StartGlobal Review 2025
- Easy to use and set up
- 100% money-back guarantee
- Responsive and efficient customer service
- No basic formation-only plans
- Relatively pricey
- A newly formed company
Overview
Launched in 2020, StartGlobal is a company that provides U.S. LLC setup and management services to clients based in the U.S. and anywhere in the world.
Their primary offerings take care of critical administrative tasks, like incorporation, first 409a, U.S. bank account setup, physical U.S. address, and more. Some of their secondary features also cover your taxes, accounting, compliance, and banking-related tasks. StartGlobal is based in California
StartGlobal review: Ease of use
StartGlobal understands how complex business formation and maintenance can be for U.S. and non-U.S. residents. That’s one reason why they also make sure their signup process is very simple and straightforward.
It won’t take up more than 15 minutes of your time. The official website also makes it very easy for clients to stay updated with the progress of their filing, maintenance, and other important business processes.
The website is streamlined and intuitive to use. The primary dashboard is clean and clutter-free, ensuring quick and fluid navigation for all users.
StartGlobal review: Pricing
StartGlobal’s flagship LLC formation plan costs $399 plus state fees for one year. This is a one-time fee that will increase moving forward. The second year’s pricing depends on the features you want to include in your plan.
LLC formation cost
Here are all the features included in an LLC formation plan from StartGlobal:
- Name check and clearance
- Business formation
- EIN (Tax ID)
- Registered Agent
- Bank account with debit card
- Real mailing address
- Phone number
- State filings
- Ongoing business support
If you’re looking for an experienced team to help you complete all the filing paperwork to get your business up and running, this package looks pretty good. Apart from getting filing done, you also get an EIN and a Registered Agent. You will also be set up with a U.S. bank account, U.S. phone number, and U.S. mailing address—all critical for smooth operations for U.S. entities.
The business bank account is a particularly valuable feature in this all-in-one package, as most competitors will charge you a monthly price for the same. And that is regardless of whether you’re U.S.-based or not.
Although StartGlobal claims this package to be their all-encompassing formation service, some features are missing. For example, they do not offer an operating agreement with this plan. Instead, you’ll need to pay a separate one-time fee to get one.
But because an operating agreement isn’t needed in every state, the lack of this feature might not be a deal-breaker for some. It can be included as an add-on, so you will have to pay extra if you are in a state that requires it.
However, the added expense, along with state fees, can increase the cost of this package significantly. Make sure to take all of this into account.
Business maintenance cost
You can avail of StartGlobal’s business maintenance service with an annual package that costs $796 per year. It includes the following:
- Registered Agent
- State tax
- Bookkeeping
- Tax filing
The cost of this package depends on the services you want to include, the state you are filing in, the number of transactions per year, and your annual business revenue.
Ongoing business management
The ongoing business management package is another comprehensive solution by StartGlobal that includes some valuable add-ons for entrepreneurs. While it’s available to all clients, the service is more helpful for non-U.S. residents. It costs $198 and includes the following:
- Invoicing
- Mailing address
- Phone number
If you want StartGlobal to manage some critical processes after the filing, then their ongoing business management is a great option for you. It provides three of their add-on offerings at the price of two.
Annual compliance cost
StartGlobal’s annual compliance plan will help your business avoid thousands of dollars in penalties. It is priced at $1,296 per year and includes the following features:
- Registered Agent
- Bookkeeping
- IRS Federal tax filing
- State franchise tax
This annual compliance plan is a good option if you’re looking for post-filing support. The plan can be used in addition to the ongoing business management package, and both will deliver all your compliance needs.
The price seems steep, but it’s pretty standard in today’s market—these services will cost you roughly the same or even higher if you were to opt for a competitor.
Additional costs
StartGlobal also provides many separate add-on services that you can opt to include in your packages. Here are the prices for these add-ons:
- Registered Agent (annual): $99 per year
- Operating Agreement (one-time): $99
- Bookkeeping (ongoing): $99 per year
- Tax filing (annual): $199 per year
- State tax (annual filing): $299 per year
- US mailing address (limited): $99 per year
- Virtual U.S. phone number (one-time): $99 per year
- Invoicing and payment solution: $49 per year
Overall, these add-on services are fairly priced in comparison to competitors. The services themselves are valuable for business maintenance post-filing, and the ability to choose features with separate pricing is a huge benefit for those who prefer a customized subscription plan.
Refunds
StartGlobal offers 100% refunds if the company fails to deliver its promised services. While this sounds amazing for clients, the website doesn’t outline any options for a refund before your filing is processed. Also, there is no mention of a full or partial refund for bookkeeping, compliance, and similar subscription services and features.
U.S. LLC formation (for U.S. residents and non-residents)
A unique feature of StartGlobal’s LLC formation service is that it is available to non-U.S. residents as well. No matter what part of the world you live in, StartGlobal can help you form a business in any of the 50 U.S. states.
You don’t need to be in the U.S. or present for any filing processes in person. You can start the filing online by signing up on the StartGlobal website and leaving the rest to them.
Whether you need to register a name for your company or migrate your LLC to a different state, StartGlobal can manage it all with a comprehensive formation package with EIN filing, Registered Agent, and more.
You also don’t need to waste time setting up international payment options, as StartGlobal will set up your U.S. bank account with a debit card. They also give you a U.S. phone number and set up your mail forwarding service.
You can combine your incorporation plan with bookkeeping or accounting features to ensure smooth operations. Their packages are tailored for startups that might just be getting off the ground or established companies that need U.S.-based expertise for their U.S. operations.
StartGlobal review: List of services
Apart from its LLC formation service, StartGlobal offers add-on plans for services like those below.
Registered agent
StartGlobal’s Registered Agent service is a cost-effective option for business owners who don’t want to deal with the task of receiving legal documents at all hours. It is available as an add-on, so clients can opt out of the service if they don’t need it. The pricing is quite affordable, especially for overseas customers who may need the service.
Bookkeeping
Built-in software on StartGlobal’s platform covers all your bookkeeping and accounting needs. It is designed for self-employed people who need to manage their business accounting.
It features monthly reports on all transactions, customizable rules, automatic categorization, seamless bank account connection, file sharing, and more.
Invoicing and payments
With StartGlobal, you can send custom invoices and manage all your payments from one platform. It is very secure and streamlines the process of managing client and invoice details.
Invoices are available for download, and payments are integrated, so you will have direct access to them. StartGlobal also follows up on invoice emails for your peace of mind.
Another great feature is that you can maintain your brand presence on invoices and integrate logo and brand colors.
Business tax filings and compliance
The tax and compliance plan is an additional StartGlobal offering that provides an all-in-one tax filing platform. You can manage your taxes and get the professional help needed to stay compliant.
The plan covers state filings, federal tax filings, franchise taxes, and annual reports. It also takes care of digital signatures so your e-filing proceeds smoothly. And if you can’t file your taxes on time, their expert team can help you request extensions.
You will also get ongoing business support, which can be quite helpful when you’re confused about your business taxes and need assistance during the hectic tax season.
Business bank accounts
Opening a business bank account is not a big deal for U.S. residents; however, it can be pretty challenging and time-consuming for business owners who are not in the U.S.
StartGlobal simplifies the task for non-U.S. residents and gets it done within a couple of days. And they can complete the process without needing in-person visits from overseas clients.
Additional services
Some of the smaller add-on services offered by StartGlobal that you may find helpful include:
- U.S. mailing address (annual): this service consists of a physical mailing address along with five mail scans for $99 per year
- Virtual U.S. phone number (annual): $99 per year
- State franchise tax (annual): $399 per year
- IRS federal tax filing (annual): $499 per year
- Operating agreement generator: generate a fully custom detailed operating agreement for your LLC
- Doing Business As (DBA) registration assistance
- Tax estimator: find out tax liability and requirements for running a fully compliant LLC business in the U.S.
StartGlobal review: Customer service
StartGlobal’s customer service team is accessible via email, call, and chat. From Google to Trustpilot, its level of support is highly favored by previous and current clients. Its comprehensive and expert assistance on everything from formation and taxes to compliance and bookkeeping is its most applauded offering.
It claims to respond to all queries within 24 hours, but most customers found only email to be timely and prompt. The rest were a miss. However, most clients report that their support team does make sure to resolve your problems as quickly as possible.
Other than the customer support team, you can also find many resources on StartGlobal’s Help Center, including FAQs, guides, and YouTube videos on business formation, taxes, and other essentials.
Their teams’ expertise is pretty handy when you’re a non-resident navigating different administrative tasks and filings for a U.S.-based LLC.
Is StartGlobal legit?
StartGlobal is backed by some big investors, such as Twitter co-founder Biz Stone and Coinbase’s former CTO Balaji Srinivasan. It is also part of Techstars, one of the top business accelerators in the world. The company closed its last funding round on 13th June 2022. StartGlobal also has an active social presence on Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), and Dribbble.
While they do not have a Better Business Bureau accreditation, the company has a 4.6 Trustpilot rating and 82% positive 5-star customer reviews. Note that these are only from 256 reviews, likely because the company is fairly young.
StartGlobal review: Verdict
StartGlobal offers comprehensive U.S. business formation services and business management support for entrepreneurs and companies worldwide. Whether you want to set up your U.S. LLC or streamline invoicing and bookkeeping for your U.S. operations, StartGlobal has just the services you need.
Their platform is easy to navigate, and the setup process is largely fuss-free. There are many offerings for add-ons, and StartGlobal is transparent about its pricing so clients know what they’re paying for.
StartGlobal might not be the most affordable option out there, but it delivers good value for your money. Its comprehensive package is best for entrepreneurs who want to delegate critical tasks to experts and focus on their daily operations.
Their offerings that include a U.S. address, bank account, and phone number are particularly valuable for non-resident entrepreneurs who want to expand their customer base in the U.S.
If you need only basic formation offerings, you’re better off working with other companies that provide free formation services. Then again, we did find that StartGlobal’s add-on services were priced in the same range as its competitors. If you want to get complete support that includes formation, tax filing support, bookkeeping, invoicing, and more, StartGlobal is an option worth considering.
Pricing:
Starts at $297