Head-to-head
BCA vs Doola for non-resident US LLC formation
Last updated: August 2026
Doola is a well-funded US startup that has done more than anyone else to normalize the non-resident LLC product. BCA is a smaller advisory practice that handles the same setup plus the cross-border layer Doola does not, Paraguay residency, ITIN, and Bali real estate. Here is the honest comparison.
Bottom line
Pick Doola if you want a self-serve SaaS product with a dashboard and you are comfortable buying the LLC, the bank intro, the ITIN, and the compliance plan as separate line items, first-year total there sits around USD 2,500 once you add ITIN + Total Compliance. Pick BCA if you want a flat USD 1,000 all-in that already includes Wise + Mercury + Stripe setup, a flat USD 1,000/year ongoing renewal that covers Form 5472 + BOI + state report, and a single human (Axel) you can actually call when something breaks. Simpler bureaucracy, no upsells.
Side-by-side
| Doola YC-backed, ~50k+ LLCs formed | Better Call Axel All-in with a friend you can call | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (LLC + EIN) | USD 297 + USD 50 state fee + USD 100/yr registered agent | USD 1,000 all-in, LLC + EIN + Wise + Mercury + Stripe + registered agent year 1 |
| States offered | Wyoming, Delaware, Florida, New Mexico, Texas, Nevada | Wyoming, Delaware (other states case-by-case) |
| EIN route (no SSN) How fast you get the IRS-issued EIN | Online assistant where possible; faxed SS-4 otherwise (~4 weeks) | Faxed SS-4 with same-day fax transmission (~4 business days for EIN) |
| Bank account intro | Mercury (partner integration); Wise + Relay also referenced | Three rails included: Wise + Mercury + Stripe, full setup, not a referral link |
| ITIN application included | Add-on, USD 599 | Bundled when the use case calls for it |
| Annual compliance | Annual report + franchise tax + BOI included in Total Compliance tier (USD 1,499/yr) | USD 1,000/year flat renewal, annual report + Form 5472 + BOI updates + RA + ongoing access to Axel. No tiered upsells. |
| Cross-border layer (residency, real estate) | (LLC + tax + bank only) | Paraguay permanent residency, Bali leasehold real estate, ITIN-to-credit pathway |
| Support languages | English (primary), some Spanish | English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, founder-level fluency |
| Direct founder contact | Account manager pool; no founder-level contact | Direct contact with Alessandro (Axel) by default, a friend, not an account-manager pool |
What each option actually fits
Doola
YC-backed, ~50k+ LLCs formed
Doola is the right fit for solo founders who want a clean, scalable LLC + EIN + bank + bookkeeping product and do not need anything beyond the US side of the stack. Mature operations, well-documented onboarding, decent self-serve dashboards.
Visit Doola ↗Better Call Axel
All-in with a friend you can call
BCA is one human (Axel) running point on the whole stack: LLC + the three banking rails (Wise, Mercury, Stripe) + ongoing compliance, plus the cross-border layer when you need it (Paraguay residency, ITIN, Bali). Flat USD 1,000 setup, flat USD 1,000/year renewal. No hidden costs, no tiered upsells, no support pool, just a friend you can call before and after.
The honest take
So which one?
Pick Doola if you want a self-serve SaaS product with a dashboard and you are comfortable buying the LLC, the bank intro, the ITIN, and the compliance plan as separate line items, first-year total there sits around USD 2,500 once you add ITIN + Total Compliance. Pick BCA if you want a flat USD 1,000 all-in that already includes Wise + Mercury + Stripe setup, a flat USD 1,000/year ongoing renewal that covers Form 5472 + BOI + state report, and a single human (Axel) you can actually call when something breaks. Simpler bureaucracy, no upsells.
See the canonical BCA service page →Common questions
Is BCA cheaper than Doola for a non-resident LLC? +
Apples to apples (LLC + EIN + bank setup + first-year compliance), BCA at USD 1,000 + USD 1,000/year is meaningfully cheaper than Doola once you add their ITIN add-on (USD 599) and Total Compliance tier (USD 1,499/year) on top of the base. Doola is cheaper only if you take their LLC alone and DIY everything else.
What does the BCA bank-setup package actually include? +
All three of Wise (multi-currency + SEPA + SWIFT), Mercury (US business bank for transactional flow), and Stripe (payments processing), fully set up, not just referral links. This is the single biggest differentiator vs Doola, Stripe Atlas, and Firstbase, none of whom bundle all three.
Does Doola handle Paraguay residency or Bali real estate? +
No. Doola is a US-only product (LLC, EIN, banking referral, bookkeeping, tax). Cross-border residency or real estate is outside their scope. BCA exists specifically for the founders who need both layers, plus the friend-you-can-call relationship.
Keep going
The rest of the playbook
Most BCA clients stack two or three of these.
Residency
Get Paraguay permanent residency in 21 days
Reasonable tax base, no minimum stay requirement, and a path to cédula + RUC for international banking and contracts.
US Credit
Build US credit with an ITIN. No SSN required
Form W-7 → ITIN → Capital One Quicksilver Secured → 5 months → unsecured Discover. The decoded path most CPAs miss.
Real Estate
Invest in Bali leasehold real estate safely
Why leasehold beats nominee freehold for foreigners, the due-diligence checklist, and realistic 4·9% net yields.
Stay Compliant
Stay compliant with Form 5472, BOI, and annual filings
The annual cadence that keeps your non-resident LLC out of USD 25,000 IRS penalties and in good standing.
Banking
Open bank accounts in Georgia and Panama, 100% remotely
Official SOLO (Bank of Georgia) and Towerbank partner. Passport to start, video call to activate, tax ID added later, no flights required.