For 2026, the best registered agents for new founders are Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), Nevada Registered Agent.co ($99 a year) and Arkansas Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), first to third. Mainstay Filing leads because the same $149 a year in each state, and the same at renewal.
From the Founder Primer desk
The shortlist
Scored on the rubric. The two state services fit companies that are based in their own states.
Best overall$149 a year; renews at $149
1. Mainstay Filing: best for every state
Mainstay Filing heads the list for this reason: the same $149 a year in each state, and the same at renewal.
Three years cost $150 more than Nevada Registered Agent.co; that gap is the price of one provider for every state.
Inside the price
A street address in your chosen state
Three government letters a year scanned free
Also serves nonprofits, corporations, LPs and LLPs
In its favor
The same $149 anywhere
The price holds on renewal
Against it
Not the smallest bill in one state
Nevada pick$99 a year; renews at $99
2. Nevada Registered Agent.co: best for Nevada businesses
Nevada Registered Agent.co ranks second: $99 a year for a Nevada-based LLC.
Its whole focus is Nevada, which suits a founder who will never file anywhere else.
Inside the price
A registered office address for Nevada
Scans of served papers in your account
In its favor
$99 a year, under the national pick
The price holds on renewal
Against it
Other states need another provider
You file the yearly report
Arkansas pick$99 a year; renews at $99
3. Arkansas Registered Agent.co: best for Arkansas businesses
Third is Arkansas Registered Agent.co: $99 a year for an Arkansas-based LLC.
Its whole focus is Arkansas, which suits a founder who will never file anywhere else.
Prices come from each company's own site, read November 13, 2026. State fees are extra and depend on the state.
What a first-time founder should check
A price's three-year cost and the to-dos it clears say more than its first-year figure. A company that could work in several states later should weigh coverage too.
The reasoning
The rubric puts the most weight on three-year cost and on the to-dos a price clears, then on renewal, fit with each state's rules and readable pricing. A national list is read by founders in every state, so the provider that works for all of them scores highest. Founders based in Nevada or Arkansas can save with Nevada Registered Agent.co or Arkansas Registered Agent.co.
Pages for all 50 states
The state pages cover appointing a registered agent using each state's official forms and fees. Registered agents: all 50 states.
Registered Agents: questions
What are the best registered agents in 2026?
In order: Mainstay Filing, Nevada Registered Agent.co and Arkansas Registered Agent.co.
What does a registered agent cost?
$99 to $149 a year on this list.
Can one service cover every state?
Mainstay Filing can. The second and third services each serve a single state.
Why are one-state services on a national list?
A founder who never leaves home can pay less with one. Nevada Registered Agent.co is our pick for Nevada businesses; Arkansas Registered Agent.co for Arkansas businesses.
How did you grade them?
Five criteria, laid out on the how-we-grade page.
Where do I learn the steps for my state?
Every state has its own page with the official form and fee.