Cheap company formation in the UK is open to almost any founder, wherever they live. The state fee to register a private limited company online is £100, the law sets no minimum share capital, and a single person can be both director and shareholder. Profits up to £50,000 are taxed at 19%.
The hard part is the price you do not see. No UK company is registered for free, because Companies House charges a fee for every incorporation. Offers sold as free recover it through a bank account or paid extras, such as the registered office. Since 18 November 2025, every director and person with significant control must also verify their identity.
This is where we come in. We form your company ourselves, from €350 with the £100 Companies House fee already in the price. We search the name, guide each identity check, prepare the articles and PSC details, file the application and build your bank file. One team, one written price and a company in about a week.
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UK Company Incorporation
Binderr
Corporate tax
19% (small profits) / 25% (main rate)
Time to Incorporate
1 Week
Cost
€350 (no pre-payment)
Why Cheap Company Formation in the UK Is Possible
Cheap company formation in the UK works because the government asks for little. There is one Companies House fee for an online application, no share capital, no company secretary and no rule on where directors live. Most of the cost comes later, in the address, the accounting and the bank account.
A £100 Companies House Fee
Since 1 February 2026, Companies House charges £100 to register a company online, £124 by post and £156 for same-day registration through software. An online application is usually registered within 24 hours, and a postal one takes 8 to 10 days. We file every application online, because it costs less and comes back sooner.
No Share Capital and No Company Secretary
The law sets no minimum share capital, so one £1 share is enough to form the company, and no deposit is needed before registration. You also skip the company secretary, which GOV.UK says a private limited company does not need. The minimum team is one director aged 16 or over who also holds the shares.
Cheap UK Company Formation in About a Week
These are the reasons a UK limited company suits low-cost company formation.
- £100 state fee: One Companies House fee covers the whole online application.
- No capital to deposit: A company can start with one share and no bank deposit.
- One person is enough: The same person can be the only director and shareholder.
- No secretary to pay: A private limited company does not need a company secretary.
- 19% on small profits: Profits up to £50,000 pay the small profits rate.
- Our full setup: From €350, the £100 fee inside, ready in about a week.
Low Yearly Fees at Companies House
After registration, the main Companies House charge is the confirmation statement fee: £50 a year online or £110 by post. Corporation Tax is usually set up when the company is registered.
Read more: the main benefits of a UK company.
Is Free Company Registration in the UK Possible
No. Companies House charges a fee for every incorporation, £100 online since 1 February 2026, so free company registration in the UK does not exist. When an offer is sold as free, someone else pays the fee and recovers it later. The useful number is what a complete company costs in its first year.
Why Free UK Company Registration Does Not Exist
There is no exemption for small companies, startups or founders abroad, so there is no way to register a company in the UK for free. The £100 is always paid, by you or by the business making the offer.
How Free UK Company Formation Offers Recover the Cost
Free UK company formation offers usually make their money elsewhere. A common model links the formation to a business account, which earns back the fee over time. Others charge for the extras a working company needs: a registered office, a service address, help with identity verification or the yearly confirmation statement filing.
What a Complete UK Company Setup Includes
This is what a complete setup includes, and how we handle each part.
What a complete setup covers | Why it matters | With us |
|---|---|---|
The £100 Companies House fee | No company is registered without it | Included in our price |
Identity verification for directors and PSCs | Required since 18 November 2025 | Guided by us, included |
Articles, statement of capital and PSC details | Part of every application | Prepared by us, included |
An appropriate UK registered office | Required, and PO boxes are not allowed | Quoted with your setup |
A service address for directors | It appears on the public register | Quoted with your setup |
A bank-ready file | Banks ask for more than Companies House | Included in our price |
Confirmation statement and accounts dates | Late filings bring penalties | Noted for you at formation |
A lower price that leaves some of these out is not cheaper, because each one comes back as a separate charge. Ours covers all of them except the two address services, which are quoted with your setup before you pay.
Read more: the full cost of setting up a UK company.
UK Company Incorporation
Binderr
Corporate tax
19% (small profits) / 25% (main rate)
Time to Incorporate
1 Week
Cost
€350 (no pre-payment)
Cheap UK Company Formation for Non-Residents
Cheap UK company formation for non-residents costs the same as for residents: from €350 with us, with the £100 Companies House fee included. Owners and directors can live anywhere, and nobody needs to travel. What changes is the practical side: a UK address, identity checks from abroad, a service address and a bank that accepts you.
A UK Registered Office
Every company needs an appropriate registered office: a physical UK address in the part of the UK where it is registered. A company registered in Scotland therefore needs an address in Scotland. Post delivered there must come to the attention of someone acting for the company, and PO boxes do not qualify. See our guide to UK registered office services.
Identity Verification From Abroad
Every director and person with significant control has had to verify their identity since 18 November 2025. The check runs online through GOV.UK One Login, which accepts a biometric passport from any country, so it works from abroad. The application needs each director's personal code, so we start this step first.
A Service Address and Tax Residence
The service address of each director is public, so founders abroad often choose one that is not their home. Plan where the board takes its decisions as well. If all management sits in another country, that country may claim the company as tax resident. See whether you can run a UK business from Dubai.
Read more: UK company formation for non-residents.
Cheap UK Company Formation From Abroad
You can form a UK company from any country, at the same price. This is what we handle.
- Same price abroad: From €350, with the £100 Companies House fee included.
- Nothing to travel for: Verification, signing and filing are done from your own country.
- Personal codes sorted: Each director and PSC is taken through GOV.UK One Login.
- A compliant UK address: A registered office that meets the 2024 rules, priced in your quote.
- Banking without a UK director: Our partners open multi-currency accounts in days.
- Board location planned: Advice on where decisions are made, so tax residence stays clear.
How Cheap UK Company Incorporation Works With Us
Cheap UK company incorporation works best when every step is done once, in the right order, from one file. We settle the structure and the name, guide each director through identity verification, prepare the documents and file one online application. Companies House usually registers a complete file within 24 hours.
Before You Start
First, settle the basics: the activity, the directors, the shareholders and the country each person lives in. A few activities need a regulator's permission before the company trades. Payments, e-money, consumer credit and crypto go to the FCA, and gambling goes to the Gambling Commission. See how to get an FCA licence in the UK.
We Check the Name and Prepare the Documents
We search the register for your name before anything else. The name must end in Limited or Ltd, must not match a name already registered, and some words need approval first. Then we prepare the model articles, the statement of capital and the PSC details, choose the SIC code, and add the registered email address and the lawful purpose statement that every new company has needed since 4 March 2024. Read about checking company name availability in the UK.
We Guide Every Director Through Verification
No company is registered until each director has a personal code. We send each director and PSC the steps for GOV.UK One Login. We check that names and dates of birth match the passport, because a mismatch holds up the application.
We File and Set Up the Next Steps
We submit one online application and pay the £100 from our price. A complete application is usually registered within 24 hours, and you receive the certificate with the company number. The bank file is built from the same KYC pack.
Read more: how to set up a limited company in the UK.
Cheap Company Registration in the UK With Us
We handle every step in the right order, so nothing is filed twice.
- Name cleared early: Checked against the register before any document is drafted.
- Documents drafted: Model articles, statement of capital and PSC details.
- A complete application: Built to the 2024 address rules and the 2025 identity rules.
- One KYC pack: The same file serves Companies House and the bank.
- Deadlines recorded: First confirmation statement and accounts dates noted on day one.
Documents Needed for Cheap UK Company Formation
Cheap UK company formation needs a short list of details. Identity is proven through verification, so the Companies House application lists the people, the shares, the address and the activity. A bank wants documents on top, so we gather everything in one request.
- Full name, date of birth, nationality and country of residence for each director and PSC
- Each director's personal code from identity verification
- A service address for each director
- The company name and a short description of the activity
- The shareholders and the number of shares each one holds
- The registered office and a registered email address
For the bank, we also collect a passport and a recent proof of address for every owner, the volumes you expect and your main trading countries. See the documents a business bank account needs.
What a Cheap UK Company Really Costs in Year One
A cheap UK company costs from €350 to form with us, with the £100 Companies House fee included. A simple company should plan about €2,000 to €5,000 for its first year, because accounting, the yearly filing and the bank account cost more than the formation. The table shows each line.
The €350 starting price applies to a standard private company limited by shares, whether it will trade or hold assets. Inside it are advice on the structure, the name search, guidance through each identity check, your KYC pack, the articles and statement of capital, the PSC details, the £100 Companies House fee, the online filing and a bank-ready file. Trusts, foundations, funds, regulated and high-risk structures are quoted separately.
Cost item | When it is paid | Typical amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
Company incorporation with Binderr, all of the above included | Once, before filing | From €350 | The full setup above, Companies House fee inside |
Registered office service | Each year, when you have no UK address | Quoted with your setup | An official UK address that receives the company's post |
Service address for directors | Each year, if you keep your home address private | Quoted with your setup | The public address shown for each director |
Confirmation statement | Once a year, up to 14 days after the review period | £50 online | Confirms the details held on the register |
ICO data protection fee | Each year, if the company processes personal data | £52 or £78, by company size | The yearly fee to the Information Commissioner |
Accounts and Company Tax Return | Yearly, with the first accounts due 21 months after registration | About £1,000 to £2,500 a year (planning range) | Year-end accounts and the tax return to HMRC |
Account with our banking partners | Every month from opening | About €30 to €100 a month, on published plans | One account that holds several currencies |
Realistic first-year total | Over the first 12 months | About €2,000 to €5,000 for a simple company, excluding VAT, payroll and licences | Formation, filings, the accountant and a year of banking |
The accountant and the bank plan move the total most. See what an accountant costs for a UK limited company.
First-Year Cost by Company Profile
Company profile | Realistic first year | What drives the cost |
|---|---|---|
Sole director living in the UK | About €2,000 to €4,500 | Simple bookkeeping, the two yearly filings and a low-cost account plan |
Founder running the company from abroad | About €2,200 to €5,000 | Registered office, mail forwarding and an account in several currencies |
Non-trading holding company | About €2,000 to €4,000 | Short accounts and one tax return a year, no VAT and no staff |
Trading company registered for VAT, with payroll | About €3,000 to €5,500 | Ongoing bookkeeping, quarterly VAT returns and a payroll for the director |
Regulated or high-risk business | Quoted separately | The licence, capital rules and specialist banking |
The euro ranges use recent exchange rates for the sterling costs. Your written quote from us is the number to plan with. See company formation costs by country for other jurisdictions.
UK Company Incorporation
Binderr
Corporate tax
19% (small profits) / 25% (main rate)
Time to Incorporate
1 Week
Cost
€350 (no pre-payment)
How Long Cheap UK Company Formation Takes
With us, cheap UK company formation takes about a week once we have a complete file. Companies House usually registers an online application within 24 hours, and a paper one takes 8 to 10 days. Most of the week goes on identity verification, the registered office and the bank file, and we work on all three together.
Applications come back when the name is taken, the address does not qualify, a director's check fails or a PSC is left out. We start verification first and settle the address and the shares before we file. Same-day registration costs £156, £56 more than online, and is only worth it when a signing date needs the company number that day.
Cheap UK Company Formation From €350
One starting price for a standard UK limited company, with the government fee inside it.
- No separate registry bill: The £100 Companies House fee sits inside our starting price.
- Price in writing first: Your quote lists every item before any payment.
- Ready in about a week: Counted from the day your file is complete.
- Running costs set out: A simple company's first year is about €2,000 to €5,000 in total.
- Bigger structures: Groups, regulated firms and high-risk activities get their own quote.
Tax Basics for a Cheap UK Company
Corporation Tax is 19% on profits up to £50,000 and 25% on profits over £250,000. VAT registration starts once taxable turnover passes £90,000. With low tax on small profits, a cheap company stays cheap to run, as long as each return goes in on time.
Corporation Tax at 19% and 25%
Inside the £50,000 to £250,000 band, marginal relief makes the effective rate rise gradually from 19% to 25%. Associated companies split both limits between them, so a group reaches the main rate sooner. The tax is paid 9 months and 1 day after the accounting period ends, and the Company Tax Return is due 12 months after it. Our guide to limited company tax benefits goes further.
The VAT Registration Threshold
HMRC requires VAT registration once taxable turnover goes over £90,000 in the last 12 months, or is expected to pass £90,000 within the next 30 days. The deadline is 30 days after the end of the month in which you crossed it. A business based outside the UK that supplies goods or services in the UK has no threshold and must register whatever its turnover. Read the VAT rules for non-resident UK companies.
UK Company Incorporation
Binderr
Corporate tax
19% (small profits) / 25% (main rate)
Time to Incorporate
1 Week
Cost
€350 (no pre-payment)
Cheap Business Banking for a UK Company
A UK company can bank cheaply, but the cheapest high street accounts are built for UK residents. Founders abroad usually get a faster account through our partners, who open multi-currency accounts for owners anywhere, in days, on published plans of about €30 to €100 a month.
Starling charges no monthly fee, and Barclays and Santander give start-ups 12 months without one, then charge £8.50 and £9.99 a month. Residence rules are what stop most founders abroad. Starling needs every director with access and every PSC to live in the UK, and it does not open accounts for holding companies or companies with corporate shareholders. Santander asks for everyone linked to the account to be a UK resident, and NatWest needs at least one UK resident on the application. Applications from abroad are often refused, and our guide sets out the usual reasons banks reject applications. See how to open a UK business bank account as a foreigner.
Accounts for Owners Abroad Through Our Partners
Our banking partners are regulated payment institutions and electronic money institutions, not banks. They accept UK companies owned and run from abroad, check identity online and open multi-currency accounts in days. We build their file from the KYC pack we already hold for your formation, then introduce you. Our guide to bank accounts versus EMI accounts explains the difference.
Factor | UK high street banks | Our banking partners |
|---|---|---|
Residence rules | At least one UK resident, and often all of them | Owners and directors can live abroad |
Monthly fee | £0 at Starling, £8.50 to £9.99 at Barclays and Santander after a free year | About €30 to €100 on a published plan |
Currencies | Mostly sterling | Several currencies in one account |
Opening time | Set by each bank's own review | Days, once the file is complete |
For a UK-resident director paid only in sterling, a free high street account costs less. For an owner abroad, the partner plan costs more each month, but it opens in days and holds several currencies. Read about free business bank accounts in the UK.
Equals Money
Business Bank Account
Time to onboard
2 Days
Account opening fee
Free
Monthly fee
€30
3S Money
Cross-border payments
Time to onboard
4 Days
Account opening fee
Free
Monthly fee
Starting from € 100
UK vs Cyprus, Malta and the Isle of Man
The UK is the cheapest of these four to form and to run, from €350 with us, but it is outside the EU. Cyprus and Malta give you an EU company at a higher price, with audited accounts as a rule. The Isle of Man taxes most income at 0%, but its yearly fees are higher.
Factor | UK | Cyprus | Malta | Isle of Man |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Company tax | 19% small profits rate, 25% main rate | 15% from 1 January 2026 | 35% headline, about 5% effective after the 6/7ths refund | 0% on most activities |
VAT | 20% | 19% | 18% | 20% |
EU member | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Known for | Lowest start and a fast online registry | EU holding companies | Holding structures and the shareholder refund | 0% tax for holding and trading |
Our price | From €350 | From €1,200 | From €1,299 | From €1,499 (LLC) |
Time with us | About 1 week | About 1 week | About 1 week | About 1 week |
If you do not need the EU or a 0% rate, the UK costs the least to form and to keep. For the wider picture, see the cheapest countries to set up a company.
UK vs Cyprus
Cyprus taxes company profits at 15% from 1 January 2026, is inside the EU and starts from €1,200 with us. Every Cyprus company files audited accounts, though very small companies can use a lighter review, and the annual return costs €20. Choose Cyprus for an EU holding company. See how much a Cyprus company costs.
Cyprus Company Incorporation
Binderr
Corporate tax
15% flat
Time to Incorporate
1 Week
Cost
€1,200 one-off
UK vs Malta
Malta's headline rate is 35%, and the 6/7ths shareholder refund brings it to about 5% effective after a dividend. A Malta company needs authorised share capital of at least €1,164.69, with 20% paid up, and an audit every year. Our setup starts from €1,299. See how much a Malta company costs.
Malta Company Incorporation
GCS Malta
Effective tax
~5% for non-resident
Time to Incorporate
1 Week
Cost
Starting from €1,299
UK vs the Isle of Man
The Isle of Man taxes most company income at 0%, and VAT is 20% because the island shares the UK VAT area. Its yearly costs are higher than in the UK: the annual return costs £95 on time for an LLC and £380 for a 2006 Act company, and both need a licensed registered agent. Our setup starts from €1,499 for an LLC. See how much an Isle of Man company costs.
Isle of Man Company Incorporation
Binderr
Corporate tax
0% for most activities
Time to incorporate
1 Week
Cost
Starting from €1,499
Who Cheap UK Company Formation Is Wrong For
Cheap UK company formation is the wrong choice when you need an EU company, when the activity needs a licence before it trades or when the owners want their details off a public register. A low price at Companies House does not fix any of these.
A UK company is not an EU company, so it does not help when customers, suppliers or a regulator insist on one. Our guide to cheap company formation in Ireland shows a low-cost EU route.
Payments, e-money, crypto and gambling businesses need FCA or Gambling Commission approval first, and the licence decides the budget. Privacy is limited too: anyone can look up the directors' names and service addresses, the PSCs and the filed accounts on the public register. A very small side activity may not need a company at all, so check whether a sole trader or a company fits first.
Common Mistakes With Cheap UK Company Formation
Most extra costs on a cheap UK company come after formation, not at Companies House. They come from a missing piece or a missed date, and each one has a set cost. These are the three mistakes we see most often, with what each one costs and how we avoid it.
Choosing a Free Offer on the Headline Price
A £0 offer looks like the best deal, so many founders take it without reading what it includes. The missing pieces are then bought one by one: a registered office, a service address, help with identity checks and sometimes a required account plan. Budget the first-year total instead, about €2,000 to €5,000 for a simple company. We set out that budget with your quote, and our price from €350 already covers the Companies House fee, the documents and the bank file.
Using an Address That Does Not Meet the Rules
Some founders list a relative's flat, an old office or a mailbox to avoid paying for a registered office. Since 4 March 2024, the address must be appropriate, which means post sent there reaches someone acting for the company, and a PO box no longer counts. Letters from Companies House and HMRC, including penalty notices, go to that address, and one that fails the rules can lead to strike-off. We arrange a registered office in the right part of the UK from day one, quoted with your setup.
Missing the First Filings
Founders often leave the first filings for later. The first confirmation statement falls due 14 days after the first 12-month review period ends, and ignoring it can mean a fine of up to £5,000. The first accounts are due 21 months after registration, and filing them even one day late costs £150. We record each date when the company is formed, and our list of common formation mistakes covers more.
Low-Cost UK Company Setup for Complex Plans
Some setups need more planning before we file. Tell us what you are building, and we reply with a structure and a written price.
- Holding and group setups: Every ownership layer drawn up and backed by documents.
- UK subsidiaries: Formed for a foreign parent, with its papers prepared for the bank.
- Licence checks: We flag what needs FCA or Gambling Commission approval first.
- Many owners abroad: Identity checks for every director and PSC run together.
- First-year plan: All year-one costs set out before you commit.
Bottom Line
Cheap company formation in the UK comes down to one low fee and a short list of rules. Companies House charges £100 online, there is no capital to deposit and no secretary to pay, and one person can hold every role. No UK company is registered for free, so an offer sold as free recovers the fee through a bank account or paid extras.
Plan with the first-year total: about €2,000 to €5,000 for a simple company, with the accountant and the bank account as the biggest lines. Founders abroad pay the same formation price and add a registered office and a bank that accepts them. We file online and verify every director first. Keep to the filing dates after that, and the company stays cheap after year one.
Our price starts from €350 with the £100 Companies House fee inside, and a complete file becomes a registered company in about a week. Start on our UK company incorporation page, and see the UK company registration guide for every step of the process.
Can I register a company in the UK for free?
Is free company formation in the UK really free?
What is the cheapest company formation in the UK?
How much does cheap company formation in the UK cost?
Is cheap UK company incorporation safe?
Can a non-resident get cheap UK company formation?
Is the Companies House fee included in your price?
Do I need a registered office for a cheap UK company?
What are the yearly costs of a cheap UK company?
Do directors need to verify their identity for a UK company?
Can I get a cheap business bank account for a UK company from abroad?
Is a UK company cheaper than a Cyprus or Malta company?
What happens if a cheap UK company files late?
Sources
- Companies House, Companies House fees (updated 25 September 2026)
- Companies House, Changes to Companies House fees from 1 February 2026
- GOV.UK, Register your company (2026)
- GOV.UK, Appoint directors and a company secretary (2026)
- GOV.UK, Registered office and email address rules (2026)
- Companies House, Verify your identity for Companies House (updated 30 April 2026)
- Companies House, Identity verification changes (2026)
- GOV.UK, Confirmation statement (2026)
- GOV.UK, Prepare and file annual accounts (2026)
- Companies House, Penalties for late filing of accounts (2026)
- HMRC, Corporation Tax rates and reliefs (2026)
- HMRC, Company Tax Return penalties for late filing (2026)
- HMRC, When to register for VAT (2026)
- The Data Protection (Charges and Information) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, SI 2025/63
- Isle of Man Government, Companies Registry fees for 2006 Act companies (2026)
- Isle of Man Government, Companies Registry fees for limited liability companies (2026)
- Starling Bank, Business account eligibility (2026)
- Barclays, Start-up business account (2026)
- Santander UK, Business current accounts (2026)
- NatWest, Business current account (2026)
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