01Independence
Independent & transparent
Not affiliated with any single provider. Affiliate relationships are disclosed on every page.
6 services compared · zero exclusive partnerships
№ III·MMXXVI·EU
Independent. No provider affiliations.EN · 6 services · 27 jurisdictions
The independent guide to EU incorporation
Compare 6 formation services across 27 EU countries. Built for founders from South Africa, India, Nigeria, and anywhere outside the EU.
Edition
May 2026
Verified May 2026. 38 long-form guides, 6 formation services tracked monthly, 27 EU jurisdictions scored on tax, banking, and compliance. Built without paid placements, gated content, or exclusive partnerships.
Why trust this guide?
No affiliations with any single service. Real data, honest caveats, open methodology.
02Evidence
Data-driven ratings
Scores sourced from Trustpilot, e-Residency Marketplace, and Google — not editorial opinion.
1500+ third-party reviews · 3 platforms aggregated
03Recency
Regularly updated
Provider fees and ratings verified monthly. Last data check: May 2026.
Provider fees re-verified each month
04Method
Open methodology
Our full scoring criteria are published on the about page.
The corporate tax spread
Headline rates across 12 jurisdictions. Variance is roughly thirty-fold.
Read the 27-country comparison0%5%10%15%20%25%30%
Estonia
0% (retained) / 24% (distributed)Latvia
0% (retained) / 25% (distributed)Romania
1% (micro, <€100K) / 16%Hungary
9%Bulgaria
10%Ireland
12.5%Cyprus
15%Netherlands
15% / 25.8%Portugal
21%France
25%Belgium
25%Germany
~30% (15% + trade tax)
Headline rates only. Estonia and Latvia apply 0% to retained earnings, distributed only. Germany stacks federal CIT with municipal trade tax. Effective rates depend on distribution, deductions, and treaty access. Numbers verified May 2026.
Sources: official tax authority filings — emta.ee (Estonia), vid.gov.lv (Latvia), anaf.ro (Romania), nav.gov.hu (Hungary), nra.bg (Bulgaria), revenue.ie (Ireland), mof.gov.cy (Cyprus), belastingdienst.nl (Netherlands), portaldasfinancas.gov.pt (Portugal), impots.gouv.fr (France), finances.belgium.be (Belgium), bzst.de (Germany), and OECD Pillar Two disclosures.
Reader voices
Reviews of the 6 formation services we compare
1500+ verified reviews across Trustpilot, e-Residency Marketplace, and Google. 4.4 average rating weighted by reviewer count.
These aggregate third-party ratings of the services. They are not ratings of this guide.
Made my Estonian company formation painless. Everything was handled online and the accounting runs itself.
1Office
4.5492 reviews
Verified Trustpilot reviewer
Read the 1Office review“Unicount is exactly what I needed — transparent pricing, no surprises, and great guides for e-Residents.”
Unicount
4.892 reviews
Verified e-Residency Marketplace reviewer
“I was skeptical about a fully remote company formation but Address in Estonia made it straightforward.”
Address in Estonia
5.0116 reviews
Verified Trustpilot reviewer
Where founders incorporate
Top jurisdictions ranked on corporate tax, formation cost, and banking accessibility. Numbers verified May 2026.
Compare all 27 countriesCountryBest forCorporate taxFormationBanking
- EstoniaDigital-first SaaS founders0% (retained) / 24% (distributed)€2654 / 5
- IrelandEnglish-speaking SaaS at scale12.5%€3504 / 5
- NetherlandsHoldings and IP structures15% / 25.8%€5005 / 5
- BulgariaLowest flat tax in the EU10%€3003 / 5
- RomaniaMicro-companies under €100K1% (micro, <€100K) / 16%€2003 / 5
- PortugalLifestyle founders, non-EU bridges21%€4003 / 5
Showing 6 of 27. Score weights and full methodology on the about page.
What founders read first
Pillar pieces selected by recency and reader demand. New analyses published each month.
All guidesGetting StartedMAR 2026
What Is EU Inc? Everything You Need to Know
The complete guide to EU Inc, Europe's new single company form. How it works, who's eligible, what it costs, and when you can register.
Read moreGetting StartedMAR 2026
EU Inc Requirements & Eligibility: Who Qualifies?
Complete guide to EU Inc eligibility. Who can register, what you need, residency requirements, and the step-by-step process.
Getting StartedMAR 2026Will EU Inc actually happen? The honest assessment
Independent analysis of the 5 obstacles that could block EU Inc and the 5 reasons it might work. Honest assessment, no formation services sold.
More from the guide
Browse the archive by topic and jurisdiction. New analyses each month.
Tax & Compliance
All tax & compliance- MAR 202616 min read
The EU Inc tax question nobody is answering
What the Head Office Tax system actually means, where the gaps are, and why you shouldn't plan your tax strategy around EU Inc yet.
- MAR 202610 min read
EU VAT for founders: what actually matters
EU VAT for founders: the OSS scheme, reverse charge, 2025 SME exemption, registration triggers, and the mistakes that cost real money.
- MAR 20269 min read
Business Banking for EU Companies: The Hidden Hurdle
Why opening a business bank account is the hardest part of an Estonian OU, and how EU Inc might fix it. Real options and workarounds.
- MAR 20267 min read
Do you actually need a holding company?
Most solo founders don't need a holding company. When it makes financial sense, how the Parent-Subsidiary Directive works, and what EU Inc changes.
Comparison
All comparison- APR 202610 min read
Xolo Alternatives for Freelancers in 2026: Five Providers Worth Considering
Looking for a Xolo alternative? We compare 5 EU formation services on price, features, and real reviews.
- MAR 202615 min read
EU Inc vs e-Residency Company: Wait or Register Now?
Should you wait for the EU Inc regulation or register an Estonian company through e-Residency today? We compare costs, timelines, and what each option means for freelancers.
- MAR 202617 min read
EU Inc vs US LLC: Which Is Better for Your Startup?
Comparing EU Inc with US LLC for international founders. Tax implications, banking, scalability, and practical considerations.
- MAR 20269 min read
EU Company Formation for Non-EU Citizens: What Actually Works
How to form an EU company as a non-EU citizen. Banking, KYC, substance rules, and which countries accept non-resident founders. Updated April 2026.
Getting Started
All getting started- MAR 202619 min read
What Is EU Inc? Everything You Need to Know
The complete guide to EU Inc, Europe's new single company form. How it works, who's eligible, what it costs, and when you can register.
- MAR 202611 min read
EU Inc Requirements & Eligibility: Who Qualifies?
Complete guide to EU Inc eligibility. Who can register, what you need, residency requirements, and the step-by-step process.
- MAR 202616 min read
Will EU Inc actually happen? The honest assessment
Independent analysis of the 5 obstacles that could block EU Inc and the 5 reasons it might work. Honest assessment, no formation services sold.
- MAR 202614 min read
EU Inc is 2 years away — here's what to do today
Should you wait for EU Inc or incorporate now? Three founder profiles with real costs, timelines, and concrete recommendations.
Edited by the EU Inc Guide editorial board. Provider scores aggregate Trustpilot, e-Residency Marketplace, and Google reviews, weighted by reviewer count. Pricing and turnaround times are re-verified each month directly from each service. No service has paid for inclusion or placement order.
Last verified May 2026
Common questions
The things founders usually ask before choosing a jurisdiction.
Who is EU Inc Guide for?
Founders outside the EU (primarily South African, Indian, and Nigerian) comparing where to incorporate in Europe. EU-based founders are welcome too; most of the country comparisons and tax calculations work the same way.
What does an EU company actually cost?
Expect €295–€500 formation and €22–€99/month ongoing, depending on the provider and whether you bundle accounting. Our break-even calculator shows whether the total beats what you currently pay as a freelancer.
Do I need an EU address or residence?
No. Estonia, Ireland, Bulgaria, and Spain all allow non-resident founders. Providers in our comparison handle the legal address and contact person on your behalf. Estonia's e-Residency is the most popular path: you get a digital ID and can manage everything online from abroad.
Which EU country should I choose?
Depends on your revenue, where your customers are, and whether you need EU banking. Estonia is the cheapest for remote founders; Ireland suits tech scale-ups; Netherlands has the strongest banking. The country selector tool gives you a ranked shortlist in under two minutes.
Is this site independent, or is it an affiliate storefront?
We earn affiliate commissions when you sign up through a provider link. Rankings are based on price, speed, and real reviews across Trustpilot, Google, and the e-Residency Marketplace, not commission rates. Every affiliate relationship is disclosed on the provider's comparison page.
2026 Edition — Free DownloadA free supplement to this guide
Your EU Company Is Closer Than You Think
40 pages. 27 countries. 6 providers. Zero sales pitch.
- Every EU country ranked on tax, ease, banking & compliance
- Real Year 1 costs — not marketing numbers
- Personalised checklist for your founder profile
- Tax strategies formation services won't mention
- VAT decision tree — register or not?
- Banking friction nobody warns you about
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