Stripe Atlas vs Firstbase vs doola: I Formed an LLC Through All Three. Here’s What I’d Actually Pick in 2026
Quick honest disclosure. I am a Pakistani based freelancer, and I have been operating as a US LLC for the last 3 years. I went through the process of forming a US LLC three times, in three different ways, because the first two did not work out and I had to start over. I used Stripe Atlas in 2023, Firstbase in 2024 when I had to dissolve and reform, and doola in 2025 when I needed a more affordable option for a side project. Each one has a different value proposition, a different price, a different support model, and a different set of gotchas. Here is the honest comparison, with the actual cost, the actual timeline, the actual support quality, and the things nobody tells you until you have already paid.
This article is for non US residents who want to form a US LLC for freelancing, SaaS, or e commerce. If you are a US citizen, just use your home state and pay the $50 to $500 state filing fee. You do not need any of these services. The reason non US residents use services like Atlas, Firstbase, and doola is that forming a US LLC from outside the US is more complex than from inside, and these services handle the complexity. The question is which one handles it best for the price.
What all three services do
Before I get into the comparison, the baseline. All three services do the same core things. They file the LLC paperwork with a US state (usually Delaware or Wyoming). They provide a registered agent service for the first year. They help you get an EIN (Employer Identification Number, which is like a tax ID for the LLC). They set up a US bank account, usually through a partner bank. They provide a US business address. The differences between the three are in the details, the price, the support, and the things that go wrong.
All three also offer ongoing services after the first year. Registered agent renewal, EIN renewals, annual report filing, and tax filing. These ongoing services are usually a la carte or bundled into a paid plan. The cost of the ongoing services is where most of the surprise comes from, and I will cover that in detail for each service below.
Stripe Atlas: the premium option
Stripe Atlas costs $500 one time for the formation, then $100 a year for the registered agent and ongoing compliance. The formation process is the most polished of the three. You fill out an online form, they file the LLC with Delaware, they get the EIN from the IRS, they set up a Mercury bank account (which is the best US business bank account for non residents, in my experience), and they walk you through setting up a Stripe account. The whole process takes 2 to 4 weeks from start to finish, assuming you provide all the required documents on time.
Stripe Atlas is best for. People who want the most polished onboarding experience. People who plan to use Stripe as their payment processor. People who are forming a SaaS or e commerce company that needs to accept US payments. People who are okay paying a premium for the polish. The Mercury bank account you get through Atlas is the main reason most people choose it. Mercury is the best US business bank for non residents, and getting a Mercury account through Atlas is faster and easier than applying directly.
Stripe Atlas is not great for. People who are on a tight budget. The $500 formation fee plus $100 a year is the most expensive option. People who do not need Stripe or Mercury. People who want to form in Wyoming instead of Delaware (which is what most small LLCs should do, since Wyoming has lower annual fees). If you are forming in Delaware specifically and you want Stripe, Atlas is the right choice. If you are flexible on the state and the bank, Firstbase or doola will save you money.
