Stripe Atlas forms a US company for you online, either a Delaware C corp or an LLC, and sets it up ready to take payments through Stripe. It's for founders, including many outside the US, who need a US entity to raise from US investors, open US accounts or sell more easily to US customers. Setup is a one-time $500, including government fees and the first year of a registered agent. You only get that fee back if you deposit $5,000 into a Stripe Treasury account within 90 days; otherwise it's a cost. You also get $2,500 in Stripe credits for the first year.
What it can do for you
Atlas handles the filing, the first year of a registered agent, your founder documents and the tax ID application, then hands you a company that's already connected to Stripe. There are also over $50,000 in partner discounts on other tools. For a founder who knows they need a Delaware C corp to raise, it removes most of the paperwork.
What people like
People like how simple and guided it is, the Stripe integration from day one, and that the fee includes government fees and the first year's registered agent.
The honest downsides
- Formation is only the start. Founders on Reddit point out that Atlas doesn't handle ongoing compliance such as annual filings and US tax returns. You'll need an accountant who knows US companies.
- Banking isn't guaranteed. Non-US founders report that opening a US bank account can still be hard.
- Tax ID delays. One founder's write-up and several Reddit threads mention waiting on the EIN, especially from outside the US.
- Costs keep coming. The registered agent renews at $100 a year after year one, and US tax filing costs extra.
- It may be the wrong structure. If you're a UK sole trader or service business with no plans to raise in the US, a US company can add cost and complexity for little gain.
Skip it if
- you don't need a US entity (most UK businesses don't)
- you aren't ready to pay for ongoing US accounting
Alternatives
- Better pick for non-US founders who want the yearly filings handled: doola. Its Tax and Compliance plan ($1,999 a year plus state fees) covers the registered agent, annual state report and IRS tax filings every year, and it has 4.5 out of 5 from 2,082 Trustpilot reviews. It costs more; check your plan names Form 5472. Atlas stays the better fit for a venture-backed Delaware C Corp with its own accountant.
- If you only need to take payments, Stripe works without a US company in many countries.
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