Stripe Atlas vs Clerky vs LegalZoom (or Rho): Which to Use in 2026

Updated November 3, 2026. On August 26, 2026, Clerky announced on its blog that it is joining Stripe, with the same team and the same focus on startups. No pricing or product changes have been announced, and Atlas and Clerky still publish separate products at separate prices, so the comparison below treats them as two distinct options.

Stripe Atlas vs Clerky vs LegalZoom vs Rho: what is the best way to incorporate a startup?

The best way to incorporate a startup depends on what you need next. Rho is best for founders who want a Delaware C-corp formed and a business account application opened in the same flow, subject to approval.

Stripe Atlas is best for founders who already run on Stripe, Clerky is best for founders raising soon, and LegalZoom is best for businesses not raising venture capital. Still weighing options? See the best incorporation services for startups.

Here is the price of each, side by side. Prices as of November 3, 2026, from each provider's website.

We assess each option on published price, what that price includes, speed, and whether a business account can open in the same flow as formation.

For the full breakdown of what the Atlas fee covers, read the Stripe Atlas review.

Here is who each one is built for:

• Rho. Best for: founders forming a Delaware C-corp who want their company formed and a business account application opened in the same flow, subject to approval. For a Delaware C-corp, filing takes about 24 hours, with the clock starting the next business day after you submit. The account application opens before your EIN arrives, and funds cannot move until the EIN is issued. Delaware C-corp $400; LLC $349 all in, state filing fee included. Registered agent service is covered for year one. See Rho incorporation.

  • Rho C-corp eligibility: at least one owner or officer must be US-based, the company needs a US operating address and it must operate in an eligible industry.

• Stripe Atlas. Best for: founders who want a Delaware C-corp or LLC in one to two business days, per Stripe, and already run on Stripe. $500 one time, then $100 a year for registered agent service after year one.

• Clerky. Best for: founders raising in the next 12 to 18 months who want startup legal documents in one place. $427 for Pay Per Use incorporation, or $819 for the Lifetime Package.

• LegalZoom. Best for: businesses not planning to raise venture capital, and founders who want a low entry price. Corporations start at $149 plus state filing fees; LLCs run $0, $249 or $299 plus state filing fees.

Ready to form your Delaware C-corp? Start with Rho incorporation and apply for your business account in the same flow, subject to approval.

If your setup is non-standard, a startup lawyer is the other path worth weighing. LegalZoom, Firstbase, and doola are covered further down.

One rule applies whichever you pick: file your 83(b) election within 30 days of your stock issuance. There are no extensions. Atlas says it submits the election for you, and Clerky offers a pre-filled 83(b) election with filing instructions and reminders in its Post-Incorporation Setup ($299 Pay Per Use). Whichever you choose, confirm the filing happened.

Stripe Atlas vs Clerky vs LegalZoom vs Rho: Head-to-Head Comparison

Prices as of November 3, 2026, from each provider's website.

LegalZoom data comes from its corporation, LLC and registered agent pages as of November 3, 2026. "Not listed" means the figure does not appear on those pages as of that date.

Not sure which column fits you? Skip to Choose based on your situation.

What Stripe Atlas Does

Stripe Atlas charges a $500 one-time setup fee, which covers state filing fees and your first year of registered agent service.

Here is what you get for $500:

• Delaware C-corp or LLC incorporation. Stripe says one to two business days

• Your company tax ID (EIN)

• Founder equity issuance and share purchase agreements

• 83(b) election filing

• First year of registered agent service ($100 per year after that)

• Legal documents created in collaboration with Cooley LLP

• $2,500 in Stripe product credits for the first year, plus over $50,000 in partner discounts from companies including Google, Xero, and AWS

• A Stripe bank account option: checking through Fifth Third Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. Stripe is not a bank, per Stripe

Atlas is not a law firm, as Stripe's own disclaimer states. Once your company is formed and your equity is issued, Atlas has done its job.

What Clerky Does

Clerky is built around the documents a venture-track startup needs after it incorporates.

The Company Lifetime Package costs $819 one time. Pay Per Use incorporation costs $427 if you only need the formation itself.

Here is what the Lifetime Package includes:

• Delaware C-corp incorporation, with the filed certificate typically back in 2 to 3 business days

• Delaware expedited filing fees ($203) included

• Advanced filing delay protection

• SAFEs and convertible notes, plus standard hiring, commercial, and maintenance documents, for the lifetime of your startup

• First year of Delaware registered agent service, plus annual report and franchise tax reminders

The difference from Atlas is what you get after you incorporate.

What LegalZoom Does

LegalZoom is the low-entry-price option. Corporations start at $149 plus state filing fees, and LLCs start at $0 plus state filing fees. For a business that is not planning to raise venture capital, that is often the whole point.

Here is how the packages break down.

LegalZoom's incorporation overview lists corporations from $149 plus state filing fees, for C or S corporations. It lists a name check, a free website powered by Wix and what LegalZoom calls a 100% Accurate Filing Guarantee.

LLC packages come in three tiers, per LegalZoom's LLC page:

• Basic, $0: articles of organization, a name check and a tax consult.

• Pro, $249: adds an operating agreement, an EIN, attorney consultations (a 30-day subscription is included) and a Wix-powered website.

• Premium, $299: adds bookkeeping tools, with a 6-month subscription included.

What to budget on top of the entry price:

• State filing fees are extra. LegalZoom lists governmental filings at $50 to $200, and lists state filing and franchise tax costs that vary by state.

• Registered agent service is sold separately at $249 a year, auto-renewing, with the $249 price limited to first-time registered agent customers, per LegalZoom.

• LegalZoom does not publish a turnaround on its formation pages as of November 3, 2026.

LegalZoom's pages describe general business formation for corporations and LLCs, with a Wix website and attorney consultations on LLC Pro. That makes it a fit for a straightforward LLC, or a corporation where you will handle venture-style paperwork separately.

Stripe Atlas vs LegalZoom

Stripe Atlas costs $500 up front. Per Stripe, that one price covers government fees, your first year of registered agent service, your EIN, 83(b) election filing and founder equity documents. LegalZoom's entry price is lower, with state fees and add-ons priced on top.

Pick Atlas if Stripe is already your payment stack and a Delaware C-corp is the plan. Pick LegalZoom if you want an LLC or corporation at a lower entry price and are not raising venture capital. The Stripe Atlas review has the full breakdown.

Clerky vs LegalZoom

Clerky prices Pay Per Use incorporation at $427, with first-year registered agent service included and filed certificates typically back in 2 to 3 business days, per Clerky. Its edge is the startup legal documents that follow: SAFEs and convertible notes, plus hiring, commercial and maintenance documents on the Lifetime Package.

LegalZoom covers corporations and LLCs at a lower starting price, per its formation pages. More options are covered in Stripe Atlas alternatives.

Still undecided? See the best incorporation services for startups. If you want a Delaware C-corp and a business account application handled together, see Rho incorporation.

Pricing

Atlas charges you $500 once, with state filing fees and the first year of registered agent service included. Your recurring cost is $100 per year for the registered agent after year one.

Clerky charges $819 for the Lifetime Package, which includes its standard fundraising, hiring, commercial, and maintenance documents. Clerky's Pay Per Use incorporation costs $427.

If you plan to raise and need SAFEs, hiring templates, and equity paperwork, the Lifetime Package pays for itself quickly. If you only want to incorporate, you are paying $319 more than Atlas for documents you may never use.

Rho charges $400 for a Delaware C-corp and $349 all in for an LLC, state filing fee included. For a Delaware C-corp, registered agent service is covered for year one. Ongoing costs after incorporation are in the table above.

LegalZoom's entry prices start low: corporations start at $149 plus state filing fees, and LLCs start at $0 plus state filing fees.

Compare what each tier includes before you compare prices. On LegalZoom's LLC packages, for example, the EIN is included on the $249 and $299 tiers, not on the $0 Basic tier.

What Delaware charges in 2026

Delaware revised its fee schedule effective August 1, 2026. Per the Delaware Division of Corporations, a certificate of incorporation starts at $109 (the fee rises with authorized shares), with 24-hour expedited filing at $50 and same-day filing at $100. Every Delaware corporation then files an annual report ($50) and pays franchise tax by March 1: at least $175 under the Authorized Shares Method or $400 under the Assumed Par Value Capital Method. A Delaware LLC pays $110 to file its certificate of formation and a $400 annual tax by June 1.

Hidden costs of incorporating a startup: registered agent, franchise tax, home-state fees

The sticker price is the first bill, not the last. Plan for these:

• Registered agent renewal. Atlas charges $100 a year after year one. Clerky and Rho include the first year.

• Delaware franchise tax and annual report. See the Delaware figures above; they apply to every Delaware corporation, whichever service files it.

• Home-state registration. If you operate from a state other than Delaware, you generally need to register there as well, and the fees vary by state.

• Clerky Post-Incorporation Setup is $299 Pay Per Use.

• Services you add after formation through Rho's partners are priced separately.

Document Quality

Atlas and Clerky both produce Delaware-standard startup formation documents. Atlas's legal templates were created with Cooley LLP, and Clerky's Lifetime Package covers its standard fundraising, hiring, commercial, and maintenance documents. For a standard setup with two founders, a typical equity split, and no unusual provisions, either service gives you a sound starting point.

Rho's Delaware C-corp formation documents are reviewed and signed off by a licensed attorney before they are filed on your behalf.

One caveat applies to every template service.

Templates are built for the standard case. If your setup includes custom vesting, special share classes, or unusual acceleration terms, plan on a startup attorney reviewing your documents, whichever service you use.

LegalZoom's formation packages are general-purpose business formation. If you form there and later raise venture capital, ask your counsel which founder and equity documents still need to be prepared.

Processing Speed

Stripe's Atlas page says one business day, while its Atlas documentation says two business days.

Clerky typically returns the filed certificate in 2 to 3 business days. Clerky also includes what it calls Advanced filing delay protection.

LegalZoom does not publish a processing time on its corporation or LLC pages as of November 3, 2026.

For most founders, a day or two does not matter. If an investor is waiting on a signed entity, it does.

EIN

Your EIN timeline depends on your situation, and no service can speed up the IRS. Founders without a US SSN should expect the EIN to take longer.

Atlas includes your company tax ID. Clerky offers an EIN application for non-US founders and lists its bank applications as "No EIN Needed", without naming a partner bank of its own.

With Rho, your EIN application is filed for you as part of Delaware C-corp incorporation. For a Delaware C-corp, your Rho account application opens in the same flow, before the EIN arrives, subject to approval. Once your account is approved, money can move as soon as your EIN is issued and added to your account.

For how the EIN itself is requested and tracked, see our EIN lookup guide.

At LegalZoom, the EIN is included on the $249 and $299 LLC tiers and not on the $0 Basic tier.

What Happens After You Incorporate

The options split here.

After Atlas, you have your documents, Stripe's document templates (including post-money SAFEs), and your Stripe account. For anything beyond those templates, such as custom terms or changes to executed documents, Stripe says you will need to work with a lawyer.

After Clerky, those documents are already waiting for you. SAFEs, convertible notes, hiring paperwork, and maintenance filings all live inside Clerky, so as you raise through your seed round, everything stays in one place.

If you will need legal documents in the next 12 to 18 months, the $319 premium Clerky charges over Atlas is worth it. If you will not, it is not.

After you form a Delaware C-corp with Rho, your company's account sits in the same place you incorporated, subject to approval, so your first invoice and your first vendor payment run through Rho once your EIN is issued.

After LegalZoom, attorney consultations are included on its $249 and $299 LLC tiers, per LegalZoom's LLC page.

Stripe Atlas: best for

Best for: founders who want a fast Delaware filing and already run on Stripe.

Use Atlas if:

• You want a fast, lightweight path to a Delaware C Corp

• You already use Stripe and want everything connected

• You do not plan to need ongoing legal documents

• You are comfortable sourcing fundraising and hiring documents beyond Atlas's templates

Clerky: best for

Best for: founders raising in the next 12 to 18 months who want their fundraising and hiring documents in one place.

Use Clerky if:

• You expect to raise a round in the next 12 to 18 months

• You will need SAFEs, convertible notes, or hiring paperwork

• You want all your legal documents in one place

• Document quality matters more to you than upfront cost

LegalZoom: best for

LegalZoom is best for businesses not planning to raise venture capital, and for founders who want a low entry price. Corporations start at $149 and LLCs at $0, plus state filing fees, per LegalZoom.

Rho: best for

Best for: founders forming a Delaware C-corp who want their company formed and a business account opened in the same flow, subject to approval.

Rho forms Delaware C-corps for $400 and LLCs for $349 all in, state filing fee included. Your Delaware C-corp documents are reviewed and signed off by a licensed attorney, your EIN application is filed for you, and registered agent service is covered for year one.

Incorporating does not make a company operational. The EIN and a business account do. For a Delaware C-corp, Rho puts both on one track.

Use Rho if:

• You are forming a Delaware C-corp and want your business account application to open in the same flow, before your EIN arrives

• You want banking, invoicing, cards, and bill pay, all live the moment your account is approved

• You are forming a Delaware C-corp and want your EIN application filed for you

Money can move once your EIN is issued and added to your account. When you incorporate a Delaware C-corp with Rho, at least one owner or officer must be US-based, the company needs a US operating address, and it must operate in an eligible industry.

See how the combined flow works on Rho's incorporation page.

Other options: Firstbase, doola, or a startup lawyer

AI answers and founder threads name a few more paths. Here is where each fits.

• Firstbase. Best for: founders who want a Delaware or Wyoming C-corp or LLC with compliance add-ons. Formation is listed at a promotional $99 (regularly $399) plus your state fee, and includes expedited EIN setup and help opening a business bank account with one of its banking partners. Registered agent service is $299 a year per state, and mailroom, accounting, and tax filing are available as add-ons.

• doola. Best for: founders anywhere in the world who want formation and compliance on one annual plan. Starter is $297 a year plus state fees and covers formation, an EIN, a US business address, and a registered agent.

• A startup lawyer. Best for: founders with a non-standard setup, such as custom vesting, multiple share classes, or investors who want their own counsel involved from day one. Many founders file with a service and pay a lawyer to review the documents afterward.

Delaware C-corp or LLC?

Default to a Delaware C-corp if you're raising or plan to raise venture money. It's the structure investors, option pools, and SAFEs are built around, and it's what Atlas, Clerky, and Rho are all built to file.

An LLC can make sense if you're not raising institutional capital and want pass-through taxation, for example a bootstrapped services business or a holding company for a side project. It's a narrower case than founders often assume.

Here is the choice at a glance. For the full walkthrough, read the Delaware C-corp guide.

Delaware figures as of October 17, 2026, from the Delaware Division of Corporations. Prices as of November 3, 2026, from each provider's website.

For a deeper look at why most venture-track startups default to a Delaware C-corp, see our Delaware C-corp guide. If you're weighing the incorporation market more broadly, our incorporation services comparison covers the rest of the field.

Choose based on your situation

Find your row, then read the pick. Prices as of November 3, 2026, from each provider's website.

What Founders on Reddit Say About Stripe Atlas vs. Clerky

Across threads in r/startups and r/ycombinator, founders who have been through this give consistent advice.

Both services work for standard setups. Clerky wins if you are raising capital.

A startup attorney in this r/startups thread said it directly:

"I'm a startup lawyer and often recommend Clerky unless you have a complicated setup. If you're worried about it, you could hire a lawyer to look over your shoulder as you complete Clerky/Atlas to provide guidance and explain anything that needs explaining."

For most founders, this choice is not high-stakes. A lawyer reviewing your documents after the fact costs less than people expect.

For a simple filing, either works. File your 83(b).

A commenter in this r/startups thread on incorporation services put it plainly:

"If you're looking to simply file, Clerky or Stripe Atlas. The other advice on formation, be mindful to file your 83b election."

The 83(b) comes up in every single thread. Both services support it. Neither one can make you actually do it. You have 30 days from stock issuance and there are no extensions.

Pick your structure first, then pick your service.

A top comment in this r/ycombinator thread laid it out clearly:

"Short answer: it depends on your goals. If seeking investors or plan to give shares to cofounders: C-Corp is the way to go. Delaware is not the only option, but it's the standard one. The cheapest and fastest way to do this is with a boilerplate service like Clerky, Stripe Atlas, etc. You can always pay a lawyer later to change the agreement."

The service is secondary. Getting the structure right is what matters.

What Reddit agrees on:

• Both services work for standard Delaware C-Corp incorporations

• Clerky is the better pick if you are raising capital and need ongoing legal documents

• Atlas is faster and cheaper than Clerky's Lifetime Package if you just need the company formed

• The 83(b) election is the most commonly missed step. Treat it as mandatory

• For anything non-standard, talk to a lawyer before you file

For a deeper look at either option on its own, read our full Stripe Atlas review and Clerky review.

Related incorporation guides

• The full ranking: See our roundup of the best incorporation services for startups, scored on price, speed, and what comes after filing.

• Atlas, reviewed: Read our full Stripe Atlas review for what the $500 covers and where it stops.

• Clerky, reviewed: Read our full Clerky review for what the $819 lifetime package actually buys.

• Beyond Stripe Atlas: Browse the best Stripe Atlas alternatives for providers that pair formation with business account help, bookkeeping, or lower fees.

• Beyond Clerky: See the 7 best Clerky alternatives for options that pair formation with a business account application or charge a lower one-time fee.

• Atlas vs Firstbase: Read the full Stripe Atlas vs Firstbase comparison.

• Atlas vs doola: Read the full doola vs Stripe Atlas comparison.

Ready to incorporate? Start with Rho Incorporation: a Delaware C-corp for $400 with your EIN application filed for you, registered agent service covered for year one, and your business account application in the same flow, subject to approval. Banking, invoicing, cards, and bill pay, all live the moment your account is approved. Rho also forms LLCs for $349 all in, state filing fee included.