Starter Stack
The Startup Founder Stack
Form the company, bank it, bill customers and run the team.
By the OneStopShop Editors · Updated October 2026
1. Incorporate
If you plan to raise from investors, a Delaware C-corp is the common choice.
Stripe Atlas
Incorporation · Formation & Legal
Form a US company online, aimed at startups including founders outside the US.
Our take: A streamlined path to a Delaware company if you plan to raise money.
LegalZoom
Incorporation · Formation & Legal
Online LLC and corporation formation plus trademarks and legal documents (US).
Our take: A long-running one-stop option for forming an LLC and handling basic legal paperwork.
2. Banking and billing
A startup-friendly bank plus subscription billing.
Mercury
Business banking · Banking & Payments
Online business banking built for startups and small companies (US).
Our take: A clean, modern business account that many new founders open first.
Stripe
Payments · Banking & Payments
Online payments infrastructure: checkout, subscriptions, invoices and more.
Our take: The default choice for taking card payments in software products.
3. Payroll and books
Pay your first hires correctly and keep clean books for investors.
Gusto
Payroll · Accounting & Payroll
Payroll, benefits and HR for US small businesses.
Our take: A friendly way to run payroll and pay contractors without a payroll department.
QuickBooks Online
Accounting · Accounting & Payroll
Intuit's widely used small-business accounting software.
Our take: The industry standard — most accountants already know it.
4. Build and ship
Infrastructure, a product and a place to plan.
Cloudflare
Infrastructure · Websites & Hosting
DNS, security, performance and domain registration for websites.
Our take: Free DNS and protection that makes almost any site faster and safer.
Lovable
Site builders · Websites & Hosting
Build websites and web apps by describing them in plain language.
Our take: Go from idea to a working site or app without writing code yourself.
Notion
Workspaces & projects · AI & Productivity
Docs, wikis and project tracking in one flexible workspace.
Our take: One place for your plans, SOPs and to-dos as the business grows.
Questions
Is this legal or tax advice?
No. It's a starting list of widely used tools. Talk to a lawyer and accountant about your specific situation.
Editorial picks are chosen independently. How we make money.