Northwest Registered Agent vs. Nationwide Incorporators

Do Northwest and Nationwide Incorporators offer good value?

With Northwest Registered Agent and Nationwide Incorporators, we’re dealing with two popular LLC formation services. They both have the necessary experience and know-how to form your new LLC in a compliant fashion without costing an arm and a leg. Each has its advantages over the other.

Northwest offers LLC formations for $225 (+ state fee), while Nationwide Incorporators charges at least $825. In addition, Northwest has hundreds of positive customer reviews available online, whereas Nationwide Incorporators has a very limited collection of customer feedback.

That said, Nationwide Incorporators’ “attorney-powered” mantra is more than just a slogan, as an experienced business lawyer either drafts or reviews your documents. It’s a unique advantage for businesses that need a little more expertise. Overall, Nationwide Incorporators is a solid Northwest alternative.

Do you need some more information before making your decision? Read on to learn all about the pros and cons of these formation service providers.

6 Things They Have in Common

1) Affordable: Although Northwest’s prices are certainly cheaper, both of these providers can usually save you some money compared to hiring a lawyer to draft and file your formation documents, which can cost thousands of dollars. Especially considering the LLC isn’t a terribly complex business structure, the attorney’s expertise may not even be necessary.

2) Customer Support: Saving money is great, but it’s also important to be able to access assistance when you need it. With Northwest Registered Agent and Nationwide Incorporators, help is just a phone call or email away if you run into any issues.

3) Experience: There is no substitute for experience, and both of these service providers have plenty of it. Nationwide Incorporators and Northwest Registered Agent are both experienced midsize companies in the business services industry, and they’ve each formed quite a few LLCs over the years.

4) Efficiency: If you need your LLC formed in a hurry, these services are capable of helping you out. Northwest Registered Agent and Nationwide Incorporators both offer expedited service that can dramatically decrease the amount of time it takes to form your new LLC (for an additional fee, of course).

5) Positive Customer Reviews: While neither of these companies has an especially large volume of customer feedback, both Nationwide Incorporators and Northwest Registered Agent receive mostly positive reviews from their clients.

6) Additional Services: Both of these companies have plenty to offer beyond just forming your LLC. From registered agent service to operating agreements and foreign registrations, these companies offer other services available to help you stay compliant.

Side-by-Side Comparisons

Pricing

Northwest: At $225, their price point is high compared to many competitors. Still, the inclusion of a full year of their registered agent service is a good feature that makes their pricing more attractive. Once the first year is up, the registered agent service will renew at $125 per year.

Nationwide Incorporators: This company offers just one formation package option and focuses on forming LLCs in six states (California, Delaware, Florida, Nevada, Tennessee, and Texas). The cost of this package varies from $825 to $1,175, depending on the state you choose. Along with the basics, Nationwide Incorporators will acquire your employer identification number (EIN) from the IRS. In addition, Nationwide Incorporators will provide your first year of registered agent service.

Experience

Northwest: Northwest Registered Agent has been around since 1998, and since then, they’ve served 2+ million customers.

Nationwide Incorporators: Nationwide Incorporators opened in 1997, and company owner Robert E. Stenson has more than 25 years of experience as a business lawyer. They don’t handle the same volume of clients that some competitors do, but as they say on their website, “Don’t confuse volume with quality.”

Customer Support

Northwest: Northwest offers phone and email support. We first tested their email support, and while it took nearly 24 hours to receive an email back, the response was detailed, and the rep went beyond simply answering our question and checking off an email response. We also called and received similarly impressive service. The representative who answered the phone took the time to ask for details so that he could give us the most accurate answer.

Nationwide Incorporators: You can reach them by phone or fax, or you can fill out the contact form on their website. When you contact Nationwide Incorporators, you’ll sometimes speak with company president Robert E. Stenson directly. The only minor negative with their customer support is that they’re only available from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. ET on weekdays, which are shorter operating hours than many competitors offer.

Turnaround Times

Northwest: When you select your state from the dropdown menu of the application, an estimated turnaround time will display on the screen. Most states have expedited service available for an additional fee, so you’ll see two turnaround times on the order form.

Nationwide Incorporators: Turnaround times vary by state with Nationwide Incorporators. Unfortunately, there’s no convenient place on their website to list estimated processing speeds, so you’ll have to contact them to get this information.

Customer Reviews

Northwest: Northwest Registered Agent doesn’t have a ton of customer feedback, but they do have around 800 reviews, and they’re mostly positive.

Nationwide Incorporators: There aren’t too many reviews for Nationwide Incorporators available online (we were only able to find a small handful), but the few they do have are all positive.

Ease of Use

Northwest: The application process with Northwest is streamlined and easy to follow. You simply enter your personal info and business details and pay for the order. There aren’t any upsells, and Northwest only offers one LLC formation service package.

Nationwide Incorporators: Ordering LLC service from Nationwide Incorporators is simple. Just fill out a couple of forms on their website to provide them with the information necessary to form your business and then pay your service fee. The issue with Nationwide Incorporators in this area is that some of their services operate on variable pricing models, and they’re also not available to purchase online, so you’ll need to contact them directly to inquire about ordering additional services.

Additional Services

Northwest Registered Agent and Nationwide Incorporators both have additional business services that can help you start, develop, and expand your company. They have quite a few of the same services available as well, including business licensing, foreign registrations, registered agent service, operating agreements, EIN acquisitions, and more.

However, Northwest has some services that you can’t get with Nationwide Incorporators, like annual reports, mail forwarding, and virtual office services.

Which is the better LLC service?

Northwest Registered Agent and Nationwide Incorporators are two popular LLC formation services. Because these companies have plenty of overlap in the way they provide their LLC services, we would understand if you haven’t made up your mind yet. Along those lines, let’s wrap up this comparison guide by briefly discussing a few of the main reasons people choose each of these service providers.

➥ Choose Northwest Registered Agent if:

Are you more comfortable working with a larger company? Are you unwilling to spend more than a couple hundred dollars on your LLC formation? If so, Northwest could be worth considering.

➦ Choose Nationwide Incorporators if:

If their attorney-powered services appeal to you, with business lawyers reviewing your documents before they’re filed, Nationwide Incorporators might be worth a look.

🎉 Choose ZenBusiness if:

If you’d like to form your LLC with ZenBusiness, we’re here to help. We offer $0 (+ state fee) LLC formations, and we have 12,000+ positive customer reviews. Form your LLC quickly and get more tools to start your dream business.