The boring stuff, sorted
Company formation
You can do this yourself in about twenty minutes, and for most people that is the right answer. Formation agents are worth it when you want the extras bundled, not because the registration itself is hard.
Best fit for you
These are the things that actually decide it. Find the line that sounds like you.
- Straight from Companies House You have a UK address you are happy to publish, one or two directors, and a simple share split. £100, done the same day.
- A formation agent You want a registered office address so your home address stays off the public record, or a bank account and accounting bundled with it.
- An accountant does it You are going to use one anyway, and would rather the share structure and year end were set up with the tax in mind from the start.
What catches people out
- Your registered office address is public. So is a correspondence address for every director. If that is your home, this is the decision to make now rather than unpick later.
- The default year end is the end of the month you incorporated in. It is easy to change now and a nuisance later.
- "Free formation" offers are usually paid for by a bank account you have to open or a subscription that starts after month three. Read what the second year costs.
Your pal saysNo provider is named on this page on purpose. CompanyPal has no commercial deals yet, and a “best buy” we haven’t actually checked would be worth less than nothing to you. We’ll tell you when real ones land.
Is this one of yours?
The plan builder works out which of these apply to what you’re actually starting, and which you can ignore.