What Claude (Anthropic) with web search answered for business formation services (startups) on 2026-09-30
Claude (Anthropic) with web search claude-opus-5 asked 2026-09-30
On 2026-09-30, Claude (Anthropic) with web search was asked "best business formation services for startups". It named 13 brands; the first six, in order, were Stripe, Stripe Atlas, Cooley, Clerky, Firstbase and US.
| Question | best business formation services for startups |
|---|---|
| Asked on | 2026-09-30 |
| Engine | Claude (Anthropic) with web search |
| Model | claude-opus-5 |
| Brands named | 13 |
| Sources cited | 11 |
| Audience | startups |
| Coverage | Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included. |
| Last verified |
Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.
The question asked, verbatim: best business formation services for startups
Brands named, in the order the engine gave
- Stripe recommended
Stripe Atlas - $500 one-time, my default recommendation.
- Stripe Atlas recommended
Stripe Atlas - $500 one-time, my default recommendation.
- Cooley mentioned
The incorporation documents are Cooley's, so they're the same paper a top startup firm would hand you.
- Clerky mentioned
Clerky - ~$427 pay-per-use, $819 lifetime package.
- Firstbase mentioned
Firstbase - ~$399-400 one-time.
- US mentioned
Best if you're a non-US founder or want hand-holding: EIN, bank account setup through partner banks, ongoing expert support, and a large perks bundle.
- DIY mentioned
If you have a co-founder split to negotiate, IP assignment issues from a prior employer, or immigration complications, skip the DIY tools.
- Cooley GO mentioned
Cooley GO (https://www.cooleygo.com/) generates a free incorporation package and is worth reading regardless.
- Northwest Registered Agent mentioned
Northwest Registered Agent - $39 + state fees.
- ZenBusiness mentioned
ZenBusiness - $0 + state fees on the Starter plan.
- Trustpilot mentioned
Highest customer satisfaction in the category (4.8/5 across ~31k Trustpilot reviews), and the compliance reminders genuinely help first-time founders avoid blown annual report deadlines.
- Bizee mentioned
Bizee (formerly Incfile) - $0 + state fees.
- Inc Authority mentioned
And be skeptical of "free LLC" offers like Inc Authority that monetize through aggressive upsells during checkout.
What Claude (Anthropic) with web search answered about business formation services for startups on 2026-09-30: 13 brands named, 11 sources cited. This question is asked again on the nightly schedule and each new answer gets its own dated page.
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Sources the engine cited
| Source | Type |
|---|---|
| stripe.com | vendor |
| cooley.com | other |
| rho.co | vendor |
| startupsavant.com | other |
| cooleygo.com | other |
| carta.com | vendor |
| leanlaw.co | other |
| zenbusiness.com | vendor |
| startupsavant.com | other |
| quicksprout.com | other |
| startupsavant.com | other |
The answer, as recorded
The right answer depends almost entirely on one question: **are you raising venture money?** That splits the field cleanly. ## If you're building a venture-backed startup (Delaware C-corp) **1. Stripe Atlas - $500 one-time, my default recommendation.** It's the most complete package for the price: Delaware C-corp filing with expedited processing and state fees included, EIN, founder stock issuance and purchase, and - critically - the 83(b) election filing. The incorporation documents are Cooley's, so they're the same paper a top startup firm would hand you. Downside: no ongoing compliance reminders or tax support, and Delaware/Wyoming only. ([stripe.com/atlas](https://stripe.com/atlas), [cooley.com](https://www.cooley.com/news/coverage/2025/2025-02-21-cooley-incorporation-documents-now-power-stripe-atlas)) **2. Clerky - ~$427 pay-per-use, $819 lifetime package.** Built by startup attorneys; the go-to if you expect a priced round, option grants, and SAFEs in the next 18 months. It covers the whole legal lifecycle (bylaws, stock purchase agreements, board consents, later financings), not just day one. Note that Clerky doesn't actually file with Delaware - you do. Plenty of founders pair Atlas for the filing with Clerky for the ongoing paperwork. ([rho.co](https://www.rho.co/blog/stripe-atlas-vs-clerky)) **3. Firstbase - ~$399-400 one-time.** Best if you're a non-US founder or want hand-holding: EIN, bank account setup through partner banks, ongoing expert support, and a large perks bundle. Delaware or Wyoming. ([startupsavant.com](https://startupsavant.com/service-reviews/stripe-atlas-alternatives)) **4. An actual startup law firm - Cooley, Gunderson Dettmer, or Wilson Sonsini.** Worth saying out loud: these firms routinely do incorporation as a fixed-fee or deferred-fee loss leader to win your Series A business. If you have a co-founder split to negotiate, IP assignment issues from a prior employer, or immigration complications, skip the DIY tools. [Cooley GO](https://www.cooleygo.com/) generates a free incorporation package and is worth reading regardless. ([carta.com](https://carta.com/blog/founder-guide-law-firm-lawyers/), [leanlaw.co](https://www.leanlaw.co/blog/the-incorporation-package-a-loss-leader-fixed-fee-to-get-high-growth-startups-in-the-door/)) ## If you're forming an LLC (bootstrapped, consulting, small business) **5. Northwest Registered Agent - $39 + state fees.** My pick here. Registered agent renews at $125/year - cheaper than competitors long-term, and they advertise not having raised that price in 20 years. Best privacy practices in the category; they don't sell your data or upsell aggressively. ([zenbusiness.com](https://www.zenbusiness.com/zenbusiness-vs-northwest-registered-agent/), [startupsavant.com](https://startupsavant.com/northwest-registered-agent-vs-zenbusiness)) **6. ZenBusiness - $0 + state fees on the Starter plan.** Highest customer satisfaction in the category (4.8/5 across ~31k Trustpilot reviews), and the compliance reminders genuinely help first-time founders avoid blown annual report deadlines. Registered agent is $99 year one, $199/year after - that's where they make it back. ([quicksprout.com](https://www.quicksprout.com/best-business-formation-services/)) **7. Bizee (formerly Incfile) - $0 + state fees.** Fine, cheap, no-frills alternative to ZenBusiness; RA renews at $149/year. ## What I'd skip LegalZoom - you pay a brand premium for the same filing. And be skeptical of "free LLC" offers like Inc Authority that monetize through aggressive upsells during checkout. **Bottom line:** raising money → Stripe Atlas (add Clerky if a round is near-term, or just hire Cooley/Gunderson if your situation is complicated). Not raising → Northwest Registered Agent. Sources: - https://stripe.com/atlas - https://www.rho.co/blog/stripe-atlas-vs-clerky - https://startupsavant.com/service-reviews/stripe-atlas-alternatives - https://www.cooley.com/news/coverage/2025/2025-02-21-cooley-incorporation-documents-now-power-stripe-atlas - https://carta.com/blog/founder-guide-law-firm-lawyers/ - https://www.leanlaw.co/blog/the-incorporation-package-a-loss-leader-fixed-fee-to-get-high-growth-startups-in-the-door/ - https://www.zenbusiness.com/zenbusiness-vs-northwest-registered-agent/ - https://startupsavant.com/northwest-registered-agent-vs-zenbusiness - https://www.quicksprout.com/best-business-formation-services/ - https://startupsavant.com/best-incorporation-services-for-startups
Near this answer
The same question, recorded on other dates: 2026-09-27, 2026-09-25, 2026-09-23, 2026-09-21, 2026-09-17, 2026-09-15, 2026-09-13, 2026-09-11, 2026-09-09, 2026-09-06.
business formation services, asked for other audiences: small businesses (asked 2026-09-30).
Other categories with a recorded answer: accounting firms, business coaching services, compliance consulting firms, contract review services.
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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.