Choosing between Clerky and StartGlobal comes down to a more important question than price: What kind of U.S. company are you trying to build? Clerky is a specialized legal platform for high-growth startups, particularly Delaware C corporations preparing for fundraising, founder equity, employee stock and formal corporate governance. StartGlobal takes a broader approach, helping entrepreneurs—especially those outside the United States—form and operate U.S. LLCs with formation, EIN assistance, banking guidance, registered-agent services, bookkeeping, tax filing and ongoing compliance.

For a venture-backed Delaware startup, Clerky is generally the better choice. For an international entrepreneur building a U.S. LLC, StartGlobal is usually the better fit.

Clerky vs StartGlobal at a Glance

What Is Clerky?

Clerky is an online legal platform built specifically around startup legal paperwork. Rather than trying to serve every type of small business, it concentrates on the needs of high-growth companies. Its incorporation product is centered on Delaware C corporations, a structure commonly used by venture-backed startups. The important distinction is that Clerky goes beyond simply filing incorporation documents. After formation, founders can use Clerky for:

• Founder stock issuance
• Customizable vesting
• 83(b) election support
• Intellectual-property assignments
• Board and corporate consents
• SAFEs
• Convertible notes
• Hiring paperwork
• Advisor agreements
• Restricted stock
• Stock options
• Corporate amendments. Clerky also allows founders to collaborate with co-founders and attorneys, making it particularly useful when startup counsel needs to review or work with the company's legal paperwork.

Clerky pricing

Clerky currently lists its Delaware incorporation service at $427 as a one-time fee, while its Company Lifetime Package is listed at $819. The lifetime package includes Delaware expedited filing fees, first-year Delaware registered-agent service and additional ongoing startup legal functionality. That makes Clerky less of a basic company-registration service and more of a startup legal infrastructure platform.

What Is StartGlobal?

StartGlobal is positioned around a different customer: entrepreneurs who want to establish and operate a U.S. business from anywhere in the world. Its primary formation product is a U.S. LLC. StartGlobal says founders can form an LLC remotely without a U.S. address, SSN or visa, and that it serves entrepreneurs in more than 150 countries. The current formation package costs $399 one time, with state and government fees included. It includes:

• LLC formation
• First-year registered agent
• Business tax-number application
• U.S. business bank-account assistance
• Name availability check

The bigger distinction appears after formation. StartGlobal offers ongoing services for registered-agent management, annual reports, bookkeeping, federal tax filing and compliance monitoring. Its Managed LLC plan currently costs $149 per month, while individual compliance services are available a la carte starting at $99 per year. In other words, StartGlobal is designed to help take a founder from “I need a U.S. company” to “I need someone to help me operate this company.”

The Biggest Difference: Startup vs Operating Business

This is the key to understanding the comparison. Imagine two founders. The first is building a software startup with two co-founders. They plan to raise a pre-seed round, give founders stock with vesting, issue SAFEs to investors and eventually establish an employee option pool.

The second is a consultant in Europe who wants a U.S. LLC for an international services business. She needs an EIN, banking support, bookkeeping and annual tax filing but has no plans to raise venture capital. These founders have completely different needs. The first founder should strongly consider Clerky. The second is much closer to StartGlobal's ideal customer.

Clerky Is Better for Venture-Backed Startups

Clerky's biggest advantage is its specialization. A startup's legal requirements become increasingly complicated once ownership starts changing hands. Founders may need vesting agreements. Investors may receive SAFEs or convertible notes. Employees may receive stock options. Directors and officers need to be formally appointed, while intellectual property needs to belong to the company.

Clerky's platform is built around these transactions. It specifically supports founder stock, vesting, 83(b) elections, SAFEs, convertible notes, hiring documents and equity compensation.

That makes it particularly attractive for a founder who is thinking beyond incorporation. If your business plan includes angel investment, venture capital or an employee equity program, Clerky has a significant advantage.

StartGlobal Is Better for International LLC Owners

StartGlobal's advantage is breadth. An international entrepreneur forming a U.S. LLC may need considerably more than Articles of Organization. The practical journey can look like: LLC formation → EIN → registered agent → banking → bookkeeping → tax filing → annual compliance.

StartGlobal's services cover much of that journey. Its formation package includes the LLC filing, state fees, first-year registered agent, federal tax-number assistance and bank-account setup guidance.

Its ongoing plans can then cover bookkeeping, federal tax filing, annual reports and compliance monitoring. That can be especially useful for founders who don't live in the United States and don't want to assemble several separate service providers.

What About International Founders?

Both platforms can work for international entrepreneurs, but the intended use case differs. Clerky has a dedicated EIN application for non-U.S. founders and provides corporate bank-account application support.

StartGlobal is more explicitly built around international LLC owners. It says its formation process can be completed remotely and that no U.S. citizenship, residency or SSN is required to form an LLC. This distinction matters. A founder in Nigeria building a Delaware C corporation for a venture-backed SaaS startup may have good reason to choose Clerky.

A Nigerian entrepreneur running an ecommerce company, consulting firm or online service business may find StartGlobal's LLC-centered model more practical. The founder's business structure and long-term objective matter more than nationality alone.

Ongoing Compliance: StartGlobal Has the Broader Offering

Formation is only the beginning of owning a U.S. company. StartGlobal's ongoing offering covers registered-agent service, annual reports, bookkeeping, federal tax filing and compliance monitoring. Its Managed LLC plan bundles these services for $149 per month, while a-la-carte services allow founders to pay only for what they need.

Clerky does provide annual report and franchise-tax reminders and offers additional corporate maintenance products. But its core strength remains startup legal paperwork rather than full-service accounting and LLC administration. If your biggest concern is keeping an LLC operational and compliant year after year, StartGlobal has the broader offering.

Clerky vs StartGlobal: Pros and Cons

Clerky

Pros:

• Specialized in high-growth startups
• Delaware C-corp focused
• Founder stock and vesting
• 83(b) support
• SAFEs and convertible notes
• Employee equity documentation
• Startup-focused legal maintenance
• Attorney collaboration
• Support for international founders

Cons:

• Not primarily an LLC platform
• Bookkeeping and tax filing aren't its core offering
• Many advanced features may be unnecessary for a conventional small business
• Better suited to startups than traditional owner-operated companies

StartGlobal

Pros:

• Strong focus on global founders
• U.S. LLC formation in any state
• $399 all-in formation pricing
• State and government fees included
• First-year registered agent included
• EIN assistance
• Banking guidance
• Bookkeeping and federal tax filing
• Ongoing compliance support

Cons:

• Less specialized in venture financing
• Not built around founder stock and equity management
• Less suitable for startups specifically seeking a Delaware C-corp legal workflow
• Full-service management creates an ongoing monthly cost

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Clerky if:

• You're building a venture-backed startup.
• You want a Delaware C corporation.
• You have multiple founders.
• Founder vesting matters.
• You're preparing for angel or VC funding.
• You expect to issue SAFEs or convertible notes.
• You plan to create an employee option pool.
• You want startup-specific legal paperwork.

Choose StartGlobal if:

• You're outside the United States.
• You want a U.S. LLC.
• You're building an ecommerce business, consultancy, agency or online company.
• You need EIN and banking assistance.
• You want bookkeeping and tax support.
• You want annual compliance handled.
• You prefer a single platform for formation and ongoing LLC administration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Clerky better than StartGlobal?

For a venture-backed Delaware C corporation, Clerky is generally the stronger choice because it specializes in startup incorporation, founder equity and fundraising-related legal paperwork. For an international entrepreneur forming and managing an LLC, StartGlobal is generally the better fit.

Can international founders use Clerky?

Yes. Clerky offers an EIN application specifically for non-U.S. founders and provides corporate banking application support.

Can I form a U.S. LLC with StartGlobal from outside America?

Yes. StartGlobal specifically offers remote LLC formation for international entrepreneurs and says no U.S. address, SSN or visa is required for its formation process.

How much does StartGlobal cost?

StartGlobal currently lists LLC formation at $399 one time, including state and government fees. Ongoing compliance starts at $99 per year a la carte, while Managed LLC costs $149 per month.

How much does Clerky cost?

Clerky currently lists Delaware incorporation at $427 one time, with a Company Lifetime Package priced at $819. Which is better for a Delaware startup?

If you're forming a Delaware C corporation with plans to raise venture capital, issue equity and build a startup team, Clerky is usually the better choice.

Which is better for a foreign entrepreneur?

If you're a foreign entrepreneur building a conventional U.S. LLC, particularly one that needs ongoing compliance, bookkeeping and tax support, StartGlobal is generally the better fit.

Final Verdict: Clerky for Startup Legal Infrastructure, StartGlobal for Global Business Operations

Clerky and StartGlobal aren't simply two versions of the same service. Clerky is a startup legal specialist. Its strength lies in building the legal foundation for a Delaware C corporation that may eventually have founders, investors, employees, stock options and multiple financing rounds.

StartGlobal is a broader U.S. business formation and management platform. Its strength lies in helping entrepreneurs—particularly international founders—form an LLC and continue managing the practical obligations that come afterward. So the simplest way to decide is: Building a venture-backed startup? Choose Clerky. Building a U.S. LLC from outside America? StartGlobal is likely the better fit.

For founders who are still deciding between an LLC and C corporation, that decision should come before choosing a formation provider. The legal structure affects taxation, fundraising, ownership, compliance and how the business can evolve. The best platform is therefore not necessarily the one with the lowest formation fee. It's the one whose capabilities match what you expect your company to become after the paperwork is filed.