Stripe Atlas or Our Package for Your Delaware LLC?
Both set up Delaware companies for people outside the US. Atlas costs $500 with the state fee inside; ours is $399 plus Delaware's $110, and the agent renews at $99/yr after year one.
Stripe Atlas is the most direct comparison we can make, because Atlas forms companies only in Delaware and this package is Delaware too. Both services exist for founders who live outside the United States. Where they part ways is purpose: Atlas leans toward venture-backed startups, while our Non-US Founder Package is for owners who want an LLC, an EIN, and a bank application taken care of. We sell a competing package, so read our side of it with that in mind.
What Stripe Atlas does well
- Startup legal work. Atlas handles the 83(b) election, equity grants, and SAFEs, and its documents are Cooley-drafted.
- One number, state fee included. The $500 covers Delaware's filing fee plus agent service for the first twelve months.
- A possible refund. Stripe returns the $500 once you've deposited $5,000 into Stripe Treasury.
- Credits and perks. Stripe lists $2,500 of Stripe credits plus roughly $50,000 worth of partner offers.
- Speed. Next-day expedited filing in Delaware; Stripe puts incorporation at two business days or less.
- LLC or C-corp, your choice at signup.
Feature comparison
| Stripe Atlas | Our Non-US Founder Package | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront price | $500, one time | $399, one time |
| State fee | Included (Delaware) | Extra: Delaware's $110 filing fee |
| What's included | Delaware LLC or C-corp, registered agent year one, EIN, 83(b) and equity tools | Delaware LLC, registered agent year one, EIN, bank account application |
| Recurring cost after year 1 | Registered agent $100/yr; Delaware annual taxes not included | $99/yr registered agent; Delaware annual tax not included |
| EIN without SSN | EIN included; no-SSN process not described on the Atlas page | Yes, SS-4 prepared and faxed for you |
| Bank account help | Stripe Treasury; $500 fee refunded after a $5,000 deposit | We help you set up a bank account with our partners; your application is ready as soon as you sign |
| US tax filing (5472) | Not included | Not included |
| States | Delaware only | Delaware |
Atlas figures come from stripe.com/atlas as it read on September 29, 2026.
Cost in Delaware, year by year
| Stripe Atlas | Our package | |
|---|---|---|
| Year one | $500 (state fee included) | $509 ($399 + $110) |
| Year two onward | $100 registered agent | $99 registered agent |
| Delaware's annual LLC tax ($400 for 2026) | Not included | Not included |
On price, this one is close to a draw. Atlas is $9 cheaper in the first year and $1 dearer in each year after, and the Treasury refund can bring its cost down further. Price alone is not a reason to pick us over Atlas.
Why founders choose our package
Someone prepares the bank application for you. Atlas routes you to Stripe Treasury. We complete an application for our partners from what you entered at checkout, attach the filed Certificate of Formation, and have it waiting the moment you sign your SS-4. You approve, we submit, and the EIN turns up later without holding anything back. Our partners rule on every application, and we can't guarantee an account.
A described EIN process for applicants without an SSN. The Atlas page lists an EIN but doesn't explain how it handles someone who lacks one. Ours is written down: we complete Form SS-4 per the IRS instructions for foreign applicants, you e-sign, and we fax it. The IRS generally assigns the number within two to eight weeks.
Built around the LLC. A solo consultant, a small agency, or an online seller with no plans to raise money doesn't need cap table tools. What that owner needs is the company, the agent, the EIN, and a bank application.
Pick Stripe Atlas if
- You're forming a Delaware C-corp and expect to raise from US investors.
- You need an 83(b) election, stock grants, or SAFE paperwork taken care of at the outset.
- You already take payments through Stripe and would hold $5,000 in Treasury, which earns the fee back.
- You like having the state fee folded into one price.
What you still owe Delaware and the IRS
Neither Atlas nor our package pays Delaware's yearly tax for you. An LLC owes a flat $400 for 2026 by June 1, while a corporation owes franchise tax. Neither service prepares US returns either, and foreign-owned single-member LLCs frequently need Form 5472. Hand that to a tax professional who knows non-US owners.
See everything in our Non-US Founder Package
Questions
Is Stripe Atlas cheaper than your package in Delaware?
Slightly, in year one. Atlas charges $500, which covers Delaware's filing fee and twelve months of registered agent service. Ours is $399 plus the $110 fee, so $509. Afterward, Atlas renews its agent at $100 a year and we renew ours at $99.
Can the Atlas fee be refunded?
Stripe says it refunds the $500 Atlas fee after you deposit $5,000 into Stripe Treasury. If you'd keep that much there anyway, Atlas can cost you less than any paid formation service, ours included.
Does either one pay Delaware's annual LLC tax?
No. The Atlas page doesn't include Delaware's yearly taxes, and our package doesn't either. For an LLC the flat tax is $400 for 2026, payable to Delaware by June 1.
Which is better for raising venture capital?
Atlas. It's built around the Delaware C-corp US investors usually expect, with 83(b) filing, stock issuance, SAFEs, and documents drafted with Cooley. Our package forms LLCs only.
How does the bank step differ?
Atlas links your company to Stripe Treasury. We fill in an application for our partners, attach your company documents, and send it once you've approved it, without waiting on the EIN. Neither company can guarantee you an account.
Forming an LLC, not raising a round?
Our package is $399 plus Delaware's $110 filing fee, and you see the full amount at checkout before paying.