Stripe Atlas vs Direct Incorporation for UK Founders

If this is your first US incorporation and you have never dealt with Delaware Division of Corporations, EIN applications (Form SS-4), or 83(b) elections, Atlas provides guardrails. The guided workflow ensures you do not miss a step. The included Carta access for 90 days also helps you issue stock correctly.

• Pre-built certificate of incorporation and bylaws
• Guided 83(b) election filing
• Stock issuance via Carta integration
• Community forum for founder questions

One of Atlas's underrated benefits for UK founders is the pre-approved Mercury bank account. Without Atlas, UK founders sometimes face rejection or extended KYC reviews when applying to Mercury independently. Atlas companies get fast-tracked through Mercury's approval process.

If you have been rejected by Mercury before, or if you are in an industry that banks tend to scrutinize (fintech, crypto-adjacent, marketplace models), the Atlas pathway can be the difference between a quick approval and weeks of back-and-forth.

There is real value in a turnkey solution. If your time is better spent building your product than figuring out the difference between a filing agent and a registered agent, or whether you need to file an SS-4 by fax or mail, Atlas removes that cognitive load. You fill in one form, pay $500, and receive a fully formed company.

Atlas uses standard template documents that work well for single founders or simple two-founder splits. If you have three or four co-founders with different equity percentages, vesting schedules, or IP assignment terms, you will likely need to customize your corporate documents anyway.

• Custom vesting schedules (e.g., different cliff periods per founder)
• IP assignment agreements tailored to each founder's contributions
• Customized share classes or voting rights
• Specific founder departure provisions

If you are going to hire a lawyer to review documents regardless, the Atlas templates provide little additional value.

Atlas uses standardized articles of incorporation and bylaws. While these are perfectly fine for most startups, some situations require customization:

• Specific authorized share counts (Atlas defaults may not match your cap table plan)
• Multiple share classes from day one (e.g., common + preferred)
• Custom indemnification provisions
• Specific registered agent preferences
• State-specific provisions for non-Delaware operations

With direct incorporation, you control every line of your articles of incorporation and corporate bylaws. Use our free generators to create fully customized documents.

If you already have a US attorney (or plan to hire one for a SAFE round or other legal work), they can handle incorporation as part of a broader engagement. Many startup lawyers include basic formation in their initial engagement, making Atlas redundant.

File your certificate of incorporation with the Delaware Division of Corporations. The standard filing fee is $89; same-day processing adds $50 ($139 total). You can file online, by mail, or have your registered agent file on your behalf.

Use our Articles of Incorporation Generator to create your certificate. Key decisions: authorized shares (typically 10,000,000), par value ($0.0001 is standard for startups), and incorporator name.

After incorporation, adopt bylaws, appoint officers and directors, and approve initial actions through a board consent. Use our Corporate Bylaws Generator to create customized bylaws for free.

• Adopt bylaws
• Appoint initial directors and officers
• Authorize stock issuance
• Designate fiscal year end
• Approve initial actions (bank account, etc.)

Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) using IRS Form SS-4. As a UK founder without an SSN, you cannot use the online application. Instead, you must file by fax or mail. Fax is faster (typically 4-7 business days).

See our dedicated EIN Application Guide for UK Founders for a complete walkthrough. The EIN is free — do not pay a third-party service to file this for you.

With your certificate of incorporation and EIN in hand, apply for a US business bank account. Mercury and Relay both accept remote applications from UK founders. See our detailed US Bank Account Guide for comparison and tips.

Consider opening a Wise Business account first as a bridge — it opens instantly and gives you a US account number to receive payments while your Mercury application is processed.

Issue stock to all founders under stock purchase agreements and file 83(b) elections with the IRS within 30 days. This is critical for tax purposes — the 83(b) election lets you pay tax on the stock's value at the time of issuance (essentially $0 for a new company) rather than as it vests.

See our Equity & Vesting Guide for complete details on stock purchase agreements and 83(b) elections as a UK tax resident.

Yes. After your first year with Atlas, you can switch to any Delaware registered agent of your choice. You will need to file a Change of Agent form with the Delaware Division of Corporations (no fee for the state filing, but your new agent may charge a small setup fee). Many founders switch to save on the $100/year Atlas renewal.

No. Stripe Atlas provides formation services and template documents, but does not provide legal or tax advice. This is the same whether you use Atlas or incorporate directly. For UK-specific tax implications (HMRC reporting, UK-US tax treaty, etc.), you will need a qualified cross-border tax adviser regardless of which path you choose.

Mercury rejection is not uncommon for non-US founders applying independently. Common reasons include: incomplete documentation, vague business descriptions, no company website, or restricted industries. If rejected, you can apply to Relay as an alternative, or open a Wise Business account immediately while you address the rejection reasons. See our bank account guide for detailed tips on avoiding rejection.

For a solo UK SaaS founder, Atlas offers genuine convenience but is not strictly necessary. If you are comfortable following guides (like this one), you can save $300+ by incorporating directly. However, if speed matters or you want the peace of mind of a proven workflow, the $500 is reasonable. The pre-approved Mercury access alone is valuable for UK founders who might otherwise face delays.