Stripe Atlas (or DIY Stripe)
When the $500 Atlas fee is worth it (hint: not most cases), and how to do the same setup yourself for the cost of state fees.
What Stripe Atlas actually is
Atlas is Stripe's done-for-you formation bundle: $500 one-time gets you Delaware C-corp formation (yes, C-corp by default — re-read), EIN application, $100 Mercury credit, and a Stripe account pre-linked.
Critical mismatch for foreign owners: Atlas defaults to Delaware C-corp, which is almost always wrong for non-resident solos. C-corp triggers corporate-level tax, double-tax on dividends, and loses the disregarded-entity simplicity that makes a Wyoming LLC work.
Atlas does offer LLC formation now (since 2023), but you have to specifically choose it. Most readers should NOT use the default Atlas flow without understanding which path they're on.
The fast answer
- If you already followed Modules 1–3 — you have a Wyoming LLC, an EIN, and a US phone. Skip Atlas. Sign up for Stripe directly. Saves $500.
- If you want done-for-you and haven't formed yet — Atlas is one option, but doola/Firstbase are cheaper ($299–$497) for LLC formation. Atlas is only worth the premium if you want Stripe pre-wired and the C-corp path.
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