Stripe Atlas vs Firstbase vs doola: what you really pay
Updated 2026-10-21
All three form a US company for founders who live outside the United States, so they can open a US bank account and use Stripe or PayPal. Their prices are built differently: Stripe Atlas and Firstbase charge a one-time formation fee, doola charges per year, and all three sell yearly services on top. The table below uses only the prices shown on each service's official page on 21 October 2026. Prices change often, so check them again before you order.
Side by side
| Stripe Atlas | Firstbase | doola | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formation price | $500 one-time, including government fees and the first year of registered agent service | $99 one-time, plus the state fee | Starter plan: $297 per year, plus state fees |
| Where | Delaware: C corporation or LLC | Delaware or Wyoming | State fees vary by state; see doola's site |
| US tax ID (EIN) | Included | Included (expedited) | Included; expedited processing only in higher plans |
| Registered agent after year one | Renews automatically each year (see Stripe's pricing page) | $299 per state per year | Included in the plans |
| Yearly US tax filings | Not included | $899 per year for a non-US-owned single-member LLC | Tax and Compliance plan: $1,999 per year plus state fees |
| Bank account | Business account with Stripe Treasury, or a partner bank | Through Firstbase's banking partners | Mercury is named as a banking partner |
| Extras | $2,500 in Stripe credits for the first year | Mail, accounting and sales-tax services sold separately | Bookkeeping in the Business-in-a-Box plan ($2,999 per year) |
| Countries not served | No public list: Stripe reviews each application | Public list of 22 restricted countries | No list on its pricing page |
Prices as shown on the official pages on 21 October 2026, in US dollars.
What the table doesn't show
- The yearly cost matters more than the setup price. A company keeps costing money every year: registered agent, state filings and, for a foreign owner, a yearly report to the IRS (Form 5472).
- A foreign-owned single-member LLC must file Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 each year it has reportable transactions with its owner. The IRS penalty for not filing is $25,000.
- None of these services is a law firm or tax adviser. Stripe states that Atlas doesn't give legal, tax or accounting advice.
- Forming the company doesn't guarantee Stripe will accept it: Stripe says Atlas can't guarantee approval for Stripe payments.
- Your home country may tax the company's profits or require you to declare a foreign company. Check before you form one.
How to choose
- You want Stripe quickly and will handle tax filings yourself or with an accountant: compare Stripe Atlas and Firstbase's formation price.
- You want the yearly IRS filing done for you: compare Firstbase's tax filing ($899 per year) with doola's Tax and Compliance plan ($1,999 per year).
- You live in a country on Firstbase's restricted list: Firstbase can't create your account.
- You don't have steady revenue yet: a merchant of record such as Lemon Squeezy or Paddle is usually the simpler first step.
Services mentioned
Stripe Atlas
$500 one-time, covering government fees and the first year of registered agent service. Later years: registered agent renewal, Delaware annual filings and taxes, and US tax filings.
Go to Stripe Atlas (opens in a new tab)Firstbase
Formation: $99 one-time plus the state fee (price shown on Firstbase's pricing page). Registered agent: $299 per state per year. Tax filing for a non-US-owned single-member LLC: $899 per year.
Offer. New customers get $25 off their first order with the code PARTNERGIFT2024 (confirm at checkout).
Go to Firstbase (opens in a new tab)Official sources
- Stripe pricing (Atlas section)
- Stripe Atlas documentation: how to incorporate
- Firstbase pricing
- Firstbase: restricted countries
- doola pricing
- IRS: Instructions for Form 5472
Checked 2026-10-21. Prices and rules change: confirm on the official page before you act.