Clerky vs Firstbase: pricing and features compared
Data last updated: Apr 21, 2026Clerky starts at $427 plus state fees. Firstbase starts at $399 plus state fees. Sticker-price differences between LLC formation services rarely tell the full story, since the cheapest tier usually excludes the EIN filing and operating agreement most filers need.
The registered agent renewal is the line item that actually matters over time: Clerky is $125 per year, Firstbase is $299. Over five years that delta adds up to $696, which is typically a larger swing than the formation-tier sticker price.
For most filers, the decision between two services is decided by three things: whether you need a $0 tier or can absorb a mid-tier to get the EIN and operating agreement bundled, how much the registered agent will cost you in year two and onward, and whether the support quality matters to you (it matters more if you're paying $200+ for the service in the first place).
Key differences at a glance
- Firstbase is $28 cheaper at the starting tier (both charge upfront).
- Clerky has the cheaper registered agent renewal ($125/yr vs $299/yr). Over five years that is a $696 difference.
- Firstbase offers live chat support; the other relies on phone and email only.
- Firstbase includes mail scanning (physical mail delivered to the registered agent gets scanned and forwarded digitally). The other does not.
Where each service fits
Pick Clerky when
Pick Clerky when you're optimizing for lower long-term cost (RA renewal is cheaper).
Pick Firstbase when
Pick Firstbase when you want the lowest possible day-one sticker price; you want the operating agreement bundled at no extra cost; you need mail scanning bundled with the registered agent; you want live chat support.
What each service offers that the other does not
Only Clerky
- Phone support
Only Firstbase
- Operating agreement included free
- Mail scanning
- Banking partner integration
- Live chat support
Both services
- EIN included free
- Compliance dashboard
- Non-US founder support
What it costs under your specific situation
Running the same LLC through three common scenarios. Year-1 and 5-year totals exclude state fees, which are identical for both services.
| Scenario | Clerky Year 1 | Firstbase Year 1 | Clerky 5-year | Firstbase 5-year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Just the basics: state filing, RA year 1, nothing else You file the EIN yourself at irs.gov and skip a written operating agreement. | $427 | $399 | $927 | $1,595 |
| You want EIN and operating agreement handled too Most new LLCs end up here. Assumes $70 EIN and $99 OA add-ons where the service charges for them. | $427 | $399 | $927 | $1,595 |
| Standalone registered agent only (no formation) You already formed the LLC elsewhere. Just swapping to this service's RA. | $0 | $299 | $0 | $1,495 |
Full feature comparison
| Dimension | Clerky | Firstbase |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price Cheapest tier, excludes state fees | $427 | $399 |
| Registered agent year 1 | Included | Not included |
| Registered agent renewal Year 2 onward, annual | $125/yr | $299/yr |
| Free $0 tier | No | No |
| EIN application | Included free | Included free |
| Operating agreement | Not offered | Included free |
| Compliance dashboard | Yes | Yes |
| Mail scanning | No | Yes |
| International founders | Yes | Yes |
| Banking partner | None | Mercury |
| Phone support | Business hours; no explicit hours published on the contact page | No |
| Live chat | No | Yes |
| Trustpilot rating | Not published | 4.8/5 (1,045 reviews) |
Pricing tiers side by side
Clerky
- Pay Per Use (Delaware C-corp Incorporation) — $427
Includes RA year 1 · renews $125/yr - Company Lifetime Package — $819
Includes RA year 1 · renews $125/yr
Firstbase
- Start — $399
- One (Start bundle) — $399 · renews $2,388/yr
Includes RA year 1 · renews $299/yr
Support and ratings, interpreted
Clerky offers phone, email. Firstbase offers email, live chat. Firstbase is the only one of the two with live chat, which matters if you anticipate back-and-forth questions during filing.
Clerky
Phone: Business hours; no explicit hours published on the contact page.
Email: yes.
No live chat.
Firstbase
No phone support.
Email: yes.
Live chat: Firstbase markets 24/7 global support for founders; no public phone number is listed..
Trustpilot: 4.8/5 from 1,045 reviews.
Before you pick either service
A few things apply no matter which one you choose. These catch enough first-time filers to be worth stating plainly.
The state fee is identical. Whether you use Clerky, Firstbase, or neither, your state charges the same formation fee. Nothing a service does lowers that number. The fee ranges from $35 in Montana to $500 in Massachusetts depending on where you form. See the state-by-state guide for exact numbers.
You can get an EIN for free at irs.gov in five minutes. Both Clerky and Firstbase either bundle EIN filing or sell it as a paid add-on. You're never required to pay for EIN filing; the IRS charges nothing and the online form takes about five minutes. If a service is pitching "we'll handle your EIN" as a headline feature, that's convenience pricing, not necessity.
The registered agent renewal is what matters long-term. The formation fee is a one-time cost. The registered agent is what recurs every year for as long as you keep the LLC open. Over five years, the RA renewal cost usually exceeds the formation fee. Compare on that number, not just the day-one sticker.
Operating agreements are separately priced at most services. Any LLC with more than one member, and any LLC relying on its liability shield, should have a written operating agreement. It governs ownership percentages, profit splits, management structure, and dissolution. California, Maine, Missouri, and New York require it by statute; every other state treats it as strongly recommended. Don't skip it to save $99.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Which is cheaper, Clerky or Firstbase?
Firstbase is cheaper at the starting tier ($399 vs $427). Over 5 years including RA renewals, the gap is about $668.
-
Does Clerky or Firstbase have better support?
Clerky offers phone, email. Firstbase offers email, live chat. Firstbase is the only one of the two with live chat, which matters if you anticipate back-and-forth questions during filing.
-
Should I just file the LLC myself instead of using Clerky or Firstbase?
You can. The state fee is identical whether you use a service or not. What these services sell is convenience: a handled registered agent (which you can also buy standalone), a bundled operating agreement, compliance reminders, and in some cases banking and tax integrations. If your time is worth more than $50 an hour and you would rather not research your state's specific filing quirks, a service pays for itself. If you like DIY administrative work, file directly at your state's Secretary of State portal.
-
How much does the registered agent cost with each service from year 2 onward?
Clerky renews at $125/yr. Firstbase renews at $299/yr. This number matters because it recurs every year for as long as you keep the LLC. Over a five-year window, the registered agent renewal cost typically exceeds the formation fee, so it's worth more attention than most reviews give it.
Full reviews
Sources
- Pricing: www.clerky.com/pricing · verified April 21, 2026
Clerky pricing page shows two formation options: Pay Per Use at $427 one-time and Company Lifetime Package at $819 one-time. Both are Delaware C-corp incorporation. Clerky does not offer LLC formation. This is editorially important: readers comparing Clerky to Bizee or ZenBusiness should be aware it is not the same product category. - Registered agent renewal usd: www.clerky.com/pricing · verified April 21, 2026
First-year Delaware registered agent fee of $125 is bundled with both formation packages. Renewal pricing beyond year one is not explicitly published on the pricing page; $125/yr is used as the reasonable standing estimate based on year one. - Registered agent only: www.clerky.com/formation · verified April 21, 2026
Registered agent is bundled inside Clerky formation, not sold as a standalone SKU. - Features: www.clerky.com/formation · verified April 21, 2026
Formation product includes post-incorporation setup (bylaws, stock issuance, IP agreements) and an EIN Application workflow including support for non-US founders via pre-filled IRS forms and in-house fax submission. No LLC-style operating agreement (C-corp uses bylaws). No general mail scanning or banking partner integration (corporate bank account opening supported via partner banks as informational guidance). - Free filing tier: www.clerky.com/pricing · verified April 21, 2026
Entry price is $427 one-time; there is no $0 formation tier. This is intentional per Clerky positioning for fundraising-track startups. - Support: www.clerky.com/ · verified April 21, 2026
Contact info on the site lists email support@clerky.com and phone 650-440-5449. Area code 650 maps to the San Francisco Peninsula, consistent with the founders' Orrick Menlo Park background. No live chat. - Headquarters: www.clerky.com/ · verified April 21, 2026
Business address listed as 440 N. Barranca Ave. #1881, Covina, CA 91723 (Clerky is a bonded legal document assistant registered in Santa Clara County, LDA258). - Founded: www.ycombinator.com/companies/clerky · verified April 21, 2026
Y Combinator company profile and third-party sources (Tracxn, press coverage) place Clerky's founding in 2011 by Darby Wong (CEO) and Chris Field, both former startup attorneys at Orrick Herrington and Sutcliffe. - Ratings: www.trustpilot.com/review/clerky.com · verified April 21, 2026
Clerky has a limited Trustpilot footprint (well under 100 reviews). Per playbook policy, rating and review count are left null because the sample is not representative. The Trustpilot URL is kept for reference. - Pricing: www.firstbase.io/pricing · verified April 21, 2026
Start is a one-time $399 formation fee. Firstbase One bundles Start with Mailroom Premium, Agent, Accounting, and Tax Filing at $199/month billed annually ($2,388/yr). - Registered agent renewal usd: www.firstbase.io/pricing · verified April 21, 2026
Firstbase Agent is $299 annually per state, sold as a standalone subscription and covered within Firstbase One. - Features: www.firstbase.io/ · verified April 21, 2026
Homepage states: 'Form your LLC or C-Corp. No paperwork or legal headaches. Our platform automates the entire company formation process.' Mailroom product offers mail scanning; Agent product offers compliance dashboard and annual report filings. - Banking partner: www.firstbase.io/pricing · verified April 21, 2026
Firstbase lists banking account opening assistance as part of Start. Mercury is the named partner surfaced consistently across the product pages and founder reviews. - International: www.firstbase.io/ · verified April 21, 2026
Marketed for founders in 188 countries; the $899/yr tax filing tier for single-member LLCs non-US owned is explicit on the pricing page. - Founded: www.ycombinator.com/companies/firstbase-io · verified April 21, 2026
Y Combinator profile and Crunchbase both place Firstbase's founding in 2019. Some sources cite 2018. - Headquarters: www.firstbase.io/about · verified April 21, 2026
About page references NYC and Sao Paulo offices; Crunchbase and LinkedIn list 447 Broadway, New York as HQ. - Support: www.firstbase.io/ · verified April 21, 2026
Homepage advertises 24/7 global customer support. No public phone number listed on the homepage or pricing page; support routed through help.firstbase.io. - Ratings: www.trustpilot.com/review/firstbase.io · verified April 21, 2026
Trustpilot shows Firstbase.io at 4.8/5 across approximately 1,045 reviews per the 2026 snapshot. Review count has grown from 650+ earlier in the year.