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ZenBusiness vs Northwest Registered Agent

Written by:

Natalie is a business writer with experience in operations, HR, and training & development within the software, healthcare, and financial services sectors.

Edited by:

David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.

ZenBusiness vs Northwest Registered Agent

Launching a Limited Liability Company (LLC) is a significant step in any entrepreneur’s journey. With so many decisions to make, one of the most pivotal is selecting the right business formation service that will best serve your company’s unique needs.

ZenBusiness and Northwest Registered Agent are two leading contenders in the market, each providing a comprehensive suite of LLC formation services. However, they each come with their distinct features, pricing structures, and levels of customer support.

In this article, we will delve into an exhaustive comparison between ZenBusiness and Northwest Registered Agent, assessing their overall offerings to help you determine which one aligns best with your business goals.

Services Overview

Business Formation Service
ZenBusiness
Northwest Registered Agent
Plans and Pricing
3 plans: Starter, Pro, and Premium; $0 – $349 annual fees + state filing fees
One business formation package at $39 + state filing fees
Registered Agent Service
Not included, $199 annually
Included for one year, then $125 annually
Operating Agreement
$99 if you go with the Starter plan; Included in Pro and Premium plans
Included
Annual Report Service
Worry-free compliance service covers annual filing; only annual reporting is $100 + state fees
Not Included, $100 + state fees
Processing Time
Standard, rush
Varies from the state; there’s a fee if you want to expedite the filing process
Customer Support
Chat, email, phone; Mon – Fri 8am – 8pm CT, Sunday 9am – 6pm CT
Chat, email, phone
Business Documents Online Library
Included in Premium, $99 (one-time fee) for other two plans
Yes
Other Services Offered
Domain name registration, business website creation and business email address, business banking, business credit cards, online payments
Business address, phone service
Number of Businesses Served
500,000
3 million
Money Back Guarantee
60 days
90 days

Our Verdict

Choosing a standout service between ZenBusiness and Northwest Registered Agent was quite challenging. Both offer valuable packages and exceptional customer support alongside user-friendly websites.

Upon meticulous evaluation, we have concluded that ZenBusiness provides superior overall value with more options tailored for new business owners. This primarily stems from their offering of a business formation plan at no cost.

While Northwest Registered Agent also delivers significant value, we specifically endorse them for their registered agent services. You can’t go wrong even if you go with the Northwest Registered Agent’s business formation service.

Pricing

Turnaround Time

Help and Support

Customer Satisfaction

Ease of Use

Overall Score: 4.7/5

Learn More

Pricing

Turnaround Time

Help and Support

Customer Satisfaction

Ease of Use

Overall Score: 4.6/5

Learn More

ZenBusiness is our recommendation, mainly because of competitively-priced packages that offer good value to new business owners.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Competitively-priced packages offer good value ($0 business formation plan)
  • Great and helpful customer support
  • Positive customer reviews
  • Quick and easy purchase process
  • Company is socially responsible and active

Cons

  • Registered agent service not included in the plans (available as an add-on)
  • Cancellation can be a lengthy process
  • Some information is difficult to find on the website

Pros

  • Competitively-designed package offers good value (registered agent service included in the first year)
  • Great customer service
  • Website is intuitive and resourceful (free legal documents and form)
  • Transparent pricing/no hidden fees
  • Commitment to privacy

Cons

  • No free business formation plan
  • No business license filing or support
  • Not BBB accredited

Plans and Pricing – Winner: ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness

Renowned for some of the most affordable rates in the industry, ZenBusiness offers a free LLC formation package — Starter plan.

For those desiring more comprehensive features, the $199 Pro package offers continuous compliance support, an EIN, an operating agreement, and rush processing.

Additionally, the $349 Premium plan includes rush processing service, a business website package, and a domain name.

Please note that none of these plans include state filing fees, which vary from state to state.

Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest Registered Agent offers a singular, comprehensive package priced at $39 plus state filing fees.

This package encompasses crucial services like business formation, a year of free registered agent service, provision of a business address, and the drafting of an operating agreement, among other additional features.

Experience – Winner: Northwest Registered Agent

ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness was founded in 2015 and has formed over 500,000 businesses.

Northwest Registered Agent

Operating since 1998, Northwest Registered Agent has served approximately 3 million customers over the years.

Customer Support – Winner: ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness

The customer support team at ZenBusiness is accessible via phone, email, or our online chat portal, and they’re available even on Sundays.

Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest boasts personalized customer support through its Corporate Guide system. Their support team’s knowledge surpasses most competitors, capable of answering even the most complex questions about LLC formations.

Turnaround Times – Winner: ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness

At ZenBusiness, formation speeds are state-dependent. For urgent requests, premium packages offer rush service. Compared to other formation services, ZenBusiness matches or slightly exceeds their speed.

Northwest Registered Agent

The turnaround times at Northwest fluctuate based on the state where the business is being formed. Some states may process business formations within days, while others may take a few weeks.

Customer Reviews – Winner: ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness shines in customer feedback, with over 12,000 reviews on Trustpilot alone, most of which are positive. Clients often praise their services for being efficient and easy to use.

Northwest Registered Agent

We found more than 100 positive reviews for Northwest Registered Agent, praising their personalized customer support and quick processing of formations.

Ease of Use – It’s a tie between the two

ZenBusiness

Purchasing a business formation service from ZenBusiness is a breeze. You begin by choosing the desired incorporation package, then provide basic personal and business information, and select any additional features. It’s a simplified process designed to avoid any confusion.

Northwest Registered Agent

Procuring a business formation service from Northwest is straightforward. We managed to complete the entire process, from their order form to the payment screen, in approximately 10 minutes, with no third-party info-selling attempts or upsells detected.

Additional Services – Winner: ZenBusiness

Both ZenBusiness and Northwest Registered Agent offer a range of additional business services, many of which overlap. Both can assist with EIN acquisition, annual reports, foreign registrations, and more.

However, each company offers unique services not available from the other. For example, ZenBusiness provides bookkeeping and accounting services, which are absent from Northwest’s offerings. Conversely, Northwest offers exclusive virtual office and mail forwarding services.

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ZenBusiness vs Northwest Registered Agent