ANNA Money company formation review

An account-led formation service for founders who value business administration tools and want to choose their level of ongoing support.

Reviewed 16 October 2026. This is a research-based assessment of published services, prices and conditions. We have not completed a paid formation or tested support. Company Formation Offers compares six selected providers. Tide is our featured paid partner and overall recommendation for eligible founders seeking low-cost formation with banking; commission influences its placement.

Our verdict

ANNA Money is worth considering if the business account and administration services are a deliberate part of your plans. Its entry formation package is competitively priced, and its wider range gives founders the option to buy help with company administration rather than arranging every task separately.

The Just Register offer is advertised at £19 plus VAT, or £22.80 at 20% VAT. ANNA pays the £100 Companies House incorporation fee on condition that the company opens an ANNA business account within ten days of registration. If that condition is not met, the provider says it will charge the £100 fee. That deadline is central to the purchase. [1]

My assessment is that ANNA’s strongest selling point is the combination of an account, invoicing and optional admin support. Its main comparison issue is the ongoing account tariff, particularly for a company receiving larger payments. A plan with no monthly subscription is not necessarily the cheapest way to process the company’s receipts.

Tide remains our overall choice for the main formation-and-banking use case because its selected £14.99 incorporation offer has a lower entry price and NEW200 provides an additional conditional reward. ANNA can still be the better fit for a founder who prefers its specific tools or support arrangements. The account should be chosen for the way the business will operate, with the formation discount supporting that decision.

View ANNA’s current company formation packages

ANNA Money at a glance

The formation page and banking tariff describe different products. A secretary package should not be confused with a similarly priced account plan, and an accounting trial should not be assumed to cover all future filings. [1–3]

What ANNA is offering a new business

ANNA’s formation proposition is designed around an ongoing account relationship. Registration gets the company established, while the account and additional tools support the work that follows. That can be attractive for a founder who wants fewer separate systems to manage.

The distinction from a dedicated formation agent is important. A standalone agent can be selected mainly for its registration process and document package. With ANNA, the subsidised price is linked to opening the associated account. The account’s suitability is therefore part of the initial decision rather than a matter to resolve afterwards.

For a small service business, useful administration may include sending invoices, recording receipts and keeping company payments together. A founder who dislikes organising paperwork may see value in an account that brings those activities into one place. However, the availability of a feature is different from a commitment to have an accountant perform the work.

The best way to assess ANNA is to identify the tasks you want handled. If you simply need incorporation, examine Just Register and the account tariff. If you want help maintaining company details or dealing with tax administration, compare the relevant paid service. Buying the correct level of support matters more than choosing the package with the longest list of named features.

The £19 formation price explained

The advertised £19 figure excludes VAT. At the standard 20% rate, the payment becomes £22.80. The £100 Companies House filing fee is subsidised under the stated account-opening condition, rather than added automatically to every qualifying Just Register order. [1]

This makes ANNA an inexpensive route into company ownership where the account is wanted and the conditions can be met. It should not be compared with a dedicated agent’s small professional fee without adding that agent’s separate government charge.

Equally, the £22.80 total is not the full cost of the company’s first year. Address services, account activity, accounting, future filings and optional subscriptions need separate treatment. The company may incur very little of some categories and substantial amounts of others, depending on how it operates.

A practical comparison records the formation payment as one line, then lists each recurring or usage-based service underneath. Conditional rewards from other providers can be shown separately. This keeps a one-off registration decision from obscuring larger costs that may recur every month.

ANNA’s entry price is competitive. The more significant question is whether its account and chosen administration package remain attractive once the business starts receiving regular customer payments and needs continuing support.

The ten-day account-opening requirement

The Just Register subsidy depends on opening an ANNA business account for the company within ten days of its registration. The formation page says the £100 fee will be charged if the account is not opened within that period. [1]

For a new founder, this means account preparation should happen before incorporation. Have identification available, understand the business activity and be ready to answer onboarding questions. An unfinished account application should not be treated as equivalent to an opened account unless the applicable terms expressly say so.

The condition also creates a clear planning question: what happens if the provider requests further information or cannot approve the account? Read the relevant contract and ask about your circumstances before purchase if there is uncertainty. Do not assume that every delay automatically extends the deadline or removes the charge.

Using the stated entry price, missing the subsidy condition could produce a simple formation-related total of £122.80: £22.80 plus the additional £100 fee. That illustration excludes any other charges or services. It shows why the deadline belongs beside the price rather than hidden in an afterthought.

ANNA is best shortlisted by someone who intends to open and use its account promptly. A founder who already knows they want another provider should compare a standalone incorporation route instead of treating the account condition as a detail to ignore.

Choosing between basic registration and paid support

The entry package is a starting point rather than a complete outsourced administration service. ANNA’s public page describes additional secretary and support packages, with broader filing and address features at higher levels. Their price, billing period and inclusions should be read together. [1]

Just Register is the relevant option when the founder wants the company formed and plans to manage ongoing administration separately. That could mean working with an existing accountant, filing straightforward company updates directly or using another software system.

A secretary service becomes more relevant when the company wants assistance with recurring corporate tasks. The useful comparison is which tasks are actually performed: reminders, preparation, submission, updating records and handling questions are different deliverables.

The current formation page also displays Secretary, Secretary Lite and Total Support options. Some pricing and billing descriptions on the page are presented differently across sections. For that reason, the entry offer is the firm comparison anchor here; obtain a clear current order summary for a paid bundle rather than combining promotional wording from separate sections into an assumed annual total.

This is not a reason to dismiss the paid services. It is a reason to compare them properly. A service can be valuable when its scope matches the company’s needs, and unnecessary when the same work is already included elsewhere.

Understanding the account pricing

ANNA’s published Starter tariff has no monthly plan fee and includes the first £1,000 of incoming payments each month without an incoming-payment charge, followed by a 0.95% charge above that allowance. Other account features and paid plans have their own terms. [2]

That charging model is particularly important for businesses receiving large invoices. A company may have very few transactions but substantial receipts. Counting the number of transfers alone would therefore miss a material part of the account cost.

For illustration, £5,000 of monthly incoming payments would leave £4,000 above the stated allowance. At 0.95%, that component would be £38. At £10,000 of monthly incoming payments, the same simplified calculation produces £85.50. These examples isolate the incoming-payment charge; they are not a quotation for the complete monthly bill and assume the stated allowance applies to those receipts.

A paid plan could change the comparison. Review its subscription, allowances and other charges using the same expected activity. The best plan for a small company with occasional receipts may differ from the best plan once the business is established.

The entry formation discount should therefore be considered alongside a twelve-month account estimate. A low one-off incorporation cost is useful, but the amount received by the company each month may have a much larger effect on total expenditure.

A practical account comparison for new founders

Build the comparison around the business’s likely first few months. List expected customer receipts, outgoing payments, foreign-currency activity, cash use, additional cards and any tools that need to connect with the account. Use conservative estimates if the company is new, then update them after trading begins.

Consider three separate profiles. A part-time freelancer may receive less than the included monthly allowance. A consultant may receive one large invoice that exceeds it. A retailer may have many receipts and a different mix of card-settlement and cash activity. These are different account requirements even when all three companies have only one owner.

Then compare the relevant ANNA plan with a suitable Tide plan and another account if necessary. The aim is to identify the cheapest satisfactory account, not merely the plan with the lowest monthly subscription. Features that save meaningful administration time can also have value, but that value should be connected to an actual task.

Review the decision as the business changes. A starter plan can be appropriate initially and less attractive later. Moving to a different plan is an ordinary commercial decision, provided the terms and any connected products are understood.

This approach gives ANNA a fair assessment. Its account-led formation should be judged using the customer’s financial activity, rather than assuming that either a free plan or a paid plan is automatically superior.

Invoicing receipts and everyday administration

ANNA promotes invoicing and receipt-management tools as part of its broader business service. These features are relevant because early company administration often consists of small recurring tasks: requesting payment, matching a receipt, identifying an expense and checking whether an invoice has been paid. [1][2]

For a founder starting without an established system, having those functions close to the account can reduce duplicate entry. The practical benefit depends on whether the tools fit the way the business bills customers and maintains its records.

Before adopting any invoicing system, check the details that matter to your customers. These may include payment terms, branding, purchase-order references, VAT presentation and the ability to correct or cancel an invoice. A simple freelancer invoice may need fewer features than a business billing several projects or departments.

Receipt storage should also support the accountant’s workflow. Confirm how documents are attached, exported and retained. A photograph of a receipt is useful evidence, but it still needs a correct business explanation and accounting treatment.

The assessment here is about the potential value of the advertised tools, not a claim that they have been tested in a live business. A founder should evaluate the current product against a sample of their real administrative tasks before assuming it replaces every existing system.

What accounting tools do not automatically include

Software, tax assistance and a full accounting engagement are different products. A system may calculate figures or prepare information without including a professional review of every transaction or the submission of all company and personal returns.

Start by identifying the work required. Annual accounts, a Company Tax Return, payroll, VAT returns and a director’s personal tax return are separate tasks. Some businesses need only a subset, while others need all of them. The selected service should state which tasks are covered and for which periods.

The same distinction applies to bookkeeping. Access to software does not always mean someone will reconcile every transaction, chase missing invoices and correct classifications. Ask who performs those steps and what information the founder must provide.

Where an introductory trial is offered, check the charge after the trial, the cancellation deadline and whether accepting it creates a separate subscription. Record these details with the formation order so that future charges are understandable.

ANNA’s wider tools may be a good fit for a founder who values that style of administration. The important point is to buy a defined service with a clear handover of tasks, rather than assume that an account described as intelligent or automated removes all director responsibilities.

Registered office and personal-address privacy

A new company needs an appropriate registered office, and that address is public. Founders working from home should decide whether they are comfortable using a residential address before filing. The registered email is a separate requirement and is not published. [4]

ANNA offers address services through its formation range. Its public information describes a virtual-office arrangement supplied through Hoxton Mix, including handling of official correspondence. Check the exact package, covered addresses and additional forwarding charges before relying on it. [1]

The most useful comparison distinguishes registered-office use from director service-address use and ordinary business mail. A product may cover one purpose without covering every other address field or type of post. A London address also needs to be suitable for the company’s registration jurisdiction.

Mail delivery is more important than the prestige of the location. Establish how quickly official letters are scanned, who receives notifications and whether physical items can be forwarded. If the company expects bank cards, parcels or commercial correspondence, ask specifically how those are handled.

Also record the renewal date and the procedure for leaving. If the address service ends, the company needs a valid replacement and the relevant records updated. A low first-year package price should not conceal an address commitment that the business has not budgeted to renew.

Identity verification and eligibility

Company formation and account opening involve checks with different purposes. Companies House identity requirements concern the people connected with the company, while the account provider applies its own customer and business onboarding requirements. Passing one stage does not automatically complete the other. [5]

ANNA describes itself as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider and includes identity verification in its registration proposition. The applicant still needs accurate personal details and suitable identification. Where several people are involved, each relevant person should be ready to complete the required steps. [1]

Confirm support for your actual structure, including the number and residence of directors and shareholders, any corporate owner and the intended activity. General UK company law and a provider’s commercial eligibility rules are not identical.

Existing Companies House personal codes should be located and kept secure. They are different from the company authentication code and the tax reference. Mixing up those credentials can cause avoidable confusion when an adviser asks for information later.

Because of ANNA’s ten-day account condition, this preparation has a direct commercial purpose. A founder should understand any likely eligibility question before creating the company through the subsidised route, rather than assume that the account can always be completed without further information.

Preparing the formation application

The information needed to form a company is manageable when decisions have been made in advance. Agree the legal name, registration jurisdiction, address arrangements, directors, shareholders and intended business activity before completing the form.

For a company with more than one founder, ownership should be discussed explicitly. A director’s operational role does not necessarily determine their shareholding. If the founders want different rights or a tailored constitution, establish whether the chosen service supports that arrangement and obtain advice where needed.

Check the proposed company name against both registration rules and the business’s commercial plans. Availability at Companies House does not settle trade-mark questions. It is also sensible to check a suitable domain before commissioning branding.

Prepare a clear business description. The account application may ask about customers, products and expected payments. Accurate and consistent information is more useful than a broad description that changes between forms.

Before submission, review the order as well as the company details. Confirm Just Register or the intended paid package, address choices, recurring subscriptions and any trial. Retain the confirmation so that the company has a clear record of what was purchased and which tasks remain to be completed.

The application journey and likely timing

ANNA’s formation page says straightforward companies are normally registered within one working day, while some cases may take longer. Treat that as an advertised expectation rather than a guaranteed result for every application. This review has not timed a paid incorporation. [1]

The journey includes collecting company information, completing the required checks and submitting the registration. After incorporation, the documents are sent to the applicant, and the account-opening requirement must be completed within the applicable timeframe.

Build the launch plan around confirmed milestones. A submitted form is different from an incorporated company, and an incorporated company is different from an operational account. Those stages may occur close together, but a business should not depend on them being simultaneous.

If the application needs attention, respond through the official process and keep a record of the request. Where the ten-day condition could be affected, seek a clear answer from ANNA rather than assuming the deadline has changed.

An efficient application begins with preparation. A founder who has agreed ownership, chosen valid addresses and gathered identification is less likely to be interrupted by decisions that could have been settled beforehand. The provider’s guidance can help organise the process, but it cannot make those business decisions for the applicant.

Documents and the handover after registration

The incorporation documents should be stored outside the provider’s account as well as within it. Keep the certificate, constitutional documents and ownership information in a secure company folder. Confirm that the legal name, company number and people recorded are correct.

The certificate establishes that the company exists and identifies its registration details. It is useful for commercial onboarding, but it is not an approval to undertake every regulated activity or a substitute for contracts, insurance and licences where required. [6]

Make a separate record of the company’s official references. The tax reference, Companies House authentication credentials and identity-verification codes have different purposes. Access should be limited to people who need it for legitimate company work.

Set up official correspondence arrangements immediately. Someone should monitor the registered email and any forwarded post, particularly while account and tax registrations are still progressing. Important messages should not depend on a personal inbox that nobody else can access when the founder is unavailable.

This handover is a useful test of the package’s value. The goal is an organised new company with the documents and information needed for its next steps. A successful formation should leave the founder with a clear record, not simply a congratulatory email and uncertainty about what happens next.

Support and service quality

ANNA advertises 24/7 UK-based human support. That is relevant for founders who prefer the ability to ask questions outside normal office hours, especially when business administration happens around another job. It remains a provider claim rather than a response-time result measured by this review. [1]

Support should be assessed by the task you may need help with. A question about using the app differs from a company-name rejection, an account eligibility decision or technical tax advice. Establish which team handles each issue and what the selected package includes.

When contacting support, give a concise description of the problem, the application reference and the relevant message. Avoid sending unnecessary personal documents through channels that are not designed for them. Follow the provider’s instructions for secure verification.

Customer reviews can help identify patterns worth investigating, but read them in context. They may concern the wider account, a particular subscription or a payment issue unrelated to formation. A high overall rating does not establish that a particular company structure will be supported.

Our comparison gives credit for clearly advertised support availability while avoiding invented claims about how helpful or fast an individual conversation will be. A founder with a specialist question should resolve it before purchase, when the answer can still influence the choice of package.

Refunds cancellations and changing plans

Formation services require careful attention to timing because submission and incorporation can limit what can be cancelled or reversed. Read ANNA’s formation terms and refund policy for the selected service rather than assuming that a general account cancellation rule covers the incorporation purchase. [3]

The account subsidy is a separate issue. Cancelling an account application or failing to complete it may have consequences under the ten-day condition. The relevant question is what the contract says for that particular outcome, not whether the founder has changed their mind for an understandable reason.

For paid tools and subscriptions, record the billing period, renewal date and notice requirements. If a trial is accepted during setup, decide whether it is useful before the trial ends. An unused service can become an avoidable expense if nobody remembers that it was selected.

Before closing or changing an account, export the records the company needs and arrange another way to receive payments. Update customers, suppliers and any scheduled payments in an organised sequence. Closing the account does not close the company or remove its filing obligations.

The practical lesson is to treat incorporation, the account, address services and admin subscriptions as connected but distinct contracts. Understanding those boundaries makes it easier to leave or change one service without losing track of the others.

A realistic first-year cost model

The first-year calculation should include the selected formation price, account use, optional services and statutory fees. It should also identify the cost of missing a material condition, such as ANNA’s account-opening deadline.

For a small business using Just Register and paying the confirmation-statement fee itself, £22.80 plus £50 gives £72.80 for those two items only. It is not a complete annual operating budget. Account charges and professional support could be more significant.

At £5,000 of incoming payments each month, the simplified Starter incoming-charge example would be £456 over twelve months if the tariff and usage stayed unchanged. That calculation is a prompt to compare plans, not an assertion that Starter is the appropriate choice for that business. [2]

What changes in the second year

The incorporation payment is usually no longer part of the ongoing comparison, while recurring subscriptions and address renewals remain. This means the second-year account and administration costs can be more informative than the original formation offer.

Review the services actually used during the first year. Did the company need the paid filing support? Were the invoicing tools sufficient? Did the account’s charging model fit the pattern of receipts? Was the address service reliable and worth renewing?

A founder should also compare the current plan with any alternatives now available. The business may have more customers, employees or international activity than it had at incorporation. A choice that was sensible for a small launch can be reconsidered as the requirements become clearer.

Keep the renewal assessment separate from the sunk cost of formation. The original discount should not prevent a company from changing an unsuitable service later. Equally, there is no need to move simply because a new introductory offer appears elsewhere if the existing arrangement works well.

For ANNA, the long-term case rests on whether its account and admin tools remain useful at an acceptable total price. The formation subsidy is a welcome entry benefit, but it should lead into an ongoing service relationship that the business would choose on its own merits.

ANNA compared with Tide

Both providers offer a combined formation-and-account route. Tide’s selected formation price is £14.99, while ANNA’s Just Register price is £22.80 including 20% VAT. The difference is £7.81 before account charges, optional products or rewards. [1][7]

Tide’s NEW200 promotion adds up to £200 for eligible new members: £75 after qualifying spending and £125 after the savings action and holding requirement. The full amount is conditional and should not be treated as an automatic signup payment. [8]

Our overall recommendation is Tide for the general customer seeking economical formation with banking. The low entry price and optional reward opportunity are persuasive when the account suits the business. This is a disclosed editorial preference, not a claim that ANNA is a poor service.

ANNA deserves consideration when its specific administration approach, support availability or account features match the founder’s preferences. Compare the account costs using the same expected receipts and payments, and compare equivalent paid services where relevant.

The choice should be made using a normal operating month, not only the first day. A provider can be cheaper to join but more expensive for a particular activity pattern. The strongest decision combines an appropriate account with a formation package that supports the correct company structure.

ANNA compared with 1st Formations

The selected 1st Formations offer combines formation with an accounting subscription. Its £39.99 excluding-VAT formation price is followed by eleven accounting payments of £49 plus VAT after a free first month, with continuing monthly service afterwards. [9]

That is a different proposition from ANNA’s basic account-linked registration. A founder comparing them should identify whether the requirement is an account and simple admin tools, or a defined professional accounting service with annual deliverables.

Do not assume that an ANNA tax tool and an accounting engagement perform the same work. Compare annual accounts, Corporation Tax returns, VAT returns, payroll, personal returns and bookkeeping responsibilities individually. The product names alone do not establish equivalent scope.

A founder who already has an accountant may prefer to keep formation and banking economical without subscribing to another accounting service. Someone starting without professional support may value a package that clearly allocates annual filing work to a service provider.

Tide remains our overall general-purpose recommendation, while 1st Formations is particularly relevant to the accounting-led comparison. ANNA sits between those questions: it can provide a simple entry route or a broader administration relationship, but the selected tier and exact deliverables determine which comparison is appropriate.

ANNA compared with dedicated formation agents

Mint, Rapid and Your Company Formations advertise dedicated formation packages with small professional fees and the government incorporation fee added separately. Their value is not limited to the entry price; package options can include addresses, documents and additional company services. [10–12]

ANNA’s main advantage against a basic dedicated-agent route is the subsidised initial payment. The corresponding condition is the account relationship. A founder who wants ANNA’s account can benefit from that arrangement; a founder who wants a different account should give greater weight to independence.

Address needs can also change the result. A privacy package from a dedicated agent may include services that need to be purchased separately alongside a basic account-led formation. Compare the required addresses and renewal terms on the same basis.

Specialist structures require their own checks. A provider offering many formation products should not be assumed to include bespoke articles or every ownership arrangement in its cheapest package. Ask about the actual company proposed.

For the straightforward founder, Tide is our preferred combined route and ANNA is a credible alternative. Dedicated agents are worth shortlisting where their package scope or separation from a compulsory account is more useful than the subsidy. The best comparison reflects those differences instead of treating every incorporation product as identical.

Three business profiles and the likely decision

A freelancer with modest monthly receipts: ANNA’s entry account may be worth considering if incoming payments remain within the included allowance and the invoicing tools are useful. Compare Tide’s lower formation price and account features, then choose the service the founder is comfortable using regularly.

A consultant receiving large monthly invoices: Pay close attention to the charging basis. A small number of transactions can still create meaningful incoming-payment charges. Compare paid ANNA plans and alternative providers using the actual expected receipt amounts rather than assuming that no monthly plan fee means minimal cost.

A founder wanting ongoing administrative help: Identify the specific work required and compare the appropriate ANNA package with an accountant or an accounting-led formation service. Do not pay for overlapping services, and confirm whether filings are prepared, submitted or merely supported through tools.

These examples are illustrative rather than suitability determinations for particular applicants. They show how the same formation offer can be attractive for one business and less compelling for another. The central question is the ongoing relationship being purchased.

Our overall Tide recommendation is strongest for the founder who wants a simple, economical company-and-account setup. ANNA’s case becomes stronger where its particular tools and service model have a clear practical benefit that the business expects to use.

The first month after registration

The priority is to complete the account requirement, secure the company documents and establish a routine for money and correspondence. Record the ten-day deadline prominently and monitor any outstanding requests rather than leaving onboarding until the last available day.

Set up invoices using the correct legal company details and confirmed account information. Where customers know the business by a trading name, make sure the legal entity is identified appropriately. Keep personal and company payments separate from the beginning.

Choose a bookkeeping process and use it for the first transaction. A small company can create confusing records quickly if expenses, founder contributions and customer receipts are left unexplained. The account and receipt tools can help organise evidence, but the business purpose of each item still matters.

Check tax and employer registrations relevant to the intended activity. A service included at setup should be confirmed as completed, rather than assumed to have happened because it appeared on a package page.

Finally, establish the annual calendar. Record accounts, tax and confirmation-statement dates and decide who monitors them. The company’s first month is the best opportunity to create a simple administrative routine, before customer work becomes the main demand on the founder’s attention.

Ongoing duties the formation package does not remove

A limited company has continuing responsibilities even when it is small or not yet trading. Its director remains responsible for accurate records and required filings, including where an external provider assists with the work. [6]

The confirmation statement checks company information and is separate from financial accounts. Accounts and tax returns have their own filing dates, and the Corporation Tax payment date is not the same as the return deadline. Confirm the company’s actual schedule and keep evidence when filings are completed. [13]

VAT and payroll are additional areas where scope matters. Registration is only the beginning of the relevant process. If the company becomes VAT registered or pays salaries, decide how the ongoing returns and submissions will be handled.

Do not treat company cash as personal spending money. Salary, dividends, expense repayments and director loans have different accounting consequences. An adviser can help establish an appropriate approach for the founder’s circumstances.

This is not an argument against an integrated service. An account with useful administration tools can make the work easier. The important point is that the tool supports the director’s process; it does not make the company’s responsibilities disappear or mean every task is included in the entry formation payment.

Questions to resolve before purchasing

Ask whether the proposed ownership and residence details are supported, and whether the intended activity meets account eligibility. Resolve these points before the company is formed through a route with a time-sensitive account condition.

Confirm the exact amount payable today and which products are included. If an address or admin service is selected, record its billing period and renewal price. A page showing several packages should not be treated as one combined list of inclusions.

Ask what happens if account onboarding is delayed or declined, and how the ten-day requirement applies to that circumstance. Keep the response with the order confirmation. A general understanding that the provider is helpful is not a substitute for a clear contractual answer.

For paid support, ask who performs the work and what the company must supply. Establish whether statutory fees, annual accounts, tax returns and personal filings are included or separately charged.

These questions are useful because they turn a promotional comparison into a practical purchase decision. ANNA may be an attractive choice when the answers match the business’s needs. Where they do not, the founder can choose Tide or a dedicated agent before creating an avoidable complication.

Frequently asked questions

Does ANNA really register a company for £19

The advertised Just Register price is £19 plus VAT. At 20% VAT, that is £22.80. The Companies House fee is subsidised subject to opening the company’s ANNA account within ten days of registration. Read that condition alongside the price.

Is an ANNA account compulsory for the advertised subsidy

Yes, the formation page makes the subsidy conditional on opening the account within the stated period. A founder who wants to form the company but use another account should not assume the subsidised price remains available on the same terms.

What happens if the account is not opened in time

The published offer says the £100 Companies House fee will be charged. Check the contract and contact ANNA about any specific onboarding issue. This review does not assume an extension or exemption for a situation the terms have not confirmed.

Does the basic package include a year of accounting

Do not assume that it does. Basic registration, secretary support, tax tools and professional accounting are different services. The chosen package should specify exactly which filings and accounting tasks are included and what becomes chargeable later.

Is the Starter account completely free

It has no monthly plan subscription, but usage charges apply. The published incoming-payment allowance and percentage charge are particularly relevant for companies receiving larger sums. Compare the total expected cost rather than relying on the monthly-plan headline.

Can ANNA keep a home address private

An appropriate paid address service may help avoid using a home address in relevant public fields. Check registered-office and director service-address coverage separately, along with jurisdiction, mail handling and renewals. Privacy does not mean anonymity from the authorities or account provider.

Can several founders use the service

Check the current formation and account rules for the precise ownership arrangement. Do not assume that a general reference to directors or shareholders confirms every combination, corporate owner or bespoke share structure. Resolve non-standard requirements before submission.

Why does this site recommend Tide overall

For eligible founders wanting formation and banking together, Tide combines a lower selected entry price with the NEW200 conditional reward. ANNA remains a relevant alternative where its account and admin tools are preferred. Our commercial relationship with Tide is disclosed, and the recommendation is limited to the comparison described.

Final recommendation

ANNA Money is a credible option for a founder who wants its account and values a connected administration service. The basic formation price is competitive, and the wider product range gives the business choices about how much support to buy.

The two key checks are the ten-day account requirement and the ongoing tariff. Understand both before applying, then compare any paid admin package against the work the company actually needs. This avoids mistaking an inexpensive registration for a universally inexpensive annual service.

Tide remains our overall recommendation for the main low-cost formation-and-banking use case. ANNA earns its place in the comparison as an alternative for founders whose preferences and operating requirements suit its specific approach.

Explore ANNA company formation

Compare our overall pick Tide with NEW200

Tide’s reward is conditional and its placement is commercial. Compare the current provider terms and your expected account use before choosing.

Sources

[1] https://anna.money/register-a-company/ [2] https://anna.money/pricing/ [3] https://anna.money/refund-policy/ and the company-registration terms linked from the provider’s formation page. [4] https://www.gov.uk/limited-company-formation/company-address [5] https://www.gov.uk/guidance/verify-your-identity-for-companies-house [6] https://www.gov.uk/limited-company-formation [7] https://www.tide.co/company-registration/ [8] https://www.tide.co/partners/new200/cofo/ — live Promotion Key Terms. [9] https://www.1stformations.co.uk/package/all-inclusive-accounting/ [10] https://www.mintformations.co.uk/company-formation/packages/compare-packages/ [11] https://www.rapidformations.co.uk/compare-packages/ [12] https://www.yourcompanyformations.co.uk/packages/ [13] https://www.gov.uk/prepare-file-annual-accounts-for-limited-company and https://www.gov.uk/running-a-limited-company/confirmation-statement

About the author

Sam Bennett · Company Formation Offers

Sam researches the full cost of each provider: government fees, VAT, account eligibility, transaction charges, address renewals, subscriptions and the conditions behind cashback and referral rewards. Every review is built from the provider’s own published terms, pricing pages and help articles, with a dated research record and a clear line between published evidence and third-party customer feedback.

Writes for Company Formation Offers on provider reviews. Reviews assess published evidence and do not claim an independent whole-market rating. Full profile