Quick summary: Opening an Estonian company costs €446 in one-time fees (e-residency €150 + formation €296 incl. VAT). Ongoing costs start from €218/year for a virtual office and basic accounting software. A fully managed setup with a dedicated accountant runs from €1,388/year. There are no hidden state fees, no mandatory annual maintenance fee, and no charges simply for the company existing.
Opening an Estonian company is genuinely one of the more accessible ways to register a business in the EU. But the cost picture is spread across several different services and providers, and it is easy to end up with an incomplete estimate. This article covers every cost involved: one-time setup, ongoing monthly costs, and optional add-ons, with exact figures for 2026.
The one-time costs
1. E-residency application: €150
Before you can register an Estonian company remotely, you need an Estonian e-residency card. This is a digital identity issued by the Estonian government that allows you to sign documents and manage your company entirely online.
The application fee is €150, paid to the Estonian government at e-resident.gov.ee. Processing takes a few weeks. Once approved, you collect your digital ID kit from the nearest Estonian pickup point. There are over 50 locations worldwide, including most major European cities.
There may be minor travel costs to reach your nearest pickup point, but there is no additional fee for the card itself.
2. Company formation: €296 incl. VAT
Registering your Estonian OÜ (private limited company) through Unicount costs €296, including VAT. This covers the €265 state fee paid to the Estonian Business Register, plus the Business Register API fee. Unicount does not charge a service markup on top of this; the formation fee reflects the actual cost of processing your registration.
Your company is typically active in the Estonian Business Register within one business day of submitting your application.
One-time total: €446
The ongoing costs
3. Virtual office (registered address): €199/year plus VAT
Every Estonian company must have a registered address in Estonia. This is a legal requirement; it appears in the public Business Register and is where official government correspondence is sent.
Unicount’s virtual office service costs €199 per year plus VAT. This includes a registered address at a real office location in Tallinn, and all official correspondence (registered mail, legal notices) is scanned and forwarded to you electronically. You never need to be physically present.
Unicount’s company formation package includes a virtual office. It is also available as a standalone service, for example, if you already have an Estonian company and want to switch your registered address to Unicount.
One optional add-on: a licensed contact person, which requires an additional €29 state fee. Most companies don’t need this unless it’s specifically required.
4. Accounting: from €29/month
Estonian companies are required to keep accounts and file an annual report. How much you pay for accounting depends on how much support you need.
| Plan | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | €29/month | Cloud accounting and invoicing software: self-managed, no accountant |
| Micro | €99/month | Named accountant, bookkeeping, up to 20 documents/month |
| Standard | €149/month | Named accountant, up to 30 documents/month, VAT return, and payroll tax (TSD) included |
| Premium | €290/month | Up to 60 documents/month, weekly payment preparation |
| Advanced | From €490/month | Up to 150 documents/month, daily service |
All prices are subject to 24% Estonian VAT.
All plans include Envoice, Unicount’s integrated invoicing and expense management software.
For a solo freelancer or a company with straightforward activity, client invoices, and minimal expenses, the Micro plan at €99/month covers everything. The Lite plan at €29/month is suitable for companies that are dormant or have very low activity and whose founder is comfortable managing their own records.
Annual report: Preparing and filing your annual report costs from €199 (or the equivalent of one monthly accounting fee for active companies). This is filed once a year, with a deadline of 30 June.
5. Business bank account: typically free to low cost
Estonian companies are not limited to Estonian banks. Most founders use fintech accounts. Wamo, Wise Business, and Revolut Business are all widely used and open entirely online. Both provide a real EU IBAN for receiving payments across the EU.
Wise Business, Wamo, and Revolut Business all have free account tiers, with fees applying to higher transaction volumes or specific currency conversions. For a solo founder or small team, the monthly banking cost is typically €0–€15/month.
What does it add up to?
Minimum realistic setup (dormant or low-activity company)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| E-residency (one-time) | €150 |
| Company formation (one-time) | €296 incl. VAT |
| Virtual office | €199/year plus VAT |
| Accounting (Lite plan) | €348/year plus VAT |
| First-year total | ~€993 plus VAT |
| From year two onwards | ~€547/year plus VAT |
Standard setup (active company, dedicated accountant)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| E-residency (one-time) | €150 |
| Company formation (one-time) | €296 incl. VAT |
| Virtual office | €199/year plus VAT |
| Accounting (Micro plan) | €1,188/year plus VAT |
| Annual report | €199 plus VAT |
| First-year total | ~€2,032 plus VAT |
| From year two onwards | ~€1,586/year plus VAT |
What you do NOT pay
It is worth being explicit about what Estonian companies do not cost, because this surprises many founders coming from other jurisdictions:
No annual maintenance fee. Estonia does not charge a mandatory annual fee simply for your company to remain registered. As long as you file your annual report on time, your company stays active with no additional state charge.
No corporate tax on retained profits. Estonia’s corporate tax applies only when you distribute profits as dividends. Money left in the company (to reinvest, save, or build a buffer) is not taxed at the corporate level. The distribution tax rate is 22/78 (meaning 22% of the gross distribution).
No mandatory share capital payment upfront. Estonian OÜ companies can be registered with a share capital of as little as €0.01. You do not need to deposit capital into a bank account before registering.
Frequently asked questions
Is VAT charged on Unicount’s services?
Yes. Estonian VAT of 24% applies to Unicount’s service fees. If your company is VAT-registered, you may be able to reclaim input VAT depending on your situation; speak with your accountant about this.
Do I need to pay for the virtual office separately from formation?
The virtual office is included in Unicount’s formation package. If you are adding a registered address to an existing company or switching providers, it is available as a standalone service at €199/year plus VAT.
Can I start with the Lite accounting plan and upgrade later?
Yes. You can move between accounting plans as your company grows. The Lite plan is a practical starting point for a company that is not yet generating regular invoices or has very simple bookkeeping needs.
What happens if I do not file my annual report?
Missing the 30 June annual report deadline triggers penalty notices from the Estonian Business Register and can ultimately result in your company being struck off the register. Unicount’s accounting service includes annual report preparation, so this is handled for you.
Are there additional costs for VAT registration?
VAT registration itself is handled by Unicount at no additional charge. If your turnover exceeds €40,000 in 12 months, VAT registration in Estonia becomes mandatory. Monthly VAT return filing is included from the standard accounting plan; on the micro plan, it is available for an additional fee.
What does the intra-community VAT return cost?
If you invoice VAT-registered businesses in other EU countries (reverse charge), you are required to file an intra-community VAT return (VD declaration). This costs €15/month as an add-on on the Micro, Standard, and Premium plans.
Ready to get started?
The full cost of an Estonian company is transparent and predictable: no hidden state fees, no mandatory excessive annual charges, and a clear monthly accounting fee that covers compliance end to end.
Open your Estonian company with Unicount
Or chat with the team on unicount.eu if you have questions about which plan fits your situation.
All prices are correct as of October 2026. Estonian VAT of 24% applies to Unicount service fees. E-residency application fee paid directly to the Estonian government. Company formation state fee paid to the Estonian Business Register.
Last verified: October 2026 by Unicount
