Best Doola Alternative for Form 5472 Filing in 2026
Updated June 2026 · Reviewed by a Form 5472 specialist
Updated June 2026 · Reviewed by a Form 5472 specialist
The short answer
Key takeaways
form5472.tax is a focused doola alternative for the annual filing: it prepares and files Form 5472 with the pro forma Form 1120 for a flat $299, versus doola's $1,999-per-year bundle — a saving of up to $1,700.
Doola is a well-known formation-and-compliance platform that bundles many services into one annual fee. For founders who only need the legally-required Form 5472 filing, that bundle is far more than they use — and far more than they need to pay. A focused specialist that does one thing well is the better fit.
form5472.tax prepares and files exactly what a foreign-owned single-member LLC must file each year: Form 5472 attached to a pro forma Form 1120. The price is a flat $299, with no add-ons. Against doola's roughly $1,999 annual compliance bundle, that is a saving of up to $1,700 for the same required filing.
Doola's total-compliance package is around $1,999 per year; form5472.tax charges a flat $299 for the Form 5472 and pro forma 1120. For an LLC that only needs the 5472, that is a saving of about $1,700.
| Provider | Annual price | What it covers | Saving vs doola |
|---|---|---|---|
| form5472.tax | $299 | Form 5472 + pro forma 1120, filed | — |
| doola | ~$1,999/year | Bundled total compliance | Up to $1,700 |
Source: published provider pricing, June 2026.
The math is simple and it repeats. Form 5472 is an annual obligation, so a founder who pays doola's bundle every year is paying roughly $1,700 more per year than they would for the focused filing. Over three years that is more than $5,000 in difference for the same legally required return.
Yes. Your LLC, EIN, and bank account stay exactly as they are — they are yours, not doola's. You simply use form5472.tax for the annual Form 5472 filing instead of renewing doola's compliance bundle.
Switching is painless because there is nothing to move. When you formed your LLC through doola, the LLC was registered with the state in your name, your EIN was issued to the entity, and your bank account belongs to the LLC. None of that is doola's property. You can stop renewing doola's annual plan and file your Form 5472 through a specialist without touching the entity at all.
| Item | Affected by switching? |
|---|---|
| Your LLC registration | No — stays as is |
| Your EIN | No — belongs to the entity |
| Your business bank account | No — unaffected |
| Who files your Form 5472 | Yes — form5472.tax instead of doola |
| What you pay per year | Yes — $299 instead of ~$1,999 |
Source: form5472.tax, June 2026.
The broader switcher guide on switching from doola or Firstbase walks through the same transition for either provider.
No. Your LLC is registered with the state and owned by you; doola is a service provider, not the owner. Stopping doola's annual plan does not affect your LLC, EIN, or bank account — you only change who files your Form 5472.
This is the most common fear, and it is unfounded. A service provider that helped you form an LLC does not own the LLC — you do. The entity exists at the state level, independent of any platform. Ending a compliance subscription is like switching accountants: the business is untouched; only the service relationship ends.
The one thing you must not drop is the filing itself. Whether you use doola, a specialist, or do it yourself, the Form 5472 must still be filed each year — missing it carries the $25,000 penalty. Switching providers changes who files; it never removes the obligation.
Doola bundles formation, registered agent, bookkeeping, and other services into its annual fee. form5472.tax is focused: it files the Form 5472 and pro forma 1120 you are legally required to file. If you only need the filing, you pay only for the filing.
It is fair to be clear about the trade-off. Doola's higher price reflects a broader bundle — formation, registered agent, bookkeeping, and assorted compliance extras. Some founders genuinely use those services. The question is whether you do.
| Service | doola bundle | form5472.tax | Do you need it yearly? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form 5472 + pro forma 1120 filing | Included | Yes — the focus | Yes — legally required |
| LLC formation | Included | Not needed (already formed) | One-time only |
| Registered agent | Included | Buy separately if needed | Maybe |
| Bookkeeping | Included | Not included | Optional |
Source: published provider offerings, June 2026.
If you need ongoing bookkeeping and a registered agent in one package, a bundle may suit you. But if your LLC is already formed and your only annual requirement is the Form 5472, paying ~$1,999 for a bundle to get a $299 filing is the definition of overpaying.
Yes, for the Form 5472 filing. form5472.tax is a flat $299 per year versus doola's roughly $1,999 annual bundle. Because Form 5472 is an annual obligation, the saving repeats every year you file.
The saving is not a one-time switching bonus — it is annual. Form 5472 must be filed every year the LLC has a reportable transaction, which for an active foreign-owned LLC is every year. So the gap between $299 and ~$1,999 recurs each year you stay compliant.
| Period | doola (~$1,999/yr) | form5472.tax ($299/yr) | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $1,999 | $299 | ~$1,700 |
| Years 1–2 | $3,998 | $598 | ~$3,400 |
| Years 1–3 | $5,997 | $897 | ~$5,100 |
Source: published provider pricing, June 2026.
For most non-resident founders, that recurring saving funds years of compliance for the price of a single doola renewal.
Same Form 5472 + pro forma 1120, filed by a specialist for a flat $299. Your LLC stays exactly as it is.