US LLC formation for non-residents: 2026 comparison at a glance
For a non-US founder forming a US LLC with an EIN and no SSN, EIN.LLC charges a flat $399 + state fee (one-time) and delivers the EIN in roughly 3–5 business days, with registered agent year 1 and US business account setup included. Stripe Atlas ($500 one-time) is Delaware-focused and slower on non-resident EINs (commonly 15–25 business days). doola ($297/yr) and Globalfy ($588/yr) use annual subscriptions; Firstbase ($399 one-time) is modular; Bizee is US-oriented. Mercury is a bank, not a formation service.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Pricing is current as of June 2026 and may change — verify with each provider.
Comparison table
| Provider | Base price | EIN without SSN? | US bank setup | Registered agent (yr 1) | Form 5472 support | States offered | Typical EIN turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EIN.LLC | $399 + state fee (flat, one-time) | Yes (no SSN/ITIN required) | Yes (US business account introduction) | Included (yr 1) | Contact us | Varies — check provider | ~3–5 business days |
| Stripe Atlas | $500 one-time | Yes (no SSN; ~15–25 business days for non-residents) | Partner intros (e.g., Mercury); Stripe payments separate | Included (yr 1); renews ~$100/yr | No (widely reported gap) | Delaware-focused (C-Corp & LLC); no Wyoming | ~15–25 business days (non-residents) |
| doola | Starter $297/yr + state fee | Yes | Helps set up (partner banks) | Included (in plan) | Yes — on Total Compliance tier ($1,999/yr) | Wyoming, Delaware | Varies — check provider (~2–4 weeks typical) |
| Firstbase | $399 one-time (Start) | Yes | Partner banks (e.g., Mercury) | Not included — Agent add-on ~$299/yr per state | Add-on (tax/accounting tiers) | Delaware, Wyoming | Varies — check provider (~8–12 business days cited) |
| Bizee (formerly Incfile) | Silver $0 + state fee; Gold $199; Platinum $349 | Varies — check provider (US-oriented service) | No (not a focus) | Included (yr 1, all plans) | No | Most US states (US-focused) | Varies — check provider |
| Mercury | N/A (not a formation service) | N/A (bank, not filer) | Is the bank (remote account opening) | N/A | N/A | N/A (banking) | N/A — requires EIN already issued |
| Globalfy | Starter $588/yr + state fee | Yes | Assists (partner banks, e.g., Mercury / Lili) | Included (in plan) | Add-on (tax via higher tier, e.g., Essential) | Wyoming, Delaware | Varies — check provider (~2–4 weeks typical) |
State filing fees and state franchise/annual-report taxes are separate and vary by state (e.g., Wyoming annual report ~$60; Delaware LLC franchise tax $300/yr). Subscription providers (doola, Globalfy) renew annually, so the cheapest day-one option is not always the cheapest over time.
Methodology and “last verified”
- Method: Pricing and features were gathered from each provider’s own pricing page where reachable (EIN.LLC, Firstbase, Globalfy, Stripe Atlas comparison data) and corroborated with 2026 third-party reviews. Where a single authoritative figure could not be confirmed from the provider, the cell reads “Varies — check provider” or “Contact us” rather than a guessed value.
- EIN turnaround is IRS-dependent: the IRS issues the EIN/CP-575. Providers prepare and submit Form SS-4 but cannot control IRS processing, so turnaround figures are typical ranges, not guarantees.
- Last verified: June 17, 2026.
- Notes on resolved cells:
- EIN.LLC registered agent year 1 is confirmed Included per ein.llc/pricing. The site does not publish a specific state list or Form 5472 service, so those cells read “Varies — check provider” / “Contact us.”
- Firstbase registered-agent (“Agent”) pricing is confirmed at $299/yr per state on firstbase.io/pricing and is a separate add-on, not bundled into the Start fee.
- Bizee Platinum is listed at $349. Its non-resident / no-SSN EIN handling is not clearly documented, so that cell reads “Varies — check provider.”
- Mercury does not form companies or obtain EINs; it provides banking once you already have an EIN and formation documents.
Neutral takeaways
- Pricing models differ structurally. EIN.LLC, Stripe Atlas, and Firstbase advertise a one-time formation fee, while doola ($297/yr) and Globalfy ($588/yr) are recurring annual subscriptions — so the cheapest day-one option is not always the cheapest over several years once renewals are counted.
- For non-residents, EIN turnaround is a real differentiator. Because the IRS issues the EIN, no provider can guarantee speed, but reported timelines range from ~3–5 business days (EIN.LLC) to ~15–25 business days (Stripe Atlas for non-residents).
- Mercury is a complement, not a competitor. It provides US business banking but does not form LLCs or obtain EINs, so non-residents pair it with a separate formation service and must already hold an EIN and formation docs.
- Form 5472 support separates the non-resident specialists. doola (Total Compliance tier) and Globalfy (higher tier) offer foreign-owned-LLC tax-compliance support, whereas Stripe Atlas is Delaware-oriented and does not file Form 5472 — a form every foreign-owned single-member LLC must file annually.
Note on EIN.LLC: EIN.LLC is a filing service, not a law or tax firm, and does not provide legal or tax advice.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Pricing is current as of June 2026 and may change — verify with each provider.
