No.1
Top of the national ranking
1. Mainstay Filing: best for businesses in whichever state
$149 yearly, no change
Score9.2out of 10
First place nationally: Mainstay Filing. Its single $149 yearly plan applies in every state and renews at $149, with three government letters a year scanned at no cost.
Across three years it costs $150 more than Montana Registered Agent.co does in Montana. The difference pays for one account in every state.
In the price
- A physical address in each state where you file
- Same-business-day scanning of legal papers served, free of charge
- No fee to scan your first three government mailings annually
- Compliance reminders
Why pick it
- All fifty states for $149
- No increase on renewal
- Same-day scanning of legal papers, no fee
Weak spots
- Dearer than a local agent
No.2
Best for Montana
2. Montana Registered Agent.co: best for Montana businesses
$99 yearly, no change
Score9.0out of 10
Second place: Montana Registered Agent.co. It charges $99 a year, holding at renewal, for a business that operates only in Montana.
Montana is its home territory, and it suits a business operating there.
In the price
- An in-state registered office address
- Anything served on the company is scanned and made available online
Why pick it
- A lower starting price than the national pick
- The price holds at renewal
- You read scans of served papers in your account
Weak spots
- Confined to Montana
- It does not cover report filing
No.3
Best for Hawaii
3. Hawaii Registered Agent.co: best for Hawaii businesses
$99 yearly, no change
Score8.8out of 10
Third place: Hawaii Registered Agent.co. It charges $99 a year, holding at renewal, for a business that operates only in Hawaii.
Hawaii is its home territory, and it suits a business operating there.
In the price
- A physical address in the state for the registered office
- Anything served on the company is scanned and made available online
Why pick it
- A $99 a year opening price lower than the national pick's
- Constant from year to year
- Served papers are scanned to your account
Weak spots
- Confined to Hawaii
- You handle the yearly report yourself
The 3 rulings in brief
| Rank | Service | Our score | Annual price | Renewal price | Best for | Link |
|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | 9.2 | $149 | $149/yr | Best for companies likely to expand into other states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 2 | Montana Registered Agent.co | 9.0 | $99 | $99/yr | Best for Montana businesses | Visit Montana Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
| 3 | Hawaii Registered Agent.co | 8.8 | $99 | $99/yr | Best for Hawaii businesses | Visit Hawaii Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
Scores out of 10 are editorial marks set by The Startup Judge from the criteria on
How we rank. They are not customer ratings.
Registered Agent: three-year cost at 2026 prices
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year total |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $149 | $149 | $149 | $447 |
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| Montana Registered Agent.co | $99 | $99 | $99 | $297 |
|---|
| Hawaii Registered Agent.co | $99 | $99 | $99 | $297 |
|---|
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. Montana Registered Agent.co (Montana) and Hawaii Registered Agent.co (Hawaii) cost less than Mainstay over three years in their home states, which earns them second and third place for businesses there.
Do you need an agent in every state?
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.
Find your 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 Registered Agents
Which registered agents does the record favor in 2026?
The 2026 order, first to last: Mainstay Filing, Montana Registered Agent.co and Hawaii Registered Agent.co.
What does a registered agent charge?
Charges on this list begin at $99 and reach $149 a year.
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. Montana Registered Agent.co is our pick for Montana businesses; Hawaii Registered Agent.co for Hawaii 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.
The record
- Exhibit: Mainstay Filing, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: Montana Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: Hawaii Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026