Best UK Company Formation Agents 2026: What You'll Really Pay in Year One

We run Company Assist, so we're not neutral. That's why every competitor price below links to that company's own pages, checked on the date shown above. Check them yourself.

The short answer

If you want to keep your home address off Companies House and have all your company's post handled, Company Assist was the lowest like-for-like cost we found: £129 a year, with no VAT to add, for a registered office, a service address for every director, and same-day scanning of all mail, business letters included. You also choose any bank you like.

If you only need a bare company formation and are happy to use your own address, the cheapest route is filing directly with Companies House for £100.

Why headline prices mislead

Most formation agents advertise a low address price. But a typical founder working from home needs three things:

1. A registered office: your company's official address, shown publicly.
2. A director's service address: your own public address as a director. Without one, your home address goes on the register.
3. Somewhere for everyday business post: bank letters, supplier invoices, customer post.

At many providers these are separate products, each priced per year, and the cheap registered office only accepts government mail. Anything from your bank or a customer either needs another service, costs extra per letter, or is sent back. Service addresses are often charged per person, so every extra director adds to the bill.

Like-for-like: one director, all mail handled

Two directors: where the gap widens

What about Tide?

Tide is a popular choice, and its formation price is genuinely low: £14.99, or £1 with its Company Secretary subscription. Before choosing it, know how the rest works:

• Your address depends on your bank account. Tide's virtual office is only available to Tide members who form through Tide, and the subscription is cancelled if you close your Tide account.
• Only official mail is handled. Other mail is returned to sender, and nothing is forwarded except cheques.
• Transfers cost money on the free plan. Tide's free plan includes 5 free transfers a month, then charges 20p for each payment sent or received. A business making 100 transfers a month would pay about £19 in fees.

With Company Assist your company address isn't tied to a bank. You choose any bank you like.

Where the others win

We'd rather you choose the right provider than the wrong one:

• Cheapest formation with a bank account attached: Tide's £14.99 formation is hard to beat if you're happy banking with Tide and only need official mail handled.
• You want a London postcode. 1st Formations, Rapid Formations and Hoxton Mix use London addresses. Ours is a staffed business centre in Bolton. Both meet Companies House rules; the choice is about image.
• You only ever receive government post and have one director. A £39-a-year government-mail-only address is cheaper than ours.
• You want a long track record. 1st Formations has formed a very large number of companies and has tens of thousands of reviews. We're newer.

What you get with Company Assist

• Formation: £104.99 all-in, including the £100 Companies House fee. Or £9.99 when you take our accountancy, from £49.99 a month on a 12-month minimum term; we pay the Companies House fee.
• Address privacy: £129 a year, with no VAT to add, covers your registered office, a service address for every director and same-day scanning of all your mail. Originals can be posted on for £1 plus postage.
• Your choice of bank: your company address isn't tied to any bank account.
• A real accountant: accountancy is provided by NumberCrunch, our sister practice, not an app.
• Authorised agent: Company Assist is a Companies House Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), so we can verify directors' identities as part of your formation.
• Filings after formation: changes such as a new director or PSC are charged separately, at the prices on our price list.

Six questions to ask any formation provider

1. What does the registered office price cover: all mail, or government mail only?
2. What happens to mail that isn't covered: charged, or sent back?
3. Is a director's service address included, and is it charged per person?
4. Are prices shown with or without VAT?
5. Is the address tied to another product, such as a bank account?
6. What does it cost to renew in year two?

If a provider can't answer those clearly on their website, that tells you something.

FAQs

What is the cheapest way to form a UK limited company?

Filing directly with Companies House costs £100 online. A formation agent adds or covers fees in different ways, but can check your application, verify your identity as an authorised agent and provide address privacy.

Does a registered office service include a director's service address?

Often not. At several large agents the director's service address is a separate annual product charged per person. At Company Assist, a service address for every director is included in the £129 annual address service.

Do registered office services scan all my mail?

Many only scan official government mail. Business post from banks, suppliers or customers may need an extra service, cost a per-item fee, or be returned to sender. Always check before you buy.

Is Tide's company formation really free or cheap?

Tide's formation costs £14.99, or £1 with its Company Secretary subscription. Its virtual office address is a separate paid subscription, handles official mail only, and is only available while you keep a Tide account. Tide's free business account charges 20p per transfer after 5 free a month.

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