Northwest Registered Agent (NWRA) vs Inc Authority: Complete LLC Formation Comparison (2026)

Forming an LLC is not just about the lowest upfront price. The real cost is what renews over time, especially the registered agent service and any add-ons. Both Inc Authority and Northwest include 1 free year of registered agent service with formation. The difference is how predictable things look after Year 1: Northwest keeps registered agent pricing at $125 per year and, as of January 15, 2026, bundles Business Identity tools by default.

The table below gives a quick side-by-side snapshot of how Northwest and Inc Authority compare, including what’s included and where costs can change based on your choices.

Overview: Inc Authority vs Northwest Registered Agent

Inc Authority and Northwest both help you start an LLC by handling the state filing and setting up a registered agent. The main difference is how each offer is priced over time, especially after the first year.

What Inc Authority and Northwest Registered Agent do

At a high level, both sell business formation services that simplify the formation process for a new business entity:

• Prepare and file your articles of organization so your limited liability company can be created.
• Provide registered agent services to receive legal notices and service of process for your business.
• Help with setup items like an operating agreement and other basic documents (exact inclusions vary by plan and promo).

Practical cost takeaway: the state filing is only one part. The ongoing registered agent subscription and any extras you keep are where most total spend differences show up.

Key Differences at a Glance

These are the cost drivers that separate Inc Authority and northwest when you compare the same goal, which is to start an LLC without overpaying later:

• Pricing structure: Inc Authority markets a $0 formation service fee plus state fees, while Northwest markets $39 + state fees.
• What’s included by default: Northwest’s $39 offer includes a business address, free mail forwarding, plus domain, website, email, and phone number tools. Inc Authority’s free offer commonly includes 1 year of registered agent service plus EIN assistance and a website, but the exact “free” items can depend on the promo flow.
• Registered agent renewals: Northwest publishes $125 per year for standalone registered agent service (and renewals after the free first year). Inc Authority’s terms confirm auto-renewal, while third-party breakdowns commonly cite renewal pricing in the $179 to $199 range.
• Upsell risk vs simplicity: Northwest leans toward one main package. Inc Authority is more likely to present optional add-ons or “either-or” promos (for example, choosing between 24-hour processing or EIN assistance in some reviews).
• Privacy positioning: Northwest emphasizes privacy-by-default and using its address where allowed, which reduces how often you need paid privacy extras.

Northwest Registered Agent LLC Service: Pricing, Features, Pros & Cons

Northwest is a better fit if you want predictable pricing, not just the lowest upfront number. The headline is straightforward: $39 + state filing fees to form your LLC, 1 free year of registered agent service, then a clearly priced renewal at $125 per year.

What You Get With Northwest Registered Agent

Beginning January 15, 2026, Northwest kept the same pricing but expanded what’s included with both formation and registered agent service.

What clients now get automatically:

• 1 free year of registered agent service with the $39 formation package, then $125/year.
• Free business address for public filings where allowed, plus mail scanning.
• Free regular mail scanning and handling limits: Northwest’s business address page explains the free limited service includes 5 pieces of non-state mail free, then additional mail forwarding can be requested for $15 per item.
• Free renewal reminders (compliance reminders).
• Free phone service, plus a free domain, website/hosting, and email as part of the “Business Identity” tools they already advertise alongside formation and registered agent service.

Fees, Renewals, and Transparency

Northwest is straightforward on the two costs that matter most: what you pay to start, and what your registered agent costs after the first year.

Here is the cost layout in a simple table so you can budget quickly.

If you only need a registered agent (no formation), Northwest’s standalone registered agent service is $125 per year. Hiring Northwest as your registered agent includes the Business Identity basics: a business address, regular mail scanning (up to 5 documents), renewal reminders, plus the included domain, website/hosting, email, and phone tools. The domain, website/hosting, and email renewals are covered as long as you keep the registered agent service.

Pros and Cons of Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest has a strong value proposition if you care about predictable pricing and privacy features that are included by default. Here are the main pros and cons, focusing on what impacts your total cost and day-to-day experience.

Pros:

• Clear pricing: $39 + state fees, with no markup on state fees.
• Predictable renewal: registered agent renews at $125 per year, which supports long-term budget planning.
• Strong privacy for business owners: use a business address on filings where allowed, plus built-in mail handling.
• Business Identity tools included by default with formation and registered agent service: domain, website/hosting, email, and phone service. Domain, website/hosting, and email renewals stay covered as long as you keep the registered agent service.
• Bundled basics reduce the need to pay separately for common add-ons during the first year.

Cons:

• Not a $0 formation offer, so it can cost more upfront than Inc Authority if you only compare the first checkout screen.
• Mail handling has limits: regular mail scanning includes up to 5 documents, then per-item charges can apply, plus shipping/handling for forwarding.
• $125 per year is per state for registered agent coverage, so multi-state businesses should factor that into total cost.
• If you outgrow the included Business Identity tools, upgrades to more robust tiers can add ongoing costs.

Inc Authority LLC Service: Pricing, Features, Pros & Cons

Inc Authority is built around a “free” LLC formation offer where you mainly pay your state filing fees. The real cost question shows up over time, especially with the registered agent service renewal and any add-ons you accept during signup.

What You Get With Inc Authority

Inc Authority markets its LLC service as a low-cost way to form your LLC, where the service fee is free and you only pay the required state fees.

On its “Get Your FREE LLC and EIN” offer page, these items are presented as included:

• FREE LLC Registration (you still pay the state filing fee)
• FREE EIN (Tax ID Number)
• FREE 24-Hour Processing (processing on their side, not state approval time)
• FREE Custom Built Website
• FREE Registered Agent – 1 Year (1 year of registered agent service)
• BONUS Visa Business Credit Card offer

Fees, Renewals, and Upsells

Inc Authority’s biggest pricing “gotcha” is not the Year 1 headline. It is what renews, what is non-refundable, and what gets added.

Below is a cost-first breakdown you can use to estimate spend:

Two details that protect you from hidden fees:

1. Inc Authority’s terms say you must replace them as your registered agent (or dissolve the entity) before canceling the registered agent subscription, and you may need to provide proof.
2. If you add subscriptions, they can align billing dates and charge prorated amounts with notice.

Pros and Cons of Inc Authority

Inc Authority can be a strong fit if you want the lowest upfront price and like the “free” bundled perks. The tradeoff is that your long-term cost depends more on renewal pricing, auto-renew settings, and how carefully you manage add-ons.

Pros:

• Very low upfront pricing for company formation since the setup service fee is marketed as $0 plus state fees.
• Includes a 1-year registered agent service offer, which helps new business owners avoid listing a home address for public records in many states.
• Lots of optional add-ons if you want a one-stop shop for extras (EIN help, compliance tools, and other products).

Cons:

• Renewal pricing for the registered agent is not clearly stated in the terms, and third-party reporting varies, often landing in the $179 to $199 per year range. That uncertainty makes long-term budgeting harder.
• Auto-renew plus strict cancellation mechanics (you must assign new registered agents or show dissolution, and cancellations are not retroactive) increases the risk of paying longer than intended.
• Upsells and “either-or” promo structure can raise total cost if you click through quickly, especially around formation documents and expedited or compliance add-ons.

Pricing Comparison: Inc Authority vs Northwest Registered Agent

On day one, both can look close because state filing fees apply either way and both include 1 free year of registered agent service with formation. The real difference is how much is bundled upfront versus added later, and how predictable renewals feel over time.

LLC Formation Costs

The state charges the filing fee no matter which service you pick. Your provider cost is the part you can control.

Cost takeaway: Inc Authority usually wins the “lowest checkout headline” for LLC setup, while Northwest is a paid offer that bundles more by default, which can reduce add-on dependency.

Registered Agent Renewal Costs

This is where long-term pricing diverges. Both companies commonly include the first year of registered agent service with formation, then renew annually.

If you pick Inc Authority, treat Year 2 as a budget checkpoint: confirm the renewal price before the renewal date and decide whether to keep or switch registered agent services.

Total Cost Over The First 3–5 Years

To keep this accurate across all states, the totals below show provider fees only and exclude state LLC filing costs. Totals also exclude optional upgrades and mail beyond free limits.

What this means in plain English:

• If you keep the business active beyond Year 1, the registered agent renewal is usually the biggest cost driver.
• Northwest is easier to forecast because the $125 rate is clearly published.
• Inc Authority can still be a good budget choice if you actively manage renewals and avoid paid add-ons you do not need.

Service Quality, Privacy & User Experience

Both providers can get your LLC formation done, but the day-to-day experience differs. The biggest UX differences are upsells, how transparent renewal management feels, and how well privacy is handled by default.

Ease of Use and Upsell Experience

Inc Authority is known for presenting many add-ons instead of a single simple tier, which can increase final cost if you click through fast. Forbes and BizFilings both describe the approach as add-on heavy and geared toward upgrades.

Northwest’s positioning is the opposite: one main formation option, fewer “pushy” upsells, and privacy features built in. Their “Privacy by Default” page explicitly says you do not have to opt in or pay extra to reduce exposure of personal data.

Customer Support and Reliability

For many customers, customer support matters most when something goes wrong: rejected filings, state letters, or service of process delivery.

• Northwest highlights “Corporate Guides” and ties support to ongoing business maintenance help inside the account.
• Inc Authority promotes “INC CARE Support” and offers phone and email help, with published support hours on its contact page (7:30am to 5:30pm Pacific).

Reliability warning for cost: Inc Authority’s registered agent subscription rules require you to switch agents (and provide written proof) before cancellation, which can be a friction point if you decide to cut costs later.

Privacy, Data Use, and Compliance Support

Privacy and compliance both affect cost. Privacy reduces junk mail and unwanted solicitation, while compliance reminders reduce late fees and reinstatement headaches.

Privacy:

• Northwest’s privacy policy states it does not sell or share your information to third parties, and it markets privacy as a default setting.
• Inc Authority’s privacy policy says it does not sell or trade personally identifiable information, but it may share information with “trusted third parties” that help operate the business or service customers.

Compliance support:

• Northwest states your account includes filing tips and annual report reminders, plus it sells an annual report filing service for $100 plus state fees.
• Inc Authority provides general compliance education (like reminders to file initial and annual reports), but the cost and structure of any done-for-you compliance filing depends on what you add.

Customer Reviews & Satisfaction Ratings

Reviews matter most when they point to real cost risks: surprise renewals, billing disputes, and how fast customer support fixes problems. Below is a quick snapshot from Trustpilot and BBB.

Trustpilot Snapshot (Score + Review Volume)

Here is the cleanest way to read Trustpilot for an authority and northwest comparison: compare score and volume together.

Based on Trustpilot observations, Inc Authority generally responds within 24 hours, while Northwest’s response activity appears slower.

BBB Snapshot (Rating vs Customer Review Score)

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is useful for spotting recurring complaint patterns that can cost you money over time, like renewals, cancellations, and billing communication. Keep in mind BBB shows two different signals: the BBB letter grade (profile rating) and the customer review average.

BBB is most helpful when you click into each profile and scan the recent reviews and complaint themes, especially anything tied to renewals, cancellation steps, and billing communication. To verify the latest numbers and read the details, check the BBB profiles directly for Inc Authority and Northwest Registered Agent.

How to Interpret These Ratings

Ratings are only useful when you read them as signals, not as a final verdict. Use them to spot scale (how many people reviewed) and the most common cost-related issues that keep showing up.

• Review volume matters: 45,025 Trustpilot reviews for Inc Authority is a massive sample size, while 182 for Northwest is small, so one bad billing wave can swing the score.
• Watch billing and renewal complaints: BBB reviews for Inc Authority frequently mention renewals and “delinquent” warnings tied to registered agent renewal behavior.
• Support responsiveness affects cost: slower replies usually mean longer time-to-fix, which can turn into late fees, missed notices, or extra paid help. Trustpilot lists different reply speeds for each company.
• Clarity of what’s included reduces surprises: fewer checkout add-ons generally means fewer accidental subscriptions and fewer cancellation headaches.

Final Recommendation: Choose Inc Authority or Northwest?

Both can handle LLC formation. The better pick depends on whether you want the lowest upfront checkout or a more bundled setup that reduces add-ons and keeps ongoing costs easier to predict.

Choose Northwest if…

You want a cleaner bundle, stronger privacy defaults, and simpler long-term budgeting.

• You prefer $39 + state fees with 1 year of registered agent service included.
• You want a clearer long-term registered agent price at $125 per year.
• You value privacy features like a business address on filings where allowed, plus mail scanning basics (with limits).
• You want Business Identity tools included by default (domain, website/hosting, email, phone), with renewals covered as long as you keep the registered agent service, and fewer upsell moments during signup.

Choose Inc Authority if…

You want the lowest upfront formation service cost and you are comfortable managing renewals and checkout choices.

• You want the $0 + state filing fee entry point.
• You like the “free extras” shown on the main offer page, like EIN help, 24-hour processing, a custom website, and 1 year of registered agent service.
• You are willing to monitor auto-renewal and keep add-ons to only what your business actually needs.

If you are still torn, ask one question: which LLC service is right for you based on whether you prefer the lowest checkout price or fewer surprises later.

Northwest vs Inc Authority FAQ: Essential Questions Answered 

These FAQs focus on what most people actually care about: what you get, what you will pay later, and how predictable the service feels. Think of this as a quick way to sanity-check costs, privacy, and real-world user feedback before you commit.