Ready-Made vs New Irish Company: Pros, Cons, Cost (2026)
One of the most common decision points for buyers approaching Irish company formation in 2026 is the choice between a ready-made company and a new incorporation. Both result in the same legal entity type – a private company limited by shares under the Companies Act 2014 – but the path to ownership, the cost, the timeline, and the degree of control differ substantially. This guide sets out a direct side-by-side comparison so buyers can reach a decision based on their specific situation rather than on promotional framing from either direction.
Quick Comparison at a Glance
| Factor | Ready-Made Company | New Incorporation |
|---|---|---|
| Time to ownership | 24-72 hours | 5-10 working days (standard CRO) |
| 2026 base cost | €5,000 (Q1, no VAT pre-reg) | From €249 (Irish resident package) |
| Company name | Pre-set; renaming requires CRO filing | Chosen by founder from outset |
| Constitution | Pre-drafted; amendments possible post-transfer | Fully customisable before incorporation |
| Clean trading history | Yes – never traded (if purchased from reputable agent) | N/A – brand new entity |
| Pre-existing VAT | Optional (Q2 product at €12,000) | Must self-register; 4-12 weeks Revenue |
| Aged incorporation date | Yes – company exists before buyer takes ownership | No – date is day of CRO approval |
| Non-EU director rule | Both require EEA-resident director (CA 2014 s.137) | Same requirement applies |
Ready-Made Irish Company: Pros
Speed of availability
The most compelling case for a ready-made company is speed. From order placement and KYC completion to director transfer via CRO B10 filing, the process typically completes within 24-72 hours. For buyers with a contractual deadline, an Amazon FBA launch window, an investor pitch requiring an incorporated entity, or a Revenue registration trigger event, this timeline can be decisive. A new incorporation through the CRO standard route takes a minimum of 5 working days and often longer depending on the CRO’s current queue.
Optional pre-existing VAT registration
Buyers who need an active Irish VAT number from day one can purchase a company that already holds a live Revenue VAT registration. This eliminates the 4-12 week Revenue review period that applies to new VAT registration applications. The VAT-registered ready-made company is priced at €12,000 in 2026, reflecting the premium that pre-existing VAT history commands in the market.
Aged incorporation date
Some counterparties – landlords, enterprise grant bodies, government procurement frameworks, and certain banking partners – apply minimum trading age filters. A company incorporated in 2023 or 2024 may satisfy a “two-year minimum” requirement that a company incorporated today cannot. Buyers should verify whether this factor applies to their specific use case before treating it as a definitive reason to choose a ready-made route.
Predictable total package price
At €5,000 for the Q1 product, buyers receive a clearly defined package: Certificate of Incorporation, constitution, share register, statutory books, RBO initial filing, 12 months of registered office, and the B10 director transfer filing. The price is flat and does not change based on incorporation complexity. For buyers who want a fixed, all-in cost without itemising every component, this is a meaningful operational advantage.
Ready-Made Irish Company: Cons
Pre-set company name
Shelf companies carry the name assigned at the time of incorporation – typically a generic or holding-style name. Changing the name requires a CRO filing, board resolution, and a waiting period. For buyers who require a specific trading name from the outset, the name-change process adds friction. A new company avoids this entirely: the name is selected before submission and confirmed on the Certificate of Incorporation.
Pre-drafted constitution may not fit
The constitution of a shelf company is drafted for standard purposes. Buyers who need non-standard share classes, weighted voting rights, drag-along provisions, or specific objects clauses will need to amend the constitution post-transfer. This is straightforward but is an additional legal step. A new company allows these provisions to be written into the constitution at the point of incorporation, at no extra cost.
Due diligence burden falls on buyer
A shelf company has an incorporation history that the buyer is inheriting. Even if it has never traded, buyers should run a standard due diligence process: CRO Core check, RBO public extract, Revenue Tax Clearance Certificate, and a check for court judgments or property charges. This adds 1-3 days to the effective purchase timeline if done properly. A full guide to verifying a ready-made company’s history covers the process step by step.
Higher upfront cost
The €5,000 price for a ready-made Q1 company is higher than the cost of a new incorporation for most founder profiles. Irish-resident founders can incorporate a new company through standard packages starting from €249. EEA-resident founders pay from €1,299. The ready-made premium reflects the value of speed, pre-existing corporate history, and the curated due diligence provided by the seller. Whether that premium is justified depends on the buyer’s timeline and use case.
Possible additional transfer costs
Beyond the headline price, buyers should budget for items that can arise during a transfer: stamping costs on the share transfer where applicable, legal input on the company’s past status and clean history, fees to update older statutory documents to match the new ownership structure, and ongoing services such as registered office and company secretarial support once any included period ends. Confirming in writing exactly what the package covers avoids surprises after completion.
New Irish Company: Pros
Full name control from day one
A new incorporation lets the founder choose the company name subject to CRO availability checks. The name appears on the Certificate of Incorporation from the moment the company exists. There is no renaming process, no extra filings, and no period of operating under a generic placeholder name.
Clean constitution from the start
The constitution is drafted to match the founder’s requirements – standard or custom – before submission. Share classes, quorum rules, pre-emption rights, and other governance provisions are written in at formation. This avoids the post-transfer amendment process that shelf company buyers sometimes face.
Lower base cost for straightforward structures
For Irish-resident founders, new company formation packages start significantly below the €5,000 shelf price. EEA-resident founders also have a lower starting point. For buyers who do not need the ready-made speed advantage or pre-existing VAT status, a new incorporation is the cost-efficient choice.
No inherited compliance obligations
A new company’s first B1 annual return is not due until approximately six months after the first anniversary of incorporation, giving founders well over a year before the first filing requirement. A shelf company’s B1 due date is inherited from the original incorporation date, which may be much closer to the purchase date. Shelf company buyers can also inherit compressed deadlines for first financial statements and, where record-keeping was poor, gaps or errors in old statutory books that the new owner must identify and correct.
New Irish Company: Cons
CRO processing time
Standard CRO processing via CORE (Companies Online Registration Environment) takes 5-10 working days. Express options are available but add cost. For time-sensitive buyers, this delay can be a blocking constraint.
Revenue VAT registration delay
A new company that needs a VAT number must apply to Revenue separately. The Revenue review process typically takes 4-12 weeks from application. During this period, the company cannot charge or reclaim VAT. Buyers who need immediate EU VAT capability face a meaningful operational gap that the VAT-registered shelf company product resolves.
No incorporation history for counterparties who require it
A company formed today has no prior incorporation date to present to counterparties applying minimum age criteria. For some grant applications, banking relationships, and procurement frameworks, this can be a constraint in the first 1-2 years of operation.
Cost Comparison 2026
| Scenario | Ready-Made (Q1) | New Company |
|---|---|---|
| Irish-resident founder, no VAT needed | €5,000 | From €249 (BASIC) to €599 (ALL-INCLUSIVE) |
| EEA-resident founder, no VAT needed | €5,000 | €1,299 (START-UP) to €1,599 (ALL-INCLUSIVE) |
| Non-EEA founder, no VAT needed | €5,000 + €2,000/yr nominee director | €2,699 (PRIME) to €2,999 (ALL-INCLUSIVE) + €2,000/yr nominee director |
| Any founder, VAT needed from day 1 | €12,000 (Q2 VAT-registered shelf) | New company cost + 4-12 weeks Revenue review |
| Annual B1 return (all routes) | €80/yr | €80/yr |
What an Aged Incorporation Date Does Not Change
Buyers sometimes assume that an older incorporation date smooths the path with banks and Revenue. In practice, both look through the company shell to the people behind it, and the same scrutiny applies to ready-made and new companies alike.
Bank account opening checks are identical
Irish and EU banks focus on who owns and controls the company now, the business model and source of funds, the level of economic substance such as local management, staff or premises, and risk factors for non-resident owners. A shelf company is not treated as safer because it has existed longer on paper; in some cases banks examine older inactive companies more closely and ask why the entity was unused for so long. Buyers on either route should expect ultimate beneficial owner checks, director identity and address verification, and questions about real trading activity.
No automatic VAT registration from age alone
Unless a ready-made company already holds a live VAT number, Revenue applies the same review to a shelf company as to a new incorporation. It expects to see real trading plans, contracts or expected customers, and activity linked to Ireland or the wider EU. An older incorporation date does not show that the company will carry on genuine business, so it does not shorten the review.
Substance expectations apply to both routes
Tax authorities and counterparties increasingly assess where real decisions are made, where senior people are based, and where risk and value sit. A thin shell, whether brand new or bought off the shelf, can attract questions on tax residence, permanent establishment, or VAT treatment. Keeping clear records of board decisions and genuine contracts with EU customers or suppliers protects either structure. There is also a reputational point: counterparties who see a change of ownership on the register may ask what happened before the transfer, which is why documented proof that the company never traded matters.
Decision Framework: When to Choose Which
Choose a ready-made company if: your timeline is critical (contract signing, EORI deadline, Q4 Amazon launch); you want a pre-existing incorporation date for counterparty credibility; you need a VAT number active from day one without waiting for Revenue review; or you value a fixed all-in price over itemising formation components.
Choose a new company if: your name is important to the business identity and you want it from day one; you need a customised constitution from the start; your timeline allows for 5-10 working days CRO processing; or your cost budget is the primary constraint and speed is not urgent.
Whichever route is chosen, the same backward-planning exercise applies: clarify the business model and where revenue will come from, decide what level of substance in Ireland is needed over time, set a realistic launch date for trading and contracts, then work backward to choose dates for incorporation or transfer, tax registrations, and banking.
For buyers still researching what the ready-made package includes, see the complete breakdown of what’s included in a ready-made Irish company purchase. For non-EU founders evaluating the nominee director requirement that applies to both routes, see the guide to CA 2014 section 137.
Buyers ready to review available ready-made Irish companies can browse the current inventory.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is a ready-made company cheaper than forming a new one?
A: For most founder profiles, no. A new company formation is cheaper at the base level. The ready-made premium (€5,000 in 2026) reflects speed of transfer, pre-existing incorporation history, and due diligence provided by the seller. For buyers who need same-week company ownership, the premium is often justified.
Q: Can I change the name of a ready-made Irish company after purchase?
A: Yes. A company name change requires a special resolution of the members and a CRO filing. The process is straightforward but adds time and a small administrative cost. If the company name is critical from day one, a new incorporation with the chosen name is the cleaner route.
Q: How long does it take to transfer a ready-made Irish company?
A: Typically 24-72 hours from KYC completion to directorship transfer. The CRO B10 filing for director change is submitted as part of the transfer process. Full details on the timeline are available in a separate guide on how long the purchase process takes.
Q: Do ready-made and new companies face the same VAT registration delay?
A: A new company must always apply to Revenue separately for VAT, which takes 4-12 weeks. A ready-made company that already holds a live VAT registration (the Q2 product at €12,000) avoids this delay entirely. A plain ready-made company without VAT faces the same Revenue timeline as a new company.
Q: Is a ready-made company faster than a new incorporation?
A: Yes. A ready-made company typically transfers within 24-72 hours of order placement and KYC completion, via a CRO B10 director change filing. A new incorporation through the standard CRO route takes a minimum of 5 working days and often longer depending on the CRO’s current queue.
Q: Does an older incorporation date help with banks?
A: Not in itself. Banks focus on who owns and controls the company now, the business model and source of funds, and the level of economic substance. A shelf company is not treated as safer because it has existed longer on paper, and in some cases banks examine older inactive companies more closely. The aged date matters more to counterparties such as landlords, grant bodies and procurement frameworks that apply minimum trading age filters.
Q: Is a ready-made Irish company more expensive?
A: Yes, at the base level. The ready-made Q1 product costs €5,000 in 2026, while a new incorporation starts from €249 for Irish-resident founders and €1,299 for EEA-resident founders. The premium reflects speed of transfer, the pre-existing incorporation history, and the due diligence provided by the seller.
