Northwest vs ZenBusiness vs Bizee: Registered Agent (2026)

Every US LLC requires a registered agent in the state where it is formed. This is not optional — it is a legal requirement under the formation statutes of all 50 states. The registered agent receives legal documents, state correspondence, and compliance notices on behalf of the LLC. For a non-resident founder who lives outside the United States, the registered agent is often the only physical presence the business has in the country.

Northwest Registered Agent, ZenBusiness, and Bizee (formerly Incfile) are three of the most widely used registered agent services for LLC owners. Each bundles the registered agent function differently — with formation services, compliance monitoring, and add-ons that change the effective annual cost significantly.

This article maps the concrete costs, the service differences, and the structural implications of each choice for founders who operate their LLC from outside the US. For entity formation comparisons, see Stripe Atlas vs Firstbase vs Doola. For the state choice decision, see Delaware vs Wyoming LLC.

What a registered agent does

A registered agent performs three functions:

1. Receives service of process — If the LLC is sued, the registered agent receives the legal papers. This is the primary legal function.
2. Receives state correspondence — Annual report reminders, franchise tax notices, administrative dissolution warnings, and other state filings are sent to the registered agent address.
3. Provides a physical address — The registered agent's address becomes the public-facing address on state records for receiving legal and tax correspondence. This keeps the founder's personal address off public filings.

For a non-resident founder, the registered agent is also the compliance early warning system. If the state sends a notice about a missed filing or overdue franchise tax, the registered agent receives it. If the founder does not have a reliable registered agent, these notices go undelivered, and the first indication of a problem may be administrative dissolution of the LLC.

Pricing comparison

Registered agent (standalone)

The renewal trap: ZenBusiness has the lowest year-1 price ($99), but the highest renewal ($199/yr). Over three years, Northwest ($375) is the least expensive option with consistent pricing. Bizee's free first year with formation is attractive at launch but the $119/yr renewal is competitive long-term.

LLC formation bundles

All three companies offer LLC formation services that include registered agent as part of a package. Since most non-resident founders need both formation and a registered agent, the bundle economics matter.

State fees are separate. Wyoming charges $100 for LLC formation + $60/yr for annual reports. Delaware charges $90 for formation + $300/yr franchise tax. These state costs apply regardless of which service handles the filing. See Delaware vs Wyoming LLC for the full state cost comparison.

Total cost of LLC ownership: year 1 through year 3

The registered agent fee is one component of the annual cost of maintaining a US LLC. For a non-resident founder, the full picture includes state fees, tax filing, and ongoing compliance.

Not included above: Form 5472 + pro forma Form 1120 preparation ($300-1,000/yr via CPA), FBAR filing if applicable (see FBAR for Digital Nomads), and any state-specific taxes. These costs are CPA-driven, not registered agent-driven.

Non-resident specific considerations

Most registered agent reviews are written for US-based founders. The non-resident use case has specific requirements:

Remote setup

All three services can be used entirely remotely by a non-resident founder. No physical presence in the US is required at any point. The EIN application for foreign-owned LLCs is filed via IRS Form SS-4 (fax or mail), and all three services can handle this process.

Mail forwarding

A registered agent address receives legal documents and state correspondence. But many non-resident founders also need a US mailing address for business purposes — bank correspondence, vendor communications, and the physical address listed on business accounts.

Important distinction: The registered agent address receives legal documents and state filings. It is not a general business mailing address. If a non-resident founder needs a US address for bank applications (Mercury does not require one, but some traditional banks do), vendor accounts, or customer correspondence, a separate virtual mailbox service may be needed. Services like Earth Class Mail, iPostal1, or Traveling Mailbox provide dedicated virtual mailbox functionality with scan-and-forward capabilities.

Compliance monitoring

For a non-resident founder who may not be familiar with US state compliance requirements, the registered agent's compliance monitoring function is structurally important.

The compliance gap: None of these services handle the federal tax obligations of a foreign-owned LLC. Form 5472 filing, estimated tax payments, and FBAR reporting (if applicable) are CPA responsibilities. The registered agent handles state-level compliance only. For the full picture of compliance obligations, see the compliance documentation guide.

Incfile → Bizee: what happened

Incfile was acquired by ZenBusiness in 2023 and subsequently rebranded as Bizee. Despite being under the same parent company as ZenBusiness, Bizee continues to operate as a separate brand with its own pricing structure, website, and service tiers.

This creates an unusual dynamic: ZenBusiness and Bizee are competitors owned by the same company, with different pricing and feature sets. Bizee retains Incfile's pricing model (free formation + free year-1 registered agent), while ZenBusiness maintains its own tier structure.

For the founder, the practical implication is that both brands provide access to the same underlying infrastructure, but the pricing and packaging differ. Choosing between them is a pricing comparison, not a capability comparison.

The structural choice

What the registered agent does not solve

The registered agent maintains the LLC's legal presence in the state. It does not address:

• Federal tax compliance — Form 5472, estimated taxes, and FBAR filing are CPA tasks unrelated to registered agent service.
• Banking — Opening a US business bank account requires separate action. See Mercury vs Wise vs Relay.
• Accounting — Transaction recording and bookkeeping require separate software. See Xero vs QuickBooks for International LLC Owners.
• Payment processing — Collecting payments requires a separate processor. See Stripe vs PayPal vs Paddle.
• Structural risk assessment — The registered agent does not evaluate whether the LLC structure itself is appropriate for the founder's situation. For a structural risk mapping across Money, Entity, Tax, and Accountability dimensions, see the free risk screening tool.

Each of these is a separate layer of the operational stack. The registered agent is the entity maintenance layer — it keeps the LLC legally alive. What the LLC does, how it earns money, and how it complies with tax obligations are distinct structural questions.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a registered agent if I formed my LLC through Stripe Atlas or Firstbase?

Yes. Stripe Atlas and Firstbase include a registered agent for year 1 as part of their formation package. After year 1, the registered agent renews at the formation service's rate (around $100-125/yr for Stripe Atlas, included in Firstbase's annual plan). You can switch to a different registered agent at renewal if the pricing or service is more favorable.

Can I use my registered agent's address as my LLC's business address?

The registered agent address appears on state filings as the address for receiving legal documents. Whether it can be used as the LLC's general business address depends on the service and the state. Most registered agent services allow their address to be used for official state filings but discourage or prohibit using it as a general mailing address for business correspondence. For a dedicated business mailing address, a virtual mailbox service is a separate solution.

What happens if I forget to renew my registered agent?

If a registered agent resigns or is not renewed, the state where the LLC is formed will send notices to the last known address. If no new registered agent is designated within the state's grace period (usually 30-60 days), the state may administratively dissolve or revoke the LLC. For a non-resident founder who may not receive physical mail at a US address, this creates a structural vulnerability — the LLC can cease to exist without the founder's knowledge.

Is Northwest Registered Agent worth the higher year-1 price?

Northwest charges $125/yr from year 1 with no price increase at renewal. ZenBusiness charges $99 in year 1 but $199/yr at renewal. Over three years, Northwest costs $375 vs ZenBusiness at $497. The year-1 price difference of $26 reverses into a $122 cumulative savings by year 3. Northwest also includes EIN obtainment in its formation package at no extra charge, while ZenBusiness charges $99 for this service.

Can someone outside the US form an LLC and get a registered agent entirely online?

Yes. All three services — Northwest, ZenBusiness, and Bizee — support fully remote LLC formation and registered agent setup. No physical presence in the United States is required. International credit cards are accepted for payment. The EIN application for foreign-owned LLCs is processed via IRS Form SS-4, which can be filed by fax or mail — the registered agent or formation service can facilitate this process.

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Key Takeaways

• Northwest ($125/yr flat) is the least expensive option over three years ($375) due to consistent renewal pricing. ZenBusiness's $99 year-1 price leads to $497 over three years after the $199/yr renewal.
• Bizee (formerly Incfile) offers the lowest year-1 cost when bundled with LLC formation ($0 + state fee), with a competitive $119/yr renewal.
• ZenBusiness and Bizee are owned by the same parent company but maintain separate pricing and service tiers.
• The registered agent handles state-level compliance only. Federal tax obligations (Form 5472, FBAR) require a separate CPA relationship.
• For non-resident founders, the compliance monitoring function of the registered agent is the early warning system for missed state filings and dissolution risk.

Related Reading

• Stripe Atlas vs Firstbase vs Doola: Pricing Comparison (2026)
• Delaware vs Wyoming LLC: What Non-Residents Need to Know
• How to Form a US LLC as a Non-Resident (2026)
• Do I Need a US LLC? Non-Resident Decision Framework
• Mercury vs Wise vs Relay: Best Banking 2026
• Wise vs Payoneer vs Mercury: Multi-Currency Comparison
• FBAR for Digital Nomads: The $10K Threshold Trap
• Cross-Border Compliance Checklist 2026
• Entity Decision Framework for Cross-Border Founders

References

• Northwest Registered Agent — Registered agent and LLC formation services, pricing (accessed February 2026)
• ZenBusiness — LLC formation, registered agent, and compliance services
• Bizee — Formerly Incfile; LLC formation and registered agent services
• IRS: Form 5472 — Information Return of a 25% Foreign-Owned US Corporation
• IRS: Form 1120 — US Corporation Income Tax Return
• IRS: Form SS-4 — Application for Employer Identification Number
• FinCEN: FBAR Filing — Foreign bank account reporting requirements
• Wyoming Secretary of State — LLC formation fees and annual report requirements
• Delaware Division of Corporations — Franchise tax and annual filing requirements
• Earth Class Mail — Virtual mailbox and mail forwarding service
• Mercury — US business banking platform

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