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What each one includes
| doola | Firstbase | |
|---|---|---|
| Registered agent | Included in Starter ($297 a year) | $299 a year |
| Virtual business address | Included in Starter ($297 a year) | $315 a year |
| EIN (federal tax ID) | Included in Starter ($297 a year) | Included in Start ($99) |
| Operating agreement | Included in Starter ($297 a year) | Not offered |
| Annual report filing | Included in Tax and Compliance ($1,999 a year) | Included in Start ($99) |
| Form 5472 filing | Included in Tax and Compliance ($1,999 a year) | $899 a year |
| Accepts owners without an SSN | Yes | Yes |
| States | All | DE, WY |
| Refunds | The Flawless Formation guarantee covers doola's formation errors claimed within 14 days, up to $297 in credit or gift card; subscriptions are non-refundable. | 7-day guarantee only when services cannot be fulfilled; full refund before any state filing, 50% before the EIN is requested; Agent and Mailroom are non-refundable. |
Cost over 3 years in Wyoming (with a registered agent)
Firstbase only forms LLCs in some states, so both totals are for Wyoming, the cheapest state they share, with its fees included.
doola
| Item | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter package | $297 | $297 | $297 |
| State formation fee | $100 | — | — |
| Annual report license tax (minimum) | — | $60 | $60 |
| Total | $397 | $357 | $357 |
Firstbase
| Item | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start package | $99 | — | — |
| Agent (registered agent and annual reports) | $299 | $299 | $299 |
| Mailroom Basic | $315 | $315 | $315 |
| State formation fee | $100 | — | — |
| Annual report license tax (minimum) | — | $60 | $60 |
| Total | $813 | $674 | $674 |
Add your state's fees
Pick your state to see the total with its formation fee and yearly charges. We remember it for the rest of the site, only in this browser.
Yearly tax filing (Form 5472)
A single-member LLC owned by a non-US person files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 every year. Here is how each provider sells it; see what it costs to hand it off for what's included and other options.
doola
- Tax and Compliance: $1,999/yr (package that includes it)
- Business-in-a-Box: $2,999/yr (package that includes it)
Firstbase
- Tax (single-member LLC, Form 5472 and pro forma 1120): $899/yr
doola packages
- Starter: $297
- Tax and Compliance: $1,999
- Business-in-a-Box: $2,999
Inconsistencies we found
- The pricing page lists Business-in-a-Box at $2,999 a year, and also at $329 or $263 a month; twelve payments of $263 come to $3,156.
Firstbase packages
- Start: $99
Inconsistencies we found
- The pricing page says "Formation is on us. Pay only your state fee." next to a $99 one-time price (down from $399), and an older landing page still lists $399 including state fees.