Stripe Atlas Pricing Plans

Stripe Atlas has a $500 one-time setup fee. That fee includes the formation of a Delaware C-Corporation, opening up a U.S. business bank account with Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), setting up a Stripe account for payments, and one year of registered agent service in Delaware. Stripe Atlas does include templates for legal documents once you get your member area established.

Of course, there are ongoing economics of running a business. The Delaware franchise tax is $175 per year but can escalate rapidly based on the stock and revenue. After your first year in business, you will start incurring costs for annual registered agent service renewal which is $100 to $300. Additionally, Stripe will charge 2.9% + 30¢ for every successful U.S. card transaction and a combination of various additional payment processing charges for international transactions and currency conversion. You may also want to incur direct costs if you would like bookkeeping or third-party support services with regard to submitting your tax filings and maintaining legal standing. Put simply, the ongoing costs will depend on the complexity and requirements of your business.

In 2025, whether or not Stripe Atlas will be worth your money will depend on your goals for your business, your location, and your long-term objectives and strategy. In terms of non-U.S. founders, if you are planning to set up a Delaware C-Corporation, connect to the U.S. banking system and want a way to accept payments around the world, Stripe Atlas still has a lot of power and convenience for you.

The $500 one-time charge is reasonable, especially considering you are going to get the incorporation, U.S. bank account, legal templates, the first year of registered agent, and ongoing services from Stripe for the rest of your lifetime. Stripe has a great payment processing ecosystem which is extremely reliable and meets the needs of SaaS, marketplaces, or e-commerce businesses accepting payments on behalf of international customers. Stripe Atlas has ongoing expense considerations including Delaware franchise taxes (175+ year), registered agent renewals (100-300 year), and any applicable Stripe transaction rates (2.9% plus 30¢ per U.S. card payment), which are fixed costs that could be significant over time as your business scales. And if you are specifically looking to raise venture capital, make sure you understand that investors will likely prefer a Delaware C-Corporation which will make Stripe Atlas a reasoned choice for high-growth founders.

If you do not require a U.S. company, or a U.S. bank account or simply do not require Stripe's eco-system, local incorporation in your own country may make more sense or could be more cost effective. Collectively, Stripe Atlas, for 2025, is still worth it for founders who want a simple, speedy, and structured way to set up a U.S. business, but the longer-term costs of ownership should be understood before signing on.

One of the best ways to reduce the fees on Stripe Atlas is to reduce the ongoing costs, like the registered agent service. The initial first year is covered by Stripe Atlas, but afterwards the registered agent service can be $100 - $300/year. By changing to a cheaper registered agent service, for example, a few will do it for as little as $50 - $100/year, it may be a simple way to save some money and dramatically reduce long-term costs.

Another way to reduce costs is to minimize Delaware franchise taxes. Delaware state franchise tax has a minimum of $175/year, and for companies with significant valuations or a large number of authorized shares the franchise tax can really add up. If you use the Assumed Par Value method when you file your franchise tax report it can keep costs low and ensures you don't overpay based on your company's share structure. Many business owners are completely unaware of the franchise taxes they pay, and significant savings can often be achieved if a proper tax calculation is performed saving the business hundreds or thousands of dollars on a recurring annual basis.

If your intent only is to have a U.S. business presence and you do not necessarily want or need the Delaware C-Corp if you are not going to seek out venture capital and go through the challenge of dealing with stock issuance, then you may think about alternative incorporation services. Services like Doola, Firstbase or Incfile often offer cheaper LLC formations. While an LLC isn't always the most attractive fee structure if you plan to actively issue stock or attract venture capital investors, they can be an attractive alternative if you run a legitimate business.

Finally, payment processing fees can add up quickly, especially with Stripe as your payment processor. Payment via Stripe will come with a fee of 2.9% + 30¢ per card transacted in the U.S.- and if you are based outside the U.S. you may experience elevated fees. You could perhaps save on transaction processing fees by encouraging customers to pay you via ACH transfer (0.8%, capped at $5.00) or a less cost-prohibitive way to accept payments is to also integrate lower-fee payment solutions (e.g. PayPal, Wise, or bank transfer) into your business. If you are able to save a few extra points (or cents!) on your transaction fees, especially if you have a high volume of transactions, it can meaningfully reduce your costs.

With some sensible adjustments in your registered agent service, tax filing, general legal compliance, business structure and payment processing you may be able to drastically reduce the total cost of running a Stripe Atlas business while also still enjoying many of the benefits of a U.S. based company.

There are cheaper alternatives to Stripe Atlas for entrepreneurs looking to incorporate a U.S. business without having to pay the $500.00 setup fee. You can still include U.S. company formation and bank account setup, and tax compliance, but do this cheaper or provide to you more flexibility.

Firstbase is a popular alternative. The company offers Delaware C-Corp and LLC formation starting somewhere around $399.00. It also helps you with your U.S. incorporation, applies for an EIN, and access to a business banking account. They offer different pricing and additional benefits (i.e., discounts on SaaS Tools). Doola is another option as it specializes in supporting non-U.S. founders (those outside the U.S.) form a U.S. LLC or C-Corp at a lower price, as their lowest plan starts at $297.00. They provide tax compliance support, offer banks as partners, and easily integrate with them.

For those who are not tied to having a Delaware C-Corp, Incfile or ZenBusiness are affordable alternatives for forming a U.S. LLC or corporation for the low, low price of $0.00 (plus state fees). You are allowed to use U.S. company registrations, provide yourself with registered agent support, prepare legal documents, and integrate banking, but some of the features are still an extra charge as seen in the $500.00 charges from Stripe Atlas.

Another way to reduce costs is to register a U.S. LLC directly with a state, as in Wyoming, Florida, or New Mexico. Lower annual fees occur here too, than Delaware. And unless you want the company taxes, you may skip them at the same time. Some founders use the LLC self-incorporation with the IRS website for EIN registration and services like Wise or Mercury banking and skip the whole expensive incorporation platform altogether.

In the end, if a cheaper alternative to Stripe Atlas is right for you, depends on the needs of your business. If you need an investor friendly full-service Delaware C-Corp, Stripe Atlas maybe still be the best option for you. If you want lower-cost U.S. business formation and just want to do some of the setup steps on your own, then Firstbase, Doola, Incfile, or ZenBusiness are likely to save you money while providing you with basic incorporation and banking support.

Yes, in addition to the $500 set-up fee, there are also ongoing costs to using Stripe Atlas. The biggest hidden or extra costs will be:

1. Delaware franchise tax & annual report: The minimum tax is $175, but it could be higher depending on your company structure and valuation, you will also have to file an annual report which is $50.

1. Registered Agent renewal fees: Stripe Atlas pays for the first year of registered agent services, so you will have to pay an approximate $100 and $300 per year thereafter to maintain compliance.

1. Stripe payment processing fees: Standard Stripe transaction fees will apply and they are 2.9% + 30¢ per U.S. card transaction and will be higher for international payments.

1. Tax filing & compliance costs: While Stripe Atlas supplies legal templates, you are responsible for tax filings wherever your business operates. You may need to hire an accountant or use a service for your tax filings which will vary in cost depending on the complexity but can range from approx. $200 to $1,000+ year.

1. Other permanent legal & banking fees: If you are required to use other legal services or you need contract reviews, you will effectively be meeting third party costs for compliance, payroll, or tax structuring.

At the end of the day however, Stripe Atlas offers a great service with fuss free set-up; however, it is important to understand that costs of operating a Delaware C-Corp can be more than $500 set up costs, as well as all the ongoing state compliance and legal and financial management costs.

Unfortunately, no. Stripe's Atlas setup fee is non-refundable. Once you complete the application process and Stripe starts the incorporation process for your company, you cannot obtain a refund (even if you changed your mind regarding proceeding with the business).

The reason for that is your initial fee of $500 covers the cost to file your company with Delaware, obtain an EIN, link a bank account, and services offered by Stripe that will go beyond the incorporation services you request. In the case that an issue arises with Stripe (such as a mistake in the formation process) you might be able to contact Stripe support for assistance, but in general, once they initiate the process there will be no reversibility regarding the payment made. If you are not sure about forming a U.S. company, We recommend looking at all costs and potential legal obligations before even applying.