Snapfile vs other Form 5472 filing services — comparison
How Snapfile ($89 + fax) compares against 5472Direct ($199 + $49 fax), Form5472.online ($399), Simple5472 ($179), and hiring a US CPA ($500–$2,000) for a foreign-owned single-member LLC.
If you're a foreign founder looking for a Form 5472 filing service, you have five realistic options — Snapfile, 5472Direct, Form5472.online, Simple5472, and hiring a US CPA. This page compares them on price, what's included, and who each suits best, so you can choose without clicking through five different pricing pages.
The comparison
| Service | Price (1 year) | IRS fax included | CPA review | Late years (DIIRSP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snapfile | $89 | ✓ Always included | ✓ Every filing | +$69/year |
| 5472Direct | $199 + $49 fax = $248 | +$49 add-on | Unclear | $199/year each |
| Form5472.online | $399 (inactive) / $498 (active) | +$49 add-on | ✓ Named CPA | Per year |
| Simple5472 | $149 DIY / $199 faxed | +$50 add-on | ❌ Self-service only | Scaled tiers |
| US CPA | $500–$2,000 | Often extra | ✓ Full CPA review | +$300–$800/year |
Snapfile — $89, fax always included
Best for: the typical foreign founder — Wyoming / Delaware / NM single-member LLC, one or two related-party transactions (capital contributions + owner draws), needing a complete filing without the sticker shock.
Snapfile prepares Form 5472 + pro forma Form 1120 from 12 wizard questions, a qualified accountant reviews the package, and it gets faxed to the IRS Ogden PIN Unit the same day. Fax delivery is always included — there's no "basic" plan that self-faxes. Catch-up DIIRSP filings are $69 per additional past year.
5472Direct — $199 + $49 fax = $248 total
Best for: founders who want a self-service generator but are comfortable doing the faxing themselves for the base price (or will pay $49 for IRS delivery).
5472Direct charges $199 for the form preparation and another $49 if you want them to deliver it to the IRS. If you use the base $199 plan, you download the PDF and fax it yourself. The service has 8 Trustpilot reviews at 4.3 stars and is recommended by LLCUniversity.com — the highest-ranking Form 5472 information resource online.
Form5472.online — $399–$498
Best for: founders who specifically want a named, licensed CPA signing off and don't mind paying 4–5× more for the credential signal.
Form5472.online has 47 Trustpilot reviews at 4.8 stars and names Arik Rozen as their Head of Tax Filing. Their pricing reflects CPA-firm pricing more than automation pricing. Good if you need the "signed by a CPA" assurance — but for a standard single-member LLC Form 5472, the form itself is identical regardless of who prepares it.
Simple5472 — $149 DIY / $199 faxed
Best for: very price-conscious founders who are comfortable reviewing the output themselves and don't need professional review.
Simple5472 is a self-service document builder — they explicitly note they are "not a CPA firm, enrolled agent," and don't provide legal or tax advice. You answer questions, download the forms, and either mail or fax yourself (base plan) or pay $199 for fax-to-IRS. The output is the same forms — the trade-off is the absence of a human review step.
US CPA — $500–$2,000
Best for: founders with complex structures — multiple related parties, transfer pricing concerns, US-source income, or who need ongoing US tax advice beyond just the information return.
For a standard foreign-owned single-member LLC with a capital contribution and owner draws, hiring a CPA is economically unjustified — the form is the same regardless of preparer. CPAs earn their premium on complexity, judgment calls, and IRS representation. A routine Form 5472 doesn't require any of those.
What the form costs vs what you pay
Form 5472 + pro forma 1120 for a standard foreign-owned single-member LLC is a data entry task: 8 entity fields, 4 owner fields, and a handful of Part IV transaction totals. The IRS imposes the same $25,000 penalty whether a $2,000 CPA or an $89 automated service filed it. The penalty for an error (submitting substantially incomplete data) is also the same.
For most solo founders, the decision comes down to: do you need a named CPA on record (Form5472.online, US CPA), or do you need a correct form filed and delivered to the IRS at the lowest sensible cost (Snapfile, 5472Direct, Simple5472)?
Ready to file?
Start a Snapfile filing — 12 questions, $89, faxed to the IRS Ogden PIN Unit the same day with a transmission receipt emailed to you as proof. If you're catching up on missed years, add $69 per past year. No subscriptions, money-back if we fail to deliver.
Ready to file?
Snapfile prepares your Form 5472 + pro forma 1120 from 12 questions, faxes it to the IRS, and emails you the receipt. $89 all in.