When you're starting your new business, you already have enough to worry about - one way to drastically reduce your paperwork load is to rely on a professional business formation service. The right service will take care of everything for you and free up your time for other things - you can also get assistance with additional services such as annual reporting. But first, you need to choose the right service provider. Northwest Registered Agent and Rocket Lawyer will be compared side by side to help you decide which is best for you.
Northwest Registered Agent vs. Rocket Lawyer: The Verdict
Northwest Registered Agent and Rocket Lawyer represent two respected and popular business formation services; both are highly capable, trustworthy, and provide good value for money. You can trust them equally to form your new LLC.
With that said, Northwest has key advantages that Rocket Lawyer doesn't have. This includes customized, dedicated customer support, revolutionary filing practices, and 12 months of free registered agent service when you purchase their package. Rocket Lawyer will charge you extra for this. With that said, Rocket Lawyer offers unique benefits that Northwest doesn't and is a decent alternative to Northwest Registered Agent services. Rocket Lawyer provides an on-call attorney service with the lawyer fees already included in the subscription cost.
Choose Northwest Registered Agent if:
- You want better filing practices
- You want 12 months of free registered agent services
Choose Rocket Lawyer if:
- You place a high value on experience
- You want legal services
Services Offered & Pricing
Rocket Lawyer offers a one-time LLC formation package and a subscription-based formation model that comes with add-ons such as legal advice from a qualified attorney. Rocket Lawyer offers a 7-day free trial of its subscription-based services. But if you want registered agent services, you'll need to pay an additional $149.99 for this.
On the other hand, Northwest only has one package available at $225, but this includes everything you need to get started, including a year of registered agent service ($125 after that).
Key Similarities
- You can start any business entity
Key Differences
- Totally different pricing models, subscription-based vs one package
- Rocket Lawyer charges extra for registered agent services
- Rocket Lawyer offers a 7-day free trial
Northwest Registered Agent Packages & Pricing
Northwest doesn't offer multiple packages - only one. It includes registered agent services that can be renewed for just $125 annually after the first year, making them a competitive option if you're looking to keep costs low. Corporate guides will walk you through everything you need.
A la carte services - $225 upfront, variable per year
Northwest Registered Agent has a unique pricing system; everything you need is included in the $225, with additional add-ons available on an a la carte basis. The registered agent service is excellent value for money as you can keep this service for $125 annually - cheaper than most competitors.
Northwest Registered Agent offers outstanding services to business owners.
They complete all paperwork filing and create the entity for you, with full assistance every step of the way.
Additional services such as annual reporting are also available.
They receive all of your mail and pass it on to you, whereas other companies will only pass on government mail.
Rocket Lawyer Packages & Pricing
Rocket Lawyer doesn't offer multiple packages; you only have two options. You can subscribe to a monthly program or buy a one-off LLC formation.
Monthly Subscription - $39.99/month
The monthly subscription provides a free LLC formation service for new members, but you can try it out for seven days. The monthly service includes extras such as a 30-minute phone call with an attorney and unlimited Q&A with an in-house attorney.
Services offered include:
- Legal document creation
- 30-minute consultation on new projects
- Free incorporation filing with a legal review
One-Time Incorporation Service - $99.99 + state fees
The one-time service only covers LLC formation, and if you want additional services, you'll need to subscribe or ask Rocket Lawyer for an a la carte estimate.
Services included:
- Preparation and filing of your articles of organization
- Business name availability search
- 24/7 access to your filed formation papers and hard copies
- Receive customer support via phone or email
Registered Agent Service - $149.99
Rocket Lawyer charges $149.99 for its registered agent service. You'll get 25% off of this service if you're a member.
Document Management & Online Experience
Ease of use is something that these service providers excel at. Your legal documents will be kept in a user-friendly virtual office with cloud storage. Northwest is an industry leader in terms of document management, though. Northwest will scan all of your mail, whereas most services only scan part of it. Rocket Lawyers registered agent service is excellent, but they don't offer this.
Key Similarities
- Unlimited cloud storage
- Secure online website
Key Differences
- Northwest Registered Agent scans all mail
Processing Time
Northwest Registered Agent and Rocket Lawyer don't have specified turnaround times; you'll need to ask for an up-to-date estimate based on the state you live in when you sign up. With that said, both do offer expedited services for a fee. This fee starts at $100 with Northwest and $60 with Rocket Lawyer.
Key Similarities
- Expedited processing times
Key Differences
- Rocket Lawyer has cheaper expedited processing
Compliance & Track Record
Northwest has an excellent track record with lots of positive customer feedback online. However, their reputation doesn't match Rocket Lawyer. Rocket Lawyer has helped millions of customers when forming an LLC and has a solid refund policy, meaning that there is little to be unhappy with. They are also BBB accredited; Northwest isn't BBB accredited.
Key Similarities
- Good reputations
Key Differences
- Northwest isn't accredited with the Better Business Bureau
- Rocket Lawyer has formed more companies
Customer Service
Rocket Lawyer has great customer service, though some customer reviews seem to find the live chat frustrating as it requires you to input select keywords and work through an FAQ before you can speak to an actual person. But their email and phone support are second to none. Northwest Registered Agent has great customer support, too. You receive 24/7 customer support and guidance every step of the way. But there's a lot to be said for Rocket Lawyer's free monthly call with a qualified attorney.
Key Similarities
- Excellent customer service
Key Differences
- Northwest Registered Agent doesn't offer legal services
- Rocket Lawyer's live chat needs some work
Structure Breakdown
The precise experience you have with a service provider is heavily reliant on the business entity you're forming. A small business starting a limited liability company will have a different experience from two lawyers forming a partnership or DBA. Let's break down each business entity and explore what each provider offers.
When it comes to the best LLC service, it's hard to make a clear choice, with each offering unique benefits to the LLC formation process. To get the full use of Rocket Lawyers' exceptional services, you need to purchase a subscription, which is quite expensive compared to Northwest Registered Agent. However, the no-hassle legal help offered is a great perk. Northwest represents the best registered agent service, and both can help you start an LLC.
Corporations are complex legal entities, which means you'll benefit from Rocket Lawyer's know-how and legal help; in addition, their smooth and easy-to-use website makes them the best choice for setting up an S-corp or C-corp.
Northwest has a good reputation for helping entrepreneurs set up partnerships at an affordable price. You don't typically need legal services if you're setting up a partnership or DBA.
It can be hard to secure the necessary tax exemptions as a non-profit, which means you'll probably want Rocket Lawyer's attorneys on your side throughout the business formation process. Still, Northwest has abundant experience in helping people set up non-profit entities, too.
The Last Word
Rocket Lawyer and Northwest Registered Agent are two excellent service providers with unique benefits. Rocket Lawyer is quite new but has already assisted more than 20 million start-ups, and Northwest has revolutionized the registered agent service industry. If you're looking for legal services and don't mind spending a little extra on the subscription fee, you should look into Rocket Lawyer. But if you're looking to save some money and don't require legal services, Northwest Registered Agent is, without a doubt, the best for you.
Filed under: Head-to-Head
