Choosing between Clerky and MyCompanyWorks depends largely on what kind of company you are building and what you expect to need after formation. Both platforms help entrepreneurs establish U.S. businesses, but they occupy different parts of the market.

Clerky is highly specialized for high-growth startups, particularly Delaware C corporations preparing for fundraising and equity issuance. MyCompanyWorks takes a broader small-business approach, supporting LLCs, corporations, registered-agent services, annual reports, foreign qualifications, and ongoing compliance.

For a venture-backed technology startup, Clerky is usually the stronger choice. For a conventional LLC, small business, or entrepreneur who wants formation plus ongoing administrative services, MyCompanyWorks is often the better fit.

Clerky vs MyCompanyWorks at a Glance

What Is Clerky?

Clerky is a legal-document platform built specifically around the needs of high-growth startups. Its flagship formation product focuses on Delaware C corporations, a structure widely used by venture-backed startups. Rather than simply submitting incorporation paperwork, Clerky's workflow extends into areas such as founder stock, vesting, intellectual-property assignments, bylaws, board documentation, and 83(b) elections. The platform also supports later-stage startup needs, including:

• Founder stock and vesting
• Employee equity
• Stock plans
• SAFEs
• Convertible notes
• Hiring documents
• IP agreements
• Board consents
• Corporate maintenance
• EIN applications for non-U.S. founders

This specialization is Clerky's biggest advantage. If you already know that your company will eventually involve outside investors, multiple shareholders, employee equity, and formal corporate governance, Clerky is designed around that trajectory.

Clerky pricing

Clerky currently lists $427 for pay-per-use Delaware incorporation and $819 for its Company Lifetime Package. The lifetime package includes Delaware incorporation, expedited filing fees, the first year of Delaware registered-agent service, and annual report and franchise-tax reminders.

What Is MyCompanyWorks?

MyCompanyWorks is a broader business-formation and compliance provider. Unlike Clerky, it supports both LLCs and corporations, as well as a range of additional business filings. Its current services include formation, registered-agent service, annual reports, foreign qualifications, amendments, dissolutions, certificates of good standing, business-license compliance, and other corporate services.

Its formation pricing currently starts at $79 plus state fees for corporations and LLCs on its pricing page. The company's formation packages include items such as organizational documents, online order tracking, scanned documents, compliance alerts, and a startup checklist.

MyCompanyWorks also offers a Premium service built around ongoing compliance. Its ComplianceLock system provides deadline alerts, meeting minutes and resolutions, company-status monitoring, document storage, and assistance when a company falls out of good standing. That makes it particularly relevant to entrepreneurs who need more than just incorporation.

Clerky vs MyCompanyWorks for Startups

Imagine three founders launching a software company. They plan to:

1. Incorporate in Delaware.
2. Divide ownership between founders.
3. Establish vesting.
4. Transfer intellectual property to the company.
5. Raise a seed round.
6. Eventually issue equity to employees.

Clerky is the clear specialist here. Its platform is built around exactly these requirements. Founder stock, vesting, 83(b) elections, IP assignments, employee equity, corporate governance, and fundraising documents are all part of the startup-oriented ecosystem.

MyCompanyWorks can form the corporation and provide ongoing business services, but its product range is broader rather than specifically optimized around venture-backed startup legal infrastructure. If fundraising and equity are central to your business model, Clerky has the stronger strategic fit.

LLC Formation: MyCompanyWorks Wins

Now consider someone starting a consulting company, ecommerce store, agency, construction business, or professional service. They may simply need:

• An LLC
• Operating agreement
• EIN
• Registered agent
• Annual reports
• Compliance reminders
• Occasional amendments
• Foreign qualification if they expand

MyCompanyWorks is better aligned with this scenario. The company specifically offers LLC formation and currently advertises formation starting at $79 plus state fees. Clerky, by comparison, is built primarily around startup C corporations rather than conventional LLC formation. For a traditional small business, MyCompanyWorks is generally the more practical option.

Founder Equity and Fundraising: Clerky Has the Edge

This is probably the most important difference between the two services. A venture-backed startup needs to think carefully about who owns what. Founder stock may be subject to vesting, investors may receive preferred or other securities, employees may receive options, and the company needs proper documentation for these transactions.

Clerky is built for that environment. Its startup formation workflow supports customizable founder vesting, stock issuance and 83(b) election documentation. It also provides products for SAFEs and convertible notes.

MyCompanyWorks' strengths are elsewhere: formation, filings, registered-agent services and ongoing small-business compliance. Therefore: Building toward venture capital? Clerky. Building a conventional owner-operated business? MyCompanyWorks.

Ongoing Compliance: MyCompanyWorks Has the Advantage

Formation is only the beginning of running a company. Businesses may need to file annual reports, maintain good standing, document corporate actions, renew registrations and complete other recurring obligations. MyCompanyWorks has built dedicated services around this problem.

Its ComplianceLock service provides alerts for compliance deadlines, generates annual meeting minutes and resolutions, monitors company status, stores documents and offers a “fix-it” service if an entity falls out of good standing. The company also offers annual reports, foreign qualifications, amendments, certificates of good standing and business-license compliance.

Clerky provides startup-focused corporate maintenance and annual-report and franchise-tax reminders, but it is not positioned as a general-purpose compliance provider in the same way. For entrepreneurs prioritizing ongoing administrative compliance, MyCompanyWorks has the broader offering.

Registered Agent Services

Both platforms can be relevant if you need a registered agent, but the role is different in each ecosystem. Clerky's Company Lifetime Package includes the first year of Delaware registered-agent service.

MyCompanyWorks offers registered-agent service as a standalone product, currently starting at $119 per year, and also provides related compliance and filing services. This makes MyCompanyWorks particularly useful for an entrepreneur who wants to keep registered-agent service, annual reports, foreign qualifications and other filings with the same provider.

One important point: a registered agent is not the same thing as a full compliance manager. MyCompanyWorks itself states that its basic registered-agent service does not automatically maintain a company's good-standing status; additional annual-report or Premium services can be ordered for that purpose.

International Entrepreneurs

International founders need to evaluate more than formation fees. They may need an EIN, a registered agent, U.S. corporate documentation, banking support, and potentially foreign qualifications or other state filings.

Clerky has a dedicated online EIN workflow for non-U.S. founders and offers corporate bank-account application support. MyCompanyWorks also provides international client resources and business filing services, including registered-agent services, foreign qualifications and other compliance-related filings.

The best choice therefore depends on the business model. A foreign founder creating a Delaware startup intended to raise venture capital may prefer Clerky. A foreign entrepreneur establishing a conventional U.S. LLC and needing ongoing filings may find MyCompanyWorks more suitable.

Clerky vs MyCompanyWorks: Pros and Cons

Clerky

Pros:

• Excellent Delaware startup specialization
• Founder stock and vesting
• 83(b) election support
• SAFEs and convertible notes
• Employee-equity workflows
• Startup-focused corporate documentation
• EIN support for non-U.S. founders
• Attorney collaboration features

Cons:

• Not primarily an LLC formation platform
• Less focused on general small-business compliance
• Limited need for its specialized features if you're running a simple business
• Higher upfront cost than basic formation services

MyCompanyWorks

Pros:

• LLC and corporation formation
• Competitive formation pricing
• Registered-agent service
• Annual-report filings
• Foreign qualifications
• Business-license compliance
• Compliance alerts and entity monitoring
• Broad range of business filing services

Cons:

• Less specialized around venture-backed startup equity
• Not primarily designed for SAFEs and fundraising workflows
• Startup founders with complex capitalization may eventually need specialized legal counsel
• Some compliance services cost extra

Which Platform Should You Choose?

Choose Clerky if you are:

• Building a venture-backed startup
• Forming a Delaware C corporation
• Working with multiple founders
• Establishing founder vesting
• Preparing for angel or VC funding
• Creating employee equity
• Assigning intellectual property to the company
• Working closely with startup counsel

Choose MyCompanyWorks if you are:

• Forming an LLC
• Starting a traditional small business
• Running an agency or consultancy
• Building an ecommerce company
• Looking for a registered agent
• Managing annual reports
• Expanding into additional states
• Looking for ongoing compliance support

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Clerky better than MyCompanyWorks?

For venture-backed startup formation, Clerky is generally the stronger option because it specializes in Delaware startups, founder equity, vesting and fundraising-related documentation. For LLC formation and broader business administration, MyCompanyWorks is often the better fit.

Is MyCompanyWorks good for LLC formation?

Yes. LLC formation is one of its core services, with current pricing starting at $79 plus state fees.

How much does Clerky cost?

Clerky currently lists Delaware incorporation at $427 pay-per-use or $819 for its Company Lifetime Package.

How much does MyCompanyWorks cost?

MyCompanyWorks currently advertises LLC and corporation formation starting at $79 plus state fees. Registered-agent service starts at $119 per year.

Which is better for a Delaware startup?

Clerky is generally the better choice when the Delaware corporation is intended to become a venture-backed startup with founder equity and fundraising.

Which is better for a small business?

MyCompanyWorks is generally the more suitable option because it supports LLCs and corporations while offering registered-agent, annual-report, foreign-qualification and compliance services.

Can international founders use Clerky?

Yes. Clerky specifically provides an online EIN application workflow for non-U.S. founders.

Does MyCompanyWorks provide compliance services?

Yes. Its ComplianceLock service includes deadline alerts, meeting minutes, company-status monitoring, document storage and assistance with restoring good standing.

Final Verdict: Clerky for High-Growth Startups, MyCompanyWorks for Broader Business Needs

Clerky and MyCompanyWorks are aimed at different types of entrepreneurs. Clerky is the specialist for founders building companies where equity, fundraising, vesting and corporate governance are likely to become central issues.

MyCompanyWorks is the broader business-services provider for entrepreneurs who need LLC or corporation formation, registered-agent service, annual filings, foreign qualification and ongoing compliance support.

So the simplest answer is: Building a venture-backed Delaware startup? Clerky is usually the better choice. Starting an LLC or conventional small business? MyCompanyWorks is usually the better fit.

And if you're comparing the platforms on price alone, you're likely missing the bigger issue. The real value comes from choosing the provider whose services match the company's next three to five years, not just the paperwork you need on day one.