Registered Agent Cost Compare › Compare › Mainstay Filing vs LegalZoom vs Harbor Compliance
Mainstay Filing vs LegalZoom vs Harbor Compliance: Registered Agent Cost Over 1, 3 and 5 Years
Over five years, registered agent only: Mainstay Filing $745, LegalZoom $1,245, Harbor Compliance $735. Mainstay Filing is our pick if you want a price that does not change at renewal; Harbor Compliance costs the least in year one.
LegalZoom vs Harbor Compliance, which registered agent is cheaper?
| Provider | Year 1 | Each year after | 3 years | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $149 | $149 | $447 | $745 |
| LegalZoom | $249 | $249 | $747 | $1,245 |
| Harbor Compliance | $99 | $159 | $417 | $735 |
What is included, and where each wins
Mainstay Filing: Service of process is scanned and uploaded the same business day at no fee. The first three government mailings a year are scanned free; after that a per-piece fee applies. There is no add-on menu: no EIN add-on, no operating-agreement upcharge, no rush tier and no compliance plan.
LegalZoom: Alerts when mail arrives; documents scanned and uploaded; annual report reminders. Price for first-time agent customers. Auto-renews at the purchase rate; LegalZoom says the renewal rate is subject to change. Read October 20, 2026.
Harbor Compliance: Documents delivered to a client portal; annual report reminders. $99 for the first year for new customers, then $159/yr. Prepaying two or three years keeps $99/yr for those years. Read October 20, 2026.
Questions
LegalZoom vs Harbor Compliance, which registered agent is cheaper?
Year one: Harbor Compliance. Three years: Harbor Compliance. Five years: Harbor Compliance. Mainstay Filing is $149 a year with no step-up.
What does each include?
Mainstay Filing: Service of process is scanned and uploaded the same business day at no fee. The first three government mailings a year are scanned free; after that a per-piece fee applies. LegalZoom: Alerts when mail arrives; documents scanned and uploaded; annual report reminders. Harbor Compliance: Documents delivered to a client portal; annual report reminders.