What Inform Direct does

Inform Direct is a UK-based cloud SaaS company secretarial software platform, founded in 2012 and headquartered in Ipswich (registered office in London, Company No. 07887285). It enables accountants, accounting practices, company directors and business owners to manage statutory records, prepare and file submissions with Companies House, maintain registers for companies limited by shares, guarantee companies, LLPs and PLCs, and handle shareholder, officer and PSC (Persons with Significant Control) compliance. The platform supports over 60 Companies House forms for limited companies and 20+ for LLPs, with electronic integration to Companies House for real-time data submission and retrieval, automated statutory registers, and a portfolio view across all managed entities.

The technology stack is a fully browser-based SaaS platform with no software download requirement, incorporating an API for adding and removing companies and retrieving company details, integrated identity verification through Credas (for ECCTA compliance), and — following the November 2024 acquisition by Bright Software Group — a cross-product single sign-on (BrightID). Product modules cover confirmation statements, company accounts (including micro-entity and dormant accounts), shareholder records, officer records, statutory registers, company documents, PSC reporting and company details management. AI-assisted chat support was introduced in 2025.

Inform Direct monetises through a monthly subscription (unlimited companies and unlimited users per account), a Pay-As-You-Go tier capped at 10 companies, per-transaction Companies House filing fees and identity verification services. Distribution is primarily direct and self-serve via informdirect.co.uk, supplemented by accountant-focused outreach (webinars, migration support, industry events such as Accountex) and an API channel for practice management integrations. The platform manages records for over 600,000 UK companies and has received five consecutive Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Awards (2020-2024) and the 2017 British Accountancy Awards Practice Software Product of the Year.

Name

Inform Direct

Legal name

Inform Direct Limited

Website

https://informdirect.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Inform Direct is a UK cloud SaaS platform that helps accountants and business owners manage company secretarial records, statutory registers, and Companies House filings for over 600,000 UK limited companies and LLPs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ipswich

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: Monthly subscription model with single cost-effective payment covering unlimited access. Subscribers can register unlimited companies, invite unlimited users, access document library with upload capability, and receive all company secretarial features.
2. Transaction Fees: Pay-per-transaction fees for specific chargeable services including submission of Accounts, Confirmation Statements, Charges, incorporations, and changes of name. Each chargeable return submitted to Companies House incurs a transaction fee.
3. Pay As You Go (PAYG): Non-subscription option with limitations on number of companies (max 10) and features. PAYG users cannot access multiple user access, document upload, or advanced features available to subscribers.
4. Identity Verification Services: Integrated identity verification service powered by Credas partnership. Allows accountants to verify at scale and charge appropriate fees for verification services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Inform Direct provides a cloud-based SaaS company secretarial platform that enables UK accountants and business owners to manage statutory company records, prepare and electronically file over 60 Companies House forms for limited companies and 20+ forms for LLPs, maintain statutory registers, process share transactions, file confirmation statements and accounts, and handle company formations. The platform offers direct electronic integration with Companies House for real-time submission and retrieval, and includes an integrated identity verification service for ECCTA compliance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Inform Direct Company Secretarial Software Comprehensive cloud-based company secretarial platform that enables accountants and business owners to manage statutory company records, file submissions to Companies House, and maintain statutory compliance for over 600,000 UK companies. Subscription includes unlimited companies, unlimited users, document library, and all features.
• Company Formations Online company formation service supporting incorporation of limited companies, LLPs, guarantee companies, and PLCs with step-by-step wizard, automated document generation and electronic Companies House filing. Offered with formation packages and provides free access to company secretarial software upon incorporation.
• Client Identity Verification Integrated identity verification solution powered by Credas partnership, enabling compliance with Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act requirements for directors and PSCs with biometric verification within the Inform Direct workflow.
• BrightChecks Sub-brand identity checking platform service operated by Inform Direct that provides access to Credas's identity verification services for ECCTA compliance across the Bright Software Group ecosystem.

Quantifiable outcome

• 600,000+ companies managed on the platform
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability3 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CredascoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Credas provides integrated identity verification solution for compliance with Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act. The integration enables secure biometric identity verification seamlessly within Inform Direct workflow, allowing accountants to verify directors and PSCs at scale without additional platforms.
• KPMGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInform Direct partnered with KPMG as referenced in historical news from 2015.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blueprint (OneAdvanced): Blueprint is a UK-focused company secretarial software product, now part of OneAdvanced, directly competing with Inform Direct for UK accountant and corporate clients managing Companies House filings and statutory records.
• Cosec 360: Cosec 360 is a UK company secretarial software provider serving accountants and corporate clients with similar Companies House filing, statutory register, and entity management functionality.
• JTC Group (Jordans): Jordans, now part of JTC Group, provides company secretarial, corporate administration, and compliance services to UK and international clients, overlapping with Inform Direct's core entity management and statutory compliance offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Equiniti: Equiniti is a major UK shareholder services and corporate governance provider offering entity management and compliance solutions at enterprise scale, competing for the larger end of the corporate services market Inform Direct serves via accountants.
• IRIS Software Group: IRIS is the leading UK practice management and accounting software vendor serving accountants and SMEs with a broad portfolio that increasingly bundles compliance and company secretarial functionality adjacent to Inform Direct's niche.
• Sage: Sage is the dominant UK accounting and payroll software provider for SMBs and accountants, with a broad product suite that includes practice management features which could overlap with company secretarial workflows.
• Wolters Kluwer (CCH): Wolters Kluwer's CCH division provides tax, compliance, and corporate governance software to UK accounting and legal professionals, offering overlapping functionality with Inform Direct's compliance and filings focus.
• Xero: Xero is a global cloud accounting platform widely used by UK SMBs and accountants; its app marketplace includes add-ons that can replicate portions of Inform Direct's company secretarial workflows.

Emerging players

• Practice Ignition: Practice Ignition is a practice management and client engagement platform for accountants that competes for the same UK accounting practice buyer as Inform Direct, with growing workflow automation features.

Others

• Bright Software Group: Bright Software Group is Inform Direct's parent company following the 2024 acquisition, providing tax, payroll, bookkeeping, and practice management software — a strategic ecosystem partner rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/InformDirect
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inform-direct

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Inform Direct