Best Registered Agent Services in 2026: Prices Compared
Eight US registered agent and formation providers compared on what each plan includes, what it prints in dollars, and what a founder living outside the US still has to add.
Short answer: doola's Business-in-a-Box lists formation, an EIN, tax filings and bookkeeping in one plan, at $2,999 a year plus state fees. That price comes from doola's own pricing page, checked on 12 October 2026. Buying the pieces separately can cost less than the top plan: Firstbase's start fee, yearly agent and tax package for a single-member LLC owned by a non-US citizen come to $1,297 in year one, before state fees and bookkeeping.
Stripe Atlas suits a Delaware C-corp that plans to raise money. For an agent alone, Harbor Compliance's prepaid three-year plan is the lowest total we could confirm, at $297. Bizee gives a new LLC its first agent year free, but its page prints no renewal price.
Key facts8 tools compared: doola, Firstbase, Stripe Atlas, ZenBusiness, Harbor Compliance, InCorp…
- 8 tools compared: doola, Firstbase, Stripe Atlas, ZenBusiness, Harbor Compliance, InCorp, LegalZoom, Bizee
- Firstbase (best for: Non-US owners of single-member LLCs who want the agent and tax filing from one provider): Start $99 one-time (list $399); agent $299/yr per state; $899/yr tax package for single-member, non-US-owned LLCs
- Stripe Atlas (best for: Founders who want a Delaware C-corp ready to raise money, not a bookkeeping or tax service): US$500 one-time setup, including government fees and year one of the agent; US$100/yr after
- ZenBusiness (best for: Buyers who want to add each service one at a time and see its price before they add it): Formation from $0 plus state fees; agent $199/yr; EIN $99 one-time
A registered agent receives legal papers and state letters for your company. LegalZoom's own page says most states require one. A founder who lives outside the US also needs an EIN, a tax filing plan and a set of books, and the providers below sell those jobs in different combinations.
This page ranks them for that founder, on what each plan includes and what it prints in US dollars.
Finpresso data: Of the eight providers we read on their own US pricing pages on 12 October 2026, six print a yearly agent fee on a one-year term, from Harbor's new-customer rate up to Firstbase's per-state fee.
Two print no standalone yearly agent price: doola lists an agent inside its plans without saying which one includes it, and Bizee gives a new LLC a free first year.
Top Picks
Based on features, real-world fit, and value for money.
Three plans, all billed yearly: Starter, Tax and Compliance, and Business-in-a-Box at $2,999/yr, plus state fees
Founders abroad who want formation, EIN, tax filings and bookkeeping under one subscription
The only tax package here written for a single-member LLC owned by a non-US citizen or resident.
Start $99 one-time (list $399); agent $299/yr per state; $899/yr tax package for single-member, non-US-owned LLCs
Non-US owners of single-member LLCs who want the agent and tax filing from one provider
A Delaware incorporation with the first agent year built into the setup fee, then a yearly renewal.
US$500 one-time setup, including government fees and year one of the agent; US$100/yr after
Founders who want a Delaware C-corp ready to raise money, not a bookkeeping or tax service
| Tool | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| doola | Three plans, all billed yearly: Starter, Tax and Compliance, and Business-in-a-Box at $2,999/yr, plus state fees | Founders abroad who want formation, EIN, tax filings and bookkeeping under one subscription |
| Firstbase | Start $99 one-time (list $399); agent $299/yr per state; $899/yr tax package for single-member, non-US-owned LLCs | Non-US owners of single-member LLCs who want the agent and tax filing from one provider |
| Stripe Atlas | US$500 one-time setup, including government fees and year one of the agent; US$100/yr after | Founders who want a Delaware C-corp ready to raise money, not a bookkeeping or tax service |
| ZenBusiness | Formation from $0 plus state fees; agent $199/yr; EIN $99 one-time | Buyers who want to add each service one at a time and see its price before they add it |
| Harbor Compliance | $99 first year for new customers, renewing at $159/yr; 3-year prepaid plan $297 total | Agent-only buyers who will prepay for three years to hold the first-year rate |
| InCorp | $129/yr flat in every state; prepaid 3-year term $105/yr ($315); prepaid 5-year term $87/yr | Buyers who will keep the agent for years and want one flat rate in every state |
| LegalZoom | Registered agent $249/yr, auto-renewing at the purchase rate, which the company says may change | Buyers who already have their EIN and filings and want the agent alone from a known brand |
| Bizee | Start an LLC for $0 plus state fees; each new LLC gets one free year of agent service | New LLCs that want the first agent year at no charge |
Pricing read from each vendor's own pricing page, checked Oct 2026. Every vendor here publishes a price.
- Pricing
- Three plans, all billed yearly: Starter, Tax and Compliance, and Business-in-a-Box at $2,999/yr, plus state fees
Best for: Founders abroad who want formation, EIN, tax filings and bookkeeping under one subscription
Pros
- Business-in-a-Box adds monthly financial statements, synced bookkeeping and quarterly tax estimates on top of the tax filings.
- Its FAQ says it works with entrepreneurs from around the world and that US citizenship is not required.
Cons
- State fees come on top of every plan, so the printed price is not the full first-year bill.
- Its comparison table lists a registered agent but does not say which plan includes it. Confirm that before you buy the top plan.
Firstbase
The only tax package here written for a single-member LLC owned by a non-US citizen or resident.
- Pricing
- Start $99 one-time (list $399); agent $299/yr per state; $899/yr tax package for single-member, non-US-owned LLCs
Best for: Non-US owners of single-member LLCs who want the agent and tax filing from one provider
Pros
- Start covers company formation in Delaware or Wyoming and an expedited EIN, and its page calls the start price an offer against a $399 list price.
- The tax package lists unlimited Forms 5472 and 1099 filings, a pro forma Form 1120 and an extension if one is needed.
Cons
- The agent is $299 a year per state, the highest yearly agent price on this list.
- Accounting is quoted by monthly expense, and Firstbase One bundles it at $2,388 a year, so the full stack takes several purchases to total.
Stripe Atlas
A Delaware incorporation with the first agent year built into the setup fee, then a yearly renewal.
- Pricing
- US$500 one-time setup, including government fees and year one of the agent; US$100/yr after
Best for: Founders who want a Delaware C-corp ready to raise money, not a bookkeeping or tax service
Pros
- The setup fee covers government fees and year one of agent service, so the first year has no separate agent bill.
- Atlas also files the 83(b) election and issues founder stock as part of the setup.
Cons
- Its page lists no bookkeeping or tax-filing product, so the bundle stops at incorporation and the agent.
- The US$500 is not a like-for-like agent price, because it also pays the government fees for a Delaware corporation.
ZenBusiness
Each service has its own printed price, from a $0 formation start to a yearly agent fee.
- Pricing
- Formation from $0 plus state fees; agent $199/yr; EIN $99 one-time
Best for: Buyers who want to add each service one at a time and see its price before they add it
Pros
- Every add-on prints its own price, so you can see the full bill before you add anything.
- The agent is one annual fee, so the three-year cost is simple to work out before you buy.
Cons
- The EIN line adds a one-time charge on top of the $199 yearly agent fee.
- At $199 a year the agent costs more than InCorp's $129 flat rate, and its worry-free compliance filings are a further yearly fee.
Harbor Compliance
The lowest prepaid three-year agent total we could confirm, with a $159 renewal once the term ends.
- Pricing
- $99 first year for new customers, renewing at $159/yr; 3-year prepaid plan $297 total
Best for: Agent-only buyers who will prepay for three years to hold the first-year rate
Pros
- The 3-year plan holds the first-year rate for the whole term, which beats InCorp's $315 three-year total.
- The page prints the renewal next to the offer, so the step-up is visible before you order.
Cons
- The renewal rises about 61 percent over the new-customer rate, to $159.
- The price on the page is for the agent service, so the EIN, filings and books are not included in it.
InCorp
A flat agent price in every state that falls with longer prepaid terms, down to $87 a year over five years.
- Pricing
- $129/yr flat in every state; prepaid 3-year term $105/yr ($315); prepaid 5-year term $87/yr
Best for: Buyers who will keep the agent for years and want one flat rate in every state
Pros
- The page says there is never a surprise renewal increase, which is the question to ask of any agent price.
- The site also starts a business from $99 plus state fees, so a founder can buy formation and the agent from one vendor.
Cons
- The printed prices cover the agent and a formation start only, not tax filing or bookkeeping.
- The $87 five-year rate is paid up front for the whole term, so the cash outlay is larger than the yearly figure suggests.
LegalZoom
An agent-only plan with one yearly fee and a renewal rate the company says is subject to change.
- Pricing
- Registered agent $249/yr, auto-renewing at the purchase rate, which the company says may change
Best for: Buyers who already have their EIN and filings and want the agent alone from a known brand
Pros
- The page prints one plain yearly figure, and the plan says you can cancel at any time.
- The agent is sold on its own, with no formation or tax bundle to buy first.
Cons
- The renewal rate is subject to change, so the three-year cost is open: $747 only if today's rate holds.
- At $249 a year the agent costs nearly double InCorp's one-year $129 rate.
Bizee
The lowest first-year agent cost here, at nothing, with no renewal price printed.
- Pricing
- Start an LLC for $0 plus state fees; each new LLC gets one free year of agent service
Best for: New LLCs that want the first agent year at no charge
Pros
- New LLCs get one free year of registered agent service, the lowest first-year agent cost on this list.
- Starting an LLC carries a $0 price before state fees, which keeps the entry point low.
Cons
- Bizee publishes no agent renewal price after the free year, so a three-year cost cannot be worked out.
- The free year comes inside a formation package, so a founder who wants the agent alone may find the offer does not fit.
What it is
A registered agent is the company a state names to accept service of process and official mail for a business. Its yearly fee is separate from the state fee that forms the company, and separate from the EIN, which the IRS issues without a charge.
A vendor that sells all three is selling a bundle, and the bundle is where the prices diverge.
Why it matters
The renewal line sets the real bill, so read the second-year price before the first. Harbor's new-customer rate is $99, but its page says the rate renews at $159.
LegalZoom charges $249 a year and says its renewal rate is subject to change, so its three-year total stays open.
For a founder abroad, the bigger gap is what an agent-only plan leaves out. It does nothing for the EIN, the federal return or the books.
A cheap agent can still leave three jobs to find elsewhere, so this ranking puts multi-part plans above single services. A foreign-owned LLC also files Form 5472, which our Form 5472 guide covers.
Key features to look for
Pricing
Every price here is the figure each provider prints in US dollars, read on its own pricing page on 12 October 2026: doola, Firstbase, Stripe Atlas, ZenBusiness, Harbor Compliance, InCorp, LegalZoom and Bizee.
The EIN line is checked against the IRS online EIN page.
Methodology: we read eight provider pages on 12 October 2026 and used the USD figure each one prints.
Where a provider prints a first-year and a renewal price, both appear. The ranking applies three tests in order: whether one plan covers the founder's list of formation, EIN, agent, tax filings and bookkeeping, whether the provider sells to owners outside the US, and what the printed plans cost per year.
Agent-only providers rank lower because the founder still has to buy the rest. Some vendor links are affiliate links, doola among them.
Our arithmetic: Firstbase's start, agent and tax package add to $1,297 in year one, before state fees, against $1,999 for doola's Tax and Compliance plan.
That comparison leaves out bookkeeping. Firstbase One, at $2,388 a year, bundles an accounting add-on that is quoted by monthly expense, so its full cost depends on monthly expenses.
Stripe Atlas's $500 includes government fees, so it is not a like-for-like agent price, and its renewal is the yearly fee printed after year one.
The EIN itself is free from the IRS.
The online form needs the responsible party's Social Security number or ITIN, and a business whose principal place of business is outside the US applies by phone, fax or mail, the IRS says.
ZenBusiness charges a one-time fee for an EIN line, but the number itself costs nothing.
After the company exists, three jobs remain: the bank account, the books and the foreign-owner filings.
Our business bank accounts and bookkeeping services reviews cover the first two.
Mercury's pricing page describes its business checking and savings as free, and it sells no registered agent, so it fits the bank step only (Mercury on Toolradar). doola's profile is also on Toolradar.
| Plan | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| doola Starter | $297/yr + state fees | Formation, EIN and a US business address, billed annually |
| doola Tax and Compliance | $1,999/yr + state fees | Starter plus federal and state tax filing and a 1:1 tax consultation |
| doola Business-in-a-Box | $2,999/yr + state fees | Tax and Compliance plus monthly financial statements, synced bookkeeping and quarterly tax estimates |
| Firstbase Start | $99 one-time (list $399) | Company formation in Delaware or Wyoming and an expedited EIN; an agent is required |
| Firstbase Registered Agent | $299/yr per state | Registered agent service, priced per state and separate from the tax package |
| Firstbase tax package, non-US-owned single-member LLC | $899/yr per package | Forms 5472 and 1099 filings, pro forma Form 1120 and an extension if one is needed |
| Firstbase One | $2,388/yr, billed yearly | Bundle that includes the accounting add-on, which is quoted by monthly expense |
| Stripe Atlas | US$500 one-time, then US$100/yr | Delaware incorporation, with government fees and year one of agent service inside the setup fee |
| ZenBusiness Registered Agent | $199/yr | Agent for a new or existing business, with state correspondence handled for you |
| Harbor Compliance 3-year plan | $297 total | Prepaid for three years, renewing at $159 after the term |
| InCorp 3-year term | $315 total ($105/yr) | Prepaid term with one flat rate in every state; the 1-year term is $129 a year |
| LegalZoom Registered Agent | $249/yr | Auto-renews at the purchase rate, which the company says may change |
| Bizee Registered Agent | $0 to start, then no renewal price printed | One free year of agent service for each new LLC |
The bottom line
Open doola's Business-in-a-Box if you want one subscription for formation, the EIN, tax filings and bookkeeping, and confirm the agent before you pay. Choose Firstbase if you want the non-US tax package and will buy the pieces separately.
For a Delaware C-corp that plans to raise money, pick Stripe Atlas, and for an agent alone, Harbor's prepaid three-year plan is the lowest total we could confirm.
For the state side of the bill and the three-year agent math, read our registered agent cost page and the LLC cost guide.
Disclosure: some vendor links on this page are affiliate links, and doola is one of them. This page is general information, not personalized financial advice. Confirm the current price and renewal terms with each provider before you buy.
Cite this: Finpresso, "Best Registered Agent Services in 2026: Prices Compared", October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best registered agent service in 2026?
How much does a registered agent cost per year?
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Some offers on this page may be paid placements or contain affiliate links.
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