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Formation Scorecard

Registered agents · Nationwide

3 Best Registered Agents (2026)

On the Formation Scorecard 2026 scorecard for registered agents the order reads Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), NY Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) and Colorado Registered Agent.co ($99 a year). Mainstay Filing posts the top nationwide score: a single $149 yearly plan covers every state, renewing at $149, and the first three government mailings each year are scanned for free.
Researched and written by the Formation Scorecard editorial team
Rank #1 Highest score, all states

1. Mainstay Filing: best for businesses in all fifty states

9.4 Editor score out of 10
$149 a year, no change on renewal

Mainstay Filing leads the national card: a single $149 yearly plan covers every state, renewing at $149, and the first three government mailings each year are scanned for free.

Its three-year total is $150 above NY Registered Agent.org in New York, and that gap pays for coverage in every state.

What you get

  • An address in the state where you file
  • No-cost scan and upload of served papers within the same business day
  • Your first three pieces of government mail each year, scanned free
  • Compliance reminders

Strengths

  • The same $149 in every state
  • Same price every year
  • Same-day scanning of legal papers, no fee

Watch for

  • Yearly price tops the state specialists
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Mainstay Filing: the full write-up
Rank #2 Best for New York

2. NY Registered Agent.org: best for New York businesses

8.9 Editor score out of 10
$99 a year, no change on renewal

NY Registered Agent.org takes second spot: $99 a year, steady at renewal, for a company based only in New York.

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

What you get

  • The in-state street address the state expects on file
  • Online scans of each legal paper served on the company

Strengths

  • Costs less than Mainstay Filing at $99 a year
  • Price stays put at renewal
  • Scans of served papers delivered online

Watch for

  • No help outside New York
  • You file the yearly report
Visit NY Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. NY Registered Agent.org: the full write-up
Rank #3 Best for Colorado

3. Colorado Registered Agent.co: best for Colorado businesses

8.7 Editor score out of 10
$99 a year, no change on renewal

Colorado Registered Agent.co takes third spot: $99 a year, steady at renewal, for a company based only in Colorado.

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

What you get

  • A state street address serving as the registered office
  • Legal papers served on the company are scanned and sent to your online account

Strengths

  • $99 a year, beating the national pick on price
  • Renewal price is unchanged
  • Served legal papers are scanned to your account

Watch for

  • No help outside Colorado
  • You file the yearly report
Visit Colorado Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Colorado Registered Agent.co: the full write-up

The 3 entries on one card

Rank Service Our score Annual price Renewal price Best for Link
1 Mainstay Filing 9.4 $149 $149/yr Best for companies that may expand Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 NY Registered Agent.org 8.9 $99 $99/yr Best for New York businesses Visit NY Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Colorado Registered Agent.co 8.7 $99 $99/yr Best for Colorado businesses Visit Colorado Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Scores are Formation Scorecard's own marks out of 10, based on the criteria explained on How we rank. Customers do not rate anything here.

Registered Agent: three-year tally, 2026 prices

Service Year one Year two Year three Three-year total
Mainstay Filing $149 $149 $149 $447
NY Registered Agent.org $99 $99 $99 $297
Colorado Registered Agent.co $99 $99 $99 $297

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.

The reasoning behind the list

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. NY Registered Agent.org (New York) and Colorado Registered Agent.co (Colorado) cost less over three years in their home states, and that wins them spots two and three for companies there.

One agent per 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.

State-by-state rankings

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.

Registered Agents: quick questions

What are the top-scoring registered agents for 2026?

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

What does a registered agent usually cost?

Prices on this card start at $99 and top out at $149 a year.

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. NY Registered Agent.org is our pick for New York businesses; Colorado Registered Agent.co for Colorado 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.

Related pages

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 NY Registered Agent.org
  3. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for Colorado Registered Agent.co