Self-service may fit
Straightforward standard registration
One or a simple ownership group, ordinary shares, eligible directors and addresses, with the structure already decided.
Register a company onlineCompany registration decision guide
ASIC, an online agent, an accountant or a lawyer?
Compare direct government registration, an online registration agent, an accountant and a lawyer by price, documents, advice, support and founder scenario.
Source-checked by Sprintlaw 6 August 2026 · next review November 2026
Methodology
This guide separates the administrative act of registration from legal structure advice and tax advice. The $636 figure is the current government fee for a standard proprietary company from 1 July 2026. Provider and professional fees vary, so the table describes scope rather than inventing a universal market price.
Like-for-like comparison
Price matters. Scope matters more.
Company registration creates the entity. It does not, by itself, decide whether the ownership, shares, tax position or governance are right for the founders.
Swipe horizontally to compare every column.
| Compare | Government BRS | Online agent | Accountant | Lawyer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core role | Government workflow; ASIC processes the registration. | Guided administrative registration and a provider-specific document or platform offer. | Tax, accounting and financial setup within the accountant's qualifications and engagement. | Legal advice on structure, ownership, governance and documents within the agreed engagement. |
| Government fee | $636 for a standard proprietary company. | $636 passed through, plus any disclosed provider fee or add-ons. | $636 passed through, plus the accountant's professional fee. | $636 passed through where registration is included, plus the agreed legal fee. |
| Structure advice | None. | Usually none in a standard self-service product; confirm the scope. | Tax-focused structure advice may be provided where qualified, but legal documents and rights may need a lawyer. | Legal structure and governance advice; tax advice should be coordinated with a registered tax adviser. |
| Documents | ASIC certificate and registration record; no private legal-document package. | Depends on the provider's visible inclusions and terms. | Depends on the engagement; accounting setup is different from tailored legal documents. | Documents identified in the quote or engagement, which may include tailored governance and ownership documents. |
| Best use | A founder confident in the form and able to organise every other need separately. | A straightforward standard registration where the structure is already settled. | Tax-sensitive setup and ongoing accounting, coordinated with legal advice where needed. | Co-founders, trusts, investors, foreign founders, custom shares, governance or other legal complexity. |
Best route by scenario
Start with the facts, then choose the channel
Advice first
Tax is driving the choice
Ask a registered tax adviser to model the consequences, then coordinate the selected structure and legal documents before registering.
Get lawyer-assisted setupAdvice first
Ownership rights need to be negotiated
Co-founder splits, vesting, investor rights and deadlock are legal and commercial questions, not form fields.
Get lawyer-assisted setupAdvice first
Foreign, trustee or holding structure
Resident-director, deed, group, tax and beneficial-ownership issues make advice before registration the safer sequence.
Get lawyer-assisted setupRed flags
Pause before clicking “register”
- A channel claims one structure is always more tax-effective without knowing the business and owners.
- The person giving legal or tax advice does not explain their qualifications or the scope of the engagement.
- The initial share structure is treated as an inconsequential form field despite multiple founders or investors.
- Ongoing subscriptions, address services or add-ons are preselected or not disclosed clearly.
- Registration timing is guaranteed despite ASIC's ability to review, query, delay or refuse the application.
Two clear Sprintlaw paths
Register simply—or get the structure settled first
The self-service tool is for eligible standard registrations. The lawyer-assisted service is a separately scoped fixed-fee legal engagement.
Sources checked
- ASIC: Register a company ↗
- business.gov.au: Register a company ↗
- ASIC: Registration checklist ↗
- ASIC: Director responsibilities ↗
- business.gov.au: Company tax ↗
- ABR: ABN, GST and PAYG registrations ↗
This comparison is general information, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Prices, inclusions and government fees can change. Check the provider's current terms before purchasing.