Firstbase Hidden Fees: What $399 Really Costs (2026)

TL;DR: Firstbase is not scamming you, but $399 is not your real cost. Formation (Firstbase Start) is $399 one-time with state filing fees included, yet the legally required registered agent costs another $299/year, a US mailing address starts around $35/month, and tax filing runs $1,799/year. A realistic lean setup is about $698 on day one. Non-US founders who need the full stack should compare doola Starter at $297/yr before stacking Firstbase add-ons.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Firstbase (firstbase.io, the incorporation service, not firstbase.com the remote-work company) markets formation as a simple flat package. Based on official pricing on firstbase.io, the Start package covers Delaware or Wyoming formation, expedited EIN setup, core legal documents, bank account help, and state filing fees. That last part is genuinely good: many competitors advertise a low package price and add the state fee at checkout.

The catch is what Start leaves out. Every Delaware and Wyoming company must maintain a registered agent, and Start does not include one. So the honest day-one math for almost everyone is $399 plus $299/year for Agent Autopilot, or about $698. That single line item is the "hidden fee" most reviewers complain about, and it renews every year.

What does Firstbase actually charge?

Firstbase uses modular pricing: cheap formation up front, subscriptions after. All figures below come from the official Firstbase pricing page, cross-checked against an August 2026 third-party audit of firstbase.io prices.

Where do the "hidden fees" come from?

None of these are secret, but three of them surprise buyers because they sit outside the $399 headline.

1. The registered agent ($299/year). This is the big one. You cannot legally operate without one, Start excludes it, and $299/year is on the high end. Standalone agents commonly charge $100 to $150/year. Budget $698 as your true starting cost, not $399.

2. The mailing address ($315-$350/year). Firstbase lists Mailroom Premium at $350/year (Basic around $35/month). If you are a non-US founder with no US address, you need this, and you need it from day one since a US address is required for incorporation. That pushes a realistic non-US starter setup to roughly $1,000+ in year one ($399 + $299 + ~$315).

3. Renewals that dwarf formation. Tax Filing at $1,799/year and the Accounting add-on at $1,890/year are each nearly 5x the formation price. Add Agent and Mailroom and a tax-handled year one lands near $2,800. Delaware franchise tax and annual report fees sit on top of all of this regardless of provider.

What does Firstbase One ($2,388/year) actually save?

Firstbase One bundles Agent Autopilot, Mailroom Premium, Accounting, and Tax Filing for $199/month billed yearly ($2,388/year, listed against a $362/month regular price). Bought separately at list prices those services total over $4,300/year, so the bundle discount is real.

The catch is the same as any bundle: it only saves money if you would buy the expensive pieces anyway. Pre-revenue founders usually do not need full bookkeeping in month one. If you only need formation plus compliance, the bundle costs you more, not less.

Firstbase vs doola: which costs less for non-US founders?

Both companies chase the same customer: founders outside the US who need formation, an EIN without an SSN, a US address, and ongoing compliance. That is exactly why this comparison matters.

When to pick doola: you want the lowest all-in entry price and a subscription that bundles the basics. Based on official pricing on doola.com/pricing, Starter is $297/yr (formation, EIN, US business address), Pulse bookkeeping is $300/yr, Tax and Compliance is $1,999/yr, and Business-in-a-Box is $2,999/yr. For a lean non-US setup, $297/yr undercuts Firstbase's realistic ~$1,000+ year one by a wide margin.

When to pick Firstbase: you value state filing fees folded into one $399 formation payment, Delaware or Wyoming choice with expedited EIN, and a single vendor for address, agent, books, and taxes as you scale. If you will genuinely use the One bundle pieces, the per-service math gets competitive.

Avoid Firstbase if: you are a US-based founder who already has an address and just needs formation plus a cheap registered agent. Paying $299/year every year for consolidation you do not use is the worst version of this pricing model.

Recap: your real Firstbase budget

1. Start at $399 one-time, state fees included. Verified on firstbase.io.
2. Add Agent Autopilot at $299/year. Legally required, not optional.
3. Non-US founders: add Mailroom from ~$35/month. No US address, no incorporation.
4. Price tax filing ($1,799/year) and Delaware franchise tax before year-end surprises.
5. Compare doola Starter ($297/yr) if your setup is lean. Switch only if the bundle math favors you.

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