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Cheapest Country to Register a Company in Europe in 2026

The cheapest countries to register a company in Europe are Estonia, Portugal and Ireland: little or no minimum capital and low state fees. Estonia needs no real capital and taxes 0% on reinvested profit, Portugal just EUR 1, and Ireland none at all. Germany is the most expensive, at EUR 25,000 of capital. Full cost ranking below.

Last updated June 2026 · 5 min read

Ranked by cost

This ranking sorts the most popular EU jurisdictions by how cheap they are to start, mainly minimum share capital and state fees, with tax and setup time alongside for context. Verified figures, last reviewed June 2026. Each country links to its full profile.

# Country Corporate tax Setup Why it ranks here
1 🇪🇪Estonia 0% retained / 22% distributed ~1 day No real capital (EUR 0.01/share); 0% tax until you distribute profit.
2 🇫🇮Finland 20% ~1-3 days No minimum capital for an Oy.
3 🇬🇪Georgia 0% retained / 15% distributed ~1-2 days No minimum capital for an LLC (non-EU).
4 🇺🇦Ukraine 18% (9% Diia City) ~1-3 days No statutory minimum capital for a TOV (non-EU).
5 🇮🇪Ireland 12.5% trading ~3-5 days No minimum share capital; modest filing fees.
6 🇨🇾Cyprus 15% (from 2026) ~8-12 days No statutory minimum capital; the old annual levy is abolished.
7 🇳🇱Netherlands 19% / 25.8% ~1-2 weeks EUR 0.01 of capital for a BV.
8 🇧🇪Belgium 25% (20% SME) ~2-4 weeks No minimum capital for a BV/SRL (plus a financial plan).
9 🇨🇿Czechia 21% ~2-3 weeks CZK 1 of capital for an s.r.o.
10 🇷🇸Serbia 15% flat ~3-5 days RSD 100 (under EUR 1) for a d.o.o. (non-EU).

Showing the 10 cheapest. Compare every European jurisdiction side by side in the hub.

Cheapest to start, and to keep

Estonia is the cheapest sensible option: no real minimum capital, low online fees, and 0% corporate tax until you distribute profit, so it is cheap to start and to run. Portugal needs only EUR 1 of capital per shareholder, and Ireland and Cyprus have no statutory minimum. At the other end, Germany ties up EUR 25,000 and adds notary costs.

Watch the difference between cost to start and cost to run. A low capital requirement is not the same as a low total cost: corporate tax, accounting and banking add up. We show a fixed quote for our service before you commit.

How we compare

We rank on minimum share capital and state formation fees first, then sanity-check against ongoing tax and admin. For the full side-by-side, see company formation in Europe, or the overall best country ranking.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest country to register a company in Europe?

Estonia, Portugal and Ireland are the cheapest to start: little or no minimum capital and low state fees. Estonia needs no real capital and taxes 0% on reinvested profit, Portugal just EUR 1 per shareholder, and Ireland has no minimum capital at all.

Which EU country has no minimum share capital?

Estonia (EUR 0.01 per shareholder), Ireland and Cyprus have no meaningful minimum, and Portugal requires only EUR 1 per shareholder. Germany is the opposite, at EUR 25,000.

Does cheaper to register mean cheaper to run?

Not always. Low formation cost is only part of the picture: corporate tax, accounting, audit and banking costs differ widely. Estonia is cheap to both start and run; some low-capital countries cost more later.

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