Compare · Northwest vs LegalZoom · retrieved 21 September 2026
Northwest vs LegalZoom: what you pay in Year 1, 2, and 3
Two vendors, two jobs (registered agent; formation plus agent), three years. Northwest is flat list. LegalZoom is the brand foil — higher RA line, Basic formation that does not include the agent. State formation and change fees are not in the totals. Dollars re-checked on official pages 21 September 2026 CT.
Registered agent only
Buy the statutory role without a formation package. Both lines are flat on the retrieval dates — no intro year on either side. Northwest $125/year ($375 over three). LegalZoom $249/year ($747 over three).
| Vendor / product | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | 3-year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NorthwestRegistered agentFlat $125/year. $100/year per state if five or more. | $125List | $125List | $125List | $375 |
| LegalZoomRegistered agent (foil)Flat $249/year on LegalZoom’s RA overview (re-checked 21 September 2026). | $249List | $249Renewal | $249Renewal | $747 |
Formation plus registered agent
Northwest formation is $39 + state; RA is free in year 1, then $125/year. LegalZoom Basic is $0 + state and does not include RA — the agent is a separate $249/year line. Three vendor years of Basic + RA: $747.
| Vendor / product | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | 3-year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NorthwestFormation + RAFormation $39; RA free in year 1, then $125/year. | $39Free year 1 | $125Renewal | $125Renewal | $289 |
| LegalZoomBasic + RA (foil)Basic $0 does not include RA. RA is $249/year separate. | $249List | $249Renewal | $249Renewal | $747 |
Northwest vs LegalZoom, side by side
| Stack | Northwest | LegalZoom |
|---|---|---|
| RA-only, each year | $125 list | $249 list |
| RA-only, 3-year | $375 | $747 |
| Formation + RA, year 1 | $39; RA free year 1 | Basic $0 + RA $249 |
| Formation + RA, years 2 and 3 | $125 renewal | $249 renewal |
| Formation + RA, 3-year | $289 | $747 |
Gap on RA-only over three years: $372 more at LegalZoom’s list than at Northwest’s. Gap on formation + RA: $458 more for LegalZoom Basic + RA than Northwest formation + RA. Those are vendor dollars only.
Switching agents is not symmetric
| Direction | What the vendor publishes |
|---|---|
| Appoint Northwest | Northwest publishes that it files the change of agent and pays the state fee when you appoint them. |
| Switch to LegalZoom | LegalZoom marketing covers paperwork and state fees when you make LegalZoom the new agent. |
| Leave LegalZoom | Opposite direction. You (or the successor) pay the state’s change fee; cancel + written proof still matter for LegalZoom billing. Leave LegalZoom RA. |
State change fees among the sixteen states on this desk live on change of registered agent. They are not Northwest’s $125 or LegalZoom’s $249 subscription.
Other LegalZoom lines (not in the RA totals)
Briefing retrieval (30 August 2026): Pro attorney trial can auto-renew at $49/mo; Premium LegalZoom Books at $9.99/mo. Those are separate subscriptions from the registered-agent line and are not added into the 3-year RA sketches above. LegalZoom Supplemental RA Terms also allow RA fee increases with notice before a renewal term — detail on the leave page.
Cadence, in one place
| Vendor | SKU | Cadence |
|---|---|---|
| Northwest Registered Agent | Registered agent | $125/year, list. No intro year. |
| Northwest | Formation | $39 + state. RA free year 1, then $125/year. |
| LegalZoom (foil) | Registered agent | $249/year, list. Separate from formation. |
| LegalZoom | Basic / Pro / Premium | Basic $0 (no RA); Pro $249; Premium $299. RA still $249/year on top. |
Questions
Northwest vs LegalZoom: who costs less for registered agent?
RA-only, Northwest is $125 each year ($375 over three). LegalZoom RA is $249/year ($747 over three). Same statutory role; LegalZoom’s list is nearly double Northwest’s on the retrieval dates. State fees are not in those totals.
Northwest Registered Agent vs LegalZoom for formation plus RA?
Northwest formation is $39 + state; RA is free in year 1, then $125 + $125 = $289 over three vendor years. LegalZoom Basic is $0 and does not include RA — add RA at $249/year and the 3-year vendor stack is $747. Pro ($249) and Premium ($299) are separate formation SKUs; RA is still a separate $249/year line on LegalZoom’s overview.
LegalZoom vs Northwest registered agent — does either pay the state change fee?
Northwest publishes that it files the change of agent and pays the state fee when you appoint them. LegalZoom’s RA overview says they complete paperwork and cover state fees when you switch to LegalZoom. Leaving LegalZoom is the opposite direction — see leave LegalZoom registered agent. Filing Address does not file the change for you.
Is LegalZoom Basic cheaper than Northwest?
Basic checkout is $0 + state and does not include registered agent. With RA the 3-year vendor bill is $747. Northwest formation plus RA is $289. Do not stop the compare at year-one formation.
Related: 3-year cost · Northwest vs ZenBusiness vs Bizee · Northwest vs Bizee · Northwest vs ZenBusiness · LegalZoom renewal · leave LegalZoom RA · change of agent · ZenBusiness renewal.
Sources
Official vendor, secretary of state, or statute pages. Third-party “best of” lists were not used. Retrieval dates are on each row.
- Northwest Registered Agent — registered agent ($125/year; $100/year per state at 5+) Retrieved 2026-10-12.
- Northwest — LLC formation Retrieved 2026-10-02.
- Northwest — change of agent (files change paperwork and pays required state filing fee when appointed; $125/year) Retrieved 2026-10-07.
- LegalZoom registered agent overview ($249/year; switch-to-LZ paperwork + state fees covered) Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- LegalZoom Supplemental Terms of Service for Registered Agent Service (auto-renew; cancel via My Account or phone; proof of successor required or billing continues; updated July 10, 2026) Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- LegalZoom formation / registered agent pages Retrieved 2026-08-30.