Set up a GmbH or UG online without having to coordinate everything between the notary, bank and public authorities yourself: that is the promise behind many digital company formation services. But which provider is right for your business? beglaubigt.de, Qonto, Holvi and firma.de differ in price, support, articles of association and additional registrations. Instructing a notary directly remains another option–either in person or, where the legal requirements are met, online.
A useful comparison therefore starts with what each service includes. A lower-priced entry-level package may cover the formation documents and appointment scheduling, while leaving you to handle business registration, tax registration and the Transparency Register yourself. A more comprehensive service takes on additional administrative tasks. An included or discounted business account also affects the overall cost, particularly once an introductory offer ends.
It is equally important to distinguish between getting a quick notary appointment and having a fully registered company. Notarisation is a key step. In a standard formation with cash contributions, it is followed by payment of the share capital, submission of the Commercial Register application and review by the register court. When comparing services, always check which milestone a quoted timeframe refers to.
With beglaubigt.de, you can prepare your GmbH formation digitally and get support coordinating the individual steps. An independent notary carries out the legally required notarisation. This guide explains the differences between the services listed above and helps you assess their prices, timelines and scope of support for your circumstances.
Transparency: This comparison is published on beglaubigt.de and is not an independent product test. It is based on publicly available information from the providers. Holvi names beglaubigt.de as its company formation partner; according to its own website, firma.de belongs to the Openlaw Group. Some of the services are therefore connected. [3] [4]
Key takeaways in 30 seconds
- Setting up a company online does not remove the need for a notary. The articles of association or model formation document for a GmbH or UG must be notarised.
- You can instruct a notary directly. Using an additional company formation service is not a legal requirement.
- Qonto currently lists company formation packages at €99 and €299, excluding VAT. Notary and public authority fees are charged separately.
- Holvi advertises formation packages starting at €99, with beglaubigt.de as its partner. Package contents and business account terms need to be considered separately.
- firma.de displays different pricing models. Its current GmbH page lists an ongoing business administration service starting at €99 per month, with a waiting list; older overviews show one-off formation packages.
- Short advertised timeframes often refer to the notary appointment. Registration in the Commercial Register is a separate step.
- Online notarisation requires supported electronic identification credentials. An ordinary video call and a copy of your ID are not sufficient.
- Compare service charges, statutory fees and ongoing costs separately. Share capital is a contribution to the company, not a formation fee.
- beglaubigt.de offers digital company formation support starting at €249, excluding VAT. Its GmbH formation packages explain which services are included and which tasks you handle yourself.
1. Online company formation: How to compare providers and services
What does “online company formation” actually mean?
When you set up a company online, the necessary information is collected digitally, documents are prepared electronically and the remaining steps are organised with as few in-person visits to public authorities as possible. Where the legal requirements are met, notarisation can also take place by video communication. The legal requirements for forming the company still apply. Completing an online form alone does not establish a GmbH or UG, and a private platform cannot replace the required notarial work. The legal basis for notarisation by video communication is set out, in particular, in § 2(3) GmbHG. [9]
The main differences between the services therefore lie in how the process is organised. Some providers combine formation support with a business account; others bundle document preparation, appointment scheduling and additional registrations. If you instruct a notary directly, you receive the necessary notarial advice and services, but generally organise the related administrative tasks yourself. Your decision should therefore depend on the support you actually need and the tasks you can reliably complete on your own.
How can you compare price, timing and services fairly?
A meaningful comparison uses consistent criteria. For pricing, separate one-off service charges from statutory fees and ongoing contracts. When assessing what is included, check whether forms are merely prepared or whether registrations are actually submitted. Timelines also need a clear reference point: preparing documents, notarisation and entry in the Commercial Register are different milestones.
The following graphic shows the published starting prices and the main differences. It does not rank the providers or award scores. In particular, the timeframes come from the providers themselves and have not been measured under identical conditions. The sections that follow explain how to apply this information to your own formation plans.
The pricing and service information is based on publicly available product pages. Holvi’s formation page did not clearly state the VAT treatment of the package prices shown. For firma.de, the currently displayed monthly model must be distinguished from older one-off packages. [1] [2] [3] [4]
2. A closer look at the company formation services
beglaubigt.de: Who is digital company formation support suitable for?
beglaubigt.de brings together digital preparation and coordination of the formation process. Its current service overview distinguishes between Einfach at €249, Standard at €399 and Priority at €899, all excluding VAT. The packages differ primarily in their provisions for the articles of association, company structure and additional mandatory registrations. With the entry-level package, you handle business registration, tax registration and the Transparency Register yourself; according to the product description, the higher-tier packages include these tasks. Statutory notary and register fees are charged separately. [1]
The right choice therefore depends on how much support you need. A straightforward company with a small number of participants has different requirements from a business with several managing directors or bespoke arrangements. The GmbH formation service at beglaubigt.de lets you check which scope of support fits your structure. An independent notary provides the notarial advice, review and notarisation; the platform supports the organisational steps.
Instructing a notary directly, in person or online: When is this sufficient?
Instructing a notary directly is an alternative to using an additional company formation service. The statutory notary fees already include the necessary advice, preparation of draft deeds, notarisation and the notarial steps required to complete the transaction. If you want to organise the business account and other registrations yourself, you can therefore arrange the formation directly with the notary. No additional intermediary or coordination service is required. [7]
Instructing a notary directly does not necessarily mean attending an in-person appointment. The German Federal Chamber of Notaries provides an official online procedure through which eligible GmbH and UG formations can be completed digitally. Whether your transaction and identification credentials are suitable is checked in advance. An appointment at the notary’s office remains a practical alternative, particularly if you do not meet the technical requirements or the participants prefer to discuss matters in person. [14]
Qonto: When does combining company formation with a business account make sense?
Qonto combines company formation support with a business account. It currently offers a formation package at €99 and an enhanced package at €299, both excluding VAT and additional notary or public authority fees. The entry-level package uses a model formation document and is aimed at smaller company structures. The enhanced service provides for adapted articles of association and several managing directors. A notary appointment within seven working days is advertised.[2]
The service may be of interest if you already intend to use Qonto for your business account. However, compare the one-off formation service and subsequent account charges separately. A temporary free account offer does not mean that the account will remain free indefinitely. Also check which additional registrations your particular package actually includes. Opening the account and obtaining prompt confirmation of the capital deposit are important steps, but they do not replace review and registration by the register court.
Holvi: What does company formation with beglaubigt.de as a partner include?
Holvi advertises GmbH and UG formation together with beglaubigt.de. Its product page lists Einfach at €99, Standard at €299 and Priority at €599. It also offers six months of Holvi Lite or Holvi Pro without a base account fee. Statutory notary and register fees are charged separately. As the formation page did not clearly state the VAT treatment of the package prices, the binding total price should be confirmed in the specific offer. [3]
This option is particularly relevant if you want to use a Holvi account for your company. Compare the actual services rather than assuming that similar package names mean identical contents. Prices, contractual terms and additional services in a partner offer may differ from those available directly. The registrations covered and the account terms after the discounted period are especially important to your decision.
firma.de: Which prices can currently be compared?
firma.de displays different versions of its offering. Its current GmbH page combines formation with ongoing company administration and presents a service starting at €99 per month, excluding VAT, with a waiting list. Older overviews showing one-off formation prices can also be found. These should not automatically be treated as offers that are all available at the same time. [4] [5]
For a reliable comparison, you therefore need a specific offer with clear availability, scope and contract length. The current page states that notarisation is usually possible within 48 hours. This refers to the notary appointment and is not a promise of Commercial Register entry within that period. In particular, clarify whether you are purchasing a one-off formation service or entering into a longer-term contract.
3. The actual costs of setting up a company online
What costs arise in addition to the service price?
The total cost consists of several separate items. The private provider charges for preparation and coordination. The notary invoices the statutory fees. The register court charges fees for the registration procedure. Depending on the formation, there may also be costs for business registration, translations, powers of attorney or additional professional services. Once the company is operating, ongoing costs may include a business account, bookkeeping and tax advice.
The same statutory fees generally apply to the same notarial work. Differences in the final invoice may arise, in particular, from the relevant transaction value, the structure of the arrangements and the work required. A low-priced private formation package therefore does not automatically result in correspondingly lower statutory notary fees. Our guide to the costs of setting up a GmbH explains the individual cost components. [7]
For the ordinary first registration of a GmbH or UG formed with cash contributions, item 2100 of the fee schedule to the German Commercial Register Fees Ordinance currently provides for a fee of €225. Item 6000 adds an availability fee of one third of that amount, or €75. Together, these amount to €300 in register fees. Notary fees and private service charges are not included.[13]
Is online notarisation cheaper than an appointment at the notary’s office?
Online notarisation generally follows the same statutory fee system as notarisation in person. Additional expenses apply for using the video communication system. The German Federal Chamber of Notaries lists €25 per notarisation procedure and €8 per signature certification procedure, both excluding VAT. Your notary can explain which charges apply to your particular formation. [6]
Setting up a company online may nevertheless make financial sense. If several participants would otherwise have to travel, it can save transport costs, accommodation expenses and travel time. However, distinguish those individual savings from the formation fees themselves. A digital appointment reduces organisational effort, but does not automatically lower the statutory notarisation fee.
How do you compare one-off packages with ongoing contracts?
One-off formation packages and monthly service models need to be assessed over the same period. The minimum contract term, included services and any subsequent charges are decisive. A monthly model may cover additional ongoing tasks, while a one-off package may end once the formation support is complete. A price comparison that ignores these differences would be misleading.
A hypothetical calculation illustrates the difference: a one-off package priced at €249 plus 19% VAT costs €296.31 including VAT. An assumed monthly model priced at €99 plus VAT costs €1,188 excluding VAT, or €1,413.72 including VAT, over twelve months. These figures alone do not tell you which offer is better. You would also need to assess the value of the additional services for your business and the expenses you would otherwise incur separately.
Why should share capital be treated separately?
Share capital is a contribution to the company. It is not a fee paid to the formation provider, notary or register court. Nevertheless, you need to account for it in your liquidity planning. A GmbH requires minimum share capital of €25,000. In a standard formation with cash contributions, at least one quarter of each share and a total of at least €12,500 must generally be paid before the registration application is submitted. The obligation to pay the outstanding amount remains. [10] [11]
For a UG, the agreed share capital must be paid in full before the registration application is submitted; contributions in kind are not permitted when forming a UG. A low nominal capital amount also does not mean that the business is adequately funded. The company needs sufficient funds to meet its actual obligations. Our article on GmbH share capital and payment requirements explains these rules in more detail. [12]
4. Timing and process: What can actually be accelerated?
Which provider offers the fastest online company formation?
The published information does not provide a sound basis for naming one provider as the fastest overall. The services refer to different milestones and assume different starting conditions. Organising the formation of a single-member company with complete documents and a suitable eID is different from handling a formation involving foreign corporate shareholders, translations or unresolved questions about the articles of association. Account opening times can also vary depending on the checks required.
For planning purposes, ask about specific steps: When will the draft documents be ready? When can notarisation take place? What documents does the account provider require? When will the conditions for submitting the Commercial Register application be met? The service provider can coordinate the tasks within its remit. Checks by the account provider and register court remain separate. A quick appointment is valuable, but it does not mean that the company is already fully registered.
What are the steps for setting up a GmbH or UG?
1. Prepare the structure and documents. First, decide on the legal form, company name, registered office, business address, business purpose, shareholdings and management. These details determine the formation documents and the provisions required. Checking the company name early can help avoid corrections later. Our guide to the IHK company name check explains the different checks involved.
2. Have the formation notarised. The notary prepares or reviews the required deeds, explains their legal consequences and carries out the notarisation. The appointment takes place in person or, where the legal requirements are met, online. A private formation provider can prepare and coordinate this step, but cannot perform the notarial work itself. [9]
3. Open an account and pay in the capital. Next, arrange the account opening for the company in formation and the required capital payments. Identity and company checks depend on the legal requirements and the account provider’s acceptance criteria. Our article on opening a GmbH account explains which documents are needed and who is authorised to act.
4. Complete the application and registration process. Once the conditions are met, the notary submits the Commercial Register application. The register court reviews the application and registers the company. Queries may require additional documents or corrections. In particular, § 7 GmbHG sets out the legal requirements for the capital payments needed before the application is submitted.[11]
5. Complete the other registrations. Business registration, tax registration and the Transparency Register are separate tasks. Their precise timing depends on the circumstances. Before booking, therefore, check whether your provider merely points out these obligations, prepares forms or actually handles the required submissions within the agreed scope.
5. Requirements and common mistakes when choosing a service
Which eID do you need for online notarisation?
Online notarisation requires supported electronic identification credentials and suitable technical equipment. This typically includes an appropriate electronic ID document with its online identification function activated and a PIN, an NFC-enabled smartphone with the Notar app, and a computer or suitable tablet with a camera and microphone. Additional requirements may apply depending on the ID document, for example when reading the digital photograph.
Check these requirements for every participant before booking. Identification for a business account and identification in the notarial online procedure are separate processes. Successfully completing a bank’s video identification procedure therefore does not automatically mean that online notarisation is also possible. If suitable identification credentials are unavailable, discuss an in-person appointment or an appropriate representation arrangement with the notary at an early stage. [8]
When is a lower-priced entry-level package sufficient?
An entry-level package may be suitable if the company structure is straightforward and you want to handle the remaining tasks yourself. The package limits and the articles of association you need are decisive. The simplified procedure using a model formation document under § 2(1a) GmbHG is available for companies with no more than three shareholders and one managing director. A provider may place narrower limits on its particular service. Legal eligibility and the scope of the package therefore need to be checked separately. [9]
Where there are several participants, it is also important to clarify the rules needed for decision-making, representation and a shareholder’s eventual departure. The lowest starting price offers little benefit if the arrangements later turn out to be unsuitable for the business. Our guide to setting up a UG online with a notary provides further information on documents, identification and the process for a straightforward formation.
What should you clarify before signing a contract?
Ask for the division of responsibilities to be explained clearly enough for you to assess the work you will still need to do. For a company name check, for example, it matters whether the service only searches for similar company names or carries out a broader review. For registrations, distinguish between help completing forms, preparation and actual submission. The scope of “bespoke articles of association” may also vary between services.
Also clarify the contract term, cancellation rules and subsequent costs. Is a particular business account required to receive a discount? What happens if that account cannot be opened? Which services end when the company is entered in the Commercial Register? Who handles queries, and which additional services are charged separately? A suitable offer answers these questions before you sign and makes clear which responsibilities remain yours.
6. Your next step with beglaubigt.de
Which formation route suits your business?
For a straightforward company, both instructing a notary directly and using a digital formation package are options. If you can coordinate the bank and other registrations yourself, the direct route may be sufficient. If you would prefer to bring these tasks together, examine the actual scope of support offered by a formation service. Where a service includes a business account, your company’s future payment needs also belong in the decision.
For several founders, bespoke shareholder arrangements or international structures, preparation becomes more important. In these cases, the right scope of support should take priority over the price. Always compare the same cost components and the same milestones. The best provider is the one whose service fits your plans and whose responsibilities, contractual terms and total costs you can understand.
Further guides to setting up a company online
- Setting up a UG online: Requirements and the notarial process
- Setting up a GmbH: What costs should you expect?
- GmbH share capital: Payment requirements and important rules
- Opening a GmbH account: Documents and authority to act
- IHK company name check: Checking your company name before formation
The company formation overview for GmbHs and UGs provides a broader introduction.
Next step with beglaubigt.de: Prepare your company formation digitally
Would you like to approach your formation in a structured way and clarify which scope of support fits your company? With beglaubigt.de, you can submit your formation details digitally and receive support with preparation and appointment scheduling. Service packages start at €249, excluding VAT. Statutory notary fees and register fees are charged separately. Prepare your GmbH formation and explore the available packages
FAQ about the best providers for online company formation in 2026
Which provider is best for setting up a company online?
That depends on your company structure, the support you want and your business account requirements. Compare the articles of association, additional registrations, total costs and contract terms. Different starting prices and timeframes do not provide a basis for naming one overall winner.
Do I need an additional company formation service?
No. You can instruct a notary directly. An additional service provider can make preparation and organisation easier. In either case, the notary provides the required notarial advice and notarisation.
Are notary fees included in the formation package?
For the private formation services described here, statutory notary and register fees are charged separately. “Notary appointment included” may refer to appointment scheduling. The specific service description is what matters.
Can I set up a GmbH entirely without a notary?
No. The articles of association must be notarised. Where the legal requirements are met, this can take place by video communication. A digital form or an ordinary electronic signature does not replace notarisation. [9]
Can I have documents notarised online without a suitable eID?
The notarial online procedure requires supported electronic identification credentials. If these are unavailable, discuss an in-person appointment or an appropriate representation arrangement with the notary. An ordinary passport alone is not sufficient for the electronic identification procedure. [8]
Does a notary appointment within seven days mean I will have a fully formed GmbH within seven days?
No. Opening the account, paying in the share capital and registration are further steps. A timeframe can only be compared meaningfully when it is clear which milestone it refers to and which requirements must already have been met.
Do I have to use the provider’s business account?
Choosing a company formation service does not create a general legal obligation to use a particular account provider. However, specific packages or discounts may be subject to certain conditions. Check what happens if your account application is rejected.
Is Holvi an independent company formation provider alongside beglaubigt.de?
Holvi expressly names beglaubigt.de as its company formation partner. The services are therefore connected. Nevertheless, prices, scope and account terms need to be compared using the specific offer in each case. [3]
How do I compare a one-off price with a monthly contract?
Calculate both offers over the same period and account for all included services. Check the minimum contract term, cancellation rules, subsequent costs and whether the offer is actually available. A monthly contract with ongoing support is not directly comparable to a one-off formation service.
What is particularly important when shareholders are based abroad?
Clarify identification, evidence of authority to act, possible translations and the account provider’s acceptance criteria at an early stage. A standardised entry-level package does not automatically cover international ownership structures. The specific process should be agreed with the provider and notary before booking.
Sources
[1] beglaubigt.de — GmbH formation: Packages, prices and scope of services
[2] Qonto — Company formation prices and packages
[3] Holvi — Setting up a GmbH or UG online
[4] firma.de — Current GmbH formation page and ongoing service model
[5] firma.de — Overview of one-off formation packages
[6] German Federal Chamber of Notaries — Fees for notarial online procedures
[7] Notar.de — Cost examples for setting up a GmbH or UG
[8] German Federal Chamber of Notaries — Technical requirements and identification documents
[9] § 2 GmbHG — Form of the articles of association and video communication
[10] § 5 GmbHG — Share capital and shares
[11] § 7 GmbHG — Registration application and capital payment requirements
[12] § 5a GmbHG — Special provisions for the Unternehmergesellschaft
[13] Annex to the HRegGebV — In particular, fee items 2100 and 6000
[14] German Federal Chamber of Notaries — Official portal for notarial online procedures
