Starting a small business? Registering a company in the UK with Companies House usually costs £50, but you get free company registration with the GoSolo’s New Company plan (£29/year).
Don’t have a registered UK office address? Want to keep your personal address safe from spam and scam mail? The GoSolo All-inclusive plan gives you peace of mind for just £199/year.
We have different pricing plans. This is what you get with the all-inclusive plan:
You can choose from different GoSolo plans based on the features you need. For current and most up-to-date details about the costs, please refer to our pricing page.
What advantages does it provide compared to being a sole trader or a freelancer?
Registering a limited company in the UK offers several key advantages over operating as a sole trader or freelancer:
Financial protection
The biggest benefit is limited liability protection. If you want to avoid having to worry about losing your house, car, and savings to a business failure, forming a limited liability company is a better bet than being a sole trader.
Tax efficiency
Limited companies often prove more tax-efficient than sole trading:
Companies pay 19% corporation tax on profits, compared to 20-45% income tax for sole traders.
Directors have the option to maximise their income by combining salary and dividends.
A wider variety of business expenses that can be deducted from taxes.
Professional credibility
A limited liability company can help you stand out from the competition:
Many larger companies prefer or require working with limited companies.
Adding the "Ltd" suffix gives a company a more credible and well-established appearance.
When you register your business name, it becomes legally protected.
Business growth
A limited company structure provides better opportunities for growth:
Easier access to business funding and investment.
Ability to sell shares to raise capital.
More options for structure and ownership of businesses.
Other perks
Because of its unique legal status, your business is able to own assets and engage in contracts independently.
Tax planning and financial management become more flexible.
Enhanced privacy, as sole traders have to share more personal financial information with the public.
It takes more work and paperwork to run a limited company than to be a sole trader, but the benefits usually outweigh the problems, especially once your business reaches a certain size or level of income.
GoSolo provides free support to entrepreneurs starting a limited company. Plus, you get a business account and a debit card for all transactions related to your business. It takes less than 10 minutes to set up a GoSolo account and apply for a new company, and then we will do the rest while you can focus on your business.
Here’s a guide to UK company types for business owners:
Private Limited Company (Ltd)
This is the most common business structure in the UK, with over 2 million companies registered. In an Ltd, the company is owned by shareholders, and their personal assets are protected if the business faces financial problems. This means if your business struggles, your personal savings and property are safe.
Other Business Structures
Public Limited Company (PLC)
These are larger companies whose shares can be bought and sold on the stock market. Think of companies like Tesco or BP - anyone can buy shares in these businesses.
Community Interest Company (CIC)
These companies are set up to help society or the environment. Instead of paying profits to shareholders, the money goes back into doing good for the community. They’re perfect for social enterprises and community projects.
Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
This is ideal for professional services like accountants or architects. It combines the flexibility of a partnership with the protection of a limited company. Partners share management and profits while protecting their personal assets.
Company Limited by Guarantee
Usually chosen by non-profits and charities. Instead of having shareholders, members agree to pay a small amount (often £1) if the company goes bust. This structure shows that you’re running the organisation for a purpose rather than profit.
Currently, GoSolo is focusing on helping people set up Private Limited Companies (Ltd/limited), as this is the most straightforward and popular choice for new business owners.
Yes, you can. GoSolo is available to founders and entrepreneurs from around the world.
GoSolo provides the UK company formation and a business account for non-residents. Here, you can read more about how it works.
We are currently accepting users from:
Registering a UK limited company is simple with GoSolo. All you need is the following documents:
The company formation fee is included in the New Company plan. Please refer to our Pricing page for the latest details about which services are included in the packages.
We will also automatically open a business account for your new company.
There is detailed information about new limited company registration in our blog: How can I register my company with GoSolo?
GoSolo offers business accounts only for UK-based and UK-registered companies.
If you're living abroad and want to set up a business in the UK, we can register a limited company for you. You will get a virtual business address and a virtual debit card for all your business transactions, quick and easy.
Our current pricing plans are here.
If you register a company via GoSolo, the default share structure is 100 shares for the total value of £100.
All shares issued are non-redeemable and rank equally in terms of each of:
You will receive official Articles of Association and a Certificate of Incorporation. These documents are approved by Companies House. They are not apostilled.