Clerky vs Stripe Atlas (2026): Now Both Headed to Stripe, Which One Should You Use?
Pick Stripe Atlas if you want the cheapest clean start ($500, refundable with a $5,000 Stripe Treasury deposit), may need an LLC, and will bank and take payments with Stripe. Pick Clerky's $819 Lifetime Package if you will issue SAFEs, grant options and hire in the first two years: it covers that paperwork, which Atlas does not, and it is cheaper than Clerky's own $427 Pay Per Use as soon as you hire. Both form a standard Delaware C corporation, and after year 1 they cost within $25 a year of each other. Since August 26, 2026 the choice is also Stripe vs a company that has agreed to join Stripe.
What Clerky joining Stripe changes
Clerky's blog post of August 26, 2026 says Clerky "has agreed to join Stripe" and keeps "the same team and the same focus". Terms were not disclosed and we found no Stripe newsroom post. As of October 12, 2026, nothing published changes either product: Clerky's prices are the same as in February 2024, Atlas still sells its own $500 package, and neither company has said whether the two will merge, which one new customers will be steered to, or what happens to Clerky's CSC registered agent arrangement. What it means for you today: the companies you form on either are ordinary Delaware corporations you own, so the deal does not touch your company, only the vendor you buy documents from later.
Cost side by side, by stage
| Service | Year 1 | Year 2+ at pre-seed | Year 2+ at seed | Year 2+ at Series A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe Atlas | $500 ($0 with the Treasury refund) | $550 | $1,350 | $5,750 |
| Clerky Lifetime | $819 | $575 | $1,375 | $5,775 |
| Clerky Pay Per Use | $1,086 | $736 | $1,836 | $7,177 |
| of which Delaware franchise tax | $0 | $400 | $1,200 | $5,600 |
Our model: 10M/12M/20M authorized shares at $0.00001 par, 8M/10M/15M issued, gross assets $150K/$2M/$10M, franchise tax by the Assumed Par Value Capital method plus the $50 report; registered agent $100 (Atlas) or $125 (Clerky via CSC); Pay Per Use includes setup, stock plan and per-document fees for 4 SAFEs, 3 grants, 2 hires at pre-seed, 10/9 at seed, 30/28 at Series A; Atlas rows exclude the hiring documents it does not provide.
The service is a few hundred dollars. The franchise tax is the line that grows, and it is the same whichever service you pick.
Price lists
Stripe Atlas
| Plan | Price (monthly / billed yearly) | For / limits |
|---|---|---|
| Incorporate your company | $500 one-time setup fee | Delaware C corporation, LLC or C-corp subsidiary; Includes Delaware filing with next-day expedited processing and state filing fees, company tax ID (EIN), founder equity issuance, 83(b) election filing, document templates, first year of registered agent |
| Run your business (registered agent) | $100/year after the first year, renews automatically | |
| Fundraise | Included | Board consents and post-money SAFEs (YC template), per-SAFE tracking |
| Add-on: Stripe product credits | $2,500 credit, first year after incorporation | Companies incorporated on or after 16 October 2025; not usable on Atlas or registered agent fees (support.stripe.com/questions/atlas-fee-credits-faq). |
| Add-on: Partner perks | Over $50,000 in partner discounts | List at support.stripe.com/questions/stripe-atlas-perks-partners (Pilot free DE franchise filing, Doola 25% off, Carta 20% off, Pulley 25% off and others). |
Prices verified on stripe.com/atlas on October 12, 2026.
Clerky
| Plan | Price (monthly / billed yearly) | For / limits |
|---|---|---|
| Pay Per Use (incorporation) | $427 one-time | Delaware C corporation only (incl. PBCs); Comparison chart: includes $203 Delaware expedited filing fees and $125 first-year Delaware registered agent fee |
| Company Lifetime Package | $819 one-time | Formation plus unlimited standard Fundraising, Hiring, Commercial and Maintenance products for the life of the company; Excludes add-ons and third-party fees for foreign qualification and Maintenance products (charter amendments) |
| Add-on: Post-Incorporation Setup | $299 | |
| Add-on: Stock Plan Adoption | $199 | |
| Add-on: Foreign Qualification (CA, NY) | $125 + third-party fees; partner discounts from $160 for other states | |
| Add-on: SAFE | $9 per use | |
| Add-on: Convertible note | $19 per use | |
| Add-on: Fundraising subscription | $99 for 6 months, unlimited issuances | |
| Add-on: Stock option or restricted stock issuance | $29 per use | |
| Add-on: Employee or consultant hire | $19 per use | |
| Add-on: Advisor agreement | $9 per use | |
| Add-on: Hiring subscription | Small $19/month (up to 12 hires/yr), Medium $99/month (up to 100), Large contact us | |
| Add-on: Board consent (add/remove directors or officers) | $9 | |
| Add-on: Managed 83(b) Election add-on | Price not published on pricing page | Evidence storage renews at $0.50/month after year one (help.clerky.com/article/2934). |
| Add-on: Registered agent after year one | Billed directly by CSC; Clerky's cost example uses $125/year | help.clerky.com/article/2790 and /2824 |
Prices verified on clerky.com/pricing on October 12, 2026.
What actually decides it
1. Paperwork after formation
Atlas includes founder stock, board consents and post-money SAFEs. Clerky Lifetime adds its standard hiring documents (employee, consultant and advisor agreements) and option grants. If you will hire in year 1, Atlas leaves you buying those from a lawyer or another service.
2. Entity type
Atlas forms C corporations, LLCs and C-corp subsidiaries. Clerky forms Delaware C corporations only (including public benefit corporations).
3. The Delaware franchise tax trap
Neither service files the tax. Delaware's notice uses the Authorized Shares method: 10 million authorized shares, 9 million issued and $500,000 in gross assets produces a notice for $85,165, while the Assumed Par Value Capital method gives $400 plus the $50 report (Delaware). File the annual report with your issued shares and assets to get the lower number; try it in our Delaware franchise tax calculator.
4. Stale figures on both vendors' pages
Delaware's fee schedule revised August 1, 2026 raised incorporation to $109 minimum and LLC formation to $110, and Delaware now lists the annual LLC tax at $400. Stripe's Atlas tax doc still says $300 for LLCs, and Clerky's comparison chart still shows "$203 Delaware expedited filing fees", unchanged since before the new schedule. Neither changes the package price; trust Delaware's own figures for taxes.
5. Founders outside the US
Both accept non-US founders and apply for the EIN for you. Stripe's signup doc says 1-2 business days with a US Social Security number, address and phone, otherwise 10-30 business days (Rho's review says 15-45); Atlas lets you take up to $100,000 in Stripe payouts before it arrives. Clerky files by fax and says this "usually takes much longer", a month or more, and that Delaware companies cannot apply by phone; its partner banks open accounts without an EIN.
6. The 83(b) election
Each founder has 30 days from the stock issue (Treas. Reg. 1.83-2). Atlas files it for you. Clerky prepares it and files it only with its Managed 83(b) add-on, whose price is not published. Online filing has been possible since July 2025 according to Mintz, Morrison Foerster and WilmerHale, but WilmerHale notes the form takes only two decimals per share, which does not fit a $0.00001 price; the IRS form still says to mail it.
Switching and lock-in
There is little to lock you in. Your company is a Delaware corporation either way, and the documents from either service are standard venture forms. On Atlas, cancel the $100 renewal with 30 days notice (prepaid fees are not refunded, per the Atlas terms). On Clerky, the agent is billed by CSC after year 1, so you cancel with CSC. The real switching cost is moving your cap table and 409A, covered on our cap table software and 409A valuation services pages.
Other options at a glance
| Service | Formation price | After year 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Firstbase | $99 offer (list $399) + required $299/yr agent = $398 | $299/yr agent, plus state taxes |
| doola | $297/yr + state fees (mainly LLCs) | $297/yr recurs |
| Every.io | Free, incl. registered agent | Agent renewal not stated |
Not hands-on tested yet: we have not run a live account on Stripe Atlas or Clerky. Prices and terms come from each service's published pricing page and help docs, read on October 12, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is Clerky owned by Stripe now?
Clerky announced on August 26, 2026 that it has agreed to join Stripe. Terms were not disclosed, and both products are still sold separately at their old prices.
Which is cheaper, Clerky or Stripe Atlas?
Atlas in year 1 ($500, or $0 with the Treasury refund, vs $819 for Clerky Lifetime). After that they are within $25 a year, but Clerky Lifetime includes hiring documents Atlas does not.
How much does it cost to incorporate a Delaware C corporation?
Delaware's own fee starts at $109 since August 1, 2026, plus a registered agent. Then plan for franchise tax from $400 a year and the $50 annual report.
Can I switch from Atlas to Clerky after incorporating?
Yes. Your company stays the same; you would buy later documents from Clerky and move the registered agent if you want to.
Related: Stripe Atlas pricing, Clerky pricing, Pulley alternatives, and the SaaS fundraising guide.