# What Claude (Anthropic) with web search answered for business formation services (startups) on 2026-09-23

## In short

On 2026-09-23, Claude (Anthropic) with web search was asked "best business formation services for startups". It named 7 brands, in this order: Clerky, Stripe, Stripe Atlas, Firstbase, Northwest Registered Agent, ZenBusiness and LegalZoom.

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Question | best business formation services for startups |
| Asked on | 2026-09-23 |
| Engine | Claude (Anthropic) with web search |
| Model | claude-opus-5 |
| Brands named | 7 |
| Sources cited | 7 |
| Audience | startups |
| Coverage | Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included. |
| Last verified | 2026-09-23 |

Page: https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/business-formation-services-startups-2026-09-23
Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.

## The answer, as recorded

Asked on 2026-09-23 through Claude (Anthropic) with web search (model claude-opus-5).

> The right answer forks hard on one question: are you raising venture capital, or are you a small business that just needs an entity? Here's who I'd actually name, in order.
> 
> ## If you're VC-track (Delaware C-corp)
> 
> **1. Clerky** - my default recommendation for anything that will take outside investment. It's built specifically for Delaware C-corps and produces lawyer-vetted, investor-familiar documents: founder stock purchase agreements with vesting, 83(b) filings, option grants, SAFEs. Around $799 for the founder package. The reason it's first isn't formation speed - it's that the paperwork survives diligence two years later, when a messy cap table becomes a real, expensive problem. Note the tradeoff: Clerky is document-first, so you still handle the Delaware filing itself or pair it with a filing service.
> 
> **2. Stripe Atlas** - the fastest clean path. Flat $500, one-time, and it bundles Delaware incorporation with expedited filing (state fees included), EIN, founder equity issuance, and the 83(b) filing, plus Stripe credits and partner perks. Incorporation lands in roughly 1-3 days. Best if you're reasonably experienced and comfortable owning your own compliance calendar - there'

## Brands named, in the order the engine gave

| Position | Brand | How it was named |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clerky | recommended |
| 2 | Stripe | mentioned |
| 3 | Stripe Atlas | mentioned |
| 4 | Firstbase | mentioned |
| 5 | Northwest Registered Agent | mentioned |
| 6 | ZenBusiness | mentioned |
| 7 | LegalZoom | mentioned |

## Sources the engine cited

- https://www.rho.co/blog/stripe-atlas-vs-clerky (vendor)
- https://freenetlaw.com/llc/services/stripe-atlas/ (other)
- https://www.flowjam.com/blog/stripe-atlas-vs-clerky-which-is-better-for-your-startup (other)
- https://medium.com/all-things-cloud/incorporating-a-startup-delaware-c-corp-atlas-vs-clerky-and-the-checklist-that-saves-you-later-4564c2712924 (community)
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/best-llc-service/ (other)
- https://www.quicksprout.com/best-business-formation-services/ (other)
- https://startupsavant.com/service-reviews/stripe-atlas-alternatives (other)

The question page: https://bikoosh.com/answers/q/business-formation-services/startups

Answer Watch records what one AI answer engine said on one date, nothing more. Each page names the engine and the model, carries the date the question was asked, and lists the brands that appeared in the answer in the order the engine gave them, with the sources it cited. It is a measurement, not a ranking, not a recommendation and not a claim about the world. Brands that did not appear in an answer are not named on any public page. Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.