Northwest Registered Agent vs Rocket Lawyer Comparison [2024]

Northwest Registered Agent and Rocket Lawyer can form your Limited Liability Company (LLC) and serve as your Registered Agent, among other services. They have some features that overlap, but if you take the time to analyze them closely, you’ll find some significant differences.

I spent weeks comparing them to the slightest detail. Thanks to my academic background in economics and hands-on experience running a business, I know which services are essential, and which are optional but helpful, no matter whether you’re a full-time entrepreneur, a side hustler, or a complete newbie to the business world.

Northwest Registered Agent’s flexible approach makes it a better deal overall. If you just want the bare necessities, there’s a guided DIY plan that will save you money. You can also have Northwest Registered Agent form your LLC for a reasonable price. It also offers plenty of add-ons if you want to focus on growing your business instead of doing admin tasks.

While Northwest Registered Agent is the absolute winner versus Rocket Lawyer, I found one case where the latter is a better fit. Read on to learn more, or check out Northwest Registered Agent’s limited-time offer.

Features

Northwest Registered Agent Provides More Features for Less and Prioritizes Your Privacy

Northwest Registered Agent and Rocket Lawyer are faster than most competitors as standard, aiming to process your order on the same or the next business day (state processing time excluded).

Northwest Registered Agent includes a year of free Registered Agent services. If you switch from another provider, it will handle the filing and even cover your state’s Change of Agent fee, if applicable. Its Registered Agent service includes free limited mail forwarding, enabling you to list its local office as your virtual business address to protect your home address from junk mail.

As a non-member, you’ll pay more for Rocket Lawyer’s Registered Agent service. Even if you commit to its monthly subscription, it doesn’t offer a year of free Registered Agent service. Members get it for a discounted rate, slightly lower than the Registered Agent renewal fees of Northwest Registered Agent. But expect to pay more in monthly fees with Rocket Lawyer in the long run.

Both companies provide you with a free Operating Agreement, but Employer Identification Number (EIN) application costs extra. If you hire Northwest Registered Agent to form your LLC, the company will draft an Operating Agreement for you.

Rocket Lawyer has a step-by-step automated document creation process, where you answer a few simple questions, and it will prepare a ready-to-print Operating Agreement for you. If you become a member, you’ll get unlimited access to this document creation tool and its digital signature tool, RocketSign, which you can use to sign your Operating Agreement and other documents.

Northwest Registered Agent states outright it won’t sell your data, and goes above and beyond to keep it private as part of its Privacy by Default program. The service provider has offices in every state, filled with paralegals, attorneys, accountants, and other professionals. It will use its local office address to keep your home address private. Rocket Lawyer doesn’t have a similar policy, so you may receive those annoying “special offers” in your inbox if you become its customer.

Northwest Registered Agent’s plans come with 60 days of free virtual phone service that gives you access to a secure local VoIP phone number so you can keep yours away from prying eyes. After the promotional period, the service is available for a small monthly fee. You can also get a complete virtual office and call forwarding from a local number.

Rocket Lawyer’s membership comes with limited legal support at discounted rates. Unless you need ongoing legal support, Northwest Registered Agent is cheaper and goes the extra mile to protect your privacy, making it a better option for LLC formation and Registered Agent services.

Ease of Use

Northwest Registered Agent Is Easier to Use and More Transparent

You can create a free account with Northwest Registered Agent to explore its user-friendly dashboard, which serves as a centralized hub for managing your LLC formation and additional services. Within the dashboard, you can find Stageline, a tool that guides you step by step through the onboarding process.

Rocket Lawyer has an easy-to-navigate dashboard, allowing you to track the progress of your legal matters, set reminders, and create documents with ease. It also has a free app that allows you to use its services on the go.

Placing an order with Northwest Registered Agent takes only a few minutes. You only have to fill out a short questionnaire-type form during the ordering process. The Order Summary window on the right updates in real time, reflecting the fees of the selected services and the total cost of your order.

Rocket Lawyer’s sign-up process, while easy, is not transparent at all. It heavily promotes the membership, which overshadows other offerings, including the separate LLC formation service.

Northwest Registered Agent preselects the annual report filing, ensuring you won’t miss the deadline associated with this requirement. While it’s an upsell, you may wish to pay to ensure that your annual report will be filed on time. You won’t be charged until the due date and will get an opportunity to opt out. The virtual phone service is another preselected option. If you don’t opt out while placing your order, you’ll get a chance to test it for free for 60 days. You can cancel anytime.

Rocket Lawyer’s pricing is not transparently displayed until you delve into the sign-up details. I encountered phrases like “free” or percentage off discounts but with no clear prices except its subscription fee. I was even asked for my payment details before knowing how much it would cost me to access some additional services.

I also tried to order Rocket Lawyer’s LLC formation service separately. The process had a few preselected services, but what bothered me was that I had to get to the last stage to learn how much it would cost me.

While both companies make it easy to form your LLC, Northwest Registered Agent outshines Rocket Lawyer with its clean, modern website design and upfront pricing information.

Pricing

Northwest Registered Agent Has No Strings Attached and Is Cheaper

Northwest Registered Agent offers a straightforward pricing structure with a single plan that includes LLC filing and a year of free Registered Agent services. You also get limited mail forwarding, access to its local Corporate Guides, annual report filing reminders, and 60 days of free phone service. Unlike Rocket Lawyer, you cannot purchase the LLC filing service or any other service separately from Northwest Registered Agent’s LLC formation service.

Rocket Lawyer offers free LLC formation if you become a member, but it doesn’t include a year of free Registered Agent service. If you sign up for Rocket Lawyer’s Registered Agent service as a non-member, it will cost you more than at Northwest Registered Agent. Members get a discount on the service, which makes it slightly cheaper than Northwest Registered Agent’s renewal fee.

Rocket Lawyer’s membership includes unlimited access to document-making and electronic signature tools and ongoing legal support. You can ask a lawyer your legal questions and get one 30-minute phone consultation on every new legal issue. The membership also includes discounts on additional services like Registered Agent, tax prep and filing, and hiring a Rocket Lawyer network attorney.

These LLC formation service providers offer additional services for extra money, but Northwest Registered Agent’s approach is more transparent. The EIN application is slightly more expensive at Rocket Lawyer, but if you need to register a trademark, Rocket Lawyer is far more expensive.

Rocket Lawyer offers a free LLC formation service as a way to hook you on its subscription services. Northwest Registered Agent, on the other hand, provides a straightforward, flexible pricing model that allows you to get the essentials plus any add-ons that you might need with no strings attached and at a lower price than with Rocket Lawyer.

Neither Northwest Registered Agent nor Rocket Lawyer are the cheapest LLC formation services, but Northwest Registered Agent’s transparency and emphasis on customer privacy justify its prices. If you take advantage of Northwest Registered Agent’s limited-time offer, you’ll pay a one-time fee that’s more affordable than paying for Rocket Lawyer’s monthly membership.

Here’s how Northwest Registered Agent’s limited-time offer and Rocket Lawyer’s monthly membership compare.

Support

Both Could Improve Their Support but Northwest Registered Agent’s Is Better

Northwest Registered Agent and Rocket Lawyer advertise support via email, phone, and live chat.

Additionally, Northwest Registered Agent offers email support in Spanish, while Rocket Lawyer has Spanish phone support. Rocket Lawyer’s website is also available in Spanish, French, Dutch, and Portuguese.

I couldn’t access the live chat support at either vendor website. At Northwest Registered Agent, every attempt (except one) to access the online chat redirected me to contact support via email or phone instead. There’s one time I got in touch with a live agent, but the fact that it was unavailable 99% of the time makes it an unreliable option. At Rocket Lawyer, their live chat was an AI chatbot that didn’t always connect my question to the right resources from its knowledge base.

Rocket Lawyer’s phone support is available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST. My call was promptly answered, but the agent was somewhat helpful. I never heard back from its email team.

Although I called Northwest Registered Agent’s support during its advertised business hours (6 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST), my phone calls went unanswered. The email support, however, was helpful. They typically get back within minutes, though during peak times it may take a few hours.

It’s also worth noting that I have never received a spam email from Northwest Registered Agent directly or indirectly from other businesses.

Northwest Registered Agent has a rich knowledge base filled with state-by-state guides on all things business formation and beyond but no video tutorials or media. Its library of free forms and templates is beyond impressive. Rocket Lawyer’s knowledge base is not nearly as comprehensive, offering only basic information regarding LLC formation with no state-by-state guides.

Northwest Registered Agent and Rocket Lawyer could use some improvement in terms of greater accessibility through all advertised support channels. But Northwest Registered Agent takes the win thanks to its stellar email support and abundance of free resources.

Northwest Registered Agent Is the Absolute Winner

After carefully comparing Northwest Registered Agent and Rocket Lawyer, I can confidently recommend Northwest Registered Agent as the preferred choice. It stands out for several reasons. Firstly, Northwest Registered Agent’s limited-time offer not only includes LLC filing but also provides a year of free Registered Agent service. Even its regular-priced plan will cost you less compared to Rocket Lawyer’s monthly subscription in the long run.

Additionally, Northwest Registered Agent impresses with its transparent pricing, ensuring you have a clear understanding of the costs involved without any hidden surprises. The add-ons it offers are more affordable compared to Rocket Lawyer, allowing you to customize your LLC formation package without committing to monthly payments.

Northwest Registered Agent boasts a richer knowledge base, empowering you with extensive free resources to navigate the complexities of LLC formation and compliance. Lastly, it prioritizes privacy and won’t sell your information, keeping solicitations and junk “offers” outside your electronic and physical mail. The only time I’d recommend considering Rocket Lawyer over Northwest Registered Agent is if you need access to ongoing legal support at discounted rates.

Here’s a bite-size Northwest Registered Agent vs Rocket Lawyer comparison

FAQ

Which one is better: Northwest Registered Agent or Rocket Lawyer?

Northwest Registered Agent is the better option compared to Rocket Lawyer due to several advantages it offers. Not only is Northwest Registered Agent more affordable, but it also provides better value overall. With a plan that includes a year of free Registered Agent service, transparent pricing, cheaper add-ons, a richer knowledge base, more reliable support channels, and enhanced privacy, Northwest Registered Agent excels in every aspect.

Which LLC formation service is faster: Northwest Registered Agent or Rocket Lawyer?

Northwest Registered Agent and Rocket Lawyer take pride in their fast filing. Northwest Registered Agent aims to process every order the same day it’s received. Rocket Lawyer does the same, but if you place it after 6 p.m. PST, the company will take care of it the next business day. It’s important to note that these time frames exclude state filing times

Can I form my LLC with Rocket Lawyer without subscribing to its services?

Yes, you can form your LLC with Rocket Lawyer without committing to its subscription services. But the LLC formation is free if you become a member.

Can I be my own Registered Agent?

Yes, you can act as your own Registered Agent. As such, you must maintain a physical address in the state of formation and be available during business hours to receive important legal and tax documents on behalf of your LLC.

Being your own Registered Agent also means that your personal address will be publicly listed, compromising your privacy. With companies like Northwest Registered Agent offering reliable and affordable Registered Agent service, it’s worth considering passing this responsibility to their team for your own convenience.