Business · setup 2026
Cost of starting a business in Finland 2026
Starting a business in Finland costs surprisingly little: the only mandatory cost is the PRH trade-register fee, which is €75 for a sole trader (toiminimi) and €300 for a limited company (Oy) via guided electronic setup (€400 on paper). Share capital can be €0.
The real costs come from running the business: accounting, YEL insurance and possibly a website. The calculator combines both one-off costs (registration, share capital, website) and monthly costs (accounting, YEL) and shows the total cost for the first year. Choose a business form and toggle the cost items you want below.
Calculate the setup costs
Over how many months to estimate the running costs.
First-year cost
€3,075
One-off costs: €75 · Monthly costs: €250 €/month
| PRH registration fee | €75one-off |
| Accounting | €100/month |
| YEL insurance | €150/month |
The only mandatory cost is the PRH fee (VAT 0%): sole trader €75, guided Oy setup €300, standard start-up notification €400. Other items are indicative market estimates — actual prices vary. Share capital is not a cost — it remains the company’s asset. The YEL contribution depends on your work income (see the YEL calculator).
How much does it cost to start a business in Finland in 2026?
The only mandatory cost of starting a business in Finland is the PRH trade-register fee. In 2026 the electronic registration of a sole trader (toiminimi) costs €75, and a guided electronic setup of a limited company (Oy) costs €300. If share capital is deposited in the Oy right away, the standard start-up notification is used, costing €400 — but a private Oy’s minimum share capital is €0, so capital is not mandatory. Registering a general or limited partnership costs €300. These fees are VAT-free. The real costs, however, come from running the business: light accounting typically costs about €100 a month, YEL insurance about €150 a month at the start with a low work income, and a simple website with a domain about €215. For example, the first year of a sole trader with accounting and YEL costs about €3,000, whereas registration alone is just €75.
What the setup and first-year costs consist of
One-off costs: the trade-register fee (toiminimi €75, Oy €300 electronically / €400 on paper), any share capital (an Oy can have €0) and a website and logo if commissioned. Setting up a sole trader is the lightest; an Oy needs a memorandum of association and articles of association, which the guided electronic setup produces almost ready-made.
Monthly costs: accounting (light bookkeeping for a sole trader from a few tens of euros, typically €100–250/month for an Oy), YEL insurance (24.40% of work income, 19.03% for a new entrepreneur) and possible software and bank costs. The first-year total is one-off costs + 12 × monthly costs. The single largest item is usually YEL, not the setup itself.
Frequently asked questions
How much does starting a business cost in 2026?
The only mandatory cost is the PRH fee: sole trader €75, limited company €300 electronically (€400 on paper). Share capital can be €0. The real costs come from accounting, YEL and a website.
Does an Oy need share capital?
No longer mandatory. A limited company can be founded with €0 share capital. It may still be worth putting in some capital to get the business going.
What is the most expensive item in the first year?
Usually YEL insurance, not the setup. YEL is 24.40% of work income (19.03% for a new entrepreneur), so at €20,000 work income, for example, it is about €3,800/yr for a new entrepreneur.
How much does accounting cost?
For a sole trader, light bookkeeping can cost from a few tens of euros a month; for an Oy typically €100–250/month depending on scale. Part of it can be done yourself with accounting software.
Which is cheaper to start, a sole trader or an Oy?
A sole trader: registration costs €75 and needs no share capital or separate documents. A limited company costs €300 and needs a little more administration but gives limited liability.