Company formation
Pick the place. We do the filing.
Where a company is formed decides who can be a director, what has to be local, which accounts you can open and how tax works. We help you choose, then prepare the filing with you.
In depth
Four places, a page each.
The jurisdictions we're asked about most, with the timeline, the documents and the yearly filings.
- Hong Kong companyA private limited company with the registered office and company secretary Hong Kong requires.See the service
- US companyA Delaware or Wyoming LLC, its federal tax number, and the papers banks ask to see.See the service
- UK limited companyRegistered at Companies House, with a UK registered office and the identity checks the register asks for.See the service
- Dubai free-zone companyA UAE free-zone licence you own outright, with a residence visa and Emirates ID if you want them.See the service
Compare
What each one asks of you.
The local pieces, whether you travel, and what the public can see. True for a typical setup; your structure can change the details.
| Place | Company type | What must be local | Visit needed | Owners on a public register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong | Company typePrivate company limited by shares | What must be localA registered office and a company secretary in Hong Kong | Visit neededNo | Owners on a public registerShareholders, yes |
| United States | Company typeLLC, in Delaware or Wyoming | What must be localA registered agent in the state | Visit neededNo | Owners on a public registerNot on the formation filing |
| United Kingdom | Company typePrivate company limited by shares | What must be localA registered office address in the UK | Visit neededNo; identity is verified online | Owners on a public registerDirectors and controllers, yes |
| UAE free zone | Company typeFree-zone company (FZCO or FZ-LLC) | What must be localA licence and an office or desk in the zone | Visit neededFor the residence visa | Owners on a public registerFiled with the authority, not published |
More jurisdictions
Somewhere else? Ask.
We form companies in these places through partners we know. Each card opens an email with the place in the subject.
- SingaporePrivate limited (Pte. Ltd.)Registered with ACRA. Needs at least one director who lives in Singapore, a local registered address and a company secretary.Inquire about Singapore
- EstoniaPrivate limited (OÜ)Often run online through e-Residency. Needs an Estonian address and, when the board sits abroad, a local contact person.Inquire about Estonia
- IrelandPrivate company limited by shares (LTD)Registered with the CRO. Needs a director resident in the EEA, or a bond in place of one, and a company secretary.Inquire about Ireland
- GermanyGmbH, or the smaller UGSigned before a German notary. A GmbH needs €25,000 of share capital, at least half paid in before registration.Inquire about Germany
- AustraliaProprietary limited (Pty Ltd)Registered with ASIC. Needs at least one director who ordinarily lives in Australia, and a local registered office.Inquire about Australia
- Delaware and WyomingLLCBoth are on the US company page, with the tax numbers and the address that follow.See the US company
How to choose
Three questions decide most of it.
- Where are your customers and providers?
- Some payment providers and banks only take companies from certain countries. Start from the accounts you need.
- Where do you live?
- Some places need a resident director or a visit. Others can be run from anywhere.
- What will you file each year?
- Annual returns, accounts, audits and tax returns differ a lot. The cheapest company to form isn't always the cheapest to keep.
- Who needs to see the owners?
- Some registers are public. Others are filed privately with the authority. None of them is anonymous.
Which jurisdiction should I choose?
Start from three facts: where your customers and providers are, where you live and pay tax, and which accounts you need. Tell us those in your email and we'll say which places fit and why.
Does forming a company abroad change my personal tax?
Not by itself. Where you live and where the company is managed often matter more than where it's registered. Ask a tax adviser where you live; we don't give tax advice.
Do you form companies in places not listed?
Sometimes, through partners we trust. Ask. If we can't help, we'll say so rather than pass you on blind.
Will a bank account come with the company?
No company comes with an account. Banks and providers run their own checks and decide. We prepare the applications with you as a separate service.
What does e-Residency give me in Estonia?
A digital identity that lets you form and run an Estonian company online. You collect the card in person at a pickup point, which can be outside Estonia.
Tell us where you trade.
Your customers, where you live, and the accounts you need. We reply with the places that fit and what each would take.
Talk to us: [email protected]
The fee and the current timing come in the reply. Institutions run their own checks and decide.