IncFile vs Northwest Registered Agent Comparison

Business entity formation is a crucial element of launching a business, and because it’s often complex and tedious many entrepreneurs hire a professional to do the job right. 

Two of the leading online services to consider are IncFile and Northwest Registered Agent. And to help you determine which is best, and which might be best for you and your business, we have thoroughly reviewed their services by putting ourselves in the shoes of an entrepreneur. Read on to make the choice that will put your business on the highway to success. 

Features and Services Overview

IncFile offers three business formation packages: Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The Silver Package is free, plus state fees, and includes free registered agent services for one year. Incfile also gives customers access to an online dashboard and unlimited phone and email support.

Northwest Registered Agent offers several a la carte services and one business formation package, which includes a year of registered agent services. All customers have online access to their documents and full customer support.

Plans Pricing

Incfile’s “base” package includes the preparation and filing of the articles of organization and unlimited name searches. It also includes free registered agent services for a year, making it a great value at no cost beyond state fees.

The Incfile $149 “middle” package provides the added services of an operating agreement, business tax consultation, and lifetime company alerts. It has a few other benefits as well, so it’s an overall good value.

The Incfile $299 “top-tier” package offers the additional benefit of expedited filing as well as a domain name and business formation. You’ll also receive access to business contract templates. However, if you have either the “base” or “middle” package, you can gain access to the entire document library for $150.

Northwest Registered Agent’s single plan includes the preparation and filing of your LLC formation documents and an operating agreement. Customers receive same-day processing, registered agent services for one year, a business address and digital mail forwarding.

It also provides online access to your documents, and customer service support, making it a great value at a reasonable price.

The cost of the package is $225. 

However, we did find a discount for customers. This link will enable you to form your LLC for just $39 and receive registered agent services for a year from Northwest Registered Agent – in any state!

Incfile Plans vs Northwest Registered Agent Plan

Incfile offers three tiers of LLC formation plans at different annual rates plus state fees. Northwest Registered Agent has one signature plan.

	Incfile	Northwest Registered Agent
Price	Silver Plan – Free Gold Plan - $149 Platinum Plan - $299	$225 plus state fees
Turnaround time	Standard for Silver and Gold, Expedited for Platinum	Three to five business days plus state filing fees
Registered agent	First year free then $119 annually	Free for one year when you purchase the formation package; $125 annually thereafter
Operating agreement	Included in Gold and Platinum	Included
Compliance services	Lifetime company alerts included in Gold and Platinum	Not included in plan, can be added for $100 per year plus state fees
EIN	Included in Gold and Platinum	Included
Website Services	Domain name included in Platinum	Not included
Legal Advice	Not included	Not included
Customer Support	Included	Included
Free Accounting Consultation	Included	Not Included
IRS form 2553	Included in Gold and Platinum	Not Included
Banking resolution	Included in Gold and Platinum	Not Included
Business checking account	Included in Platinum	Not Included
Business contract templates	Included in Platinum	Not Included

Customer Service

We tested the customer service experience of both options from every angle. Here’s what we found. 

Incfile

User Experience – What to Expect 

When you first go to the Incfile site, clicking on the “Start My Business” button will open up a new window. You’ll then see a couple of drop down menus: one for your business type (choose LLC) and one for the state in which you are filing. Once you choose your state, you’ll see specific pricing.

Each of the three available plans will appear, along with an outline of what’s included in each. The price displayed will include both the package fee and the fees for your particular state. Once you’ve made your decision, click the “Get the Silver/Gold/Platinum Package”. You will then be prompted to enter your contact information and mailing address.

Next, you’ll be asked to choose standard or expedited filing. Incfile also includes the typical processing time in your chosen state so you can make a more informed decision. 

Next, you’ll enter your company information, including information on your members or owners, business purpose, industry, and address. After entering these details, you’ll be offered a chance to upgrade to a higher level package before continuing. 

The next series of screens prompt you to enter the information that will ultimately appear on your articles of organization document. Then you’ll be asked if you’d like to use Incfile as your registered agent or act as your own (if allowed in that state). If you choose the Silver Package, the service is free for a year and $119 annually afterwards. The service is included in the price of the Gold and Platinum packages.

From this point onward, depending which package you choose, you’ll be prompted to provide all the applicable information for each included service. If you choose Silver or Gold, you’ll have opportunities to add various a la carte services.

Once you’re finished making your choices, you’ll have a chance to review your information before you submit payment.

How is the formation process?

The formation process was quick and easy, making for a nearly seamless user experience. Opportunities to upgrade were more informative than intrusive, and it was made clear what you were getting with each package. 

One downside is that there’s no way to save your progress if you have to leave the page and come back later. However, if you click the back button and move back to the homepage, you will be prompted to either start over or resume.

In Summary

Overall, the site is easy to use if you’re ready to go and just want to complete the process. Otherwise, information can be difficult to find to form an LLC on your own. 

Incfile is great for entrepreneurs on a budget, as their Silver Package covers the basics and includes a free year of their registered agent service. Competitors like LegalZoom and ZenBusiness have a more robust suite of services, but are also more expensive.

Customer Support

We tested all three forms of Incfile customer support. 

Chat support

Phone support

Email support

Northwest Registered Agent

User Experience – What to Expect 

When you first go to the Northwest Registered Agent site, you’ll see tabs at the top that you can click on to explore free guides, products and pricing, and more about the company. 

Six quick links dominate the main page’s visual hierarchy. 

To write this review, we clicked on the Hire Us link and proceeded to form a new LLC using Northwest Registered Agent’s service. Below we detail our customer service experiences. 

You’re first prompted to select which service you’d like to purchase, and we appreciated that the option we were looking for is right near the top of the list. 

Next, you’ll select your business type (LLC), the state you’re filing in, and your preferred payment method. 

The following steps ask for your business’s information– such as its name, purpose, and management type. These sections do not influence your total order expense. 

After you create an account with Northwest Registered Agent and provide your contact information, you can add more services or tools to your order. 

View the prices for these options by selecting and deselecting the items and watching your Order Summary box on the right side of the webpage. Some fees vary depending on your state, like a certificate of good standing. 

How Is the Formation Process?

The questions are simple and quick without a lot of confusing text. 

We found using Northwest Registered Agent to be an extremely smooth and pain-free process, and we especially like that the website’s order form allows you to jump back and forth between the filing sections quickly. For instance, you can compare prices for a certified copy and a certificate of good standing in North Carolina to the corresponding fees in Hawaii.

If you need to take a break, your progress will be saved – even if you don’t return until the next day. Northwest Registered Agent makes forming your LLC quick and easy. 

In Summary

Overall, the site is straightforward no matter what stage of filing preparation you’re in. If you’re ready to go and just want to complete the process, the Hire Us tab is always displayed at the top of the webpage, just like the How To and Our Services tabs, which offer more info and instruction. 

Even if you don’t purchase any services, you do have the option to sign up for a free account with Northwest Registered Agent. However, this isn’t posted on their website as much as their quick links to begin filing are. 

The filing/order page is where you’ll find the opportunity to sign up for a free account. But signing up for an account doesn’t seem to give you access to anything new unless you actually go ahead and form your LLC. 

Customer Support

We tested all three forms of Northwest Registered Agent customer support. 

Chat support

Phone support  

Email support

Customer Reviews

We wanted to know how real customers feel about both services, so we thoroughly explored customer reviews at the Better Business Bureau and Trust Pilot. Below we’ve summarized our findings. 

IncFile

Better Business Bureau

Incfile is not currently accredited with the BBB. They have 4.67/5 stars from 1,530 customer reviews and have received 260 complaints in three years. A total of 30 complaints have been resolved over the last 12 months.

Many positive reviews at BBB revolve around exceptional customer service. Customers mentioned phone support being very helpful and cordial, as well as proactive in identifying potential problems. Customers also mentioned chat support being excellent at resolving issues. 

One customer highlighted the responsiveness of the representative they were working with and that their issue was resolved quickly. Another had a difficult problem to solve and the representative that was handling the case “took care of the problem immediately”.

Most of the negative reviews were categorized as a “problem with product or service”. A common issue seemed to be a lack of communication between Incfile and customers, especially when it came to expectations regarding turnaround time and refunds. 

But it’s worth noting that at the time of this review, the most recent complaint was several months old. You can read reviews on the BBB website. 

Trustpilot 

The Trustpilot score for Incfile is 4.7/5 stars from 3.434 reviews.

Incfile reviews at TrustPilot break down as follows:

• Excellent 82%
• Great 9%
• Average 2%
• Poor <1%
• Bad 6%

Positive reviews mostly involved how easy it was to file an LLC. Some commented on the user-friendliness of the website and appreciated the transparency in pricing and the added features. Some reviews mentioned customer service representatives by name and praised them for being highly responsive and helpful.

Reviews in the “bad” category included confusion over state filing fees, a lack of communication from representatives, and poor customer service over the phone. Other customers complained about long turnaround times and a lack of transparency in terms of how long things would take to process, especially when it came to state filings. 

It does seem like a representative from Incfile is monitoring the negative reviews and the company makes an attempt to resolve issues. You can read reviews on the TrustPilot website. 

Northwest Registered Agent

Better Business Bureau

Northwest Registered Agent has an A- rating from the BBB with 4.39/5 stars from 100 customer reviews, but Northwest Registered Agent is not accredited with BBB. They have received 22 complaints in the last three years, all of which have a resolved status.

Many positive reviews at BBB revolve around exceptional customer service. You’ll find numerous reviews that praise Northwest Registered Agent’s prompt and efficient customer support, no matter which communication method you use. Customer service representatives have been commonly reported as polite, professional, and knowledgeable.  

One review boasted fast customer assistance, saying a mistake was “fixed in less than 30 minutes.” Another said they received “the BEST” customer service in “MANY years,” and one passionate customer left a review that read they “can’t even begin to describe how much easier they have made my life.”

Some negative reviews concern billing errors and cancellation issues. One person said they waited five months for a service they ordered, and another said they experienced “bait and switch pricing.” This latter review received a response from Northwest Registered Agent claiming the company had no record of that username’s account, so it may have been a fake – which is a serious issue in this competitive market. 

A 2021 review said that Northwest Registered Agent was still refusing to execute an account cancellation request from 2014.

You can read reviews on the BBB website. 

Trustpilot 

The Trustpilot score for Northwest Registered Agent is 3.5/5 stars from 10 reviews.

Northwest Registered Agent reviews at Trustpilot break down as follows:

• Excellent 50%
• Great 10%
• Average 0%
• Poor 0%
• Bad 40%

Many positive Trustpilot reviews, again, revolve around excellent customer service and quick services. One person said, “the process was easy and fast,” and multiple customers highlighted how Northwest Registered Agent service representatives helped them start their businesses “without any problems.”

Another person reflected on the “awesome, friendly, and patient” assistance they received over the phone. Others mentioned the general accessibility of Northwest Registered Agent’s customer service.

Some less favorable reviews involve unexpected account charges or changes and difficulty reaching customer service. One person complained that they only received notice of an address change when they randomly checked their online account and saw a pop-up on their screen. Another complained of being unable to get a hold of anyone on the phone. 

Others complained that the company finds a way to blame users who experience difficulties or have complaints. Another review bemoaned how the online chat representatives didn’t seem to know what services Northwest Registered Agent even offered. You can read reviews on the TrustPilot website. 

Pros and Cons

Incfile

Northwest Registered Agent

Verdict

After a thorough assessment, we have determined that Northwest Registered Agent offers a better overall customer experience. With IncFile’s Silver Plan, you’ll save some money, but Northwest Registered Agent offers more personalized registered agent services and outstanding customer service.

 We’re confident that Northwest Registered Agent offers a stronger and more valuable overall experience.

Our approach

As an entrepreneurial advisory site, we take our responsibilities seriously. We understand that countless entrepreneurs, and potential entrepreneurs, rely on our judgments and insights, particularly when it comes to creating their business.

As a result, our writers do their utmost to gain a comprehensive understanding of the services offered and the actual customer experience. In this case, we:

• Examined every single page of both the IncFile and Northwest Registered Agent websites
• Reviewed all of their offerings, from a la carte products to packages
• Put ourselves in the customer’s shoes, creating accounts
• Communicated with customer service via chat, email and phone
• Gained a full understanding of the customer experience and service value

Thanks to this full immersion in the actual customer experience, our reviewer and team are able to provide the most complete and insightful comparison of IncFile and Northwest Registered Agent LLC formation services.