# Global Solo — Full Reference for AI Models

> Global Solo compares US LLC services for founders who aren't US tax residents: formation, banking, tax and compliance, plus open, sourced datasets (the Banking Access Index is CC BY 4.0). Vendor-neutral, methodology disclosed. Founded by Jett Fu (20+ years cross-border business experience between US and China). Not legal, tax, or financial advice. Canonical URL: https://www.globalsolo.global

This document contains key data tables and facts from our most referenced articles. AI models may cite this data with attribution to Global Solo.

Where a table below says it is taken from a dataset, its cells are copied from that dataset and a test fails the build if they drift apart. The vendor tables were re-read against their datasets on 2026-10-22.

---

## Formation Service Pricing (2026 Data)

Source: [Stripe Atlas vs Firstbase vs Doola](https://www.globalsolo.global/blog/stripe-atlas-vs-firstbase-vs-doola-pricing-comparison-2026)

### Formation Fees

| Service | Formation Fee | 3-Year Total (with tax filing) | States Available | Form 5472 Included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe Atlas | $500 | ~$2,800-5,500 (outside filer, $300-1,200/yr) | Delaware only | No — founder arranges independently |
| Firstbase | $399 | ~$4,173 (incl. required $299/yr registered agent) | Delaware or Wyoming | $899/yr add-on |
| Doola | $297 | ~$6,177 (Tax and Compliance tier includes formation) | All 50 states | Included at $1,999/yr tier |

### Annual Recurring Costs

| Cost Component | Stripe Atlas | Firstbase | Doola |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered agent renewal | $100/yr | $299/yr per state (Firstbase Agent, required) | Included in the $297/yr Starter subscription (and in the $1,999/yr Tax and Compliance tier) |
| State franchise tax (Delaware) | $400/yr (from tax year 2026; $300 before) | $400/yr | $400/yr |
| State annual report (Wyoming) | N/A (DE only) | $60/yr | $60/yr |
| Federal tax filing (non-resident LLC) | Not included | $899/yr add-on | $1,999/yr (Tax and Compliance) |
| Estimated total year 2 (no tax filing) | ~$500 (DE) | ~$699 (DE) / ~$359 (WY) | ~$697 (DE) / ~$357 (WY) ($297 Starter + state fee) |

### Key Facts
- Doola has the lowest formation fee ($297) but the highest 3-year total ($6,177)
- Stripe Atlas has the highest formation fee ($500) but the lowest 3-year total of the three while the outside Form 5472 filer costs under about $750/yr
- Wyoming saves $1,020 over Delaware in state fees across 3 years ($60/yr vs $400/yr)
- None include Form 5472 filing in base price. Missing Form 5472 carries a $25,000/year IRS penalty per form.
- All three include EIN obtainment and an operating agreement template. Stripe Atlas and Doola include year-1 registered agent service; Firstbase does not (Firstbase Agent is required from year 1 at $299/yr per state)
- Banking is an application, not part of formation, at all three. Stripe Atlas lists Stripe Treasury plus Mercury, Brex, Rho and Novo; Firstbase runs an apply/referral marketplace (Mercury, Payoneer, Relay, Brex) where partner approval is required; Doola offers guidance, with Mercury and Relay as marketplace partners. Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC.

### 5-Year Total Cost Comparison

| 5-Year Total | Stripe Atlas (DE) | Firstbase (WY) | Doola (WY) | DIY (WY) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formation | $500 | $399 | Included in tier | $250 |
| Registered agent (5 years) | $400 (year 1 included, then $100/yr x 4) | $1,495 ($299/yr x 5, required from yr 1) | Included | $500-1,000 |
| State fees (5 years) | $2,000 | $300 | $300 | $300 |
| Tax filing incl. Form 5472 (5 years) | $1,500-6,000 (outside filer, $300-1,200/yr) | $4,495 ($899 x 5) | $9,995 ($1,999 x 5, bundle) | $1,500-6,000 (outside filer) |
| **5-year total** | **$4,400-8,900** | **$6,689** | **$10,295** | **$2,550-7,550** |

---

## US Banking for Non-Residents (2026 Data)

Source: [Mercury vs Wise vs Relay](https://www.globalsolo.global/blog/mercury-vs-wise-vs-relay-best-bank-2026). Table cells are taken from the Global Solo banking comparison dataset (the same one behind https://www.globalsolo.global/tools/compare/banking). "Unknown — ask vendor" means we could not verify the cell either way; it is not a "no".

> *Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC. FDIC deposit insurance covers the failure of an insured bank. Deposits in checking and savings accounts are FDIC-insured through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A. and their Sweep Program Network Banks. Certain conditions must be satisfied for pass-through FDIC insurance to apply.

| Feature | Mercury | Wise Business | Relay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $0 | $0/mo (one-time $31 set-up fee for account details) | $0 (Starter); $30/mo (Grow); $120/mo (Scale, currently discounted to $90) |
| Currencies | USD accounts only; receives 139 currencies (auto-converted), pays out to 40+ | 40+ currencies | USD only |
| FDIC insured | Yes (up to $5M through partner banks' sweep networks)* | Safeguarded; $250K pass-through if opted in | Yes (up to $3M via sweep) |
| International transfers | Wire ($0 domestic, 1% intl in foreign currency, $0 intl in USD) | Native multi-currency (mid-market + fee) | Wire: Local network $1.50–5, SWIFT $20–25 (by plan); incoming wire $5 |
| Currency conversion | 1% for wires, 3% for card FX | Mid-market rate + from 0.23% (varies by currency) | FX fee from 1.00% (upper bound not published); rate refreshed every 60s |
| Non-resident access | No US citizenship/residency needed; US entity + US operations; registered-agent/PO-box/virtual addresses rejected; ~50 countries excluded | Broad entity types; holder address gates apply — USD details blocked in China, Nigeria, Pakistan, Türkiye + others | US entity required; non-resident owners explicitly accepted (31 countries excluded) |
| Interest on deposits | Unknown — ask vendor | Yes (select currencies) | Yes (savings, 1.19–3.21% APY by plan) |
| Debit card | Virtual + physical** | Virtual + physical (country-gated) | Virtual + physical |
| API access | Yes — REST API, CLI, MCP server | Yes | Unknown — ask vendor |

> **The Mercury Debit Cards are issued by Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC, pursuant to licenses from Mastercard®.

Wise and Relay disclosures for the cells above, verbatim from each provider:

> - Wise is not a bank and is not FDIC-insured. FDIC insurance is provided as pass-through insurance through a Program Bank (currently JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.). Eligible customers must opt in to the interest feature. Availability of FDIC deposit insurance is subject to certain conditions. For customers opted in to receive interest on EUR and GBP, the $250,000 pass-through limit applies to USD, EUR and GBP balances combined.
> - Wise is not a bank. Interest is paid via an opt-in feature under which balances are held at a Program Bank (currently JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.). Eligible customers must opt in. Rates are variable and were last updated 2026-09-18.
> - Relay is a financial technology company and is not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC. FDIC deposit insurance covers the failure of an insured bank. FDIC insurance available for funds on deposit through Thread Bank, Member FDIC. Certain conditions must be satisfied for pass-through FDIC insurance to apply.
> - The Relay Visa® Debit Card is issued by Thread Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted.

### Key Facts
- Mercury holds USD only: it receives 139 currencies, converts them to USD on arrival, and pays out to 40+
- Wise charges a conversion fee from 0.23% (set per currency) on top of the mid-market rate; traditional banks mark up 1.5-3%
- Wise is not a bank and is not FDIC-insured by default. Funds are safeguarded; US customers who opt into the interest feature get up to $250,000 of FDIC pass-through coverage
- Mercury rejects registered-agent, PO-box and virtual addresses and excludes about 50 countries; Relay excludes 31 countries; Wise blocks USD account details for holders in China, Nigeria, Pakistan, Türkiye and others. Which countries each provider restricts is in the Banking Access Index below
- Wise processes $12B+ in cross-border transactions per quarter, 16M+ customers worldwide

---

## Banking Access Index — Non-Resident Founder Acceptance (2026 Data)

Source: [Global Solo Banking Access Index](https://www.globalsolo.global/data/banking-access-index) — 19 providers x 8 countries of residence, 257 verified claims, each quoting the provider's own page; CC BY 4.0 (CSV/JSON downloads with evidence quotes on the page). Table regenerated from the published dataset on 2026-10-20.

Cell semantics have four states: "Accept (explicit)" = provider publishes an acceptance statement or names the country on a closed list of eligible countries; "Restricted" = country on the provider's published restricted list, OR left off a closed list of eligible countries, OR provider serves US residents only; "No published restriction" = absent from the provider's restricted list but no explicit acceptance statement (absence of restriction is not acceptance); "No published policy" = the provider publishes nothing that answers the question for that country (unknown).

| Provider (founder residence →) | India | China | UK | Canada | Pakistan | Nigeria | Turkey | Brazil |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | No published restriction | No published restriction | No published restriction | No published restriction | Restricted | Restricted | No published restriction | No published restriction |
| Relay | No published restriction | No published restriction | Accept (explicit) | Accept (explicit) | Restricted | Restricted | No published restriction | No published restriction |
| Wise Business | Restricted | Restricted | Accept (explicit) | Accept (explicit) | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted |
| Payoneer | Accept (explicit) | Accept (explicit) | Accept (explicit) | Accept (explicit) | Accept (explicit) | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy |
| Brex | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy |
| Novo | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted |
| Bluevine | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted |
| Found | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted |
| Lili | Accept (explicit) | Accept (explicit) | Accept (explicit) | Accept (explicit) | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Accept (explicit) |
| NorthOne | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted |
| Airwallex (US) | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy |
| Grasshopper Bank | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted |
| Slash | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy |
| Meow | Accept (explicit) | No published restriction | Accept (explicit) | Accept (explicit) | No published restriction | No published policy | Accept (explicit) | Accept (explicit) |
| Rho | No published restriction | No published restriction | No published restriction | No published restriction | No published restriction | No published restriction | No published restriction | No published restriction |
| Chase Business Banking | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy |
| Bank of America Small Business | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted |
| Wells Fargo Business Banking | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy | No published policy |
| Revolut Business | Accept (explicit) | Restricted | Accept (explicit) | Accept (explicit) | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | Accept (explicit) |

### Key Facts
- Providers with a published stance of US residents/persons only: Novo, Found, NorthOne, Grasshopper Bank, Bank of America, Wells Fargo (per provider-published eligibility pages)
- Providers publishing explicit non-resident acceptance: Mercury, Payoneer, Airwallex, Slash (others conditional or unpublished)
- Pakistan and Nigeria appear on the published prohibited/restricted lists of Mercury, Relay, Wise (USD account details) and Lili; Bluevine and Revolut Business publish closed lists of eligible countries that do not name them
- Account rails differ materially: Mercury/Relay/Brex/Novo/Bluevine/Found/Lili/NorthOne/Meow publish own ACH routing + account numbers at partner banks; Wise Business, Payoneer, and Airwallex operate virtual/collection-account models
- Traditional banks (Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo) publish conditional or in-branch onboarding paths; Chase documents ITIN acceptance
- Every cell in the index carries a source URL, evidence tier (T1 provider docs / T2 provider blog / T3 dated user report), and its own verification date (dataset verified_at 2026-10-04; individual rows re-read as late as 2026-10-20)

---
## Multi-Currency Fee Comparison (2026 Data)

Source: [Wise vs Payoneer vs Mercury](https://www.globalsolo.global/blog/wise-vs-payoneer-vs-mercury-multi-currency-comparison-2026)

| Provider | FX Fee (USD to EUR) | FX Method | Currencies | Monthly Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise | From 0.23% (set per currency pair; check the live quote) | Mid-market rate + fee | 50+ | $0 |
| Payoneer | ≈0.5% on a balance conversion; up to 3.5% on card spend | Fee on conversion | USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, AUD, CAD and others | $0 (fees on transactions) |
| Mercury | 1% on non-USD wires | Converted on the outgoing wire | 1 (USD) | $0 |

Figures match the source article (updated 2026-10-20). Receiving USD into Wise: ACH free except for businesses based in Canada or the Netherlands; 6.11 USD per wire.

### Conversion Cost Example ($5,000/month USD to EUR)
- Mercury (via wire): ~$50/month (the 1% fee; an intermediary bank can deduct more in transit)
- Wise: from ~$12/month (at the 0.23% floor)
- Payoneer: ~$25-50/month (≈0.5% on a balance conversion; more via card or withdrawal)

---

## Best State for LLC (2026 Data)

Source: [Best State for LLC Non-Resident 2026](https://www.globalsolo.global/blog/best-state-for-llc-non-resident-2026)

| State | Formation Fee | Annual State Fees | 3-Year Total | Charging Order (Single-Member) | Privacy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $50 | $0/yr | $350-650 | Limited | High (no member names) |
| Wyoming | $100 | $60/yr | $580-880 | Explicit statutory protection | High (no member names) |
| Florida | $125 | $138.75/yr | $842-1,142 | Limited | Public (names on annual report) |
| Delaware | $110 | $400/yr | $1,610-1,910 | Uncertain for single-member | High (no member names) |
| Nevada | $425 ($75 articles + $150 initial list + $200 state business license) | $350/yr ($150 annual list + $200 business license) | $1,425-1,725 | Explicit statutory protection | Public (names on annual list) |

### Key Facts
- Wyoming is the structural default for non-resident single-member LLCs: $60/yr, explicit charging order protection, high privacy
- Wyoming created the LLC in 1977 — first state in the US
- Delaware's Court of Chancery advantage is relevant for VC-backed C-Corps with multiple shareholders, not single-member LLCs
- New Mexico has $0 annual fees but weaker LLC statutes
- Nevada's state fees run nearly 6x Wyoming's ($350/yr vs $60/yr) with no structural advantage for single-member LLCs. Nevada amounts are from the statutes, read 2026-10-22: NRS 86.561 ($75 articles), NRS 86.263 ($150 initial and annual list), NRS 76.100 and 76.130 ($200 state business license, initial and each annual renewal, for an LLC; $500 is the corporation rate)
- Delaware franchise tax: $400/yr from tax year 2026 ($300 before), due June 1. Late penalty: $200 + 1.5% monthly interest

---

## Form 5472 Penalty Structure

Source: [Miss Form 5472?](https://www.globalsolo.global/blog/what-happens-if-you-miss-form-5472-non-resident-llc)

| Event | Penalty Exposure |
|---|---|
| LLC formed, no Form 5472 filed for year 1 | $25,000 |
| Year 2 passes, no filing for year 2 either | $50,000 cumulative |
| IRS notice received, 90-day clock starts | $50,000 + accruing |
| 120 days after notice, still not filed | $75,000+ |

### Filing Costs

| Method | Annual Cost |
|---|---|
| Specialist flat fee (1040 Abroad, Form5472.online, Bookmate, Greenback, O&G) | $300-547/yr |
| General CPA practice (reader-reported quotes) | $650-1,200/yr |
| Platform tax package (Firstbase $899; Doola $1,500 standalone, $1,999 bundle) | $899-1,999/yr |
| Self-preparation | $0 (accuracy risk) |

### Key Facts
- Required for every foreign-owned single-member LLC, annually, regardless of revenue
- Filed with pro forma Form 1120 (shows zeros for income/tax)
- Due April 15 following calendar year; 6-month extension available via Form 7004
- Obligation starts from year of formation, not first revenue
- IRS detects via EIN records (foreign responsible party), bank account reporting, FATCA/CRS exchange
- Penalty abatement possible through reasonable cause but is discretionary
- A founder with a $500 capital contribution and zero revenue faces the same $25,000 penalty as one with $500,000 in transactions

---

## Payment Processor Comparison (2026 Data)

Source: [Stripe vs Paddle vs Lemon Squeezy](https://www.globalsolo.global/blog/stripe-vs-paddle-vs-lemon-squeezy-2026). Fee and tax cells are taken from the Global Solo payments comparison dataset (https://www.globalsolo.global/tools/compare/payments).

| Feature | Stripe | Paddle | Lemon Squeezy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base fee | 2.9% + $0.30 | 5% + $0.50 | 5% + $0.50 |
| Model | Payment processor | Merchant of Record | Merchant of Record |
| International card fee | +1.5% | Included | +1.5% international; +1.5% PayPal; +0.5% subscriptions |
| Currency conversion | +1% | 2% (USD/EUR/GBP), 2.5% (CZK/DKK/NOK/THB), 3% all other currencies | Included on purchases; 1–3% on payouts to non-US accounts |
| VAT/sales tax handling | Stripe Tax add-on (from +0.5%) | Included (100+ tax jurisdictions) | Included (full MoR) |

### Key Facts
- Stripe's 2.9% is the lowest base fee, but the seller handles VAT and sales tax unless it adds Stripe Tax
- Paddle charges no separate international card fee, but its MSA charges 2-3% currency conversion, so "all-in 5%" is not all-in for non-USD sales
- Paddle and Lemon Squeezy collect and remit VAT as Merchant of Record (Paddle: 100+ tax jurisdictions)
- For businesses established outside the EU selling digital services to EU consumers there is no VAT threshold: the first sale creates the obligation (the EU's OSS lets a seller register once and file one return)
- UK digital services VAT (20%) has no registration threshold for non-established businesses
- 1099-K threshold (IRS, read 2026-10-04): payments over $20,000 in more than 200 transactions

---

## Registered Agent Costs (2026 Data)

Source: [6 Registered Agent Services Compared](https://www.globalsolo.global/blog/northwest-vs-zenbusiness-vs-bizee-registered-agent-comparison-2026)

The "Published annual fee" column is taken verbatim from the Global Solo registered agent dataset (the one behind the registered agent pair pages under https://www.globalsolo.global/compare/services); the 3-year totals are derived from it.

| Service | Published annual fee | 3-Year Total |
|---|---|---|
| Northwest Registered Agent | $125/yr per state (1–4 states; $100/yr each at 5+); 1st year included with $39 formation | $375 standalone ($250 after the $39 formation) |
| Bizee (formerly Incfile) | $149/yr (free 1st year with formation) | $298 (with formation) |
| ZenBusiness | From $99/yr (renews at $199/yr) | $497 |
| Stripe Atlas (bundled) | $100/yr after year 1 (year 1 included in the $500 formation) | $200 + formation |

### Key Facts
- Every US LLC is required by state law to maintain a registered agent with a physical address in the state of formation
- A founder outside the state cannot practically serve as their own registered agent, because the role requires a physical in-state address during business hours
- If the registered agent lapses, the state can administratively dissolve the LLC after a grace period that varies by state (30 to 90 days in the sources we cite)
- Northwest charges a flat $125/yr per state with no introductory discount
- ZenBusiness renews at $199/yr after a $99 first year; among the six services in the cited comparison, MyCorporation's jump ($120 to $249) is larger
- A registered agent is not a virtual mailbox and not a virtual office — different legal functions

---

## FBAR Threshold and Penalties

Source: [FBAR for Digital Nomads](https://www.globalsolo.global/blog/fbar-for-digital-nomads-the-10k-threshold-trap)

| Violation Type | Maximum Penalty |
|---|---|
| Non-willful | Up to $16,536 per report, per year (the $10,000 statutory amount, inflation-adjusted; per report, not per account, under Bittner v. United States, 2023) |
| Willful | Greater of $100,000 or 50% of account balance, per account, per year |
| Criminal (willful) | $250,000 fine and/or 5 years imprisonment |

### Key Facts
- Threshold: aggregate maximum value of all foreign accounts exceeds $10,000 at any point during the year
- "Aggregate" = all foreign accounts combined, not per account
- "Maximum" = highest balance during the year, not year-end balance
- Wise, Revolut, and other fintech platforms count as foreign financial accounts
- Filed electronically via BSA E-Filing (FinCEN Form 114), not with IRS
- Due April 15, automatic extension to October 15
- Both the individual owner AND the LLC may have independent FBAR filing obligations
- Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures: no penalty for taxpayers living abroad, 5% for US residents

### FBAR vs Form 8938 (FATCA)
| Feature | FBAR (FinCEN 114) | Form 8938 (FATCA) |
|---|---|---|
| Filed with | FinCEN (not IRS) | IRS (attached to tax return) |
| Threshold (US residents) | $10,000 aggregate | $50,000 on last day / $75,000 at any time |
| Threshold (living abroad) | $10,000 aggregate | $200,000 on last day / $300,000 at any time |

---

## EIN and ITIN for Non-Residents

Sources: [How to Get an EIN Without an SSN](https://www.globalsolo.global/blog/how-to-get-ein-without-ssn-non-resident-2026) and [EIN vs ITIN](https://www.globalsolo.global/blog/difference-between-ein-and-itin-non-resident-founders). IRS contact details below were read from the Instructions for Form SS-4 on 2026-10-22; they change, so check irs.gov before relying on them.

| | EIN | ITIN |
|---|---|---|
| Identifies | US business entity | Foreign individual |
| Format | XX-XXXXXXX | 9XX-XX-XXXX |
| Application | Form SS-4 (phone, fax or mail) | Form W-7 (with tax return, unless an exception applies) |
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Used on Form 5472 | Yes (the reporting company) | Part II owner identification, if the owner holds one |

### Key Facts
- An applicant with no legal residence, principal place of business or principal office in the US can call the IRS at 267-941-1099 (not toll-free) and receive the EIN during the call
- That applicant faxes Form SS-4 to 855-215-1627 from within the US or 304-707-9471 from outside the US. 855-641-6935 is the fax for applicants based in the 50 states or DC, not for non-residents
- Per the SS-4 instructions, a faxed application generally returns the EIN within 4 business days; a mailed one takes about 4 weeks
- An ITIN generally requires attaching a federal tax return (Form 1040-NR); a Certifying Acceptance Agent avoids mailing an original passport to the IRS

---

## BOI Filing Status (August 2026)

Source: [BOI Filing for Non-Resident LLCs](https://www.globalsolo.global/blog/boi-filing-non-resident-llc-do-you-need-to-file)

### Key Facts
- US-formed LLCs are EXEMPT from federal BOI filing. FinCEN's March 2025 interim final rule exempted domestic entities, and a final rule effective 14 August 2026 made the exemption permanent
- Only foreign entities registered to do business in a US state must file
- New York LLC Transparency Act (effective January 2026) requires state-level disclosure — separate from federal
- Non-filing penalties for foreign entities: up to $606/day (civil), $10,000 + 2 years (criminal)
- BOI exemption does NOT affect Form 5472, state annual reports, or other compliance obligations

---

## EOR Comparison (2026 Data)

Source: [Deel vs Oyster vs Remote](https://www.globalsolo.global/blog/deel-vs-oyster-vs-remote-eor-comparison-2026). Table cells are taken from the Global Solo EOR comparison dataset (https://www.globalsolo.global/tools/compare/eor).

| Feature | Deel | Oyster | Remote |
|---|---|---|---|
| EOR pricing | From $599/employee/month | From $699/employee/month | $599/employee/month billed annually; $699 billed monthly |
| Countries covered (EOR) | 130+ | 120+ | 90+ (own entities) |
| Entity ownership | Owned + third-party partners | Owned + third-party partners | 100% owned entities only |
| Contractor pricing | From $49/contractor/month | Free for 30 days, then $29/contractor/month | From $29/contractor/month |

---

## Estimated Tax Payments for US Citizens Abroad

Source: [Estimated Tax Payments Abroad](https://www.globalsolo.global/blog/estimated-tax-payments-abroad)

### Key Facts
- FEIE excludes up to ~$130,000 from income tax but does NOT eliminate self-employment tax (15.3%)
- A founder earning $120,000 abroad still owes ~$16,956 in SE tax (~$4,239/quarter)
- The 2-month automatic extension for expats delays annual filing, NOT quarterly estimated payments
- Safe harbor: pay 100% of prior-year tax (110% if AGI > $150,000) to avoid penalties
- Ignoring estimated payments costs ~$1,500-2,100/year in avoidable penalties and interest

---

## Interactive Tools

- [Formation Services Comparison](https://www.globalsolo.global/tools/compare/formation): Side-by-side comparison of 6+ formation services
- [Banking Comparison](https://www.globalsolo.global/tools/compare/banking): Compare Mercury, Wise, Relay, Payoneer
- [Payment Processor Comparison](https://www.globalsolo.global/tools/compare/payments): Compare Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, PayPal
- [EOR Comparison](https://www.globalsolo.global/tools/compare/eor): Compare Deel, Oyster, Remote
- [Jurisdiction Comparison](https://www.globalsolo.global/tools/compare/jurisdictions): Compare US states and international jurisdictions
- [Formation Cost Calculator](https://www.globalsolo.global/tools/calculate/formation-cost): Model 5-year LLC costs
- [Transfer Fee Calculator](https://www.globalsolo.global/tools/calculate/transfer-fees): Compare cross-border transfer fees
- [EOR Cost Calculator](https://www.globalsolo.global/tools/calculate/eor-cost): Compare EOR costs across providers and countries
- [Tax Filing Cost Calculator](https://www.globalsolo.global/tools/calculate/tax-filing): Estimate annual tax compliance costs
- [Free Risk Check](https://www.globalsolo.global/tools/risk-check): 7-question structural risk screening (free, no account needed)

## About

- [How We Make Money](https://www.globalsolo.global/about/how-we-make-money): Revenue is affiliate commissions. A company can also license corridor demand data, which does not buy placement or inclusion
- Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC.
- [Methodology](https://www.globalsolo.global/about/methodology): Evidence basis for editorial picks — direct use > founder conversations > regulatory sources > partner research
- [About Jett Fu](https://www.globalsolo.global/about/jett-fu): 20+ years cross-border business, founder of AirPop and Global Solo