# What Claude (Anthropic) with web search answered for business formation services (startups) on 2026-10-20

## In short

On 2026-10-20, Claude (Anthropic) with web search was asked "best business formation services for startups". It named 9 brands; the first six, in order, were Clerky, Stripe Atlas, EIN, Firstbase, Northwest Registered Agent and LegalZoom.

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Question | best business formation services for startups |
| Asked on | 2026-10-20 |
| Engine | Claude (Anthropic) with web search |
| Model | claude-opus-5 |
| Brands named | 9 |
| Sources cited | 6 |
| Audience | startups |
| Coverage | Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included. |
| Last verified | 2026-10-20 |

Page: https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/business-formation-services-startups-2026-10-20
Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.

## The answer, as recorded

Asked on 2026-10-20 through Claude (Anthropic) with web search (model claude-opus-5).

> For a venture-track startup (Delaware C-corp, planning to raise), here's who I'd actually name, in order:
> 
> **1. Clerky - $819 lifetime package.** My default recommendation if you intend to raise money. It was built by startup lawyers, and its documents are the ones investors and law firms already expect to see, so nothing gets re-papered during diligence. The lifetime package covers formation *plus* the post-incorporation stack you'll immediately need - bylaws, stock purchase agreements with vesting, 83(b) guidance, board consents - and then unlimited ongoing docs: SAFEs, option grants, offer letters, advisor agreements. The price is the whole point: it's cheaper than one hour of a startup attorney's time and it prevents the classic expensive cleanup (founder stock never actually issued, missed 83(b), no IP assignment).
> 
> **2. Stripe Atlas - $500 one-time, 1-2 business days.** The fastest and cheapest credible path to a Delaware C-corp, and the best pick if you have non-US founders - its workflow handles international founders well, and it bundles EIN support, a free year of registered agent, and partner credits. Trade-off: it's a one-time formation product with no ongoing legal doc

## Brands named, in the order the engine gave

| Position | Brand | How it was named |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clerky | mentioned |
| 2 | Stripe Atlas | mentioned |
| 3 | EIN | mentioned |
| 4 | Firstbase | mentioned |
| 5 | Northwest Registered Agent | mentioned |
| 6 | LegalZoom | mentioned |
| 7 | Bizee | mentioned |
| 8 | Cooley | mentioned |
| 9 | Rho | mentioned |

## Sources the engine cited

- https://www.rho.co/blog/best-incorporation-services (vendor)
- https://www.rho.co/blog/stripe-atlas-vs-clerky (vendor)
- https://www.rho.co/blog/stripe-atlas-vs-firstbase (vendor)
- https://www.flowjam.com/blog/clerky-review-2026-complete-guide-pricing-alternatives (other)
- https://startupsavant.com/best-incorporation-services-for-startups (other)
- https://www.newsweek.com/readerschoice/best-business-formation-service-2026 (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.