GetPaidStripe Atlas alternatives (2026): doola, merchant of record and other routes
Stripe Atlas: $500 one-time setup fee (Delaware C-Corp or LLC, includes government fees and first year of registered agent); registered agent $100/yr after year one (renews automatically). (source, checked 2026-10-20)
Non-US founders can form a US LLC or C-Corp remotely, get an EIN, open a US bank account (e.g. Mercury) and then open Stripe US. Rough costs below; state fees, registered agent renewals, US tax filings (e.g. Form 5472 for foreign-owned single-member LLCs) and your home-country tax obligations come on top.
Who might need a Stripe Atlas alternative?
- You want formation plus yearly compliance in one plan. doola: Starter $297/yr + state fees (formation, EIN, US address). Tax & Compliance $1,999/yr + state fees. doola says DIY typically costs $2,000–$5,000 in year one.
- You may not need a US company at all. In 179 of the 199 countries and territories where Stripe is No, at least one merchant of record lists the country for sellers. A merchant of record is the legal seller and pays you out. See what a merchant of record is.
- Your bank may say no. A US company still needs a US bank. Mercury won't open accounts for founders living in 51 countries, whichever formation service you use (source, checked 2026-10-20).
Routes compared
| Route | What it is | Cost (official page) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe Atlas | US company (Delaware C-Corp or LLC) formed through Stripe. | $500 one-time setup fee (Delaware C-Corp or LLC, includes government fees and first year of registered agent); registered agent $100/yr after year one (renews automatically). | stripe.com/atlas, checked 2026-10-20 (information only) |
| doola affiliate link | US LLC or C Corp formation, EIN and a US business address (Starter). Tax & Compliance adds US tax filings. | Starter $297/yr + state fees (formation, EIN, US address). Tax & Compliance $1,999/yr + state fees. doola says DIY typically costs $2,000–$5,000 in year one. | doola pricing, checked 2026-10-20 |
| Merchant of record (no US company) | One of the merchants of record we track (Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, Polar, Dodo Payments, Creem, Gumroad) is the legal seller and pays you out, if it lists your country. | Per-transaction fees, see the table below. | Country lists: Stripe alternatives by country |
| UK company via 1st Formations (not a US route) | 1st Formations publishes a list of countries whose residents can register a UK company with it (72 unique entries). Countries not on the list are not eligible. | Not tracked | eligible countries, checked 2026-10-20 |
We track only Stripe Atlas and doola for US formation; other services exist but aren't in our data. Stripe and Stripe Atlas are listed for information only.
Country check: Mercury and 1st Formations in 40 Stripe-alternative countries
| Country guide | Mercury (by residence) | Merchants of record: Yes | 1st Formations eligible list (UK company) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | No | 6 | Not on the list |
| Algeria | Yes | 4 | Not on the list |
| Argentina | Yes | 6 | On the list |
| Armenia | Yes | 5 | Not on the list |
| Azerbaijan | Yes | 6 | Not on the list |
| Bangladesh | No | 5 | Not on the list |
| Bolivia | Yes | 5 | Not on the list |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | No | 6 | Not on the list |
| Cambodia | No | 5 | Not on the list |
| Chile | Yes | 6 | On the list |
| Colombia | Yes | 6 | On the list |
| Dominican Republic | Yes | 6 | On the list |
| Ecuador | Yes | 5 | On the list |
| Egypt | Yes | 5 | Not on the list |
| Ethiopia | Yes | 5 | On the list |
| Georgia | Yes | 3 | Not on the list |
| Guatemala | Yes | 6 | On the list |
| Jordan | Yes | 5 | Not on the list |
| Kazakhstan | Yes | 5 | Not on the list |
| Lebanon | No | 1 | Not on the list |
| Morocco | Yes | 5 | Not on the list |
| Nepal | No | 3 | Not on the list |
| Pakistan | No | 5 | Not on the list |
| Paraguay | Yes | 5 | Not on the list |
| Peru | Yes | 6 | On the list |
| Philippines | No | 6 | On the list |
| Qatar | Yes | 5 | Not on the list |
| Saudi Arabia | Yes | 5 | On the list |
| Serbia | Yes | 6 | On the list |
| South Korea | Yes | 6 | On the list |
| Sri Lanka | Yes | 6 | Not on the list |
| Taiwan | Yes | 6 | On the list |
| Tanzania | Yes | 6 | On the list |
| Tunisia | Yes | 5 | Not on the list |
| Türkiye (Turkey) | Yes | 6 | On the list |
| Uganda | Yes | 2 | On the list |
| Ukraine | No | 2 | Not on the list |
| Uruguay | Yes | 6 | Not on the list |
| Uzbekistan | No | 5 | Not on the list |
| Vietnam | No | 6 | Not on the list |
No country matches.
Mercury: prohibited countries, checked 2026-10-20. 1st Formations: eligible countries, checked 2026-10-20.
Merchants of record: coverage and fees
| Merchant of record | Countries Yes (of 250) | Yes where Stripe is No (of 199) | Headline fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paddle | 228 | 177 | 5% + 50¢ per checkout transaction official pricing, checked 2026-10-20 |
| Lemon Squeezy | 119 | 70 | 5% + 50¢ per transaction official pricing, checked 2026-10-20 |
| Polar | 119 | 70 | Starter (free): 5% + 50¢ per transaction official pricing, checked 2026-10-20 |
| Dodo Payments | 176 | 128 | 4% + 40¢ per transaction (Standard plan) official pricing, checked 2026-10-20 |
| Creem | 87 | 38 | 3.9% + 40¢ per successful transaction official pricing, checked 2026-10-20 |
| Gumroad | 120 | 70 | 10% + $0.50 per sale on your own Gumroad page; 30% flat for sales through Gumroad's Discover marketplace official pricing, checked 2026-10-20 |
Things to watch with a US company
- US filings for foreign-owned LLCs (e.g. Form 5472 + pro-forma 1120) carry large penalties if missed.
- Your home country may still tax the income, and may treat the LLC differently.
- Stripe/banks may ask for proof of US address and real US business activity.
More on the US LLC route → · Stripe alternatives by country →
FAQ: Stripe Atlas alternatives
What are the alternatives to Stripe Atlas?
For a US company, doola is the other formation service we track: Starter $297/yr + state fees (formation, EIN, US address). Tax & Compliance $1,999/yr + state fees. doola says DIY typically costs $2,000–$5,000 in year one. If you don't need a US company, a merchant of record that lists your country can sell for you: in 179 of the 199 countries where Stripe is No, at least one does. A UK company is another route; 1st Formations publishes the countries whose residents it accepts.
How much does Stripe Atlas cost compared with doola?
Stripe Atlas (checked 2026-10-20): $500 one-time setup fee (Delaware C-Corp or LLC, includes government fees and first year of registered agent); registered agent $100/yr after year one (renews automatically). doola (checked 2026-10-20): Starter $297/yr + state fees (formation, EIN, US address). Tax & Compliance $1,999/yr + state fees. doola says DIY typically costs $2,000–$5,000 in year one. State fees, registered agent renewals, US tax filings and your home-country taxes can add to this.
Do I need a US LLC to sell online if Stripe isn't available in my country?
Not always. In 179 of the 199 countries and territories where Stripe is No, at least one merchant of record we track lists the country for sellers, so you can sell through it without a US company. Check your country's guide.
Can I open a Mercury account for my US company from any country?
No. Mercury decides by where founders live, not citizenship. In our data 51 countries are on its prohibited or sanctioned list (checked 2026-10-20); founders living there can't open an account.
Last checked: Stripe Atlas 2026-10-20; doola 2026-10-20; Mercury 2026-10-20; 1st Formations 2026-10-20.
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Not legal, tax or financial advice. Provider rules change often and depend on your business type, what you sell, and the documents you hold. Always verify with the provider before you build or sign up. 'Unclear' means we could not confirm it from an official source. Talk to a qualified accountant in your country.