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The Startup JudgeRankings of registered agents, LLC formation and foreign registration services in all 50 states.

Foreign registration · Nationwide

3 Best Foreign Registration Services (2026)

The 2026 ruling from The Startup Judge on the best foreign registration services: Mainstay Filing ($199), MN Registered Agent.org ($199) and GA Registered Agent.org ($199). The ruling nationally goes to Mainstay Filing, since its fee is $199 beyond the state's in any state, the first year of registered agent service is included, and renewal is $149 a year.
The Startup Judge editorial team
No.1
The national ruling

1. Mainstay Filing: best for a business in any state

Year one is $199 with the state fee extra; after that, $149 yearly to retain the agent

Score9.2out of 10

First place nationally: Mainstay Filing. Its fee is $199 beyond the state's in any state, the first year of registered agent service is included, and renewal is $149 a year.

Across three years it costs $100 more than MN Registered Agent.org does in Minnesota. The difference pays for one account in every state.

In the price

  • Preparation and filing of the registration
  • A registered agent at no charge for year one
  • Papers served on the company are scanned within the business day, free

Why pick it

  • All fifty states for $199
  • Renews for $149
  • Same-day scanning of legal papers, no fee

Weak spots

  • Priced above the single-state agents
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. The full ruling on Mainstay Filing
No.2
Best for Minnesota

2. MN Registered Agent.org: best for Minnesota businesses

$199 and the state's fee up front, then $99 annually to retain the agent

Score9.0out of 10

Second place: MN Registered Agent.org. Registration in Minnesota costs $199 beyond the state fee, with a year of agent service included, then $99 a year.

Minnesota is its home territory, and it suits a business operating there.

In the price

  • The Minnesota registration, prepared and lodged
  • A first year of registered agent service in Minnesota

Why pick it

  • $99 at renewal, below Mainstay Filing
  • Renews for $99
  • Served papers are scanned to your account

Weak spots

  • Confined to Minnesota
  • You handle the yearly report yourself
No.3
Best for Georgia

3. GA Registered Agent.org: best for Georgia businesses

$199 to begin, state fee added, followed by $99 a year to retain the agent

Score8.9out of 10

Third place: GA Registered Agent.org. Registration in Georgia costs $199 beyond the state fee, with a year of agent service included, then $99 a year.

Georgia is its home territory, and it suits a business operating there.

In the price

  • The Georgia registration, prepared and lodged
  • A first year of registered agent service in Georgia

Why pick it

  • Renewal of $99, under Mainstay Filing's
  • From the second year: $99
  • Papers served on the company arrive as online scans

Weak spots

  • Any other state means another provider
  • Annual report filing is not offered

The 3 rulings in brief

RankServiceOur scoreService feeYear twoBest forLink
1Mainstay Filing9.2$199$149/yrBest for founders anywhere in the countryVisit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2MN Registered Agent.org9.0$199$99/yrBest for Minnesota businessesVisit MN Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3GA Registered Agent.org8.9$199$99/yrBest for Georgia businessesVisit GA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
The 10-point scores are editorial. They apply the criteria on How we rank and do not draw on customer ratings.

Foreign Registration: three-year cost at 2026 prices

ServiceYear oneYear twoYear threeThree-year total
Mainstay Filing$199$149$149$497
MN Registered Agent.org$199$99$99$397
GA Registered Agent.org$199$99$99$397
Service charges come from each provider's own pages, read November 12, 2026. State providers price only their own state, and every provider adds the state's filing fee at cost.

How we picked the order

Charge over three years and work taken off the founder are weighted 31% each; renewal conduct, fit with local rules and pricing in plain sight account for the other 38%. In a national ranking, coverage is decisive: only one provider here operates in every state at a single price. MN Registered Agent.org (Minnesota) and GA Registered Agent.org (Georgia) cost less than Mainstay over three years in their home states, which earns them second and third place for businesses there.

Registered agents across states

The registered agent requirement is set state by state: each state in which a company is formed or registered needs its own agent on file. Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia handle the requirement differently; consult their state pages. One national provider consolidates every renewal in a single account. A state specialist may cost less, but only inside its own state.

Rankings by state

Each state page sets Mainstay Filing against that state's own agents and applies the state's fees, forms and deadlines. See the rulings by state.

Questions on Foreign Registration Services

Which foreign registration services does the record favor in 2026?

The 2026 order, first to last: Mainstay Filing, MN Registered Agent.org and GA Registered Agent.org.

What does a foreign registration service charge?

Charges on this list begin at $199 and reach $199, excluding the state fee.

Is any single provider valid in every state?

Only Mainstay Filing. It serves all fifty states at one price; every state provider here serves just one.

Are state fees counted in these charges?

They are not. The state's filing fee is extra with every provider and differs by state.

Why do single-state providers appear in a national ranking?

A business that never leaves one state may pay less to a local specialist. MN Registered Agent.org is our pick for Minnesota businesses; GA Registered Agent.org for Georgia businesses.

How was the order reached?

Through five weighted criteria, laid out on How we rank: charge over three years, work taken off the founder, renewal conduct, fit with local rules and pricing in plain sight.

More from us

The record

  1. Exhibit: Mainstay Filing, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
  2. Exhibit: MN Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
  3. Exhibit: GA Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026