Clerky vs Tailor Brands: pricing and features compared
Data last updated: Apr 21, 2026Clerky starts at $427 plus state fees. Tailor Brands starts at $0 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, Tailor Brands is $199. Over five years that delta adds up to $296, which is typically a larger swing than the formation-tier sticker price.
Tailor Brands offers a genuine $0 formation tier; Clerky does not. The free tier is meaningful if you only need state filing and are comfortable applying for an EIN yourself on irs.gov. It stops being free the moment you bundle the basic documents most LLCs need.
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
- Tailor Brands is $427 cheaper at the starting tier (one of them has a free tier).
- Clerky has the cheaper registered agent renewal ($125/yr vs $199/yr). Over five years that is a $296 difference.
- Clerky includes EIN filing in its default price; Tailor Brands sells it as a paid add-on. You can always get an EIN directly from the IRS in five minutes for free.
- Tailor Brands has a genuine $0 formation tier. The other does not.
- Tailor Brands offers live chat support; the other relies on phone and email only.
Where each service fits
Pick Clerky when
Pick Clerky when you're optimizing for lower long-term cost (RA renewal is cheaper).
Pick Tailor Brands when
Pick Tailor Brands when you want the lowest possible day-one sticker price; you want the operating agreement bundled at no extra cost; you want a genuine $0 formation tier (and don't need the add-ons); you want live chat support.
What each service offers that the other does not
Only Clerky
- EIN included free
Only Tailor Brands
- Free $0 formation tier
- Operating agreement included free
- Live chat support
Both services
- Compliance dashboard
- Non-US founder support
- Phone 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 | Tailor Brands Year 1 | Clerky 5-year | Tailor Brands 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 | $0 | $927 | $796 |
| 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 | $70 | $927 | $866 |
| Standalone registered agent only (no formation) You already formed the LLC elsewhere. Just swapping to this service's RA. | $0 | $199 | $0 | $995 |
Full feature comparison
| Dimension | Clerky | Tailor Brands |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price Cheapest tier, excludes state fees | $427 | Free |
| Registered agent year 1 | Included | Not included |
| Registered agent renewal Year 2 onward, annual | $125/yr | $199/yr |
| Free $0 tier | No | Yes |
| EIN application | Included free | Paid add-on |
| Operating agreement | Not offered | Included free |
| Compliance dashboard | Yes | Yes |
| Mail scanning | No | No |
| International founders | Yes | Yes |
| Banking partner | None | None |
| Phone support | Business hours; no explicit hours published on the contact page | Business hours Eastern |
| Live chat | No | Yes |
| Trustpilot rating | Not published | 4.7/5 (14,203 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
Tailor Brands
- Lite — Free
- Essential — $199 · renews $199/yr
- Elite — $249 · renews $249/yr
Support and ratings, interpreted
Clerky offers phone, email. Tailor Brands offers phone, email, live chat. Tailor Brands 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.
Tailor Brands
Phone: Business hours Eastern.
Email: yes.
Live chat: Business hours.
Trustpilot: 4.7/5 from 14,203 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, Tailor Brands, 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 Tailor Brands 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 Tailor Brands?
Tailor Brands is cheaper at the starting tier ($0 vs $427). Over 5 years including RA renewals, the gap is about $131.
-
Does Clerky or Tailor Brands have better support?
Clerky offers phone, email. Tailor Brands offers phone, email, live chat. Tailor Brands is the only one of the two with live chat, which matters if you anticipate back-and-forth questions during filing.
-
Is Tailor Brands's free tier really free?
The $0 tier covers state filing and typically includes year one of registered agent service. It does not include EIN filing (you can still get one for free from the IRS directly) or an operating agreement, which most filers need. Once you add those, Tailor Brands's free tier ends up around $169, which is very close to what Clerky charges for its bundled mid-tier package. Pick the free tier if you're comfortable doing the add-ons yourself; pick a bundled service if you want everything in one place.
-
Should I just file the LLC myself instead of using Clerky or Tailor Brands?
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. Tailor Brands renews at $199/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.tailorbrands.com/product-pricing · verified April 21, 2026
Vendor's own pricing page shows three tiers: Lite $0, Essential $199 per year (popular), Elite $249 per year. All prices exclude state fees. Lite processes in 14 business days, Essential and Elite in 1 business day. Essential and Elite include 30-day trial of bookkeeping then $30 per month. Disclaimer at the bottom confirms prices are current but subject to change, with the binding price being whatever is shown at checkout. - Registered agent: www.tailorbrands.com/llc-formation/llc-cost · verified April 21, 2026
LLC cost page cites registered agent service at $199 to $400. Tailor Brands' own add-on is $199 per year. Must be selected at formation; cannot be added later. - Features: www.tailorbrands.com/llc-formation · verified April 21, 2026
LLC formation page confirms online-only filing, AI-guided (Navi assistant), operating agreement included across all tiers, branding tools (logo, digital business card, website builder) bundled. EIN application is a paid add-on. - Support: www.tailorbrands.com/product-pricing · verified April 21, 2026
Phone support listed as 332-286-2770 throughout the site. Live chat widget available on pricing and formation pages. - Headquarters: www.tailorbrands.com/ · verified April 21, 2026
Tailor Brands is a dual-headquartered company with offices in New York (Brooklyn) and Tel Aviv, Israel. Founded 2014 by Nadav Shatz, Yali Saar, and Tom Lahat. Vendor's own about page does not state founding year explicitly; date sourced from the founders' public company history and capital raises. - Ratings: www.trustpilot.com/review/tailorbrands.com · verified April 21, 2026
4.7 of 5 stars from 14,203 reviews (Claimed profile, paid Trustpilot subscription).