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Formation Scorecard

Foreign registration · Nationwide

3 Best Foreign Registration Services (2026)

On the Formation Scorecard 2026 scorecard for foreign registration services the order reads Mainstay Filing ($199), Kentucky Registered Agent.co ($199) and IL Registered Agent.org ($199). Mainstay Filing posts the top nationwide score: $199 plus the state's fee wherever you register, with the first agent year included and $149 a year after.
Researched and written by the Formation Scorecard editorial team
Rank #1 Top nationwide score

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

9.5 Editor score out of 10
$199 up front with the state fee added; $149 yearly later for agent service

Mainstay Filing leads the national card: $199 plus the state's fee wherever you register, with the first agent year included and $149 a year after.

Its three-year total is $100 above Kentucky Registered Agent.co in Kentucky, and that gap pays for coverage in every state.

What you get

  • Your registration paperwork, filed
  • A registered agent free for the first year
  • Legal papers served on the company scanned free on the same business day

Strengths

  • The same $199 in every state
  • Renewal: $149
  • Same-day scanning of legal papers, no fee

Watch for

  • Higher yearly price than the state picks
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Mainstay Filing: the full write-up
Rank #2 Best for Kentucky

2. Kentucky Registered Agent.co: best for Kentucky businesses

9.2 Editor score out of 10
First-year $199, state fee extra, then $99 per year for agent service

Kentucky Registered Agent.co takes second spot: $199 plus the state fee to register in Kentucky, year-one agent service included, then $99 a year.

Kentucky is its base, so it fits a company working there.

What you get

  • Registration in Kentucky, prepared and filed
  • A first year of registered agent service in Kentucky

Strengths

  • Renews for less than Mainstay Filing ($99)
  • Year-two price is $99
  • Scans of served papers delivered online

Watch for

  • Made for Kentucky; other states need another agent
  • Report filing is not included
Visit Kentucky Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Kentucky Registered Agent.co: the full write-up
Rank #3 Best for Illinois

3. IL Registered Agent.org: best for Illinois businesses

8.9 Editor score out of 10
$199 at the start and $99 a year for agent service from year two, state fee on top

IL Registered Agent.org takes third spot: $199 plus the state fee to register in Illinois, year-one agent service included, then $99 a year.

Illinois is its base, so it fits a company working there.

What you get

  • Registration in Illinois, prepared and filed
  • A first year of registered agent service in Illinois

Strengths

  • Renewal of $99 is below the national pick
  • $99 each year from year two
  • Served legal papers are scanned to your account

Watch for

  • No help outside Illinois
  • You handle report filing
Visit IL Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. IL Registered Agent.org: the full write-up

The 3 entries on one card

Rank Service Our score Service fee Year two Best for Link
1 Mainstay Filing 9.5 $199 $149/yr Best for founders in every state Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Kentucky Registered Agent.co 9.2 $199 $99/yr Best for Kentucky businesses Visit Kentucky Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 IL Registered Agent.org 8.9 $199 $99/yr Best for Illinois businesses Visit IL Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Formation Scorecard assigns each mark out of 10 itself, using the weighted criteria on How we rank. No customer ratings feed in.

Foreign Registration: three-year tally, 2026 prices

Service Year one Year two Year three Three-year total
Mainstay Filing $199 $149 $149 $497
Kentucky Registered Agent.co $199 $99 $99 $397
IL Registered Agent.org $199 $99 $99 $397

Service fees as listed on each company's site, read November 12, 2026. State services price only their own state, and each service adds the state's filing fee at cost.

Why this order

The two heavy criteria, cost across three years and coverage of the price, are worth 25% each. Renewal terms, state-by-state fit and pricing clarity account for the remaining 50%. On a national card coverage decides: just one provider here works in every state at a single price. Kentucky Registered Agent.co (Kentucky) and IL Registered Agent.org (Illinois) cost less over three years in their home states, and that wins them spots two and three for companies there.

Covering more than one state

Registered agents work state by state: every state where the company is formed or registered wants its own agent on file. Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia work differently on this point, so see their state cards. A national provider means one account and one renewal date. A state specialist may charge less, but only at home.

Pick your state

Each state card sets Mainstay Filing beside that state's own agents and uses the state's fees, forms and deadlines. See the state cards.

Foreign Registration Services: quick questions

What are the top-scoring foreign registration services for 2026?

The 2026 card reads Mainstay Filing, Kentucky Registered Agent.co and IL Registered Agent.org, top to bottom.

What does a foreign registration service usually cost?

Prices on this card start at $199 and top out at $199 before the state fee.

Can a single provider serve every state?

Only Mainstay Filing. It covers all fifty states at one price, and each of the two state services is limited to its own state.

Are state fees part of these prices?

No. The state charges its own filing fee, and every service adds it on top at cost.

What are single-state services doing on a nationwide card?

A company that never leaves one state may find a local service cheaper than a national one. Kentucky Registered Agent.co is our pick for Kentucky businesses; IL Registered Agent.org for Illinois businesses.

How was this card marked?

With five weighted criteria, listed on How we rank: cost across three years, coverage of the price, renewal terms, state-by-state fit and pricing clarity.

Read next

Where the figures come from

  1. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for Mainstay Filing
  2. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for Kentucky Registered Agent.co
  3. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for IL Registered Agent.org