Company formationin Switzerland

Switzerland gives you two working routes to your own company. Route one: form a new GmbH (limited liability company, CHF 20'000 share capital) or AG (company limited by shares, CHF 100'000 capital, at least CHF 50'000 paid in). Our formation fee starts at CHF 750 including notary costs, and the Handelsregister (commercial register) entry follows within 2–3 weeks. Route two: take over a ready-made shelf company that already holds a register entry, UID number and bank account — current AG shells are priced from CHF 9'800 (as of 23 July 2026) and can be handed over within days.

Gründung Schweiz is run by a team of fiduciary and legal experts in Zug and Zurich. We form companies, sell inspected shelf companies, provide registered addresses and take on board and management mandates for owners abroad.

1. 01Form a Swiss GmbHCHF 20'000 share capital, fully paid in — the most common legal form for SMEs and startups. One shareholder is enough.→
2. 02Form a Swiss AGCHF 100'000 share capital, at least CHF 50'000 paid in — for growth companies, investors and owners who value discretion.→
3. 03Buy a shelf companyTake over a registered AG or GmbH with UID and bank account — in business within days, debt-free guarantee in writing.→

Form a new company or buy a ready-made one?

The Handelsregister does not care which route you take — both end with a fully valid Swiss capital company. The difference is time, cost and history:

Route 1 — form a new GmbH or AG

A new formation suits founders who want the capital structure, name and purpose designed from zero. The Swiss company formation service covers name check, notarised deed, capital deposit account and commercial register filing at a fixed fee — CHF 750 for a cash formation, including consultation and notary costs, excluding register fees. Non-resident founders add a resident signatory mandate where needed.

Route 2 — buy a shelf company

A shelf company in Switzerland is a pre-founded AG or GmbH with no operating activity: register entry, UID and bank account exist, so you skip the founding process entirely. Our current inventory lists ten companies — seven AG shells (CHF 100'000 share capital each) and three GmbH shells (CHF 20'000) — with founding years 2009–2026, each carrying a written guarantee that the company is free of debts. Vintage matters for banking relationships and tenders — a company founded in 2009 reads differently from one founded last month.

How Swiss company formation works

1. Choose the legal form and name

   GmbH or AG, checked against existing entries in Zefix so the Handelsregister does not reject the name.

2. Draft the articles of association

   Purpose, capital, shares or quotas, organs. We prepare the notarised public deed of incorporation.

3. Deposit the share capital

   CHF 20'000 (GmbH) or at least CHF 50'000 (AG) goes into a blocked capital deposit account at a Swiss bank.

4. Notarisation and register filing

   The founding deed is signed before a notary and filed with the cantonal commercial register office.

5. Registration and start

   The entry appears in the commercial register and SHAB; the capital is released to the company account. VAT and social insurance registrations follow where required.

The steps are identical for founders abroad — signatures can be handled by power of attorney (CHF 300 service fee) so that no travel is required for the notary appointment.

Legal forms at a glance

Swiss law offers more forms than the two capital companies, but for foreign owners the GmbH and AG cover almost every case, because both limit liability to company assets:

A sole proprietorship is rarely usable for non-residents, since it is tied to a natural person doing business in Switzerland. A branch office needs no Swiss capital but keeps every risk on the foreign parent — most international clients end up with a GmbH or AG for that reason.

Form, buy, administer — one partner across all 26 cantons.

What it costs

Formation fees at Gründung Schweiz are fixed: CHF 750 for the cash formation of a GmbH or AG including notary costs, CHF 1'750–1'990 for formations with contributions in kind, plus commercial register fees. Running costs are equally predictable: bookkeeping from CHF 1'200 per year, fiduciary board or management mandates at CHF 2'750–2'950 per year, and a registered address in Zug or Zurich if you have no office yet. The complete schedule is on the pricing page; shelf company prices are listed per company in the inventory.

Location: why Zug and Zurich

Zug combines one of the lowest combined corporate income tax rates in Switzerland — around 12% including the 8.5% federal tax (as of July 2026) — with a commercial register office used to international structures. Zurich offers the largest banking and talent pool in the country. We maintain registered addresses in both cantons, which is why most of our formations and shelf companies are domiciled there; other cantons are available on request.

After registration: the first four weeks

The Handelsregister entry is the birth certificate, not the finish line. Four things happen next, and all four are routine when planned: the blocked capital converts into the operating bank account (for shelf purchases, the account already runs and only signatories change); VAT registration follows once turnover will pass CHF 100'000 — the standard rate is 8.1% (as of July 2026); AHV social insurance registration becomes due with the first salary; and bookkeeping starts from day one, because Swiss law requires accounts from the first franc — our bookkeeping package with VAT returns and annual statements costs CHF 1'200 per year. Owners abroad add one more standing item: the Swiss-resident signatory, covered by a fiduciary mandate until a local hire takes over.

When Switzerland is not the right fit

Switzerland is an onshore jurisdiction with real substance requirements, and it is honest to say so before you commit capital. A Swiss company is the wrong tool if:

• Your budget cannot carry the capital. CHF 20'000 must actually be paid in for a GmbH — jurisdictions with EUR 1 nominal capital exist, but they buy you neither Swiss banking nor Swiss reputation.
• You want a letterbox with no activity. Banks and tax authorities expect management decisions, bookkeeping and a plausible purpose. A shell with none of these will struggle to keep an account open.
• Zero tax is the only goal. Combined corporate rates of roughly 12–21% are low for Europe, but a classic offshore centre is cheaper if reputation and treaty access mean nothing to your business model.
• You need the company tomorrow and cannot fund a purchase. A new formation takes weeks; the faster shelf route costs more than the CHF 750 formation fee.

For every other case — trading, consulting, holding, licensing, e-commerce with European clients — the mix of moderate taxes, stable law and first-class banking is hard to beat. Send your project through the contact form and you receive an initial assessment within one working day.