $419 per month.
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Incfile
- Pricing : From $0 to $119 depending on the plan
- Provider: National
- Services : LLC formation
Incfile provides registered agent services throughout the United States as part of a package of company formation solutions.
Like all registered agents, Incfile will handle tax, regulatory and legal documents on your behalf.
We recommend IncFile for offering one of the most convenient packages on the market. This is the ‘Silver’ package, which costs nothing beyond state fees and includes filing the articles of organization and online customer support.
Beyond this, another point worth highlighting is that, no matter which of the three plans you choose, registered agent service is offered free of charge for one year.
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Incorp
- Pricing : $129 plus state fees
- Provider: National
Incorp is an affordable and recommended option if you're looking to save a few dollars and hire a good registered agent service.
It is an experienced and reliable agent for small businesses with more than 250,000 clients in all 50 states.
One thing that gives Incorp an edge over other platforms is that it has an Apple app, which makes it very easy to handle paperwork.
The registered agent service costs about $129 per year, but you can get it for $87 if you choose the multi-year option.
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CorpNet
- Pricing : $149
- Provider: National
- Services LLC formation and development
Corpnet is a family-owned business with outstanding service recognized by its own clients.
With 292 reviews, it has a score of 9.7 out of 10 on TrustPilot, which shows how seriously this platform works.
We recommend it for its especially personalized service, which comes from being a family-owned business.
CorpNet has been operating since 1997 and has already helped hundreds of entrepreneurs create their companies all across the United States.
The registered agent service costs about $149 per year.
In addition, Corpnet offers two paid packages (Deluxe and Complete) that include registered agent service for one year. You can also choose the basic package, which offers free agent service for 60 days.
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RocketLawyer
- Pricing : $149
- Provider National
- Services: Legal
Rocket Lawyer is a very popular online legal services provider available in all 50 states.
It offers a wide range of legal solutions for both business and personal needs.
Hiring Rocket Lawyer's agent services means appointing the company to receive official legal and tax documents on behalf of your business.
Its pricing structure divides clients into members and non-members.
Non-members can choose à la carte services at list price, while members get free services and discounts.
We recommend becoming a member since it only costs $39.99 per month and ends up being more cost-effective.
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How to choose a registered agent service?
The best way to choose a registered agent service is to research which providers offer the services that fit your company's needs.
You may need a custom online document management portal or notifications of upcoming deadlines.
It's also a good idea to consider the legal services offered by the different providers, because in some cases it's convenient to have everything handled by a single company.
Services offered
When hiring a registered agent, research the services they offer and the platform they provide for managing them. We recommend that the service you hire offers:
- Electronic upload of received documents within 24 hours
- Reminders of renewal dates, annual reports, tax returns, etc...
- Notifications when legal documents are received, and their storage
- Unrestricted access to documentation
- Good customer service
Local vs. national providers
You're probably wondering whether you should choose a national or a local registered agent service provider. The truth is that hiring a national provider offers some advantages to companies operating in several states at once.
Most national registered agent services can support operations in every state where you are registered.
If your company is registered in several states, you will need an agent in each of them. That's why with a national provider you can save money and get more efficient service.
Registered agent services only or full management support
Another decision to make when choosing an agent service provider is whether you want the company you hire to handle only paperwork and documents, or whether you want to go further and have it support the entire development of the LLC.
Many registered agents can also take care of opening your LLC, getting you an EIN number, opening your bank account, helping you with accounting and more.
The truth is that this will depend on what is needed in each specific case. If you think you need more comprehensive support, then it will be better to pay for a more complete service.
Written by
Ignacio Navarro
Ignacio Navarro is a Certified Public Accountant, founder of Start Companies and a specialist in U.S. companies for entrepreneurs, freelancers and digital businesses in Latin America. With training in international taxation and studies at UCEMA, he advises non-resident clients on forming and maintaining LLCs, opening bank accounts, invoicing, accounting and taxes. His experience combines tax strategy, compliance and practical vision for operating in the U.S. in a simple, organized and professional way.
