Firstbase Review 2026
A $399 formation fee with the agent sold separately
Our Verdict
3.0
Based on our independent review
Ease of Use
4.0/5
Pricing & Value
3.2/5
Features & Add-ons
4.0/5
Customer Support
2.7/5
Formation Speed
4.0/5
Pricing Transparency
3.0/5
Privacy & Data
3.5/5
Best For: Founders who want a flat formation fee and will add their own agent
True Year 1 Cost: $698
Top Advantages
- Flat $399 formation covers the state filing fees
- Forms in Delaware or Wyoming with an expedited EIN
- Positive 4.4 Trustpilot across 1,000+ reviews
$399 + state fees
In This Article
How We Tested Firstbase
We priced every plan at the Firstbase pricing page, confirmed the registered agent is a separate charge, and read recent Trustpilot, Product Hunt, and Reddit reviews. Prices verified July 2026.
Read our full review methodologyFirstbase Overview
Which Firstbase this is
Two companies use the Firstbase name, and Google mixes them up. This review covers firstbase.io, the service that incorporates US companies. The other Firstbase, owned by AppDirect, manages IT hardware for remote teams. Its reviews are not about incorporation. If you searched for company formation, firstbase.io is the one you want. Check the web address before you pay.
The agent is not included
Firstbase Start is $399, but a registered agent is required and sold separately at $299 a year. Plan for the add-on before you check out.
What Firstbase Actually Costs
True Cost Analysis
Year 1 Total Cost
$698
Includes all fees + state filing
$399 Start plus the required $299 a year registered agent is $698 in year one, before any state franchise tax.
Firstbase Pricing Plans
See live pricing →Start
Most Popular$399
one-time
- LLC or C corp in Delaware or Wyoming
- Expedited EIN
- State filing fees covered
- Business bank account help
- Standard company documents
Agent
$299/yr
per state, required
- Registered agent in all 50 states
- Compliance reminders
- Annual report filings
Firstbase One
$2,388/yr
billed yearly
- Everything in Start
- Mailroom Premium
- Agent Autopilot
- Accounting
- Tax filing
Firstbase Pros and Cons
Pros
- Flat $399 formation covers the state filing fees
- Forms in Delaware or Wyoming with an expedited EIN
- Positive 4.4 Trustpilot across 1,000+ reviews
- Help opening a business bank account
Cons
- Registered agent is required but not included, $299 a year
- Real first year cost is $698, not $399
- Product Hunt sits at 1.8 and a top Reddit result calls it a scam
- Recurring complaints about slow support
Upsell Pressure & Hidden Fees
Transparency Check, We Documented Every Upsell
Firstbase's checkout is where the price grows. The $399 Start plan looks flat, but a registered agent is required and sold separately at $299 a year, so the compliant cost is $698 in year one. From there, Firstbase steers you toward Firstbase One at $2,388 a year, which bundles mail, compliance, accounting, and tax filing. Those tools are fine, but most new founders do not need them on day one. Read each pre-selected item in the cart before you pay.
Pricing Transparency Score
3.0/5
5 = Fully transparent pricing · 1 = Heavy upsell pressure
What Real Customers Say
Is Firstbase Right for You?
Best For These Founders
Flat-Fee Formers
Founders who want one $399 charge to incorporate and are fine adding a registered agent on their own.
Delaware or Wyoming Filers
People who specifically want to form in Delaware or Wyoming, the two states Firstbase Start supports.
Bundle Buyers
Founders who want mail, compliance, accounting, and tax filing in one yearly plan and will pay for Firstbase One.
Consider Alternatives If…
You want the registered agent included, not sold as a $299 add-on.
Fast, hands-on support is a priority, given the recurring complaints.
You want the cheapest compliant LLC, which usually costs less elsewhere.
What the $399 plan includes
The Firstbase Start plan costs $399 as a one time fee. It forms an LLC or C corp in Delaware or Wyoming, gets your EIN, and covers the state filing fees. You also get help opening a business bank account and a set of standard company documents. Firstbase says it has formed more than 30,000 companies across 190 countries. Registered agent service is the gap. It is required, and it is not in this price. See the plans on the Firstbase pricing page.
The real first year cost
A compliant setup costs more than the $399 sticker. Delaware and Wyoming both require a registered agent, and Firstbase Agent runs $299 a year. So the honest first year cost through Firstbase is $698, before any state franchise tax. You can use a cheaper agent from another company and keep the $399 formation. If you buy the bundle Firstbase pushes, the yearly plan called Firstbase One is billed at $2,388 a year. Read the cart before you check out.
What people say about Firstbase
The reviews are split, and it is a wide split. Trustpilot shows a 4.4 across more than 1,000 reviews, which is positive. But the top Google result for a Firstbase review is a Reddit thread titled "Firstbase.io is a scam," and Product Hunt shows a 1.8 across its reviews. The recurring complaints are slow support, weak communication, and compliance steps missed after formation. Plenty of founders are happy. Enough are not that you should read recent reviews yourself before paying.
Who Firstbase fits, and who should pass
Firstbase fits a founder who wants a flat formation fee and will add a registered agent on purpose. The $399 price is fair for what Start includes. It fits less well if you want everything bundled at a low price, or if support speed matters to you. Support is the real risk. For a simple US LLC, Northwest charges $39 plus the state fee and includes the registered agent. That is a cleaner deal for many founders.
Firstbase vs. Top Competitors
| Service | Learn More | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Firstbase Mixed Reviews $399 3.0 | $399 | $698 | 3.0 | Founders who want a flat formation fee and will add their own agent | Current Review |
 Northwest Registered Agent $39 + state fees 4.8 | $39 + state fees | $129 | 4.8 | Cheapest LLC with agent included | |
 ZenBusiness $0 + state fees 4.5 | $0 + state fees | $289 | 4.5 | Cheapest guided formation | |
 Stripe Atlas $500 one-time 4 | $500 one-time | $500 | 4 | Delaware C corp for fundraising |
Final Verdict
Firstbase Start forms a US company for a one time fee of $399, and it covers the Delaware or Wyoming filing, your EIN, and the state filing fees. The catch is the registered agent, which every state requires and which Firstbase charges $299 a year for separately, so a compliant setup is $698 in year one. The reviews are split, a 4.4 on Trustpilot against a 1.8 on Product Hunt and a top Reddit result calling it a scam. We do not tell you to buy it or avoid it, we show the price and the sentiment plainly.
By Daniel Wong, Legal & Compliance Analyst
Frequently Asked Questions
This review reflects independent, first-hand testing by the StartupOwl team. Affiliate relationships never influence our ratings or recommendations. Read our editorial policy →
About the Author
Legal & Compliance Analyst
Daniel grew up in the shadow of Silicon Valley but chose the legal route over engineering, working as a paralegal for a corporate law firm specializing in mergers and acquisitions. He realized that early-stage founders were constantly making catastrophic legal mistakes because they couldn't afford a $500/hour attorney, prompting his move to B2B media.
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