What 1stchoice Formations does

1stchoice Formations is a UK company formation agent operating under the legal entity Smart Registrations Limited, headquartered at 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AX. The firm has been forming UK companies and providing registered-office address services since 2011 (with the company incorporated in 2018 under Companies House registration 12123095). Its core product set spans Limited Company formation (£107), LLP formation (£119), Limited-by-Guarantee formations (£119-£133), Community Interest Company formations (£205), Company Restoration (£110), and Charity Registration (£720), supplemented by a London registered-office subscription (WC1N address at £39/year), director service addresses, VAT/ICO/apostille add-ons, digital identity verification as a licensed ACSP, and an outsourced payroll bureau branded Rpay.

The platform is a self-serve, product-led proposition: customers complete the formation process online at 1stchoice-formations.co.uk, with electronic filing to Companies House and an administration portal linked to the Web Authentication Codes. Compliance is delivered through a TCSP-supervised AML framework, ACSP-licensed digital ID verification (passport and facial matching, providing Companies House Personal Verification Codes under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023), and integrated Customer Due Diligence via Equifax, Credas, and Creditsafe. A proprietary document management system, Smart Docustore, provides password-protected and two-step-verified 24/7 access to official post and company documents for address-service clients.

Revenue is generated through five streams: one-time formation fees, recurring registered-office and address subscriptions, à-la-carte add-ons (VAT/ICO/seals/apostilles/confirmation statements), referral fees from partner banks (high-street banks and Wise), accountants, payroll bureaus, and merchant account providers, and managed payroll services via Rpay. The customer base is fragmented across UK entrepreneurs, non-UK residents from approved jurisdictions, professional partnerships (accountants, solicitors, engineers), social enterprises/CICs, and clubs/associations, supported by an affiliate professional-agent channel for institutional resellers and a non-resident self-serve channel.

Name

1stchoice Formations

Legal name

Smart Registations Limited

Website

https://1stchoice-formations.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

1stchoice Formations is a UK company formation agent offering self-serve Limited Company, LLP, CIC and LBG formations from £107, plus London registered-office subscriptions, ACSP-licensed digital ID verification, company restoration and Rpay payroll services, serving UK entrepreneurs, non-UK residents and small professional partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Company Formation Fees: One-time fees for incorporating various company types at Companies House. Pricing varies by company type: Limited Company (£107), LLP (£119), LBG (£119), CIC (£205), Non-Resident packages (£163). Prices include Companies House filing fees.
2. Registered Office and Address Services: Annual subscription service providing Central London registered office address (£39/year), director service addresses (£10/year additional), and mail handling with scanning or forwarding options. Renewable subscriptions billed annually.
3. Additional Services and Add-ons: Various optional services including VAT registration, ICO registration, company seals, certificates of good standing, apostilles, confirmation statements, same-day formation guarantee, and company restoration services.
4. Referral Fees: Revenue generated from referring customers to banking partners, merchant account providers, payroll bureaus, and accountants. These are affiliate/referral arrangements where the company earns fees for introductions.
5. Payroll Bureau Services (Rpay): Outsourced payroll administration services under the Rpay brand, providing PAYE calculations, RTI submissions, payslip production, and pension auto-enrolment support for businesses with up to one director and four employees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

1stchoice Formations is an online UK company formation agent that incorporates limited companies, LLPs, community interest companies (CICs), and limited-by-guarantee entities at Companies House from £107, alongside annual Central London registered office addresses from £39/year. The service bundles digital identity verification under its ACSP licence, free lifetime company administration, and a one-stop referral network for banking, accounting, payroll, and merchant services, with optional add-ons including VAT/ICO registration, confirmation statements, certificates of good standing, apostilles, and outsourced payroll (Rpay).

Product overview

1stchoice Formations is a UK company formation agent offering a modular portfolio of company registration and address services. The core offerings include Limited Company Formation (£107), LLP Formation (£119), and LBG/CIC formations for non-profits. These are available as standalone products or bundled with add-ons such as Central London Registered Office (£39/yr), VAT Registration, and Digital Identity Verification. Non-UK resident services include LTD (£163) and LLP (£163) formations with built-in registered office and ID verification. Additional services span Company Restoration (£110), payroll administration via Rpay, and various document services including Apostilles and Certificates of Good Standing. The company operates as an authorised Companies House ACSP (AP006944) and TCSP supervised by HMRC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Limited Company Formation One-time UK private limited company formation at Companies House from £107, including the £50 Companies House filing fee, digital company documents, free company administration portal, PSC register, web authentication code, and lifetime support. Formations typically complete within one working day.
• Limited Company Formation with Registered Office (Bundle) Bundle of the £107 Limited Company Formation plus the Central London registered office address and free service addresses for all officers and shareholders, priced at £114 one-time, including official post processing.
• Limited Company Formation with VAT Registration (Bundle) Bundle providing a ready-to-trade UK limited company plus the VAT registration application service to HMRC, priced at £133 one-time, for businesses supplying taxable goods or services in the UK.
• LLP (Limited Liability Partnership) Formation One-time UK Limited Liability Partnership formation at Companies House from £119, including the LLP filing fee, online company manager, and telephone/online support; LLP ready to trade within one working day with at least two designated partners.
• LLP Formation with Registered Office (Bundle) Bundle of the LLP formation plus Central London registered office address and free service addresses for all partners, priced at £133 one-time, with free partner-change service included.
• Company Limited by Guarantee Formation (LBG with LTD/limited suffix) One-time UK company limited by guarantee formation from £119 for non-profit organisations such as sports clubs, trade associations, and social clubs; guarantors' liability limited to their contribution (typically £1), with the suffix 'LTD' or 'limited' required by default.
• LBG 'LTD/limited' Suffix Exemption Formation One-time UK guarantee company formation exempt from displaying the 'LTD' suffix, for organisations promoting commerce, art, science, education, religion, charity, or any profession; priced at £133 with appropriate Articles of Association supplied to Companies House.
• CIC Limited by Guarantee Formation One-time UK Community Interest Company formation limited by guarantee from £205, including CIC Regulator application and approval; non-distributing structure makes the entity attractive to grant providers; processing 3–4 days for ≤5-officer CICs, otherwise 3–4 weeks.
• CIC Limited by Shares Formation One-time UK Community Interest Company formation limited by shares from £205, combining CIC Regulator approval with a conventional share structure enabling dividend distributions for social entrepreneurs.
• Limited Company Formation for Non-UK Residents One-time UK limited company formation for non-UK residents from approved jurisdictions (UK, USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Turkey, Japan, South Korea, Israel, Jordan, UAE, Hong Kong), priced at £163 to reflect MLR 2017 compliance work; includes Central London registered office address and basic ID checks.
• LLP Formation for Non-UK Residents One-time UK LLP formation for non-UK residents from approved jurisdictions, including Central London registered office and digital ID verification, priced at £163 with additional MLR 2017 documentation processing charges.
• Multi-Class Share Company Formation One-time UK company formation with multiple share classes (alphabet shares) from £122, allowing different voting and dividend rights per share class.
• Company Formation with Owner-Supplied Articles of Association One-time UK company incorporation using the client's own or bespoke Articles of Association from £123, targeted at professional clients with tailored governance requirements.
• Registered Charity / CIO Application One-time end-to-end Charity Commission registration service for UK charities and CIOs from £720, delivered through affiliated accountants with prior charity trustee experience.
• Central London Registered Office Service Annual Central London (WC1N) registered office address service from £39/year, including scanning service, email notification, secure document storage, and free director service addresses (£10/year additional).地址 service is operated through British Monomarks Limited under the London Local Authorities Act 2007.
• Sole Traders Virtual Address Service Annual Central London virtual address service from £75/year for sole traders, partnerships, trusts, and associations that are not registered at Companies House, with mail forwarding and scanning.
• UK Company Restoration Service One-time administrative restoration from £110 for UK companies struck off the Companies House register due to non-compliance (excluding Scotland and Northern Ireland), including application preparation and Treasury Solicitor liaison.
• Digital Identity Verification Service (ACSP) Per-person digital ID verification service from £24, conducted by a licensed Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), securely matching passport and facial image to issue Companies House Personal Verification Codes under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.
• Rpay Outsourced Payroll Bureau Service Outsourced payroll administration service for UK businesses (targeted at micro employers with up to one director and four employees), including PAYE calculations, RTI submissions to HMRC, payslip production, and pension auto-enrolment support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Companies formed within 1 working day (sometimes as little as 3 hours)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• British Monomarks LimitedcoreOthersBritish Monomarks Limited operates the premises at 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AX providing address services for client companies. The address service operation is subject to the London Local Authorities Act 2007, with British Monomarks holding the relevant registration with the London Borough of Camden.
• High Street BankscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with UK high street banks to refer newly formed companies for business bank account opening. Includes fintech banks and banks offering non-status accounts. UK residents can be referred to a High Street Bank upon company formation.
• WiseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNon-UK resident clients are offered Wise UK Business Account as a no-hassle international business banking solution. Low-cost business banking with multi-currency support, no hidden charges. After company formation, clients receive a link to complete the Wise business account application.
• Merchant Account ProvidersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReferral partnerships with providers offering merchant account services for accepting debit and credit card payments. Available to customers needing payment processing capabilities.
• Payroll BureausminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFree referral to affiliate payroll bureaus for businesses that need to employ staff or pay directors salaries over £183 per week. Referral includes free initial consultation.
• Affiliate AccountantsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReferral network of affiliate accountants offering free one-hour consultation to new clients. Helps businesses get ahead of compliance obligations with online or face-to-face meetings.
• Online Accounting Software ProvidersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIntroduction to online accounting software with introductory benefits for newly formed companies.
• Equifax, Credas, CreditsafecoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital identity verification partners used for Customer Due Diligence (CDD) checks as required by MLR 2017. The company conducts identity verification searches with these credit reference and fraud prevention agencies to verify customer identity and address.
• Secure Trading LimitedcoreTechnology or IntegrationExternal payment processor handling secure online payment transactions. Payment details are encrypted using SSL technology and processed through this third-party gateway.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Formations House: Formations House provides UK company formation, registered office, and company secretarial services to individuals and professional agents. Closely comparable to 1stchoice in core offerings, professional agent channel, and address services.
• 1st Formations: 1st Formations is a long-standing UK formation agent offering LTD, LLP, and charity formations with registered office services and bank referrals. Directly comparable product set, pricing tiers, and entrepreneur target customer, though with a longer operating history.
• Rapid Formations: Rapid Formations is one of the largest UK company formation agents, offering LTD, LLP, LBG, and CIC formations at comparable price points with similar registered office and address add-ons. It is the closest direct competitor to 1stchoice Formations in product mix, target SMB/entrepreneur segment, and self-serve online model.
• Hoxton Mix: Hoxton Mix is a London-based company formation agent combining formation services with bundled business banking introductions. Comparable to 1stchoice in core formation offering and non-resident packages, with stronger emphasis on banking partnerships and premium pricing.
• Company Formation Made Simple: UK formation agent offering standard company types, registered office, and address services at competitive price points. Comparable to 1stchoice in product menu, target customer, and bundled address service strategy.
• Quality Company Formations: Quality Company Formations offers LTD, LLP, and other UK company types with registered office and mail-forwarding add-ons. Comparable pricing structure and SMB/entrepreneur focus, with similar self-serve online ordering.

Emerging players

• Tide: Tide is a UK digital business banking platform that offers free or heavily discounted company formation bundled with its current account. Comparable SMB/entrepreneur target customer and address service ecosystem; poses a competitive threat to standalone formation agents via bundled banking value proposition.
• Doola: Doola is a digital-first platform focused on US LLC formation for non-resident founders, with expanded UK and global formation offerings and bundled banking. Comparable in serving international founders seeking UK/US company formation and banking, but with stronger digital onboarding and US-centric origin.

Broad incumbents

• LegalZoom: LegalZoom is a large US-headquartered online legal services platform offering business formation, registered agent, and compliance services across multiple jurisdictions. Comparable self-serve formation model and SMB target customer, though at much larger scale and with broader legal services portfolio.
• Jordans (Vistra): Jordans, now part of Vistra, is one of the UK's longest-established company formation and corporate services providers, serving professional agents and large corporates. Comparable regulatory TCSP/company secretarial capability but at materially larger scale, broader service portfolio, and B2B channel mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/1stcbs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/beach-life-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 1stchoice Formations