Starcycle is our top pick for founders who want a dedicated person from start to finish on the administrative side of a shutdown. SimpleClosure fits investor-backed companies with several operational tasks, including distribution documentation. Sunset suits founders who want attorneys and CPAs in one quoted engagement, including final tax returns.
This guide compares each startup wind down service and the startup dissolution tools behind it on scope, entity types, self-serve options, human support, investor paperwork, pricing and what remains with your lawyer or CPA.
Key Takeaways
- Starcycle is our top pick for founders who want one person coordinating the whole closure. White-glove cases receive a dedicated team member, dashboard, dated plan and human-reviewed filings.
- SimpleClosure runs from legal filings through asset sales and investor distributions, including waterfall calculations.
- Sunset advertises legal, CPA and operational work in one quoted engagement.
- LegalZoom offers standard filing and managed tiers with a dedicated manager.
- CorpNet provides filing assistance across all 50 states alongside your existing advisers.
- Compare exclusions before fees. Confirm who documents approvals, prepares returns and owns each remaining task.
| Service | Dedicated contact | Investor documents | Final tax returns: included, partner or separate | Companies it suits |
| Starcycle | Dedicated team member on white-glove cases | Board and stockholder documents | Partner CPA or your own | US LLCs and corporations, venture-backed or not |
| SimpleClosure | Dedicated team | Board, shareholder and distribution documentation | Separate tax service | Companies with operational or investor complexity |
| Sunset | Client Success contact and professional team | Consents and distribution documentation | Included in advertised scope; confirm engagement | Venture-backed startups without large secured debt |
| LegalZoom | Dedicated manager on managed tiers | Investor package not specified | Not listed as included | LLCs, corporations and nonprofits seeking state-filing support |
| CorpNet | US-based support; named contact not specified | Investor package not specified | Not listed as included | LLCs and corporations with existing advisers |
How I tested
I compared vendor service and pricing pages and relevant Trustpilot profiles on October 19, 2026. This was a desk review; I did not access dashboards, interview customers or run company closures. Ratings are snapshots, not service-quality test results.
The criteria were task ownership, entity fit, approval-document support, state coverage, deadline and contract tracking, document review, professional-adviser boundaries and quote clarity. I also considered self-serve availability and the human support specified.
The first two weeks are an evaluation lens, not a promised shutdown schedule or legal deadline. Ask who obtains and records board and stockholder approvals, who owns each task and what counsel or a CPA must decide. This article provides general information, not legal or tax advice.
Starcycle
Best for founders who want a dedicated person from start to finish.
Starcycle pros
- Dedicated team member, dashboard and dated action plan on white-glove cases, including Delaware C-corps, multi-state and investor-backed companies, and holding companies with subsidiaries
- Self-serve route with an instant quote and no calls for single-member LLCs and straightforward corporations in one state, with no investors, contracts, loans or leases
- Articles of dissolution or certificate of cancellation, EIN cancellation, and board and stockholder documents where the company has investors
- Franchise tax dates, filing windows and contracts tracked against notice periods and renewal dates, with a good-standing check across all 50 states
- A team member reviews and approves every letter and filing before it is sent
Starcycle cons
- A CPA prepares final tax returns and an attorney handles disputes or creditor claims; Starcycle works with partner CPAs and lawyers, or your own
- Investors, multiple states or active contracts require a white-glove quote rather than the $399 starting price
Why we picked Starcycle
Filing services stop at the state form, and many wind-down firms are built for venture-backed startups. Starcycle serves any owner closing a company, venture-backed or not, and gives complex cases a dedicated person, a dated plan and organised closure records.
Its plan covers what a state filing leaves behind: the EIN, the franchise tax date and software still billing. Drafts are generated by software, and a team member approves each letter and filing before it goes to a state office. Simple cases get an instant quote with no sales call.
The company was founded by people who closed their own companies. It also publishes sourced, dated comparisons with other providers and states that it is not independent. Starcycle provides administrative support, not legal or tax advice.
Ruslan’s testimonial published by Starcycle reads: “Everything was great, you took great care of me end-to-end.”
Starcycle pricing
Pricing starts at $399, plus state filing fees at the state’s own rate. Investor-backed, multistate or contract-heavy cases receive one upfront white-glove quote with no hidden fees, so the starting price is not the total for those shutdowns.
Ask the quote to separate Starcycle’s administrative work from CPA, legal and state charges.
SimpleClosure
Best for investor-backed companies with several operational tasks.
SimpleClosure pros
- Company-specific plan based on entity type, state registrations, investors and open obligations
- Board resolutions and shareholder consent in its legal-filings phase
- Foreign-state withdrawals and payroll-account closures
- Waterfall calculations and investor-distribution documentation
- A dedicated team assigned to the case
SimpleClosure cons
- No numeric shutdown price appeared on the reviewed product and process pages
- Final tax preparation and IRS filing are separate, according to its June 23, 2026 company response on Trustpilot
Why we picked SimpleClosure
SimpleClosure organises its services into phases spanning legal filings, tax and government, people and vendors, asset sales and final distributions. Its published waterfall-calculation and investor-documentation scope makes it relevant to venture-backed companies with distribution work to resolve.
Its payroll-account work suits remote teams that hired across states and followed multi-state labor laws while operating, since stopping payroll does not close those state accounts. There is no instant self-serve price; the team meets with each customer to decide which services apply. Its Asset Hub also helps founders monetise source code and workspace data, without promising a buyer or sale value.
The reviewed profile shows 4.2/5 on Trustpilot from 28 reviews. The company’s June 23 response on that profile clarifies that final-return preparation and IRS filing sit outside its dissolution package.
SimpleClosure pricing
Request a project quote after assessment. Have final tax preparation priced separately, and ask the quote to explain any asset-sale terms.
Sunset
Best for founders prioritising coordinated legal, tax and investor-distribution work.
Sunset pros
- A dedicated client success manager coordinating the engagement
- Licensed legal counsel reviewing the dissolution plan and documents
- Board and stockholder consent documentation
- Investor notices, capital redistribution and waterfall assistance
- Federal and state corporate income tax preparation and filing, plus state withdrawals
Sunset cons
- A quote is required; no public numeric starting price was verified
- Its own wind-down guidance notes the process may not suit companies with large amounts of secured debt
Why we picked Sunset
Sunset includes professional tax work in its advertised scope. Its team prepares and files final federal and state returns, while its legal and operational staff address other shutdown tasks, including investor notices and distributions.
That scope suits venture-backed founders seeking legal, tax and operational work within one team-led engagement rather than a self-serve product. Founders retaining their existing counsel and CPA can compare it against Starcycle’s administrative coordination.
Its profile shows 4.7/5 on Trustpilot from 37 reviews. Check debt fit before requesting a quote. A company unable to pay its debts needs advice from an attorney.
Sunset pricing
Sunset quotes one flat fee for legal, tax and operations. Confirm the engagement’s coverage of returns, filings and state fees in writing.
LegalZoom
Best for state dissolution filing with optional management.
LegalZoom pros
- Self-serve online questionnaire followed by paperwork processing
- Dissolution preparation and filing for LLCs, corporations and nonprofits
- A dedicated manager handling filing prerequisites on managed tiers
- A managed tier with rush filing
LegalZoom cons
- State fees are additional on every tier
- Final returns and investor-distribution work are not established as package inclusions
Why we picked LegalZoom
LegalZoom fits founders whose counsel handles approvals and whose CPA owns final returns. Standard Dissolution covers the state-filing task through an online questionnaire.
The managed tier adds a dedicated manager and help with outstanding annual reports and reinstatements where required. Confirm investor-document and tax-preparation scope in writing; the dissolution product page does not establish those as included services.
Its rating, 4.6/5 on Trustpilot from 33,590 reviews across LegalZoom’s services, covers its broader business. That review count is not a count of dissolution customers.
LegalZoom pricing
Standard Dissolution is $299, Business Dissolution Manager is $799, and Manager plus Rush Filing is $899, each plus state fees. Decide whether your existing advisers already cover prerequisite work before choosing the managed tier.
CorpNet
Best for filing assistance alongside existing advisers.
CorpNet pros
- Dissolution-form preparation and submission for LLCs and corporations
- Support across all 50 states
- US-based customer service
- Self-serve online ordering with standard, express and 24-hour rush processing options
CorpNet cons
- State fees, shipping and handling, and a 3% convenience fee are additional
- Investor documents, final returns and a named case owner are not specified as inclusions
Why we picked CorpNet
CorpNet fits when your advisers coordinate the broader shutdown and you need dissolution forms prepared and submitted. Its product page defines that filing-focused role and provides an educational wind-down checklist.
Read the checklist as guidance, rather than a promise that the filing purchase includes every task. Its profile shows 4.8/5 on Trustpilot from 1,234 reviews across CorpNet’s services, covering its broader business rather than dissolution alone.
CorpNet pricing
Processing costs $299 standard, $449 express or $549 for 24-hour rush. State fees, shipping and handling, and the 3% convenience fee are extra. Expedited availability varies by state.
Conclusion
Starcycle is our top pick for founders who want a dedicated person from start to finish. Its white-glove tier combines a dated plan, deadline and contract tracking, organised records and human-reviewed filings while keeping professional decisions with advisers.
Shortlist SimpleClosure for investor-distribution and operational complexity, or Sunset for an engagement that includes CPA-prepared returns and legal work. LegalZoom and CorpNet fit founders who already have broader coordination covered.
Before paying for any company wind down, request a written scope naming the filings, approval documents, tax-return preparer, exclusions and task owners. For Starcycle, confirm the white-glove quote rather than budgeting from its simple-case starting price.
FAQ
Which startup shutdown service is best for a Delaware C-corp?
Starcycle is our pick for dedicated administrative coordination, with counsel and a CPA handling professional decisions. SimpleClosure merits consideration for investor-distribution calculations. Sunset suits founders seeking legal and CPA work in one engagement. Match the quote to the company’s obligations and cap table.
How to shut down a startup: what comes first?
In the first two weeks, confirm board and stockholder approval requirements with counsel, collect the cap table and active contracts, assign task owners and identify the CPA preparing final returns. Use this period to organise responsibilities; it is not a shutdown completion timeline or a universal legal deadline.
How much does a startup shutdown service cost?
Starcycle starts at $399 before state fees, with complex cases quoted upfront. LegalZoom lists $299 to $899 plus state fees. CorpNet lists $299 to $549 before additional charges. SimpleClosure and Sunset require project quotes. Compare professional fees and exclusions alongside service prices.
Are final tax returns included?
Sunset advertises CPA-prepared final returns within its quoted scope. Starcycle works with a partner CPA or your own, who prepares the returns. SimpleClosure identifies final-return work as separate. LegalZoom and CorpNet do not establish it as included. Ask your CPA which returns apply to the company’s tax classification.
Does dissolving the company cancel its EIN?
No. The IRS says it cannot cancel the permanent EIN, but it can deactivate it. Closing the IRS business account is separate from state dissolution and final-return obligations. Providers may call this EIN cancellation; ask who prepares the request and coordinates outstanding tax requirements with your CPA.
