If you have shopped around for a US LLC formation service, you have seen prices like "$297" or "$399" or "$500" plastered everywhere. The number after the dollar sign is never the number you actually pay in year one.
We crunched the 2026 numbers from publicly listed pricing pages, customer reviews on Trustpilot and Reddit, and our own internal customer migration data. Here is what each service really costs once you stop reading the homepage and start reading the fine print.
doola — advertised $297, real first year $497-$697
The $297 plan is technically real. What it does not include:
- EIN delay: doola lists EIN in the included features but the median customer waits 30-45 days. If you need Stripe approval, that is a month of lost revenue.
- Annual renewal: $297 renews automatically every year unless you cancel.
- Registered Agent forced: $99/year baked into renewal.
- Bookkeeping upsell: pushed aggressively at checkout. Many users do not realize it is optional.
True first-year out-of-pocket for the cheapest plan: $497 (the $297 entry + $200 in mandatory state and Registered Agent fees doola layers on top).
Read our doola vs LLCora honest comparison for the full feature-by-feature breakdown.
Firstbase.io — advertised $399, real first year $599-$999
Firstbase.io is the most polished of the three. It is also the most expensive once you account for hidden costs:
- EIN takes 60+ days for most non-residents (their own help docs admit this).
- $399 is the "Start" plan: it does not include Operating Agreement or any tax filing. Both are pushed at checkout.
- $249 annual renewal from year 2.
- Mercury bank lock-in: their checkout heavily steers you to Mercury. If Mercury denies you (common for Pakistani, Iranian, Nigerian customers), you have to start over.
True first-year out-of-pocket: $599 for the basic config, more if you add their bookkeeping bundle.
See the Firstbase vs LLCora detailed comparison.
Stripe Atlas — advertised $500, real first year $700
Stripe Atlas is the only one of the three that publishes the renewal cost clearly: $100/year from year 2.
What is sometimes hidden:
- Delaware-only: Stripe Atlas only forms Delaware LLCs and C-Corps. Delaware charges $300/year franchise tax. Wyoming charges $60. New Mexico charges $0. Over 5 years, the Delaware "premium" costs you $1,200-$1,500 in extra state fees.
- $5,000 in Stripe credits: heavily marketed, rarely used by non-resident customers (the credits expire and most non-residents do not process $5,000 in the first year).
- Bank account is not guaranteed: Stripe Atlas partners with banks but cannot force them to approve you. Many non-residents still get denied.
True first-year out-of-pocket: $700.
Read the full Stripe Atlas vs LLCora breakdown.
Stop reading. Start filing.
Your LLC could be live by tomorrow morning. From $149. 100% money-back if rejected.
What LLCora charges (no hidden fees)
We list the entire first-year cost on the pricing page:
- Basic $149: New Mexico LLC, Registered Agent year 1, Articles of Organization, 24-hour delivery. From year 2: $99 Registered Agent (mandatory in every state) + $0 New Mexico annual fee.
- Pro $299: Wyoming LLC + EIN in 48 hours. From year 2: $99 + $60 Wyoming.
- Premium $499: everything in Pro + ITIN support + Mercury guide + 1-on-1 video call. No upsells, no surprises.
One-time payment. No subscription. No surprise renewals.
The 5-year total cost of ownership
| Service | Year 1 | Years 2-5 (total) | 5-year total |
|---|---|---|---|
| doola | $497 | $1,188 (4 × $297) | $1,685 |
| Firstbase | $599 | $996 (4 × $249) | $1,595 |
| Stripe Atlas | $700 | $400 (4 × $100) + $1,200 Delaware tax | $2,300 |
| LLCora (Wyoming Pro) | $299 | $636 (4 × $159) | $935 |
LLCora is 41-60% cheaper than the cheapest competitor over 5 years and 60% cheaper than the most expensive.
Why we charge less
Three reasons.
- No paid acquisition through Google Ads. doola, Firstbase and Stripe Atlas spend $20-$60 to acquire each customer through ads. We rely on word of mouth and SEO. That saves us $50/customer that we pass to you.
- No bookkeeping or tax filing upsell. We focus on one thing: getting your LLC and EIN ready for business in under 48 hours. We refer you to bookkeepers if you need one, but we do not bundle and mark up.
- One-time payment instead of subscription. Subscriptions force vendors to keep finding reasons to charge you. We do the work once, you pay once, we are done.
Bottom line
If you are a US founder raising VC, Firstbase or Stripe Atlas might be worth the markup for the bundled services.
If you are a non-resident solopreneur, freelancer, dropshipper, content creator or indie SaaS founder — you are paying $300-$1,400 over 5 years for nothing you will actually use. Start with LLCora and put that money back in your business.
Compare: doola alternative · Firstbase alternative · Stripe Atlas alternative