Bizee vs. Northwest Registered Agent: Which one is better?

When forming a legal entity in the US, does a registered agent service matter? Find out in this Bizee vs. Northwest Registered Agent comparison.

Two formation services with a high rating and have been operating for over 20 years are Bizee and Northwest Registered Agent.

Bizee is a service that offers startups multiple entity types, a free pricing package, and unique features.

Northwest Registered Agent focuses on LLC formation and provision of registered agent services to various business types.

However, how do their features and services compare, and which offers value?

Let’s find out in this Bizee vs. Northwest Registered Agent comparison.

Bizee vs. Northwest Registered Agent at a glance

Feature	Bizee	Northwest Registered Agent	Winner
SMB Guide’s Rating	9.3/10	8.8/10	Northwest Registered Agent
Business Formation Services	LLC, C-Corp, Nonprofits	LLC, C-Corp, Nonprofits	Bizee
Processing Time	Same-day filing	24-hour formation guarantee	Northwest Registered Agent
Registered Agent Services and Costs	1st year free, then $119/year	$125/year	Bizee
Name Availability Search	✅	❌	Bizee
Online Document Access	✅	✅	Tie
Money-Back Guarantees	24-hour notice	90 days after subscription	Northwest Registered Agent
Platform User-Friendliness	Simple and modern	Design is modern and organized	Northwest Registered Agent
Customization Options	❌	✅	Northwest Registered Agent
Compliance Assistance	✅	✅	Northwest Registered Agent
Industry-Specific Expertise	Founded in 2003	Founded in 1998	Northwest Registered Agent
Customer Education and Resources	✅	✅	Bizee
Customer Support	Phone, email, and live chat	Phone, live chat, email	Tie
Pricing	$0 – $299	$39 + state filing fees	Bizee
Scalability	High scalability	High scalability	Tie

Bizee: Features, Pros, Cons, & Pricing

Bizee is a filing service that helps first-time founders form and incorporate their startup as a C-Corp, nonprofit, or LLC in any of the 50 US states.

Entrepreneurs will also find that, besides the formation, Bizee provides post-incorporation services. 

They include annual tax report support, 1-year long registered agent service, free domain and website design, and more.

Bizee also offers quick processing times, where it takes 24 hours to file with the state.

Pros & Cons

Pricing

First-time founders will choose from three packages depending on their budget: silver, gold, and platinum.

The pricing of each package is constant across all states, but the state fees will vary.

Here are the package prices:

• Basic: $0 + state filing fees
• Standard: $199 + state filing fees
• Premium: $299 + state filing fees

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

Northwest Registered Agent is a filing service that helps entrepreneurs form and incorporate their business as an LLC in any of the 50 US states.

The service specializes in LLC formation and promises same-day filing of formation paperwork with the state. 

Entrepreneurs will also find that Northwest RA provides post-incorporation services.

They include free first-year registered agent service, downloadable forms, and more.

Pros & Cons

Pricing

First-time founders will find a single-paid plan that charges $225 + state fees for filing paperwork.

One thing to note is that the state fees range from $50 – $500. 

On the other hand, there is a free DIY plan that gives entrepreneurs access to paperwork that they can use to file their LLCs on their own.

The only option the entrepreneur gets when using the DIY option is paying for the registered agent services.

Business Formation Services

Bizee provides a wide range of entity types, including C-Corp, LLC, and non-profit, making it an attractive option for those embarking on their entrepreneurial journey.

Entrepreneurs can establish their businesses in all US states. The service also provides an engaging Business Entity Quiz.

Entrepreneurs can use it to find the ideal entity for their situation. Furthermore, unlike Northwest RA, you also have access to a comprehensive comparison chart that outlines the advantages and disadvantages of each available entity type.

In contrast to Northwest RA, first-time founders using Bizee have limited customization options.

Entrepreneurs are unable to add or remove features from their subscribed packages and must adhere to the predefined package with its included offerings.

Unlike Northwest RA, Bizee services are comprehensive. They help startups from start to finish in their formation.

Not only that, it provides post-incorporation services like trademark registration, annual tax reporting, and more.

Northwest RA specializes in LLC formation for first-time founders in any of the 50 US states.

However, unlike Bizee, the service doesn’t offer research support on the entity. Entrepreneurs have to do it on their own.

Northwest RA provides entrepreneurs with a higher degree of customization compared to Bizee.

You have the flexibility to choose an entity type and state for a flat fee of $225. The package allows entrepreneurs to add or remove an additional service without limitations.

While the service does offer comprehensive support for forming a business from start to finish, it is worth noting that their post-incorporation services are less extensive compared to Bizee.

Northwest RA provides entrepreneurs with a higher degree of customization compared to Bizee.

You have the flexibility to choose an entity type and state for a flat fee of $225. The package allows entrepreneurs to add or remove an additional service without limitations.

While the service does offer comprehensive support for forming a business from start to finish, it is worth noting that their post-incorporation services are less extensive compared to Bizee.

✅ Winner: Bizee

Processing Time

Those seeking expedited filing services can rely on Bizee’s Platinum package, which offers a same-day filing guarantee.

The silver and gold packages take 24 to 48 hours. Now, the state turnaround varies, but it takes anywhere between 1 to 8 weeks. 

One thing to note is that on the Bizee site, you can estimate the state processing times. In the case of Delaware, regular processing can take 3-5 days, and an expedited process can take 1-2 days.

Now, startups will find that Bizee offers expedited services in 12 states, such as Nevada, Hawaii, Alaska, Vermont, Wyoming, Kentucky, and more.

The charges range between $50 – $350, but it depends on the state of incorporation.

Northwest RA also states they offer same-day filing in their package. However, the state turnaround varies.

Unlike Bizee, Northwest RA doesn’t estimate state turnaround times on their site. The only thing they offer is a guideline that states it can take 1 to 12 weeks.

Northwest RA provides expedited services in all states, with the exception of Hawaii and Alaska, making it a valuable option for business owners.

The charges range between $25 to $400, but it depends on the state of incorporation.

✅ Winner: Northwest Registered Agent

Registered Agent Services and Costs

First-time founders will find that Bizee offers registered agent services, and the first year is free.

Now, starting from the second year, the annual fee is $119. One thing to note is that Bizee allows startups to order the service separately, even without forming an enterprise with them.

The service is available in all US states, and upon receiving paperwork, they upload it to a startup’s online account the same day.

Not only that, entrepreneurs receive notifications via email on due dates. Upon choosing their service, you gain access to a dashboard for managing and tracking your paperwork and compliance requirements.

It’s important to note that Bizee does not impose any additional fees aside from the registered agent fee.

Northwest RA charges $125 annually for its RA service, and they include it in the formation package.

Like Bizee, entrepreneurs can order the service separately without forming an enterprise.

The service is also available in all US states. Unlike Bizee, which takes an entire day, Northwest RA scans all your paperwork and uploads it to your account in minutes.

Not only that, they send reminders through email on upcoming due dates. Entrepreneurs also get access to a dashboard where they can manage and track orders and compliance obligations.

Startups also get a dedicated manager at no extra charge to help with compliance queries, unlike Bizee.

Unlike Bizee, startups can use their private address as a mailing or office address, but at an extra $40.

✅ Winner: Bizee

Name Availability Search

New business owners will discover that the Bizee tool conducts comprehensive state and federal database searches, which is not a feature offered by Northwest RA.

It scans for similar, exact matches and trademarked names to help avoid conflict.

Unlike Northwest RA, the Bizee name availability search tool recommends alternate names if the first choice is unavailable.

The tool also provides tips on choosing a fitting brand name. Not only that, the tool suggests the best way to trademark a business name.

Northwest RA tool is more complex and cluttered than Bizee. To access it, you have to browse through a few pages and scroll to the page’s footer.

The tool is also not as accurate since it only uses a state database, and it even warns that it’s not a trademark search substitute.

Unlike Bizee, the tool doesn’t recommend alternate names to the first choice. You have to keep searching until you get an available name.

✅ Winner: Bizee

Online Document Access

Entrepreneurs will find that Bizee provides an easily accessible dashboard to log in and view all your documents.

The dashboard centralizes all the info, such as formation state, entity type and more.

The dashboard also displays the paperwork in the documents tab, where you can download or view them in PDF.

The dashboard also provides convenience because it gives access to free lifetime company alerts on tax deadlines, information updates and more.

The Northwest RA dashboard is also easily accessible by log in and viewing business info like registered agent details, entity type, and more.

The dashboard also has a documents tab to download or view the paperwork in PDF.

The dashboard also offers convenience by giving access to features like the free corporate guide that assigns a dedicated manager and more.

✅ Winner: Tie

Money-Back Guarantees

New business owners will discover that Bizee offers a money-back guarantee with certain restrictions.

To initiate a refund request, it’s necessary to provide less than 24 hours’ notice after subscribing, albeit with a $30 cancellation charge. 

Not only that, the request should be valid, and the approval takes 2 days before the refund happens.

Unlike Northwest RA, the refund policy is not reassuring and doesn’t give peace of mind to clients once they commit to the service.

Northwest RA offers a money-back guarantee of 90 days, unlike Bizee. The refund covers registered agent service and the formation fees only, not any additional service or state fees. 

The request process is simple, and you can reach customer support by email or phone. After that, they process the refund in 24 hours, unlike Bizee.

The refund policy is one of the best and gives customers peace of mind if they don’t get the value they are looking for.

✅ Winner: Northwest Registered Agent

Platform User-Friendliness

First-time founders will find the Bizee design bland. The dashboard is full of clutter, and navigating is fairly confusing, unlike Northwest RA.

The instructions on the homepage are not concise, like on Northwest RA. However, the instructions give a four-step process on the site’s homepage on how to pick an entity, choose a state, pick a package, and fill out an application form.

One thing to note is that the online application form on Bizee has excessive upsells on the additional services.

Not only that, the services have hidden fees that can get costly. The onboarding process is also rigid and lacks customizable forms.

The dashboard also delays relaying data and often has omissions and gaps. The Northwest RA design is modern and organized, ensuring an entrepreneur accesses the services easily.

The services are on the homepage, and clicking any link opens the feature. The instructions on the site on formation are concise and easy to follow, unlike Bizee.

You get a step-by-step guide and tips on the best practices for running a business.

Completing the necessary steps is also easy when you enter business info, and the service auto-fills most of the other sections.

✅ Winner: Northwest Registered Agent

Customization Options

It’s important to mention that Bizee provides limited customization options for its services and features.

Nonetheless, you can select from a range of service levels and choose additional features. 

One thing to note is that once you purchase a package, you cannot add or remove any feature.

The option startups get is picking an entity type, state of incorporation and an expedited service.

Northwest RA offers its customers more customization options compared to Bizee.

Entrepreneurs can choose a state to incorporate in at a flat fee. You also get to add or remove an additional service at any time.

Startups also get better privacy safeguards than Bizee and personalized service.

✅ Winner: Northwest Registered Agent

Compliance Assistance

Entrepreneurs will find that Bizee provides a free lifetime company alert service for informing them on annual filing fees and deadlines.

You can also purchase their compliance filing service at $99 + state fee annually. The service includes preparation and annual report filing on your behalf.

Unlike Northwest RA, Bizee provides a business tax consultation service that links entrepreneurs with certified tax experts.

The professionals help startups with tax planning and filing consultation. Not only that, first-time founders can purchase the Bookkeeping services depending on the business needs at $90 monthly.

Bizee, unlike Northwest RA, doesn’t provide specific regulatory update service. They only provide general info through their articles on legal topics.

Northwest RA, on the other hand, provides a free corporate guide service with a dedicated account manager.

The manager’s role is to remind entrepreneurs of annual tax filing deadlines. Entrepreneurs can purchase the compliance filing service at $100 + state fees annually.

It is a service that helps startups prepare and file tax reports on their behalf. Unlike Bizee, Northwest RA doesn’t offer specific tax consultation services.

The service only gives a general guide through their articles on tax topics like entity taxation, income tax rates and more.

However, Northwest RA provides regulatory updates, unlike Bizee. Startups get a free local scan service that checks the paperwork from the state and uploads any document to their account instantly.

✅ Winner: Northwest Registered Agent

Industry-Specific Expertise

Startups will find that Bizee offers a broad approach to industry expertise. The service has helped 250k+ businesses in multiple industries like ecommerce, real estate, and more.

One thing to note is that even if they have a broad approach, they still provide some specific industry expertise to some industries.

Unlike Northwest RA, Bizee tailors some of its services, like bookkeeping and tax consultation, to fit specific niches.

The service also helps startups create a brand website that can help boost awareness, unlike Swyft Filings.

Northwest RA, unlike Bizee, specializes in LLC formation and focuses on specific industries like transport, cannabis and telecommunication.

Businesses in these industries get expert services for getting the required paperwork for operation. 

Businesses in the transport get USDOT and MC number applications, while those that deal with cannabis get license renewal.

Unlike Bizee, Northwest RA doesn’t tailor most of their services to industry-specific needs.

✅ Winner: Northwest Registered Agent

Customer Education and Resources

Entrepreneurs new to the business world will discover that Bizee offers a more extensive educational resource compared to Northwest RA.

You get access to a resource center with guides, research tools, video tutorials, and a blog with over 200+ articles.

The articles have categories covering funding, entrepreneurship, taxes, and more. New entrepreneurs will also find an FAQ that covers common customer queries like incorporation services and its concise.

The platform also has a YouTube channel with over 15K subscribers with short, engaging videos where experts talk about taxes, formation, and more topics.

Northwest RA also provides you with education resources through guides and a blog. The articles cover tax structure, filing annual reports, and business formation.

The service also has an FAQ section with concise answers to the most common incorporation queries.

However, in order to access the majority of these guides, you are required to sign up for one of their services.

Not only that, the YouTube channel videos are short and shallow and don’t offer much value like Bizee.

✅ Winner: Bizee

Customer Support

You can reach Bizee support through email, fax, and phone. Unlike Northwest RA, Bizee doesn’t respond through social networks or live chat.

The response times are also slow, especially during the peak hours. Unlike Northwest RA, Bizee lacks a dedicated representative for guidance.

Instead, you have to reach agents, which can result in response inconsistencies.

Northwest RA excels in their support, where you can reach out through live chat, email, social media, or phone.

The response times are quick, within 15 minutes, unlike Bizee. The service also provides dedicated representative “corporate guides” that help startups with compliance obligations.

Northwest RA also personalizes the support by offering custom consultations depending on individual needs, such as a tax structure.

✅ Winner: Tie

Pricing

You can pick from three pricing packages: Basic ($0 + state fee), Standard ($199 + state fee), and Premium ($299 + state fee).

Entrepreneurs will find that each package has different features and services that suit various needs. 

The gold and platinum packages offer expedited services, while unlimited name searches and support are available across all packages.

Unlike Northwest RA, Bizee doesn’t offer user-based or enterprise-level pricing. Instead, it charges a flat fee on its three packages in all states.

Northwest RA, on the other hand, offers a $225 annual fee for its formation services, including registered agent service.

Unlike Bizee, Northwest offers user-based pricing on its registered agent service.

Entrepreneurs also get the option to add or remove features without impacting the service quality.

✅ Winner: Bizee

Scalability

Entrepreneurs will find Bizee to offer scalable packages and services. You can pick a package and upgrade to access white-label services and features.

Entrepreneurs can also choose from the add-ons like bookkeeping or license search. If they find an add-on valuable, they can order it separately.

Northwest RA package is scalable like Bizee. You can choose additional services or features to add to your package of choice depending on your needs.

Not only that, you can purchase an additional service like mail forwarding or compliance filing separately.

✅ Winner: Tie

Standout Features of Bizee

Entrepreneurs will find that besides the formation and incorporation services, Bizee has features that Northwest RA lacks.

Here are two that stand out.

Free 1-year registered agent service

Purchasing any Bizee package gives startups access to a one-year free registered agent service.

Startups on a budget will find it convenient where they access essential notifications, automatic mail forwarding, and more.

The service doesn’t have any additional charge for the first year.

Business entity quiz

A feature that entrepreneurs can use to find the ideal entity for their situation. The tool provides entrepreneurs with suggestions depending on answers on the application form.

It simplifies coming up with the right business structure.

Standout Features of Northwest Registered Agent

Businesses will find these two features available through Northwest Registered Agent but missing from Bizee.

Local document scan

Northwest RA ensures you receive documents regularly from clients, government agencies, or other sources.

This function operates by scanning these documents and uploading them into the user’s account.

There, the entrepreneur can view crucial paperwork like compliance obligations in a timely manner.

Privacy by default

The service commits to safeguarding customer data and doesn’t sell information to third parties.

Businesses that value confidentiality or deal with sensitive data will find the feature valuable.

Bizee vs. Northwest Registered Agent: SMB Guide’s Verdict

Our Bizee vs. Northwest Registered Agent comparison shows that the two services offer valuable features for startups in any of the US states.

They offer similar services like registered agents, compliance support, and more. On the other hand, each excels in its way, with different processing times, pricing packages, and support.

However, after considering all factors, Northwest Registered Agent is the winner, and here is why.

Northwest Registered Agent provides startups with a customized service. Entrepreneurs get a dedicated manager for guidance in their formation process and compliance.

The package pricing is flexible, and entrepreneurs can add or remove a service anytime.

Large enterprises can benefit from custom solutions tailored to their specific needs. When considering all these factors, it becomes clear that the Northwest Registered Agent service stands out and emerges as the winner in this competition. 

Bizee is an excellent alternative offering startups free services like a year-long free registered agent.

It also has a free package that gives unlimited name searches and support. However, the lack of a money-back guarantee, extensive customization options, and robust customer support make it loose to Northwest Registered Agent service.

Choose Northwest Registered Agent If

You need a personalized service with a dedicated account manager, extensive customization options, and same-day document filing.

Choose Bizee If

You want a free year-long registered agent service, ongoing support, and the option to pick an ideal entity for your situation.