Can you actually register a company for free?
Short answer: yes, several routes exist to register a UK limited company without paying the standard Companies House filing fee out of your own pocket.
How the free routes actually work
Providers like Tide, ANNA, and Revolut cover the Companies House filing fee for you when you open a business account with them. They’re not doing this out of charity, a new banking customer is worth considerably more to them long term than the small fee they’re covering, so it’s a genuine trade rather than a hidden cost elsewhere.
What “free” doesn’t include
A registered office address usually isn’t part of the free bundle, if you don’t want your home address public, that typically costs extra separately. Ongoing costs after formation, accountancy, confirmation statement filings, remain yours regardless of how you registered.
Is there a downside to the free route
The only real one is being nudged toward a specific bank’s account as part of the deal. If that bank’s account genuinely suits you, there’s no downside at all. If you’d rather choose your bank independently, you can still register free by comparing our free formation providers against each other rather than assuming they’re identical.
The honest bottom line
There’s genuinely no reason to pay the standard filing fee out of pocket unless you have a specific reason to register independently of any bank. Free formation is a real, no-catch offer as long as the linked account suits you.
Some links here are referral links, if you sign up we may earn a fee at no cost to you, it never changes the order we list things in. Fees and terms change, always check Companies House and the provider’s own site for the current numbers. This is information, not legal advice.