Pricing

What this costs, plainly.

Some of the founders we work with pay nothing. Some pay. Which one you are is decided by underwriting — a short, honest review of where your business actually stands — and we tell you the answer before any work begins.

Groundwork — free, subject to approval

For founders whose business isn't yet carrying itself. How long you've been going and whether you've already registered make no difference.

The entity, and the paper that proves it

Choosing and filing your entity
Articles of organization or articles of incorporation, filed with the state
Your governing document — an operating agreement for an LLC, bylaws for a corporation or nonprofit, a charter where one is required
Ownership on the record: membership or share ledger, who holds what, and how it transfers
EIN and registered-agent setup
A compliance calendar you can actually follow

We prepare these documents and walk you through every clause. They are drafts for a licensed attorney to review before you sign — StartedBlack is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. Review through our volunteer-attorney network is part of this tier.

Your professional business profile

Before a bank, a lender, a landlord or a supplier looks at your revenue, they look at whether you present as a real business. A few things carry most of that weight, and founders usually get them wrong at the start — then spend years undoing it. We set them up correctly the first time.

A registered business name that matches identically across your filings, your EIN, your bank and every listing
A business address that is not a CMRA — the USPS category most mailbox stores and virtual-address services fall under. Banks and lenders cross-check addresses against USPS records, and some will not accept a CMRA as a business's only address. We show you what qualifies and how to get one — read the guide
A business phone number, listed in the directories that underwriters and verification services actually check
Email on your own domain — you@yourbusiness.com, not a free inbox
Your free D‑U‑N‑S number registered with Dun & Bradstreet, which is what opens a business credit file at all

This gives your business a clean, verifiable profile. It does not guarantee credit, a loan, or approval by anyone — no one can promise that, and you should be wary of anybody who does. What it does is remove the avoidable reasons a business gets declined before its numbers are ever read. Some pieces carry their own cost: a qualifying address and a phone line are yours to pay for, and we will tell you the range before you commit to either.

And throughout

Access to the volunteer-attorney and CPA network
You pay the state's filing fee. Nothing to us.
Approved applicants receive a scheduled start date

Footing — $249–399

Already operating, and the entity needs doing or redoing.

Everything in Groundwork
Fixing a structure that was set up wrong
Assumed-name and registration cleanup
Sales-tax registration where you need it
Plus state filing fees, shown before we start

Foundation — $899–1,299

The whole back office, built at once.

Everything in Footing
Contracts pack — client, contractor, and NDA templates
Brand basics and a usable asset pack
A starter website on your own domain
Written policies where your business needs them

Backbone — $39–59 a month

So the foundation doesn't rot after we leave.

Annual report filed on time, every year
Compliance calendar kept current
Document storage and records upkeep
A channel for the questions that come after launch
State fees passed through at cost

How we decide: underwriting

Every application goes through underwriting. It is not a credit check and there is nothing to prove on paper — it is a short review of where your business genuinely stands, so that free help reaches the founders who need it and the people who can pay are the ones funding it.

What underwriting looks at

Whether the business is carrying itself yet
Whether it pays you, consistently
Whether revenue covers costs, or everything still goes back in
What you're asking for, and how much of it there is
Whether a few hundred dollars would genuinely set you back
What we have the capacity to take on responsibly

We take your word for where you are. There is no income statement to submit and no means test.

Apply

A short application. Free whichever way the decision goes.

Underwriting review

We look at where the business actually stands and decide which tier fits. Usually within five business days.

Approved or declined

Either way you get a straight answer and the reason for it. Approved for Groundwork means the work is free.

Start date

Approved applicants are scheduled. We tell you when we begin rather than leaving you waiting.

Add-ons

Priced per project, quoted before anything starts.

Starter website	$1,500–3,500
Custom app build	$5,000–15,000+
Brand and logo	$500–2,000
Certification prep — Charlotte SBE, NCSBE	$500–1,500
Federal 8(a) preparation	$2,500–7,500

The things people actually want to know

How do I know if I qualify for the free tier?

Apply and we will tell you. Underwriting looks at whether the business is carrying itself yet — not how long you have been going, and not whether you have already registered. If it is not yet supporting you, you are the founder Groundwork exists for. There is nothing to prove on paper; we take your word for where you are.

Why is it free for some and not others?

Because the barrier we exist to remove is cost, and an established business has already cleared it. A company that carries itself, pays its founder, and covers its costs can afford a few hundred dollars for professional help. Charging it is precisely what funds the founder behind it who cannot.

What happens if I am declined?

You get a straight answer and the reason. In almost every case a decline for Groundwork simply means the business is established enough to pay, and we will quote you the tier that fits along with a payment plan if you want one. We do not leave people guessing, and being declined for the free tier does not mean we will not work with you.

How long until you start?

Approved applicants are given a start date rather than an open-ended wait. We take on what we can genuinely deliver, so there is sometimes a queue — we would rather tell you when we can begin than begin badly.

What if I can't afford the tier I fall into?

Tell us. We offer payment plans — the full price split over three monthly payments, no interest and no fee. We would rather spread it than turn you away. What we don't do is quietly discount, because that isn't fair to the founders who paid.

How does a payment plan actually work?

The first payment comes before work starts, and the remaining two are due on the same date each of the next two months. Work is delivered in stages that line up with the payments, so you always have what you have paid for. If a payment fails we pause the remaining work and talk to you — we don't send anyone to collections and we don't take back what's already yours. Your entity stays formed, your accounts stay in your name, and your files stay yours. What pauses is our further work, until the plan is back on track or we agree a different arrangement.

Do you pay my filing fees?

Usually not. Government filing fees are paid to the state, not to us — forming an LLC in North Carolina costs $125 to the Secretary of State. We keep a small fund to help founders who genuinely can't cover it, and we'll always tell you the amount before any work starts.

Is the volunteer attorney really free?

Yes, when a volunteer with the right expertise is available. Our network is licensed professionals donating hours. We don't charge you for the introduction and they don't charge you for the time they've donated. If your matter needs more than a volunteer can give, we'll say so rather than stretch it.

Is there a catch?

No. The tiers above are the whole price list. We don't upsell, we don't take equity, and we don't put our name on your accounts — your Stripe, your domain, your payment processing stay in your name.

Start where you are.

The application is free whichever tier you land in, and takes a few minutes.

Apply for support