How Much Does It Cost to Incorporate a US Company in 2026
US LLC formation costs $39-500 in service fees plus $50-300 in state fees. Delaware C-Corp costs $500-1,500 plus annual $300+ franchise tax. Plan for $300-2,000 total year one.
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Northwest LLC
A US LLC costs $39-297 in service fees plus $50-300 state filing. Northwest at $39 plus state fee is the cheapest credible option. doola at $297 is the right pick if you are a non-US founder needing bank account introduction. Delaware C-Corp via Stripe Atlas costs $500 plus $300+ annual franchise tax. Plan for $300-2,000 total first-year cost depending on entity type and ongoing compliance.
Try Northwest LLCAt a Glance
| Feature | Northwest LLC | ZenBusiness Free | doola LLC | Stripe Atlas C-Corp | CPA-Handled (custom) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $39 + state fee | $0 + state fee (paid plans from $199/yr) | $297 + state fee | $500 one-time + $300+ Delaware franchise tax/yr | From $1,500 |
| Service Fee | - | - | - | - | - |
| Annual Ongoing Cost | - | - | - | - | - |
| Best For | - | - | - | - | - |
Quick Comparison
Our Top Picks
Northwest LLC
Cheapest credible LLC formation. Includes registered agent for first year.
- Cheapest credible LLC formation
- No upsells
- Strong customer service
- No bank introduction (DIY Mercury or similar)
- No PartnerStack affiliate
ZenBusiness Free
0Free formation with paid upsells. Cheapest year-one cost if you skip the upsells.
- Genuinely free formation (state fee only)
- Cheapest year-one cost if upsells declined
- Strong dashboard
- Aggressive upsells during signup
- Pricier than Northwest from year two onwards
- No PartnerStack affiliate
doola LLC
Worth the premium for non-US founders because of bank account introduction and EIN handling.
- EIN handling for non-US founders
- Bank account introduction included
- PartnerStack affiliate
- Overkill for US-based founders
- Annual compliance tier adds $1,597/yr
Stripe Atlas C-Corp
Delaware C-Corp for VC-backed startups. Mandatory if you plan to raise venture funding.
- Cooley LLP legal templates included
- Stripe payment processing setup integrated
- Standard structure for VC funding
- Higher price than alternatives
- Annual Delaware franchise tax adds ongoing cost
- Overkill for non-VC founders
CPA-Handled (custom)
Local CPA handles formation plus ongoing compliance. Best for founders with complex tax situations.
- Personalised compliance advice
- Handles complex tax situations
- Ongoing relationship for tax filings
- Most expensive option
- No PartnerStack affiliate
- Overkill for simple LLC formation
How This Was Tested
Pricing reflects public list prices on vendor websites as of April 2026. State filing fees vary by state. Annual ongoing costs include state filing fees, federal tax returns at standard CPA rates, and franchise taxes for C-Corp entities.
Frequently Asked Questions
US LLC costs $39-297 in service fees plus $50-300 state filing fee. Delaware C-Corp costs $500-1,500 plus $300+ annual franchise tax. Plan for $300-2,000 total first-year cost depending on entity type and whether you need ongoing compliance services.
Wyoming for solo founders prioritising privacy and low fees ($100 state fee, $50 annual report). Delaware for VC-backed startups (mandatory for venture funding). Avoid California unless you operate there (the $800 annual franchise tax applies regardless of revenue).
Yes. Annual state filing fees ($25-300), federal tax returns ($200-500 if DIY, $500-2,000 if CPA), BOI reports (free if DIY, $50-100 if service), and Delaware franchise tax ($300+ if C-Corp). Plan for $500-1,500 a year in ongoing compliance after formation.
Yes for US-based founders. State websites accept direct filings and the IRS issues EINs to US founders online. DIY costs only the state fee ($50-300). The catch: errors in filing documents create compliance issues that cost more to fix later than the $39 Northwest service fee.
State filing typically takes 1-7 business days depending on state. Delaware is fastest (24-48 hours expedited). EIN application takes 1-2 weeks for US founders, 30-90 days for non-US founders DIY-ing. Total formation-to-bank-account is typically 2-4 weeks for US founders, 4-8 weeks for non-US founders.