Head-to-Head

Northwest Registered Agent

Privacy. Service. Value.

VS

BetterLegal

Fastest Business Formation in 2 Days

Side-by-side comparison. Data as of 2026-02-16.

Founded
Northwest Registered Agent: 1998
BetterLegal: 2017
Rating
9.1/10
8.0/10
First Year Cost
~$39 + state fees (RA included)
~$419+ (formation + RA)
Formation Speed
1-3 business days (10-min setup)
2 business days standard
RA Annual
Free Year 1; $125/year renewal (flat, no multi-year traps)
$120/year ($10/month); add-on only

Company Background

Northwest Registered Agent

HQ: Spokane, Washington (522 W Riverside Ave Suite N)

Ownership: Private (family-owned)

Employees: 51-200

Formations: 3,000,000+ businesses maintained

Key Milestones

  • Founded 1998 in Spokane, WA
  • Expanded to offices in all 50 states
  • Pioneered Privacy By Default®
  • Launched Business Identity Package (address, mail, email, domain)
  • Hit 3M+ businesses maintained

BetterLegal

HQ: Austin, Texas (1003 Rio Grande St)

Ownership: Private (founder-owned; Chad Sakonchick)

Employees: 7

Formations: 20,000+ businesses formed

Key Milestones

  • Founded 2017 in Austin, TX
  • Grew to $4.1M revenue with 7-person team
  • Pivoted to no-code (Bubble) in 2022 for rapid features
  • Expanded to full one-stop shop (formation + partners)
  • Hit 20k+ formations; AI tools launched

Core Services

Northwest Registered Agent Services

Formation types:

  • LLC
  • Corporation (C-Corp, S-Corp)
  • Nonprofit
  • Registered Partnerships
  • Foreign Qualification (all states)
  • Change of Registered Agent

Differentiators:

  • Privacy By Default® (uses their address, no data selling)
  • Business Identity Package (address, mail, email, domain, hosting)
  • In-house experts & custom software
  • No upsells or aggressive marketing
  • Family-owned with dedicated Corporate Guides

BetterLegal Services

Formation types:

  • LLC
  • Corporation (C-Corp, S-Corp)
  • Foreign Qualification (all states)
  • Change of Registered Agent

Differentiators:

  • 2-business-day formation (fastest standard)
  • No upsells; one simple package
  • AI-powered legal translator (Chrome extension)
  • Freebies: website, tax analysis, insurance eval
  • All essentials included (EIN, docs, resolutions)

Both offer nationwide RA coverage. Compare differentiators above to see where each shines.

Pricing & Value

Category Northwest Registered Agent BetterLegal Winner
First Year Total ~$39 + state fees (RA included) ~$419+ (formation + RA) Northwest Registered Agent
RA Annual Fee Free Year 1; $125/year renewal (flat, no multi-year traps) $120/year ($10/month); add-on only
Value Score 9.2/10 8.2/10 Northwest Registered Agent

Speed & Performance

Northwest Registered Agent

Avg formation: 1-3 business days (10-min setup)

Expedited: Same-day possible (included)

BetterLegal

Avg formation: 2 business days standard

Expedited: Included (2 days); same-day in select cases

Pros & Cons

Northwest Registered Agent — Pros

  • Privacy By Default®
  • Free RA Year 1 ($125 after)
  • Business Identity Package
  • In-house experts
  • No annoying marketing

Northwest Registered Agent — Cons

  • ✗ RA renewal required
  • ✗ Basic formation vs. bundles
  • ✗ Limited reviews depth
  • ✗ No 24/7 chat
  • ✗ Expedited varies

BetterLegal — Pros

  • 2-day formation (fastest)
  • Simple $299 package
  • AI translator & freebies
  • All docs/EIN included
  • No-hassle onboarding

BetterLegal — Cons

  • ✗ RA $120/year extra
  • ✗ Support issues on RA
  • ✗ Billing complaints
  • ✗ Basic vs. full suites
  • ✗ Small team scale

The Verdict

Choose Northwest Registered Agent if: The gold standard for privacy-focused RA—perfect for founders who want real protection, expert help, and a fair price without the sales pressure. Top pick for most.


Choose BetterLegal if: Ideal for founders who prioritize speed over hand-holding—form fast, then layer RA. Watch reviews on ongoing service.

Higher rating: Northwest Registered Agent (9.1/10)