1st Formations vs Companies House
You can register a limited company directly with Companies House for £100, or through a company formation agent. Companies House incorporates your company and nothing more – suitable if you're confident with the paperwork. 1st Formations' All Inclusive with Accounting Package is £39.99, includes the £100 Companies House fee, and adds 12 months of address services, our full compliance service and the first month of accounting – all for £60 less than going direct. For incorporation only, our Digital Package is £102.99. 1st Formations is best for first-time founders, non-UK residents, and anyone who wants the whole process handled. Here's an honest look at both.
1st Formations vs Companies House
A side-by-side look at what each provider includes.
Starting price
£39.99
when you take our accounting service
(includes the £100 Companies House Fee)
£100
Companies House Incorporation Fee
Formation-only package available
Company formation specialist
Choice of banking referrals
Telephone support
Live chat with UK team
Mobile app
Business startup resource hub
B Corp certified
Same day incorporation service available
Free ID verification and personal code
Non-resident support available
Accepts multiple shareholders
Accepts multiple directors
Printed company documents
Business document templates
Address services
In-house digital mailroom
Business telephone number
Various company types supported
Limited by shares
Limited by guarantee
Limited by guarantee (for charities)
By post only
Limited liability partnerships
By post only
Multiple share class
Public limited company
Compliance services
Confirmation statement
Limited - you file yourself
Director appointments and resignations
Limited - you file yourself
Issue of shares
Limited - you file yourself
Transfer of shares
Persons with significant control filings
Limited - you file yourself
Change of company address
Limited - you file yourself
Company name change
Limited - you file yourself
ICO registration
Company dissolution
Limited - you file yourself
Certificate of Good Standing
You order yourself
Apostilled documents
Accounting services
Support from real accountants
Year-end accounts
Corporation tax return
VAT registration and returns
PAYE registration and payroll
Self assessments
Tax efficiency reviews
Accounting software
Dormant accounts
Which should you choose?
Choose 1st Formations if you:
- Want your application checked before it's submitted, to avoid rejection or delay
- Want to keep your home address off the public register with a London registered office and service address
- Are based outside the UK and need a UK registered office and banking referral
- Want a choice of business banking referrals
- Want a full compliance service after incorporation, with a Business Document Template Library to run your business day to day
- Want accounting managed by ACCA-qualified accountants
Consider Companies House if you:
- Only need the company registered and want to pay the £100 fee and nothing more
- Are forming a standard company limited by shares with model articles
- Are confident completing the application and your ongoing filings yourself
- Have a suitable UK address for your registered office and are happy for it to appear on the public register
- Already have an accountant, or plan to handle accounts and compliance yourself
A deeper dive
What does each specialise in?
1st Formations is a UK company formation agent that has registered over one million companies since 2014, with address, compliance and accounting services beyond incorporation. Companies House is the UK's official registrar: the government body that incorporates companies, maintains the public register and enforces filing deadlines. It processes what you submit and publishes guidance, but doesn't advise on your decisions or provide services after registration.
UK's top rated company formation specialist since 2014
Over one million companies formed
Rated 4.9 / 5 on Google and 4.8 / 5 on Trustpilot (90%+ verified, fewer than 1% of reviews are 1-star) from over 28,000 reviews
Companies limited by shares, limited by guarantee and LLPs, all registered online
Full compliance service beyond incorporation, keeping your company compliant and supporting you day to day with our Business Document Template Library
Full accounting service managed by ACCA-qualified accountants, including tax efficiency advice, corporation tax returns and annual accounts
The UK's official company registrar
Sets the £100 incorporation fee and the process every application follows, direct or through an agent
Online service for private companies limited by shares or guarantee, with model articles only; LLPs go by post at £124
Publishes guidance and sends filing reminders, but doesn't check or advise on your application
No address, compliance or accounting services
Should you do it yourself?
Registering directly with Companies House works if you're confident with the process and forming a standard company limited by shares. Everything after formation is yours to handle: the confirmation statement, annual accounts, and any change to directors, address or shareholding. If a filing is rejected, Companies House tells you why, but you correct and resubmit it yourself. 1st Formations checks your application before submission, to identify any errors and reduce delays, and can handle your filings after incorporation.
Application checked by our team before submission
Choice of packages to fit how you'll run the business
Guarantee companies and LLPs registered online, as well as companies limited by shares
Compliance support with your confirmation statement and company changes
Full accounting service, with annual accounts and corporation tax returns handled by ACCA-qualified accountants
Help from our team if a filing is rejected or a deadline is approaching
No pre-submission check – you complete and check every filing yourself
Online service for companies limited by shares and guarantee only; LLPs go by post, 8 to 10 days
Rejections are returned for you to correct and resubmit
No personalised advice on directors, shares or company structure
Published guidance and email reminders for filing deadlines
Can non-UK residents register a company?
Yes. Anyone can register a UK limited company wherever they live, including directly with Companies House. The obstacle is the registered office: it must be a UK address, and Companies House doesn't provide one. 1st Formations' Non-Residents Package includes a London registered office, VAT registration and a choice of three international banking referrals.
Dedicated Non-Residents Package
London registered office address included
Choice of three international banking referrals
VAT registration and compliance support included
You must source a UK registered office address yourself
No banking referrals – you'll need to find a provider that accepts non-residents
No VAT registration or ongoing compliance support
What address services are available?
Many founders prefer to keep their home address off the public register. Companies House doesn't offer an address service: whatever address you register becomes your registered office, and it's published. 1st Formations provides a Covent Garden registered office and service address, so your home address never appears, plus a business address for mail from customers, suppliers and banks.
Registered Office and Service Address keep your home address off the public register
Prestigious Covent Garden Business Address at 71-75 Shelton Street
All three addresses included in formation packages from £39.99 for 12 months
All mail scanned and emailed the same day by our in-house digital mailroom – statutory mail free, business mail 50p per item
No address service – you supply your own
Whatever address you give is published on the public register
No mail handling
No business address for non-statutory mail
Price comparison
Registering directly with Companies House costs £100 online and covers incorporation alone. Everything else – address, filings, compliance, accounts – is yours to arrange and pay for. 1st Formations' All Inclusive with Accounting Package is £39.99, £60 less than going direct, and includes the £100 fee, 12 months of address services, our full compliance service and the first month of accounting. For company formation only, our Digital Package is £102.99, with your application checked before submission.
Company registration starting price
£39.99
The All Inclusive with Accounting Package includes the £100 Companies House fee, 12 months of address services, compliance service and first month of accounting.
Formation only: £102.99 (Digital Package).
£100
The online incorporation fee for a company limited by shares and guarantee with model articles.
£124 by post for LLPs. Nothing else is included.
Address services
Included from £39.99
All three – Registered Office, Service Address and Business Address – included for 12 months in the Privacy, All Inclusive, All Inclusive with Accounting and Non-Residents Packages. Renews at £161/year.
Standalone: Registered Office £39, Service Address £26, Business Address £96.
Not available
You supply your own address, which is published on the public register.
Compliance services
£149.99/year
Includes access to the Business Document Template Library, discounted company changes, expert support, ICO registration and the filing of your confirmation statement.
Not available
Filings are submitted by you, with statutory fees where they apply.
Accounting services
£49/month
Full accounting service, including year-end accounts, Corporation Tax and Self Assessment returns, VAT registration and returns, and expert support from ACCA-qualified accountants. Free Xero (worth up to £600/year).
Not available
All information regarding pricing, services, and ratings was accurate when last reviewed on 9th October 2026.
1st Formations is more than a
company formation agent
Compliance support
Stay compliant with Companies House all year with our Hassle-Free Compliance Service - your confirmation statement prepared and filed, 50% off company changes, expert support, and 460+ legally reviewed business document templates to run your business day to day.
Hassle-Free Compliance ServiceFull accounting service
A full accounting service by ACCA-qualified accountants - annual accounts, Corporation Tax returns, VAT, payroll and tax efficiency advice, at a fraction of the cost of a traditional accountant. Delivered by BSQ Accounting, our sister company in the BSQ Group.
BSQ AccountingSocial impact
We're a certified B Corporation and certified carbon neutral business. We partner with the Wonder Foundation, LSE and Imperial College to open doors for young people, and give 3,000 sq ft of our Covent Garden HQ to seven local charities, completely free of charge.
Impact HubFrequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to register directly with Companies House?
No. Companies House charges £100 for incorporation alone. 1st Formations' All Inclusive with Accounting Package is £39.99 and includes that fee, plus address services, compliance and the first month of accounting. Formation only, our Digital Package is £102.99.
Does Companies House conduct pre-submission reviews of company formation applications?
No. It accepts or rejects what you submit against the Companies Act, and tells you the reason for any rejection. It doesn't review or advise on your application beforehand, so any errors can lead to delays in setting up your business and starting trading.
Can Companies House help set up a business bank account?
No. Banking is separate. You apply to a provider directly, or through a formation agent that offers referrals.
Does Companies House provide registered office and service addresses?
No. You must supply a UK registered office address, and it appears on the public register.
Can Companies House help companies register for VAT?
No. VAT registration is handled by HMRC. It’s a separate process from incorporation.
Does Companies House provide confirmation statement assistance?
It sends reminders and publishes guidance, but you prepare and file the statement yourself.
Does Companies House provide assistance with dormant company accounts?
It accepts dormant accounts and provides guidance, but doesn't prepare them for you.
Can Companies House provide companies with accounting support?
No. Companies House is a registrar, not an accountant. It doesn’t offer bookkeeping, tax or accounting support.
Can Companies House incorporate private companies limited by guarantee or limited liability partnerships (LLP)?
Yes, but not both online. Companies limited by guarantee can be registered through Companies House’s online service, using model articles. LLPs can’t: direct with Companies House, an LLP is registered by post, costs £124 and takes 8 to 10 days. 1st Formations registers both online.