If you are comparing Northwest Registered Agent vs StartGlobal, the right choice depends heavily on what you need after your LLC is formed. Northwest Registered Agent is the stronger option for founders who want a privacy-focused registered agent, straightforward formation, and low ongoing registered-agent costs. StartGlobal is the better fit for international entrepreneurs who need a more complete U.S. business setup—including tax ID assistance, remote banking support, and ongoing compliance.

The distinction matters because forming an LLC is only the first step. For many founders, particularly those living outside the United States, getting the company operational and keeping it compliant can be more complicated than filing the formation documents.

Northwest Registered Agent vs StartGlobal at a Glance

Northwest currently advertises LLC formation at $39 plus state fees and includes the first year of registered-agent service. Its registered-agent service is then listed at $125 per year.

StartGlobal takes a different approach: its LLC formation package costs $399 one time, with state and government fees included, and includes first-year registered-agent service, business tax number assistance and U.S. business banking setup assistance. That difference in pricing reflects a difference in scope rather than simply one company being cheaper.

What Is Northwest Registered Agent?

Northwest Registered Agent is a long-established business formation and registered-agent provider built around company formation, privacy and compliance administration.

Its formation service includes more than simply submitting Articles of Organization. Northwest currently lists a business address, mail scanning, domain name, website, business email, phone service, brand protection and first-year registered-agent service among its formation benefits.

Its registered-agent pricing is particularly competitive for founders who expect to keep the service for years. Northwest lists the ongoing rate at $125 annually and says it does not raise that rate.

Where Northwest stands out

Privacy is one of Northwest's biggest advantages. A professional registered agent can receive official documents on behalf of an LLC and provide a business address rather than requiring the founder to use a home address in situations where state rules allow that arrangement.

For a consultant, freelancer or home-based entrepreneur, that can be an important consideration. Northwest also takes a relatively focused approach. Rather than trying to become your entire accounting, tax and banking department, it concentrates heavily on formation, registered-agent service and business administration.

What Is StartGlobal?

StartGlobal is designed more specifically around the needs of global founders establishing U.S. businesses from outside the United States. Its current formation package costs $399 with state and government fees included. The package includes LLC formation, first-year registered-agent service, business tax number assistance and help setting up a U.S. business bank account.

StartGlobal says its service is available to founders in more than 150 countries and does not require a U.S. SSN, U.S. address, visa or trip to the United States for the formation process. That makes the two companies fundamentally different in positioning.

Northwest is particularly attractive if you already know how you want to operate your U.S. company. StartGlobal is more compelling if you need help getting from "I want a U.S. company" to "my U.S. company is actually ready to operate."

Pricing: Northwest Wins on Formation Cost

If you are comparing only the initial formation fee, Northwest has the advantage. Northwest lists formation at $39 plus state fees. StartGlobal charges $399 with state and government fees included. That is a significant difference. However, comparing only the formation fee can be misleading. An international founder may also need:

• A registered agent
• A business tax number
• A U.S. business address
• Banking assistance
• An operating agreement
• Compliance support
• Tax filing
• Bookkeeping

StartGlobal packages several of these requirements into its formation and ongoing plans. So if you're a U.S.-based entrepreneur who simply needs an LLC filed, Northwest is likely the better value. If you're abroad and need several additional services, the comparison becomes much closer.

Registered-Agent Service: StartGlobal Is Cheaper Long Term

Both companies include the first year of registered-agent service with formation. After that, the published prices differ. Northwest lists registered-agent service at $125 per year.

StartGlobal lists its registered-agent service at $99 per year. It says the service includes legal-document receipt, same-day scanning, compliance reminders and an online document portal.

Winner: StartGlobal on price. Northwest remains highly competitive for founders who value its privacy-focused approach and established registered-agent model.

Banking and Tax ID Assistance: StartGlobal Has the Edge

This is probably the most important difference for non-U.S. residents. StartGlobal explicitly includes assistance with obtaining a business tax number and setting up a U.S. business bank account in its $399 formation package.

The company says its process can be completed remotely and that it works with banking providers that support international LLC owners. Northwest offers a broader business-formation ecosystem, but its core proposition is not built around taking an overseas founder through the entire formation-to-banking journey.

Winner: StartGlobal. For someone in Nigeria, the UK, Canada, India, or another country who wants a U.S. company without traveling to America, this difference can be substantial.

Compliance: StartGlobal Is More Comprehensive

Northwest can help with ongoing business administration and registered-agent requirements, but StartGlobal has made ongoing compliance a more central part of its platform. Its pay-as-you-go services currently start at $99 per year for registered-agent service, while annual-report preparation is listed at $299 per year. Bookkeeping and federal tax filing are priced according to activity.

StartGlobal also offers a Managed LLC plan at $149 per month, covering registered-agent service, state annual reports, bookkeeping, federal tax filing and compliance monitoring.

That is particularly relevant for foreign-owned U.S. businesses, where federal tax obligations can be more complicated than simply keeping an LLC's state registration active. Winner: StartGlobal for an all-in-one compliance model.

Privacy: Northwest Has the Advantage

Privacy is an area where Northwest remains particularly strong. Its formation offering emphasizes business addresses, mail handling and keeping personal information out of business operations where possible.

StartGlobal also provides a U.S. registered-agent address and says that the service keeps a founder's home address private. Both can therefore be useful for entrepreneurs who do not want their residential address used as the company's public-facing address.

But if privacy itself is the primary reason you're choosing a provider, Northwest has the stronger reputation and more focused positioning. Winner: Northwest Registered Agent.

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose Northwest Registered Agent if you:

• Are forming a straightforward U.S. LLC
• Live in the United States
• Want a low formation price
• Prioritize privacy
• Want a professional registered agent
• Want predictable registered-agent pricing
• Prefer handling banking and tax matters separately
• Don't need a heavily managed business platform

Choose StartGlobal if you:

• Live outside the United States
• Don't have a U.S. SSN
• Need help obtaining a U.S. business tax number
• Want remote U.S. banking assistance
• Want formation and compliance in one platform
• Prefer all-inclusive formation pricing
• Need bookkeeping or federal tax support
• Want the option of fully managed compliance

A Practical Example

Imagine David, a U.S.-based freelance designer who wants to convert his sole proprietorship into an LLC. He already has a bank account, accountant and business address. His main requirements are LLC formation and registered-agent service.

Northwest is probably the better choice. Now consider Amara, who lives in Nigeria and wants to establish a U.S. LLC for an international software business. She needs formation, a business tax number, a U.S. bank account and help understanding ongoing compliance.

For her, StartGlobal is likely the more practical option because those requirements are built into its offering. StartGlobal specifically markets U.S. formation services to Nigerian founders and says its process can be completed remotely. The key lesson is simple: the best formation provider depends on what happens after the LLC is created.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Northwest Registered Agent cheaper than StartGlobal?

For basic formation, yes. Northwest lists formation at $39 plus state fees, while StartGlobal charges $399 with state and government fees included.

Which is better for non-U.S. residents?

StartGlobal generally has the stronger proposition for non-U.S. residents because its service specifically addresses international formation, tax ID assistance and remote U.S. banking.

Which has cheaper registered-agent service?

StartGlobal currently lists registered-agent service at $99 per year, compared with Northwest's $125 per year.

Can I form a U.S. LLC without a U.S. SSN?

StartGlobal explicitly says its formation and business tax number process can support founders without a U.S. SSN.

Which is better for privacy?

Northwest Registered Agent has the edge if privacy is your main priority, although StartGlobal also uses a registered-agent address to help protect founders' residential addresses.

Which is better for ongoing compliance?

StartGlobal has the stronger all-in-one offering, particularly with its Managed LLC plan covering registered-agent service, annual reports, bookkeeping, federal tax filing and compliance monitoring.

Final Verdict: Northwest for Simplicity, StartGlobal for Global Founders

Northwest Registered Agent is the better choice for entrepreneurs who want affordable LLC formation, strong privacy and a straightforward registered-agent relationship.

StartGlobal is the better choice for international founders who need more than formation—especially tax ID assistance, U.S. banking support and ongoing compliance management. The decision becomes easier when you identify your actual priority:

• Lowest formation cost: Northwest
• Privacy: Northwest
• Low-cost registered agent: StartGlobal
• Non-U.S. founders: StartGlobal
• Remote U.S. banking assistance: StartGlobal
• All-in-one compliance: StartGlobal
• Simple LLC formation: Northwest

Neither platform is universally better. They are optimized for different founders. If you already understand U.S. business administration and simply need a company formed and maintained, Northwest Registered Agent is difficult to overlook.

If you're building a U.S. company from outside America and want one provider to help bridge the gap between formation, tax ID, banking and compliance, StartGlobal is the more complete fit. For global founders evaluating providers, that distinction is more important than the advertised formation price alone.