For international owners, Stripe Atlas is often the first name mentioned, and for good reason. It only incorporates in Delaware, though. If you've landed on New Mexico, Atlas isn't an option, and what's left to decide is whether New Mexico or Delaware serves your business better. Our package forms New Mexico LLCs, which is worth knowing as you read our take.
Does Stripe Atlas form New Mexico LLCs?
No. Atlas offers a Delaware LLC or a Delaware C-corp and nothing in other states. New Mexico filings have to go through a New Mexico provider.
Stripe Atlas's strengths
- Paperwork for fundraising, including 83(b) elections, SAFEs, and equity issuance, drafted with Cooley.
- A $500 price that already includes Delaware's filing fee and a first-year agent.
- $2,500 in Stripe credits, and partner perks that Stripe values near $50,000.
- Next-day expedited Delaware filing.
- A full refund of the $500 when you hold $5,000 in Stripe Treasury.
Side by side
| Stripe Atlas | Our Non-US Founder Package | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront price | $500, one time | $399, one time |
| State fee | Included (Delaware) | Extra: $50 to New Mexico |
| What's included | Delaware LLC or C-corp, year-one registered agent, EIN, 83(b) and equity tools | New Mexico LLC, year-one registered agent, EIN, bank account application |
| Recurring cost after year 1 | $100/yr registered agent; Delaware annual tax not included | $99/yr registered agent; no New Mexico annual report |
| EIN without SSN | EIN included; no-SSN handling not described on the Atlas page | Yes, faxed SS-4 |
| Bank account help | Stripe Treasury; fee refunded on a $5,000 deposit | We help you set up a bank account with our partners; your application is ready as soon as you sign |
| US tax filing (5472) | Not included | Not included |
| States | Delaware only | New Mexico |
Stripe Atlas details from stripe.com/atlas, checked September 29, 2026.
Three-year cost in New Mexico
| Stripe Atlas (Delaware) | Our package (New Mexico) | |
|---|---|---|
| Year one | $500 ($0 net if refunded via Treasury) | $449 |
| Year two | $100 agent + Delaware LLC tax | $99 |
| Year three | $100 agent + Delaware LLC tax | $99 |
| State annual report | Delaware LLCs pay a flat tax rather than filing one | None required |
Our year one is $51 lower unless you qualify for Atlas's refund. After that, the two agents cost almost the same, and the real gap is Delaware's annual LLC tax, which Atlas doesn't include. New Mexico LLCs file no annual report at all.
Where our package differs
New Mexico instead of Delaware
The Articles cost $50 under state statute, the Secretary of State accepts filings only online, and the LLC Act sets no periodic report. That's a description of state rules, not tax advice.
Banking with our partners
Atlas points you to a Stripe product. We take your checkout details and your certificate of organization and turn them into a complete application for an account with our partners, done the moment you sign the SS-4. It's sent on your go-ahead, while the IRS is still processing your EIN. Our partners make the decision; we can't guarantee an account.
A known EIN route
Without an SSN the IRS online form won't work, so we complete Form SS-4, you e-sign, and it goes out by fax. Plan on two to eight weeks.
Who should go with Stripe Atlas
- Founders building a Delaware C-corp for venture investment.
- Teams that need SAFEs, share issuance, or an 83(b) election at formation.
- Businesses already on Stripe that would keep $5,000 in Treasury.
New Mexico upkeep after formation
Maintain a registered agent and office in New Mexico at all times; New Mexico asks for no annual or biennial report. Federal and state tax obligations, such as the Form 5472 filing common among foreign-owned single-member LLCs, plus gross receipts tax registration where relevant, are yours to handle with a professional. Neither Atlas nor our package includes tax filing.
Form my New Mexico LLC from abroad
See everything in our Non-US Founder Package
FAQ
Can I form a New Mexico LLC through Stripe Atlas?
No. Atlas incorporates in Delaware only. For a New Mexico LLC you'll need a service that files with the New Mexico Secretary of State.
How much is each option in the first year?
Atlas is $500, which covers Delaware's filing fee and a year of agent service. Our New Mexico package is $399 plus $50 to the state, $449 in total, including a year of agent service.
What about after year one?
Atlas charges $100 a year for its agent, and Delaware LLCs owe a flat yearly state tax on top, which the Atlas page leaves out. Our agent is $99 a year, and New Mexico has no annual LLC report.
Is Atlas the better choice for a startup raising money?
Usually, yes. Venture investors tend to want a Delaware C-corp, and Atlas handles 83(b) filings, SAFEs, and equity with Cooley-drafted documents. We form New Mexico LLCs, not corporations.
Can either of you guarantee a business bank account?
No. Atlas steers you to Stripe Treasury. We prepare an application for our partners and send it once you approve it, and our partners decide whether to open the account.