The cost of a Hong Kong company is more than the price of its incorporation certificate. A useful budget separates official charges, the service provider's work and recurring administration, then adds the financial services your business will actually use.
Official charges and professional fees The Companies Registry publishes different incorporation fees for electronic and paper applications. Business registration charges are separate and depend on the applicable fee schedule and registration period. Check the current official tables when ordering: an old article or promotional screenshot may reflect an expired levy concession.
A formation provider may bundle preparation, submission, a registered office and secretarial support in different ways. Ask for an itemised quotation that states the service period. A cheap registration headline is not a complete comparison if the address and secretary are charged separately immediately afterwards.
Cluched's published setup packages * Starter: €1,600, covering Hong Kong company formation and support for one bank account application. * Growth: €2,750, covering formation, three account applications and applications for Stripe, PayPal and Airwallex. * Scale: €3,750, covering formation, five account applications and applications for OceanPayments, Airwallex, PayPal HK, Stripe HK and AsianPay.
Government fees, renewals and provider charges are additional unless a written quotation states otherwise. Nominee support is listed at €750. Any nominee arrangement must be lawful and fully disclosed where required; it does not replace beneficial ownership checks. Account and processor approval remain decisions for the providers.
Build a realistic first year forecast Add bookkeeping, audit where applicable, tax preparation, software subscriptions and transaction charges. Include currency conversion and international transfer costs if revenue and expenses use different currencies. Keep payment reserves in the cash flow forecast even though a reserve is different from a fee.
Compare providers using the same expected activity: for example, twelve months of administration, the same transaction count and the same turnover assumptions. Ask for renewal prices before purchasing. The best cost comparison is a written scope and a twelve month operating budget, not a single incorporation figure detached from the work needed afterwards.
Sources and scope
General information, not advice for your individual legal or tax position. Confirm current requirements with the relevant authority or provider.