What is a registered agent, and what does a formation service do?
A registered agent is the person or company your US business names to receive official mail on its behalf — lawsuits, tax notices and state compliance letters. Every US state requires one for an LLC or corporation, and the agent needs a street address in the state where the company is registered. A formation service files the paperwork that creates the company (articles of organization for an LLC, a certificate of incorporation for a corporation) and usually sells the registered agent service alongside it.
Outside the US the idea is the same under another name. An Estonian company formed through e-Residency needs a local contact person with a legal address in Estonia, which is what Xolo and 1Office sell alongside formation and accounting.
Where Wolfix raises it. The Operations department's business-entity check fires when a scan sees you charging customers — Stripe with live charges, a pricing page — and you have not told Wolfix you already have a company. If you said at connect time that you are planning to register, the incorporation recommendation replaces it and names formation services. Neither check can see a company that exists: tell Wolfix, and the entity-verification check takes over instead.
When you need a formation service — and when you don't
You need one now if you are taking money from customers as an individual in the US and want the company, not you personally, to carry the liability; if an investor, app store or payment processor is asking for a company; or if you are outside the US and want a US company, because you cannot easily act as your own registered agent without a US address.
You don't need one yet if you are still validating the idea with no revenue, or if you already have a company in your home country that can contract and invoice. You also don't strictly need a paid service to form an LLC: you can file directly with your state and act as your own registered agent if you have a street address in that state and can be there during business hours. The trade-off is that your address goes on the public record.
The options, one by one
Nine of these are services Wolfix refers customers to. Two, LegalZoom and Bizee, are not Wolfix partners and are included because a fair comparison needs them. They split three ways: startup incorporators that form a Delaware C corporation for venture funding (Stripe Atlas, Clerky), formation services for an LLC in a US state (Firstbase, Doola, ZenBusiness, Northwest, Collective, LegalZoom, Bizee), and Estonian e-Residency providers for an EU company run from anywhere (Xolo, 1Office).
Stripe Atlas
What it is. Stripe's incorporation product: it forms a Delaware C corporation or LLC, gets the tax ID, issues founder equity and files the 83(b) election, with Stripe product credits and partner discounts attached.
Pricing (as of 2026-10-04). $500 one-time, which includes the Delaware state filing fees, next-day expedited processing and the first year of registered agent service [S8]. The registered agent is $100 a year after the first year [S8]. Stripe refunds the $500 when you deposit $5,000 into a Stripe Treasury account [S8].
Pros
- The $500 covers the state fee and the first year of the agent (as of 2026-10-04, [S8]), so the headline is close to the real first-year cost, and the $100 renewal is below Northwest's $125 (as of 2026-10-04, [S6]).
- Founder equity and the 83(b) election are part of the flow (as of 2026-10-04, [S8]) — the steps a first-time founder is most likely to miss.
Cons
- It forms in Delaware only (as of 2026-10-04, [S8]), so a company that operates in another state usually has to register there too, and Delaware adds its own yearly tax — $400 for an LLC (as of 2026-10-04, [S2]).
- The perks and the fee refund are tied to Stripe products (as of 2026-10-04, [S8]); if you plan to take payments through someone else, much of the value of the bundle goes unused.
Who it suits. A founder raising venture money or taking payments through Stripe who wants a standard Delaware company set up correctly in one sitting.
Clerky
What it is. A legal-paperwork platform for venture-track startups that forms a Delaware C corporation and handles the post-incorporation paperwork, then fundraising and hiring documents.
Pricing (as of 2026-10-04). The Company Lifetime Package is $819 one-time, including Delaware incorporation, expedited filing fees and the first-year Delaware registered agent fee, with standard fundraising, hiring and commercial documents for the life of the company [S9].
Pros
- Post-incorporation paperwork is part of the package: bylaws, board consent, restricted stock purchase agreements with vesting, IP assignments and a pre-filled 83(b) (as of 2026-10-04, [S9]), then SAFEs and hiring templates without per-document fees.
- One price for the life of the company (as of 2026-10-04, [S9]) rather than a subscription.
Cons
- It forms Delaware C corporations only (as of 2026-10-04, [S9]) — no LLC — so it is the wrong tool for a bootstrapped business that wants simple pass-through tax.
- The registered agent is included for the first year only, and foreign qualification in your home state is extra, with direct support only for California and New York (as of 2026-10-04, [S9]).
Who it suits. A venture-track team that wants the incorporation and every equity document after it done to the standard investors expect.
Firstbase
What it is. A formation service aimed at founders, including founders outside the US, that forms Delaware and Wyoming companies and sells an ongoing compliance, mailroom and tax bundle on top.
Pricing (as of 2026-10-04). The formation package is listed at $399 one-time plus the state fee, with an offer on the page showing it at $99 [S3]. The registered agent is $299 per year per state, and the page states it is required for incorporation [S3]. The all-in Firstbase One plan is $199 a month billed yearly at $2,388 [S3].
Pros
- Built for non-US founders: its tax-filing service covers Form 5472 for non-US-owned single-member LLCs (as of 2026-10-04, [S3]), the filing foreign owners most often miss.
- One vendor for formation, registered agent in all 50 states, US mailing address and taxes if you want to buy the whole back office in one place (as of 2026-10-04, [S3]).
Cons
- The registered agent at $299 a year (as of 2026-10-04, [S3]) is more than twice Northwest's $125 (as of 2026-10-04, [S6]) — the recurring line is where Firstbase costs most.
- Formation is limited to Delaware or Wyoming (as of 2026-10-04, [S3]); if you want your company in your own state, you would have to register it there as well.
Who it suits. A non-US founder who wants a US company and the tax filings that come with it handled by one provider.
Doola
What it is. A US company-formation and back-office service built for founders outside the US, selling formation with an EIN, a US address and a registered agent as a yearly plan.
Pricing (as of 2026-10-04). Starter is $297 a year plus state fees, with US LLC or C corp formation, an EIN and a US business address [S10]. Its plan comparison table marks registered agent service as included [S10]. Pulse bookkeeping is $300 a year, Tax and Compliance $1,999 a year and Business-in-a-Box $2,999 a year, all billed annually [S10].
Pros
- The registered agent, EIN and US address are in the entry plan (as of 2026-10-04, [S10]), so the yearly price is the whole recurring cost of keeping the company's paperwork in place.
- Serves founders in 175+ countries, per its own figure (as of 2026-10-04, [S10]), and forms either an LLC or a C corporation.
Cons
- It is a yearly subscription: stop paying and you lose the agent and address, so the $297 (as of 2026-10-04, [S10]) is a recurring cost, not a one-off.
- Federal (IRS) and state tax filing is not in Starter; it begins with the $1,999 Tax and Compliance plan (as of 2026-10-04, [S10]), a large jump for a foreign owner who has a US tax filing every year.
Who it suits. A founder outside the US who wants a US company, an EIN and an address without handling the US side alone.
ZenBusiness
What it is. A US formation service with a free starter tier that makes its money on add-ons — registered agent, EIN, compliance filings — and on bundled plans.
Pricing (as of 2026-10-04). Forming an LLC starts at $0 plus state fees [S4]. Registered agent service is $199 a year, getting an EIN through them is $99 one-time, and compliance filings are $199 a year [S4].
Pros
- The formation fee itself can be $0 plus the state fee (as of 2026-10-04, [S4]).
- Forms LLCs in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., by its own statement (as of 2026-10-04, [S19]), so the company can be formed where you actually live and work.
Cons
- The $0 headline is not the total: a registered agent at $199 a year and an EIN at $99 (as of 2026-10-04, [S4]) are sold separately, and those add-ons are what you end up paying for.
- Keeping the company compliant is a second recurring add-on: annual-report filing is $199 a year on top of the agent (as of 2026-10-04, [S4]), so two separate yearly bills replace the free headline.
Who it suits. A founder forming a US LLC in the state where they live who is comfortable getting an EIN from the IRS directly (it is free there) and wants to keep the upfront bill small.
Northwest Registered Agent
What it is. A US registered agent company that also forms LLCs and corporations [S5], [S6].
Pricing (as of 2026-10-04). LLC formation is $39 plus state fees [S5]. Registered agent service is $125 a year, or $100 a year per state for five or more states [S6].
Pros
- A registered agent at $125 a year, which Northwest says it has not raised in 20 years, or $100 a year per state for five or more states (as of 2026-10-04, [S6]).
- The LLC package lists a free domain, website, phone line, business email and business address (as of 2026-10-04, [S5]), which helps keep your home address off the public record.
Cons
- It is a filing and registered agent company, not a back office: bookkeeping, taxes and payroll stay yours to arrange, which Collective and Firstbase both sell.
- It forms ordinary state LLCs and corporations; it does none of the equity paperwork — stock issuance, vesting, 83(b) — that Stripe Atlas and Clerky include for a venture-track company.
Who it suits. A US founder who wants a formation and a low-cost agent and nothing else.
Collective
What it is. A monthly back-office subscription for US solopreneurs — entity setup, bookkeeping, quarterly tax estimates and, on the higher plan, the S corp election and payroll.
Pricing (as of 2026-10-04). The LLC plan is $199 a month and the S Corp plan is $349 a month, with 15% off for paying yearly [S7]. The LLC plan includes new entity formation or a review of an existing one, monthly bookkeeping and basic individual tax returns [S7].
Pros
- Formation is bundled into an ongoing service, so the company, the books and the quarterly tax estimates are handled by one team (as of 2026-10-04, [S7]).
- The S Corp plan files the IRS election and runs payroll (as of 2026-10-04, [S7]), which is the step that saves self-employment tax once profit is high enough.
Cons
- At $199 a month (as of 2026-10-04, [S7]) it costs more in one month than ZenBusiness or Northwest charge to form a company — it only makes sense if you want the bookkeeping and tax work too.
- Built for single-owner US businesses — the pricing page is titled for solopreneurs (as of 2026-10-04, [S7]) — so a company with co-founders or outside investors is not who the plans are written for.
Who it suits. A profitable solo founder in the US who wants to stop doing their own books and is weighing an S corp election.
LegalZoom
Not a Wolfix partner. Named for comparison; Wolfix earns nothing from it.
What it is. An online legal-services company that forms LLCs in all 50 states, with business-advisor, attorney and accountant access sold as monthly plans bundled into its higher packages [S11].
Pricing (as of 2026-10-04). LegalZoom's LLC page does not show one fixed package table: six fetches of the same URL within seven seconds on 2026-10-04 (22:32 UTC) returned three different ones [S11]. All three start at Basic, $0 plus state fees, which files only the articles of organization [S11]. Above Basic, one version showed Managed Service at $249 (a business advisor for 30 days, then $49 a month; its filing review is "not an attorney review") and Expert Service at $999 (advisor, attorney and accountant for 30 days, then $99 a month); a second showed the same two packages with Expert Service at $299; a third showed Pro at $249 (30 days of attorney consultations, then $49 a month) and Premium at $299 [S11]. Expect the package names and prices to differ between visits, and check what the checkout page shows you. Registered agent service was $249 a year on every fetch [S12].
Pros
- LegalZoom's own FAQ says its attorney-assisted packages, which it names Pro and Premium, include unlimited 30-minute consultations with attorneys from its network, each on a new legal topic (as of 2026-10-04, [S11]); in the version that sells Expert Service instead, its attorney access and an attorney review of the filing come with Expert Service for the first 30 days [S11].
- The Basic package is $0 plus state fees on every version of the page (as of 2026-10-04, [S11]), and the higher packages add a library of 150+ legal document templates.
Cons
- What attorney access costs depends on which version of the page you land on: from $249 (Pro, auto-renewing at $49 a month after 30 days) to $299 or $999 (Expert Service, auto-renewing at $99 a month), while the $249 Managed Service in that version includes an advisor, not an attorney (as of 2026-10-04, [S11]). Every paid package turns into a monthly subscription unless you cancel it.
- Its registered agent at $249 a year (as of 2026-10-04, [S12]) is about twice Northwest's (as of 2026-10-04, [S6]).
Who it suits. A founder who wants advisor or attorney time bundled with the formation and will manage the monthly renewal.
Bizee
Not a Wolfix partner. Named for comparison; Wolfix earns nothing from it.
What it is. A US LLC formation service, formerly Incfile, whose formation packages each include a free first year of registered agent service [S13].
Pricing (as of 2026-10-04). Packages are $0, $199 and $299 plus the state fee, and each includes one free year of registered agent service [S13]. The registered agent is $149 a year after that [S14].
Pros
- The $0 package includes a free first year of registered agent service (as of 2026-10-04, [S13]), so the first year costs the state fee and nothing else.
Cons
- The agent renews at $149 a year after the free year (as of 2026-10-04, [S14]), so the cheap first year becomes a recurring bill that is higher than Northwest's $125 (as of 2026-10-04, [S6]).
Who it suits. A cost-conscious US founder forming a simple LLC who will either keep the agent or switch after the first year.
Xolo
What it is. An Estonian service that helps e-Residents register an Estonian private limited company (OÜ) and then runs its accounting and tax reporting on a monthly plan.
Pricing (as of 2026-10-04). Xolo Leap is €59 a month on Starter, available for the first 12 months or until revenue reaches €4,000; Standard is €99 a month, Pro €139 and Premium from €259 [S15]. The page offers Pro's first two months free, a saving of €278 [S15]. Each plan includes help with company registration and complete accounting [S15]. Registering the company costs a €265 state fee, and a contact person costs €200 to €400 a year [S16].
Pros
- Formation, accounting and Estonian tax reporting in one monthly plan (as of 2026-10-04, [S15]), so a solo founder never deals with the Estonian tax board alone.
- An EU company run fully online from anywhere, which a US LLC cannot give a founder who sells mainly to European customers.
Cons
- Adding shareholders or board members, and OSS VAT reporting for digital services, start at the €139 Pro plan (as of 2026-10-04, [S15]), so a company with a co-founder pays more than double Starter.
- You need an e-Residency card before you can register the company, and the e-Residency application carries its own €150 state fee (as of 2026-10-04, [S16]), so this is not a same-week company.
Who it suits. A solo founder, often outside both the US and the EU, who wants an EU company with the accounting handled.
1Office
What it is. An Estonian company-formation and accounting provider for e-Residents, licensed as a trust and company service provider (FIU000139), that sells formation as a one-time fee and address, contact person and accounting as monthly services, with teams in Estonia, Sweden, Finland, the UK, Ireland, Latvia and Lithuania [S18].
Pricing (as of 2026-10-04). Its own Estonia page offers formation for a one-time €315 including the state fee, then €15 a month, with a Tallinn business address and contact person included [S17]. Its e-Residency page lists a legal address at €16 a month, a contact person with legal address at €24 a month and accounting from €65 a month [S20]. Its listing on the official e-Residency marketplace shows a €245 package with a year of virtual office plus the €265 state fee, and €195 plus the €265 state fee and €150 e-Residency help for founders who are not yet e-Residents, all excluding 24% Estonian VAT [S18].
Pros
- The contact person with legal address at €24 a month, €288 a year (as of 2026-10-04, [S20]), sits inside the €200 to €400 a year the Estonian government quotes (as of 2026-10-04, [S16]).
- Its portal connects directly to the Estonian Business Register, and 1Office says the company is ready in one working day (as of 2026-10-04, [S20]).
Cons
- Its published formation prices do not match across its own pages: €315 including the state fee on its Estonia page (as of 2026-10-04, [S17]) against €245 plus the €265 state fee on its marketplace listing, which also excludes 24% VAT (as of 2026-10-04, [S18]) — get a written quote before you pay.
Who it suits. An e-Resident who wants to buy the Estonian company's address, contact person and accounting as separate pieces.
Still undecided: file it yourself, or use a startup law firm
Filing directly with your state's business registry costs only the state fee, and you can be your own registered agent if you have a street address in the state. If you are forming a Delaware company to raise venture money, a startup law firm will usually form it for you as part of the engagement.
Side-by-side comparison
| Service | Formation fee | Registered agent | Where it forms | Best for | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe Atlas | $500, including state fees [S8] | First year included, then $100/year [S8] | Delaware only, C corp or LLC [S8] | Venture-track founders using Stripe | 2026-10-04 |
| Clerky | $819 lifetime package [S9] | First year included; renewal not on the pricing page [S9] | Delaware C corp only [S9] | Venture-track teams wanting all equity paperwork | 2026-10-04 |
| Firstbase | $399 listed, $99 on offer, plus state fee [S3] | $299/year per state [S3] | Delaware or Wyoming [S3] | Non-US founders wanting taxes handled | 2026-10-04 |
| Doola | $297/year plan, plus state fees [S10] | Included, per its plan table [S10] | US LLC or C corp; state list not stated on the pricing page [S10] | Non-US founders wanting a yearly all-in plan | 2026-10-04 |
| ZenBusiness | $0 plus state fee [S4] | $199/year [S4] | All 50 states and D.C. [S19] | US founders, low upfront cost | 2026-10-04 |
| Northwest Registered Agent | $39 plus state fee [S5] | $125/year; $100/year per state for 5+ states [S6] | US states, with a guide per state on its LLC page [S5] | A low-cost agent and nothing else | 2026-10-04 |
| Collective | Included in $199/month plan [S7] | Not mentioned on the plans page [S7] | US, single-owner businesses | Solo founders who want books and taxes done | 2026-10-04 |
| LegalZoom | $0 Basic, plus state fee; paid packages varied between fetches: $249 to $999, attorney access from $249 [S11] | $249/year [S12] | All 50 states [S11] | Founders wanting advisor or attorney time bundled | 2026-10-04 |
| Bizee | $0 plus state fee [S13] | First year free, then $149/year [S13], [S14] | US states; coverage not stated on the LLC page [S13] | A low first-year cost for a simple LLC | 2026-10-04 |
| Xolo | Included in Leap from €59/month; €265 state fee [S15], [S16] | Contact person €200–€400/year from providers [S16] | Estonia (OÜ), via e-Residency | Solo founders wanting an EU company with accounting | 2026-10-04 |
| 1Office | €315 including state fee on its site [S17]; €245 plus €265 state fee on the marketplace [S18] | Contact person with address €24/month [S20]; first year included in marketplace packages [S18] | Estonia (OÜ), via e-Residency | E-Residents buying services separately | 2026-10-04 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to incorporate a startup?
If you plan to raise venture money, a Delaware C corporation through Stripe Atlas or Clerky is the standard (as of 2026-10-04, [S8], [S9]). For a bootstrapped business, an LLC in your own state is the usual route; the table above shows each service's formation fee and yearly agent cost.
Do I need a registered agent for a Delaware LLC?
Yes. Delaware requires every company to keep a registered agent with a street address and office in Delaware, open during normal business hours to accept legal papers (as of 2026-10-04, [S1]). If you do not live in Delaware, that means paying an agent.
Can I be my own registered agent?
Usually, yes — if you have a physical street address in the state where the company is registered and can be there during business hours. The address becomes public, which is the main reason founders pay an agent instead.
How much does it cost to keep a Delaware LLC each year?
Delaware charges LLCs a flat yearly tax of $400, due on or before June 1 (as of 2026-10-04, [S2]). Add your registered agent's yearly fee on top of that — $100 to $299 among the services here (as of 2026-10-04, [S8], [S3]).
What is the cheapest registered agent?
Stripe Atlas renews at $100 a year and Northwest at $125 (as of 2026-10-04, [S8], [S6]), though Atlas only serves Delaware companies it formed. Being your own agent costs nothing if you meet your state's address rule.
Sources
Prices were read from each provider's public pricing page on the date shown.
- [S1] Delaware Division of Corporations, registered agent requirements — corp.delaware.gov/agents, checked 2026-10-04.
- [S2] Delaware Division of Corporations, LLC annual tax instructions — corp.delaware.gov/alt-entitytaxinstructions, checked 2026-10-04.
- [S3] Firstbase pricing — firstbase.io/pricing, checked 2026-10-04.
- [S4] ZenBusiness pricing — zenbusiness.com/pricing-products, checked 2026-10-04.
- [S5] Northwest LLC page — northwestregisteredagent.com/llc, checked 2026-10-04.
- [S6] Northwest registered agent page — northwestregisteredagent.com, checked 2026-10-04.
- [S7] Collective plans and pricing — collective.com/plans-and-pricing, checked 2026-10-04.
- [S8] Stripe Atlas — stripe.com/atlas, checked 2026-10-04.
- [S9] Clerky pricing — clerky.com/pricing, checked 2026-10-04.
- [S10] Doola pricing — doola.com/pricing, checked 2026-10-04.
- [S11] LegalZoom LLC packages and FAQ — legalzoom.com, checked 2026-10-04. This page served three different package tables across six fetches between 22:32:42 and 22:32:49 UTC that day (Managed Service $249 / Expert Service $999; Managed Service $249 / Expert Service $299; Pro $249 / Premium $299), so the entry above states the range rather than any one table.
- [S12] LegalZoom registered agent — legalzoom.com, checked 2026-10-04.
- [S13] Bizee LLC packages — bizee.com/llc, checked 2026-10-04.
- [S14] Bizee registered agent — bizee.com/business-management/registered-agent, checked 2026-10-04.
- [S15] Xolo Leap plans — xolo.io/zz-en/leap, checked 2026-10-04.
- [S16] Estonian e-Residency, start a company — e-resident.gov.ee/start-a-company, checked 2026-10-04.
- [S17] 1Office Estonia — 1office.co/estonia, checked 2026-10-04.
- [S18] 1Office Estonia on the e-Residency marketplace — marketplace.e-resident.gov.ee, checked 2026-10-04.
- [S19] ZenBusiness homepage and FAQ — zenbusiness.com, checked 2026-10-04.
- [S20] 1Office e-Residency page — 1office.co/estonia-e-residency, checked 2026-10-04.
Last reviewed
Last reviewed on 2026-10-04. Formation and registered-agent pricing changes often; the sources above are the place to confirm a number before you buy.