Firstbase vs Inc Authority: pricing and features compared
Data last updated: Apr 21, 2026Firstbase starts at $399 plus state fees. Inc Authority starts at $0 plus state fees. Sticker-price differences between LLC formation services rarely tell the full story, since the cheapest tier usually excludes the EIN filing and operating agreement most filers need.
The registered agent renewal is the line item that actually matters over time: Inc Authority is $249 per year, Firstbase is $299. Over five years that delta adds up to $200, which is typically a larger swing than the formation-tier sticker price.
Inc Authority offers a genuine $0 formation tier; Firstbase does not. The free tier is meaningful if you only need state filing and are comfortable applying for an EIN yourself on irs.gov. It stops being free the moment you bundle the basic documents most LLCs need.
Inc Authority has 46,831 Trustpilot reviews compared to Firstbase's 1,045. The volume gap is usually about review solicitation rather than quality, but the higher-volume score tends to be the more statistically stable signal.
For most filers, the decision between two services is decided by three things: whether you need a $0 tier or can absorb a mid-tier to get the EIN and operating agreement bundled, how much the registered agent will cost you in year two and onward, and whether the support quality matters to you (it matters more if you're paying $200+ for the service in the first place).
Key differences at a glance
- Inc Authority is $399 cheaper at the starting tier (one of them has a free tier).
- Inc Authority has the cheaper registered agent renewal ($249/yr vs $299/yr). Over five years that is a $200 difference.
- Firstbase includes a free operating agreement; Inc Authority charges for it as an add-on. For a single-member LLC that can use a template, this matters less. For anything with multiple members, a proper operating agreement is not optional.
- Firstbase includes EIN filing in its default price; Inc Authority sells it as a paid add-on. You can always get an EIN directly from the IRS in five minutes for free.
- Inc Authority has a genuine $0 formation tier. The other does not.
- Firstbase offers live chat support; the other relies on phone and email only.
- Firstbase includes mail scanning (physical mail delivered to the registered agent gets scanned and forwarded digitally). The other does not.
- Firstbase supports non-US founders without a US SSN. The other is primarily US-resident oriented.
Where each service fits
Pick Firstbase when
Pick Firstbase when you want the operating agreement bundled at no extra cost; you need mail scanning bundled with the registered agent; you're a non-US founder; you want live chat support.
Pick Inc Authority when
Pick Inc Authority when you want the lowest possible day-one sticker price; you're optimizing for lower long-term cost (RA renewal is cheaper); you want a genuine $0 formation tier (and don't need the add-ons); you want a high-volume review history (46,831 Trustpilot reviews vs 1,045).
What each service offers that the other does not
Only Firstbase
- EIN included free
- Operating agreement included free
- Mail scanning
- Non-US founder support
- Live chat support
Only Inc Authority
- Free $0 formation tier
- Phone support
Both services
- Compliance dashboard
- Banking partner integration
What it costs under your specific situation
Running the same LLC through three common scenarios. Year-1 and 5-year totals exclude state fees, which are identical for both services.
| Scenario | Firstbase Year 1 | Inc Authority Year 1 | Firstbase 5-year | Inc Authority 5-year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Just the basics: state filing, RA year 1, nothing else You file the EIN yourself at irs.gov and skip a written operating agreement. | $399 | $0 | $1,595 | $996 |
| You want EIN and operating agreement handled too Most new LLCs end up here. Assumes $70 EIN and $99 OA add-ons where the service charges for them. | $399 | $169 | $1,595 | $1,165 |
| Standalone registered agent only (no formation) You already formed the LLC elsewhere. Just swapping to this service's RA. | $299 | $249 | $1,495 | $1,245 |
Full feature comparison
| Dimension | Firstbase | Inc Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price Cheapest tier, excludes state fees | $399 | Free |
| Registered agent year 1 | Not included | Included |
| Registered agent renewal Year 2 onward, annual | $299/yr | $249/yr |
| Free $0 tier | No | Yes |
| EIN application | Included free | Paid add-on |
| Operating agreement | Included free | Paid add-on |
| Compliance dashboard | Yes | Yes |
| Mail scanning | Yes | No |
| International founders | Yes | No |
| Banking partner | Mercury | Bank of America |
| Phone support | No | Mon-Fri 7:30am-5:00pm Pacific |
| Live chat | Yes | No |
| Trustpilot rating | 4.8/5 (1,045 reviews) | 4.9/5 (46,831 reviews) |
Pricing tiers side by side
Firstbase
- Start — $399
- One (Start bundle) — $399 · renews $2,388/yr
Includes RA year 1 · renews $299/yr
Inc Authority
- Free — Free
Includes RA year 1 · renews $249/yr - Starter Business Bundle — Free
Includes RA year 1 · renews $249/yr - Fast Track Business Bundle — Free
Includes RA year 1 · renews $249/yr
Support and ratings, interpreted
Firstbase offers email, live chat. Inc Authority offers phone, email. Firstbase is the only one of the two with live chat, which matters if you anticipate back-and-forth questions during filing. Trustpilot: Firstbase is 4.8 across 1,045 reviews; Inc Authority is 4.9 across 46,831. A high-volume sample with a 4.5+ rating is the strongest signal; a small sample with either extreme rating is the weakest.
Firstbase
No phone support.
Email: yes.
Live chat: Firstbase markets 24/7 global support for founders; no public phone number is listed..
Trustpilot: 4.8/5 from 1,045 reviews.
Inc Authority
Phone: Mon-Fri 7:30am-5:00pm Pacific.
Email: yes.
No live chat.
Trustpilot: 4.9/5 from 46,831 reviews.
Before you pick either service
A few things apply no matter which one you choose. These catch enough first-time filers to be worth stating plainly.
The state fee is identical. Whether you use Firstbase, Inc Authority, or neither, your state charges the same formation fee. Nothing a service does lowers that number. The fee ranges from $35 in Montana to $500 in Massachusetts depending on where you form. See the state-by-state guide for exact numbers.
You can get an EIN for free at irs.gov in five minutes. Both Firstbase and Inc Authority either bundle EIN filing or sell it as a paid add-on. You're never required to pay for EIN filing; the IRS charges nothing and the online form takes about five minutes. If a service is pitching "we'll handle your EIN" as a headline feature, that's convenience pricing, not necessity.
The registered agent renewal is what matters long-term. The formation fee is a one-time cost. The registered agent is what recurs every year for as long as you keep the LLC open. Over five years, the RA renewal cost usually exceeds the formation fee. Compare on that number, not just the day-one sticker.
Operating agreements are separately priced at most services. Any LLC with more than one member, and any LLC relying on its liability shield, should have a written operating agreement. It governs ownership percentages, profit splits, management structure, and dissolution. California, Maine, Missouri, and New York require it by statute; every other state treats it as strongly recommended. Don't skip it to save $99.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Which is cheaper, Firstbase or Inc Authority?
Inc Authority is cheaper at the starting tier ($0 vs $399). Over 5 years including RA renewals, the gap is about $599.
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Does Firstbase or Inc Authority have better support?
Firstbase offers email, live chat. Inc Authority offers phone, email. Firstbase is the only one of the two with live chat, which matters if you anticipate back-and-forth questions during filing. Trustpilot: Firstbase is 4.8 across 1,045 reviews; Inc Authority is 4.9 across 46,831. A high-volume sample with a 4.5+ rating is the strongest signal; a small sample with either extreme rating is the weakest.
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Is Inc Authority's free tier really free?
The $0 tier covers state filing and typically includes year one of registered agent service. It does not include EIN filing (you can still get one for free from the IRS directly) or an operating agreement, which most filers need. Once you add those, Inc Authority's free tier ends up around $169, which is very close to what Firstbase charges for its bundled mid-tier package. Pick the free tier if you're comfortable doing the add-ons yourself; pick a bundled service if you want everything in one place.
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Can a non-US founder use Firstbase or Inc Authority?
Firstbase supports non-US founders without a US Social Security Number. The other service is primarily US-resident oriented and may require additional workarounds for the EIN application, since non-US applicants need to file paper Form SS-4 rather than use the instant online path. For heavy non-US founder needs, services like Doola, Firstbase, or Stripe Atlas are purpose-built for that market.
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Should I just file the LLC myself instead of using Firstbase or Inc Authority?
You can. The state fee is identical whether you use a service or not. What these services sell is convenience: a handled registered agent (which you can also buy standalone), a bundled operating agreement, compliance reminders, and in some cases banking and tax integrations. If your time is worth more than $50 an hour and you would rather not research your state's specific filing quirks, a service pays for itself. If you like DIY administrative work, file directly at your state's Secretary of State portal.
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How much does the registered agent cost with each service from year 2 onward?
Firstbase renews at $299/yr. Inc Authority renews at $249/yr. This number matters because it recurs every year for as long as you keep the LLC. Over a five-year window, the registered agent renewal cost typically exceeds the formation fee, so it's worth more attention than most reviews give it.
Full reviews
Sources
- Pricing: www.firstbase.io/pricing · verified April 21, 2026
Start is a one-time $399 formation fee. Firstbase One bundles Start with Mailroom Premium, Agent, Accounting, and Tax Filing at $199/month billed annually ($2,388/yr). - Registered agent renewal usd: www.firstbase.io/pricing · verified April 21, 2026
Firstbase Agent is $299 annually per state, sold as a standalone subscription and covered within Firstbase One. - Features: www.firstbase.io/ · verified April 21, 2026
Homepage states: 'Form your LLC or C-Corp. No paperwork or legal headaches. Our platform automates the entire company formation process.' Mailroom product offers mail scanning; Agent product offers compliance dashboard and annual report filings. - Banking partner: www.firstbase.io/pricing · verified April 21, 2026
Firstbase lists banking account opening assistance as part of Start. Mercury is the named partner surfaced consistently across the product pages and founder reviews. - International: www.firstbase.io/ · verified April 21, 2026
Marketed for founders in 188 countries; the $899/yr tax filing tier for single-member LLCs non-US owned is explicit on the pricing page. - Founded: www.ycombinator.com/companies/firstbase-io · verified April 21, 2026
Y Combinator profile and Crunchbase both place Firstbase's founding in 2019. Some sources cite 2018. - Headquarters: www.firstbase.io/about · verified April 21, 2026
About page references NYC and Sao Paulo offices; Crunchbase and LinkedIn list 447 Broadway, New York as HQ. - Support: www.firstbase.io/ · verified April 21, 2026
Homepage advertises 24/7 global customer support. No public phone number listed on the homepage or pricing page; support routed through help.firstbase.io. - Ratings: www.trustpilot.com/review/firstbase.io · verified April 21, 2026
Trustpilot shows Firstbase.io at 4.8/5 across approximately 1,045 reviews per the 2026 snapshot. Review count has grown from 650+ earlier in the year. - Pricing: www.incauthority.com/ · verified April 21, 2026
Homepage explicitly advertises FREE LLC registration, FREE 24-hour processing, FREE custom built website, and FREE registered agent for year one. Customer pays state fees only. - Premium-bundles: www.incauthority.com/premium-packages · verified April 21, 2026
Starter Business Bundle and Fast Track Business Bundle are listed with feature checklists but no prices. Vendor explicitly states these can only be ordered by phone (877-684-2836), so published pricing is not available. Priced tiers kept at 0 as placeholder; readers should be told to call. - Registered agent only: www.incauthority.com/registration/service/info/reg-ind · verified April 21, 2026
Inc Authority registered agent service listed at $249 per year, described as a $199 value, on their own registration add-on detail page. - Features: www.incauthority.com/free-llc · verified April 21, 2026
Free LLC page lists what the $0 tier actually includes. Operating agreement and EIN are not part of the free tier; both are upsells. - Banking partner: www.incauthority.com/ · verified April 21, 2026
Homepage promotes a Bank of America Business Advantage Banking bonus offer as a bundled partner perk. - Headquarters: www.incauthority.com/company/contact · verified April 21, 2026
Corporate address: Inc Authority, 1450 Vassar Street, Reno, NV 89502. Site references 30-plus years in business under the Inc Authority brand and predecessors; founding commonly cited as 1989. - Support: www.incauthority.com/company/contact · verified April 21, 2026
Phone support 877-462-6366 and local 775-333-5902, Monday through Friday 7:30am to 5:00pm Pacific. Email info@incauthority.com. No live chat offered. - Ratings: www.trustpilot.com/review/www.incauthority.com · verified April 21, 2026
4.9 of 5 stars from 46,831 reviews (Claimed profile, paid Trustpilot subscription).