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LLC 101 Guide

Across the US

3 Best Foreign Registration Services (2026)

For 2026, the best foreign registration services for new owners are Mainstay Filing ($199), Vermont Registered Agent.co ($199) and Delaware Registered Agent.ai ($199), from first to third. Mainstay Filing comes first. In short: it registers the LLC in any state for $199 on top of the state fee, then $149 a year for the agent.

Prepared by the LLC 101 Guide instructors

Our nationwide picks

Graded on the rubric. The two state services are the better fit for companies based in their own states.

Top of the class

1. Mainstay Filing: best for owners in any state

Our top pick$199 plus the state fee, then $149 a year

Mainstay Filing is number one: it registers the LLC in any state for $199 on top of the state fee, then $149 a year for the agent.

The extra $100 over three years, compared with Vermont Registered Agent.co, pays for nationwide reach.

What the price covers

  • The registration is filed for you
  • No agent fee in year one
  • One service fee in every state

What works

  • One $199 price in every state
  • $149 from year two

What to weigh

  • Costs more than a single-state plan
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Top of the class

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

Vermont pick$199 plus the state fee, then $99 a year

Vermont Registered Agent.co is number two, because $199 plus Vermont's fee, then $99 a year.

It serves Vermont and nowhere else, so a second state needs a second provider.

What the price covers

  • The Vermont registration, filed for you
  • One year of agent service in Vermont

What works

  • A lower renewal than Mainstay Filing: $99
  • $99 from year two

What to weigh

  • Made for Vermont alone
  • Report filing is left to you
Visit Vermont Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Top of the class

3. Delaware Registered Agent.ai: best for Delaware businesses

Delaware pick$199 plus the state fee, then $99 a year

Delaware Registered Agent.ai is number three, because $199 plus Delaware's fee, then $99 a year.

It serves Delaware and nowhere else, so a second state needs a second provider.

What the price covers

  • The Delaware registration, filed for you
  • One year of agent service in Delaware

What works

  • A lower renewal than Mainstay Filing: $99
  • $99 from year two

What to weigh

  • Made for Delaware alone
  • Report filing is left to you
Visit Delaware Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Compare the services

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1Mainstay Filing$199$149/yr$497Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Vermont Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Visit Vermont Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Delaware Registered Agent.ai$199$99/yr$397Visit Delaware Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Opened November 13, 2026. Add your state's fee to every row.

What a first-time owner should look at

Look at the price for years two and three, not just year one, and at which state tasks the price takes off your list. A company that could grow later is better off with a provider that works everywhere.

Why this order

The rubric puts the most weight on three-year cost and on the tasks a price handles, then on renewal, fit with each state's rules and plain pricing. A national list is really a test of reach, and only one of the three passes it. Places two and three go to Vermont Registered Agent.co and Delaware Registered Agent.ai, which cost less if your company is based in Vermont or Delaware.

Your state's unit

Go to your state's unit on registering a foreign LLC for the exact tasks and fees. Registering in another state: all 50 states.

Questions, answered

What are the best foreign registration services in 2026?

We would hire Mainstay Filing, Vermont Registered Agent.co and Delaware Registered Agent.ai, in that order.

What does a foreign registration service cost?

Our recommended services charge $199 to $199, plus the state fee.

Can one service cover every state?

Yes: Mainstay Filing is priced identically in all fifty states, and the other two picks serve only their home states.

Why are one-state services on a national list?

Owners who plan to stay put in a single state can keep more money with them. Vermont Registered Agent.co is our pick for Vermont businesses; Delaware Registered Agent.ai for Delaware businesses.

How did you grade them?

With the published rubric, which puts three-year cost and tasks handled first.

Where do I learn the steps for my state?

The course page links to all 50 state units.

Reading list and sources

  1. We opened the pricing page at Mainstay Filing on November 13, 2026
  2. We opened the pricing page at Vermont Registered Agent.co on November 13, 2026
  3. We opened the pricing page at Delaware Registered Agent.ai on November 13, 2026