The world of business incorporation can sometimes feel like a minefield for startup founders, especially formation. Stripe Atlas helps founders tackle business formation and operational aspects, but it’s not the only option available. With a handful of other platforms also looking to simplify the formation and growth stages for startups, founders now have a greater range of resources at their disposal.
This article highlights some of the best alternatives to Stripe Atlas — from Firstbase.io to Clerky — exploring their specific offerings, strengths, and unique selling points. If you’re in the process of launching a startup and exploring your options for incorporation services, read on.
Best Stripe Atlas Alternative: Firstbase.io
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Start NowTop Stripe Atlas Competitors
When it comes to launching a new business venture, entrepreneurs need the right tools at their disposal to succeed. Below, you’ll find some great alternatives to Stripe Atlas that offer startups world-class business formation services.
1. Firstbase.io
Firstbase simplifies and streamlines the process of launching a US business from anywhere in the world. It also completely eliminates the need for physical paperwork, allowing entrepreneurs to form either a limited liability company (LLC) or a corporation online.
What sets Firstbase apart, though, is its attention to detail and comprehensive suite of services. With Firstbase.io, business owners can quickly secure banking services without waiting for an EIN from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) — an important, time-saving feature for fast-moving startups.
This platform also caters to the scaling needs of any business by providing a dedicated bookkeeper for managing accounting tasks. In addition, its Firstbase Loop offering delivers greater convenience by allowing users to apply for banking, payments, payroll, and accounting services with just a single click.
Here are some of the key features that make Firstbase.io an outstanding alternative to Stripe Atlas:
- Full-Service Company Formation: Firstbase.io handles the entire company formation and incorporation process online, including the choice of business structure and registration state.
- Firstbase Loop: This offering allows users to apply for banking, payments, payroll, and accounting services with one click.
- Ongoing Compliance: Firstbase.io automates filings and reports to ensure startups maintain legal compliance and avoid missed deadlines.
- Professional Business Address: This platform also provides a business address and virtual mailbox to help startups effectively manage their mailing requirements.
- Resources and Rewards: Customers gain access to more than $350,000 in deals and rewards along with consultations to promote successful business growth.
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2. Northwest Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent is a compelling choice for startups seeking business formation services. With a solid reputation and more than 900 employees dedicated to servicing approximately 3 million businesses nationwide, it’s known as a reliable provider for company formation and ongoing business maintenance on the legal/registration side. Northwest Registered Agent also offers extensive suites of services — all curated with client success in mind.
What sets this company apart is its focus on being more than just a registered agent service. It provides an all-inclusive platform that operates nationally by offering services like business formation, compliance maintenance, and free legal forms.
Northwest Registered Agent also offers privacy-focused services, such as mail forwarding and virtual office facilities, as well as ample guidance and updates when regulations change to guarantee businesses stay ahead of the curve as the business landscape evolves.
To learn more, read our full Northwest Registered Agent review.
3. Clerky
Clerky specializes in helping founders navigate essential legal paperwork, such as incorporation. Like Stripe Atlas, it provides business incorporation as a Delaware C corporation (C corp) and many more structures for high-growth startups. What sets it apart, though, is its quick processing time — typically ranging between one and three business days. Clerky also goes beyond just assisting with incorporation by offering support for procedures like stock issuance, director election, officer appointment, bylaw adoption, and intellectual property protection.
One of Clerky’s most attractive features is its support for 83(b) elections. Similar to Stripe Atlas, it provides prefilled forms and filing instructions — all while offering the convenience of collaborative work. Specifically, it enables cofounders to stay aligned on all the legal paperwork via the platform.
To learn more, read our full Clerky review.
4. LegalZoom
LegalZoom can definitely hold its own as another top alternative to Stripe Atlas. Its solid online platform helps set the company apart, providing comprehensive legal services and assistance for both individuals and businesses.
You have to appreciate LegalZoom’s do-it-yourself (DIY) approach. It allows users to complete massive amounts of legal work without needing an attorney physically present. This model significantly reduces costs without sacrificing the quality of the legal assistance provided.
Definitely not a newcomer to the field, LegalZoom has assisted more than 2 million entrepreneurs start their businesses and create 3.5 million estate-planning documents. Perhaps its strongest selling point is the ability its customers have to get legal consultations from LegalZoom’s network of vetted attorneys without worrying about hourly fees or office visits. This service can prove incredibly valuable for small businesses and startups, giving them access to professional legal advice without breaking the bank.
To learn more, read our full LegalZoom review.
5. Gust
Gust is a platform designed to help startups with various aspects of starting and growing a business. It has a network of more than 800,000 founders across the globe and provides a broad range of features. These include everything from mapping out your venture’s plan forward to crafting co-founder ownership plans and simplifying the process of incorporation.
Gust goes above and beyond to support startups throughout their journey and offers continuous assistance through office hours, expert sessions, and access to a network of vetted startup specialists. This can help startups get their ideas off the ground with ease.
Users describe business incorporation through Gust as a pleasant, clean, simple, and quick experience. By striving to reduce friction in early stage investing, Gust provides an all-in-one solution for startup needs, ranging from founding and fundraising to growth.
6. ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness has resources for startups at every stage — from its cost-effective pricing model to the services and support it provides to guide them from their first day to becoming a full-fledged business. It’s not just about filing to register as an LLC, S corporation (S corp), or C corp, but also supporting the small business with worry-free services from the creation of documents to compliance with state and federal requirements.
Once you use ZenBusiness to file documents to establish your business, it’ll offer a variety of different services to help you expand and maintain your operations. These include website building, accounting solutions, and invoicing services to ease everyday business tasks. Moreover, ZenBusiness delivers services that aim to keep your business compliant with all relevant laws and regulations, giving you greater peace of mind.
Without a doubt, ZenBusiness is a compelling alternative to Stripe Atlas — particularly for founders who want all-around support for their startup journey.
7. Tailor Brands
With its clear focus on simplifying the business formation process, Tailor Brands helps entrepreneurs form an LLC, obtain an EIN, and apply for necessary licenses and permits to ensure their venture can operate legally. The platform sets itself apart by offering a dedicated business bank account and even budget-planning tools that help ensure a startup can manage all of its financial aspects well.
Beyond the operational necessities, Tailor Brands also caters to the growth aspect of startups. It equips business owners with the tools they need to construct an ecommerce store as well as a customized website for expanding their reach and market presence. Tailor Brands also provides premade legal contracts and documents to help streamline vendor interactions along with marketing tools to increase business visibility. The platform uniquely combines all of these necessary tools in one place so business owners at every stage of their journey can thrive.
8. doola
Fintech company doola handles every aspect of starting and running a US business — regardless of the founder’s location. One of its best features is the flexibility it offers in forming an LLC, a C corp, or a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) LLC without requiring a US Social Security number (SSN). This key feature removes a major roadblock for non-US clients, making business formation in the US accessible and hassle-free.
This provider also offers all essential legal and compliance documents to ensure businesses stay on the right side of the law right from the start.
Beyond company formation, doola also helps businesses grow and remain compliant. It provides international money transfers between more than 100 countries in local currencies or US dollars — again without requiring an SSN. It also offers free certified public accountant (CPA) consultations and ensures tax compliance with the IRS and various states through regular tax filings.
Notably, doola provides dedicated support via a personal account manager and guides startups on business growth strategies. It’s easy to see why doola’s seamless and responsive process of starting an LLC within a day with just a few clicks has won the hearts of many customers who found its flexibility and expertise more accommodating than other competitive services.
9. SeedLegals
If you’re a UK-based startup looking for an all-in-one legal platform, SeedLegals could be just the right Stripe Atlas alternative for you. This comprehensive platform helps startups and founders get the necessary legal documents and services for their journey — from founding to fundraising and growth. It not only provides essential legal documents like founder and team agreements, but also assists with company registration and setting up share option schemes.
What sets SeedLegals apart is its focus on empowering founders with tools for investor pitches, managing funding rounds, and ensuring compliance with programs like the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) and the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS).
SeedLegals also extends its services beyond the fundraising stage by providing legal advisory, managing boards and shareholders, and preparing startups for exits. Essentially, it helps with post-investment business growth and caters to investors by allowing them to syndicate deals, manage portfolios, and claim SEIS/EIS tax relief.
10. Capbase
With Capbase, founders can handle tasks like incorporating their business, issuing shares, hiring contractors, and even managing compliance and fundraising undertakings. This platform allows for the formation of a Delaware corporation in as little as three business days, serving as the registered agent to streamline the process. Capbase’s quick turnaround highlights its ability to provide compliant contracts and maintain a secure document room, which gives founders peace of mind while they focus on their business’s growth.
A key feature of Capbase is its ability to handle the complex process of share issuance. Founders can purchase and distribute shares to co-founders and employees while effectively tracking ownership through an easily managed cap table.
Capbase simplifies the fundraising process by facilitating the issuance of a simple agreement for future equity (SAFE) and convertible notes while also generating contracts and managing wire transfers. Moreover, the platform offers valuable integrations with other startup services to provide discounts on payroll, insurance, cloud computing, banking, and bookkeeping — an additional benefit that makes it an appealing option for startups considering alternatives to Stripe Atlas.