Firstbase was founded in 2019 and has positioned itself as the comprehensive administrative infrastructure layer for startups — particularly those with international founders or distributed teams who need US business presence without physical office space. The platform handles the full lifecycle of US business administration from formation through ongoing compliance. Firstbase Start at $399 covers Delaware or Wyoming LLC or C-Corp formation, EIN filing, registered agent service for the first year, standard formation documents, and access to the Firstbase dashboard for tracking company status and compliance deadlines. The $399 price point is positioned above pure formation services like ZenBusiness ($0-$299) but below legal firm formation costs ($1,500-$3,000), with the additional value of a unified dashboard for ongoing operations. Firstbase One at $35 per month adds ongoing registered agent service, virtual mailbox (a physical US address where mail is received, scanned, and available digitally), compliance deadline tracking, and annual state filing reminders. For international founders without a US address, the virtual mailbox is particularly valuable — it provides a legitimate US business address that can be used for banking, contracts, and official correspondence. The platform’s design philosophy distinguishes it from LegalZoom and ZenBusiness. Where those services focus on the formation transaction, Firstbase is built around the ongoing administrative experience — a dashboard that surfaces what needs to be done, when, and provides the tools to complete it. Annual Delaware franchise tax, registered agent renewal, and state report filings are tracked and surfaced proactively. Where Firstbase has faced criticism is support quality after formation. Some user reviews note slower response times for operational questions compared to the onboarding experience. Firstbase is the right formation platform for international founders and remote startups who need ongoing US administrative infrastructure, not just a one-time formation transaction.
Firstbase
Stripe Atlas at $500 includes formation plus access to $50,000+ in startup partner credits and native Stripe integration — better value for venture-backed startups that will use Stripe payments
Filing Specs
- Filing Time: 1-3 weeks standard
- Unified dashboard for formation, compliance tracking, virtual mailbox, and annual filing deadlines
- Virtual mailbox provides legitimate US business address for international founders without a physical US presence
- Ongoing compliance surfaced proactively — annual filings, registered agent renewal, and deadlines tracked automatically
- $399 formation fee is higher than ZenBusiness Starter and Bizee for basic LLC formation needs
- Post-formation support quality criticized in some reviews — response times slower after onboarding
- Firstbase One $35/month adds ongoing cost that pure formation services do not charge
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Frequently Asked Questions
Firstbase Start at $399 covers: Delaware or Wyoming LLC or C-Corp formation filing, IRS EIN application, registered agent service for the first year, standard formation documents, and access to the Firstbase dashboard. State filing fees are included in some plans — verify current pricing on Firstbase's site.
The virtual mailbox provides a physical US business address (in Delaware or another state) where Firstbase receives physical mail on your behalf, scans it, and makes it available digitally in your Firstbase dashboard. This gives international founders and remote companies a legitimate US business address usable for banking, contracts, and official correspondence without renting physical office space.
Stripe Atlas at $500 adds access to $50,000+ in startup partner credits and native Stripe payment integration. Firstbase Start at $399 includes a virtual mailbox and better ongoing compliance dashboard. Stripe Atlas is better for startups that will use Stripe payments and want ecosystem credits. Firstbase is better for companies that need ongoing US administrative operations and virtual mail handling.
Yes — this is Firstbase's primary use case. The platform guides non-US founders through formation, handles the EIN process that can be complex for foreign nationals, and provides a US business address through the virtual mailbox. The ongoing compliance dashboard is particularly valuable for founders who are not familiar with US annual filing requirements.
Yes, through the Firstbase One subscription at $35/month. This includes registered agent renewal, virtual mailbox, compliance deadline tracking, and reminders for annual filings. The actual annual Delaware franchise tax and state annual report must still be filed — Firstbase tracks the deadlines and can facilitate filing, but the tax amount and report filing are the company's responsibility.
Advertiser Disclosure: Pricing verified April 2026 from Firstbase's official pricing page.. We may receive compensation for clicks or purchases on this site.
