Pairwise comparison
Side-by-side reference. Setup + ongoing cost, tax stack, banking, payment processors, beneficial-ownership disclosure. For full context, click through to either jurisdiction.
Not legal, tax, or accounting advice
This page is for orientation only. Choosing a corporate structure has tax, legal, and banking consequences specific to your situation. Consult a licensed attorney and tax adviser in both your country of residence and the proposed jurisdiction before incorporating.
Ltd
UK Private Limited Company (Ltd)
The most common UK corporate form. £50 setup, accountant ~£1K/year, 25% headline corp tax with a 19% small profits rate up to £50K.
C-Corp
Delaware C-Corporation
The default structure for venture-backed US startups. Issues common and preferred stock, qualifies for QSBS, and is the entity every US VC and accelerator expects.
| Attribute | 🇬🇧 UK Private Limited Company (Ltd) | 🇺🇸 Delaware C-Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Entity type | Ltd | C-Corp |
| Setup cost (typical, USD) | $400 | $800 |
| Annual maintenance (typical, USD) | $1,500 | $1,200 |
| Setup time (typical) | 2 days | 3 days |
| Corporate tax | 25% | 21% |
| VAT / GST | 20% | — |
| Dividend withholding | 0% | 30% |
| Min directors / shareholders | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Residency required | No | No |
| Beneficial ownership public | Yes (public registry) | Confidential |
| Banking difficulty (1=easy, 5=hard) | 2 / 5 | 2 / 5 |
| Stripe supported | Yes | Yes |
Highlighted cells show the more attractive value on that dimension — but a single dimension rarely decides which jurisdiction is right. Read the “Best for” sections on both pages before choosing.