Swiss Company Formation Costs: Full Breakdown for 2026

When founders ask “how much does it cost to set up a company in Switzerland?”, most quotes they see online leave out half the picture. This article breaks down every cost category — one-time, recurring, and optional — so you can plan your budget before committing.

Two important distinctions first. Share capital is not a cost — it is an asset of your company that you control and can deploy. Notary fees are offered via our UBS banking support banking partnership, UBS account opening + free Helvetia consultation required.

One-Time Formation Costs

These are the costs you pay once during the incorporation process. Most apply regardless of whether you form a GmbH or AG.

Cost item	GmbH	AG	Notes
VOZ setup fee	CHF 149	CHF 149	Covers notary coordination, capital account intro, commercial register filing coordination
Notary fees	Partner offer*	Partner offer*	Notary offer with business account opening support via UBS, UBS account opening + free Helvetia consultation required
Commercial register fee	~CHF 600	~CHF 600	Canton of Zug — included in VOZ coordination
Capital account opening	CHF 0	CHF 0	Blocked capital account opened via banking partner at no charge
Swiss resident director setup	N/A (optional)	CHF 249	Required for AG if no Swiss-resident shareholder. One-time setup fee.
Domiciliation setup	CHF 59 (quarterly) or CHF 0 (annual)	CHF 59 (quarterly) or CHF 0 (annual)	No setup fee on annual billing

For a GmbH with annual billing, your total one-time outlay is CHF 149 (VOZ setup) + CHF 600 (commercial register) = CHF 749. For an AG requiring a Swiss resident director, add CHF 249 = CHF 998.

Share Capital: Asset, Not Cost

This is the most misunderstood element of Swiss company formation. The CHF 20,000 minimum capital for a GmbH and CHF 100,000 for an AG are not fees paid to a third party — they are assets deposited into your company’s blocked account during registration and released to your operating account once the company is registered.

The capital belongs to your company. You can use it for:

• Business expenses and supplier payments
• Salary for employees or consultants
• Equipment and infrastructure
• Working capital for operations

Think of it as the opening balance of your Swiss company’s bank account — not as a government fee or irrecoverable expense.

Recurring Annual Costs

Once your company is incorporated, these are the costs you should budget for each year.

Cost item	Typical annual cost	Notes
VOZ domiciliation — Standard	CHF 708/year (CHF 59/month)	Annual billing. Zug address, mail handling, registered office
VOZ domiciliation — Premium	CHF 1,188/year (CHF 99/month)	Annual billing. No C/O prefix — recommended for banking and holdings
Swiss resident director (annual)	CHF 3,000/year	Billed by fiduciary partner. Required for AG if no Swiss-resident on board. CHF 249 setup fee applies once.
Annual accounting	From CHF 1,200/year	Statutory accounts, tax declaration. VOZ accounting from CHF 350/month.
Commercial register renewal	~CHF 100/year	Annual fee from canton
Zug cantonal/municipal tax	From ~CHF 400/year	Depends on profit and capital. Minimum tax on zero-profit companies is low.

The Swiss Resident Director: Full Cost Structure

For non-resident founders forming an AG (stock corporation), Swiss law (Art. 718a CO) requires at least one board member domiciled in Switzerland. The VOZ resident director service covers this requirement.

The complete cost structure:

• CHF 249 setup fee — one-time, paid at contract signature. Covers KYC document review, director agreement preparation, and fiduciary onboarding.
• CHF 3,000/year — annual fee billed directly by your assigned fiduciary partner, separate from VOZ.

Year 1 total for the director service: CHF 3,249. From year 2 onwards: CHF 3,000/year.

For a GmbH, a Swiss resident director is not legally required (a GmbH can be managed entirely by non-resident managers). Some founders appoint one voluntarily for banking and credibility purposes — but it is not mandatory.

What VOZ Handles vs What You Provide

What VOZ handles	What you provide
Notary coordination (notary offer under conditions, UBS account opening + free Helvetia consultation required)	Identity documents (passport + proof of address)
Capital account opening with banking partner	Share capital transfer (GmbH CHF 20,000 / AG CHF 100,000)
Articles of association preparation	Company name and chosen address (VOZ handles address)
Commercial register filing coordination	Signature at Swiss embassy or via apostille
Beneficial ownership register setup	UBO declaration (beneficial ownership information)
Swiss director service (if needed)	Completed KYC questionnaire
Post-incorporation bank account introduction	Business activity description for banking KYC

Formation Cost Scenarios: Side-by-Side

Three common scenarios for a lean Swiss company formation through VOZ.

Cost item	Scenario A: GmbH, Swiss resident founder	Scenario B: AG, non-resident founder	Scenario C: GmbH, non-resident, annual billing
VOZ setup fee	CHF 149	CHF 149	CHF 149
Notary fees	Partner offer*	Partner offer*	Partner offer*
Commercial register	CHF 600	CHF 600	CHF 600
Domiciliation setup	CHF 0 (annual)	CHF 0 (annual)	CHF 0 (annual)
Swiss resident director setup	—	CHF 249	—
One-time total	CHF 749	CHF 998	CHF 749
Share capital (asset, not cost)
Share capital required	CHF 20,000	CHF 100,000	CHF 20,000
Year 1 recurring costs (annualised)
Domiciliation	CHF 708	CHF 1,188 (Premium)	CHF 708
Swiss resident director (year 1)	—	CHF 3,249 (incl. CHF 249 setup)	—
Accounting (minimum)	CHF 1,200	CHF 1,200	CHF 1,200
Commercial register renewal	CHF 100	CHF 100	CHF 100
Year 1 total (excl. capital)	~CHF 2,757	~CHF 6,735	~CHF 2,757

Hidden Costs to Watch For

Most Swiss formation quotes are incomplete. These items are commonly omitted or underpriced:

• Notary surcharge for rush processing — Standard notary timelines are 2–3 weeks. Rush (under 5 business days) can add CHF 500–1,000 at non-partnership notaries. At VOZ, a notary offer with business account opening support applies, UBS account opening + free Helvetia consultation required.
• Bank account KYC rejection — Some banks decline complex structures. VOZ introductions to UBS, Valiant, and other partners are pre-vetted, but budget time (not cost) for the process.
• Embassy notarisation fees — If you sign at a Swiss embassy abroad, consular authentication fees vary: typically CHF 50–200 equivalent depending on the country.
• Capital release delay — Share capital is blocked until registration is confirmed. For AG structures, this can take 3–5 weeks — plan your working capital accordingly.
• Annual accounting scope creep — “From CHF 1,200/year” assumes minimal transactions. If you have complex structures, foreign transactions, or intercompany loans, accounting costs rise quickly to CHF 3,000–8,000/year for larger companies.

How VOZ Pricing Compares to the Swiss Market

Swiss company formation services typically charge in two models: law firms charge by the hour (CHF 300–500/hour, total CHF 3,000–8,000 for a GmbH), and fiduciary bundled services charge flat fees of CHF 800–3,000 for formation alone — before annual domiciliation and accounting.

VOZ combines formation coordination, legal address, mail handling, and banking introductions into a single structure. The CHF 149 formation fee assumes you use the VOZ address (otherwise standard notary rates apply). The key advantage is the notary offer with business account opening support, UBS account opening + free Helvetia consultation required — a saving of CHF 800–2,500 on every incorporation.

Tax as an Ongoing Cost

Swiss corporate tax in Zug is among the lowest in the world — effective rate approximately 11.8% on profit (federal + cantonal + municipal combined). But for a newly formed company with no profit in year 1, the minimum cantonal tax on a zero-profit company is low — typically CHF 300–400/year. Budget this as a fixed cost even in early stages.

Note: The lump-sum tax regime is a personal regime for high-net-worth individuals residing in Switzerland, and has no bearing on corporate tax planning for your Swiss company. They are separate regimes.

Summary: What You Actually Pay to Start a Swiss Company

Item	Cost	One-time or recurring
VOZ formation fee	CHF 149	One-time
Notary coordination	Partner offer*	One-time
Commercial register	~CHF 600	One-time
Swiss director setup (AG, non-resident)	CHF 249	One-time
Share capital (GmbH/AG)	CHF 20,000 / CHF 100,000	One-time (asset, fully recoverable)
Domiciliation — Standard	CHF 59/month (CHF 708/year)	Annual recurring
Swiss resident director annual	CHF 3,000/year	Annual recurring (if AG + non-resident)
Annual accounting	From CHF 1,200/year	Annual recurring
Commercial register renewal	~CHF 100/year	Annual recurring

The lean GmbH path (annual billing, Swiss-resident manager, minimal accounting): CHF 749 one-time + CHF 2,008/year. Capital: CHF 20,000 (asset, not cost). Total Year 1 outlay including capital: CHF 22,757.

The AG path for a non-resident founder: CHF 998 one-time + CHF 5,487/year (Year 1 including director setup). Capital: CHF 100,000 (asset). Total Year 1 outlay including capital: ~CHF 106,485.

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