US LLC Formation Costs for Non-Residents (2026)
Every fee tracked for three years across the three most-used formation services for non-resident founders. Prices verified against each provider's public pricing pages.
Data last verified: July 2026
Formation Service Comparison
| Cost Item | Stripe Atlas | Firstbase | Doola |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formation fee | $500 | $399 | $297 |
| EIN obtainment | Included | Included | Included |
| Registered agent (Year 1) | Included | Not included — Firstbase Agent $299/yr required | Included |
| Operating agreement | Included | Included | Included |
| State options | Delaware only | DE or WY | DE or WY |
| Registered agent renewal | $100/yr | $299/yr per state | In $297/yr Starter renewal |
| Tax filing (Form 5472) | Not included | $1,799/yr add-on | In Tax and Compliance ($1,999/yr) |
| Bookkeeping | Not included | Not included | Software in $1,999/yr tier; human bookkeeper $2,999/yr tier |
| ITIN assistance | Not available | Available | Available |
3-Year Total Cost (Wyoming LLC)
| Period | Stripe Atlas + CPA | Firstbase + Tax Filing | Doola Tax and Compliance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ~$1,300 | ~$2,557 | ~$2,059 |
| Year 2 | ~$900 | ~$2,158 | ~$2,059 |
| Year 3 | ~$900 | ~$2,158 | ~$2,059 |
| 3-Year Total | ~$3,100 | ~$6,873 | ~$6,177 |
Stripe Atlas estimate assumes Delaware LLC + external CPA for Form 5472 ($500-700/yr). Firstbase assumes Wyoming LLC + Firstbase Agent ($299/yr, required — the $399 Start fee does not include a registered agent) + Tax Filing add-on ($1,799/yr). Doola assumes Wyoming LLC on the Tax and Compliance tier ($1,999/yr, renamed from “Total Compliance” in 2025) — that tier includes formation, so Year 1 is the tier price plus state fees, not formation-fee-plus-tier.
State Filing Fees
| State | Formation Fee | Annual Fee | 5-Year State Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $100 | $60/yr | $340 |
| Delaware | $110 | $300/yr | $1,310 |
| New Mexico | $50 | $0/yr | $50 |
State filing fees are paid directly to the state and apply regardless of which formation service is used. Registered agent fees ($100-200/yr) are additional.
Methodology
Prices were collected from each provider's public pricing pages and verified against actual customer invoices where available. "3-year total" includes formation fee, state fees, registered agent renewal, and the provider's compliance or tax filing services for Wyoming LLC formation.
Stripe Atlas does not offer Wyoming formation. The Stripe Atlas 3-year estimate uses Delaware state fees ($300/yr) plus an external CPA for Form 5472 filing ($500-700/yr). DIY formation (filing directly with Wyoming) costs approximately $100 + $60/yr + registered agent.
This data is maintained by Global Solo and updated when provider pricing changes. The comparison does not constitute a recommendation of any service.
Detailed Analysis
Stripe Atlas vs Firstbase vs Doola: True Cost (2026)
Full pricing breakdown with hidden fees and 3-year projections.
Best State for LLC: Non-Resident Guide (2026)
Wyoming vs Delaware vs New Mexico with annual cost analysis.
How Much Does It Cost to Form a US LLC?
Complete cost breakdown including ongoing compliance fees.
Formation Service Comparison Tool
Interactive side-by-side comparison of all formation services.