Doola vs Northwest Registered Agent: Side-by-Side Comparison
Side-by-side comparison across 11 dimensions. Data is approximate and for informational purposes only.
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| Dimension | Doola | Northwest Registered Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Entity Types | LLC, C-Corp | LLC, C-Corp, S-Corp, Nonprofit |
| Setup Fee | $297/yr + state fees (Starter) | $39 + state fees |
| Annual Fee | $297/yr (Starter; same subscription as formation) | $125/yr per state (1–4 states; $100/yr each at 5+); 1st year included with $39 formation |
| Timeline | 1–2 business days | 1–5 business days |
| States Available | All 50 states | All 50 states + DC and Puerto Rico |
| EIN Filing | Included | Add-on ($50 with SSN; $200 without SSN) |
| Registered Agent | Included | 1 year free |
| Banking Integration | Guidance to open a US bank account; Mercury and Relay are Marketplace partners | None (WY DIY guide, Wells Fargo) |
| Compliance Support | Partial (GS assessment) | Partial (GS assessment) |
| Non-Resident Support | Full (GS assessment) | Full (GS assessment) |
| Platform Type | Full-service | Guided DIY |
Key Notes
Doola
Full-service formation for non-US founders, and the clearest published answer in this table on the questions that decide it: no SSN needed, no US address needed, and doola obtains the EIN either way. Registered agent is bundled free with formation. Two things to hold it to, though. doola publishes FOUR mutually inconsistent no-SSN EIN timelines across live pages — 4-6 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 2-4 months, and 2-3 weeks expedited — so no single figure is quotable; on the $297 Starter plan, expect the non-expedited one. And on compliance it reminds reliably but files ambiguously: the "we file your annual report for you" promise is attached to a "Premium Plan" that no longer exists, while the current $2,999 top plan describes the same thing as "reminders and guided help".
Northwest Registered Agent
Best known for registered agent services. Low base price but fewer bundled features. Privacy by default — uses their address on public filings. US-based customer support. One of only four services here that will obtain an EIN for a founder with no SSN, and the only one that names the price: $200, versus $50 with an SSN (the IRS side takes ~120 days rather than 4 — Northwest files in about 2 either way). It also files your annual report for $100 plus state fees, though that is auto-added and auto-charged when you use their registered agent. Two limits worth knowing: the free use of their address covers official state filings and about five pieces of ordinary mail, not a primary mailing address (a usable one is Virtual Office from $29/mo), and Northwest does not help with banking at all — "Can Northwest Open a Bank Account For My U.S. Business? Definitely not."
What Real Users Say
Anonymized and paraphrased observations from founder communities, review platforms, and forums.
Northwest is a registered agent that also does formations. Doola is a formation service that includes a registered agent. The packaging is different even if both "form your LLC."
Source: Reddit r/smallbusinessNorthwest has been around since 1998. Doola launched in 2022. Some founders care about that track record, especially for registered agent reliability.
Source: G2 reviewsFrequently Asked Questions
How We Compared
We collected pricing, included services, non-resident support levels, and formation timelines from each provider's public website. Costs are compared at initial setup and annual renewal rates.
Disclaimer: All data on this page is approximate and for informational purposes only. Pricing, features, and availability change frequently. This is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Verify all figures directly with each provider before making decisions. Data reflects conditions as of early 2026.
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