StartGlobal Review: Services, Pricing, & Alternatives

Getting an LLC off the ground can be difficult. And if you’re not a U.S. citizen or you’re a digital nomad, forming a United States business is even more challenging.

Companies like StartGlobal aim to make the process less complicated, so you can manage your business stress-free.

In this StartGlobal review, we’ll explore its features, pros and cons, and pricing so you can decide if it’s the right avenue for you to start your business.

SMB Guide’s Verdict for StartGlobal

Based on our scoring factors, we rate StartGlobal 8.8 out of 10. 

Overall, I found StartGlobal to be very expensive compared to other formation services, but that’s to be expected if you’re looking to form a U.S. company internationally.

While it is a pretty comprehensive service for creating and managing an LLC, it comes with a few downsides like not being able to form corporations/nonprofits and long processing times.

Here’s a breakdown of how we scored StartGlobal in each category:

Factor	Rating (out of 10)
Pricing & Plans	8
Business Formation Services	7
Processing Time	7
Registered Agent Services and Costs	10
Name Availability Search	8
Online Document Access	9.5
Money-Back Guarantees	10
Customer Support	9.5
SMB Guide Rating	8.8

In this review of StartGlobal, I’ve followed SMB Guide’s detailed criteria for evaluating the business formation service.

What is StartGlobal?

StartGlobal is a formation service that helps anyone launch and run a U.S. business from anywhere in the world.

Their primary offering is LLC formation, but they also have a range of other services including registered agent services, bookkeeping and tax assistance, and U.S. mailing addresses and phone numbers for entrepreneurs in other countries.

Pricing & Plans

StartGlobal has a single catch-all plan for LLC formation, with optional add-on features that come with their own separate costs.

Here’s an overview of StartGlobal’s pricing:

LLC Formation

StartGlobal’s LLC formation package includes the actual filing and formation of your business, as well as additional features to help you get set up in the United States.

Price

• Package fee: $399 USD
• Filing fee: Varies by state

Features

• Name check and clearance
• LLC formation
• Employee identification number (EIN)
• Registered agent
• Bank account with debit card

Who it’s for: Anyone inside or outside the U.S. who wants to form a U.S. LLC

Optional Add-On Features

StartGlobal has a ton of different add-ons you can subscribe to for your other business needs.

Here’s a list of the other services they offer and their respective costs:

• U.S. mailing address: $99/year
• U.S. phone number: $99/year
• Invoicing and payment solution: $49/year
• Registered agent: $99/year
• Bookkeeping: $99/year
• Tax filing: $249/year
• State tax: $299/year

Business Formation Services

With StartGlobal, you can form an LLC from anywhere in the world. If you’re a U.S. citizen, you’ll form your business in the state you currently reside in.

If you’re located outside of the U.S., StartGlobal recommends that you select Wyoming as your state of formation.

Unfortunately, StartGlobal doesn’t support any other business entities. If you want to form a corporation or nonprofit, you’ll need to go elsewhere.

Processing Time

The process of forming a U.S. company with StartGlobal typically takes between 20 and 30 business days. This includes filing your LLC in your desired state, setting up your EIN, and getting you started with a U.S. bank account and mailing address.

In some cases, StartGlobal’s processing time may be faster, with everything completed in around 10 days — however, this isn’t the norm.

Registered Agent Services and Costs

A registered agent is responsible for receiving all official documents and should also be able to be easily contacted if any legal issues arise.

While you can technically be your own registered agent, if you’re not located in the United States but have a U.S. LLC, this can get really complex very quickly.

In this case, investing in a registered agent service makes sense. StartGlobal offers a registered agent service that runs $99 per year.

This pricing is on par or even cheaper than other registered agent services out there.

Name Availability Search

A name check and clearance is included with StartGlobal’s LLC formation package so you can be sure the business name you want isn’t already trademarked by another company.

This name check feature isn’t available until you actually begin the process of setting up your LLC with StartGlobal. It’s also important to note that this feature isn’t a tool that you can use on your own — it’s more of a behind-the-scenes service provided by StartGlobal.

If it turns out that the desired business name you entered during signup isn’t available, the StartGlobal team will reach out to you for alternate names which they’ll then check for availability.

Online Document Access

You’ll have access to copies of all of your incorporation documents, operating agreements, and more inside of the StartGlobal dashboard.

If you’re also using StartGlobal’s registered agent service, all documents received by your designated registered agent will also be available in the dashboard in the “Mails” section.

Money-Back Guarantees

When you purchase a StartGlobal package or service, they provide a 100% money-back guarantee. If you’re not completely satisfied with your purchase, they’ll refund your money with no questions asked.

Customer Support

StartGlobal’s Help Centre is your first line of support if you need help. The Help Centre features articles and guides on each of StartGlobal’s features.

You can search for specific topics via the search bar at the top of the page.

If you’d rather contact StartGlobal’s customer support team directly, you can email them at [email protected] or give them a call at +1 (415) 418-7725.

There isn’t any information listed about their support hours or turnaround time for whenever you can expect to receive a response.

StartGlobal — Additional Services

StartGlobal is not just an LLC formation service — it has pretty much everything you could need to manage your LLC, including:

• Invoicing: StartGlobal allows you to create branded invoices and send them to customers straight from your dashboard.
• Payments: You can set up payments directly within your invoices or send customers a simple payment link.
• Bookkeeping: StartGlobal comes equipped with a bookkeeping software that’s baked into the platform so you don’t have to worry about juggling multiple platforms. Pricing for this done-for-you service is tiered and based on your company’s revenue.
• Federal tax filing: StartGlobal provides professional help with managing your federal tax filings and staying compliant.
• Operating agreements: You can set up operating agreements with StartGlobal and amend them later if necessary.
• Annual state reports: Each state requires businesses to submit annual reports. StartGlobal can manage this process for you, ensuring you stay compliant.

What the Experts Say About StartGlobal

StartGlobal currently has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have any reviews on G2 or Capterra at this time.

Many reviewers praised StartGlobal’s support team for being fast, helpful, and personable. Many stated that the turnaround time was extremely quick.

However, others complained that there were lots of hidden costs that made the service very expensive.

“Start Global is amazing! Their platform is very straightforward, very easy to use, and efficient. The team was very helpful and responded fast to all my questions. We have incorporated the company in just a few weeks, I’m super happy with the Start Global team! Thank you so much for your support! 100% recommend!”

– Raianny Khan, verified Trustpilot reviewer

“The job they advertise is done – for now they did a good job, but I think they lack other services related to the topic. Service was very well fulfilled, but when I asked questions slightly off-topic, they had a hard time answering.”

– Fortunas Slavinskas, verified Trustpilot reviewer

StartGlobal Alternatives

StartGlobal is an ideal business formation service for entrepreneurs outside the United States who want to form a U.S. company, but if you’re already a U.S. citizen, it’s probably not the right choice.

Doola

Doola is another formation service aimed at non-U.S. citizens who are looking to launch a company within the United States. It provides business filing, compliance monitoring, e-signature features, and more.

Compared to StartGlobal, Doola is a more hands-off service that comes with an annual package fee vs. a one-time fee.

• Best for: Non-U.S. entrepreneurs, startups, and ecommerce businesses looking to break into the U.S. market
• Starting price: $297/year

Get started with Doola today

Bizee

Bizee, previously known as Incfile, is a business formation company that works well for individuals based in the United States. While StartGlobal only works for LLCs, Bizee allows you to choose between forming an LLC, corporation, or nonprofit.

Bizee also has a free plan where you only pay your state filing fee, whereas StartGlobal does not.

• Best for: Individuals in the U.S. on a budget who want to file and LLC, corporation, or nonprofit
• Starting price: $0 + state filing fees

Start your business today with Bizee

LegalZoom

LegalZoom is one of the most well-known business formation services out there — but they also offer a range of both personal and professional legal services.

For example, along with business formation and trademark registration, they also offer estate planning and personal name changes unlike StartGlobal. If you have additional legal needs outside of starting your business, LegalZoom provides a better bang for your buck overall.

• Best for: Entrepreneurs, small business owners, and individuals seeking cost-effective formation and tax assistance
• Starting price: $149+

Start your business today with LegalZoom

Other options: Best StartGlobal Alternatives

Get Started with StartGlobal

StartGlobal is an excellent business formation service particularly for entrepreneurs outside of the U.S. who want to form their company within the United States.

And with additional features like a virtual phone number, mailing address, and even a bank account, you’ll be more than prepared to run your business.

Getting started with StartGlobal is as simple as selecting your desired formation state.

FAQs