How to Choose a Startup Shutdown Service: 5 Providers Reviewed

Starcycle is my first pick among startup shutdown services for founders who want coordinated administrative support for shutdown plans, deadlines, contracts and filings. SimpleClosure fits companies that need payroll tax account closure or help assessing remaining assets. Sunset suits founders seeking legal, tax and operational support within a managed wind-down engagement.

In this post, we will cover each provider’s responsibilities, support options, published fees and the work that remains with you or your advisers.

Key Takeaways

• Starcycle is the top pick for coordinated administrative closure, with self-serve and white-glove routes and human document review.
• SimpleClosure offers payroll tax account closure and Asset Hub; confirm which services your quote includes.
• Sunset advertises legal, tax and operational professionals within one managed engagement.
• LegalZoom offers standard and managed dissolution packages; CorpNet provides filing preparation with live support.
• Compare responsibilities and total costs, including government charges, outstanding taxes and professional-adviser fees.

Startup Shutdown Services Compared

“Separate” means the owner arranges that work outside the provider’s package.

How I Tested

I compared each startup wind down service using a desk-based review of service descriptions, pricing and scope disclosures on each provider’s own site, checked on October 19, 2026. I did not purchase packages, complete dissolutions, test dashboards, measure response times or assign numerical scores.

The criteria were scope beyond state filing, entity complexity, self-serve versus managed support, human accountability, document and deadline organization, pricing clarity and the stated tax and legal boundaries. I included two filing services alongside the managed options, since many founders weigh full services against simpler startup dissolution tools. The ranking prioritizes administrative coordination for a solvent, founder-led company.

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What Founders Need in the First Two Weeks of a Company Wind Down

Knowing how to shut down a startup begins with three tasks. The board and stockholders approve the dissolution, usually through written consents. Someone builds a dated plan covering state filings, franchise tax, payroll, contracts and records, and every task gets an owner.

That last step matters most when choosing a provider. Get in writing what the provider handles and what stays with your lawyer or CPA, especially final returns, contract notices, creditor issues and record retention. If the company cannot pay its debts or faces a dispute, consult qualified counsel before proceeding.

1. Starcycle

Best for founders who want a dedicated person from start to finish. An assigned team member supports complex cases.

Starcycle Pros

• Mostly yes/no intake routes each case to self-serve or white-glove support and builds a tailored, dated action plan.
• Tracks franchise tax dates, filing windows and contract renewal dates, with an automatic good-standing check across all 50 states.
• A team member reviews and approves every letter and filing before it is sent.

Starcycle Cons

• Self-serve requires one state, no investors and no active contracts, loans, leases or subscriptions; other cases need a white-glove quote.
• A partner CPA or the client’s own prepares final returns; legal advice and insolvency work remain with counsel.

Why We Picked Starcycle

I put Starcycle first because it serves both ends of the market, from a single-member LLC to an investor-backed Delaware C-corp, and connects state filings, EIN cancellation, deadlines, contracts and records in one plan. A person approves every document, and simple cases get an instant quote without a sales call. It is an administrative service and does not provide legal or tax advice.

On Starcycle’s reviews page, Ruslan writes: “Everything was great, you took great care of me end-to-end.”

Starcycle Pricing

The comparison page lists a starting service price of $399, with state filing fees charged at the state’s own rate. Investor-backed, multi-state and active-contract cases receive one upfront white-glove quote with no hidden fees, so $399 is not a universal total. Budget separately for government charges, outstanding taxes, CPA fees and any legal work.

2. SimpleClosure

Best for founders coordinating shutdown with payroll and asset work.

SimpleClosure Pros

• Covers dissolution in the state of incorporation, foreign state withdrawals and franchise tax filings.
• Closes state payroll accounts as part of its tax and government work.
• Asset Hub helps founders monetize company assets, including data, to recover value during shutdown.

SimpleClosure Cons

• No general shutdown price or self-serve route is listed on its services page.
• Final tax preparation and filing stay with the client’s CPA, according to the company’s own materials.

Why We Picked SimpleClosure

I ranked SimpleClosure second for its payroll-account closure work and its Asset Hub marketplace. Closing state payroll tax accounts involves agency paperwork beyond stopping payroll payments. Its services also cover investor tax documentation and final investor communication alongside dissolution.

SimpleClosure Pricing

Request a written, itemized quote for dissolution, payroll account closure and any Asset Hub engagement. Arrange final tax returns separately with a CPA. Do not assume these services are bundled.

3. Sunset

Best for venture-backed founders seeking coordinated legal, tax and operational support.

Sunset Pros

• A dedicated client success manager works alongside licensed legal counsel and tax professionals.
• Advertises federal and state corporate income tax preparation and filing, plus IRS Form 966 and EIN cancellation.
• Offers Delaware dissolution filings and state withdrawals across all foreign-qualified states.

Sunset Cons

• No numeric fee or self-serve package was established; entity eligibility and engagement boundaries require confirmation.
• Bookkeeping cleanup, 1099 filings and payroll taxes are scoped separately as needed.

Why We Picked Sunset

Sunset earns the third slot for coordinating professional services with operational closure. Its included tax preparation is useful when final returns need attention alongside dissolution, the last point where tax planning still affects what the company owes. Founders should confirm which legal and tax tasks the engagement includes rather than treating the team description as a complete scope of work.

Sunset Pricing

Sunset advertises one managed engagement and fee, but the reviewed material did not establish a dollar amount. Request a quote covering legal work, tax preparation, state withdrawals and any bookkeeping or payroll work. Confirm how government charges and outstanding taxes are treated.

4. LegalZoom

Best for choosing between standard and managed state-filing support.

LegalZoom Pros

• Standard Dissolution works as a self-serve route: owners answer questions online and LegalZoom prepares and files the paperwork for LLCs, corporations and nonprofits.
• Managed packages add a dedicated dissolution manager.
• The managed service includes relevant annual-report or reinstatement work; a rush filing tier is available.

LegalZoom Cons

• State filing fees are additional on every tier.
• Contract tracking, payroll account closure, IRS business account closure and final returns are not listed as included.

Why We Picked LegalZoom

LegalZoom deserves consideration for its managed option, which goes beyond preparing the dissolution form. A dedicated manager and relevant annual-report or reinstatement work can help an owner address filing prerequisites. Ask for written confirmation of responsibilities beyond the advertised package.

LegalZoom Pricing

The official page listed Standard Dissolution at $299, Business Dissolution Manager at $799 and Business Dissolution Manager + Rush Filing at $899. State filing fees are additional on all three options.

5. CorpNet

Best for state filing with live support.

CorpNet Pros

• Prepares and submits dissolution forms for LLCs and corporations.
• Advertises coverage across all 50 states.
• Online ordering serves as a self-serve route, backed by live phone support and three published processing tiers.

CorpNet Cons

• Prices exclude state fees, a 3% convenience fee and shipping and handling; faster tiers are unavailable in some states.
• Faster tiers speed up CorpNet’s own handling, but state processing times still apply.

Why We Picked CorpNet

CorpNet provides a filing-focused option for owners who already have advisers or can coordinate the remaining work. Its three processing tiers let owners choose how quickly CorpNet prepares and submits the paperwork. Confirm what each tier covers rather than treating its name as a promised state approval date.

CorpNet Pricing

The pricing page listed $299 for standard dissolution, $449 for express and $549 for the 24 Hour Rush Processing tier. Add state fees, the 3% convenience fee and shipping and handling. Confirm whether faster processing is available in your state.

Conclusion

Starcycle is my top pick for administrative coordination, with a tailored plan, deadline tracking, contract tracking and human approval of documents. SimpleClosure merits consideration for payroll-account closure or asset work; Sunset suits venture-backed founders seeking coordinated legal and tax support. LegalZoom and CorpNet offer filing routes for owners managing the remaining work with their advisers.

Whichever you choose, confirm in writing what the provider leaves to your lawyer or CPA before work begins.

FAQ

Which startup shutdown service is best for founders?

Starcycle is my first pick for coordinated administrative closure. The right fit still depends on entity complexity and whether you need separate payroll, asset, legal or tax services. Compare the written scope before choosing.

How do I shut down a startup?

Get board and stockholder approval, then file dissolution in the state of incorporation and withdraw from any other states. Close the IRS business account, file final returns, close payroll accounts, cancel contracts and keep the records. A startup wind down service can coordinate the administrative steps, while counsel and a CPA handle legal and tax decisions.

How much does a dissolution service cost?

Published service fees start at $399 for Starcycle and $299 for LegalZoom and CorpNet, before additional charges. SimpleClosure and Sunset require written quotes. Government fees, outstanding taxes and professional-adviser costs are separate budget categories.

Does state dissolution cancel an EIN?

No. Closing the IRS business account is separate from state dissolution. The IRS can deactivate an EIN, but the number remains the entity’s permanent federal taxpayer identifier. State filing also does not establish that payroll, creditor, contract or record-retention work is finished.

Who prepares final tax returns?

Sunset includes federal and state income tax preparation in its engagement. Starcycle tracks the dates while a partner CPA or your own prepares the returns. SimpleClosure leaves tax filing to the client’s CPA, and LegalZoom and CorpNet do not list it in their dissolution packages. Let your CPA determine required forms, including whether Form 966 applies.