What to look for in an Estonian accounting service provider

What a provider usually covers

A service provider for an Estonian company usually combines bookkeeping, tax filings and an Estonian address. Packages differ a lot, so start by listing what your company actually needs and checking each item.

If you expect to stay below the VAT registration threshold and pay yourself rarely, a smaller package may be enough. If you sell across the EU, check VAT and cross-border reporting carefully.

Licences to check

Legal address and contact person services are regulated in Estonia. Under the Commercial Register Act, if a company’s address is abroad, its contact person must be a notary, an advocate or law firm owner, a sworn auditor or audit firm, a tax representative, or a licensed provider of trust and company services. Providers of trust and company services need an authorisation from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).

1. Ask the provider for its FIU authorisation number.
2. Look it up in the Register of Economic Activities, where valid authorisations can be searched.
3. Look up the provider’s own company in the e-Business Register, to see its status and whether it files its own annual reports.

The e-Residency programme’s marketplace lists many providers by service category. Treat a listing as a starting point rather than a check you don’t need to do yourself.

Pricing: what to compare

Headline monthly prices are rarely comparable on their own. Put the same scenario to each provider and compare the total for a year:

• what the base price includes, and any limits on transactions, invoices or payouts
• extra charges for VAT registration, payroll, dividends, the annual report or late documents
• whether prices include VAT
• monthly or annual billing, any minimum term, and setup fees
• the cost of the legal address and contact person, if these are separate

The cost calculator puts service plan, banking and state fees in one table for the plans it covers, and how much an Estonian company costs per year explains each cost line.

How you will work together

The practical fit matters as much as the price. Check the language and channels of support and how quickly the provider commits to reply. Check whether you get an online platform and can export your data at any time.

Be clear about responsibility too. A provider can prepare and submit filings on your behalf, but as a board member you remain legally responsible for them. For example, the management board stays responsible for the annual report even when an accountant submits it.

Leaving a provider

Plan the exit before you sign up. Changing provider is routine, but the steps take time.

1. Check the notice period and any fees for leaving.
2. Get your records: bookkeeping files, source documents and past filings.
3. Replace the legal address or contact person before the old one ends, and update the entry in the e-Business Register.
4. Remove the old provider’s access to your e-services and bank connections.

If the company will be quiet rather than moving, what happens if your Estonian company has no activity lists what still has to be filed. Xolo Leap vs Xolo Go describes one provider’s two services factually, if you are comparing it with others.