Ask HN: Advice on Incorporation (Stripe Atlas vs. Clerky)
I recently left my job to focus on a company I'm starting, and I'm thinking about incorporating. I'm trying to decide how to go about doing this and was hoping to get some advice from others who have gone through this experience.
I don't have any cofounders, but I'm planning on incorporating with a Delaware C corporation because I'm expecting to have paying customers soon, and though I don't have any immediate fundraising plans, I want to leave open that possibility in the future. Am I correct that it makes sense for me to incorporate now?
Secondly, I'm trying to understand the differences between Clerky and Stripe Atlas, the two services I'm considering. I've ready the Satchel guide (https://satchel.com/incorporation/), but the issues they ding Stripe Atlas for don't seem like a huge deal to me. I also like that Stripe Atlas would be integrated with Stripe and would open a bank account for me, as I'm planning on using Stripe to accept payments. On the other hand, I've seen pretty universally positive reviews from people who have used Clerky. Any have any opinions on which one is better?
Lastly, I'm pretty confused by Clerky's product offerings (https://www.clerky.com/pricing). They have a "Company Lifetime Package" for $799, and then a bunch of different "Pay Per Use" items (https://www.clerky.com/pricing#pay-per-use) that you can buy separately. The formation pay per use items include Incorporation (which I know is necessary), as well as "Post-Incorporation Setup" and "Foreign Qualification". Does anyone know which of these are actually necessary for me?
I'm leaning towards Stripe Atlas, as it only has a single offering. Everyone seems to like Clerky, but I'm concerned about either overpaying for services I don't need, or neglecting to choose some item that I'll later find out I needed.
Thanks in advance for the help! - Sam