Northwest Registered Agent vs Bizee : The Complete Comparison
By JoshWP Team | Updated: | ~16 min read | LLC Formation · Registered Agent Services
Quick Answer
Northwest Registered Agent ($39 + state fee) and Bizee ($0 + state fee) are two of the most-recommended LLC formation services, and the honest answer is that the “best” one depends on what you value more. Northwest wins decisively on privacy (they use their own address on your public filings; Bizee doesn’t), data practices (Northwest never sells your data; Bizee shares it with marketing partners), and support quality (dedicated human Corporate Guides vs standard phone/chat support).
Bizee wins on upfront cost ($0 vs $39), tier flexibility (three plans vs one), and filing speed to the state (submitted within 1 business day on every plan). Once you factor in a complete package — Operating Agreement and EIN included — Northwest’s flat $39 is typically cheaper overall than Bizee’s comparable $199 Standard plan.
Choosing an LLC formation service feels like it should be simple, and then you open five review sites and get five different answers about pricing, privacy, and “hidden fees.” Part of the confusion is real: Northwest and Bizee use genuinely different business models. Northwest charges one flat fee and includes almost everything. Bizee advertises $0 and profits from add-ons and tiered plans. Neither approach is a scam — they’re just different philosophies, and which one saves you money depends entirely on what you actually need.
This comparison goes through every angle: company background, exact pricing (including the parts most reviews gloss over), registered agent service quality, privacy and data-selling practices, EIN and Operating Agreement costs, processing speed, customer support, refund policies, and the total cost over 1, 3, and 5 years. By the end, you’ll know exactly which one fits your situation — and why the “cheaper” option isn’t always the same one depending on what you’re forming.
If you want the broader setup checklist before choosing a provider, start with how to form a US LLC as a citizen. Privacy-focused founders should also read how to start an anonymous LLC before choosing a state or registered agent.
Table of Contents
- 1. Quick Comparison Table
- 2. What Is Northwest Registered Agent?
- 3. What Is Bizee?
- 4. Pricing — Full Breakdown
- 5. The Numbers, Charted
- 6. Feature-By-Feature Comparison
- 7. Northwest Signup Walkthrough
- 8. Bizee Signup Walkthrough
- 9. Privacy & Data Practices
- 10. Customer Support Compared
- 11. Real User Feedback
- 12. Who Should Choose Which?
- 13. Pros and Cons — Both Companies
- 14. Final Verdict
- 15. Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Comparison Table
| Category | Northwest | Bizee |
|---|---|---|
| Formation fee | $39 + state fee (flat, one package) | $0 + state fee (Basic tier) |
| Includes Operating Agreement? | Yes, free | No on Basic ($99 add-on); included on Standard ($199) |
| Includes EIN filing? | Add-on, $50 (or free via IRS yourself) | No on Basic ($70 add-on); included on Standard ($199) |
| Free year of registered agent | Yes | Yes |
| Registered agent renewal (year 2+) | $125/year | $149/year |
| Registered agent — in-house or outsourced? | In-house, own offices in all 50 states | Reportedly third-party/outsourced |
| Uses their address on your public filings? | Yes (Privacy by Default) | Not guaranteed — varies by state |
| Sells or shares your data with marketers? | No, by written policy | Yes, with select partners (e.g. banking offers) |
| Number of plan tiers | 1 (everything included) | 3 (Basic, Standard, Premium — more flexibility) |
| Files with the state within | 1–3 business days | 1 business day (all plans) |
| Live chat support | No | Yes |
| Bilingual support (English/Spanish) | No | Yes |
| Upsells during checkout | Minimal to none | Multiple (reported ~10 decision screens) |
| Refund / cancellation window | 90-day satisfaction guarantee | 24-hour cancellation window |
| Trustpilot review volume | ~80–300 reviews (smaller footprint) | 17,000–25,600+ reviews |
| 3-year total cost (complete package: OA + EIN + RA) | ~$289 | ~$437 (Standard tier) |
Northwest What Is Northwest Registered Agent?
Northwest Registered Agent was founded in 1998 in Spokane, Washington, and remains a privately held, family-owned company nearly three decades later — a rarity in an industry increasingly dominated by venture-backed roll-ups. Northwest has grown to serve over 3 million customers and maintains its own physical offices in all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico, which matters more than it sounds: it means Northwest acts as its own registered agent everywhere, rather than outsourcing that function to a third party the way some competitors do.
Northwest’s entire philosophy is built around one idea, summarized in their own tagline: “We’re just not annoying.” There’s a single $39 formation package — no Silver/Gold/Platinum tiers, no checkout upsell maze. That $39 includes the registered agent service (free for the first year), a custom Operating Agreement, mail scanning and forwarding, annual report reminders, and — since a 2026 update — a full “Business Identity” bundle: a business address, a domain name, a website with hosting, a business email address, and a phone service, all included at no extra charge.
The company holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and is widely regarded across independent review sites as the industry standard for privacy protection, since it lists its own address — not yours — on your public state filings whenever legally possible.
Bizee What Is Bizee?
Bizee was founded in 2004 under the name Incfile, and rebranded to Bizee in 2023 — same company, same team, same underlying platform, new name. Over its two-decade history, Bizee has helped form more than 1 million businesses, and it carries one of the largest review footprints in the industry, with over 25,600 Trustpilot reviews — a strong signal of scale, even if individual review quality varies.
Bizee’s core pitch is its $0 Basic formation plan — you pay only your state’s mandatory filing fee, and Bizee’s own service fee is genuinely zero. The trade-off is that the Basic plan is intentionally bare: it covers the Articles of Organization filing and a free first year of registered agent service, but the Operating Agreement and EIN filing are sold separately as add-ons ($99 and $70 respectively at the time of writing) unless you upgrade to the Standard plan ($199), which bundles both in, or the Premium plan ($299), which adds free expedited filing, contract templates, and more.
Bizee’s registered agent service is reported by at least one hands-on reviewer to be operated through a third-party provider rather than in-house, and the company’s checkout flow is more layered than Northwest’s — multiple optional add-on screens (virtual address, EIN, banking partner offers) appear before you reach payment. None of that makes it a bad service — Bizee’s Trustpilot volume and 1M+ track record speak for themselves — but it’s a meaningfully different experience than Northwest’s single flat-fee model.
Pricing — Full Breakdown
Northwest — One Package
$39 + state fee
Everything included, no tiers
- ✓ Articles of Organization filing
- ✓ Free year of registered agent service
- ✓ Custom Operating Agreement, included
- ✓ Business Identity: address, domain, website, email, phone
- ✓ Mail scanning, annual report reminders
- ✓ Lifetime customer support
Bizee — Three Tiers
$0 to $299
Basic / Standard / Premium
- ✓ Basic ($0): filing + free year RA only
- ✓ Standard ($199): adds Operating Agreement, EIN, tax consultation, compliance alerts
- ✓ Premium ($299): adds free expedited filing, contract templates, domain
- ✓ Files with state within 1 business day, all tiers
The Fee Nobody Compares Correctly: Registered Agent Renewal
This is the fee you’ll pay every single year your LLC exists. Bizee is technically $24/year expensive ($149 vs Northwest’s $125) — a real but small gap. Over 10 years, that’s $240 total. It’s worth knowing, but it shouldn’t be the deciding factor on its own.
The Comparison Most Reviews Get Wrong
Comparing Bizee’s $0 Basic plan directly against Northwest’s $39 isn’t a fair apples-to-apples comparison, because Basic doesn’t include an Operating Agreement or EIN — both of which Northwest includes for free. Add those to Bizee via the $199 Standard plan (the genuinely comparable package), and Northwest becomes the cheaper option by roughly $160 upfront, and roughly $148 cheaper over 3 years once registered agent renewals are included.
The Numbers, Charted
All figures below are drawn from each company’s published pricing and multiple independent 2026 review comparisons, cross-checked for consistency.
3-Year Total Cost (Complete Package: Filing + OA + EIN + RA)
Northwest: $39 formation + $125 × 2 years RA renewal. Bizee Standard: $199 formation + $149 × 2 years RA renewal.
Registered Agent Annual Renewal (Year 2+)
Bizee is $24/year more expensive on this specific line item.
Bizee’s Three Tiers vs Northwest’s Flat Fee
Northwest’s single $39 package is shown for reference against Bizee’s three tiers.
Trustpilot Review Volume (Log Scale)
Bizee has a dramatically larger review footprint; Northwest’s is smaller but skews positive.
Feature Comparison: Northwest vs Bizee
Editorial scoring (0–10) based on researched features, not an official benchmark from either company.
Cost to Add Operating Agreement + EIN (If Not Included Free)
Northwest includes the Operating Agreement free; EIN is a $50 add-on (or free direct via the IRS). Bizee’s Basic plan charges for both separately.
Feature-By-Feature Comparison
📄 Operating Agreement
Northwest includes a custom Operating Agreement free with every formation. Bizee charges $99 for one on the Basic plan, or includes it on the $199 Standard plan and above.
🆔 EIN (Tax ID) Filing
Northwest charges $50 to get your EIN (or $200 for non-US residents without an SSN/ITIN) — though you can get one free directly from the IRS in about 10 minutes. Bizee charges $70 on Basic, or includes it on Standard and above.
📬 Registered Agent Service
Northwest operates its own registered agent offices in all 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico — an in-house service. Bizee‘s registered agent function is reported by at least one hands-on review to run through a third-party provider rather than Bizee’s own offices.
🌎 Multi-State / Foreign Qualification
Northwest charges $125/year per additional state, with a discounted $100/year rate for businesses registered in 5+ states — a structured volume discount most competitors don’t offer. Bizee does not appear to offer an equivalent structured multi-state discount.
⚡ Processing & Filing Speed
Bizee submits your filing to the state within 1 business day on every plan, one of the fastest submission times in the industry. Northwest typically files within 1–3 business days. In both cases, actual state approval time (1–2 weeks up to several weeks) depends entirely on the state, not the provider.
🧩 Entity Types & Ancillary Services
Bizee markets a broader ancillary menu — DBA registration, trademark applications, and multiple entity types (LLC, S-corp, C-corp, nonprofit) with dedicated guidance for each. Northwest also supports multiple entity types but focuses its marketing primarily on LLC formation and registered agent service.
🔁 Cancellation & Refund Policy
Northwest offers a 90-day satisfaction guarantee, and registered agent cancellation requires 60 days’ advance notice. Bizee‘s cancellation window is reported as considerably tighter — around 24 hours after ordering — so review the terms carefully before you commit.
🖥️ Dashboard & User Experience
Bizee‘s dashboard is generally described as modern and polished. Northwest‘s dashboard is more utilitarian and dated-looking, though functionally complete — a real, if minor, trade-off for the pricing and privacy advantages.
Northwest Signup Walkthrough: What the 7-Step Flow Looks Like
Northwest’s order flow is shorter and quieter than Bizee’s. It focuses on formation state, company name, business details, account setup, management details, optional services, and payment. The main decisions to slow down for are entity type, state, EIN service, management structure, and whether any optional service is genuinely needed.
Northwest setup rule of thumb
Choose the state where you actually operate unless you have a clear reason to form elsewhere. If you form in Wyoming, Delaware, Nevada, or New Mexico while operating in another state, you may still need foreign qualification and local tax filings where the business is actually active.
Bizee Signup Walkthrough: What the 14-Step Flow Looks Like
Bizee’s flow is more detailed because it presents more package tiers, add-ons, and partner offers. That flexibility is useful, but it also means readers should move carefully through the screens instead of clicking through every recommendation. The images below show where the major choices appear.
Bizee setup rule of thumb
The $0 plan can be a good fit if you only need formation filing and can handle the Operating Agreement, EIN, banking, and compliance yourself. If you need those included, compare Bizee’s Standard/Premium tiers against Northwest’s all-in package before deciding.
After either provider forms your LLC
Download formation documents, save registered agent details, create a compliance calendar, apply for EIN if not already handled, open business banking, and keep information consistent across payment platforms. Related next steps: US PayPal for non-US residents and LLC setup for YouTube and Google AdSense.
Privacy & Data Practices
This is where the two companies diverge most sharply, and it’s worth its own section because it’s the single most-asked question in comparison searches: “which one keeps my personal information private?”
Northwest
Northwest’s core differentiator is “Privacy by Default” — they list their own business address, not yours, on your public state filings wherever legally permitted, which keeps your home address out of freely searchable state databases. Northwest also states in writing that it does not sell customer data to third-party marketers, which independent reviewers consistently point to as a reason for the near-total absence of spam calls and emails after signing up.
Bizee
Bizee’s registered agent office does receive mail on your behalf, but your personal or business address may still appear on other public-facing formation documents depending on your state’s specific requirements — Bizee doesn’t offer the same blanket address-substitution guarantee. Multiple reviews also note that selecting certain optional offers during checkout (such as business banking promotions) means sharing your information with that third-party partner, and expect follow-up marketing emails after you sign up.
If keeping your home address off public business registries is a priority — a common concern for home-based businesses — this is likely the single most important factor in your decision, more than the dollar difference in either direction.
Customer Support Compared
Northwest
Support via phone and email only — no live chat. What Northwest lacks in channels, it makes up for in depth: every customer is assigned a dedicated “Corporate Guide,” a real in-house specialist who can answer detailed questions on compliance, foreign qualification, and even tax elections like S-corp status, not just basic order-status questions.
Bizee
Support via phone, email, and live chat, Monday–Friday 9am–6pm Central, with genuine bilingual (English/Spanish) coverage — a real differentiator no major competitor matches. Response quality is generally solid for routine filing questions, though several reviews note answers can be less in-depth on complex legal or tax-strategy questions compared to Northwest’s Corporate Guides.
In short: Bizee gives you more ways to reach support faster and in more languages; Northwest gives you fewer channels but more expertise once you’re talking to someone.
Real User Feedback
Northwest users consistently highlight the privacy protection and the quality of one-on-one support from Corporate Guides as the reasons they’d choose it again, even at a higher price point than free competitors.
Bizee users most often cite the genuinely free formation and fast filing submission as the deciding factor, though a recurring complaint across review sites is that the checkout process feels longer than expected, with more optional screens than competitors.
A pattern worth noting on Northwest: one Reddit community discussion flagged that the advertised “free year of registered agent service” applies per LLC — customers forming multiple LLCs in one order found the free-year offer didn’t automatically extend to every entity, leading to unexpected upfront costs. Confirm this detail directly with Northwest if you’re forming more than one entity at once.
A pattern worth noting on Bizee: a hands-on 2026 test recorded ten separate decision screens before reaching payment, including offers that required manual activation after checkout (like a “free” website builder or domain that don’t turn on by themselves) — worth budgeting extra time for the signup flow.
Who Should Choose Which?
Choose Northwest If You…
- ✓ Want your home address kept off public state filings
- ✓ Don’t want your data shared with marketing partners
- ✓ Want an Operating Agreement included at no extra cost
- ✓ Are forming an LLC in multiple states
- ✓ Prefer one all-inclusive price over comparing tiers
- ✓ Value deep, expert support over live chat convenience
Choose Bizee If You…
- ✓ Want the absolute lowest possible upfront cost
- ✓ Only need the basic filing, with no OA or EIN help
- ✓ Want live chat and bilingual support options
- ✓ Want the flexibility to pick from three plan tiers
- ✓ Are comfortable navigating a longer checkout flow
- ✓ Plan to form other entity types (nonprofit, trademark, DBA) down the line
Pros and Cons — Both Companies
Northwest Pros
- ✓ Real address privacy on public filings
- ✓ Never sells customer data
- ✓ Free Operating Agreement, no add-on needed
- ✓ In-house registered agent in all 50 states
- ✓ Volume discount for multi-state filers
- ✓ 90-day satisfaction guarantee
- ✓ Minimal checkout upsells
Northwest Cons
- ✗ $39 upfront vs Bizee’s $0
- ✗ No live chat support
- ✗ Dashboard feels dated
- ✗ Smaller Trustpilot review footprint
- ✗ 60-day notice required to cancel registered agent
Bizee Pros
- ✓ Genuinely $0 base formation fee
- ✓ Live chat + bilingual support
- ✓ Files with the state within 1 business day
- ✓ Massive Trustpilot review volume
- ✓ Broader ancillary services (DBA, trademark)
Bizee Cons
- ✗ Operating Agreement and EIN cost extra on Basic
- ✗ Reportedly outsourced registered agent function
- ✗ No blanket address-privacy guarantee
- ✓ Registered agent renewal $24/year expensive
- ✗ Shares data with select marketing partners
- ✗ Longer, more upsell-heavy checkout
- ✗ Tight 24-hour cancellation window
Final Verdict
Neither company is a bad choice — that’s genuinely rare in this industry, and both belong on any shortlist of the best LLC formation services. Northwest Registered Agent is the stronger overall pick for anyone who values privacy, doesn’t want their data shared with marketers, and would rather pay a small flat fee upfront than assemble a complete package from add-ons later — the math consistently favors Northwest once you account for a genuinely comparable feature set. Bizee is the stronger pick if your absolute priority is the lowest possible upfront cost, you’re comfortable handling the Operating Agreement and EIN yourself (or paying a la carte), and you want live chat and bilingual support in the mix.
Northwest Scorecard
9.4
Privacy
9.0
Value (complete pkg)
9.2
Support Quality
7.0
Dashboard/UX
Bizee Scorecard
6.0
Privacy
8.0
Value (Basic only)
7.8
Support Quality
8.6
Dashboard/UX
Related Reads
If you’re comparing setup services, these articles help round out the decision:
- Northwest Registered Agent Review — a more detailed look at Northwest’s registered agent service and privacy model.
- Payoneer Review — useful if you’re also evaluating international payment tools for a growing business.
- Bizee Review — the full breakdown of Bizee’s fees, add-ons, and renewal model.
- Wise Review — useful if you’re also evaluating fintech tools for international payments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Northwest Registered Agent or Bizee cheaper?
It depends on what you need. Bizee’s $0 Basic plan is cheaper upfront if you only need the bare filing. But if you need an Operating Agreement and EIN — which most new LLCs do — Northwest’s $39 flat fee (both included) typically ends up cheaper than Bizee’s comparable $199 Standard plan, both upfront and over a 3-year period.
Which one is better for privacy?
Northwest, decisively. It lists its own address on your public filings whenever legally possible and has a written policy against selling customer data. Bizee doesn’t offer the same blanket address-substitution guarantee and shares data with select marketing partners depending on which offers you opt into at checkout.
Do both include a free year of registered agent service?
Yes, both include one free year with formation. After that, Northwest renews at $125/year and Bizee at $149/year. Note that Northwest’s free-year offer applies per LLC — if you’re forming multiple entities in one order, confirm directly with Northwest whether the free year applies to each one.
Does either service include an EIN and Operating Agreement?
Northwest includes a custom Operating Agreement free with its $39 package; EIN filing is a $50 add-on (or free if you apply directly through the IRS yourself). Bizee’s $0 Basic plan includes neither — Operating Agreement is a $99 add-on and EIN is $70 — unless you upgrade to the $199 Standard plan, which includes both.
Which one processes my LLC faster?
Bizee submits your filing to the state within 1 business day on every plan, slightly faster than Northwest’s typical 1–3 business days. That said, the actual state approval time — which can range from a couple of days to several weeks — depends entirely on your state, not on which provider you use.
Can I switch from Bizee to Northwest (or vice versa) later?
Yes. You can change your registered agent at any time by filing a change-of-agent form with your state (both companies can walk you through this). Just check your current provider’s cancellation notice requirement first — Northwest requires 60 days’ notice, while Bizee’s stated cancellation window is much shorter.
Is Bizee the same company as Incfile?
Yes. Incfile rebranded to Bizee in 2023. The company, team, and underlying platform are the same — existing Incfile accounts and most Trustpilot review history carried over automatically to the new name.
Which is better for forming an LLC in multiple states?
Northwest has an edge here — it operates its own physical offices in all 50 states and offers a discounted $100/year rate per additional state for businesses registered in five or more states, a structured volume discount Bizee doesn’t clearly match.
Does either company sell my personal information?
Northwest has a written policy against selling customer data to third parties. Bizee doesn’t sell data outright, but selecting certain optional offers during checkout (like a business banking promotion) does mean sharing your information with that specific partner — worth reading each offer carefully before opting in.
Which has better customer reviews?
Bizee has a much larger Trustpilot review volume (17,000–25,600+) compared to Northwest’s much smaller footprint (roughly 80–300 reviews across different tracking sites), simply reflecting Bizee’s larger customer base and longer marketing push for reviews. Northwest’s satisfaction rate among those who do review it tends to run very high, but the smaller sample size means less statistical certainty than Bizee’s volume provides.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to both Northwest Registered Agent and Bizee. If you sign up through either link we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you — this does not influence the comparisons above, and both companies’ strengths and weaknesses are presented as researched. Figures on pricing, fees, and features reflect publicly available information at the time of writing and may change — always confirm current details directly on each provider’s site before purchasing. This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal or tax advice.
