Open a company in Germany: GmbH or UG
A German GmbH requires €25,000 of capital (€12,500 paid in at the start) and an effective tax burden of 30-33% once trade tax is added. We assess whether a GmbH, a UG or a branch suits you before you commit capital.
Europe's largest economy, with a GmbH.
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Book a meeting to design your expansion to Germany
Our advisors analyse the market in Germany and the tax strategy that best fits your case: legal form, taxes and annual obligations. Free and no commitment.
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A video call with a Filnet expert advisor.
- Your landing in GermanyWe analyse the market, the legal form and the real costs of operating from Germany, based on your activity and goals.
- A tax strategy tailored to youTaxes, holding structures and double taxation between Spain and Germany, explained for your case.
- A local expert advisorIn your language, with paperwork handled and fixed prices.
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Key figures for Germany
Corporation tax
CIT 30-33%
in Spain: 25%
Indirect tax
VAT 19%
in Spain: 21%
Time to incorporate
6-14 weeks
100% online, no travel
Market
84M consumers
Europe's largest economy
The legal structure you will operate with
We analyse your case and choose the structure that fits best; this is the usual one for most businesses.
Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH)
GmbH
Benefits
- Europe's largest economy83 million consumers and an industrial base that buys from European suppliers every day.
- Credibility with a GmbHIt is the trust standard in the German market: banks, customers and tenders take it seriously from day one.
- 15% corporate tax plus trade tax15% corporate tax with a 5.5% solidarity surcharge (15.825% in total) and municipal trade tax of 14-17%.
- Access to the DACH marketFrom Germany you cover Austria and Switzerland with a single subsidiary and one shared language.
- Solid, predictable bankingThe bank requires proof of the capital payment before the GmbH is registered: with a tidy file it stops being a bottleneck.
Key considerations
- Minimum capital
- €25,000 (€12,500 at the start)
- Timeline
- 6-14 weeks
- Corporation tax
- CIT 30-33%
No endless background checks to open your company bank account
Thanks to our agreements with Revolut and other partner banks, your company account in another country does not sit for months in reviews: the account opening runs in parallel with the rest of the project, so you can operate sooner.
- No files stuck for monthsWe work with partner banks that know the process and will not ask for the same documents five times.
- Open in daysAn operating account to invoice and get paid, without waiting for months.
- Setup and bank account in parallelWe coordinate both tracks so you lose no time on either.
How a company is opened in Germany
You decide and you sign. We prepare, review and accompany you step by step.
We analyse whether the GmbH is your route
We compare GmbH, UG and branch: capital tied up, credibility and the annual duties of each.
We give you the cost and the calendar
Notary fees, registry charges, bank and accounting, with the realistic timeline for each phase.
We prepare the notarial documentation
Business purpose, shareholders and director ready for you to sign the deed, in person or by notarial video call.
We coordinate the notary and the capital payment
We support the account opening with the German bank and prepare the deposit receipt the notary requires.
We set up accounting, VAT and payroll
Books under German rules, periodic VAT returns, annual reports and payroll at €55/month per employee.
Year-on-year follow-up
Year-end close, annual accounts and German commercial-registry duties with reminders before each date.
Why Germany
Opening a company in Germany usually means a GmbH: notarial deed, payment of the share capital and registration with the Handelsregister. The combined tax burden — corporate tax plus trade tax — runs between 30% and 33% depending on the municipality, and standard VAT is 19%.
Europe's largest economy, with a GmbH.
Explore expansion optionsEurope's largest economy
83 million consumers and an industrial base that buys from European suppliers every day.
Credibility with a GmbH
It is the trust standard in the German market: banks, customers and tenders take it seriously from day one.
15% corporate tax plus trade tax
15% corporate tax with a 5.5% solidarity surcharge (15.825% in total) and municipal trade tax of 14-17%.
Access to the DACH market
From Germany you cover Austria and Switzerland with a single subsidiary and one shared language.
Solid, predictable banking
The bank requires proof of the capital payment before the GmbH is registered: with a tidy file it stops being a bottleneck.
Explore more about Germany
Case studies
V2C
We supported V2C in its expansion to Portugal, France, Germany and Italy until it became the leader in electric chargers in Europe (+€30M).
Portugal · Francia · Alemania · Italia
View case
Hagen Group
We helped Hagen Group, the world’s largest pet supplies company, establish itself in Portugal, Andorra and Italy (×7 sales in Spain).
Portugal · Andorra · Italia
View caseFrequently asked questions
Notary and deed fees run between €700 and €1,500, the Handelsregister entry between €200 and €400 and the bank account up to €500. Add the €25,000 capital, which is company assets. Our fees are quoted after the analysis.
€25,000 of share capital, part of which must be paid in at incorporation under German law, with the rest committed in the articles. That money belongs to the company rather than being a cost, and is evidenced to the notary with a German bank receipt.
Because the process goes through a notary and the Handelsregister, and the bank must issue the capital receipt before registration. That slowness is also the point: the GmbH carries credibility other legal forms do not deliver in the German market.
Not always: notarial video signature is available for setting up a GmbH, and so is a power of attorney signed before a Spanish notary. The bank may ask for a video identification call. We tell you which route your case allows before you start.
Other countries to open a company
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In 30 minutes we outline your expansion strategy with you: target market, legal structure and taxation for your case. No commitment.
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