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Stripe Atlas vs Firstbase (2026): Which Incorporation Service Wins

Updated October 2026 · 6 min read

If you are forming a US company to raise venture capital, two names dominate the conversation: Stripe Atlas and Firstbase. Both handle formation, an EIN, and the banking introduction for founders inside and outside the US. The headline prices look close, but the products aim at different founders: Atlas is a one-shot Delaware C-corp setup tuned for the VC track, while Firstbase is a broader operations platform aimed at operating businesses. Here is how they compare in October 2026.

Stripe Atlas: $500 one-time, Delaware only

Stripe Atlas charges a $500 one-time fee with no subscription and no monthly charge. Unusually for this category, that $500 covers the Delaware state filing fees (Delaware raised its incorporation fee to $109 as of August 1, 2026), including expedited processing, so there is no surprise add-on at checkout.

Included in the package: Delaware C-corp or LLC formation, your federal tax ID (EIN), founder equity issuance and share purchase paperwork, automated 83(b) election filing, startup document templates, the first year of registered agent service, $2,500 in Stripe product credits, and access to more than $50,000 in partner discounts. Most companies are incorporated within two business days.

Watch for: Delaware franchise tax is not included and is due every March 1. The registered agent renews at $100 per year after the first free year. Atlas does not bundle a bank account directly (it guides you to options like Mercury through a pre-approved partnership), and incorporating in Delaware does not exempt you from registering in the state where you actually operate.

Firstbase: $399 plus state fees, with add-ons

Firstbase's Start plan is $399 one-time plus state fees and covers LLC or C-corp formation in Delaware or Wyoming, expedited EIN setup, legal documents, and bank account setup through partners. Unlike Atlas, it offers a second formation state (Wyoming, which is often cheaper for LLCs) and positions itself as the more flexible option for non-US founders, with multi-language support and a documented foreign-national EIN pathway.

The à la carte pricing is where the totals diverge. Recent 2026 reviews report registered agent service at $299 per year per state after the formation year, a virtual mailbox and US business address through Mailroom Premium at $349 per year, plus optional tax filing ($899 per year for LLCs, about $1,799 for C-corps) and a full accounting service around $1,890 per year. A Firstbase One bundle packages the recurring services at $199 per month.

Watch for: the $399 headline is a starting point, not the total. For a non-US founder forming a Wyoming LLC with a mailbox, realistic year-one cost lands around $848 ($399 formation + $100 state fee + $349 Mailroom), and year two runs over $1,600 if you need tax filing. Model the stack before you commit.

Who each is best for

Choose Stripe Atlas if you are building a VC-bound startup and want the standard Delaware C-corp, clean founder equity paperwork, and an 83(b) filing handled in one $500 payment. Atlas is built for the fundraising track: Cooley-drafted legal templates, the Stripe ecosystem, and a dashboard oriented around fundraising workflows. It is the simpler, cheaper, and more focused choice if Delaware C-corp is already decided.

Choose Firstbase if you are running an operating business rather than raising a round: an ecommerce store, a consulting company, or a foreign founder who needs ongoing operations (a US mailing address, compliance automation, accounting, tax filing) in one dashboard. Wyoming formation is also the better call for most single-founder LLCs. Just go in with eyes open about the add-on stack, because the total cost of ownership is higher than the $399 headline suggests.

Either works for a non-US founder who needs a US EIN and a banking introduction, but the realistic timeline differs: formation takes days on both, while an EIN for a non-resident founder typically takes weeks through either path.

Our pick: Stripe Atlas if you are on the VC track and want a one-time $500 Delaware C-corp setup with no pricing games. Firstbase if you need Wyoming formation or an ongoing operations stack (mailroom, compliance, accounting) and are willing to pay the subscription layer. For most first-time VC-bound founders, Atlas is the simpler buy.

Sources

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