A virtual business address is a real street address you can use to receive letters and packages, scan incoming mail and deposit checks, and use as your company mailing address. Virtual business addresses protect the privacy of your home address, make your company appear more professional, and help you grow without the overhead expense of costly offices.
After researching more than a dozen companies, Northwest Registered Agent is my top choice for the best virtual business address due to its low fees and excellent customer service. Sign up now and get a limited-time offer for just $39/year if you sign up using our link below.
GET THE $39/YEAR DEAL
Offer ends April 29, 2024.What Is The Best Virtual Business Address?
1. Northwest Registered Agent – Best Virtual Business Address Overall & $39 Business Formation Service
Best Overall
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Fee: $39 per year |
★★★★★ Rated 4.9/5 |
Northwest Registered Agent is the best virtual business address provider specializing in registering LLCs. They operate in all 50 states, are rated 4.7/5 on Google, and take care of all of your legal needs.
From now until April 29, 2024, Northwest Registered Agent is registering LLCs, corporations and nonprofits for just $39. This price includes a full year of mail forwarding, registered agent services, a virtual address for business, all of the legal documents required for your new business, and everything else you need to ensure you're fully compliant with the law.
All filings with Northwest Registered Agent are backed by their 100% error-free guarantee. You can cancel your services at any time, and there are zero hidden fees.
As both the cheapest and the best virtual business address provider out there, I can't recommend Northwest Registered Agent highly enough.
Features
- All legal paperwork filed for you on time
- 100% error-free guarantee
- 200+ business experts across the country available to answer your questions
- Fully private business address
- Free mail forwarding within the United States
- Unlimited phone and email support
- Available in all 50 states
- Zero hidden fees or automatic service renewals
- All personal information kept fully private (the only company to offer this)
Fees
- First year: $39 + state fees
- Annual renewal: $125 + state fees
Promotion
$39 for the first year when you sign up using this link.
Best For
Business owners looking for the best service at the lowest price in the industry.
GET THE $39/YEAR DEAL
Offer ends April 29, 2024.2. Incfile – Best For Opening An LLC Quickly
Incfile is a Registered Agent service that serves all of your tax and legal needs before, during and after you register an LLC. Incfile customers get unlimited phone and email support, plus access to a real-time order tracking tool as you await your documentation.
Your Incfile dashboard digitally stores all of your LLC formation documents and tracks important deadlines and compliance reminders, ensuring you never miss any requirements. By signing up using the link below, you'll also receive a 60-minute business tax consultation with a certified tax professional, completely free.
Incfile offers virtual business addresses in 22 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.
Incfile is known for its deeply knowledgeable expertise backed by fast, helpful customer support agents. If you’re incorporating an LLC, I highly recommend Incfile.
Features
- First year free when you incorporate using the link below
- Available in all US states
- No hidden fees or automatic service renewals
Fees
- Incfile Silver: $75 in state fees
- Incfile Gold: $224 in state fees
- Incfile Platinum: $374 in state fees
Promotion
First year free when you incorporate using this link.
Best For
Business owners who want to open an LLC quickly.
3. My Company Works – Best For Maintaining Compliance Seamlessly
My Company Works has helped incorporate over 50,000 LLCs since being founded in 2001. Even though it doesn't work with the same volume of clients as other companies of its type, it has established itself as a trustworthy service for those who need help in registering and managing an LLC.
Features
- Very fast service (next business day)
- Easy to use
- ComplianceLock helps new companies maintain compliance
- Free annual report alerts
- Free handbook
Fees
- Basic: $79
- Entrepreneur: $199
- Complete: $279
Promotion
100% satisfaction guarantee when you sign up using this link.
Best For
Business owners looking to maintain compliance without any headache.
Benefits Of Virtual Business Addresses
There are a few major benefits of using a virtual business address:
- Convenience: With a virtual business address, you’ll have control over all your mail right at your fingertips. You’ll see new mail arrive, be able to forward it to other locations, and even have checks deposited. If the address you choose also provides a virtual office service, you may be able to get a dedicated phone number answered by a real receptionist, too.
- Freedom To Travel: Have your mail or packages forwarded to you anywhere in the world.
- Privacy: There are a lot of reasons why you may not want to give out your home address, especially if you're registering a business and that address will be publicly accessible. Using a virtual business address is a great way to maintain your privacy while still reaping all of the benefits a physical address entails.
- Registered Agent Services: Some virtual business address services also offer registered agent services, which can offer tremendous value if you’re considering a virtual business address for business use. For example, when a legal document requiring immediate attention is not taken care of in time, it can create a substantial headache for you. The virtual business addresses in the second half of the list above will take care of that for you.
- Security: The virtual business addresses we recommend above go to great lengths to ensure that your documents (legal, business, and personal) are kept under the highest security. Communications with end users are encrypted with bank-level SSL encryption, and your account will be protected behind a password and 2-factor authentication (2FA) if you choose. Every virtual business address provider in the United States has to follow strict USPS guidelines, and there are harsh consequences if they fail to keep users’ information safe.
If you're looking for fewer features, you may be better served by one of the best virtual mailboxes instead.
Virtual Business Address FAQs
What Is A Virtual Business Address?
A virtual business address gives you a physical mailing address where you can accept letters, documents, and packages while you're away from home. When they receive a piece of mail for you, they'll scan the envelope or package and email that scan to you.
Getting started with a virtual business address is very simple:
- Open an account with one of the virtual business addresses mentioned in this post. I've included details about all of their features, including which of them I personally use and why.
- The virtual business address you select will assign you a unique mailing address, which you can start using for letters and packages.
- Start receiving email notifications every time a piece of mail arrives. and use use your new virtual business address as much as you want.
Standard Virtual Business Address Services
- Online viewing of letters and packages
- Open and scan/photograph your letters and packages
- Shred and destroy unwanted mail
- Forward letters and packages to your domestic or international address
- Receive business credit cards and bank statements
- Receive legal statements and personal & business bills
- Instant notification when you receive a piece of mail
Advanced Virtual Business Address Services
- Repack and consolidate multiple packages to save on shipping costs
- Long-term package storage
- Deposit checks for you or your business
- Sign for packages upon delivery
- Real street address (not a PO box)
- Personal shopping service
What Is A Virtual Business Address Used For?
A virtual business address is used for forwarding mail while you're traveling or living abroad, or just to keep you more organized. You can also use a virtual business address to create an online archive of your documents and important papers, or even as an official business address when opening an LLC.
I personally find myself using virtual business address services most often when I'm overseas and need to order things from Amazon and other retailers that won't ship to my current address. In those cases, I just have the package shipped to my virtual business address, and have them forward it on to my current address a few days later.
Having a real street address can be a huge benefit, too, as many banks and government agencies don't accept PO boxes as legitimate addresses. This means you can use some virtual business addresses as a registered business address, though not all of them.
Are Virtual Business Addresses Safe?
Yes, virtual business addresses are safe because they're accessed exclusively online and are not available to the public. All of the virtual business addresses I recommend above operate from secure data centers and comply with the latest security protocols, including 128-bit SSL encryption and full disk encryption for all customer data.
All virtual business addresses in the US must comply with strict USPS guidelines and face stiff penalties if they fail to keep users’ information safe. Virtual business addresses are not permitted to release their users' addresses to anyone unless they are specifically instructed to do so.
Does USPS Offer A Virtual Business Address?
Yes, USPS does offer a PO box virtual mail service. However, USPS PO boxes cannot receive shipments from any other shipping carrier, which is why it may be a good business move to get a virtual business address address as well.
Can You Pick Up Mail From A Virtual Business Address?
You can pick up mail from some virtual business address, but not all of them. You'll need to check with your virtual business address service's policies before receiving any packages so that you don't get charged an extra pickup fee.
Is It Necessary To Have A Registered Agent?
Yes, every LLC and corporation is legally required to have a Registered Agent in each state where they do business. Virtual business addresses like Northwest Registered Agent, Incfile, and My Company Works can serve as Registered Agent for you, eliminating expensive legal fees and allowing you to focus on building your business.
Can I Use A Virtual Business Address For My LLC?
Yes, you can use a virtual business address for your LLC, and thousands of companies already do. Whether you already have an established LLC or are opening one for the first time, a virtual business address can save you time, money and effort in the process, making your business less burdensome and more profitable.
