Stripe Atlas vs Clerky: Which Is Better for Your Startup?
Stripe Atlas vs Clerky: The Founder’s Guide to Picking the Right Incorporation Sidekick
So you just had the “I should really incorporate before Demo Day” panic at 2 a.m.?Welcome to the club.Choosing between Stripe Atlas vs Clerky feels like picking your starter Pokémon—except Pikachu can accidentally cost you an extra $5 k in legal bills if you evolve him wrong.
Below is the no-fluff, no-affiliate-link, 2025-updated breakdown I wish I’d read before I incorporated my first startup (and accidentally paid for two registered agents—yes, that’s a thing).
TL;DR: Who Wins in 30 Seconds?
Need a Delaware C-Corp FAST and want a free Stripe account yesterday?→ Stripe Atlas ($500 one-time).
Want lifetime legal docs, post-funding hiring templates, and you actually read the fine print?→ Clerky ($799 one-time or à-la-carte).
Still unsure? Skip to the “If You’re This Type of Founder” section—there’s a cheat-sheet.
1. Why Your Incorporation Choice Matters More Than Your Seed Logo
Picking the wrong incorporation stack is like buying a Mac charger for your Dell laptop—expensive, embarrassing, and you still can’t plug in.
The right choice affects:
How fast you can accept investor money
Whether you’ll get hassled at the border when you expand to the US
If your cap table explodes in complexity after your first hire
Stripe Atlas and Clerky both promise to “do the legal stuff” so you can focus on product. But they solve slightly different problems. Let’s unbox each.
2. Stripe Atlas: The 500-Dollar “Easy Button”
What It Is
Stripe Atlas is the fintech giant’s invite-only incorporation product. Think of it as the Apple Store of company formation—sleek, integrated, and you leave with a working Stripe account before you even find the exit.
Who It’s For
Tech founders who plan to raise VC money (hence Delaware C-Corp only)
Global founders who need a US entity + Silicon Valley Bank account without flying to SF
Anyone who wants to start charging customers this week
Main Features
✅ Delaware C-Corp formation filed in 1 business day
✅ Signed board consents, 83(b) election templates, and stock-issuance docs
✅ Free year of registered-agent service (then $100/year)
✅ Pre-built Stripe account (KYC pre-approved)
✅ $5 k in free AWS credits + partner perks (Brex, Notion, etc.)
✅ Optional：post-fundraising “auto-matic” SAFE updates for extra $250
Pricing
$500 flat—no upsells at checkout (refreshing, right?).
Registered-agent renewal: $100/year after year one.
Pros
Fastest path from “idea” to “US bank account” (literally 3–5 days)
Zero legal jargon in the UI; everything is plain English
Built-in payment rails—one less KYC nightmare
Cons
Only Delaware C-Corp. Want an LLC? Tough luck.
Document customisation is minimal (you get what you get)
Post-incorporation support is basically a help-centre email—no lawyer on call
External link love:Stripe Atlas official comparison page – stripe.com/atlas/compare
3. Clerky: The Legal Nerd’s Swiss Army Knife
What It Is
Clerky is a Y-Combinator-backed legal-tech company built by startup lawyers for startup lawyers who’d rather automate the boring stuff. If Stripe Atlas is Apple, Clerky is the mechanical keyboard you customise until the keys glow your brand colours.
Who It’s For
Founders who want lawyer-grade docs but don’t want to pay $400/hour
Startups that plan multiple funding rounds, hires, and option grants
Teams incorporating after a priced seed round (Clerky lets you port existing entities)
Main Features
✅ Delaware C-Corp or LLC in any state
✅ Lifetime access to 70+ post-formation templates (offer letters, board minutes, SAFEs)
✅ Cap-table tool that syncs with Carta and keeps your lawyer happy
✅ “Hire” workflows—auto-generate ISO/NSO option paperwork, 409A-ready
✅ Foreign-founder friendly (no SSN required)
Pricing
Company Lifetime Package: $799 one-time (includes formation + all future templates)
À-la-carte: $427 formation only; docs sold separately ($25–$99 each)
Registered-agent renewal: $125/year (slightly pricier than Atlas)
Pros
Documents are reviewed by top-tier Silicon Valley firms (Orrick, Wilson Sonsini)
Unlimited e-signatures built in—no DocuSign tax
You own the generated docs forever, even if you stop paying the registered-agent fee
Cons
UI feels like a 2009 TurboTax theme (function > beauty)
No bundled banking or AWS credits—still gotta open those yourself
Learning curve: you will see checkboxes for “pari passu” and need to Google them
External link love:Clerky’s own takedown of Atlas – clerky.com/startups/stripe-atlas
4. Stripe Atlas vs Clerky: The Detailed Face-Off
We’ll score each category out of 5 💡 emojis. Because emojis are scientifically proven to keep you awake (citation needed).
4.1 Ease of Use
Stripe Atlas: 💡💡💡💡💡One form, ten minutes, done while your coffee is still hot.
Clerky: 💡💡💡More screens than a SpaceX cockpit, but each has a helpful tooltip.
4.2 Pricing (Value for Money)
Stripe Atlas: 💡💡💡💡$500 all-in is hard to beat for C-Corp + banking.
Clerky: 💡💡💡💡$799 stings upfront, but lifetime templates save $3 k+ in legal fees later.
4.3 Legal Compliance & Document Quality
Stripe Atlas: 💡💡💡Standard docs; good enough for 90 % of seed-stage startups.
Clerky: 💡💡💡💡💡Attorney-drafted, constantly updated for new Delaware case law.
4.4 Speed of Formation
Stripe Atlas: 💡💡💡💡💡Average 2 business days to EIN + bank account ready.
Clerky: 💡💡💡💡Delaware filing same-day, but EIN still depends on IRS roulette (5–10 days).
4.5 Banking & Perks
Stripe Atlas: 💡💡💡💡💡Auto-created Mercury or SVB account + $5 k AWS + Stripe credits.
Clerky: 💡💡You get PDFs; open your own bank account like it’s 2014.
4.6 Ongoing Support
Stripe Atlas: 💡💡Email support; 2-day SLA.
Clerky: 💡💡💡In-app chat with actual paralegals (usually reply in 4 hours).
4.7 Suitability for Non-US Founders
Stripe Atlas: 💡💡💡💡Guides you through ITIN, tax treaties, and even US visa options.
Clerky: 💡💡💡Supports foreign founders but you’ll be Googling “W-8BEN” on your own.
5. If You’re This Type of Founder…
If You’re a Solo Non-US Maker Shipping Your SaaS MVP Next Month — Go with Stripe Atlas
It’s the fastest way to get a U.S. company and start accepting payments. At this stage, you can’t afford legal complexity or delays.
If You’re Two Technical Co-Founders Raising a Pre-Seed Round on SAFEs — Choose Clerky
You’ll be iterating on hiring and funding documents, and Clerky’s lifetime templates make that easy and compliant from day one.
If You’re Running an E-Commerce Store and Need an LLC for Liability Protection — Clerky Is the Easy Choice
Stripe Atlas doesn’t support LLC formation, so Clerky wins by default for this setup.
If You’re Already Incorporated in Wyoming and Preparing for a Series A — Go with Clerky
It allows you to domesticate your entity into Delaware smoothly without starting the incorporation process all over again.
If You Just Want the Cheapest Option and Never Want to Think About Legal Again — Pick Stripe Atlas
Pay $500, set it up, and move on. Just resist the temptation to re-incorporate later if your startup grows.
6. FAQ: The Questions You’re Already Googling at 3 a.m.
Q1. Can I switch from Stripe Atlas to Clerky later?Yes. You can port your Delaware C-Corp into Clerky in about 10 minutes. Costs $199 and you’ll instantly unlock all templates.
Q2. Do either handle post-funding 409A valuations?Clerky auto-generates board consents ready for a 409A but doesn’t run the valuation itself. Atlas doesn’t touch 409A—use Carta or Pulley.
Q3. Are there hidden fees?Atlas: $100/year registered agent after year one.Clerky: $125/year registered agent; some premium templates (e.g., dual-class stock) cost extra.
Q4. Can I get an LLC with Stripe Atlas?Nope. Delaware C-Corp only. If you need an LLC, Clerky or Doola are your friends.
Q5. Which one do YC partners actually recommend?YC’s official incorporation guide lists both as acceptable, but Clerky was built by YC alumni and appears more often in batch onboarding docs.
7. Conclusion: The One-Sentence Takeaway
If you want the fastest, simplest route to a Delaware C-Corp with baked-in banking, pick Stripe Atlas; if you want lawyer-quality documents that grow with you through every funding round, pick Clerky—the extra $299 pays for itself the first time you hire without paying a lawyer $800 to draft an offer letter.
Still paralysed? Flip a coin—you’ll know which side you’re hoping for before it lands. Then get back to building something people actually pay for. (And when you’re ready to announce that shiny new entity to the world, Flowjam can whip up a launch video that even your parents will understand. Just saying.)
Ready to incorporate?👉 Start with Stripe Atlas or Clerky today—your future investors will thank you.
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