The Real Cost of a US LLC in Year 1 (Non-Resident, 2026): Hidden Fees Exposed

If a service advertises "$99 LLC", run. Here's what year 1 actually costs.

Mandatory costs (year 1)

| Item | Wyoming | New Mexico | Delaware |

|---|---|---|---|

| State filing fee | $100 | $50 | $110 |

| Registered Agent (year 1) | $99-$150 | $99-$150 | $99-$150 |

| EIN application | $0 (DIY) or $150-$300 (service) | same | same |

| Operating Agreement | $0 (DIY template) or $50-$200 | same | same |

| Mailing address (if needed) | $9-$20/mo | $9-$20/mo | $9-$20/mo |

| Subtotal mandatory | $300-$700 | $250-$650 | $310-$710 |

Likely costs (year 1)

• Mercury / Wise account opening: $0
• ITIN application (if needed): $150-$400
• Form 5472 + 1120 prep: $200-$500 (DIY) or $899/yr (service)
• Bookkeeping: $0-$50/month for a simple business
• Tax preparer for your country (Brazil/EU/etc.): $200-$1,000 depending on complexity

Optional costs that "save you money"

• Domain + website: $10/yr domain + $0-$20/mo hosting
• Logo: $0-$200
• Stripe account: free (% per transaction)
• PayPal account: free (% per transaction)

Realistic total for year 1

• DIY everything: $400-$800
• Use a service like Llcora Basic ($149): $149 + $0 (RA included) + Form 5472 self-prep ≈ $200 total in year 1
• Use Doola Total Compliance: $2,300+ in year 1

What about the "$99 LLC" ads?

Those services typically charge:

• $99 to file (looks great)
• + $250 for "expedited filing" (forced upsell)
• + $300 for EIN
• + $150 for Operating Agreement
• + $99-$199/yr for Registered Agent (often hidden)

Realistic out-of-pocket: $700-$900 in year 1. The $99 was bait.

Our pricing in plain English

• Basic ($149): NM filing fee paid + Registered Agent year 1 + Articles + Operating Agreement template. EIN is DIY (we provide instructions).
• Pro ($299): Wyoming + everything in Basic + we file your EIN with the IRS.
• Premium ($499): Pro + Form 5472 reminder + Mercury guide + ITIN support + 1:1 call.

No hidden upsells. Ever.