Stripe Atlas
A Stripe service that forms a US company in Delaware for founders anywhere, obtains a tax ID and opens the door to a Stripe account and US banking. It solves the "Stripe is not available in my country" problem for some founders, but it adds US filings and costs that you must understand first.
Tool
Career Growth
Stripe
Days to weeks for formation and tax ID
Intermediate
$500 setup, then $100/year (as of 2026-09)
What it does
Stripe Atlas forms a Delaware company for you, either a C corporation or an LLC, gets the US tax ID (EIN), issues founder shares and helps with related filings. Once the company exists, it can open a Stripe account and a US business bank account. Stripe says founders from more than 175 countries have used it.
Cost (as of 2026-09)
Stripe's Atlas page lists a $500 setup fee, which covers government fees and the first year of a registered agent, then $100 a year after the first year. That is only Stripe's fee. A US company also brings yearly Delaware taxes and fees, US federal tax filings and possibly an accountant, and those costs apply whether or not your product earns anything.
When it makes sense
- You are building a product with a real plan to sell internationally, and Stripe is not available to a business in your country.
- You may later raise money from investors who expect a US company.
- You have researched what owning a foreign company means for tax in your own country.
When it does not
For a first template or a small app that has not yet made a sale, Atlas is usually premature. A merchant of record such as Paddle, Lemon Squeezy or Gumroad lets you sell from almost anywhere without a foreign company, for a higher fee per sale. Many founders start there and form a company once revenue justifies it.
Things to check first
- Tax rules in your home country for owning a foreign company and bringing profits home.
- Whether your local bank or a service such as Wise or Payoneer can receive money from the US company.
- The ongoing filing calendar, because missed US filings carry penalties.
Get advice from a qualified accountant in your country before forming a company abroad. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Common questions
Is it the only way to form a US company? No. Other formation services and local lawyers exist; compare total yearly costs, not only the setup fee.
Does Atlas handle VAT and sales tax on my sales? No. You become the seller. You would need Stripe Tax or a merchant of record for that.
Source: stripe.com/atlas, checked 2026-09.
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