How to Incorporate a Startup: The 10 Best Incorporation Services in 2026

This is a straightforward guide. No filler. Each service is covered with what it costs, what it includes, who it’s for, and who should look elsewhere. If you’re planning to raise venture capital, the choice matters more than most founders realize — the documents you generate at incorporation follow you into every SAFE, term sheet, and due diligence process.

Before the comparison: if you don’t know when to incorporate or what a Delaware C Corporation actually is, skip to the "When to incorporate" section and the "What you actually get" section below the comparison. Most incorporation mistakes happen in the first 30 days. The FAQ at the bottom covers the most expensive ones.

Comparison at a glance

State filing fees for Delaware C-Corp: approximately $89–$109 depending on share structure and processing method. Most formation services include expedited filing in their quoted fee. Verify current fees at the Delaware Division of Corporations website.

Why Delaware? The short answer

Before the comparison, the state question: virtually every venture-backed startup incorporates in Delaware, and the reasons are structural, not sentimental.

Delaware Court of Chancery. A specialized business court with expert judges (no juries) that has handled corporate disputes since 1792. Over 200 years of established case law means outcomes are predictable. Investors rely on this predictability when structuring preferred stock, governance rights, and liquidation preferences.

Investor preference. Most VC fund structures are designed around Delaware corporate law. Many institutional investors will only invest in Delaware C-Corps. If you raise from VCs later after incorporating elsewhere, you may need to redomesticate — a legal process that costs money and resets your QSBS clock.

No state income tax on out-of-state revenue. Delaware doesn’t tax Delaware corporations on revenue earned outside the state.

Annual costs. Delaware corporations pay an annual franchise tax and $50 report fee, due March 1. The franchise tax for early-stage startups typically ranges from $400 to $2,000/year depending on calculation method. Using the Assumed Par Value Capital method rather than the Authorized Shares method usually produces a lower bill — most formation services include instructions.

Bottom line: If you plan to raise venture capital, incorporate in Delaware as a C-Corp. If you are bootstrapped with no VC plans, an LLC in your home state may be simpler. For everyone planning to raise, the Delaware C-Corp is not a preference — it’s a requirement.

When to incorporate

This is the question most guides skip. The answer matters because incorporating too early creates compliance drag and annual costs before you know the business should exist. Incorporating too late creates gaps in IP ownership that become expensive to clean up.

The practical rule: incorporate when the company needs to own something. Specifically:

• When you need to assign IP to the company. If you’re writing code, building a product, or contracting work, that IP should belong to an entity — not a person. If a co-founder leaves before you incorporate, you may not own their work.

• When you’re taking money. Any investor writing a check needs a legal entity to write it to. This includes friends-and-family checks and pre-seed SAFEs.

• When you’re hiring anyone. Employment agreements, PIIAs, and option grants all require a corporate entity.

• When you’re applying to an accelerator. YC, Techstars, and most other accelerators require a Delaware C-Corp at the time of funding.

Most founders should incorporate when they decide the company is real — before the first outside dollar, before the first contractor, and before the first line of code that will end up in the product.

What you actually get from a Delaware C-Corp formation service

Every service in this list produces some version of the same core output. Understanding what each document is helps you evaluate what you’re actually paying for.

Certificate of Incorporation. The document filed with the Delaware Division of Corporations that legally creates your company. It states your company name, authorized shares, par value, and registered agent. This is the founding document. Without it, your company does not legally exist. Once approved by the state, you receive a file-stamped copy.

EIN (Employer Identification Number). Your company’s federal tax ID, issued by the IRS. You need it to open a bank account, hire employees, and file taxes. US founders with an SSN can get this online instantly from the IRS at no cost. Non-US founders without an SSN must use a fax-based process that can take 4–5 weeks — which is why international-focused services like Doola include EIN assistance as a core feature.

Bylaws. The internal rules governing how your corporation operates — how board meetings are conducted, how decisions are made, voting thresholds. Not filed publicly. Required for corporate governance.

Founder stock issuance. The actual shares issued to founders, with vesting schedules. Most VC-backed startups issue founder stock with a four-year vesting schedule and a one-year cliff. Getting this right at formation is critical — undocumented or incorrectly issued founder equity is one of the most common due diligence problems.

83(b) election. A letter filed with the IRS within 30 days of receiving restricted stock. It elects to pay tax on the current (near-zero) value of your shares now, rather than as they vest. If your company succeeds and your stock value grows, this election can save you hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars in taxes. Missing the 30-day deadline is irreversible.

PIIA (Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement). The agreement that assigns IP created by founders to the company. Every founder must sign this. If a founder leaves and hasn’t signed a PIIA, they may own a piece of the product. This is a common Series A due diligence blocker.

Registered agent. Every Delaware corporation must maintain a registered agent — a person or business with a physical Delaware address that receives service of process and state correspondence on behalf of the company. Required by law. Most founders don’t have a Delaware office, so they use a registered agent service. Cost: $39–$299/year depending on provider. Every service in this list provides or arranges registered agent coverage.

Cap table. Not a document a formation service produces, but a record you set up immediately after incorporation showing who owns what percentage of the company. Most founders use Carta or Pulley. Your cap table should be accurate from day one — investors and acquirers will review it carefully.

QSBS: the incorporation decision worth millions

Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) is a provision of the US tax code (IRC Section 1202) that allows founders and early investors in a qualifying C-Corp to exclude up to $10 million — or 10x their investment, whichever is larger — from federal capital gains tax at exit. For a startup founder who sells for $15M, that’s a potential $10M+ tax exclusion.

To qualify, the stock must be:

• Issued by a domestic C-Corporation (Delaware C-Corp qualifies; LLCs do not)

• Held for at least 5 years for 100% exclusion (under OBBBA, stock issued after July 4, 2025 also qualifies for 50% exclusion at 3 years and 75% at 4 years; non-excluded gain at those shorter holds is taxed at 28%)

• Acquired at original issuance (not purchased from another stockholder)

• Issued when the company’s gross assets were under $75 million (for stock issued after July 4, 2025; $50M threshold applies to stock issued on or before July 4, 2025)

Important state caveat: California, New York, Massachusetts, and several other states do not conform to the federal QSBS rules. Founders in those states owe full state capital gains tax on gains excluded federally. Consult a qualified tax advisor before relying on QSBS treatment.

The five-year holding period starts at the date the stock is issued — which means the clock starts at incorporation. Every month you delay incorporating is a month off the QSBS clock. If you convert from an LLC to a C-Corp later, the holding period starts at conversion, not at your original formation date.

This is why startup attorneys consistently recommend incorporating early as a Delaware C-Corp rather than starting as an LLC and converting. The conversion resets the QSBS clock.

1. Rho — Best for incorporation, attorney review, and banking in one place

Full disclosure: Rho is our product. It goes first because of what it bundles, and the facts below are the same ones we hold every other service on this page to. Judge for yourself.

Pricing: $400 deposit, fully refunded once you open a Rho account and maintain a $10,000 average checking balance for 60 days. Effectively free if you bank with Rho. A real $400 if you do not.

Rho is the only service on this list where attorneys review your formation. Attorneys prepare and file your Delaware C-Corp, and they stay available for questions and document changes after — the gap every template service on this page leaves open.

The other differentiator is timing. Your Rho business bank account opens the same day you incorporate, before your EIN arrives. You can take an investor's wire or pay a contractor while founders who incorporated elsewhere are still waiting on the IRS.

What's included: Attorney-reviewed Delaware C-Corp formation and filing, certificate of incorporation, bylaws, board consents, stock purchase agreements, first-year registered agent, EIN application, and a Rho bank account the same day. See how Rho incorporation works.

Choose Rho if: You want formation, attorney eyes on your documents, and a working bank account in one flow — and you plan to bank with Rho, which makes the deposit effectively free.

Look elsewhere if: You need an LLC or a non-Delaware entity, you already have banking you are happy with, or you want a lifetime post-incorporation document library like Clerky's.

2. Clerky — Best for VC-backed founders raising capital

Pricing: $427 pay-per-use | $819 Company Lifetime Package (both include expedited Delaware filing fees and first-year registered agent)

Clerky was founded by two attorneys from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP — one of the leading startup law firms in Silicon Valley — and it shows. Every document Clerky produces is designed to survive investor due diligence. The incorporation package includes board consents, stockholder consents, indemnification agreements, PIIAs (Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreements), and 83(b) election guidance. These aren’t afterthoughts. They’re the documents that come up in every seed and Series A due diligence process, and having them done correctly from the start saves expensive legal cleanup later.

Clerky also handles the full document lifecycle after incorporation. SAFEs, convertible notes, advisor agreements, offer letters, equity grants, and maintenance filings all live in the platform. If you’re planning to raise in the next 12–18 months, the context carries forward. Founders who use Clerky through their seed round stay in it because everything is already there.

After incorporating with Clerky, you can open a Rho account with a single click — your company data pre-fills the banking application so you're not re-entering the same information twice.

What’s included: Delaware C-Corp, expedited state filing, EIN, founder equity issuance, 83(b) election, PIIA, board and stockholder consents, indemnification agreements, first-year registered agent, ongoing legal document templates

Choose Clerky if: You are raising venture capital now or within 18 months. You want attorney-grade documents that won’t need cleanup before your Series A. You want one place to manage all your startup legal documents.

Look elsewhere if: You’re on a tight budget and won’t raise for a long time, or you’re incorporating a simple structure that doesn’t need full legal document management.

3. Stripe Atlas — Best for fast, affordable setup with Stripe ecosystem access

Pricing: $500 (includes expedited Delaware filing, EIN, first-year registered agent service)

Stripe Atlas is the most widely used online incorporation service for tech startups, with over 100,000 founders having used it across 140+ countries. At $500, it’s the fastest path from zero to a Delaware C-Corp. Fill out your company details, Atlas files with the Delaware Division of Corporations (typically complete within two business days), and you come out with a Certificate of Incorporation, an EIN, founder equity issued, and an 83(b) election filed. Legal document templates are created in collaboration with Cooley LLP.

The ecosystem matters for the total cost calculation. Atlas founders get $2,500 in Stripe product credits plus $50,000+ in discounts on tools including Xero and AWS. For international founders, Atlas has a meaningful advantage: you can open a bank account and start accepting Stripe payments before your EIN arrives, which helps companies in markets where IRS EIN processing takes longer.

Atlas is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. The documents are solid templates. They work for standard startup formations. They are not attorney-reviewed for your specific situation in the way Clerky’s are.

After incorporating with Stripe Atlas, you can open a Rho account before your EIN clears. Pre-EIN onboarding is supported. Qualifying C-Corps that deposit $20K within 60–90 days receive a sign-on bonus.

What’s included: Delaware C-Corp, expedited state filing, EIN, founder equity issuance, 83(b) election, first-year registered agent, document templates created in collaboration with Cooley LLP, $2,500 in Stripe product credits, $50,000+ in partner discounts (including Mercury, Xero, and AWS). Registered agent renews at $100/year after year one.

Choose Atlas if: You want the fastest, most affordable path to a Delaware C-Corp. You’re already in the Stripe ecosystem. You are an international founder and need to start operating before your EIN arrives.

Look elsewhere if: You need attorney-reviewed documents designed for VC fundraising. After Atlas, you have your company and your Stripe account — you figure out SAFEs, convertible notes, and legal documents elsewhere.

4. Firstbase — Best for international founders who want a full back-office

Pricing: $399 formation (registered agent $149/year separately; US address $315/year separately)

Firstbase is a tech-native platform built for founders who want to form a US company and run it entirely online from anywhere in the world. The incorporation flow is clean and modern — designed for first-time founders who want help with the steps that come after filing. The platform extends well beyond formation: compliance tracking, business mail, bookkeeping, and tax filing tools are all available from the same dashboard.

The formation fee is reasonable at $399, but the full annual cost adds up quickly once you add registered agent ($149/year) and a US address ($315/year). For international founders who need all three, Firstbase bundles them more cleanly than most alternatives. Firstbase is particularly popular among non-US founders in Europe and Latin America.

What’s included: Delaware C-Corp or LLC, EIN, initial corporate documents, compliance reminders, dashboard for ongoing management, optional add-ons for registered agent, US address, bookkeeping, and tax filing

Choose Firstbase if: You’re a non-US founder who wants a single platform for formation, compliance, mail, and back-office operations. You want a tech-native dashboard experience over a traditional legal service.

Look elsewhere if: You’re a US-based founder raising VC — Clerky’s document quality is stronger for that context. Budget the full annual cost (not just the formation fee) before committing.

5. Doola — Best for non-US founders with ongoing compliance needs

Pricing: $297+ formation; Total Compliance plan bundles registered agent, bookkeeping, and tax filing annually

Doola is the most internationally focused incorporation service in this list. It’s particularly strong for founders from India, Pakistan, Nigeria, and other markets where EIN applications and IRS processes are complex without a US SSN or ITIN. Doola handles the fax-based EIN process directly for non-residents — a genuine value-add that saves weeks of friction. The platform also bundles registered agent, bookkeeping, and licensed tax professional consultations into annual plans.

The formation fee looks cheap at $297, but the Total Compliance plan significantly increases the three-year cost. Independent analysis puts Doola’s three-year all-in cost at roughly $6,500 for founders who use the full compliance bundle — higher than Stripe Atlas if you arrange compliance independently.

What’s included: Delaware C-Corp or LLC, EIN (including for non-US residents), registered agent (bundled in plans), bookkeeping tools, access to licensed tax professionals on higher tiers

Choose Doola if: You are a non-US founder without an SSN or ITIN who needs EIN assistance. You want formation, registered agent, and tax compliance in a single annual plan.

Look elsewhere if: You’re a US-based founder or a non-US founder who can arrange compliance independently. The all-in cost is high. Document quality for VC fundraising doesn’t match Clerky.

6. LegalZoom — Best for founders who want optional attorney access

Pricing: $149+ (state filing fees extra; attorney services billed separately)

LegalZoom is the most well-known name in online legal services and has been forming businesses for over 20 years. It offers LLC and C-Corp formation alongside a broad suite of optional legal services: business contracts, trademark registration, operating agreements, and access to licensed attorneys for consultations. The platform’s strength is breadth — founders who want a single vendor for basic legal needs beyond formation can find most of what they need here.

The documents LegalZoom produces are standard templates, not attorney-reviewed for the specific context of venture-backed startups. Attorneys in startup circles consistently recommend Clerky over LegalZoom for VC-track companies, specifically because LegalZoom’s documents are not designed for the due diligence requirements of institutional investors.

What’s included: C-Corp or LLC formation, registered agent (paid add-on), operating agreement, EIN, optional attorney consultations

Choose LegalZoom if: You want a well-known brand with broad legal services available. You need business contracts, trademarks, or legal consultations alongside formation and aren’t planning to raise VC immediately.

Look elsewhere if: You’re raising venture capital. Attorneys in the startup ecosystem routinely flag LegalZoom documents for cleanup during VC due diligence.

7. ZenBusiness — Best for simple setups and LLCs

Pricing: $0 starter (state fees extra); Worry-Free Compliance plan $199/year for registered agent

ZenBusiness is a modern business formation platform targeting small businesses and first-time founders who want a clean, affordable process. The starter plan is $0 (state fees extra), making it the most accessible entry point in the category. Worry-Free Compliance automates annual report filings. The platform is well-reviewed for customer support and ease of use.

ZenBusiness is not built for VC-backed startups. The documents are standard templates. If you’re forming a C-Corp with the intent to raise institutional capital, the document quality won’t meet investor expectations. For an LLC, a bootstrapped company, or a solo founder who wants simple formation at minimal cost, it works well.

What’s included: LLC or C-Corp formation, worry-free compliance (annual reports), registered agent (paid add-on), EIN (paid add-on on some tiers), operating agreement

Choose ZenBusiness if: You’re forming an LLC, bootstrapping, or budget is the primary constraint. Clean interface, solid compliance automation.

Look elsewhere if: You’re raising venture capital or issuing founder equity with vesting. ZenBusiness is not designed for startup legal complexity.

8. Northwest Registered Agent — Best for privacy and lean, no-upsell service

Pricing: $39 formation + state fees; $125/year registered agent

Northwest has been forming businesses since 1998 and is known for two things: strong privacy practices and a no-upsell approach. The $39 formation fee is one of the lowest in the category, and registered agent renewal is $125/year — flat, with no price jumps after year one. Northwest also provides US-based phone support including on weekends, which is rare in this category.

The privacy-first model means Northwest uses its own address on state filings by default, keeping the founder’s personal address off public records. For founders who care about this, it’s a genuine differentiator. The service is lean — it does formation and registered agent cleanly, without trying to sell you bookkeeping, compliance bundles, or annual plan upgrades.

What’s included: C-Corp or LLC formation, registered agent, EIN assistance, corporate documents, US-based phone support

Choose Northwest if: You want a no-nonsense, privacy-forward registered agent with transparent flat pricing. You don’t need document management or a startup-specific legal platform.

Look elsewhere if: You need startup-specific document quality or a platform that manages legal docs post-incorporation.

9. Bizee (formerly Incfile) — Best for the most budget-conscious founders

Pricing: $0 formation + state fees (registered agent $119/year after first free year)

Bizee (rebranded from Incfile) is the cost leader in this category. The formation itself is free — you pay state filing fees only, which are $89 for Delaware. The first year of registered agent service is included. After that, the registered agent renews at $119/year, which is competitive.

Bizee is built for small businesses and LLCs, not venture-backed startups. The document quality reflects a general-purpose template approach rather than startup-specific legal drafting. For a bootstrapped non-tech business with no fundraising plans, it works. For a startup that will raise a SAFE in the next six months, the legal cleanup cost will exceed any savings from the free formation.

What’s included: LLC or C-Corp formation, first-year registered agent, EIN, operating agreement, basic corporate documents

Choose Bizee if: Budget is the primary constraint and you are forming a simple non-venture-backed entity.

Look elsewhere if: You are raising venture capital. The documents are not designed for VC due diligence and the cleanup cost is real.

10. Startup attorney — Best for complex situations

Pricing: $1,500–$5,000+ depending on firm, scope, and location

Hiring a startup attorney directly gives you full legal counsel from the start. The attorney reviews your specific situation — co-founder structure, existing IP, international considerations, prior employment agreements, non-competes — and tailors every document accordingly. The major startup law firms (Cooley, Wilson Sonsini, Gunderson Dettmer, Fenwick & West) have standard packages for early-stage companies, often at rates that are lower than their standard hourly billing for the right client profile.

This is not the right path for a solo founder with a simple structure. It is the right path if you have co-founder complexity, IP that needs careful assignment from a prior employer, international founders with non-standard tax situations, or any situation that a formation service’s templates aren’t built for.

Choose a startup attorney if: Your situation is non-standard. You have co-founder equity disputes to navigate before incorporating. You have existing IP from a prior employer. You are a foreign national with a complex tax situation. You want someone legally accountable to you.

Look elsewhere if: Your situation is straightforward. Most VC-backed startups with a clean founder structure do fine with Clerky and save the attorney relationship for when you actually raise.

How to choose

If you want incorporation, attorney review, and a bank account the same day: Choose Rho. The $400 deposit is refunded once you bank with Rho, which makes it effectively free — and it is the only option here with attorneys reviewing your documents.

If you are raising venture capital (now or within 18 months): Choose Clerky. The $319 premium over Stripe Atlas is the cheapest insurance you can buy against legal cleanup costs in your Series A due diligence.

If you want the fastest, cheapest setup and will figure out legal documents separately: Choose Stripe Atlas. The $500 includes everything you need to get started and the partner perks alone often exceed the cost. After Atlas, open a Rho account before your EIN arrives.

If you are a non-US founder: Stripe Atlas is the most internationally tested service. Doola is the strongest option if you don’t have an SSN or ITIN and need EIN assistance. Firstbase is the best all-in-one stack if you want ongoing compliance managed in one place.

If you are bootstrapped and not raising VC: ZenBusiness or Bizee. Budget is the right priority when you don’t need VC-grade documents.

If your situation is complicated: Skip all the services above and hire a startup attorney. The cleanup cost of getting it wrong exceeds the attorney fee.

The pattern r/startups and r/ycombinator founders repeat: Both services work for standard setups. Clerky wins if you are raising capital. A startup attorney in the community said it directly: “I’m a startup lawyer and often recommend Clerky unless you have a complicated setup.”

Other names you'll see

Ask an AI assistant about incorporation services and a few more names come up. They are legitimate, but none add anything for startups beyond the ten above:

• Harvard Business Services — Delaware specialist with same-day filing at $89 plus state fees ($179 all-in) and cheap registered agent renewals. A fine bare filing, but no startup legal documents.

• Every — $0 Delaware C-Corp incorporation, funded by its banking and payroll platform. The newest entrant on this page; you trade track record for price.

• Inc Authority — free-plus-state-fees LLC formation; the free tier exists to sell paid bundles and registered agent renewals.

• Tailor Brands — LLC formation bundled with logo and branding tools. Built for Main Street businesses, not venture-track C-Corps.

What to do right after incorporating

Incorporation is the easy part. These are the four things that create the most expensive cleanup costs when founders skip them:

83(b) election. If you received restricted stock (which you did, if you issued founder equity), you have 30 days from the issuance date to file with the IRS. Miss the deadline and you owe income tax on the full value of each vesting tranche as it vests. Both Clerky and Stripe Atlas include 83(b) support. The deadline does not move.

IP assignment. Every founder should assign relevant IP to the company immediately. Contractors and developers who worked on the product before incorporation should sign invention assignment agreements. Investors check this in due diligence.

Business bank account. You need a business account separate from personal accounts before moving any company funds. Rho is available at incorporation through both Stripe Atlas and Clerky. Founders incorporating with Stripe Atlas can open a Rho account before their EIN arrives. Clerky users can pre-fill a Rho application with one click. Qualifying C-Corps that deposit $20K within 60–90 days receive a sign-on bonus. If you would rather not stitch formation and banking together yourself, Rho's incorporation service handles both in one flow.

PIIA. Your Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement protects the company’s ownership of everything built by founders and employees. Clerky includes this. Other services may not.