Tool profile
Clerky: cost, fit and limits
Clerky is an online legal paperwork service made by Clerky, Inc. that incorporates Delaware C corporations for startups and then generates founder, hiring, fundraising and maintenance documents, sold as a lifetime package or pay per use.
What to know first
Clerky focuses on Delaware C corporations for venture-backed startups. The Company Lifetime Package costs $819 and covers incorporation, expedited filing fees, the first-year registered agent fee and annual report and franchise tax reminders. Pay-per-use incorporation alone is $427. Clerky names no AI feature on the pages we read, and incorporation is Delaware only. The firm lists printed prices for each product, which makes the cost easy to total.
Clerky at a glance
| Maker | Clerky, Inc., United States |
|---|---|
| Free plan | No |
| Entry price | $819 one time for the Company Lifetime Package |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Business Formation Services in 2026, rank 6 of 12 |
| Website | clerky.com/ |
Who Clerky is best for
Venture-backed startup founders
The product centers on a Delaware C corporation with bylaws, stock issuance, vesting and a pre-filled 83(b) election, which are the documents investors expect to see.
Founders outside the US
Clerky supports EIN applications for non-US founders completed online without a fax machine, and pre-fills bank account applications for popular startup banks.
Teams that will raise or hire later
The lifetime package includes unlimited use of the standard Fundraising, Hiring, Commercial and Maintenance products, so later paperwork has no extra per-document fee.
Clerky plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Company Lifetime Package | $819 | Delaware incorporation, expedited filing fees, first-year registered agent fee, annual report and franchise tax reminders and unlimited use of standard Fundraising, Hiring, Commercial and Maintenance products. |
| Pay Per Use: Incorporation | $427 | Delaware C corporation incorporation as a one-time fee. Delaware C corporation incorporation as a one-time fee, without the later setup documents or stock plan, which are sold separately. |
| Pay Per Use: Post-Incorporation Setup | $299 | Action of Incorporator, bylaws, initial board consent, restricted stock purchase agreements and a pre-filled 83(b) election. |
| Pay Per Use: Stock Plan Adoption | $199 | A stock plan for restricted stock or stock options, adopted after the company exists. A stock plan for restricted stock or stock options, adopted after the company exists and sold as a one-time fee. |
| Fundraising Subscription | $99 for 6 months | Unlimited issuances during the six-month period, for companies that issue shares to several investors. Unlimited issuances during the six-month period, for companies that issue shares to several investors in the same round. |
Checked November 2026.
What Clerky does
- Delaware e-filing
- Incorporation is filed electronically with the Delaware Secretary of State and returned in two to three business days, according to the vendor. The page does not state how fast state approval is for other filings.
- Post-incorporation setup
- Directors, officers, bylaws and stock issuance with customizable vesting are generated after filing, so founders can issue shares without a separate law firm engagement. This replaces a law firm engagement for standard startup documents, though custom terms still need a lawyer.
- 83(b) election support
- Pre-filled 83(b) election forms come with filing instructions and automated reminders, which matters because the election has a short deadline after stock is issued. The election has a short deadline after stock is issued, so the reminders matter.
- Non-US founder EIN
- Clerky applies for the EIN online for non-US founders, avoiding the fax or mail route that otherwise slows foreign-owned startups. The page frames this as a way to avoid slow paper steps that hold up foreign-owned startups.
- Bank account pre-fill
- Corporate bank account applications are pre-filled for the most popular startup banks, saving founders from retyping the same company details. The page does not say whether every bank accepts the application from non-resident founders.
How Clerky handles your data
The privacy page we read does not say whether customer data trains any model, how long data is retained or where it is hosted, and no certification is named on the pages opened. Clerky handles founder identities, share ownership and tax identifiers. Ask for its retention rules and its practice for deleting documents, and keep your own copies of every signed document.
Where Clerky falls short in practice
- Delaware only. Incorporation is Delaware only. Founders who want another home state rely on partner discounts that start at $160 for foreign qualification, so the cost is not included in the package.
- Maintenance is extra. The lifetime package excludes third-party foreign qualification fees and Maintenance products such as a name change or an increase in authorized shares, which are charged separately.
- No named AI feature. No AI assistant or generator is named on the pages we read, so Clerky competes on documents and structure rather than on automation. Buyers who want AI-driven guidance will need another vendor.
Alternatives to Clerky
Clerky: common questions
How much does Clerky cost?
As of November 2026 the Company Lifetime Package is $819, and pay-per-use incorporation is $427. Post-incorporation setup is $299, stock plan adoption is $199 and a fundraising subscription is $99 for six months. Third-party foreign qualification fees and Maintenance products are not part of the lifetime package.
Does Clerky only incorporate in Delaware?
Yes. Incorporation is Delaware only according to the pricing page. Founders who want to operate elsewhere can add foreign qualification, directly supported in California and New York, or use partner discounts starting at $160 for other states. That cost sits outside the lifetime package.
What is an 83(b) election at Clerky?
Clerky pre-fills the 83(b) election forms and provides filing instructions with automated reminders. The election is a tax filing connected to founder stock and has a short deadline, so use the reminders and confirm the details with your own tax adviser before you file.
Can non-US founders use Clerky?
Yes. Clerky applies for the EIN online for non-US founders without a fax machine and pre-fills bank account applications for popular startup banks. It does not say whether every bank accepts non-resident founders, so confirm that with the bank. Check the bank's own rules too.
Does Clerky include a registered agent?
The lifetime package covers the first-year Delaware registered agent fee and includes annual report and franchise tax reminders, per the pricing page. The pages we read do not state the renewal price for the agent after the first year, so ask before year two starts.