Your Company Formations review: a low entry fee with a wide choice of formation services

My verdict

Your Company Formations is worth shortlisting if you want a specialist formation agent with a very low professional entry fee, optional address services and a broad range of company-formation packages. Its Digital package is particularly relevant to founders who already have suitable addresses and plan to arrange accounting separately.

Tide remains my overall winner in this comparison for eligible founders setting up a straightforward company and wanting a business account alongside incorporation. Tide’s subsidised formation price and conditional NEW200 offer are a strong combination for that audience. Your Company Formations offers a different attraction: an agent-led route with more package choices and services for a wider range of requirements.

My main advice is to look beyond the £2.48 headline. The Companies House fee is separate, and the business may also need addresses, accounting or ongoing filing support. A small professional fee can be good value without being the whole cost of establishing and maintaining the company.

The higher packages deserve particular attention to renewals. Fully Inclusive includes a defined period of company filing support, but its published renewal and separate statutory charges need to be budgeted. A service that is included at formation is not necessarily free for the life of the company.

This review is based on published package information checked in October 2026. It is an editorial assessment rather than a claim that I personally incorporated a company or tested support response times. This website compares selected providers and gives Tide commercial prominence, while explaining circumstances in which another provider may be the better fit.

Your Company Formations at a glance

What the service is designed to do

Your Company Formations helps customers prepare and submit incorporation applications and offers related company services. Companies House performs the legal registration. The agent’s value lies in the application process, supporting documents, service options and assistance surrounding that registration.

This distinction helps set realistic expectations. The agent can guide an application and submit it electronically, but it does not control every processing decision or guarantee that a separate banking provider will approve an account. Different organisations handle different parts of the setup.

The wider package range can be useful because not every founder has the same requirements. Some need only standard company formation. Others need a registered office, director service address, business correspondence handling or help with later filings. Some need a different legal structure altogether.

A broad menu is an advantage only if the buyer can identify the relevant services. Otherwise, it can make the decision feel more complicated than necessary. Start with the intended company and the tasks that must be completed, then select the package that matches them.

My assessment therefore gives more weight to clear scope and continuing cost than to the number of features listed. The best package is the one that solves the business’s real requirements without creating unnecessary subscriptions or duplicating work already covered by an accountant.

Digital: the lowest professional fee in this selected agent comparison

Your Company Formations advertises its Digital package at £2.48 plus the £100 Companies House fee. The displayed components total £102.48 before resolving any applicable VAT and optional extras in the final order. The professional fee should not be mistaken for the full incorporation price.

The package includes the standard digital formation documents, identity-verification support and access to the company manager. It is aimed at customers who do not require bundled address or broader filing services. That makes it relevant to founders who already have the practical setup in place.

The difference between £2.48 and another agent’s small professional fee is not likely to determine the overall cost of running the company. An address renewal, banking tariff or accounting service can outweigh that difference quickly. The low fee is a positive feature, but it should be kept in proportion.

For a founder with an existing accountant and a suitable registered office, Digital may be all that is required from the formation agent. For a founder working from home who wants privacy, the package may need an address upgrade before it becomes a complete solution.

I would compare the final Digital order against Tide’s subsidised formation route and against equivalent basic agent packages. The correct comparison includes the statutory fee, required addresses and any conditions attached to the offer, rather than ranking providers by their smallest advertised figure.

Digital & Print: convenience rather than a different legal outcome

The package range includes Digital & Print at a higher advertised professional charge than Digital. The practical reason to consider this category is the preference for physical documents alongside electronic copies, rather than a different legal status for the company.

For many small businesses, digital records are sufficient for day-to-day administration. They can be stored securely, backed up and shared with a bank or accountant. A presentation folder can be convenient, but it does not make the company more valid or remove any filing responsibility.

If printed records matter to you, check what is supplied, where it can be delivered and whether delivery costs or restrictions apply. A customer outside the UK should pay particular attention to postage and any separate document-certification requirements.

Do not confuse ordinary printed copies with certified, legalised or apostilled documents. Those can be different services required for particular overseas uses. If a foreign authority or bank has asked for documents, obtain its exact requirements before ordering.

My view is that the Digital & Print decision is relatively simple: choose it if the physical copies are useful enough to justify the additional charge. It should rarely outweigh more consequential questions about addresses, ownership structure, accounting or renewal costs.

Privacy: evaluate the addresses individually

The Privacy package is advertised at a higher professional fee than the entry packages and is intended to address public-address needs. It is the natural category to examine if you do not want to use your home address in the relevant public company fields.

The registered office, director service address and business correspondence address are different services. Confirm which are included in the exact order, who is covered and what mail is accepted. Do not assume that every use of the address is permitted simply because the package is called Privacy.

For a company with several directors, ask whether the included service covers all of them or whether additional charges apply. For a company expecting customer mail, ask whether commercial correspondence is handled separately from official Companies House and HMRC letters.

The renewal price is central to the decision. Address services can be a continuing requirement for the life of the company, even if the first year is included in the formation bundle. Request the normal annual charges before paying.

I would assess Privacy against the cost of assembling equivalent services elsewhere. If the package covers the addresses and mail handling you need at a sensible renewal price, it can be a more practical choice than buying the cheapest digital formation and adding services later.

Fully Inclusive: the renewal deserves as much attention as the introduction

The Fully Inclusive page states a professional price of £44.48 excluding VAT, plus the £100 Companies House fee. It expressly explains that VAT at 20% applies to the professional charge, producing £153.38 including VAT before optional extras.

The package brings together formation, address services, VAT-registration assistance and a twelve-month company filing service. The page states that the filing service renews at £128 excluding VAT per year, with the Companies House confirmation-statement fee remaining separate.

At 20% VAT, that filing-service renewal alone is £153.60. It should not be assumed to include every address renewal or the company’s accounting requirements. Ask for a complete renewal schedule covering all services purchased.

The package may be useful for a founder who wants help with specified company administration. However, it should not be read as an all-purpose accounting contract. Preparing accounts, company tax returns, VAT returns and payroll can involve separate work and should be confirmed individually.

My recommendation is to obtain a written scope for the filing service and identify the changes or submissions it covers. The value of the package depends on whether those services match the company’s likely needs, not simply on the breadth implied by its name.

A sensible way to compare the package range

The package range also includes an Entrepreneur option and services for other company types. Those should be assessed through their current detailed specifications rather than treated as automatically superior versions of a standard limited company package.

The same principle applies to legal structures. A limited liability partnership, guarantee company or public limited company is not simply a larger bundle of ordinary limited-company features. Each has its own purpose and requirements, and the correct structure should be chosen before comparing prices.

For a typical small company limited by shares, start with the essential services and work upwards only when an upgrade solves a real need. This keeps the decision manageable and makes the cost comparison more meaningful.

Cashback: use the offer attached to the package you actually choose

The current Digital package page advertises access to banking or merchant offers with up to £55 cashback. Other package pages may display different maximum figures. It would be misleading to take a higher amount from one page and assume it applies to every formation customer.

The words “up to” also matter. They indicate a maximum available under specified conditions, not an automatic payment for incorporating a company. The relevant account or merchant provider may impose approval, activity and timing requirements.

Before choosing an offer, identify who pays the reward, which application route is required and what actions qualify. Keep the offer terms associated with the actual order. A general package description is not a substitute for the promotion’s conditions.

Do not assume that a banking introduction can be combined with a separate referral code. If you want Tide’s NEW200 company-formation promotion, use the specified partner route and check its terms. A different route may be linked to a different campaign.

My preference is to choose a suitable account first, then consider the reward. Cashback can improve the initial economics, but it should not compensate for an account tariff or operating model that does not suit the business.

How to assess a partner business account

Estimate a normal month of activity before comparing account offers. List the number of incoming payments, outgoing transfers, card transactions, cash deposits and international payments. Then examine the tariff against that pattern.

A business account with no monthly subscription can still have transaction charges. An account with a monthly fee may be more economical if it includes activity the company uses frequently. The comparison should be based on expected use rather than the word “free”.

Consider practical features as well as price. Accounting integrations, payment references, multiple users, access permissions and customer support can affect the amount of administration required. A small saving is less valuable if the account creates a cumbersome bookkeeping process.

Approval remains the account provider’s decision. Incorporation establishes the company, but banking checks can consider the business activity, ownership, residency and supporting information. Allow time for that process rather than assuming the account will be operational immediately.

Finally, understand the account’s legal provider and protection arrangements. Different products can involve bank deposits or electronic money, with different safeguards. Read the information for the specific account rather than assuming that every service introduced by a formation agent has identical protection.

The UTR is an HMRC reference, not a special company benefit

The package descriptions refer to an HMRC Unique Taxpayer Reference. This is an official tax reference associated with the company’s dealings with HMRC. It is not a proprietary benefit that only one formation agent can provide.

The practical question is how the company will receive and retain the reference, particularly if official mail is sent to an address service. Make sure the person responsible for tax administration knows where the information will arrive and how to access it.

Do not confuse the company’s UTR with the company registration number, the Companies House authentication code or an individual’s personal verification code. Each serves a different purpose, and mixing them up can delay administration.

A reference number also does not mean every tax task has been completed. The business may need to notify HMRC about activity and deal with other registrations or returns depending on its circumstances. Agree those tasks with the accountant rather than assuming incorporation covers all of them.

I would keep a secure company-information sheet identifying the relevant references and their purposes. This simple record can save time when speaking to HMRC, a bank or an adviser, while avoiding the need to search through old emails for each request.

The free accountancy consultation: useful, but limited

A consultation can help a new founder understand accounting requirements and obtain a service quotation. It is an opportunity to discuss the business, expected activity and the support likely to be needed after incorporation.

It should not be confused with a year of bookkeeping or accounts preparation. Unless a separate engagement explicitly includes those services, they remain additional work with their own price and terms.

Prepare for the conversation by describing the expected transactions, turnover pattern, employees, directors and any international activity. Ask who will maintain the books, which returns are included and how the accountant charges for work outside the standard scope.

Compare the proposed service with other accounting options on the same assumptions. A lower monthly price may exclude bookkeeping, personal tax returns or payroll that another quotation includes. The service specification matters more than the headline subscription.

The consultation is valuable if it creates a clear plan and a realistic budget. It is less useful if treated as another feature whose advertised value automatically offsets the formation price. Judge it by the decisions it helps you make.

Registered office, service address and virtual office

An address package can solve several different problems, but the services should be understood separately. The registered office is the company’s official address. A director service address is used for specified correspondence relating to the director. A virtual office or trading address may handle commercial mail and public-facing business correspondence.

The same physical location can be used for more than one service, but the contractual permissions and mail rules can differ. Ask exactly which uses are included in the chosen package and whether website, invoice and customer-facing use is permitted.

Confirm the jurisdiction before using a registered office. A company’s registered office must comply with the rules applying to where it is registered. An attractive London address is not a universal replacement for every jurisdictional requirement.

For a home-based business, arranging the address before incorporation is preferable where privacy matters. Later changes do not necessarily remove every historical appearance of the original address. Planning ahead avoids relying on a correction process after disclosure has occurred.

Also think about continuity. The company needs an appropriate address throughout its life, so renewal affordability and the process for moving matter. An introductory address should not become a surprise ongoing cost that the founder did not plan for.

Mail handling can change the real annual cost

An included address does not necessarily include unlimited forwarding of every item. The Fully Inclusive page describes physical forwarding of business mail with postage and a handling uplift. Other services may have their own rules, so confirm the arrangement applying to your package.

Ask how quickly mail is processed, whether contents are scanned and how notifications are delivered. A company receiving urgent official correspondence needs a dependable process, not merely a prestigious address on its documents.

Check restrictions on parcels, product returns, signed deliveries and storage. A correspondence service may be unsuitable for an online retailer’s returns operation. If physical goods are involved, arrange a solution designed for the expected volume and handling requirements.

Estimate likely usage. A consultant receiving a few letters per year may face very different forwarding costs from a business receiving daily commercial post. A low annual address fee does not settle that difference.

When leaving the service, establish what happens to mail still arriving. Update official and customer records promptly and allow for a transition. Mail continuity is one of the practical details that can distinguish a well-planned setup from a formation purchase made purely on headline price.

The company manager: convenient administration, not automatic completion

Your Company Formations describes an online company manager for accessing documents, reviewing company information, receiving reminders and arranging filings or changes. A central portal can be helpful, particularly for a founder who prefers one place to organise administration.

However, access to a function does not necessarily mean every associated service or statutory fee is free. Check the price and scope before authorising a filing, and distinguish between self-service access and work performed by the provider.

The portal also depends on accurate information. A reminder cannot ensure compliance if the company has not supplied records, reviewed the proposed filing or acted on a request. Treat it as a tool within a process rather than a substitute for responsibility.

Keep independent copies of important documents and maintain access controlled by the company. A provider portal should not be the only place where the certificate, constitutional documents or service agreements exist.

If you appoint an accountant or another agent, agree how access is shared and who will perform each task. This prevents two providers acting on the same filing or each assuming that the other is responsible.

Preparing the company name

Before starting the application, shortlist the intended company name and check whether it is available for registration. Consider spelling, similarity to existing names and any restricted or sensitive wording that may require additional steps.

Availability at Companies House is not the same as trade mark clearance. A name can be registrable while still creating a commercial dispute or confusion with an established brand. If the name is central to the business, investigate the wider position before investing in it.

Check the domain and social handles you want, but do not allow a free domain offer to determine the company’s identity. The name should work for customers and for the intended business over time.

Decide whether the company will trade under its registered name or a separate brand. The legal entity still needs to be identified appropriately in business documents and disclosures. Clear use of the name helps banks, suppliers and customers understand who is entering the transaction.

Finally, ask every founder to approve the exact spelling before submission. Correcting a name after incorporation can involve a separate process and fee. A careful check is usually easier than resolving an avoidable error later.

Choosing directors, shareholders and ownership

The directors and shareholders perform different roles. A director manages the company and has legal duties; a shareholder holds ownership rights attached to shares. One person can occupy both roles, but the application should reflect the arrangement actually intended.

For several founders, agree the ownership and decision-making before filing. Discuss what happens if someone leaves, contributes different amounts or later seeks investment. A standard online form cannot resolve disagreements that have not been discussed.

Confirm the share structure the package can support. If you require several share classes, corporate shareholders or bespoke rights, obtain written confirmation and appropriate advice before selecting a standard package.

The people-with-significant-control information also needs to be accurate. Control is not always identical to the informal description of who founded or manages the business. Consider the relevant ownership and voting arrangements rather than simply copying the director list.

A low-cost formation is only good value if the company is established correctly for its purpose. Ownership mistakes can be more consequential than the entire incorporation fee, so this is an area where careful preparation deserves priority over speed.

Identity verification and access codes

Companies House identity verification is now an important element of the formation process. The Digital package describes verification support through the provider’s authorised role. Confirm the process for each relevant person and the evidence required.

Keep the personal verification code separate from the company authentication code. The personal code relates to the verified individual, while the authentication code is associated with company filing access. They should not be treated as interchangeable identifiers.

Use clear documents and consistent information. A difference between the name entered in the form and the name on the supporting evidence may create questions. Allow time for people to respond, especially where the company has several participants.

Protect sensitive information by using the official process. If an unexpected message asks for identity documents or codes, verify the request before responding. The urgency of a formation deadline is not a reason to send information through an uncertain channel.

After incorporation, keep a record of who can access the company’s filing arrangements. If an adviser leaves or a provider changes, update authority and access promptly. Good control of company information is part of running the business, not a one-time setup task.

The application journey in practical terms

The first stage is selecting a package that supports the intended company and services. Establish the final cost, address arrangements and any continuing charges before paying. This avoids discovering a missing requirement after committing to the wrong tier.

The next stage is entering the company details. Work from the agreed formation brief rather than improvising ownership or addresses while completing the form. Check each person’s information and the description of the company’s activity.

Identity and compliance checks may then require documents or clarification. Respond through the provider’s official channels and keep the nominated email monitored. If the application involves unusual circumstances, raise them early rather than waiting for a rejection or follow-up request.

Before submission, review the complete application. Confirm the exact name, registered office, directors, share allocation and relevant control information. The final review is an opportunity to catch errors while they may still be straightforward to correct.

After Companies House accepts the application, save the company number and documents, check the public record and complete any separate service activation. Banking, accounting and address onboarding may continue after the company itself has been registered.

Processing time and operational readiness

Your Company Formations describes electronic submission after the application and required checks are complete. Its published material gives typical processing expectations while acknowledging that Companies House workload and the application can affect timing.

Those statements should not be treated as independently measured results or a guarantee that every company will be formed at a particular hour. A complete and accurate application is more likely to progress smoothly than one submitted with unresolved information.

Distinguish the time to complete an online form from the time to complete verification, submission and approval. A claim that a form takes a few minutes does not mean the entire company-and-banking setup will be finished in the same period.

Also distinguish incorporation from readiness to operate. The company may still need an account, insurance, licences, contracts or payment-processing facilities. If there is a launch deadline, plan the full sequence rather than focusing only on the registration certificate.

My preference is to begin early enough to accommodate reasonable questions. A planned formation is usually less stressful and less prone to mistakes than an urgent application made while trying to finalise ownership, addresses and branding at the same time.

Documents: what to check when they arrive

Check the certificate against the company details and save it securely. It confirms the company’s registration but does not establish that every permission needed for the business activity is in place.

Review the memorandum, articles and share documents in the context of the agreed ownership structure. Standard documents may suit a straightforward company, but they should not be assumed to capture every agreement between founders or investors.

Keep company records consistent when changes occur. A new share issue, director appointment or address move may affect more than one document or filing. Ask which related steps are required rather than treating each change as an isolated update.

Retain both the legal documents and the service paperwork. The order, invoice and renewal terms explain what the provider has agreed to do. They are useful if a question arises about charges or inclusions later.

Share records with advisers securely and maintain an independent backup. The company should remain able to retrieve its essential information if an individual loses access, an accountant changes or the provider relationship ends.

Specialist and non-resident packages

The breadth of Your Company Formations’ range is one reason to consider it alongside simpler formation-and-account offers. The site lists non-resident and specialist legal-structure services, including options beyond a standard company limited by shares.

Those services should be evaluated according to their purpose. A guarantee company, LLP or public limited company has different features and obligations. The correct structure should be determined by the organisation’s needs and, where appropriate, professional advice.

For non-residents, confirm country eligibility, identity documents, address requirements, document delivery and banking possibilities before paying. Incorporation and account opening are separate decisions, and acceptance for one does not guarantee acceptance for the other.

Cross-border tax and residency questions may require advice in more than one jurisdiction. A UK incorporation package does not automatically settle where the business is taxed or what obligations the owners have where they live.

The wider range is useful because it offers routes to investigate, not because every package is suitable for every reader. A clear written response about the intended structure is more valuable than choosing a specialist package based on its title alone.

Support: assess relevance and clarity

Your Company Formations promotes support before, during and after incorporation through published contact channels. That can be valuable for first-time founders, especially when questions arise about the application or the services purchased.

This review does not claim to have measured response times or tested a complex support case. Public service descriptions and customer feedback are useful evidence, but they do not establish that every enquiry will receive the same outcome.

Ask a specific question before ordering. For example, explain the number of directors and the address coverage required, or ask whether a proposed share arrangement is supported. A precise answer gives you a clearer basis for deciding than a general statement that assistance is available.

Distinguish administrative guidance from professional advice. Help finding a document or completing a standard form is different from advice on tax, investment rights or a dispute between founders. Ask who can handle those questions and whether a separate service is needed.

Support quality is ultimately about resolving the relevant issue accurately. A fast but vague reply is less useful than a clear answer that identifies the next step, the cost and the person responsible for carrying it out.

First-year costs: a complete comparison

Build the first-year budget from the final order rather than the advertised professional fee. Include the statutory incorporation charge, applicable VAT, addresses, mail forwarding, accounting and any paid extras selected during checkout.

For a Digital customer, the main missing costs may be addresses and ongoing professional support. For a Fully Inclusive customer, the important questions are which filings remain outside the service and which statutory fees will still be charged.

Treat banking rewards as conditional. The company should be able to afford the setup without assuming that the maximum cashback will arrive. Once earned, the reward improves the outcome, but it should not conceal an unsuitable account or a higher ongoing tariff.

Value extras according to actual use. A consultation can be helpful, but it is not a substitute for an accounting contract. A free domain is useful if you need it, but it does not provide hosting, email or a finished website automatically.

Compare equivalent scope across providers. If Tide requires an additional address service for your needs, include it. If an agent package includes addresses but no account subsidy, account for that difference. A fair comparison reflects the business’s complete setup rather than one promotional number.

Second-year costs and the renewal calendar

The second year often provides the clearest picture of the continuing service cost. Review address subscriptions, company filing support, domains and any other benefits that were included for an introductory period.

The Fully Inclusive filing-service renewal is particularly relevant because the published £128 excluding VAT is a recurring charge distinct from the initial formation price. Confirm exactly what continues at that price and which other services renew separately.

Keep a renewal calendar with the normal price, notice period and payment method for each service. This allows the company to make a deliberate decision before renewal instead of discovering charges after they occur.

Reassess the package as the business changes. A growing company may need more support, while a very simple company may find that it no longer uses all the included services. The original package should not become permanent by default.

If you leave a service, coordinate the transition. Move addresses before cancelling them, transfer records before changing accountants and assign filing responsibilities before ending support. A clean handover is part of managing costs responsibly.

Cancellation, refunds and correcting errors

Read the cancellation terms for the particular services being purchased. Formation work, address subscriptions and ongoing filing services may have different rules because they are delivered at different stages.

If an error is noticed before submission, contact the provider promptly with a precise correction. Ask whether the application has already been sent and what can still be changed. Keep the response with the company’s order records.

Once incorporated, the company exists independently of the commercial purchase. A refund request or decision not to trade does not automatically remove its legal obligations. If the company is no longer needed, obtain guidance on the appropriate next steps.

Changes after incorporation can involve separate procedures and charges. A registered office update, a company-name change and a share transfer are different tasks. Confirm the required work rather than assuming every amendment is included in general support.

For a disagreement about service, retain the order summary, invoices and written promises and use the provider’s complaint process. A clear account of what was agreed and what resolution is sought is more effective than relying on an interpretation of a broad package name.

Your Company Formations versus Tide

Tide remains the overall recommendation for eligible founders who want straightforward company formation and a business account together. Its published £14.99 incorporation price includes the Companies House fee, making the starting cost materially lower than a conventional agent route that adds the fee separately.

The NEW200 offer can provide up to £200 after the qualifying actions. It has separate spending and savings-funding conditions, deadlines and eligibility rules. It should be presented as a potential reward, not an automatic payment for registering a company.

Your Company Formations becomes more relevant when its agent service, package range or specialist options fit requirements outside Tide’s standard route. Tide’s published formation information includes a single-shareholder limitation, despite support for additional directors. Confirm ownership eligibility before comparing prices.

Address services can also change the comparison. A founder who needs public-address protection should compare the total cost and renewals of the required services with both providers. Formation alone is not an equivalent solution to formation plus addresses.

View Tide’s NEW200 company formation offer. It is my first recommendation for the eligible simple use case, while Your Company Formations remains a worthwhile agent alternative when the broader service range is needed.

Your Company Formations versus Rapid and Mint

The entry professional fees at Your Company Formations, Rapid and Mint are all small relative to the statutory fee and the ongoing costs of the company. A difference of pence or a few pounds should not dominate the decision.

Compare the address packages on coverage, mail handling and renewals. Confirm the number of directors included and whether business correspondence is treated separately from official mail. These details can affect both privacy and annual cost.

Compare filing support on the actual tasks performed and the fees excluded. Rapid explicitly separates the statutory confirmation-statement charge from its first filing service. Mint’s compliance descriptions also distinguish service work from regulatory fees. Your Company Formations’ Fully Inclusive terms require the same careful reading.

The providers also differ in their package presentation and specialist options. A founder with a non-standard structure should ask for confirmation rather than assuming that every low-cost agent supports the same arrangements.

My recommendation is to send each shortlisted provider the same short specification. The quality and completeness of the response, together with the two-year cost, provides a more useful basis for choosing than a headline fee comparison alone.

Your Company Formations versus 1st Formations and ANNA

1st Formations is especially relevant if the purchase is intended to include ongoing accounting. Its accounting-linked formation offer should be compared with the cost of using Your Company Formations and appointing an accountant separately.

A free consultation from Your Company Formations should not be treated as equivalent to a defined accounting engagement. Compare year-end accounts, company tax, bookkeeping, payroll and personal returns individually, together with the minimum term and normal monthly price.

ANNA is more closely connected to everyday account administration and app-based tools. Its suitability depends partly on the account tariff and the way the company receives and spends money. Your Company Formations offers a more conventional agent route with banking introductions as a related service.

A founder who wants an integrated app experience may prefer ANNA’s approach. A founder who wants to choose formation, banking and accounting more independently may prefer the agent model. Neither approach removes the need for accurate records and clear responsibilities.

The overall Tide recommendation does not mean these differences are unimportant. A useful comparison identifies the best general starting point while allowing a reader with specific requirements to choose a more appropriate alternative.

Three founder scenarios

A freelancer with an accountant and a suitable address

This founder may find the Digital package sufficient. The small professional fee buys the formation service without forcing a larger address or accounting bundle. The accountant can advise which remaining registrations and records need attention.

Tide should still be compared because its subsidised formation and account proposition may be cheaper overall. The freelancer’s decision depends on account preference and whether the agent service adds value beyond what is already arranged.

A home-based founder concerned about public information

The address requirement should be solved before filing. Privacy or a suitable higher package is more relevant than the cheapest Digital headline. Confirm registered office, director service address and business-mail coverage individually.

The founder should also obtain renewal prices and understand that address services do not make ownership anonymous. The objective is appropriate handling of public and official addresses, not avoidance of lawful disclosure.

An overseas owner with document requirements

This reader should investigate the non-resident route and establish banking eligibility, identity checks and the required documents before purchase. A foreign bank may need certified or legalised documents that are different from ordinary printed copies.

Cross-border tax and operating questions should be addressed separately. A UK company can be useful, but incorporation alone does not settle the legal and financial arrangements needed to run it from another country.

Your first month after registration

Check the public company information and save the formation documents. Confirm that the addresses match the services purchased and that notifications are reaching the correct person. Resolve discrepancies promptly.

Complete banking and accounting onboarding. Decide how receipts, invoices and founder-funded expenses will be recorded. A consistent process from the first transaction is easier than reconstructing records at the year end.

Create a filing calendar using the company’s actual dates. Include the tasks assigned to an agent or accountant, together with the date by which they need information from you. A service provider cannot complete accurate work without the necessary records.

Separate statutory deadlines from subscription renewals. The annual cost of an address is a commercial charge; the confirmation statement is a company obligation with its own process. Both matter, but they should not be confused.

Finally, make sure the company controls its key access and contact details. Store records securely, keep recovery information current and avoid making one external adviser the only person able to retrieve essential documents.

Questions to ask before placing the order

Ask for the final amount payable and the VAT treatment of each charge. Confirm whether the Companies House fee is included or separate and whether any optional services have been selected automatically or require explicit activation.

For addresses, ask which people and types of mail are covered, what forwarding costs and what renewals will be. For filing support, ask for the exact tasks, statutory-fee exclusions and cancellation notice.

For the company structure, confirm that the intended shareholders, share classes and any corporate owners are supported. If the structure is unusual, obtain the answer in writing before paying.

For banking rewards, ask which offer applies to the specific package and route, what qualifying actions are required and whether any other promotion can be combined. Do not rely on a larger cashback number found elsewhere on the site.

These questions make the purchase concrete. Once they are answered, you can compare Your Company Formations with the other providers on service, cost and suitability rather than marketing language alone.

Frequently asked questions

Is the company formation cost just £2.48?

No. That is the advertised Digital professional charge. The £100 Companies House fee is displayed separately, and the final order should confirm applicable VAT and extras. The full cost also depends on any addresses or continuing services required.

Does every customer receive the largest advertised cashback?

No. The Digital page currently advertises up to £55, while other packages may show different offers. Rewards depend on the applicable banking or merchant promotion and its conditions. Confirm the offer attached to your actual application.

Does Fully Inclusive cover every future filing?

Do not assume that. It includes a defined company filing service for an initial period, with a published renewal charge and separate statutory fees. Obtain the full scope and ask about accounting and tax work separately.

Is the accountancy consultation a free accounting service?

No. A consultation can help identify requirements and obtain a quotation. Ongoing bookkeeping, accounts preparation and returns require a clearly agreed service unless explicitly included elsewhere in the purchase.

Can I use the registered office for all customer mail?

Only if the service terms permit it. Official correspondence, director mail and commercial mail can be handled under different services. Confirm the allowed uses and forwarding charges before publishing the address widely.

Will the provider give me a special tax reference unavailable elsewhere?

The company UTR is issued by HMRC. It is an official reference, not an exclusive agent benefit. The important practical point is ensuring that the company receives it and knows how it will be used.

Should I choose Digital or Privacy?

Choose based on address needs. Digital is relevant when suitable arrangements already exist. Privacy is worth examining when the company needs public-address services, subject to the exact coverage and renewal price.

Why is Tide the overall winner rather than Your Company Formations?

For eligible straightforward founders who also want a business account, Tide’s subsidised formation price and conditional NEW200 promotion are particularly compelling. Your Company Formations remains a strong option when the agent model or wider service range better fits the business.

My final recommendation

Your Company Formations is a credible low-fee formation agent with a broad range of services. Digital is attractive for a founder who already has the surrounding arrangements in place, while address and filing packages can make sense where they solve a specific need.

The decision should be based on the complete order and the normal renewal year. Separate professional charges from statutory fees, distinguish consultations from ongoing services and verify the cashback attached to the chosen package.

Tide remains the overall winner in this selected comparison for eligible straightforward formation-and-banking customers. Your Company Formations earns a place on the shortlist for readers who want an agent-led route, specialist options or a package tailored to wider company-administration requirements.

View Your Company Formations’ current packages or compare Tide’s NEW200 formation offer.

Sources and verification notes

Reviewed in October 2026. The Fully Inclusive page expressly provides its VAT-inclusive calculation; other displayed headline components should be checked against the final order. Cashback varies by package and promotion.

• Your Company Formations: package range
• Your Company Formations: Digital
• Your Company Formations: Privacy
• Your Company Formations: Fully Inclusive
• Tide: company registration
• Tide: NEW200 offer
• GOV.UK: setting up a limited company
• GOV.UK: company addresses
• GOV.UK: identity verification
• GOV.UK: confirmation statements

About the author

Alex Morgan · Company Formation Offers

Alex leads our coverage of the decisions founders make before and during incorporation: choosing between sole trader and limited company, checking a company name, selecting SIC codes, allocating shares, appointing directors and recording people with significant control. Alex writes step-by-step guides that separate what the law requires from what providers sell as optional extras, so readers can see exactly what they need to pay for.

Writes for Company Formation Offers on company registration and formation packages. Full profile