Stripe Atlas vs doola (2026): which is better for non-US founders?

Stripe Atlas vs doola at a glance

Prices as of September 2026, from each provider's own pricing pages, documentation and terms, with our plans added for reference. Prices change, so check before you buy.

Is Stripe Atlas or doola cheaper over two years?

Each total is formation, two years of fees and one yearly state payment (Delaware's $400 tax or Wyoming's $60 report fee). Atlas's fee includes Delaware's filing fee; for doola and us we added the same standard state filing fee.

Entry plans are Atlas's setup fee, doola Starter and our Starter; the Form 5472 rows use doola Tax and Compliance and our Pro. For a Delaware LLC, Atlas costs $104 less than doola Starter over two years.

The entry plans don't include the same things. doola Starter includes a US business address, which Atlas doesn't. Atlas includes $2,500 in Stripe credits and next-day expedited Delaware filing. Neither entry plan includes annual state filings or Form 5472, and doola's Tax and Compliance plan also adds bookkeeping software, a CPA consultation and free dissolution.

Which states and company types can each one form?

Stripe Atlas forms Delaware LLCs, Delaware C-corps and C-corp subsidiaries only. doola forms LLCs and C-corps in any of the 50 states. We form LLCs only, in any state.

If you plan to raise venture capital, investors usually want a Delaware C-corp, which both form; Atlas adds SAFE templates and 83(b) election filing. For a bootstrapped LLC, Delaware's $400 yearly tax adds up, and of these two only doola forms LLCs in states that cost less to keep, such as Wyoming. See Wyoming vs Delaware LLC and LLC vs C-corp.

How long does each take to get an EIN without an SSN?

Both get your EIN, the IRS's tax ID for businesses, without a Social Security number (SSN). Atlas estimates 10–45 business days after incorporation without an SSN, or 1–10 with an SSN, a US address and a US phone number. doola estimates 4–6 weeks without an SSN, or 2–3 weeks expedited ($300, or included in Tax and Compliance), and longer from December to April.

These are each provider's own estimates, and the IRS sets the actual pace. On our Starter plan we prepare and file Form SS-4 for you, and on Pro we apply by phone as your designee. Read how to get an EIN without an SSN for how the process works.

Form 5472 and annual filings: what's included?

A US single-member LLC owned by a foreign person generally files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 for each year it has transactions with its owner, and money you put in or take out counts, even in a year with no income. That's from the IRS instructions for Form 5472; see our Form 5472 guide.

Atlas doesn't prepare tax returns or give tax advice: you pay Delaware's tax yourself or through a partner, and its tax partners offer Atlas discounts. doola's Tax and Compliance plan ($1,999 a year) includes federal (IRS) and state tax filing and annual state filings, and its tax page lists Form 5472 for non-resident single-member LLC owners. Separately, doola lists IRS tax filing at $1,500 a year and annual state filing at $199 a year plus the state fee.

For reference, our Starter files the annual report, and Pro adds Form 5472 and the pro forma 1120 for $999 a year. Confirm your own filings with a US CPA.

Banking and Stripe payments

Atlas is built around Stripe. Right after incorporation, before the EIN arrives, you can accept US card payments on Stripe, open a Stripe Treasury financial account and apply to partner banks such as Mercury and Rho.

doola gives bank account guidance and lists partners including Slash, Mercury, Airwallex, Payoneer and Wise. For Stripe, it guides your application and can provide a US phone number. With both, the bank or payment provider decides whether to approve you. See opening a US bank account as a non-resident and Stripe for a US LLC.

Stripe Atlas vs doola for Indian founders

Stripe publishes an Atlas guide for Indian resident founders built around the Reserve Bank of India's overseas direct investment (ODI) rules, centered on a US C-corp owned by an Indian LLP. doola's help center explains ODI reporting in general, says it helps with US compliance only and doesn't set up Indian LLPs. Both charge in US dollars.

Whichever you choose, confirm your ODI reporting with a Chartered Accountant before you send money to the US company. Our guide to forming a US LLC from India covers the basics.

Which should you choose?

• A Delaware C-corp for a venture-backed startup: Stripe Atlas, or doola if you also want bookkeeping.
• A Stripe-first business that's happy in Delaware: Stripe Atlas.
• An LLC outside Delaware, such as Wyoming: doola, because Atlas doesn't form there.
• Formation, bookkeeping and taxes from one provider: doola.
• An LLC with the annual report filed on the entry plan, or Form 5472 without bookkeeping: compare our plans too.

Looking at more options? Read the best LLC formation services for non-residents, or our one-to-one comparisons with Stripe Atlas and doola.

Frequently asked questions