What Stripe Atlas includes and costs
Stripe Atlas charges a one-time $500 fee that includes the Delaware government fees and the first year of registered agent service, according to the Stripe Atlas page (checked 27 September 2026). After the first year, registered agent service costs $100 a year.
Stripe lists these inclusions:
- Company formation in Delaware, with next-day expedited processing and state filing fees
- A company tax ID (EIN)
- Founder equity issuance and share purchase, plus 83(b) election filing
- Document templates to sell, hire and run the business
- $2,500 in Stripe product credits for the first year, and access to over $50,000 in partner discounts
Atlas offers a C corporation, an LLC or a subsidiary. Stripe says founders in over 175 countries have used it and that incorporation takes "within two business days". The page also says the $500 fee is refunded if you deposit $5,000 into a Stripe Treasury account. Stripe states that Atlas does not provide legal, tax or accounting advice.
What Atlas does not cover, based on its documentation as reviewed in our research on 27 September 2026: Delaware franchise tax and annual filings, federal tax returns (including Form 5472), ITIN applications and a US mailing address.
Who Stripe Atlas suits
Atlas is built for startups that plan to raise money. Venture investors usually expect a Delaware C corporation, and Atlas handles the equity steps that come with it: share issuance, 83(b) elections and SAFE generation from templates. If you plan to raise a seed round, Atlas is a strong option, and our LLC vs C corp comparison explains why the entity type matters.
Atlas is less of a fit if you are a freelancer, agency or ecommerce seller who wants an LLC for payments and does not plan to raise capital. Atlas forms only in Delaware. A Delaware LLC pays a $400 annual tax from the 2026 tax year, first due 1 June 2027, per Delaware's LLC tax instructions. A Wyoming LLC's annual report is the greater of $60 or $0.0002 per dollar of Wyoming assets (Wyoming fee schedule), and New Mexico LLCs file no annual report. Our state comparison covers the trade-offs.
The alternatives at a glance
All prices come from each provider's own pricing page and were checked on 27 September 2026. Providers change prices and run sales often, so confirm at checkout.
| Provider | Headline formation price | State fee included? | Registered agent | States | Form 5472 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe Atlas | $500 one-time | Yes (Delaware) | Year 1 included, then $100/yr | Delaware only | Not included |
| doola | Starter $237/yr on sale ($297 regular) | No | Included in the plan | Check with provider | In Tax & Compliance ($1,599/yr on sale, $1,999 regular) |
| Firstbase | Start $99 (regular $399) | See note below | Required, sold separately at $299/yr per state | Delaware or Wyoming | Tax plans from $899/yr (check tier) |
| StartGlobal | $399 one-time | Yes ("All state and government fees included") | Year 1 included, then $99/yr | Check with provider | Within federal tax filing, priced by revenue |
| Filing service (Borderless Filings) | See pricing | No: state fee shown separately at cost | Sold per year, price on pricing | WY, NM, DE, FL, TX | Offered as its own filing |
Sources: stripe.com/atlas, doola.com/pricing, firstbase.io/pricing, startglobal.co/pricing, all checked 27 September 2026.
doola
doola focuses on non-US founders and says it serves 175+ countries. Its pricing page (checked 27 September 2026) showed sale prices:
- Starter: $237 a year ($297 regular), state fee extra. Includes formation, EIN, operating agreement, registered agent and a virtual US address.
- Tax & Compliance: $1,599 a year ($1,999 regular). Adds expedited EIN, annual state reports, IRS tax filings, bookkeeping, a tax professional consultation and dissolution.
- Business-in-a-Box: $2,399 a year ($2,999 regular), adding a dedicated bookkeeper.
doola's help center lists an ITIN add-on at $499. Plans are annual, so treat the plan price as a yearly cost, not a one-time fee.
Firstbase
Firstbase also targets global founders and says it has served founders in 188 countries. On its pricing page (checked 27 September 2026):
- Firstbase Start: $99 (regular $399), one-time, for a Delaware or Wyoming company with EIN, documents and bank access.
- Registered agent: required but not included in Start; $299 a year per state.
- Tax: $899 a year for a non-US-owned single-member LLC; $1,799 a year for C corps and multi-member LLCs.
- Firstbase One: $199 a month billed yearly, bundling formation, mailroom, registered agent, accounting and tax.
When we checked, the Firstbase pricing page described state filing fees as included, while the homepage said "Pay only your state fee". The non-US single-member LLC tax tier was also unclear about Form 5472. Confirm both points with Firstbase before ordering.
StartGlobal
StartGlobal's pricing page (checked 27 September 2026) shows a $399 one-time formation with "All state and government fees included". It covers a name check, first-year registered agent, the EIN application, bank account help and expedited handling, with "No per-service add-ons at checkout".
After year one, services are pay-as-you-go: registered agent $99 a year and state annual report filing $299 a year, with bookkeeping and federal tax priced by volume or revenue. A Managed LLC plan at $149 a month bundles registered agent, annual reports, bookkeeping, federal tax filing and compliance monitoring. The page did not state ITIN, mail address or processing times.
Forming through a filing service like ours
Borderless Filings prepares and submits US LLC formations in Wyoming, New Mexico, Delaware, Florida and Texas, then the pieces a non-resident needs next: the EIN application without an SSN, a registered agent, a US business address, the yearly Form 5472 and pro forma 1120, ITIN applications and state annual reports. State fees are shown separately at cost, and each service is priced on its own on our pricing page, so you can see what renews and what does not.
What we do not offer: we do not issue founder equity or file 83(b) elections, we are not a bank, and we give no Stripe credits. We do not give legal or tax advice. If you are raising venture capital, Atlas or a startup lawyer is the better route; our Delaware C corp formation covers the filing only.
Questions to ask any provider before you pay
The same five questions separate the offers quickly, whichever provider you look at:
- Is the state fee included? A $100 difference in Wyoming or $110 in Delaware can hide inside a low headline price.
- What does year two cost? Ask for the registered agent renewal and any plan renewal in writing.
- How is the EIN obtained without an SSN? Non-residents cannot use the IRS online application, so the provider will use fax, mail or the international phone line.
- Is Form 5472 included, and who signs it? It is due every year for a foreign-owned single-member LLC, even with no income.
- Can I leave without losing my company? Check how to change registered agent and whether any service is tied to a subscription.
The DIY route
You can form an LLC without any provider. Wyoming charges $100 online, New Mexico $50 and Delaware $110. The EIN is free from the IRS, and non-residents apply by fax, mail or the international phone line, per the Form SS-4 instructions. You still need a registered agent with a physical address in the state, and Form 5472 must be filed each year by fax or mail. Providers charge for doing and tracking these steps.
Compare the second-year cost, not just the first
Headline prices hide the renewal. For each option, add up:
- Registered agent renewal: $100 (Atlas), $99 (StartGlobal), $299 (Firstbase), or bundled in the plan (doola).
- State annual fee or tax: $400 for a Delaware LLC, from $60 in Wyoming, none in New Mexico.
- Form 5472 and pro forma 1120 for a foreign-owned single-member LLC. Missing it risks a $25,000 penalty under the Form 5472 instructions.
- Any address, bookkeeping or tax plan you actually need.
A cheap year one can become an expensive year two, and a higher bundle can be good value if you would buy every item in it anyway.
Sources
- Stripe: Stripe Atlas
- Stripe Docs: Stripe Atlas
- doola: Pricing
- doola Help Center: Can doola help me get an ITIN?
- Firstbase: Pricing
- Firstbase: Home page
- StartGlobal: Pricing
- Delaware Division of Corporations: LLC and partnership tax instructions
- Wyoming Secretary of State: Business fees
- IRS: Instructions for Form SS-4
- IRS: Instructions for Form 5472
- Stripe Support: Requirements for having a US Stripe account
Fees, deadlines and rules on this page were last checked on 27 September 2026.