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What does a company actually cost?

The software can often be free. Registration, bank, web hosting and insurance cost money. Here is the list of what costs money, roughly what it costs, and what you can actually get without paying a single krona.

Starting the company

You apply for F-tax and VAT registration at the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket), and it costs nothing. Registration at the Swedish Companies Registration Office (Bolagsverket) costs 1,800 SEK via the e-service for a trading partnership or limited partnership and 2,400 SEK for a limited company, a little more on paper. For a sole proprietorship the registration is voluntary and costs 1,800 SEK if you choose it. A limited company also needs at least 25,000 SEK in share capital; that money is not a cost but the company's own, but it must be there when the company is formed.

For UF companies

A UF company is registered through Ung Företagsamhet, not with the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) or the Swedish Companies Registration Office (Bolagsverket), and Ung Företagsamhet has its own terms. Many banks have special terms for UF companies during the UF year.

What almost always costs

  • Domain: a .se address often costs 100 to 200 SEK the first year, and the renewal is often more expensive. Check the renewal price before you choose a registrar.
  • Web hosting: WordPress is free, but the site must be on a server. Web hosting costs every month, and that is the cost most often forgotten.
  • Bank and Swish: a business account is usually part of a bank package with a monthly fee. Swish Företag costs around 500 to 600 SEK per year plus 1.50 to 2 SEK per payment, varying between banks.
  • Accounting software: most charge a monthly fee. A sole proprietorship (enskild firma), a trading partnership (handelsbolag) and a limited company (aktiebolag) need real software; a UF company gets by with a spreadsheet.
  • Materials for products: often the biggest cost if you sell something physical. Calculate it per unit sold, not in total.
  • Payment fees: card payment online costs a percentage per purchase plus a fixed fee. It sounds like nothing but shows up on a big sales day, so factor it into the price.

What can cost, but does not have to

  • Email on your own domain: is available free or for under 50 SEK per month per account. The guide domain and email shows the way.
  • Advertising: can be done for 0 SEK. The first customers are often reached through networks, social media and markets.
  • Insurance: a business insurance with liability coverage is wise as soon as you sell products or perform services at customers' premises. Ask an insurance company what it costs for your particular business.
  • Auditor and accounting consultant: a small limited company (aktiebolag) does not always need an auditor, but many get help with the annual accounts. An hourly rate for an accounting consultant is often worth it the first year.

What does a company realistically need to spend?

A small service business as a sole proprietorship (enskild firma) can keep fixed costs down to a domain, web hosting, a bank package and accounting software, a few hundred SEK a month depending on which services you choose. A limited company (aktiebolag) costs more from the start: the registration, the share capital and usually more help with the annual accounts. If you sell physical products, materials and inventory come on top. Do the math before you spend anything, and check it against break-even.

For UF companies

A UF company that builds the website itself and keeps the bookkeeping in a spreadsheet can often stay within a few hundred SEK during the year if it sells services, and more if it buys materials. If you spend more than a couple of thousand SEK before the first sale, stop and do the math again.

The fees above are our compilation at the time of writing and change. This is not tax advice or legal advice, and we are not accountants; check current fees with the Swedish Companies Registration Office (Bolagsverket), the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) and your bank.

What is actually free

The programs here cost nothing to use and go a long way for a small company:

Do you want to keep costs down?

We help you choose the free options and avoid the most expensive traps before you spend anything. UF companies get free advice by us; everyone else is welcome to contact us.

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