Bizee vs Northwest on Renewal Cost (2026)

Quick answer

Once introductory offers end, a registered agent service typically costs about $125 to $200 a year, based on providers' own published prices as of October 6, 2026. Bizee includes a free first year with every formation package but does not publish the renewal price on its LLC pricing page. Northwest Registered Agent charges a flat $125 a year, with no introductory discount. Bizee's free first year gives it the lower first-year cost; after that, the comparison depends on a renewal price Bizee does not publish.

Paying more than about $200 a year only makes sense if the fee buys something beyond the agent itself, such as compliance filings bundled into the same renewal.

What should a registered agent service cost per year?

For a standard single-state service, a fair renewal price is about $125 to $200 a year. The low end of that range buys the core job: an in-state address, someone available during business hours to accept legal papers, and digital delivery of what arrives. Toward $200, providers tend to bundle extras such as compliance reminders, annual report filing or business tools.

The renewal price matters more than the first-year price because the service runs as long as the entity exists. A free year or a $99 first year lowers the cost of getting started but says nothing about year two. Every comparison on this page leads with the ongoing price for that reason.

Why does a registered agent cost anything at all?

Every state sets its own registered agent rules, and they differ. The specific requirement depends on where an entity is formed or registered, so check with that state's filing office for anything not covered here. The California Secretary of State is direct on the basic obligation: "Corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, and limited liability partnerships are required by statute to designate an agent for service of process."

California also says an entity cannot act as its own agent for service of process. The Texas Secretary of State takes the same position. In Texas, an officer, owner or employee may serve as registered agent as an individual, but the entity itself may not.

The service insures against a real risk. According to the Texas Secretary of State, failing to maintain a registered agent may lead to involuntary termination of a domestic entity, or to revocation of a foreign entity's registration.

Privacy is the other reason people pay. California's Business Search, according to the Secretary of State, "contains the most current filings that are of record in this office, including the name and address of the agent for service of process." Whoever serves as agent puts an address on the public record. If you run a home-based business and serve as your own agent where that is allowed, that address is your home.

How do the six providers compare on renewal cost?

The providers are listed alphabetically, in the table and in the entries that follow, not ranked. Prices are as of October 6, 2026.

Bizee: a free first year, then a renewal to confirm

Bizee bundles one free year of registered agent service into every formation package. The packages are Basic at $0, Standard at $199 and Premium at $299, each plus state fees. Those state fees are set by the state, vary by state, and are separate from Bizee's price.

After the free year, the picture is less clear. Bizee does not publish the renewal price on its LLC pricing page, and renewal is handled inside the customer dashboard. Confirm the actual renewal price before the free year ends.

According to Bizee, the service includes text and email alerts when service of process or state correspondence arrives, tracked FedEx delivery of service of process, and ongoing compliance notifications at no extra charge.

Best for: someone forming an LLC on a tight budget who wants to pay nothing for the agent in year one.

Harbor Compliance: built for multi-state filings

Harbor Compliance charges $159 a year ongoing, with a promotional $99 first year. Its two- and three-year terms hold the $99 rate for each year of the term and then renew at $159. The price is national rather than set state by state, and Harbor is built for multi-state and regulated filings, which makes it a stronger fit for a business registered in several states than for a single-state startup.

LegalZoom: no published agent price

LegalZoom does not publish its registered agent price on its LLC pricing page.

Northwest Registered Agent: one price every year

Northwest Registered Agent charges $125 a year and has no introductory rate. The first-year price and the renewal price are the same.

The $125 covers more than the agent. According to Northwest, it includes a business address, a phone line, a domain and website, and mail scanning. Northwest also says it lists its own address on public filings by default, which goes straight to the public-record issue described above.

Best for: owners who want the lowest predictable renewal and want their home address kept off the public record.

Rocket Lawyer: membership plans, no published agent price

Rocket Lawyer does not list a registered agent price on its pricing page. Its memberships are Standard at $149 a year or $34.99 a month, Plus at $249 a year or $49.99 a month, and Pro at $349 a year or $64.99 a month, so it mainly makes sense for someone who already pays for the membership for documents or attorney access.

ZenBusiness: priced for the bundle

ZenBusiness charges $199 a year for registered agent service. Any introductory terms should be checked on the ZenBusiness page at purchase.

On the price of the agent alone, ZenBusiness is not the cheapest option: Northwest costs $74 less a year. Where ZenBusiness can come out ahead is the bundle, covered below.

Bizee vs Northwest: what does each cost over time?

The table below counts the registered agent fee only. The Bizee column assumes formation through Bizee, which gives the free first year, followed by renewals at a price Bizee does not publish. It leaves out formation package prices and state fees.

Bizee's free year gives it a $125 head start. How long that lead lasts depends on Bizee's renewal price, which it does not publish. For a business that already exists and is not forming through Bizee, there is no free year to offset Northwest's $125.

Bizee's renewal price is the figure that decides this comparison. This is the main reason to confirm the renewal price before committing.

When does paying $199 a year make sense?

It makes sense when the $199 covers more than the agent. ZenBusiness’s Pro package ($199 plus state fees, renewing at $199 a year) and Premium package ($299, renewing at $299) sit alongside its registered agent service, a $199-a-year add-on that includes compliance monitoring. The EIN and operating agreement are included from Pro up, and cost $99 each on the $0 Starter package. Check at checkout exactly which services a given package renews with.

For someone forming a business now, that structure means one provider and one renewal date for the entity, the agent and compliance, instead of two vendors on two billing cycles. The order of operations after formation is the entity, then the EIN, then a separate business bank account, then books. ZenBusiness covers the first steps and offers a free accounting consultation to customers who form with it, with ZenBusiness accounting available when bookkeeping comes next.

For an owner whose entity already exists and who only needs an agent, the bundle carries less weight, and a $125 standalone agent is the cheaper route.

What does it cost to leave a provider?

Switching agents is the check on renewal increases, so its cost belongs in the comparison. The Texas Secretary of State charges $15 to change a registered agent or registered office, filed on Form 401. Other states set their own fees and procedures, so check with the relevant filing office rather than assuming the Texas figure applies.

A low state fee means a renewal increase can usually be escaped for little money. The main risk in switching is a gap in coverage, not the fee.

Which is the better value?

On renewal price alone, Northwest is the only one of the two with a published figure: $125 a year. In the first year, for someone forming through Bizee, Bizee comes out ahead, because that year is free.

• Bizee: best for a budget formation where a free first year matters most and the renewal price has been confirmed in advance.
• Northwest Registered Agent: best for the lowest predictable renewal, address privacy, and anyone not forming a new entity.
• ZenBusiness: best for someone forming now who wants formation, the agent and compliance from one provider on one renewal.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or accounting advice; registered agent requirements vary by state and change over time.