Short answer
The real cost of a US LLC for non-residents is rarely just the advertised formation price. Compare state filing fees, EIN workflow, Registered Agent, address/mail handling, subscriptions, annual renewals, and payment friction before choosing a provider.
Not sure which state? Start with the non-US founder route.
Most founders do not start with a perfect state choice. They start with a practical goal: open a US LLC from abroad, request an EIN without SSN, keep official mail visible, and avoid a confusing upsell path.
Wyoming
Independent non-US founders who want a practical LLC route, EIN workflow, Registered Agent, official mail, and lower state-level maintenance.
Still needs federal tax review, home-country advice, truthful records, and provider-specific applications.
Delaware
VC, C-Corp, startup counsel, investor expectations, equity rounds, and Delaware-first legal workflows.
Can be unnecessary for founders who only need a simple remote LLC foundation.
Florida
Real Florida operations, local nexus, staff, inventory, customers, or Florida-specific founder facts.
Annual report costs and local obligations should be compared before choosing it from abroad.
New Mexico
Low-cost and privacy-oriented LLC research for founders ready to assemble the workflow themselves.
Registered Agent, EIN, address/mail, documents, and non-US founder workflow still need to be organized.
Real cost calculator
Compare total setup, not starting price. For non-US founders, the real first-year cost includes state fee, EIN workflow, Registered Agent, address/mail handling, documents, subscriptions, and annual renewal context.
| Route | Advertised | State fee | EIN | RA / mail | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WYOM.us | $499 one-time | Included | Included workflow without SSN | First-year Registered Agent + official mail | Optional annual service after year one |
| Low-start filing services | $0-$399 style entry price | Often separate | Tier or add-on varies | RA, address, and mail may be separate | Plan, RA, compliance, or add-on renewals may apply |
| Delaware startup route | Often one setup fee | May be included | Often included | Registered Agent renewal; mailroom varies | Delaware annual tax and RA renewal matter |
| DIY | $0 provider fee | Founder pays state directly | Founder handles IRS path | Founder hires and manages separately | Founder tracks all maintenance |
WYOM does not frame competitors as scams. The useful comparison is practical scope: what is included now, what renews later, and what the founder must still assemble.
Short answer
A low starting price can be valid, but it often describes only part of the workflow. Non-US founders should compare the practical total: state fee, EIN path, Registered Agent, address/mail, document delivery, dashboard, support, subscriptions, and annual renewal items.
WYOM's core package is $499 one-time and states the core upfront: Wyoming LLC formation workflow, state filing fee, EIN workflow without SSN, first-year Registered Agent, official mail handling, documents, dashboard, and status tracking.
Real cost checklist
- Advertised provider price.
- State filing fee and convenience fees.
- EIN workflow without SSN.
- Registered Agent first year and renewal.
- Address/mail handling and scanning.
- Operating Agreement and formation document delivery.
- Annual subscriptions, compliance plans, or auto-renewing add-ons.
- Annual state maintenance after formation.
- International card payment friction for founders outside the US.
Static real-cost calculator
Use this as a first-pass calculator, not a legal or tax conclusion. If any provider advertises a low entry price, add the missing formation-core pieces before comparing it against WYOM.
- WYOM.us: $499 one-time; Wyoming state filing fee, EIN workflow without SSN, first-year Registered Agent, official mail, documents, dashboard, and status tracking included in the formation core.
- DIY: lowest service fee, but the founder manages state filing, Registered Agent, EIN workflow, mail, documents, reminders, and annual maintenance separately.
- doola: public pricing is yearly and state fees are listed separately; compare the plan scope against what you actually need at formation.
- Firstbase: Start is advertised as a one-time formation product; Mailroom Premium, Agent Autopilot, and broader operating tools appear as separate products or add-ons.
- Stripe Atlas: a strong Delaware startup incorporation path with first-year Registered Agent in the setup fee, but it is not a Wyoming LLC workflow.
- LegalZoom, ZenBusiness, Bizee, and Tailor Brands: starting plans can be low, but compare whether EIN, Registered Agent, address/mail, subscriptions, and annual service are included or separate.
- Northwest Registered Agent and Wyoming Registered Agent services: strong RA-first routes can be useful, but the founder may still assemble EIN, mail, dashboard, and non-US workflow steps separately.
Why the first-year total matters
A non-US founder usually needs the company to be usable after filing, not just officially filed. EIN workflow, official mail, documents, and status visibility are part of that practical first-year cost.
WYOM's strongest angle is not being the cheapest possible filing path. The stronger angle is that the formation core is visible up front for non-US founders.
Annual renewal reality
Formation is not the last cost. Every LLC needs maintenance decisions after year one: Registered Agent continuity, official mail, state annual report or tax obligations, and tax/professional review. WYOM separates the initial $499 package from optional annual service after year one.
FAQ
Why do some LLC services advertise $0 or low starting prices?
A low advertised price may refer to the provider service fee or a basic filing tier. State fees, EIN, Registered Agent, address/mail, documents, subscriptions, and renewal services may be separate.
Is WYOM the cheapest route?
No. DIY can be cheaper. WYOM is positioned as a transparent, done-for-you formation core for non-US founders who want the required pieces organized together.
What should I compare before choosing?
Compare the total first-year workflow: state fee, EIN without SSN, Registered Agent, address/mail handling, documents, dashboard, support, subscriptions, and annual renewal expectations.
Official references
Related pages
- Open an LLC in the USA as a non-US resident
- Best state for a non-resident LLC
- Wyoming vs Delaware vs Florida vs New Mexico for non-US founders
- US LLC without SSN for non-US founders
- Get EIN without SSN for a US LLC
- How much does a US LLC really cost for non-residents?
- Pricing
- Start Formation
- Cheap Wyoming LLC options for non-US residents
- WYOM vs doola
- WYOM vs Firstbase
- WYOM vs LegalZoom for non-US founders
- WYOM vs ZenBusiness for non-US founders
- WYOM vs Tailor Brands for non-US founders
- WYOM vs Bizee for non-US founders
- WYOM vs Northwest Registered Agent for non-US founders