# What Claude (Anthropic) with web search answered for business formation services (startups) on 2026-09-30

## In short

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.

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| 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 | 2026-09-30 |

Page: https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/business-formation-services-startups-2026-09-30
Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.

## The answer, as recorded

Asked on 2026-09-30 through Claude (Anthropic) with web search (model claude-opus-5).

> 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 founder

## Brands named, in the order the engine gave

| Position | Brand | How it was named |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stripe | recommended |
| 2 | Stripe Atlas | recommended |
| 3 | Cooley | mentioned |
| 4 | Clerky | mentioned |
| 5 | Firstbase | mentioned |
| 6 | US | mentioned |
| 7 | DIY | mentioned |
| 8 | Cooley GO | mentioned |
| 9 | Northwest Registered Agent | mentioned |
| 10 | ZenBusiness | mentioned |
| 11 | Trustpilot | mentioned |
| 12 | Bizee | mentioned |
| 13 | Inc Authority | mentioned |

## Sources the engine cited

- https://stripe.com/atlas (vendor)
- https://www.cooley.com/news/coverage/2025/2025-02-21-cooley-incorporation-documents-now-power-stripe-atlas (other)
- https://www.rho.co/blog/stripe-atlas-vs-clerky (vendor)
- https://startupsavant.com/service-reviews/stripe-atlas-alternatives (other)
- https://www.cooleygo.com/ (other)
- https://carta.com/blog/founder-guide-law-firm-lawyers/ (vendor)
- https://www.leanlaw.co/blog/the-incorporation-package-a-loss-leader-fixed-fee-to-get-high-growth-startups-in-the-door/ (other)
- https://www.zenbusiness.com/zenbusiness-vs-northwest-registered-agent/ (vendor)
- https://startupsavant.com/northwest-registered-agent-vs-zenbusiness (other)
- https://www.quicksprout.com/best-business-formation-services/ (other)
- https://startupsavant.com/best-incorporation-services-for-startups (other)

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

Alerts and membership: Answer Watch Pro, 79 USD per month: https://bikoosh.com/answers. Bikoosh is monitoring assistance, not complete protection.

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.