Northwest Registered Agent vs IncFile

Last updated on: July 20, 2022
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Creating a brand new limited liability company is not an easy feat even for experienced entrepreneurs. This is not a slight against anyone’s skill, simply a statement of fact that the process of registering an LLC, when done without outside help, is generally time-consuming and laden with paperwork.

Thankfully, many LLC service providers aim to simplify the entire ordeal for both newbies and those well-versed in the process of entity formation. Notable companies such as IncFile and Northwest Registered Agent are among the top services as chosen by both specialists and customers alike, with both offering plenty of features making them a good choice to use for LLC service.

Given the magnitude of their respective benefits, it could prove difficult to choose the right service for your needs. This Northwest Registered Agent vs IncFile LLC service comparison review is designed specifically for making this choice more informed. 

Are These Services of Good Value?

Chances are you see this phrase being used to describe many products, but what does it mean exactly to be of good value? To put it simply, a service is of good value when its pricing justifies the quality of services it provides. What good value in an LLC service should you look for then?

Most LLC services with steep rates tend to overprice without much reason behind it, offering only pure basics which you theoretically could handle on your own. Services like LegalZoom charge entirely too much to form an LLC with very few features included in their starter plan and the rest offered through upselling.

This is where Northwest and IncFile differ, including a free registered agent service in their base plans without any hidden billings. Among many other features, both services are also highly regarded for their great customer support and ease of navigation.

Shared Benefits

  • Customer support: regardless of how extensive someone’s services may be, they won’t amount to much without consistent and reliable customer care; for this reason, Northwest Registered Agent or IncFile pay special attention to their customer service networks and provide immediate online and phone rep support;
  • Cost-effectiveness: their pricing disparities aside, both services are much more affordable than soliciting the help of a business attorney, and given that a limited liability entity is not exactly a complex business structure, choosing a formation service over a lawyer seems more prudent;
  • Performance: both companies have standard processing and expedited service available, though the latter can only be selected for an extra fee; but if you need your LLC formed in a hurry, there is an option in both cases to get it done in a matter of days;
  • Registered agent: unlike many pricy services, with IncFile and Northwest Registered Agent it’s possible to acquire a registered agent service together with the plan of your choice; after you’ve completed the initial LLC formation purchase, the company will designate a registered agent for an entire year until the next renewal of your package;
  • Positive customer experience: out of the two, IncFile shows a considerably larger volume of customer feedback, but NW Registered Agent wins in terms of consistency in positive reviews;
  • Reliability: both companies have nearly two decades of experience which attests to their relatively matching track records of successful formation services, what’s with IncFile’s 17 years and Northwest’s 15 years of operation;

Feature Comparison

Pricing

The matter of cost is the key difference between the two equally generous services. IncFile is notably “free” discounting local state charges, while Northwest is relatively expensive when pitted against IncFile. Where IncFile’s base plan includes a $0 + state fee for LLC service, Northwest’s monthly offer is $225 + state fee where the main fee is divided into a $100 formation fee and $125 yearly registered agent fee. This is not to say that Northwest should immediately be discarded as an option since pricing is not everything.

Features

When looking at their individual starter LLC formation packages, the two services fare pretty evenly: both will oversee the drafting and filing of your articles of organization, add a year of a registered agent service to your entity, and submit all necessary fees.

Although the companies offer similar feature sets, they are far from identical. For one, Northwest is guaranteed to provide premium customer service for other business solutions, drafting operating agreements, submitting Tax IDs, and mailing membership certificates.

IncFile gives you thirty minutes of consultation in connection to corporate tax questions and lets you peruse their resources freely.

Customer Support

Northwest comes with perhaps the best customer support in this price range. The training and experience found in the expertise of Northwest rep teams are frankly unrivalled, given that the company employs professionally trained Corporate Guides to handle initial and forthcoming resolutions. Chances are you won’t find a more competent support team which is not to the others’ detriment but a statement of fact that many teams simply aren’t as knowledgeable.

IncFile doesn’t lag far behind, providing premium customer support by phone and online from Monday to Friday between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm CST. Their representatives can answer any questions on forming an LLC and can direct you to resolutions regarding complicated state rules.

Experience

Operating since 2004, IncFile has two more years of experience over Northwest, though both have solid track records when it comes to the levels of their customer satisfaction. Northwest is a rather strong mid-sized LLC service provider in itself with their 15 years of experience and as a family-owned business, they strive for a more hands-on individualized approach.

Processing Speed

Most service providers of this type have processing times that are largely dependent on the state of entity formation, though it’s often possible to speed up the review for an additional fee. Northwest is usually faster in this regard, processing your order immediately and drafting the application on the same day of the order’s placement.

Order Tracking

Both companies ensure that the subscription for the formation of your LLC comes with smooth order status tracking tools which you can use after you gain access to your personal account. Checking where you currently stand in the formation process is incredibly simple and takes only logging in to your profile on their respective websites and selecting the order status tab.

Registered Agent

All new entities with limited liability are required to designate a registered agent for handling the communication between the state government and company owners such as receipts, relevant mail, service of process, important document deliveries, and more.

Even though certain states allow you to act as your own registered agent, it’s more prudent to outsource it since the authorities require the agent to be accessible throughout all business hours regardless of personal holidays. Simply put, the state needs a reliable means of contacting your business.

IncFile is a more financially viable option and a favorite registered agent service for many newcomers. They offer a year of registered agent service with LLC for free, after which you will be charged $119 annually. Northwest has a set fee for this service, charging $125 upon the initial order.

One small but important thing that makes Northwest worth their money is the thoroughness of their approach to documentation since they process and scan scans every single document addressed to your business as opposed to the normal practice of only processing the paperwork an agency is legally required to scan. For more information, feel free to look through our comparison guide.

Customer Reviews

Examining popular review platform reviews, a curious pattern emerges regarding these two services: both have high-quality reviews in abundance with their fair share of customer complaints regarding billing issues. All in all, both companies have high levels of customer satisfaction with some minor hiccups.

There is one major difference though, and it’s in the review ratio. IncFile has collected over 20 thousand reviews on Shopper Approved while Northwest has its numbers in mere hundreds. That being said, the latter is viewed much more favorably by its customers compared to IncFile.

Accessibility

The general ease of use can be attributed to both services thanks to their website accessibility that allows anyone to solicit their services. Though it’s easy to obtain online LLC services from both, IncFile is a bit more convenient. Their website is less cluttered and easier to navigate. 

Other Features

As far as the selection of additional business services goes, both companies offer plenty even with their base plans. Their extra features cover EIN acquisition, general consultation for accounting and foreign partnerships, drafting of annual reports, and of course registered agent services.

The main differences between their packages include Northwest’s addition of virtual office services and mail forwarding practices. IncFile offers a convenient trademark name search service in addition to their educational resources.

Which Service Should I Go For?

ServiceAnnual FeeRegistered AgentKey BenefitsRating
IncFileSilver: $0
Gold: $149
Platinum: $299
+ state fee
1 year free
+ $119 annually
Free Starter Plan★★★★★ (4.8/5)
Northwest Registered AgentUpfront: $225 + state fee$125 annuallyPremium Customer Service★★★★☆ (4.6/5)

As one of the most popular LLC services today, IncFile is primarily valued for their appealing plans and online accessibility. The company offers to form your LLC for free, including additional services that will only be subject to annual rate after a year, so they’re bound to save you some money on the whole ordeal. It also helps that IncFile boasts a larger volume of customer feedback which might help you get a more detailed picture.

Despite their steep pricing, Northwest mostly receive good reviews which is a rarity in this industry. They are also far more accommodating with their personalized services and more intuitive customer care. Still, the choice of which LLC service to use remains your decision, but let’s have a quick recap before you can make your final choice.

Why Choose IncFile?

  • Industry experience
  • Most affordable LLC formation service overall
  • User-friendly online services
  • One of the few companies with lots of customer feedback

Why Choose Northwest Registered Agent?

  • Fast response times and great customer support
  • Extensive library of resources
  • Direct communication
  • Two-day formation with VIP packages
  • Registered agent locally scanning documents 

Frequently Asked Question


  1. Is InCorp legit?

    Yes. Unlike some competitors, InCorp has its own professional team. They don’t send clients to a large call center, so you don’t have to wait very long for a response.
    Other advantages of InCorp Customer Support are:
    – The opportunity to have service in Spanish;
    – They offer extended support hours (9 am-9 pm ET M-F).

  2. What Is the InCorp Customer Support Phone Number and Email?

    To consult with InCorp Customer Support by phone, call 1–800–2INCORP.

    If you prefer email, use the Contact Us page on the company’s website. Note that on the same page you can find web chat to ask your question to an InCorp specialist.

  3. How Quickly Does InCorp Process LLC Formations?

    Timelines vary from state to state, so processing times can range from a few days to a couple of weeks.

Senior Business Tax Writer, etc
Jean Wilson Murray
https://bestllcservices.co/
(323) 789-5289
Senior Business Tax Writer, etc
Jean Wilson Murray

Entrepreneur, investor, financial commentator

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