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Northwest vs Legal Zoom: Which One Is A Waste Of Money?


Disclosure: We may earn commissions if you shop through the links below.

Last Updated: April 25, 2025

Both Northwest and Legal Zoom are among the most popular services to form an LLC and use as a registered agent. But which one is better and which one is a waste of your money?

We’ll look at both in-depth below so you make the right choice for your business.

Northwest
Legal Zoom
Northwest homepageLegal Zoom homepage
Free!

Bizee (Formerly Incfile)

Bizee (Formerly Incfile)
  • Free For The First Year
  • $119 / Annually After That
  • Never Any Hidden Fees or Contracts
  • Loved by 800,000+ Entrepreneurs
  • Available in All 50 States
Get Started
Most Popular

Zen Business

Zen Business
  • Rated 4.7 out of 5 On Trustpilot
  • $199 / Year
  • Only Takes 5 to 10 Minutes To Set-up
  • 100% Accuracy Guarantee
  • Expert Customer Support
Get Started
Instant Service

Northwest

Northwest
  • Free First Year If You Use Their $39 formation package
  • $125 Per Year After
  • Available in all 50 states
  • Free mail forwarding
  • Locally-Scanned Documents
Get Started

Northwest vs Legal Zoom Reviews

Below we look at reviews from both Legal Zoom and Northwest to see which one customers really prefer.

NorthwestLegal Zoom
Trustpilot Review Score3.64.5
Number of Trustpilot Reviews 673,175
iPhone App Review ScoreNo RatingNo Rating
Number of iPhone App ReviewsNo ReviewsNo Reviews
Android App Review ScoreNo RatingNo Rating
Android App Number of ReviewsNo ReviewsNo Reviews
Company WebsiteClick here to visit NorthwestClick here to visit Legal Zoom

Northwest vs Legal Zoom Price Comparison

Is Legal Zoom or Northwest more expensive? Below we compare prices for both services.

Northwest Prices
Legal Zoom Prices
Northwest pricesLegal Zoom prices
NorthwestLegal Zoom
Registered Agent Service Fee Per Year$125$249
Cheapest Paid Plan Initial Cost$225$0
Cheapest Paid Plan Renewal Cost Per Year$225No
Middle Plan Initial CostNo$249
Middle Paid Plan Renewal Cost Per YearNo$249
Top Plan Initial CostNo$299
Top Paid Plan Renewal Cost Per YearNo$299
WebsiteClick here to visit NorthwestClick here to visit Legal Zoom

Northwest vs Legal Zoom Plan Comparisons

Wondering what you get for your money? Below we look at the main plans for both Legal Zoom and Northwest.

Northwest Plans
Legal Zoom Plans
Northwest featuresLegal Zoom features

Northwest Plans

Standard

No

No

No

No

No

Legal Zoom Plans

Basic

  • Articles of organization
  • Name check service
  • Business filing service
  • Digital welcome packet
  • Operating agreement
  • Federal Tax ID Number (EIN)
  • Financial account authorization letter
  • Personalized consultation with a licensed NEXT insurance agent
  • Consultation with a small business specialist
  • Customizable website powered by Wix
  • Library of 150+ downloadable legal forms
  • One year editor access to customize any of our legal forms
  • One year of access to eSignature
  • Email, chat & phone Support

Pro

  • Articles of organization
  • Name check service
  • Business filing service
  • Digital welcome packet
  • Operating agreement
  • Federal Tax ID Number (EIN)
  • Financial account authorization letter
  • Personalized consultation with a licensed NEXT insurance agent
  • Consultation with a small business specialist
  • Customizable website powered by Wix
  • Library of 150+ downloadable legal forms
  • One year editor access to customize any of our legal forms
  • One year of access to eSignature
  • Email, chat & phone Support

Premium

  • Articles of organization
  • Name check service
  • Business filing service
  • Digital welcome packet
  • Operating agreement
  • Federal Tax ID Number (EIN)
  • Financial account authorization letter
  • Personalized consultation with a licensed NEXT insurance agent
  • Consultation with a small business specialist
  • Unlimited 30-minute attorney consultations about new and unique legal topics or issues
  • Attorney review of your legal contracts & documents
  • Customizable website powered by Wix
  • Library of 150+ downloadable legal forms
  • One year editor access to customize any of our legal forms
  • One year of access to eSignature
  • One entity amendment with rush service included for 30 days
  • One copyright registration per month
  • Email, chat & phone Support

Plan FAQs

How long does it take to get started with Northwest?

According to the Northwest website it takes around 3-5 days to get everything set-up for new customers.

How long does it take to get started with Legal Zoom?

According to the Legal Zoom website it takes around 7-10 days to get everything set-up for new customers.

How can I cancel my Northwest plan?

You can cancel your Northwest plan by 1. Sign in https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/login 2. Click on the “cancel service” tab in the menu

How can I cancel my Legal Zoom plan?

You can cancel your Legal Zoom plan by Call Customer Care Center at (800) 773-0888 or by cancelling online through the “My Account” portal.

Northwest vs Legal Zoom Service Comparison

Wondering if Legal Zoom or Northwest offers the specific service you need?

Below we compare them across nearly 50 different services:

NorthwestLegal Zoom
Form an LLCYesYes
Form a C-CorpYesYes
Form an S-CorpYesYes
Form a Non-ProfitYesYes
Form An LPYesYes
Form an LLPYesYes
Form a Sole ProprietorshipNoYes
Services in How Many States5050
Business Plan HelpYesNo
Business WebsiteYesNo
Business LogoYesNo
Business Domain NameYesNo
Business Email AddressYesNo
Business Phone ServiceYesNo
EIN ServiceYesYes
State Tax IDNoYes
Mail FowardingYesYes
Trademark ServicesYesYes
Copyright ServicesYesYes
Patent ServicesYesYes
Virtual AddressYesYes
Company Name ChangeYesYes
Doing Business As (DBA)YesYes
File Articles of AmendmentYesYes
Certificate of Good StandingYesYes
Filing a Foreign QualificationYesYes
Help With Business LicenseYesYes
File an Annual ReportYesYes
Filing Articles of DissolutionYesYes
Reinstatement OrderYesYes
BOC-3 Process Agent ServiceYesYes
National Registered Agent ServiceYesYes
Create an operating agreementYesYes
Accounting Software HelpNoNo
Bookkeping HelpNoNo
Tax HelpNoYes
Payroll Tax RegistrationNoNo
Corporate BylawsYesYes
Help With Business ContractsNoYes
Partnerhsip AgreementsYesYes
Apostille ServiceYesYes
UCC Search and FilingYesYes
Corporate Record KitsYesYes
Business Name CheckYesYes
Business Entity ConversionYesYes
NDA (nondisclosure agreement)YesYes
Independent contractor agreementYesYes
Employment agreementYesYes
Certified CopiesYesYes

Northwest vs Legal Zoom Pros

Northwest Pros
Legal Zoom Pros
  • Reasonable pricing
  • Great customer service
  • Data Privacy
  • Variety of legal services
  • Easy process
  • Top-rated customer support
  • Refund within 60 days of purchase

Northwest vs Legal Zoom Cons

Northwest Cons
Legal Zoom Cons
  • No free plan
  • Poorly designed website
  • Not BBB accredited
  • High Registered Agent Service Fee
  • Turnaround time
  • Costly Add-ons
Free!

Bizee (Formerly Incfile)

Bizee (Formerly Incfile)
  • Free For The First Year
  • $119 / Annually After That
  • Never Any Hidden Fees or Contracts
  • Loved by 800,000+ Entrepreneurs
  • Available in All 50 States
Get Started
Most Popular

Zen Business

Zen Business
  • Rated 4.7 out of 5 On Trustpilot
  • $199 / Year
  • Only Takes 5 to 10 Minutes To Set-up
  • 100% Accuracy Guarantee
  • Expert Customer Support
Get Started
Instant Service

Northwest

Northwest
  • Free First Year If You Use Their $39 formation package
  • $125 Per Year After
  • Available in all 50 states
  • Free mail forwarding
  • Locally-Scanned Documents
Get Started

More Comparisons

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