Aiden vs Clerky.

Clerky is Y Combinator's historic favourite for Delaware C-Corps. It excels at one thing: quality legal documentation for raising a Series A. It's limited at everything else.

Aiden Startup PRO Delaware · $99/mo

Clerky $819 Company Lifetime (one-time) · C-Corp only

If you're going through YC in the coming months, Clerky is probably the right choice for your legal documents. For any other case (LLC, bootstrapped founders, ongoing compliance), Aiden solves more for less.

See the comparison table

Why founders switch
a Aiden.

Aiden covers LLC, not just C-Corp

Clerky is Delaware C-Corp only. If your model is bootstrapped or consulting, an LLC is probably the better option. Aiden gives you both.

Ongoing compliance included

Clerky gives you the legal documents and that's it. Form 5472, Franchise Tax, tax filing — all handled by your external CPA. Aiden includes it.

Spanish-speaking advisor + Lunnar AI

Clerky is 100% English and self-service. Aiden has a human advisor + its own AI that knows your data.

Full comparison.

What each one offers, marked in green. No bias.

Feature	Aiden PRO Delaware	Clerky
Setup	$299 (one-time)	$819 Company Lifetime (one-off payment)
Annual docs renewal	— (included)	included (lifetime)
Delaware C-Corp
Delaware LLC
UK Limited
EIN obtained		self-service
Registered agent		$200/year separately
Legal templates for fundraising	yes (US lawyers)	yes (top-tier, YC standard)
83(b) election
Form 5472 + tax filing	Aiden Tax Filing	external
Franchise Tax DE · management		external
Aiden Books · invoices and documents		external
Human advisor		self-service
Spanish-speaking support
Lunnar AI
Mobile app
Brand recognition with YC	media	very high

When it's better for each.

We're not going to tell you Aiden always wins. There are cases where it doesn't.

When Clerky is better

Cases where it would be honest to recommend the competition.

You're going through YC or applying
Y Combinator recommends Clerky directly. Its legal templates are what you'd expect in a Series A round with a top-tier fund. If this is your path, Clerky is the obvious choice.
You have co-founders and a complex cap table ahead
Clerky excels at stock issuance, vesting schedules and SAFE notes. If you'll have 3+ co-founders with complex allocations, Clerky handles that part better.
You want maximum self-service
Clerky has no human advisor (by design). If you prefer self-service and know exactly what you're doing, this is an advantage for you.

When Aiden is better

Cases where the difference is real and measurable.

You're not going through YC or an immediate Series A
If your plan is to bootstrap or raise later with non-tier-1 VCs, Clerky's advantage (Cooley templates) no longer applies. Aiden gives you more for less.
You want an LLC, not a C-Corp
An LLC is better for bootstrapping, consulting, and when you're not raising. Clerky is C-Corp only. If you want an LLC, Aiden handles it for you.
Ongoing compliance without hiring a CPA
Clerky hands you the docs and says goodbye. Aiden manages the day to day: Franchise Tax, Aiden Books and a dedicated advisor; the federal tax filing (Form 5472) is ordered separately as Aiden Tax Filing.
Language and a human advisor
Clerky is 100% English and self-service. Aiden has a dedicated Spanish-speaking advisor.

Examples of common situations

Does any of this sound familiar?

What follows is not a client testimonial: it is a hypothetical example built from situations we solve every day.

Hypothetical example

When you are not raising capital (yet)

A common situation: Clerky is built for C-Corps headed to Y Combinator, but your plan is to invoice through an LLC with no investors. Paying for venture paperwork you will not use adds nothing: with Aiden you set up the LLC with its compliance and an advisor, and if you ever need the C-Corp, you assess it then.

What everyone people ask us.

If I'm going through YC, should I use Clerky instead of Aiden?

Probably yes, at least for the legal side of the C-Corp. YC itself recommends Clerky. But Clerky doesn't do ongoing compliance — for that, you'll still need an external CPA or Aiden.

Does Aiden offer legal templates for a Series A?

Aiden offers legal templates reviewed by standard US lawyers. They're not the exact Cooley LLP templates that Clerky uses and that YC recognises. If you're raising a Series A with a tier-1 fund, Clerky has the edge on that specific dimension.

Can I use Clerky for the docs and Aiden for compliance?

Yes, absolutely. It is a common combination: Clerky for incorporation docs and SAFE/preferred stock issuance, Aiden for Franchise Tax, Aiden Books, advisor and the federal tax filing (Form 5472) as a separate service.

Clerky has plans starting at $0. How is Aiden cheaper?

Clerky has a free plan for basic drafting, but Company Lifetime (full C-Corp incorporation) is $819. And that's just the setup — ongoing compliance is external. Aiden covers company formation, registered address, Aiden Books, assisted banking and an advisor for $1,188/year. Annual federal tax filing (Form 5472) is contracted separately as Aiden Tax Filing.

Does Aiden handle the 83(b) election like Clerky?

Yes. The 83(b) election is included with Aiden. Clerky covers it too (in fact, it does it very well). On this specific dimension, they're equivalent.