What Claude (Anthropic) with web search answered for registered agent services (small businesses) on 2026-09-16

Claude (Anthropic) with web search claude-opus-5 asked 2026-09-16

Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.

The question asked, verbatim: best registered agent services for small businesses

Brands named, in the order the engine gave

1. Northwest Registered Agent mentioned
   Northwest Registered Agent - $125/yr flat.
2. Harbor Compliance mentioned
   Harbor Compliance - ~$99 first year, $149 renewal.
3. MyCompanyWorks mentioned
   MyCompanyWorks - $119/yr.
4. ZenBusiness mentioned
   ZenBusiness or LegalZoom - $199 and $249/yr.
5. LegalZoom mentioned
   ZenBusiness or LegalZoom - $199 and $249/yr.
6. CT Corporation mentioned
   Skip: CT Corporation ($436/yr) and CSC ($300-450/state).
7. CSC mentioned
   Skip: CT Corporation ($436/yr) and CSC ($300-450/state).
8. Switching mentioned
   Switching is easy and cheap.

Sources the engine cited

The answer, as recorded

## My short list **1. Northwest Registered Agent - $125/yr flat.** This is what I'd tell most small businesses to just go buy. Flat price with no year-two jump, they scan every document they receive (not just service of process), and their privacy handling is the best in the category: they put *their* address into every public field the state allows, not only the registered-agent line. That matters a lot if you're running a business from your home and don't want your street address in a searchable state database. Support is US-based and you get a human. No upsell carousel. **2. Harbor Compliance - ~$99 first year, $149 renewal.** Better than Northwest in one specific case: you're registered in several states. Harbor discounts multi-state orders (Northwest charges the same $125 per state, every state), and their Entity Manager software plus compliance reminders are included rather than sold as an add-on. For a single-state LLC, Northwest is cheaper over three years ($375 vs. $397) and simpler, so only go Harbor if you're multi-state or genuinely need the compliance calendar. **3. MyCompanyWorks - $119/yr.** The cheapest renewal rate among the credible national providers, with same-day filing on orders before 3pm ET and a solid compliance reminder system. A fine choice if the $6/yr matters to you, though at that margin I'd still take Northwest's privacy handling. **4. Registered Agents Inc - ~$200/yr.** Owns its own offices in all 50 states rather than subcontracting addresses, which only matters if you're in a regulated category where the agent's physical location gets scrutinized. Strong customer service ratings. Downside: formation pricing isn't published - it's a sales conversation, not a number. **5. ZenBusiness or LegalZoom - $199 and $249/yr.** I'd name these only if you're *already* using them for formation or legal services and value the single dashboard. On registered agent service alone they're overpriced: ZenBusiness runs $597 over three years vs. Northwest's $375, and its Worry-Free Compliance is another $199/yr on top. **Skip: CT Corporation ($436/yr) and CSC ($300-450/state).** These are the enterprise standard and they're excellent, but you're paying a 3-5x premium for entity-management platforms, dedicated account teams, UCC services, and international coverage that a small business will not use. Genuinely worth it for multi-entity holding structures or law firms managing client filings - not for your LLC. ## Two things worth knowing before you buy **You can be your own registered agent for free** in every state, as long as you have a physical street address (no PO boxes) in the state and are there during business hours. The reasons to pay someone are privacy, not being served a lawsuit in front of a customer, and not missing a state notice while you're on vacation. If none of those apply, don't spend the money. **Switching is easy and cheap.** It's usually a one-page state form and a small filing fee, so don't over-research this - pick Northwest, and change later if your situation changes. One caveat on the sourcing: nearly every "best registered agent" roundup online is affiliate-monetized, including several below, and the rankings shift with commission rates. The pricing figures are verifiable on the providers' own sites; treat the rankings as directional. Sources: - [Best Registered Agent Services of 2026 - True Cost Comparison](https://registeredagentcost.com/best-registered-agent-service/) - [Harbor Compliance vs Northwest: The Year-2 Price Jump](https://registeredagentguides.com/blog/harbor-vs-northwest-registered-agent/) - [Northwest Registered Agent Review: Why $125 Flat Wins (2026)](https://registeredagentcost.com/northwest-registered-agent-review/) - [ZenBusiness Registered Agent Renewal: What You Pay in Year 2](https://registeredagentguides.com/blog/zenbusiness-registered-agent-renewal/) - [Northwest vs Registered Agents Inc in 2026](https://ecommerceparadise.com/northwest-registered-agent-vs-registered-agents-inc/) - [CSC Registered Agent Pricing: What Enterprise Service Costs](https://registeredagentguides.com/blog/csc-registered-agent-pricing/) - [Registered Agents Inc vs CT Corporation vs CSC](https://sacrps.com/registered-agents-inc-vs-ct-csc-small-business/) - [7 Best Registered Agent Services of 2026 - Startup Savant](https://startupsavant.com/best-registered-agent-services) - [Best Registered Agent Services for Your LLC - LLC University](https://www.llcuniversity.com/best-registered-agent-service/)

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Answer Watch records what one AI answer engine said on one date, nothing more. Each page names the engine and the model, carries the date the question was asked, and lists the brands that appeared in the answer in the order the engine gave them, with the sources it cited. It is a measurement, not a ranking, not a recommendation and not a claim about the world. Brands that did not appear in an answer are not named on any public page. Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.