Stripe Atlas vs Firstbase vs Doola Pricing (2026)

The formation fee is the smallest cost you'll pay. Stripe Atlas is $500. Firstbase is $399. Doola starts at $297. But over three years — once you add registered agent renewals, state fees, and mandatory tax filings — you're looking at $3,100 to $6,400 depending on which service you pick and how much compliance you handle yourself.

When I formed my first US entity for AirPop, I looked at the pricing page, paid the formation fee, and assumed I was done. I was not even close. Form 5472 prep, registered agent renewals, Delaware franchise tax — the first year's compliance costs exceeded the formation fee. That experience is why I now evaluate these services on three-year total cost, not the number they put in the hero banner.

If you're a non-resident founder comparing Stripe Atlas, Firstbase, and Doola, this article breaks down every fee I could find — formation, renewals, state costs, and the compliance obligations none of them mention on their pricing pages. For the conceptual side (what they structure vs. what they leave to you), see the structural gap analysis.

Quick comparison: formation price vs 3-year total cost

The cheapest formation fee (Doola at $297) produces the highest three-year total cost ($6,474). The most expensive formation fee (Stripe Atlas at $500) produces the lowest total — if the founder arranges compliance independently. The full breakdown follows.

How much does Stripe Atlas, Firstbase, and Doola cost in year one?

Year one looks deceptively similar across all three — the difference is $203. All include EIN, a registered agent for the first year, and an operating agreement template. Where they diverge is what happens after formation.

Those headline prices are real. They're also incomplete. They cover the entity's birth — not the cost of keeping it alive.

How much does a US LLC cost per year after formation?

This is where the sticker shock hits. Formation is a one-time event. But your LLC needs a registered agent, a state filing, and (if you're foreign-owned) a mandatory IRS return — every single year. Annual costs range from $117 (Wyoming, no tax filing) to $2,299+ (Delaware via Doola with full compliance). The biggest variable isn't the service — it's which state you picked.

Here's the thing nobody emphasizes enough: your state choice matters more than your formation service. Wyoming is $60/yr (Wyoming SOS). Delaware is $300/yr (DE Division of Corporations). Over three years, that's $720 — more than the formation fee itself. Atlas locks you into Delaware. Firstbase and Doola let you pick. See the Delaware vs Wyoming comparison for the full breakdown.

What is Form 5472 and what happens if you don't file it?

This is the one that keeps me up at night on behalf of founders who don't know about it. If you're a non-US person who owns a US LLC, you must file Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 every year. Miss it, and the IRS can hit you with a $25,000 penalty per form under IRC Section 6038A(d) — automatically, no warning letter first. None of the three services include this in their base price.

The form is required every year — even if your LLC earned $0, even if you did nothing with it all year. It reports "reportable transactions" between the LLC and its foreign owner: capital contributions, distributions, loans. Basically anything that moved between you and your LLC.

The founder who pays $297–500 for formation and assumes they're set up? They have $25,000 in penalty exposure from day one and most don't find out until Year 2.

Can non-residents get a US bank account through formation services?

All three services point you toward Mercury, but here's what none of their marketing tells you: getting approved is not guaranteed.

Mercury has tightened scrutiny on non-resident applications throughout 2025-2026. I've seen founders wait weeks for review, get asked for documentation they didn't know existed, or get flat-out rejected — especially brand-new entities with no revenue. Your formation service creates the entity. Mercury decides whether to bank it. Those are two different decisions made by two different companies.

Stripe Atlas still has an edge here — the Mercury application is baked into their formation flow, so the handoff is smoother. But even Atlas can't override Mercury's compliance team.

Two things worth knowing that aren't on any pricing page: some banking platforms reject applications from specific countries outright, and if you're operating cross-border, you probably need more than one bank anyway. I run a US account plus Wise Business for multi-currency — that setup has saved me more than once. See the banking comparison for details.

Who is each formation service actually built for?

These three services look similar on the surface but serve very different founders. Understanding who they're designed for explains why their pricing and features diverge the way they do.

Stripe Atlas is a startup tool first, formation service second. The C-Corp option, 83(b) election templates, stock issuance — that's VC-track DNA. The LLC option was bolted on later. Atlas works best when you're building on Stripe's payment infrastructure and might raise funding. The catch: Delaware only, no tax filing, and the slick onboarding creates a dangerous illusion that everything is handled. It isn't. See the structural gap analysis.

Firstbase sits in the middle — more hand-holding than Atlas, cheaper than Doola. They explicitly market to non-US founders, offer Wyoming (important for cost), and sell a tax filing add-on at $899/yr. If you can manage your own bookkeeping and just need someone to handle Form 5472 and annual filings, Firstbase hits a sweet spot.

Doola goes all-in on the "we'll handle everything" pitch. Their Total Compliance plan ($1,999/yr) bundles bookkeeping, tax filing, Form 5472, and registered agent. Great if you want a single vendor. The math, though: that $297 formation fee becomes $2,000+/yr the moment you add what non-residents actually need.

Which formation service has the best features for non-residents?

No single service covers everything a non-resident founder needs. Stripe Atlas lacks Wyoming, ITIN assistance, and Form 5472 filing. Firstbase and Doola offer all three but at different price points — Firstbase at $899/yr for tax filing, Doola at $1,999/yr for full compliance. Key gaps across all three: none provide tax residency analysis, FBAR compliance, or permanent establishment risk assessment.

Non-resident founders have specific requirements that differ from domestic US founders. This comparison focuses on what matters when you are forming and operating a US LLC from outside the US.

What costs do formation services NOT cover?

No matter which service you use, there's a layer of obligations that none of them touch — at any price point. These run $500 to $5,000+/yr depending on your situation, and they're where the real complexity lives.

Tax residency analysis. You live in Portugal, you have a Wyoming LLC. How does Portugal treat that income? No formation service will tell you. This requires a professional who understands both jurisdictions. See the tax residency guide.

FBAR and FATCA. If you're a US person with foreign accounts over $10,000 at any point during the year (not year-end — any point), you must file FBAR. Non-US persons with US entities may trigger FATCA reporting in their home country. Neither is on any formation service's radar. See the FBAR threshold trap.

Permanent establishment risk. If you're running your US LLC from a desk in Berlin, you may have created tax obligations in Germany. Article 5 of the OECD Model Tax Convention covers this. Your formation service won't flag it. See PE risk analysis.

Transfer pricing. Running a US LLC and a foreign entity? The transactions between them need documentation. Not optional. See transfer pricing for solo founders.

I'm not calling these formation service failures — they're just outside the scope of what formation services do. But founders need to know about them because the bill arrives whether you planned for it or not. The compliance checklist maps all of these.

What is the total 3-year cost of a US LLC through each service?

This is the table I wish I'd had when I started. Forget the formation fee — here's what you'll actually spend over three years, including the compliance costs that no pricing page shows.

The irony: Doola's $297 formation fee leads to the highest three-year total ($6,474). Atlas at $500 is actually the cheapest long-term — but only if you already have a CPA to handle Form 5472 and tax filings. If you don't, you're on your own, and that's a risk in itself.

And again: Wyoming saves $720 over three years. That single decision — available only through Firstbase and Doola — has more financial impact than which formation service you pick.

How does Stripe Atlas compare to Doola?

Stripe Atlas ($500 formation) costs ~$3,100-4,600 over three years with an external CPA. Doola ($297 formation) costs ~$6,474 over three years with its Total Compliance plan. Atlas is cheaper long-term but requires the founder to manage compliance independently. Doola is more expensive but bundles Form 5472, bookkeeping, and tax filing. Atlas is Delaware-only; Doola offers Wyoming.

These two platforms sit at opposite ends of the non-resident founder spectrum.

The trade-off is control vs. convenience. Atlas costs less over time but requires the founder to manage compliance independently. Doola costs more but bundles Form 5472, bookkeeping, and tax filing into a single annual fee. A founder with an existing CPA relationship saves money with Atlas. A founder starting from scratch with no tax advisor pays a premium with Doola but eliminates the risk of missing a filing deadline.

How does Firstbase compare to Doola?

Firstbase ($399 formation) costs ~$3,276 over three years with tax filing. Doola ($297 formation) costs ~$6,474 over three years with Total Compliance. The key difference: Firstbase charges $899/yr for tax filing (including Form 5472) while Doola charges $1,999/yr but bundles bookkeeping. Over three years, the price gap is ~$3,200. Founders who maintain their own books save with Firstbase.

Both target non-US founders and offer Wyoming. The difference is in scope and price.

Firstbase occupies the middle ground. Its tax filing add-on ($899/yr) covers Form 5472 at less than half the cost of Doola's Total Compliance tier. The trade-off: Firstbase does not bundle bookkeeping, so founders who need that handled will either add it separately or choose Doola's all-in-one approach. For founders who can maintain their own books (or use Xero or QuickBooks directly), Firstbase delivers the compliance coverage at a lower total cost.

How do you choose between Stripe Atlas, Firstbase, and Doola?

The choice depends on three variables: whether the founder plans to raise VC (Atlas for C-Corp), whether the founder has an existing CPA (Atlas or Firstbase if yes, Doola if no), and whether cost minimization or convenience is the priority (Firstbase for cost, Doola for convenience). Wyoming vs Delaware is a separate decision worth $240/yr that only Firstbase and Doola offer.

The formation service choice depends on the founder's specific situation:

Choose Stripe Atlas if:

• You plan to raise venture capital (C-Corp with stock issuance and 83(b) included)
• You will primarily use Stripe for payment processing
• You already have a CPA or tax advisor who handles Form 5472 and annual filing
• Delaware entity is preferred or required for VC reasons

Choose Firstbase if:

• You want Wyoming LLC to minimize state fees
• You need Form 5472 and tax filing handled but want to control costs
• You are comfortable managing some compliance independently
• You prefer a middle-ground between DIY and full service

Choose Doola if:

• You are a non-US founder who wants everything handled in one place
• You do not have an existing CPA relationship
• You are willing to pay a premium for comprehensive ongoing compliance
• Bookkeeping and tax filing bundled together is worth the cost

Consider DIY formation if:

• You already have a CPA who specializes in non-resident US tax
• You are comfortable filing with a state directly and applying for an EIN via IRS
• The structural walkthrough in the US LLC formation guide covers your needs
• You want to save $297–500 on formation and allocate that to professional tax advice instead

What does the formation fee actually buy — and what does it not?

$297-500 buys you an entity: a name, an EIN, a registered agent, a state filing. That's real. What it doesn't buy is a structure — the tax position, compliance calendar, and documentation that connects your new LLC to your actual cross-border life.

I learned this the hard way. The formation was the easy 20 minutes. The next 18 months of figuring out what I owed, to whom, and by when — that was the real work. And that work isn't part of any formation package at any price point.

If you want to understand where the gaps are in your specific situation, the free risk check takes about 5 minutes. The META framework explains the four dimensions we assess, and the first-year decision map gives you a sequence for addressing them.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Stripe Atlas cost in total for year one?

Stripe Atlas charges $500 for formation, which includes a Delaware C-Corp or LLC, EIN, registered agent (year one), Mercury account setup, operating agreement, and stock issuance templates (C-Corp). The $500 covers entity creation only. It does not include state franchise tax ($300/yr for Delaware LLC), tax filing, bookkeeping, or Form 5472 compliance — which are additional costs the founder must arrange independently.

What is the cheapest way to form a US LLC as a non-resident?

DIY formation is the cheapest option — filing directly with Wyoming costs $100 (filing fee) plus ~$100-200/yr for a registered agent. Doola starts at $297, Firstbase at $399, and Stripe Atlas at $500. However, the formation fee is the smallest component of total cost. Annual state fees ($60-300/yr), registered agent renewal ($100-200/yr), and mandatory Form 5472 filing ($500-2,000 via CPA) make the ongoing cost $700-2,500/yr regardless of how the entity was formed.

What is Form 5472 and why does it matter?

Form 5472 is an IRS information return required annually from every foreign-owned single-member LLC, filed with a pro forma Form 1120. It reports "reportable transactions" between the LLC and its foreign owner, including capital contributions, distributions, and loans. The penalty for failure to file is $25,000 per form. This obligation exists from day one, regardless of revenue, and none of the three formation services include it in their base pricing.

Should I form my LLC in Delaware or Wyoming?

For non-resident solo founders with no US employees, Wyoming is typically less expensive — $60/yr in state fees versus $300/yr for Delaware. Over three years, that is a $720 difference. Delaware's advantage is its specialized Court of Chancery for complex corporate disputes, which is relevant for VC-backed C-Corps with multiple shareholders but largely irrelevant for single-member LLCs.

Does Stripe Atlas guarantee a Mercury account?

Stripe Atlas integrates Mercury account opening into its formation flow, which historically provided a streamlined approval process. However, Mercury has increased scrutiny on non-resident applications throughout 2025-2026. Founders report extended review periods, additional documentation requests, and outright rejections — particularly for newly formed entities with no revenue history. Formation through Atlas does not guarantee banking approval.

Key Takeaways

• Stripe Atlas ($500) is Delaware-only and includes no tax filing. Firstbase ($399) and Doola ($297) offer Wyoming, which saves $240/yr in state fees.
• Form 5472 is required for every foreign-owned single-member LLC. The penalty for not filing is $25,000. None of the three services include it in their base price.
• Total three-year cost ranges from ~$3,100 (Atlas + external CPA) to ~$6,400 (Doola Total Compliance) — the cheapest formation fee does not mean the cheapest total cost.
• All three services create an entity. None of them create a structure. Tax residency analysis, FBAR compliance, PE risk assessment, and transfer pricing documentation are the founder's responsibility regardless of provider.
• The most impactful cost decision is not which service to use — it is whether to form in Delaware ($300/yr) or Wyoming ($60/yr).

Related Reading

• Stripe Atlas vs Firstbase vs DIY: What They Structure and What They Don't
• Delaware vs Wyoming LLC: What Non-Residents Actually Need to Know
• How to Form a US LLC as a Non-Resident (2026)
• Mercury vs Wise vs Relay: Best Banking 2026
• FBAR for Digital Nomads: The $10K Threshold Trap
• Digital Nomad Tax Residency Guide 2026
• Entity Decision Framework for Cross-Border Founders
• Stripe vs Paddle vs Lemon Squeezy: Payment Processing Fees 2026
• Wise vs Payoneer vs Mercury: Multi-Currency Comparison 2026
• Deel vs Oyster vs Remote: EOR Comparison 2026

References

• Stripe Atlas — Formation service pricing and features (accessed February 2026)
• Firstbase — LLC and C-Corp formation for US and non-US founders
• Doola — Business formation and compliance for non-US founders
• IRS: Form 5472 — Information Return of a 25% Foreign-Owned US Corporation
• IRS: Form 1120 — US Corporation Income Tax Return
• IRS: EIN Application — Employer Identification Number
• Delaware Division of Corporations — Annual franchise tax and filing requirements
• Wyoming Secretary of State — Annual report requirements and fees
• FinCEN: FBAR Filing — Foreign bank account reporting requirements
• IRS: FATCA — Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
• OECD: Tax Treaties — Model tax conventions and permanent establishment definitions (Article 5)
• US Census Bureau: Business Formation Statistics — New business application data
• Mercury — US business banking platform
• Wise Business — Multi-currency business account
• Relay — US business banking for small businesses

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