If you are a non-US founder googling how to form a US company, you will hit the same four names again and again: OtoCo, doola, Stripe Atlas, and Firstbase.
They are not interchangeable. They all help you get a US entity — but they optimise for different founders, different entity types, and different definitions of “done.”
At OtoCo, we build wallet-native company infrastructure: Wyoming and Delaware LLCs, onchain ownership, EIN support, and a Mercury banking path — for crypto builders, AI-agent operators, and global founders who want the legal wrapper close to how they already work. We are not a law firm. This post is a fair map of who each platform is actually for, not a scorecard designed to crown ourselves on every row.
Use it to match the tool to the job — then check current pricing on each site before you buy.
Short answer: Choose Stripe Atlas if you want a Delaware C-Corp on the classic Stripe / venture path. Choose doola if you want an all-in-one compliance and bookkeeping stack for ecommerce or freelancing. Choose Firstbase if you want a startup ops dashboard around formation. Choose OtoCo if you want a wallet-native Wyoming or Delaware LLC with onchain ownership — especially if you are crypto-native or building with AI agents. None of these replaces your own tax or legal advice.
Quick comparison table
Pricing shapes below are approximate market positioning as of mid-2026. Providers change packages often — check current pricing on each site before you decide.
| Factor | OtoCo | doola | Stripe Atlas | Firstbase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entity options | Wyoming / Delaware LLC (Instant + Standalone); wallet-native / onchain ownership | LLC or C-Corp; multiple states (strong LLC focus) | Delaware C-Corp path (startup-standard); Atlas product scope can evolve — verify current entity options | LLC or C-Corp; commonly Delaware / Wyoming |
| Best for | Crypto, onchain, AI-agent, and remote builders who want LLC + wallet workflow | Ecommerce, freelancers, solopreneurs who want bookkeeping + tax compliance bundled | Venture-track startups that want DE C-Corp + Stripe adjacency | Founders who want formation plus an ongoing startup ops / dashboard layer |
| Crypto / onchain fit | Core design: onchain entity, wallet connect, crypto-native workflows | Possible as a customer, not the product thesis | Possible; product thesis is Stripe / venture startup, not onchain ownership | Possible; product thesis is ops tooling, not onchain ownership |
| EIN / banking | EIN path (incl. without SSN) + Mercury pathway; see our EIN guide and banking guide | EIN included in typical packages; banking facilitation (often Mercury) | EIN included in typical Atlas flow; banking / payments path oriented around Stripe ecosystem partners | EIN included in typical packages; banking facilitation (often Mercury) + ops tools |
| Ongoing compliance vibe | Entity hygiene in-product (renewals, docs, tax-center reminders); bookkeeping is not the main pitch | Strongest “we’ll handle books + filings” vibe — compliance as a product | Formation-forward; ongoing books/tax usually DIY or external CPA | Dashboard + add-ons for mail, compliance automation, tax — modular ops stack |
| Rough pricing shape | Formation bands from low hundreds (Instant / Standalone) to bundled company stacks; check otoco.io | Lower entry formation tier; higher annual “total compliance” tiers for books + tax | Often ~$500 one-time formation package + state / RA renewals later | Formation fee in the low-to-mid hundreds + optional annual add-ons / bundles |
For a realistic foreign-founder budget (state fees, EIN, address, banking prep), read How Much Does It Cost to Start a US LLC as a Foreigner?.
Who each platform is actually for
Stripe Atlas — Delaware C-Corp + Stripe path
Atlas wins when your next twelve months look like a classic US startup: Delaware paperwork, founder equity hygiene, and a payments / banking story that sits next to Stripe.
That is a real advantage. US VCs, accelerators, and startup counsel already speak Delaware C-Corp fluently. If you are raising (or expect to), Atlas removes a familiar objection. The trade: you are buying the venture-default stack, not the cheapest LLC, and not an onchain ownership model. Ongoing bookkeeping and foreign-owner tax filings are usually still your job — or your CPA’s.
Choose Atlas if the sentence “we’re a Delaware C-Corp on Atlas” helps the next conversation you need to win.
doola — all-in-one compliance for ecommerce and freelancers
doola wins when formation is only step one and you want someone to own the boring year: bookkeeping, tax filings, and a managed compliance rhythm.
That is a different product thesis from “file the company and get out of the way.” Ecommerce operators, freelancers, and solopreneurs who sell into the US often need the entity and the ongoing US filing machine. doola’s higher tiers are priced for that managed life. The trade: you may pay more over three years than a formation-only tool — and you are not buying a wallet-native / onchain company stack.
Choose doola if your anxiety is “who files Form 5472 and keeps the books clean,” not “how does my company live next to my wallet.”
Firstbase — startup ops dashboard
Firstbase wins when you want formation plus a control panel: mail, compliance reminders, banking facilitation, and add-ons you can grow into.
Think “ops layer around the company,” not “one opinionated entity type.” LLC or C-Corp, Delaware or Wyoming — flexibility is part of the pitch. The trade: the sticker formation fee is rarely the whole bill if you stack mailroom, tax, and automation modules. Crypto / onchain ownership is not the centre of the product.
Choose Firstbase if you want a dashboard to run the company admin, and you are happy assembling the stack from modules.
OtoCo — wallet-native LLC, onchain ownership
OtoCo wins when the company should feel like infrastructure for builders who already live online — and often onchain.
We form Wyoming and Delaware LLCs (Instant and Standalone), support EIN without an SSN, and prepare a Mercury banking path. Ownership and company workflows can sit next to a wallet — including for crypto founders and AI-agent operators who need a real legal container without pretending they run a 2015 SaaS HQ.
What we are not: a law firm, a CPA firm, or a full-service bookkeeping shop in the doola sense. If you need custom securities advice, multi-entity tax planning, or someone to run your P&L every month, hire those specialists. Our job is the company stack founders actually operate: entity, tax ID, address, banking path, and entity hygiene.
Jurisdiction notes that come up constantly:
- Wyoming LLC for crypto founders — lean cost, privacy-friendly default for many internet and crypto projects.
- Delaware LLC for crypto founders — when investor or institutional counterparties already expect Delaware.
For the remote playbook end-to-end, see How to Start a Remote US Company.
The dimensions that actually matter
1. Entity type: LLC vs C-Corp
An LLC (Limited Liability Company) is a flexible legal wrapper — often the right default for solo founders, bootstrapped products, and crypto operating companies. A C-Corp is the venture-standard corporation: separate taxpayer, familiar equity docs, and the structure most US VC term sheets assume.
Atlas is built around the C-Corp startup path. doola and Firstbase support both in common packages. OtoCo is LLC-first (Wyoming / Delaware), wallet-native — choose us when the LLC is the job, not when you already know you need a priced-round C-Corp tomorrow.
Honest rule: match the entity to the capital and counterparties you expect in the next year, not the LinkedIn caption you want.
2. EIN and banking are the real finish line
Formation screenshots feel like victory. They are not. Without an EIN (Employer Identification Number — your company tax ID) and a banking path, the LLC or C-Corp is a PDF that cannot invoice in USD.
All four platforms help with EIN in typical packages. Banking is never a guarantee — banks decide — but document quality matters: coherent business description, ownership that matches the application, and a stable address.
OtoCo’s path is EIN + Mercury preparation for remote founders. Step-by-step:
3. Crypto and onchain fit
You can form a crypto company on almost any formation platform. That does not mean the product was designed for wallets, onchain ownership, or agent-operated entities.
OtoCo’s difference is architectural: the company is meant to sit next to crypto-native workflows — form from a wallet-aware flow, keep ownership legible onchain, operate through a dashpanel built for builders who do not want five vendors and a fax machine folklore club.
Atlas, doola, and Firstbase can still be the right tool if your bottleneck is venture docs, managed bookkeeping, or ops modules — just do not expect onchain ownership to be the centre of those products.
4. Ongoing compliance vibe
Ask what “year two” looks like:
- doola — strongest managed compliance / bookkeeping product energy.
- Firstbase — modular ops: buy the dashboard pieces you need.
- Atlas — formation-forward; you assemble CPA and books yourself.
- OtoCo — entity keep-alive and company stack in one place; not a full outsourced finance department.
Foreign-owned US LLCs often still face Form 5472 and related filings even when US income tax is $0. Budget for that reality whichever platform you pick.
5. Pricing shape — not sticker shock
Compare three-year shape, not the hero number on the landing page:
- Atlas — often a ~$500-class one-time formation fee; renewals and CPA later.
- doola — lower entry tier; higher annual tiers when books + tax are bundled.
- Firstbase — formation plus optional annual modules.
- OtoCo — Instant / Standalone formation bands and optional company bundles (EIN, address, banking prep).
State franchise taxes / annual reports are separate from platform fees. Check current pricing on each provider — and read our foreign-founder cost guide for the stack most people forget.
Decision guide
- Raising US VC soon, need DE C-Corp fluency? → Stripe Atlas (or counsel-led C-Corp).
- Ecommerce / freelance operator who wants books + filings handled? → doola.
- Want formation + a modular ops dashboard? → Firstbase.
- Crypto, onchain, AI-agent, or wallet-native LLC (WY/DE) with EIN + Mercury path? → OtoCo.
- Need custom legal or tax structuring? → Hire a lawyer / CPA. Platforms are infrastructure, not advice.
If you are still choosing Wyoming vs Delaware for an LLC, start with the counterparty you need to impress next — then read the Wyoming and Delaware guides.
FAQ: OtoCo vs doola vs Atlas vs Firstbase
Is OtoCo a law firm?
No. OtoCo is company-formation and entity infrastructure software. We are not a law firm, CPA firm, or bank. For legal, tax, or regulated-activity questions, use qualified advisors.
Can non-US founders use all four?
Yes in common cases — non-US persons can own US LLCs and C-Corps in many standard setups. Ownership is allowed more often than banking and tax compliance are easy. Plan for EIN, KYC, and foreign-owner filing duties.
Which is cheapest?
It depends what you count. Formation-only stickers favour different winners than three-year totals with bookkeeping and Form 5472. Check current pricing, then price the stack you will actually use in ninety days.
Which is best for crypto?
If onchain ownership and wallet-native ops matter, OtoCo is built for that. If you need a DE C-Corp for a fundraise, Atlas may fit better. If you need managed books, look at doola. Crypto activity does not erase securities, tax, or banking rules on any platform.
Do I need to visit the US?
Usually no for formation and EIN. Banking remains provider-specific. See How to Start a Remote US Company.
LLC or C-Corp?
LLC for many bootstrapped, crypto, and operator businesses. C-Corp when US venture equity norms dominate. The wrong prestige choice is an expensive habit, not a strategy.
Ready to form the company that fits?
If you want a wallet-native Wyoming or Delaware LLC — with EIN support and a Mercury pathway — start at otoco.io.
If Atlas, doola, or Firstbase matches your next bottleneck better, use them. The goal is a company you can actually operate — not a logo on a comparison blog post.
Form your company at otoco.io — then get back to building.
Helpful OtoCo resources
- How to Get a US LLC Bank Account as a Non-US Founder
- How to Get an EIN for a US LLC Without an SSN
- How Much Does It Cost to Start a US LLC as a Foreigner?
- How to Start a Remote US Company
- Wyoming LLC for Crypto Founders
- Delaware LLC for Crypto Founders
Disclaimer: General information only — not legal, tax, accounting, or banking advice. OtoCo is not a law firm, CPA firm, or bank. Competitor features and prices change; verify current offerings and totals on each provider’s site. Banking services are provided by third-party financial institutions and remain subject to their eligibility and onboarding rules. Consult qualified advisors for your specific circumstances.
